Falling for You

Chapter 18 - It's good that you're okay

 Just for context: Xiao can teleport anywhere he has been to before and remembers as well as places that are close enough to see clearly. He can't teleport anywhere he hasn't been to or a place too far for him to see clearly.

 Cold.

 That was the first thought I had after waking up. The next thing I realized was that I was lying on something, or rather someone, still enveloped in a tight hug. I tried moving, testing how hurt I was, only to realize that other than the cold, I felt completely fine.

 I sat up as gently as possible before turning around, only to be greeted by a horrifying sight.

 The one who had caught me and blocked my fall was none other than Venti, who was now lying on the ground covered in blood and littered with wounds from the fall. The white thing that had blocked my sight before were probably his wings which were spread out, one of them twisted in a weird angle.

 I jumped up immediately, afraid to hurt him even more than he already is. To my relief, he was still alive, barely breathing but still alive.

 My first instinct was to pick him up and get him somewhere he can be treated, but I was faced with another problem. There is no way I can lift him with his wings out like that.

 I tried thinking of a method to pick him up even like this until I finally remembered something Morax said to the adepti and the yaksha at the start of the archon war.

 "If there is ever someone with wings passed out, you should find the point in the center of their back just below the waist. If you gently push it, the wings should retract."

 "Why would we need to know how to do that? None of ours have wings unless they are in their true form and you can't possibly retract their wings in that case." Someone had asked then.

 "An old friend of mine had told me this a few years ago, and I thought you should know how to do it just in case. You never know when you could come across a certain drunk passed out with his wings out." Morax chuckled.

 "A... drunk?" Everyone was left speechless by his last sentence, but instead of explaining, Morax had just walked away

 Now that I know what I know, the friend and the drunk he was talking about was probably Venti, but this wasn't the time to think about that.

 I knelt down beside him, but instead of turning him around I just slipped my hand under him, fearing that by attempting to turn him around I would only hurt him more.

 I fiddled quite a lot till I found the point Morax had been talking about. I pushed it as gently as possible and at that moment I saw his wings retract.

 "Ugh." He let out a groan as his wings disappeared.

 "Venti?" Was he awake?

 "Xiao..." He slightly opened his eyes.

 "Venti, are you okay?"

 Okay, fine, stupid question, but I really couldn't muster anything better.

 "Xiao... You're not hurt... That's good..." He muttered weakly before passing out once again.

 "What...? Venti please don't pass out again!" Where was I supposed to bring him?!

 Archons can't be healed by normal medicine now by healing powers of visions, so I can't bring him to Bubu pharmacy or Barbara at the church.

 The only option would be...

 I made the decision the next second. Gently picking up Venti, I tried teleporting again.

 It didn't work.

 I haven't been able to use my anemo energy ever since I fell into this place, so maybe I should try getting out of here first.

 I held Venti and sneaking past quite a few hilichurl camps and abyss mages, we finally got out of the cave. 

 Let's try this again then.

 I concentrated as much as I could and...

 This time, it worked.

 And here you were, thinking that with the release of another chapter the suspense would end, but no, not just yet, maybe in the next one. When will that come out I wonder?