Chapter Text
As Ei opened the fridge and looked inside she saw a few pieces of bread a banana, orange and milk. She closes the fridge and heads to the couche and sits down. “Venti better move his aas with the groceries”. The person next to her Yae is too absorbed into her book to notice her. With a sigh she opens her phone and flips through her messages. 1 message from drunk idiot.
Venti: hey Ei I know you will he mad at me but I have to stay at the pub for a while so just hold out
She breathes in and out. If it wasn’t for zhongli she would have kicked his aas a long time ago. At the thought of zhongli makes her mood sink a bit. It has been 4 days since he left to help xiao and ganyu with there things. She wasn’t one to admit to missing someone company but she did miss the small chats his facts and trivia about the most mundane things. She however doesn't want to dwell on this and heads to the kitchen and sees guizhong making some scrambled eggs and beacon. “You look hungry and bit pale some orange juice and food will fix you up". She let’s out a faint smile she could never be angry at guizhong or zhongli they helped her out of that hole after the death of her friends. “why are just standing there venti will be back in a few minutes he just messaged me”.They go to living room and turn on the TV and check the news. “please do not go on qixing toad as it is currently undergoing a flood". Her heart sinks zhongli was on that road she heads to the phone and hurrly picks it up and calls the number. Beep beep beep. No answer her heart starts beating faster as she goes outside and runs to car with guizhong right behind her. “You cant go out there its unsafe I’m sure he is fine". She doesn’t hear her and reverses out the highway and heads to there planned destination to see if he is there. Thought the whole drive her heart is aching. I cant lose another she thinks to herself. When she gets there she sees no one but a worker. “have you seen a man about 6,6 with a pony tail and fancy coat" . “No I haven’t but if you are looking for someone coming from qixing road they are at the hospital”. She shakes his hands in rushes to the car and starts it. She breathes in and out and she sees venti on the road home. Before venti could process what is going on she stops next to him. “hey Ei ho-". She plucks him in the car and drives to the hospital. “go look for xiao I will look for zhongli they were in that flood". All venti could do was nod before she ran to the head desk. “have you got a man named zhongli in your care". “yes in room b4 are you family or friends?”. “a friend” and she rushes to the stairs and heads up them up them. She heads to the room and sees a hospital bed with a man unconscious and lying it . “no no it cant be bad". She presses her head against his chest and feels his heart beat”. “you know miss that friend of you is lucky to have worn this pendant other wise he have would died”. She can feel tears running down her face as she grips his hand tightly. “will.. he be fine?”. “he is stable now”. The doctor leaves just as ganyu enters the room. Ei quickly wiped away the tears and goes to ganyu to see if she is ok. “Xiao is fine as am I Zhongli was the only one hit by the debree" . She slowly gives her a hug. “I have to call guizhong she must be worried Ei” she nods as ganyu leaves the room. The whole time she holds his hand and hears his faint breaths. She slowly falls asleep and starts dreaming a dream
Dream
She is sitting in a field. It’s open and she sees a few buildings it must have been 6 years ago when she met him. She looks around and sees someone approaching a man with red hair and one with brown. “here she is Zhongli just talk it out". He nods as the man walks away. So his name is zhongli. He sits next to her and pulls out a lunchbox with water and gestures for her to pick it up. “you made quite the impression for punching Keqing”. “Are you here to lecture to me mister class president”. “I do not pick sides until I know the facts” . “She punched first I was only defending myself” . “that much is true however your face is bleeding” . She takes her hand and sees blood. “May I clean the spots?” . She nods as he puts on gloves and swabs the blood away. “Frankly speaking I’m impressed you have made a name for yourself”. She doesn’t look at him and nods. “you don't seem to have any friends”. “ Are you here to mock me?”. “No just saying I sit in the math classroom”. He stands up and leaves
Meanwhile
She wakes and looks at the time. 14:00 she stands up and looks at him still in a sleeping state. She checks the rest of the room and kisses his forehead and heads to the car to see xiao,venti and ganyu waiting for her. Xiao has some bruises and doesn’t seem in the mood to talk to anyone even venti. As they climb in the car venti opens his mouth. “You know since college has been quite since the fire I think we all should go to a waterpark and ligthen the mood.”. Both baal and xiao say at the same time. “while zhongli is in the hospital?”. “We can visit in the morning and then go.” They both nod and as they are driving home it’s pure silence. When they get home and exit the car yae hugs ganyu tightly as does guizhong to xiao. She sighs and heads to her room it is a decently sized home thanks to almost everyone working. She checks her phone and sees 4 new notifications from yae. "You should answer your phone". Speak of the devil. "I was busy and couldn't answer. "Show me your pace meter" . All she could do was looking confusion. "54 steps and your day started 4 hours ago you didnt move did you" . Yae always so good at remembering everything. "Why are you so good at that". All yae could do was let out a chuckle. "When you are dating sara you get good at it. She was about leave. "Don't worry he will be fine Ei get some rest". She lays down and drifts to sleep
