"Hello."
"Hey," came the familiar voice on the other end. "Xiao, how are you?"
"Seems okay," the brunet shrugged. "Just my whole body hurts."
"You slept over a day; no wonder. We barely dragged you, somehow got you into bed…"
Xiao closed his eyes. Fuck, how embarrassing.
"I passed out?"
"Yeah, you just collapsed, scared the hell out of us," Kaedehara sighed. "But you were caught in time."
"Shit…"
"Don't worry about it; yesterday was… You missed a lot, Xiao," a nervous chuckle came from the other end. "Listen, maybe we can meet tomorrow if you're up for it? I'll tell you in person."
"Better today," Xiao remembered his uncle was coming tomorrow and would likely take up the whole day, if not more.
"Then I'll swing by in a couple hours?"
"Yeah."
Xiao switched to speaker mode in case Kazuha called again and, setting the phone aside, decided to swing his legs off the bed onto the floor (enduring a couple unpleasant seconds of back pain), trying to restore some muscle tone and life to his limbs. He'd passed out from sleep deprivation after all. That's what Xiao feared most because it was a consequence of skipping proper therapy. He'd canceled his doctor visits a couple months ago, hoping to manage on his own. But in reality, things were going differently.
Stretching his shoulders, the brunet finally got out of bed and, unhurriedly, made his way to the bathroom. While washing up, brushing his teeth, and getting himself in order, he thought about what he'd say tomorrow to his uncle, who, as usual, would lecture him on taking care of his health—which Xiao simply didn't have. Neither health nor care, nothing.
It wasn't surprising, considering the lifestyle Xiao and his sister led. But while Hu Tao diligently attended all her classes and worked hard in the student council, her brother's situation was different. He didn't care about studies, time, or simple daily things like sleep or cooking. That's why he lived in the apartment with his sister—so she wouldn't let Alatus just waste away from all the dreary happenings. Though Hu Tao didn't restrict her brother or smother him with overprotection—she often hung out in the dorms or the lab, where she constantly messed around with her medical faculty friends. But now… because of the incident where Xiao nearly face-planted into the asphalt, he'd get extra attention. Just his uncle Li's visit was something.
17:51
"Xi-a-o-o!"
Alatus turned his head, hearing his sister's familiar voice stretching the vowels as she called the culprit of her recent mini-heart attack. Hu Tao burst into the kitchen where Xiao was pouring himself water. The girl flew to the guy and hugged him tightly from behind, pressing so hard that his ribs were about to crack. He was used to such "squeezes," which his sister called "death hugs" (another of her quirks). Hu Tao loved such gestures of affection and constantly clung to her brother—hugging, touching his hair, pinching, or biting. For Xiao, it was more torture than pleasant, but he endured it for his sister and her… smile?
"Xiao! I'm so glad you're awake!" she squeezed him even harder. "You scared me so much…"
"Let go, Tao," Alatus whispered hoarsely, trying to draw air into his lungs.
"Death hugs!" the brunette had no intention of backing off, and Xiao patiently waited for his sister to finish her weirdness. Finally, when Hu Tao peeled off the guy, she turned him to face her by the shoulders to study his face closely.
"Let me see," the girl peered into Xiao's eyes, then grabbed his chin with her fingers, turning his head side to side.
"What are you doing…" Xiao frowned. "Stop it right now, Tao," the brunet raised his voice and pulled away. "I'm not one of your… those—" Xiao meant the human corpses Hu Tao studied as part of her pathology practice. The girl was in her second year of medical faculty and constantly hung out in the lab with her "colleagues."
"Not 'those,' but assistants!" Hu Tao smiled widely, tilting her head slightly. "Well, no signs of illness except redness around the eyes, but that's fixable! Otherwise you're perfectly fine!"
"Thanks, doc, reassured," Xiao replied sarcastically, pushing away the girl's hands as she tried to hug him again.
For another five minutes Xiao endured this flood of affection from his stepsister, finally giving in, hoping she'd just suffocate him so he wouldn't have to endure it again.
