Of Sages and Oni

Chapter 3 - Spikes

Y/N POV:
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Al Haitham sat down in front of Itto and kept asking him questions.

"So your favorite food is...lollipops? Can lollipops even be considered a food?"

"Hey hey hey. One- don't diss one of the greatest things to be created in all of Teyvat. Two- Yes."

"And you said that Oni's hate beans right?"

"Right-o!" He smiled.

Al Haitham groaned. "You've got to be kidding me."

I was told early on to stay out of the way so that's exactly what I did. I listened to Al Haitham and Itto talk, while also observing them both and adding them to my drawing.

"Next, what weapon do you use?"

I perked up and watched Itto pull out a large spiked club. "I use this Kanabō. It comes in handy for a lot of battles."

I walked over and trailed my fingers along his weapon, admiring how well it seems to be crafted.

"Uhaha- Your little friend seems to be very interested in it."

Al Haitham immediately looked up from his notes. "Y/N- you're supposed to be sitting off to the side so I can finish the first part of the research questions."

"S-Sorry! I just saw him pull his club out and I couldn't help myself."

"You can hold it if you want. Just be careful. It's heavy and you don't seem to be as built as your friend over here."

Al Haitham grumbled but continued on with the questions. I carefully dragged the Kanabō to where I was sitting and in the process I destroyed my art. "Nooooo!"

Itto quickly looked over. "What happened Y/N?"

"I accidentally destroyed my drawings. It's fine though. I can make more later."

"Nooo! They were so good."

"Itto please can we get back to the questions."

"Right right...sorry." He huffed.

I kept examining the club. "This really looks like it would hurt. The user has to be pretty strong physically to wield it safely though..."

"...and I'll go ahead and skip these questions for now..."

"Huh? What questions? Let me see!" Itto reached for the paper as Al Haitham tried to keep it away. "Please!"

Al Haitham lightly swatted Itto away. "These are questions for a later time. You'll get to answer them eventually but right now it seems rather...untimely.

The oni huffed and got up from where he was. I felt his arms scoop me up and I let out a squeak. "I'm going to spend time with the fun one now." He stuck his tongue out at Al Haitham.

"Wh- Hey! Get back here!"

Did Itto really just call me the fun one? I mean he wasn't wrong, but that really just came out of the blue. "Itto? What's all this about?"

"Your friend's questions were starting to get really boring and they were making my head hurt a little. Plus he's hiding some questions from me and I want to know what they are. Maybe you could help me with that?" He smiled at me and awaited my answer.

I swear right now if Itto had a tail it would be wagging back and forth, revealing to everyone his true excitement to be carrying out this plan of his. "I guess I could try. Although considering he's keeping it inside of his favorite book at the moment it might be difficult."

"Hey if anyone can do it, it's you." He ruffled my hair. "For now though how about we draw some new pictures over here."

I smiled. Itto really was truly kind and to be quite honest he has the spirit of a child. "Let's do it!"

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Al Haitham POV:

I watched the oni walk off with my research partner. Great. Now we'll have further delays in getting this project done ahead of time. I opened my book up and looked at the questions I had avoided asking. Maybe in a week or so it'll be ok, but for now it was far to early on to be asking personal questions like...that.

To ask those questions in front of Y/N would've been a completely different issue. I will admit. I've had my eye on them for quite some time. A recommendation from the sages would be enough to raise any eyebrows, but the fact he's also barely scraping by in his classes. What exactly did the sages see in him specifically?

For some reason I want to get closer to him and finally gain some closure to the questions that I have. It seems though that with the answers I get, I also receive more questions in return.

I've also noticed lately that Y/N has been staring a lot at me and it's becoming very noticeable. I definitely would've acted on my desires, but I'm still not entirely sure Y/N feels the same way. I guess I'll just have to do some more observing then.

I opened my textbook and looked over the data I had collected so far. As a said before, Itto certainly was very peculiar. I wonder if other members of the oni race act similarly or if it's just Itto being himself.

Speaking of which, why did I just let him walk off with Y/N like that. We've only known each other for a few hours yet I let him walk off with someone I'd been observing for years? I sighed and closed my book, leaving it at the camp.

"I better go after them."