"…A harbor to shelter in…"
Hearing Bonanus's words, Alatus nodded heavily.
What sounded like a simple comfort had, without him realizing it, pried open a crack in his tightly sealed heart.
And more importantly—
The one saying it was Bonanus.
The woman he had secretly loved since childhood.
The effect was doubled.
"Of course," Bonanus said, reaching out to ruffle his hair.
The large hand of a Hydro Yaksha—hands once used as weapons—was rough and calloused.
Yet Alatus found the sensation incredibly comforting.
On the surface, Bonanus was comforting him.
In reality?
She was absolutely taking advantage of him.
No one knew just how happy she was on the inside.
As a certified Xiao fan, even when facing the real thing, one must maintain composure—
And then, when no one is watching, seize the opportunity.
And Alatus—
The Adeptus known for his coldness—
Was blushing.
This was the touch of the sister he had once secretly loved.
Anyone would be flustered, alright?!
Even though his temperament had long since hardened, he was still helpless against this kind of contact.
In truth, before serving the Dream God, Alatus had been gentle and innocent.
In short: He was never heartless—he simply learned not to show emotion.
Now, he was dangerous, taciturn, sharp-eyed like a blade.
He was not human, and thus struggled to understand human emotion.
Yet what he felt toward Bonanus—
That feeling was unmistakable.
It troubled him every single day.
He wanted to see her.
He wanted her touch.
He wanted to stay by her side.
To understand these feelings, he had even read mortal books—
Which only made him blush even harder.
Absolutely disgraceful.
A dignified Yaksha, embarrassed by colored books?!
And another thing—
Why were such books so widely circulated in Liyue Harbor?!
Didn't Keqing manage these things?!
This place was turning into Mondstadt!
...
Mortals might not know it, but the Five Yakshas—his family—understood this side of him perfectly.
Alatus kept his distance from the bustling human world, not because he did not care—
But because, as a guardian, he had to.
And because of the karmic debt that could erupt at any time.
...
Bonanus did not notice his embarrassment at all.
Or rather—she noticed nothing, because Alatus turned away far too quickly.
Every time she felt an intense gaze on her and turned to look—
She only ever saw the back of his head.
She thought he might be ignoring her.
Maybe she was boring him?
So the two of them walked side by side—
She looked over.
He turned away.
She looked again.
He turned again.
Over and over.
Finally, Bonanus spoke.
"Golden-Winged? Don't you have anything you want to ask us?"
As she said this, she pointed toward Bosacius, who was walking ahead.
In her previous life, Alatus had taken leave from Rex Lapis himself and ventured into The Chasm just to uncover the truth of the nameless Yaksha.
Surely—even if he struggled with emotions—he would still have questions.
What Bonanus did not realize was that her presence alone had short-circuited his ability to think.
As the saying goes—
When you truly love someone, the moment they look at you, your mind goes blank.
All that remains is instinct.
"Huh? Oh—yes. I do have things to ask."
Alatus nodded vigorously, looking unusually dazed.
Seeing the Demon Conqueror Adeptus like this, Bonanus frowned in thought.
Did Big Brother Bosacius and I scare my husband stupid…?
Alatus was usually so composed.
This was completely unlike him.
Bonanus, in her previous life, had never dated once—
A top-tier emotional blockhead.
She had scoffed at public displays of affection online.
2D husbands are superior, she had always thought.
"Are you really okay? You're not sick, are you?"
Before Alatus could react—
Bonanus reached out and cupped his face.
Advantage successfully taken.
Then, with a worried expression, she proceeded to pat him here, feel him there—
Left. Right. Up. Down.
All in the name of a caring sister.
Surprisingly, though Alatus looked thin, his face was soft and springy.
Very pleasant to touch.
For Alatus, this was catastrophic.
He felt like steam was about to come out of his head.
No—this was unacceptable!
He was one of Rex Lapis's Five Yakshas!
He must control his heart—
Even before the one he loved most!
"We Yakshas are not troubled by mortal illnesses."
(Translation: I'm not sick.)
He quietly took a step back.
If this continued, he would lose himself completely.
Mortal emotions were terrifying.
They were almost as dangerous as karmic debt.
"Really? Truly? Are you sure?"
Bonanus leaned in with a mischievous smile.
Her face drew closer.
Far too close.
To Alatus, she looked unbearably cute.
That was the final straw.
In a flash—
He vanished.
Reappearing beside Bosacius.
Bonanus froze.
…Had she been rejected?
Or worse—disliked?
Was she really that unpleasant?
Or—had he sensed something wrong with her?
If Alatus knew she had taken over Bonanus's body, he would have attacked immediately.
Confused and deflated, she trailed behind them, deep in thought.
---
Bosacius & Alatus
"Oh?" Bosacius glanced at the suddenly-appearing Alatus.
"Did the conversation not go well?"
"I now go by the name Xiao," Alatus said stiffly, arms crossed, face still red. "Marshal Tengshe, please address me as such."
Bosacius waved a hand dismissively.
"Oh, spare me. Playing that act in front of your big brother?"
"Golden-Winged still sounds better."
"…Suit yourself."
Alatus exhaled deeply, forcibly suppressing the lingering emotions.
Then he spoke.
"Tell me the truth."
"These past centuries, I have been searching for you."
"I gathered countless leads and eventually set my destination as The Chasm."
"I don't know how you returned without a word—but I believe you will give me an answer."
Bosacius nodded.
There was nothing to hide.
And so, as they walked on, the two Yakshas at the front spoke quietly—
One explaining.
One listening.
While the Hydro Yaksha behind them remained lost in thought—
Still wondering what she had done wrong.