"Uncle's coming tomorrow," Hu Tao said, calming down a bit and releasing her brother.
"I know," Alatus closed his eyes. "You already told him everything?"
"I didn't say you passed out, but I had to admit you weren't feeling well…"
"Shit," Xiao foresaw that tomorrow Zhongli would give him an unforgettable family evening that would make the guy regret waking up today.
"He's worried too! He'll grumble a bit. But at least you'll finally see each other. How long has it been? Since the end of last school year?"
As much as Xiao didn't burn with desire to hear a ton of lectures from Zhongli, Hu Tao was right. They saw his uncle very rarely, mostly because he lived outside the city in a big house, making it obviously hard to get to the university. While Xiao and his sister were here in the center, in a spacious apartment with a great view and ten minutes from campus.
"By the way, guess what—almost my whole course asked how you were yesterday! Even Albedo! He told you to get better soon."
"Albedo?" Xiao had no idea who that was.
"Oh, he's a very talented guy from second year," Hu Tao walked to the kettle to turn it on. "He said he ran into you yesterday at the scene and he and his friend are worried about you."
Xiao stayed silent. What was he supposed to say? That he didn't care if some strangers were worried about him?
"Xiao, I'm saying this because," Hu Tao started scooping tea into a small teapot, "everyone's worried about you. Everyone cares. You should've seen Kazuha yesterday… He went paler than his own hair!"
Xiao flinched. Well, that was definitely something worth paying attention to. Making his friends worry wasn't in Alatus's rules.
"I mean, maybe you don't notice, but there are so many people around you who care about you, and, you know… Just…"
Xiao froze, waiting as he stared at his sister's back. She clearly felt his gaze and fell silent.
"Well, why are you saying this?" Xiao crossed his arms, making a very serious face, ready to kill with just his angry glare.
"I thought, maybe," the girl turned to her brother, "maybe you should think about resuming therapy?"
"God, fuck…" Xiao groaned, throwing his head back. "I knew it! You already conspired with Zhongli?"
"Why do you think that?"
"Why else is he coming? To check on me? What bullshit!"
"Xiao!" Hu Tao jerked her hands indignantly, clenching them into fists. "You're just an impossible idiot! Uncle's worried about you, that's why he's coming! And he didn't say anything to me about your therapy," the girl glared angrily. "It's my idea! I live in the same apartment as you—how do you think I wouldn't notice your condition getting worse?!"
"It's not for you to decide," Xiao replied harshly. "I'll decide myself, Tao, what I need to do," the guy lowered his arms, about to leave the kitchen.
"You'll decide, sure, and others will worry about you! Yesterday half the university was impressed by your faint! Think about your friends, about Zhongli! What will they say when they find out the nephew of a respected professor walks around like a living corpse and collapses from exhaustion? Uncle did so much for you, and you can't turn off your stupid pride for five minutes!" Hu Tao raised her voice more with every sentence. She was loud again, which only irritated Alatus, but this time he didn't show his displeasure because… his sister was right.
Xiao didn't give a damn about his reputation, but Zhongli… This man had truly done far more for the guy than anyone else. Took him in when he needed it, raised him like a son, and gave him everything a good parent could. He helped Xiao settle here in this apartment, get into university, cope with what Xiao went through the year after the tragedy that forever split his life into "before" and "after."
Alatus sighed again and, closing his eyes, rubbed his nose bridge. Really, why couldn't he try for the sake of someone who meant so much to him? After all, he was one of the few people Xiao was willing to do anything for.
"I…" Xiao paused. "…fine, I'll think about going back to therapy," the words were hard because he had to lose to his own pride. "Just, please, don't say a word to anyone."
19:25
A couple hours later, Kazuha appeared at Xiao's apartment door with bags of food. Kaedehara was glowing with happiness because he'd finally seen his friend after a day standing upright and even with a slight lively flush on his face.
"You look much better," Kazuha noted, handing two kraft bags straight to the brunet.
"I'll sleep more often," Xiao replied with a touch of sarcasm, taking the bags. "What's this?"
