★Twisted Wishes★ | Genshin x Twisted Wonderland

🧡Hu Tao x Jamil🧡

Scenario: Hu Tao is pestering Jamil while he tries to study.

"The Thorn Fairy's minions numbered between 6,000 to 8,500, and they..." Jamil scanned his history textbook, trying to concentrate. "Great. The history test is tomorrow, and I still need to help Kalim prepare. Now all I need is one more distraction, and I'll fail for s—"

A chestnut-haired girl popped her head into the room. "Jamil! There you are!"

"Speak of the devil," Jamil groaned. "Look who it is."

"Ah! The devil?" Hu Tao tilted her head to the side. "Have you met him before? I've always wanted to—"

"Get to the point. I have a lot to do," Jamil snapped.

Feigning offense, Hu Tao held a hand to her heart. "Oya? That's no way to greet your best friend forever." Jamil glared at her. "Okay, okay. Would you say you want a big funeral or a small one?"

"Not this again." Ignoring her, Jamil turned back to his textbook. "...the Thorn Fairy's minions numbered between 6,000 to 8,500, and they marched across the plains in the year 850."

"A mahogany coffin or just the plain black?" Hu Tao asked, her flower-pupiled eyes peeking out from below the edge of his desk.

"...marched across the plains in the year 850..."

She drummed her fingers across his textbook. "Funeral shroud or none?"

"Enough." He snatched up his textbook. "There won't be any funeral. Just leave me alone and go bother someone else, will you?"

A pleading look on her face, Hu Tao held up her finger. "One last question! What kind of flowers would you like at your funeral?"

Jamil stared at her, a murderous look in his eyes.

"Come on, easy question!" Hu Tao urged. There was an odd, almost nervous look in her eye, but Jamil didn't have time to dwell on it. "Just say your favorite flower."

"Jasmine flowers! Jasmine flowers, okay?"

Just like that, she was gone, having slipped soundlessly out the door like some kind of ghost.

Later that week, Jamil reflected on how his week had gone. He'd done surprisingly well on that history test, and he hadn't been bothered by Hu Tao ever since that day. She seemed to have taken his advice about bothering someone else to heart.

So why did he feel a little sad?

It wasn't because he missed being pestered by Hu Tao.

No way.

Walking to his room, Jamil decided that he was just tired. That must be it. He'd gone too long without a break, and—

"BOO!" Hu Tao materialized in front of Jamil, making him jump. "Scared ya, didn't I?" She grinned, obviously pleased with herself.

"Hu Tao! What is it now?" Jamil didn't know whether to be annoyed or glad to see her.

With a flourish, Hu Tao whipped out something from behind her back: a bouquet of jasmine flowers, freshly picked. "Ta-da! For you!"

"You're giving these... to me? They aren't laced with poison, are they?" Jamil held the bouquet at arm's length, suddenly suspicious. He honestly wouldn't put it past her.

"No, no, silly. Don't worry so much. If I wanted to poison you, I could just slip some into Kalim's food!" Hu Tao laughed. Jamil didn't find her statement reassuring at all.

"So what's with the sudden gift? I hope you know I don't take bribes."

"Oh, you worrywart." Hu Tao poked Jamil's cheek playfully. "It's just a gift from me to you. At funerals, people give flowers to show they care about the deceased. So I'm showing how much I care about you!"

"Huh?" Suddenly Jamil felt like one of Heartslabyul's roses—frozen in place and bright red. "You're showing how much you—um, did I hear you correctly?"

Hu Tao looked away, uncharacteristically shy. "Oh, don't read too much into it. We're all going to die in the end, right? Think of this as... early funeral flowers from me to you."

Before Jamil could react, she whispered, "We've still got some time before we die. So let's spend it together, m'kay?"