modernity - xiaoven

45.

i hate this next set of four chapters, because guess who decided to go:

let's make this a bit indulgent, shall we?

and then forgot about plot.

--------------------

as lisa rushed outside, she found zhongli helping venti off of the ground, as xiao broke through a barrier of ice that had held him back.

"someone tried to steal his gnosis." xiao seethed, his eyes narrowing in the direction that the person had left towards.

"xiao, take venti inside, and let zhongli explain. you need to warm up, and venti's extremely shaken up." lisa instructed, as she walked over.

and that was how venti ended up with his face shoved into xiao's shoulder, clinging onto the other.

"are you willing to talk now?"

"i- no- she shoved her hand into my chest-"

"i know."

"who was she-?"

"la signora of the fatui harbingers. they're horrid people."

"horrid people?"

"they're just, ruthless. no morals. i have no idea how m- zhongli puts up with the one residing in liyue harbour right now."

"we're going to liyue next... right?"

"yes. zhongli needs to return to his duties, and i need to continue my own work, until it may be time for us to move onto the next nation."

"so i'll be alone?"

"unless either of us need to accompany you, yes."

"could you stay with me-?"

"fine."

...

"are you falling asleep-?"

"you're comfortable. and i went through something traumatizing."

"rest well, then."

----

"i'm not growing soft-"

"you let him sleep on your chest, i believe that counts as growing soft."

"he claimed he was comfortable, and i didn't want to move him."

"alright. we should be getting on our way to liyue soon. the rite of decension is occuring in a few days."

"i can carry him until he wakes."

"we can leave once he wakes up. he deserves to rest, he's just had something terrible happen to him, and he's only just woken up in our world."

" 'm awake."

"we shall leave tomorrow morning then."

"we can leave now, i don't mind!"

"you just went through something very traumatizing, you dumbass."

"and?"

"we're leaving tomorrow."

"fine."