"I got us some food from your favorite Chinese place," Kazuha closed the door behind him, then started taking off his bag and jacket and removing his shoes. "Figured yesterday's coffee was the last thing that could count as 'food' you'd had. And knowing your hatred of cooking…"
"You didn't have to," Xiao was immensely glad for the attention: Kazuha stayed true to himself and kept being caring even in such small moments. Alatus was somehow sure Kaedehara stopped every day on his way home by a box with a kitten he cared for. Savior complex. Yeah.
After greetings, Kazuha went to wash his hands, remembering where the guest bathroom was in the unfamiliar apartment, while Xiao headed to the kitchen to unpack the bags. Inside were indeed several dishes in containers from that very Asian cuisine restaurant where Xiao's family sometimes went for dinner. Remembering it wasn't cheap, the brunet sighed, already anticipating how he'd start scolding his friend for excessive effort and spending.
"Don't start," Kazuha raised his hands in a "surrender" gesture as soon as he saw Xiao's face. "It's my decision."
"Kazuha…"
"No, I won't take your money," the blond interrupted, standing beside him and starting to help unpack. "And anyway, consider it compensation for yesterday. We should've told Venti to fuck off with his early morning meeting ideas instead of letting you faint. He knows damn well you only fall asleep toward morning."
Xiao didn't argue because Kazuha looked very serious right now. He was probably still mad at Venti for yesterday. Well, anyone would be.
"Want to eat in the living room?" Xiao suggested. He knew Kazuha would agree because he loved that spot. By living room, Xiao meant the room with wide windows overlooking the city, in front of which stood a small coffee table and a couple of cushions for comfort. Kazuha loved it for the view, and every time he visited Xiao, they sat right there. Learned new guitar parts, smoked, or drank. Countless verses were written and hundreds of hours talked at that table.
Finally, the friends settled in their favorite spot and started eating. Xiao only felt hunger when he opened the dishes. Still warm, they gave off a very pleasant aroma that ended up triggering his appetite.
Xiao ate little and couldn't cook at all, so he usually left that to his sister, who sometimes neglected proper meals too and settled for delivery. Today she hadn't had time to cook anything, having slipped away again to her beloved lab (every Sunday she stayed there until Monday morning), and made Xiao promise to order food. He'd planned to choose dinner with Kazuha, but Kaedehara beat him to it.
"Every time I'm reminded this place makes great appetizers," Kazuha noted. "Why don't we go there for lunch?"
"Because it's expensive," Xiao replied calmly. "Plus, Tao and her crew always hang out there."
"You really don't want to see her that much?"
"More her friends," the brunet set aside the cup he'd been drinking tea from. "They're very loud."
Kazuha burst out laughing, imagining Hu Tao's girlfriends pestering Xiao with questions. The girls were always fond of him.
"Speaking of which," the blond remembered yesterday's meeting and why he'd come over. "Before I tell you about yesterday, I wanted to ask," Kazuha set his cup and chopsticks aside. "Do you… know a guy named Aether?"
Xiao raised a dark brow in mild confusion:
"Should I?"
"How do I put this," Kazuha smiled strangely. "Yesterday, when you passed out. It was Aether and his friend," the light-haired one tried to recall the name. "Albedo, I think…"
Albedo? Now it was Xiao's turn to rack his memory. Where had he heard that name?
"…anyway, those two caught you," Kazuha finished. "And while we were figuring out what to do with you, it seemed to me you and Aether were really close."
Xiao even froze, stopping the chopsticks in his hand. The brunet frowned, staring intently at Kazuha.
What the fuck happened yesterday? Who's Aether? Albedo? What the…
"I've never heard that name."
"Really? Hm," Kaedehara looked thoughtful. "But he definitely knew you hate hospitals and even convinced us not to call an ambulance. And he knows Hu Tao. At least when we brought you home, she was already there because Aether texted her in time."
"Fuck, I have no idea who you're talking about," Xiao gave up. If Albedo had come up in conversation with his sister once, this guy Alatus definitely didn't know.
Kazuha frowned even more:
"I'm sure I've seen him somewhere outside uni…"