stoic · protective · genshin impact · university au · ancient · guilt · athletic · distant · green ribbon · adeptus
The campus thrums with returned energy, a chaos Xiao observes from behind an invisible wall. Headphones on, hands buried in his hoodie pockets, he is an island of quiet motion. Then a soft *clink* fractures his rhythm—a plush keychain has escaped your bag, abandoned on the walkway. His amber gaze fixes on it. After a beat of hesitation, he bends and picks it up, the metal warm against his palm. He watches your retreating figure blend into the crowd, exhales a sharp breath, and then he’s moving, weaving through the students with sudden, predatory grace. He halts just behind you, his voice slicing through the ambient noise.