The three of them had a good time, playing some Monopoly and Super Smash Bros consisting of Xingqiu and Hu Tao bullying Chongyun in both games. Eventually, it got late and Hu Tao headed home.
Xingqiu leaned over, looking at Chongyun. "Did you have fun?"
"Eh," the taller boy responded. "It was alright, I guess. That Tao girl, though... she really gets on my nerves."
"I guess she messed up your pure Yang energy?" Xingqiu half-joked.
Chongyun was silent. He looked extremely confused.
Xingqiu chuckled a bit awkwardly. "Did I hit a soft spot there, Chongers...?"
"I didn't feel any change at all. All I know is I felt a bit warmer than usual... there wasn't any imbalance... or anything like that..."
"Wouldn't getting bothered usually upset your energy?" Xingqiu asked, equally as confused.
"Yeah... there's something strange about Hu Tao... we'll just have to see."
Xingqiu laughed softly. "It seems the fair maiden has melted the ice-cold heart of the wintry slayer of demons..."
"When you word it like that, it sounds like a cheesy romance novel," Chongyun groaned.
"Perhaps it will be."
"What do you mean by that!?"
The two soon began bickering more, except on this topic of romance. Xingqiu continuously teased Chongyun while Chongyun shut down all of Xingqiu's remarks. In the end, it left the ice-user unable to stop thinking about the funeral director that stopped by earlier.
Chongyun felt quite annoyed and bothered at the thought of Hu Tao, but there was something else he couldn't describe.
"Maybe... she's not so bad after all."
"HyaaAAAAAHCHOO!" Halfway across town, Hu Tao sneezed loudly.
Zhongli handed Hu Tao a handkerchief. "That was a powerful sneeze, Director Hu. I do hope you haven't caught a cold."
"I'm sure it was just a speck of dust that I inhaled," Hu Tao responded, wiping her nose with the handkerchief.
"Alright," the funeral consultant said. "But if it seems you fall sick, give me a call and I'll be right there with some medicine brewed by hand."
"Sounds good!" Hu Tao gave a thumbs up.
The young director checked her phone for the time.
"Oh, it's 6 already? I'll grab some stuff from Xiangling's restaurant, what do you want?"
Zhongli bowed slightly. "I'm alright, Director Hu."
"Alright then, I'll be back in a bit!" Hu Tao bounded out of the parlor.
"Don't forget to do your homework..." Zhongli sighed. "Such an irresponsible child..."
While jogging to Wanmin Restaurant, Hu Tao's phone dinged. She had gotten a text from Xingqiu.
<( wanna hang out again tomorrow? chongyun seems to like you if you know what I mean haha
sure! sounds fun )>
wait the what now)>
Hu Tao closed her phone, nearing Wanmin Restaurant.
"Chongyun? He... I... likes?? What???" Thoughts rushed through the poor girl's head as she tried to comprehend what was going on.
"Is this going to make our next interaction awkward?? How is this gonna play out??? I mean, he is kinda cute but... what am I thinking, focus, Tao! Focus!"
"Tao-jie, you alright?" Xiangling had been at the window ready to take Hu Tao's order for a while now.
"Y-Yeah, I'm good... I'll have the
YOU ARE READING
spirit || modern au chongtao fanfic
Fanfic!! mild Genshin spoilers especially in hu tao and chongyun's backstories !! Hu Tao, in her senior year of high school, meets Chongyun through a mutual friend. Chongyun seems to find Hu Tao annoying, but it feels like there's some feeling he's hiding...
