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"So you're telling us..."
"Mhmm."
"...To go inside this Teapot..."
"Yes."
"...so that we could retrieve a bell?"
"Yes, that's what im telling you to do."
I scratched my head as I looked towards the ceramic teapot that was set on the table. Around it was several other plates and teacups, similar to the small pot.
Madam Ping was the lady Zhongli had instructed us to go to, as well as the old women we were talking to now.
We were to retrieve a bell for the ceremony which was in the possession of Madam Ping, so we came to ask for it.
But, I just can't understand how the bell, which was supposed to be rather big, as Zhongli described, could be in this tiny little teapot.
"Hey Aether, do you-"
When I turned to look at Aether, I saw that he had already been staring at me, this caused me to look away quickly, cutting off my own sentence in the process.
'Wow, the ground sure is clean today.'
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'These two are such lost causes. She keeps looking away from him, while he keeps on looking at her. What did Paimon miss!?'
Paimon who was now probably the main character, as well as the only sane person there, looked between the two.
She was done with being left in the dark, and just wanted to munch on some Mora meat at this point.
Of course, she had a small idea of what happened but decided not to say anything and rather let these two figure out what they needed to do.
Sighing out loudly, Paimon managed to garner the attention of both companions, "let's just listen to the lady! Paimon doesn't get it either, but we should hurry this up!"
The floating girl managed to go behind the other female of their little group and pushed her forward. While doing that, she glared at Aether to do the same, snapping them both out of their stupor.
Madam Ping merely chuckled as the group was all sent inside.
"Today's youth sure are troubled."
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It was... A clumsy start to the domain. I mean, I may or may not had committed many errors, such as placing the healing circle in the wrong place, or... Smacking a few enemies into my teammates...
Yeah, not my best I had to say.
But... Every time I had a mistake, Paimon was always there to smack some sense into me. Quite literally.
"(Y/n)!" She shouted as she bonked my head a few times."It has to go over there! Where Aether is!
"R-right."
"A-a-and st-o-op s-s-s-stuttering"
"jeez- ALRIGHT!"
She occasionally went to Aether who was having the same problem as me. Doing the same, she hit him in the head as well.
It was a nightmare to get through the domain, but eventually, we found the bell.
Exhausted, I reached a hand for it but was knocked against Aethers knuckles, who went for it at the same time.
We both quickly retracted without a second thought.
Not even a second later, we heard a very angry huff behind us. As the only other person there, we knew it was Paimon.
"What he's gotten into you two today!? Honestly, it's been affecting your battle style and strategy! If you don't tell Paimon right now, I won't ever be able to help you."
At her last words, I could feel my face brighten, and I could tell Aether did too.
Staying quiet was an even worse move as Paimon continued to ferociously stomp at the air.
"Listen, there's no need to hide anything from Paimon. Just say it, especially if you both fu-"
"aaAHHH- NOT THAT FAR PAI/PAIMON!"
We had both yelled out simultaneously, overlapping our words as we snubbed out the girl's attempt at saying such a foul word.
She caught us, but it wasn't like we were even trying to hide it.
"*sigh* I don't know what happened between the two of you, but... you can't let it get in the way of your battles! Seriously! You can get really hurt and... and Paimon doesn't want to see that happen!"
Her comment made me do a double-take. It's true that we've been having a hard time working together after what happened. And the fact Paimon had to watch this happen on the sidelines, not knowing the cause of our distance...
This wasn't fair to Paimon, nor Aether.
It wasn't fair to any of us.
Looking to Aether, I couldn't help but get butterflies. But, I knew I could push through it.
I reached a hand and grabbed a small piece of his clothing. He noticed immediately.
I didn't face him, but he knew what I was trying to get at.
Grabbing Paimon, I enveloped her in a hug, Aether petting her head as I did.
"Don't worry about us, Pai. We're getting this sorted out, one way or another."
She remained quiet in my hold for a few more seconds before uttering out, "you better."
Removing her head from my bosom she then continued, "cause giving away therapy for free is such a pain. I always have to be here for you guys, or else you'll fall apart."
"..."
"..."
Grabbing her by the leg, I tossed the floating girl away, her body spinning madly in the air.
"AAEEEEEEEEEEeeeeee......"
Paimon's voice faded out into the distance, long gone as we couldn't see her body anymore.
I heard the small chuckling of the blonde beside me and turned to him with a deadpanned look.
"Your such a jerk, you know that."
Stopping his laughter, he looked up at me with teary eyes from the laughing session he just had. 'Cute.'
"Mm, yes I know I know, but I also know that you like it." He boldly stated with his charming smile.
I guffawed at his comment, going in to deny such a statement before he pulled a mirror out of nowhere, and shined it at me.
You could see the faint trace of a blush on my features, this caused me to hold my cheeks in embarrassment.
He chuckled again but was silenced by a swift chop to the top of his head.
"It's the simp in me. I can't help it." I tried to reason, but I knew he didn't take me seriously.
Not so angrily stomping over to the table, I snatched the bell we were meant to retrieve and wondered what we had to do to leave.
At this same moment, Madam Ping decided to let us out of our small teapot vacation, exporting our body outside of the domain we were in.
"Ugghhh, Paimons dizzy, too dizzy."
The poor girl was swerving in the air from side to side. It made me think about how she would faint. Would she sink to the ground, or go belly up like a fish?
If it was the second, I had to grab her before she floated up to orbit.
Thankfully, Aether did that for me, nabbing the girl from the air, and tucking her underneath his arm for safekeeping.
"Thank you, Madam Ping, we'll be taking this bell now."
Chuckling for a moment, the woman replied, "yes dear I know. Though, do tell that 'associate' that I will be waiting for that bell to be returned. If not, he'll be having a little old lady knocking at his door."
Bidding goodbye to the old woman, we set off to look for Zhongli before my arm was tugged back softly.
I looked to Madam ping, who was the one responsible for halting my steps.
"Your father truly was a good man. I always heard stories about you, you know."
Looking back to Ping with a newfound admiration, I smiled at the meaning behind her words.
Iroh's footsteps were not going to be easy to fill, but the promise I made years ago still held true.
"Thanks for the reminder, Madam Ping."
Bouncing her head lazily in mid-thought, Madam Ping thought her next words carefully. "Mmm, now you should hurry along with your little friends."
Nodding, I jogged to where my companions were, before hesitating for a second.
I deadpanned.
'So it's true. What they say about old women and matchmaking.'
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