Falling for You

Chapter 36 - To divert attention

 Xiao's POV

 "So the only thing you need to do is quit your job till I find a way to solve our problem."

 "With what reason should I quit though? From the way you're speaking, I don't think you want anyone to know about all this."

 After a long conversation with Istaroth, I eventually agreed to quit for a while. I was extremely against it at first but thinking about Venti...

 "How about telling Morax that you want to spend some alone time with Barbatos?"

 "What?!"

 "Why? You don't want to?"

 "It's not that I don't want to-" At that moment I spotted a smirk across her face.

 "It's not good to fool yourself, little yaksha." She smirked.

 "I'm not fooling myself about anything."

 "Are you not? Never mind then, just tell Morax whatever you want, as long as it's not the truth."

 "Why do I feel like you're mocking me?" It was a very strong feeling too.

 "You're imagining things." She replied calmly.

 Was I?

 "Oh, that's not good." She exclaimed suddenly.

 "What happened?" What could have possibly changed while she just stood there?

 "Baratos is coming back. I should leave before he returns but before that... Do you want me to undo it?"

 "Undo what?" What is she talking about all of a sudden?

 "Didn't I say that whatever was used on you, messed with your time, hence your small situation? If you want to, I could turn you back right now."

 It was a tempting offer, but...

 "Can you delay it till tomorrow?"

 "Delay it? But why? Don't tell me you want to-"

 "Nothing like anything you're thinking of! We just have a few errands to run tomorrow."

 "Errands? Wouldn't that be easier if you were-"

 "No, it wouldn't!"

 "Fine, fine, I'll delay it till tomorrow. Come here for a second." 

 I let out a sigh of relief and walked over. Before I knew it, her hand was already on my head and I could feel some kind of energy enveloping my body, before disappearing.

 "There. I cast the spell and sealed it. It should start working tomorrow around 6 in the evening."

 "Thank you." It feels weird... but it's not unpleasant.

 "No need, just remember to release some of your elemental and adeptal energy when you feel it start working. If you don't cover it up, Brabatos will notice my spell in seconds otherwise." She warned.

 "Got it, but... why don't you want Venti to know that you were here?"

 "Nothing much really, I just don't want to cause him trouble."

 "Cause him trouble?" How so?

 "What do you think would happen if the other archons found out that Barbatos hid another god during the war, and said other god is still alive and well? If it was another god, then perhaps it would have been fine as long as I stayed out of their sight, but we're talking about me here." She was laughing, but I could hear the mocking tone in her voice.

 "My apologies, I didn't think about that."

 "You don't need to apologize about something like this. You were still quite young during the war, there's no way for you to know everything."

 "..."

 "Never mind that, I should go. I hope to see you again soon, Xiao."

 "See you soon Istaroth."

 Before she left, however, she turned back and whispered something in my ear, running out right afterward, not waiting for my reaction. Just a few minutes after she disappeared, Venti came back.

 "I'm back, Xiao Xiao!"

 He ran up to me and picked me up.

 "Hmm? Did something happen while I was away? You smell a little weird and it's a familiar smell too. Where have I smelled this before?"

 Fuck! He noticed.

 The thing Istaroth whispered to me before she left, came into my mind.

 "Tough I covered it up as much as I could, Barbatos might actually notice my smell on you. If that happens you'll need to divert his attention. You can just..."

 I don't want to do it! It's embarrassing! Venti doesn't know that my mind is still fine, but I sure do! Saying something like that in my right mind is...

 "I'm sure I know it, but from where...?"

 He might guess it if it goes on like this.

 God damn it! Do I really need to do it?

 "It was not so long ago too. where have I smelled this?"

 Here goes nothing!

 "Papa!"

 "You can just call him dad or something, that would be pretty normal coming from a kid. Hearing something like that from you will probably make him forget anything and everything."

 God damn it Istaroth!