⌗ 02 Well That's One Way To Get Out Of It.

⌗ 02 well that's one way to get out of it.

"so who's the unlucky girl?" the brunette asked in a teasing manner, resting her chin on her palms like a schoolgirl who's ready to hear the latest hot gossip. "what?" xiao responded with an offended look making hu tao laugh. "oh you know what I mean, who's the girl xiao?" Hu tao asked once again, stirring her drink with a straw her attention now on the scowling male in front of her.

" I don't see how is that any of your business" Xiao said and break the eye contact between them, casting his eyes on the food on his table. "C'mon you gotta give us a clue or something?" Hu tao whined, sprawling on the table gaining some stares from tables around them.

"That's right big brother! When was the last time you openly had taking a liking for a girl" Ganyu puffed her cheeks out, before shaking her head to make her point. "And we can also help to get you with her!" Itto enthusiastically said pointing his chopsticks at xiao, ganyu swatting his hand down shaking her head in disapproval at his rude gesture. Itto only murmured a sheepish apology.

"I'm not taking a part of this cupid whatever the fuck play you guys are doing" Scaramouche said with a scowl, crossing his arms, earning some eye roll from the group. "I don't want anyone to play matchmaker on my love life and I don't want anyone bringing this crush topic up" Xiao frustratingly groaned, almost wanting to rip his hair out, yes he was frustrated but he's more embarrassed than anything.

He thought he hid his feelings well, I guess well enough for not his other friends to notice except for a certain duo who couldn't kept their mouth shut, xiao glared at them with that thought in mind, scara only raised a brow at him while the other only giggled knowingly. "Aya, let's stop tormenting our dear xiao now" Kazuha feigned innocent even going as far to bat his eyelashes at the said male, xiao's frown only grew deeper.

"If anything shouldn't you guys bother scara, he was the one who noticed xiao's obvious staring, he might have a clue on who's the lucky girl is" kazuha successfully removed the attention from xiao by putting it on scara instead.

"oi, oi, what the hell are you doing! why are you putting me on the spotlight like that!" Scara said as he felt all the pair of eyes are now on him, he almost want to scream in protest but kazuha only blinked at him innocently before continuing on eating his meal. "So you do know something!" Hu tao said with an accusing finger, leaning on the table to get closer to the indigo eyed man. "So what?" Scara sassily snapped back, hu tao glared at him before slamming her fist on the table dramatically once againt gaining attention from others.

"Then what are you waiting for? Tell us already for God's sake!" Hu tao whined out, gripping her pig tails tightly on her balled up hands, Yanfei sighed and only patted her lover's back her act of trying to relieve hu tao's annoyance was reduce to nothing by scara's smirk. "My answers doesn't come for free" He said with a shit eating grin on his face still crossing his arms, ganyu in between the two of them, only sitting still with no intention of breaking them up. "You little- you're so fucking cheap"

"No payment? No answers" Scara shrugged looking away from the brunette when she made the effort to stand up to jump on him and pull his hair out, fortunately yanfei and ganyu hold her back, forcing her to sit back down. "I'm really gonna kill him" She muttered glaring daggers at the said male who acted as he was minding his own business, checking his nails for good measure.

hearing a sigh coming from hu tao, scaramouche knew he won.

"Fine, I'll treat you for 3 days, anything you want Just give me the answer" Hu tao whispered almost pathetically, pouting that she let the male got his way. "Wait- scara, don't do it" Xiao said almost pleadingly, scara only stayed silent making it look like he was contemplating, a few seconds of silence scara shrugged and didn't say a word making xiao relief thinking that scara is gonna keep quiet about it this time.

"make that 7 days and you have a deal"

"wha-"

"deal!"

"hey, what the!" xiao has never felt betrayal until now, watching in terror as scara and hu tao discussed their deal and sealing it with a firm handshake.

"so, who is she?" ganyu asked after the whole ordeal ignoring her dear brother who's lips keeps closing and opening like a blubbering fish in the water, not finding any words to let his million thoughts away.

"y/n l/n" scara simply left it at that, no further explanation needed when he heard countless gasp on the table turning their attention on xiao, his face erupting in flames just at the mere mention of the girl's name.

