Chapter Text
This time, when he attempts to make toast in the early morning before either Aether or Lumine wake, he’s entirely successful. He even manages to recall that Lumine prefers jam on her toast while Aether prefers some kind of nut-paste (Xiao thinks it was called peanut butter, but he doesn’t exactly see the resemblance between it and actual butter). By the time Lumine, ever the early riser, finally shuffles into the kitchen while rubbing her eyes, Xiao has begun to clean down the bench.
He pauses when she makes no move to the breakfast he has made, and worries he’s again messed it up when he sees her simply staring at him with wide eyes.
“Aether?” She eventually calls before even addressing Xiao, and a distant mumble sounds in response.
It’s been three days since his judgement, and Xiao is still getting used to how everything has dulled to a quiet rumble; no longer can he make out the words in Aether’s morning grogginess, nor can he see the clouds which mark his old home when he looks up in the sky. It’s strange, and he feels a little lost without his heightened senses or inhuman stamina, but he’s slowly getting used to it. He reasons to himself that if humans can live like this, then so can he.
Aether emerges from the hallway soon after, rubbing his eyes the same way his twin had before him, then lowers his hand to glare at said sister. “What?” He demands, but any threatening tone he may have intended is overridden by the slur in his voice.
“Your boyfriend made breakfast,” Lumine answers, and finally reaches for the jam covered toast. “Would be a shame if you missed it.”
Aether looks towards the plate of toast, blinking owlishly. “Oh… you didn’t burn it,” he murmurs, and Xiao nods. He watches as Aether takes a cautious bite, scrutinising any twitch of his face for a sign that it’s a flawed creation.
“Is it… good?” Xiao asks after watching him finish the first bite.
Aether looks back at him over the brim of the toast, and laughs softly — then covers his mouth as he coughs up some crumbs he accidentally inhaled. “I mean, it’s toast,” he huffs with a smile, taking another bite.
Xiao crosses his arms, frowning as he leans against the half-cleaned bench. Despite Aether’s dismissal, he demolishes the toast in no more than twenty seconds — considerably faster than his normal toast-eating pace of a whole minute — so Xiao takes it as a compliment of his toasting skills. Despite his best efforts to maintain indifference about it, he can’t help the proud smile that plays on his lips.
Lumine abruptly elbows Aether in the ribs whilst she’s still eating her jam-toast, and when Aether shoots her an offended glare, she only nods her head towards Xiao.
“Oh,” Aether turns to Xiao, who wonders if the twins have some kind of telepathic ability for Aether to understand Lumine’s vague gesture, “thanks for making me— making us breakfast.” Aether smiles, licking his lips for the crumbs that are stuck there. Xiao’s eyes remain on a smear of peanut butter that lingers past the reach of his tongue.
“He’s really turning into boyfriend material,” Lumine mutters, before she pops the last bit of toast in her mouth with a mumbled thanks towards Xiao.
“He’s…” Aether pauses, looking mildly horrified as he realises he didn’t correct her earlier. “He’s not my boyfriend, Lumine.” He turns to glare at her once again, making his point sink in.
Lumine simply stares back, her face unchanging — at least, until Xiao decides it’s the perfect time to reach out and swipe his thumb across Aether’s cheek, mumbling, “you missed some,” before curiously bringing the small lump of peanut butter to his own mouth to taste it. His expression sours at the sticky texture, greatly regretting his decision, but there’s little he can do to change it now.
Aether’s face glows a bright red as his brain visibly short-circuits, and Lumine bursts out laughing. “I really— I really beg to differ,” she chokes out between her barking laughs, holding her sides as though they’re about to burst. Aether bites his lip and turns towards the hallway he had emerged from.
“I’m going back to bed,” he mutters, ears still burning as he returns to the room he shares with Lumine in a stiff walk.
“Don’t forget it’s the festival today,” Lumine calls after him, effectively halting him mid-stride.
“Festival?” Xiao asks.
“Yeah,” Lumine turns to him, “all the trees start flowering at this time of year, so there’s always a huge festival to celebrate.” She taps her chin thoughtfully, though Xiao has an inkling of suspicion that it’s only for dramatic effect. “There’s usually drinking, and dancing, and all-you-can-eat contests, and even a little tradition where if you kiss someone you will—”
Her words are abruptly muffled by Aether jumping towards her and throwing his hands over her mouth. He shoots a panicked look towards Xiao, but tries his best to turn it into a reassuring smile. “H-he doesn’t need to know about that part, because it’s definitely not what I have planned, haha…” he trails off, smile going awry.
Xiao doesn’t feel reassured at all.
Lumine shrugs off Aether’s hands. “Well, I didn’t say anything about what you planned to do with him, did I?”
Aether blanches, and again turns away to reunite with his bed — this time, he does not turn back. Lumine shouts at the closed door, telling him to not use all the shampoo in the shower this time, and informing him — and subsequently, informing Xiao — that the festival starts in two hours. When she turns back to the no-longer-immortal being, she shoots a cheeky grin at him with an accompanying wink, and leaves him in favour of the bathroom to clean her teeth.
Xiao follows some minutes after to have the first shower for the day, before either of the twins decide to take it up for a whole hour. While the water rushes over his skin, he lets his thoughts drift to the conversation just had.
He wonders, briefly, what a kiss is.
