Caregivers: Zhongli (primary), Traveler, Ganyu (babysits if Zhongli or the Traveler isn’t available), Guizhong (past), Bosacius (past), Indarias (past), Bananus (past), Menogais (past)
Xiao is a baby regressor with an age range of about 0-2 years old. He has never gone over the mental age of 2 any time he has regressed
Despite regressing being his main and most effective coping mechanism, Xiao is very stubborn about actually doing it. He will push off his urge to regress for as long as he can before he inevitably just slips into it with very little chance to react. He does this due to his pride and sense of duty. Xiao thinks it makes him weak and useless despite being reassured that it does not and that its healthy for him
Nicknames are the quickest way to get Xiao to regress when he’s resisting it. Calling him things like: Birdie, Little bird, Sweetheart, Blossom, Little Yaksha, and hatchling. Will easily make him regress
Xiao is completely non verbal when he regresses. He has communication cards but they only tend to see use when he is on the older end of his age range. Most other times he just babbles and squeaks to get his point across. Xiao also chirps a lot when regressed. Doesn’t matter when or why he will just start chirping like the baby bird he is
The chronic pain of Xiao’s karmic debt is what usually pushes him to regressing. Due to this he tends to be very lethargic and low energy while little. He does get medicine from Zhongli to help with is pain and make him more comfortable
Due to Xiao being very low energy he tends to spend a lot of his time curled up on his caregivers lap or in blanket nests. He’s got three main blanket nests he practically lives in when little: there's one in his room at Wangshu Inn, one in Zhongli’s office at the funeral parlour, and one in the Traveler’s Teapot. Impromptu nests are built when he doesn't have access to his main ones
When Xiao has the energy he likes simple and calm activities. Playing with his stuffies and other toys, colouring (he only does this on the older side of his age range) and playing with sensory toys
Xiao is still very picky about what he eats. There are only a handful of things you can actually get him to consume. He will eat jello, tofu (of course), some soups, yogurt, oatmeal, apple sauce, other pureed fruits, and he also does like formula
Since Xiao regresses so young it’s rather uncommon to see him without a pacifier or some sort of teether in his mouth
Xiao has three favourite stuffies that reside in each one his main blanket nests. The nest in Wangshu Inn has a very old and worn bird plushie that his fellow Yaksha had gotten for him that’s lovingly named Wisp. The nest in Zhongli’s office has a large brown toad stuffie called Azzie (named after Azhdaha). In the nest in the Traveler’s teapot is a plush weasel named Dusty which was bought by the Traveler for Xiao during lantern rite
These headcanons were requested by an anon! Thanks again for the request :D!
