You

"Xiao, you're very confusing."

Xiao

"... I'm hungry."

You

"You know what, sure."

Xiao was all of a sudden very random, he wasn't really... himself. You figured that this was a result of him actually getting proper rest.

You peered over the corner of the door, checking to see if anyone else was awake. You and Xiao appeared to be the only ones who were actually awake. So you rashly opened the door and walked out, Xiao trailing behind you.

Scaramouche

"I knew it! You guys were fucking!"

Xiao

"?"

Scaramouche came out of nowhere, he had actually been awake before you and had guessed that you slept with Xiao. Therefore, it gave him an opportunity to make fun of you.

You

"Scaramouche, I didn't have anywhere else to sleep!"

Scaramouche

"Oh please, just admit that you guys fucked!"

Xiao

"Y/N, what does 'fucked' mean?"

You

"No- Xiao- You don't need to know what that means."

Xiao

"Okay. I'm hungry."

Xiao walked away to go browse in the refrigerator for something he thinks he'll enjoy. While he was doing so, you and Scaramouche stood behind him at a safe distance so that he couldn't hear your talk.

You

"Scara, listen. Your fat ass, as well as Childe's, were taking up the last available bed. The couches are too small, Hu Tao's lucky cause she fits perfectly on them. And I had nowhere else to go! The bed Xiao was sleeping in had enough room for one more person, it's not like we did anything more than sleep!"

Scaramouche

"Okay, okay! I get it! I didn't ask for a whole ass speech explaining last night!"

You

"Oh? Well, it seems like that was what you were asking for. What, you wanted me to sleep in your bed instead?"

Scaramouche

"Hey, I wouldn't mind!"

He flirted, horribly failing while doing so.

You

"Scara, don't ever do that again."

He chuckled, then looked over at Xiao right over your shoulder.

Scaramouche

"... What's up with Xiao?"

You

"Huh?"

You turned around to see Xiao just staring at an empty glass.

Scaramouche

"What is he doing?..."

You

"You know what- I don't even know. The moment I woke up, he just said that he likes me when I sleep, then told me he was hungry."

Scaramouche

"Pfft- He likes you when you sleep?! That's fucking dark, Y/N."

You

"No- That's just the thing, he isn't making any sense."

Scaramouche

*Gasp* "Wait he wasn't bitten or anything, was he?"

You

"What? Of course not! If he was bitten, he'd obviously be covered in blood and stuff like that. Plus, he wouldn't be able to speak as he does now."

Scaramouche

"Hm... I'll believe you just this once."

You

"This was probably the first time he's ever gotten proper rest, so maybe he's just acting differently because of that. Or perhaps he needs water?"

Scaramouche

"Eh."

Both you and Scaramouche walked over to Xiao, trying to figure out what he was doing.

You

"Xiao?..."

Xiao

"Hm?"

You

"Are you gonna... Eat anything?"

Xiao

"Uh..."

You

"..."

Xiao

"I don't know what to eat."

You

"Okay, okay... Let's see here."

Scaramouche and you both rummaged through the fridge to find something that you think Xiao would like.

You

"Do you think he'll like cereal?"

Scaramouche

"Cereal?... I dunno, I think we should just feed him bread."

You

"Bread?! You think Xiao likes that?"

Scaramouche

"Well, I don't know what he likes! I never even interacted with him in Teyvat!"

You

"Okay- Y'know what, we'll just stick with the cereal for now."

You and Scaramouche whispered, both of you guys looking into the fridge.

You

"Here."

You poured some cereal into a white bowl, then simply passed it over to Xiao.

Xiao

"Is this safe to eat?"

You

"Huh? Why would it not be safe to eat?"

Xiao

"I haven't tried it before."

You

Oh... That's right. The only thing that this guy eats is that Almond Tofu thing and crackers. "Uh, it's something that everyone usually eats for breakfast. Think of them like the crackers you ate."

Xiao then picked one piece of cereal and simply ate it. Just like the crackers, he ate them one by one, and slowly.

You

"Uh... Does it seem like he's getting any more normal?"

Scaramouche

"... I think so?"

Childe

"Good morning! I am ready to head out!"

Childe woke up later than expected, then rushed to get ready, just to find out that you yourself hadn't even gotten ready. 

Hu Tao

"Jeez Childe, you're so loud!"

Childe had woken up Hu Tao from her slumber.

Childe

"Oops... So, nobody's ready?"

You

"Well- Not yet. Some of us still have to dress up and pack, you know?"

Childe

"Wait we're packing things?"

You

"Yeah, of course. Who knows if we get stuck in a room with nothing to eat or drink?"

Childe

"You have a point... Alright! Then I shall patiently wait for all of you to get ready."

Scaramouche

"Jeez, what's gotten you so riled up for today?"

Childe

"I'm trying to get rid of the back pain that you gave me, Scara! How do you sleep like that?!"

Scaramouche

"Sleep like what?"

Childe

"The moment I woke up, you were literally sideways! My entire body aches!"

Scaramouche

"Haha! Childe's got grandpa bones!"

You put on your clean clothing, which Hu Tao had gratefully washed thoroughly. Then you started carrying a bunch of thing and arming yourself with weapons. You still had to teach the others how to use a blade properly because they weren't used to your weaponry. Or better yet, teach them how to use a gun.

By the time you were finished getting prepared, Xiao had already stopped acting so strange. He managed to finish the entire bowl of cereal and went off to get ready.

Xiao

"Y/N, about what I said when I woke up, I was trying to give you a compliment. I'm sorry if it came out in a negative way."

You

A compliment?... "Oh?... No, it's fine. It didn't come out in a negative way, I was just confused."

Xiao looked at you, then elsewhere.

Xiao

"Okay."

After a long while of waiting with Childe for Xiao, Hu Tao and Scaramouche to get ready, all of you were ready to head out. 

Hu Tao

"Oh... This is making me all shaky! What if we run into one again?!"

You

"Then we just kill them. Nothing can get in our way, especially since my main goal is to find Aether and bring you all back home."

You provided them blades that you believed would fight their fighting style the best based on what they informed you about their combat talents so they could get used to wielding a blade easily.

You had no idea where you were going in the car, but it was easy to follow since the Council building was so tall that you could see it from wherever. You simply took any road that you felt would lead you to the tower.

The drive was pretty long, a whole 40 minutes. 

Childe

"So, all we've gotta do is get to the very top, right?..."

Childe said, looking all the way up. The building was so tall once you guys were up close to it.

You

"That's where I'll assume the antidote is."

Scaramouche

"And if it isn't a the top floor?"

You

"Then we're fucked!"