Tʜᴇ ᴇsᴄᴏʀᴛ ᴡᴀɴᴛs ᴘᴇᴀᴄᴇ『ᶻʰᵒⁿᵍˡⁱ ˣ ᵐ/ⁿ ˣ ᵗᵃʳᵗᵃᵍˡⁱᵃ』

X

ᴛʜᴇ ᴅᴀɴɢᴇʀ ᴏɴ ᴛʜᴇ ʜᴏʀɪᴢᴏɴ

M/n decided to stay home the day after meeting Aether again. He didn't want to get too involved with the traveler and the main story, however, he was bored and Ai was busy with some secret lover of hers. Meaning M/n needed to bother someone who wasn't as close to the main cast of the storyline and had free time. So, he opens his window and leans out while looking to the left.
"Gale, I know you're there! Come in and have tea and snacks with me. I'm sure Taglia wouldn't mind it."

"How do you keep finding me?"

"Well, I've realized you hide close by but not too close. I figured you'd be as close to my room as possible. There's no ledge on the right but there is one on the left. Meaning you'd be around the corner."

"You're just as smart as he said. Fine, I'll partake in tea and snacks."Gale blinks his way into the room and takes a seat at the lowered table after placing his shoes just outside the door.
"What kind of tea do you like?"

"I like Oolong or Bai MuDan."

"You're in luck! I have Bai MuDan, in my room already."M/n reaches over to his desk and pulls down a brown and blue canteen. The color made Gale raise his eyebrow at it.
Hm those two are strange men, they even went as far as gifting him something simple with a meaningful color scheme. They're definitely obsessed with him..
He watches as M/n pulls out an all-black ceramic teapot and warmer.
"You must drink tea alone a lot in your room."

"Yeah, mainly when I don't feel like leaving my room...Sorta like today."

"Why's that?"

"I just felt uneasy, that's all."Gale couldn't understand what M/n could be so uneasy about when just the day before he was so carefree, this prompted him to ask another question.
"Could it be because of that woman you ran into on the way here the other day?"

"....Maybe..."

"I'll keep you safe from her. She does hold some ill intent towards you. I should report this to Sir Childe."M/n tells the other that there is no need to do so since the woman wasn't too much of a threat to his safety in the first place. Gale backs down for now and thanks M/n in advance for the tea. As they wait for the tea M/n reaches underneath his bed and pulls out a box; a very expensive one at that.
"What's in that?"

"Dragon's Beard Candy, Cloud Cake, and Osmanthus Cake! Zhongli knows how to satisfy one's sweet tooth. It's all homemade too!"

"Yep, they're definitely obsessed with you..."

🤍🤍🤍

"Lord Rex lapis, are you sure this is the right move?"Zhongli says nothing at first to the Adeptus; Xiao for a moment. Though it was clear to the Yaksha, he was still concerned about the possible outcome.
"I already figured that something like this would come to rear its head but that little shadow that Tartaglia gave to M/n should keep him safe and out of harm's way."

"... Wouldn't I be a better option?"

"That'll be exposing myself even more to him and it could put him in danger come the day Liyue must band together and fight for themselves without their god."Xiao bows his head and then looks over the plains just below Wangshu inn.
"So you've chosen that mortal as your mate?"

"Yes, that mortal's name is M/n. One day when he knows the truth of who I am, that is when I'll allow you to step in and aid in protecting him but for now, keep your distance."Xiao nods, he could tell that M/n must have been something quite special since Zhongli laid claim upon the man. Though, what worried him was the woman that caught his attention a day ago. She was covered in karmatic debt as if she struck up some sort of deal with a demon. It made his stomach turn, which was unusual. It's the cause of this conversation now.
"Be prepared Xiao, I have a feeling that many things will happen in the next couple of days."

"Yes."