Falling for You

Chapter 40 - Worry

 We went pretty far out, huh?

 After defeating the herald, I immediately decided to rush back to Venti.

 The only problem was...

 "I'm so exhausted, I can't even teleport."

 Getting into a fight right after turning back into an adult might not have been the best idea after all.

 "I don't actually know which way I came from."

 This was another problem.

 In the end, I ended up wandering around for a good half an hour before I finally got back. At this point, Venti along with Andrius were finishing up the last of the hilichurls.

 I have to say, without distractions and people to protect, the two of the were handling them pretty swiftly. The hilichurls continued to fall down one after another till none of them were left.

 Seeing that they're done, I was about to call you to Venti, but...

 "Xiao! Are you okay? You're not hurt anywhere are you?"

 Before I could even open my mouth he had already run over, circling me, checking if I was hurt.

 "No, I'm not hurt, really. Look, I'm completely fine." I waved my arms around a few times to show that I wasn't hurt and that seemed to calm him down somewhat as he let out a sigh of relief.

 I still wanted to say something, but before I could, I saw the relief on his face turn to anger, and suddenly I had a feeling of deja vu.

 "You... Xiao, are you completely out of your mind?! Just what gave you the genius idea to not only teleport with someone else, and get into a fight like that immediately after you turned back into an adult, but to go ahead and take the fight so far that I could barely sense you?! Do you know how worried I was, knowing that you're nowhere near peak condition, and I couldn't even see you let alone help if it was needed?!"

 He huffed and puffed in anger as he glared at me. It was just that this glare wasn't that effective, considering that most of his anger had already turned back to worry after he finished his ranting.

 "I know, I was stupid. I won't do it again, so please forgive me, okay?" I needed to calm him down somehow.

 "Hmph!"

 "Venti..." It seems like he's more stubborn than usual.

 "Hmph!"

 Be foe I could continue to try and persuade him, a cough interrupted from the side.

 "Chough! I don't been to interrupt your lover's quarrel, but may I know where you took Razor?"

 "I took him to Barbara. She is the best healer in Mondstadt." I explained to Andrius, ignoring the words 'lovers quarrel'.

 "Thank you."

 "There's no need for thanks. Had it not been for me, he wouldn't have gotten hurt in the first place."

 "It was his choice to protect you, you shouldn't blame yourself. And Barbatos, you should stop being so stubborn. All three of us know that you stopped being angry the moment he apologized." Saying these words, he disappeared leaving me behind with Venti who was blushing out of shame and anger.

 What he said wasn't wrong. Through the mark, I could feel that Venti had stopped being angry a while ago already, and now he was just stubbornly refusing to admit it.

 "Why don't we check up on Razor?" Knowing was one thing, but even I wouldn't dare tease a god shamed into anger.

 "What a great idea! if I stayed here any longer, I might just beet that furry bastard up. Hmph!" With that, he turned around and stumped off in the direction of Mondstadt.

 "Hah!" That's cute.

 At this moment, neither of them noticed the fact that their connection had become stronger, to the extent that they could both clearly feel the emotions of the other. The mark's channel had begun to clear of obstructions, slowly but surely bringing them closer.

 One was too in love to notice, and the other had never known love before and refused to admit it. Even so, without their acknowledgment, a deep connection, a bond, had formed between the two.

 "Hey Venti, wait for me!"

 A bond that wouldn't easily be broken, even in the darkest times.

 "I'm still angry you know!"

 "Yes, yes, of course."

 "What are you smiling about?"

 "Nothing, nothing at all."

 "Hmph, hmph!"

 "Hahahaha!"