Say My Name and I'll Be There

Chapter 11

Xiao didn't return until nightfall and even then, he barely looked your way.  'Don't tell anyone about your past or of our conversations?'  Your eyes narrowed as you stared at the campfire in deep thought.  I've never seen him so on edge before.  Your gaze flit to the yaksha, who had moved to the edge of the camp with Zhongli at his side.  They were both facing in the camp's direction, while you, Aether, Paimon, and Childe were occupied with dinner or sharpening weapons.

"Hey, so um, Paimon thinks you look a little better now," the mascot floated over to you with her food in hand.  "Do you want to talk about it?"

"No thanks," you shook your head, already having to bite your tongue from explaining what had happened yesterday.  "I'm just feeling tired."  You felt Childe's stare against the side of your head and did your best to remain calm.  I know I can trust Aether, but why did Xiao say not to trust anyone except Zhongli?  You gulped and faced Childe's eyes head-on, already overwhelmed with paranoia.  "What're you looking at?"  

"Ha!  Looks like you're feeling better after all, comrade," Childe stopped sharpening his arrowheads and set them aside.  "So, are you and the yaksha dating now?"

"HUH?"  You, Aether, and Paimon nearly choked on your dinner.  Aether looked at you with wide eyes.

"It's not like that!"  You yelled at them before turning to Childe.  "Where in the world did you get that idea?"

"It's quite obvious the feelings you hold for each other," Childe readjusted his gloves.  His voice was laced with a venom of jealousy, and his eyes lit up like a snake's in the firelight.  He eyed you carefully.  "I don't see another reason as to why you stared at him like you did yesterday."

"That's--" you were about to object and caught yourself.  "--true..."  Your shoulders tensed with the lie.  He's trying to draw the answer out of me, but the others dropped the subject.  Why is he so interested?

Childe's friendly façade cracked for a moment, and you swore you saw something cold as ice in the depths of his eyes.  "Oh?" As quickly as the ice clouded over his face it was replaced with an innocent smile.  Your petty lie infuriated him, the fact that you dared to lie to an esteemed Harbinger like himself.  I thought we had a bond, ojou-chan〰  His eyes darkened slightly as he reminded himself the real reason he was here with the team.  Developing feelings for a "comrade" was so unlike him that it both terrified and angered him. No matter.  I will get the information I seek one way or another.

Is he toying with me, or is he jealous?  It had crossed your mind that Childe crushed on you, if even a little bit, but...something about the look in his eyes was different this time.  It's neither.  You cast a worried glance at Xiao.

.........................................

"I've informed Moon Carver and Cloud Retainer already," Xiao spoke in a low voice as he watched you sit down and begin eating dinner.  "I will inform the others tomorrow morning."

"I see.  This is troublesome indeed.  I had my suspicions as to why he would join us, but it never occurred to me that he would be after the adepti.  To think that the Tsaritsa would try and drag the adepti into her war...or perhaps, it is the experiment of one of the other Harbingers? Perhaps Il Dotorre?"  Zhongli crossed his arms and stared at his feet.  

"It's not like that!" Your voice disrupted their conversation, and the adepti looked to the campfire simultaneously.

"If your suspicions prove correct, she will also be in danger," Zhongli kept his eyes on you.

"I believe she already is."  Xiao peeled his gaze away from you and watched Childe's demeanor as he interacted with you.  He hid his motives well behind the fitting mask of friendliness.  To the blind, he'd appear friendly.  Only those already holding suspicions or know what to look for would see the obvious signs of deceit.

Xiao?  Your worried prayer reached the yaksha's ears, and his eyes flicked to your uncomfortable ones.

She's...feeling threatened?  Xiao immediately made his way to you and made a point to sit in the space between you and Childe.  He didn't make it obvious that you had gestured for him.

"Speak of the daemon, and he shall appear," Childe leaned back triumphantly.  "So tell me, Guardian Yaksha, who asked who out?"

"Haah?"  Xiao nearly lunged at him.  He stopped when he heard your voice again. 

He thinks we're acting weird because we're dating!

I see, he straightened himself.  This could work for us, this construct humans call 'dating.'  He faced Childe.  "It was unspoken."

"Oh? That suites you both, then."  Childe leaned forward with interest, finally getting something useful out of the conversation.  So, she's a bad liar, and he'll be in charge of covering up the holes in her story.  This will be interesting, but not nearly as fun as fighting.  But I suppose I can stand this charade for awhile longer if I get to see her flustered like this.  He felt like a dog forced to heel in front of frolicking rabbits.

That's because it wasn't a lie, Xiao grit his teeth before glancing back at you.  You knew it, too.  The two of you were getting closer and closer as time went on.  It was only a matter of time before the truth of your feelings came out, though Xiao couldn't pick up on them as easily as the humans could.  To Aether and Childe, it was like watching two young kids stumble over themselves as they struggle to figure out what the fuzzy feelings in their chests were.  Childe found great amusement in this fiasco of a love story.

Xiao will depart in the early morning hours, Zhongli planned in his head as he watched the tension build between his yaksha and the Harbinger.  It would be best if she stayed here with us to avoid Childe's suspicion.  And if he decides to bring the battle to us prematurely, he will not be able to withstand the wrath of the rock.  Zhongli watched you, then Xiao.  If that comes to pass, she will need your protection, Xiao.