The Vigilant Yaksha

Chapter 39

Vena had found Aether in the funeral parlor Zhongli worked at, being sure to greet him quickly after filling Aether in on Xiao's injuries.

Of course, he didn't mind waiting until tomorrow to head out and said he'd just be sleeping at the same inn they'd stayed at the time they were there previously.

With business taken care of, Vena quickly headed back to Xiao's realm, not wanting to risk him getting injured further if she was to run into trouble.

She had a habit of it apparently.

She silently poked her head into Xiao's room once she was back, catching a quick glimpse of him sleeping soundly before she slowly shut his door and then headed to her own room for some shut eye.

The herbs she'd given him earlier may or may not also work as a sedative, but she'd neglected to mention that to him. He needed to rest, and she knew he'd just be hard headed about it if she had told him and done everything he could have to fought off sleep.

With a content smile on her face, she snuggled into the warm blankets in bliss before sleep finally took her too, excited for the following day.

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"Hey, witch-" A finger poked into the side of her rib cage, waking her from her slumber the following morning.

Groggily, she rubbed at her eyes, letting out a soft yawn as she groaned, displeased at being woken up.

"What kind of witchcraft was that last night, hm?" The sentence confused her, finally staring up at the Adepti with furrowed eyebrows as he stared back, not looking the least bit happy with his arms crossed across his chest.

"Witchcraft?" She giggled, running her fingers through her hair in an attempt to tame her bed head.

"I laid down while waiting for you to come back so I knew you were safe and I apparently passed out instantly. What did you do? Should I be afraid of you now?" Xiao was clearly trying to sound stern, but Vena knew better.

"I'm not a witch, dummy. The herbs just double as a sedative so you couldn't be stubborn with me and not sleep." She clarified, clearly trying to stifle another laugh, struggling to keep her lips from cracking into a smile.

"And what if you hadn't returned and I was sound asleep? Or if you'd called my name but I couldn't hear it?" His gaze was sharp, clearly a tad displeased with the girl, but it was only because of the off chance she had run into trouble and he wouldn't have been awake to help.

"I just went to Liyue and came right back, Xiao. What trouble would I have run into in the middle of the city-"

In a flash of green mist, he was leaned directly over her, hands on either side of her head as her back pressed back into the mattress, now encased within his personal grasp as he stared her down with a stern frown.

"You know the Fatui want you for something yet you continue to do reckless things every day. I'm starting to think it'd best best if I just tied you up and left you here, at least you'd be safe."

She assumed the words weren't meant in that way, but she couldn't help the intrusive thoughts that had invaded her mind at that sentence, feeling her face flush with heat as she simply stared quietly back at him with wide eyes.

Xiao studied her face, confused as he saw the blush spread across her cheeks for a few moments until his eyebrows simply arched, piecing it together.

"Why do I feel like you'd like that first part?" His voice came out low, half-lidded eyes stayed glued to her face, noting every little change in her expression as he spoke, watching as her blush deepened even further.