Camp Crush! (Modern!Xingqiu/Vampire!Chongyun) [COMPLETED]

Act 6: Hike

Zhongli was guiding everyone on a nature hike today. Childe tagged along for protection, pretending to listen.
"Ah, can you hear that? These birds only show up this time of year."

"Their voices are beautiful!"
Barbara was the most excited for this activity. She'd been asking about it for a while.

Sucrose was second in line. She was picking flowers, putting them in little bags and cases for later. Every time she found something, Xiangling asked her if it was edible.

Zhongli babbled on about every plant, tree, and animal they saw or heard. Xingqiu listened here and there but his thoughts lingered on last night.

A vampire... Was Chongyun telling the truth? He hadn't seen any proof, but it would make sense. Chongyun saying he can't be around people, him only showing up at night and surviving in the forest. It would be an easy explanation, if it wasn't totally unbelievable. Then again, it would indeed be difficult to prove. Xingqiu agreed that popular media was probably pretty loose with its vampire lore, and he had no idea how to know if someone was a vampire.

That didn't remove all his options. He could ask Chongyun for ways to prove it or study him while hanging out. He certainly liked hanging out with him. There was only one problem, and that was the time of day. He yawned loudly.

Xinyan nudged him with her elbow.
"You doing okay there?"

"Just haven't been sleeping well is all."
Xingqiu gave her his best fake smile.

She didn't fall for it.
"I wouldn't sleep well either if i kept sneaking out at night."

Xingqiu froze. Shit.
"W-what are you talking about?"

"Don't worry, i won't squeal to the camp leaders if you tell me what you've been up to."
She gave him a wink. She was all too familiar with sneaking about, it was the only way she could perform when she still lived with her parents. She was a lot more down to earth than she seemed, living by herself at her age.

The aspiring author gulped his worries. Xinyan would probably approve of his actions.
"I've been investigating why the boys' dorm is off limits."

Both of them were whispering, walking in the back so the others wouldn't notice.
"Anything interesting?"

He considered what to say. If he gave her all the details she'd think he was crazy.
"I ran into a boy. He lived here until we showed up."

Xinyan's face became more serious.
"He safe to be around? Sounds sketchy."

She wasn't wrong.
"I think he ran away from home, he's all by himself. He's skittish but i'm earning his trust."

"You sound worried."
Despite his mischievous spirit, Xinyan knew Xingqiu was a good person.

"I am, he's been alone in the woods for days. I don't get how he's still alive."
The vampire explanation felt more possible somehow.

"Maybe he needs help, should we tell Zhongli?"

"No, that'll just scare Chongyun away."
He covered his mouth with his hands. A slip up, be more careful next time.

Xinyan was too smart to miss it.
"Chongyun, huh? That his name?"

"Yeah."

The rocker chuckled from amusement.
"Little Xingqiu sneaking out at night to meet a mystery boy, sounds almost like a romance novel."

He looked away, feeling his cheeks glow red.
"It's not like that. He seemed like he needed some human company so i offered to be friends, nothing more."

Xinyan smiled even more after hearing his excuse. Definitely a romance novel.

Xingqiu hadn't even considered that himself. His curiousity had been leading him until now. He found thinking about it to be a bad idea, especially with how pretty Chongyun was. It would be unbecoming for someone of his social standing to date a runaway kid in the woods. Chongyun probably hadn't had a bath in weeks.

"Eek!"
Barbara's squeal shocked him out of his thoughts. Everyone came to look at what she found. At the side of the path, under a tree, lay a dead squirrel. It looked flat and dry. There was no blood.

Childe tried to lighten the mood.
"Great, now i won't have to make dinner! Who wants first bite?"

The entire group gave him a disgusted look.
"Eeeewww!"

He had succeeded.

Zhongli walked up to it to investigate, making sure not to touch the dead critter. Amber asked what everyone was thinking.
"What happened to it?"

Zhongli lied.
"Probably just a bird of prey. Alas, nature has its dark sides too. Let's not linger on it too much."

The group continued with the hike and tried to forget about it. All except for Xingqiu.

"Chongyun, you said you hunt animals. I think we found one on our hike today."

The pale boy looked surprised.
"I'm sorry, i'll try to hide them better next time."

"Do you really eat them?"
The thought seemed pretty distasteful.

Chongyun shook his head.
"No, i drink them. Vampire."

Xingqiu still didn't believe him.
"Don't vampires have sharp teeth?"

"They only come out when i'm hungry."
Convenient.

"How about red eyes?"
Chongyun's eyes were a beautiful light blue. They almost seemed to glow.

He shook his head again.
"Only after i've had a meal."

Xingqiu sighed.
"So there's really no way for you to prove this to me?"

Chongyun looked out into the sky, thinking long and hard.
"There's one way."

"Let me guess, biting?"

Chongyun moved further away again, just like before when the topic came up.
"No, i don't feed on people."

"Don't you have to?"
Xingqiu had never heard of an animal vampire.

The boy avoided his eyes.
"No. As long as i keep my focus, i can hold back my instincts. Animal blood is disappointing but it's enough to live on."

The aspiring author thought of a poetic comparison.
"Like living on water and bread?"

"Yes."

"That must be difficult."

Chongyun got a bit closer.
"So, about proving it..."

"Oh i'm all ears."
He had to admit he was curious about how Chongyun would do so.

The strange boy sat in front of his friend, taking a deep breath.
"Look into my eyes."