Frozen Heart

Chapter 25: Truth

Signora and you regained your energy quickly, although Childe had his troubles.

"Honestly, it's not even that big of a deal" he laughed nervously,

"You are standing in front of us with one broken arm, a broken leg and a big scar on your face" Signora glared at him.

"Y-yeah. That might be true, but at least I'm still alive" he looked proud of himself.

You two shook your heads,

"Childe, you need to rest for a few weeks now. Do not even dare think of doing something dangerous" you pat his back and brought him back to his room, helping him to his bed and then leaving. You closed the door behind you and just stared at Signora, she was acting like her old self again, not the mean yet soft sided one, she acted like the Signora who found you in Liyue.

'This has to do something with her true form..otherwise, why would she act like this again?'

"Y/N, quit staring."

You snapped out of your thoughts and just looked away. Crimson Witch of Flames, the tale was of a Maiden burning everything and everyone away all around her with no mercy. You wonder, why was the story a little more different than hers?

"Signora, why do you hate Barbatos?"

She raised an eyebrow, walking closer to you, so close that your way was blocked by a wall. Signoras face was close to yours, all you could feel was the cold of her body touching yours,

"That rat, who the people of Mondstadt call their god, was the reason he died" she hissed. Your eyes widened,

"How, if I may ask?"

"Hmh, he was absent during the war. When I met him back in Mondstadt to get his stupid Gnosis, he treated me like I, was in the wrong" she sighed, "I know I'm not in the wrong. Saying I'm a vermin, tch! Who does he think he is?!" Signora turned around and crossed her arms, tightening the grip around them. You stroke her back and loosened the grip around her arms,

"You don't need his approval to know that you're right, Signora" you said and tried to lighten up the mood a little, "Who is he anyways? Just a, tone deaf bard with nothing but big baggy pants"

Silence

'Dang it Y/N, that was definitely not a good idea. Always gotta screw it u–'

Suddenly she started to laugh, trying to keep quiet. Her sudden laughter startled you, it made you unsure if she was laughing out of anger or out of joy. What was she even laughing at?

"S-Signora? Are you okay? Is something wrong?" you looked her in the face, she had tears from laughter, you widened your eyes and couldn't even believe it. Tone deaf bard with just big baggy pants wasn't even that funny, but to her, maybe it was. Her smile though was heartwarming, so genuine and happy, you gave her a soft smile. Signora wiped her tears away from her face and fixed her funerary mask, clearing her throat.

"I apologise, I couldn't control myself" she straightened herself while apologising.

"There's no need to apologise for being happy, Signora. I'm glad to have seen that side of you more often" you smiled at her again. Her face was red, she felt this weird feeling again, what have you done to her? Has always been her question, but maybe now, she'll slowly start to understand.

"Y/N, come. Let us take a stroll outside, it's time for us to take a break, don't you think?" she didn't wait for your answer and just pulled you after her, right outside of the quarters.