Falling for You

Chapter 38 - Just some wolfhook

 Venti's POV

 "So, what do we have to do this time?"

 I looked through the list Jean gave me yesterday.

 "Hmm? Only two things all week?"

 Collect wolfhook for Barbara

 Diluc's urgent(?) request

 "Oh never mind."

 Only now did I notice the small number after the first task.

 "I'm not even sure there are a hundred pieces of wolfhook in all of Wolvendom, let alone 150. Maybe that's why she gave us a week for it."

 Well, it's not like I can pull out a bag of wolfhook from my pocket so...

 "Let's get on with it then. It's better to start sooner."

 I heard a small sound of agreement from Xiao, who had been clinging to my neck all morning.

 "Aren't you clingy today? It's not like I'll disappear if you let go. We're just gonna collect some wolfhook, it's not like it can hurt us." I laughed as I stroked his back.

 "Hmph!"

 "Huh? Xiao Xiao, did you just hmph at me?" 

 It's really too cute! If he does it again I might-

 "Hmph!"

 "Oh my cute little yaksha, what should I do with you?" I lifted him up higher to place a kiss on his cheek.

 I watched as his face filled with shock, before slowly turning bright red, and honestly, it was very difficult not to burst out laughing as he pouted in anger.

 "There, there, don't be angry. How about this?" I lifted him even higher and let him sit on my neck.

 "Happy now?"

 "Hmph!"

 "Then, to Wolvendom we go!" 

 Even if we walked to Wolvendom instead of flying, the time was way too short. having Xiao sit on my shoulders like that...it's not like I'll have any more chances to do this. 

 "Do you want to come down now?" I asked but he shook his head.

 Well, if he doesn't want to come down, all the better for me, but then again.

 "Do you want to help me from up there then?"

 He looked down at me with a confused expression.

 "How about I show you what I want you to do instead?"

 Saying this, I put down the basket I had been holding and held up my hand.

 "Look. If you use your anemo energy like this... then you can..."

 I wrapped anemo energy around a wolfhook on the ground and lifted it into the basket.

 "Now you try."

 It wasn't hard exactly, it was just because it requires very precise control, first-timers always-

 Squash!

 Break things.

 Sure enough, the wolfhook was squashed.

 "Don't worry about it, Xiao Xiao. This happens with everyone, you just need to feel out the amount of strength you can use."

 I picked up a wolfhook and handed it to him.

 "Try surrounding this with anemo energy first. Start small and increase it till you feel it's enough."