"Oh my god, the y/n l/n you shared multiple classes with?!" yanfei questionen for confirmation getting her answer when xiao let his gaze fall on his lap, his secret that he kept for years now reveal in seconds.

"The y/n l/n your once childhood play date?!" Ganyu exclaimed in a loud hushed voice paired with a dramatic gasp her hands clasped around her mouth for a more exaggerated effect.

"That y/n l/n!?" The girls asked in unison, the expression that xiao gave should be a more than enough confirmation but it seems like they seek more and want to hear it come out his very own lips.

He really need to leave.

Yup, he's gonna leave.

without any word he stand up from his spot leaving his confused friends who just stare at him silently, their eyes following him with every step he take. Eventually the group of friends snap back to reality and catch up to him before he can get away completely, scara getting dragged by itto and kazuha out of his own will.

"it is her!" hu tao said pointing an accusing finger at the male, grabbing him by his arm to stop him from walking away. the group of friends now circled him in the middle of the cafeteria, some people stopped focusing in their meals to put their attention on the group of people to see what's happening.

"yea it is her, what about it?" xiao said knowing denying it any longer would just make the other pester him more than she already did. "duh? talk to her" yanfei stated the obvious rolling her eyes to stare at xiao dumbfoundedly. "it's not that easy as you make it sound like" the male cried out in frustration almost ripping his hair out from the constant pestering.

"c'mon lil dude, you share a few classes with her right? wouldn't you have a few conversations with her by now?" itto said with a grin, patting his friend's head to encourage him but the deadpan look that xiao gave made his actions stop.

"oh my god, you never had any cover-"

"fuck so what?" xiao cutted yanfei out of embarrassment, can you really blame him everytime you're even the same room with him his mind turn to a blank and everytime you did strike up a conversation he was always left tongue tied, his lips moving on his own, words coming out of his mouth without him thinking. Now he's convinced you probably think he hates you when it's literally the opposite.

"god y/n definitely has a chokehold on you"

"hm? why do I hear my name here?"

all of them froze as they heard a new voice come view in the conversation, heads slowly turning to see a very confused you standing with a drink in hand, tilting your head to the side. "uh you must've heard wrong?" hu tao tried to convinced you but you only give her a raised of your brow with the answer she gave you.

"is that you gaslighting me?"

"no"

"yea, definitely gaslighting" you said, you point with your drink before a pout made it's way to your glossed lips. "Saw you guys just standing here in the middle of the cafeteria, thought to have a look to know what's up" You explained with a shurgged, you lips wrapping on your drink to take a sip.

"don't worry everything is okay" kazuha said with a smile even giving you a thumbs up to prove his point you couldn't help but let a smile graze your lips from his positive aura.

"Are you guys sure?"

"yeah, just uh- well xiao is feeling sick yeah!" itto said trying to be convincing but it seems like it did the opposite and it seems like you didn't plan to leave until you got an answer that satisfied you.

"Oh! he has aids"

....

"what?" even xiao wanted to say out loud as he look at his sister who's starting to feel smaller with all the attention shifting to her. "y-yeah xiao had aids, that's why, we're just concern for him you know, since we're friends" Yanfei awkwardly fiddled with her fingers, thinking that aiding her friend's statement would make it more believable (pun intended).

"I see.."

"yeah"

"then, I guess I'll get going" you cleared your throat, wanting to get out of the awkward atmosphere you unintentionally made. The rest nodded waving you goodbye stiffly. The group didn't say a single word even after you walk out of the door.

"well that's one way to get out of it" hu tao said.

xiao felt like he's gonna cry at any second.

Always: prev / masterlist / next ✧

synopsis: xiao has already accepted that he's gonna graduate without telling his feelings to a particular girl but it seems like fate says otherwise, he can't back out now, specially after his friends find out, playing as the matchmaker with the help of old friend google, wikihow to be exact

notes: taglist are open!

🖇 @aeongiies @sxiaoul @tsuyus-dream @sagegreenthinks @lovely028 @retiredmommylover @gojoandelsalovechilde