Dream
She sits on the field again its break she has a grilled cheese and a water. She sits alone and thinks about what he said. She stands up and heads to the math classroom. She sees Keqing and was about to stop when a girl with a small build and blue hair got her attention. As the classroom got closer she sees it is open. Inside she sees zhongli and a smaller person with green highlights. "Ah you took my offer you are probably wondering who the person is next to me name is Xiao". He doesn't speak and stands up and sits closer to zhongli. "He doesn't speak much don't mind him the teacher Asmonday has given me the class because I helped her". She heads over and sits next to Zhongli. For the rest of the break he talks about some trivia just as keqing walks in. "You have some guts to walk in and just be friends with the class president". "Keqing Zhongli Cleary said to leave it what do you want". Xiao breaks the silence Keqing heads over to the desk and gives zhongli a paper. As Keqing leaves the other girl goes to baal. "I'm jean the person under zhongli sorry for her behavior I have to go now". As she leaves the bell rings. "I have to go help asmonday you should go with me and talk to her". They head down the corridor and through the hall to see 2 people figthing. "Come on Aether hit me you won't". The smaller boy dashes to the side and punches his side. "You always want to figth Childe wats your problem?" . The taller man just laughs as he picks Aether up and is about the throw him when Zhongli was about to say something when a tall woman with white hair and fancy clothes she clearly looks like a teacher. "Childe and Aether head to my office zhongli and other girl you follow. They walk while alot of students mumble something about the figth she doesn't care for. They go past the lounge and the reseception. There is a long corridor and amsonday points to the room on the left. As they sit down she goes behind the desk and sits down arms crossed. "I have clearly warned you both haven't I?" . "Surely this was no figth he didnt even get a punch in". "Zhongli and other friend wat did you see?". "We arrived just as you did Asmonday". She glares at aether and childe. "If this happens again I will make your school year very difficult understood?". "Yes ma'am" they both said at the same time. Just as Zhongli and Ei were about to leave she signals to stay. "Ei is your name rigth?". She nods "I heard you had a scuffel with Keqing?". "I only acted in self defense". Asmonday sighs heavily and she talks about the detention she will have to go through. As they leave the office they see a girl that looks similar to aether. "Ah lumine wat is troubling you?". She doesn't say anything for a good while. "Is Aether going to be ok?". Zhongli nods resurently and gives her a head pat. "Don't worry he will be fine".
Present
She wakes up feeling worse and a bit dizzy. She walks to living room to see no one and a note on the fridge.
Went to get takeout brb Yahoo :)
Of course this note was written by venti. She opens her phone and sees a message from Sara
Sara: Saw zhongli got hospitalized is he ok?
Ei: he is stable
Sara: Good to hear tell Yae I miss her ;)
Ei: You guys are disgustingly sweet
Sara: Why don't you start dating???
Ei: No one interests me tbh
Sara: We both know you are lying
Ei: gota go cya later
Sara: You can't run forever talk later
She exits the app and heads to the couche and sits down and opens her Life science book. She starts flipping through the notes. Before she even realizes she hears a knock at the door. "EI!". "IM COMING BE RIGTH THERE" in a rather annoyed mood. She opens the door and everyone walks in. "Where is guizhong?". Yae tells her about her needing to go to family up state. "Btw sara misses you and I quote winky face". "Il start a Skype call later do you want some food?" Venti breaks the silence. "Yea sure il clean the table. As they are cleaning up she notices a pair of chopsticks that she and zhongli used when they started studying together. As she puts them away Venti brings the food. They enjoy a wide range of flavors and foods. "I'm stuffed time to go sleep." Before he even gets out the door Ei pulls him by the shirt. " take a shower first and dont you take all the hot water". Venti leaves the room whistling some tune. She helps ganyu and yae clean up the table. "After the shower we all should take a sleep". "But you just woke up?". "Ah you are rigth migth aswell finish my paper will you help me Yae". Yae sighs heavily and walks over to the dining table and turns on the tv and then helps Ganyu with her hair. She sits down and opens her phone again
Zhongli last online 5 days ago
she sighs heavily and looks down yet she just waits for more then 30 minutes and hears the shower stop. "Venti all that water better not be fucking cold or i swear to baal". He looks at her with a smirk "there is hot water dont worry" . She goes to the shower and leave the room
Venti pov
He goes to sit next Yae who is busy with ganyu hair and looking at the tv. He knows xiao went with guizhong and feels pretty sad and goes to his phone and opens his text messages.
Venti: Hru miss you uwu
XIao: Im okay how is Ei and Yae
Venti: there doing fine suprised you didnt ask about ganyu
Xiao : She will be fine she is strong and full of willpower and dont you dare fucking tell her