90 minutes later, Aether emerges from the bathroom, steam billowing out behind him as evidence of the unreasonable length of his shower. Xiao leans against the wall as he takes note of Aether’s outfit; something simple, but it looks nice, he thinks. The dark attire highlights the bright gold of his freshly-washed hair, and the simple jewellery he had adorned shines just enough to compliment his whole appearance. When their gazes lock after scrutinising each other’s clothing choices, Xiao gives an approving nod, and watches closely as Aether smiles bashfully back at him. He’s not quite sure what the frequent rosy colour of Aether’s cheeks mean, only that he’s quite fond of the way that it looks;
He thinks, Aether is probably the prettiest person he’s ever known.
Their moment of mutual appreciation is interrupted by a soft growling, and while Xiao frowns as he tries to determine the source of the sound, Aether’s brows shoot upwards as he tries — and fails — to stifle a laugh.
“Xiao…” he mumbles, wiping a hand across his face in a half-hearted attempt to clear away the smile. “You didn’t forget to eat again, did you?”
Xiao stills, staring with wide eyes up at Aether. “That is irrelevant,” he dismisses, “I do not crave food.”
As if to spite him, the growling returns with vigour, and Xiao feels how it rumbles in his stomach. He shifts his gaze away from Aether before the blond can laugh at him again.
“Xiao, you’re mortal now. You need to eat something,” Aether sighs with an odd fondness, as he brushes past Xiao’s shoulder to peruse the contents of the kitchen fridge.
You’re mortal now, echoes in Xiao’s mind as he blankly stares over Aether’s shoulder into the cold container, taking in every shift of his chest that indicates his constant breathing, every lick of his lips whenever his eyes catch onto certain food items. For mortals, death is inevitable, a looming fate that awaits even the most careful of humans, an inescapable doom that will arrive unannounced and render every future plan futile. Yet, as he watches Aether do even the simplest of tasks, perform these subconscious tics as he reacts to everything around him, Xiao sees how a creature doomed to die is so full of life. Even though his death may be scheduled far sooner than that of an immortal, it clearly doesn’t bother him — possibly, it doesn’t even cross his mind, for he has better things to do than constantly think about his inevitable demise. Xiao thinks all of Celestia, and even himself, could learn a lot from such a mindset.
You are mortal now, once had been a sentence that would have terrified Xiao, but next to Aether, he finds comfort in it; he knows that though the remainder of his life may be short, it will certainly be lively.
“Xiao? You alright?”
Xiao meets Aether’s golden gaze once more, as the blond holds an object expectantly. Belatedly, he realises that he had missed Aether’s prior question amongst his silent musings, and clears his throat awkwardly. “Uhm, yes, I’m fine. What is… this?”
Aether seems to question the validity of his fine-ness, but says nothing on it. Instead, he smiles gently, taking Xiao’s hand and placing the object in it. “Food,” he replies with a light chuckle. “If you don’t like it, I can try make you something else, though we’ll probably be late to the festival, then.”
Xiao huffs, bringing the food — a round, red fruit — to his mouth, and takes a small bite out of it. He doesn’t expect it to crunch as loud as it does, nor does he particularly enjoy how incredibly cold the flesh of the fruit is, but it is otherwise… adequate. He stares at Aether over the rim of the fruit, who watches him back intently.
“It’s an apple,” Aether offers in the silence, “do you like it?”
Xiao hums thoughtfully, turning the name of the fruit over in his mind. He had heard of apples before, perhaps in their various trips into the city — though he vaguely recalls an archon in Celestia was rather fond of a beverage created from their juice. He takes another bite out of it, and Aether’s face lights up just a little. After a long few seconds of chewing, Xiao finally offers a nod, and watches with a hidden smile as Aether lets out a small cheer, moving his hands around in his subdued excitement.
With the hand that’s not holding the apple, he reaches out as Aether’s arms fall back to his side, gently catching Aether’s fingers with his own, and tangling them together. He avoids the bewildered glance that Aether gives him, conveniently hiding his expression behind the apple.
“I can eat this as we walk to the festival,” he mumbles, and offers no further explanation for his impromptu affection — truthfully, he is not quite sure what had urged him to reach out, nor can he explain the odd way his stomach twists when Aether shifts their hands into a much more secure grasp, effectively locking them together. He can only assume it’s something to do with his empty stomach that the apple now slowly fills.
Aether nods, his mouth parting to say something, but whatever it was dies in his throat before he can make a sound, so he elects to simply smile instead, and tugs them both out the door.
The sun is passing its zenith when they finally make it down to the waterfront; all the streets of liyue are crowded with people gravitating towards the same destination, and Xiao counts over a dozen instances where he or Aether trip over energetic kids that crowd around their legs, soon followed by the parents shoving past them in pursuit. At some point, Aether had let go of Xiao’s hand in favour of wrapping an arm around his waist, keeping them closer together and preventing anyone from cleaving their way between the two of them, and potentially splitting them up in the bustling crowd. At least, that’s what Xiao reasons is why Aether had favoured such an action, as he remains acutely aware of the way Aether’s fingers press lightly into his side. He doesn’t dislike the touch — he feels much the opposite about it, in fact. It’s simply… unexpected.
The waterfront, usually full of sailors, ship riggings and mossy ropes that provide quite the tripping hazard, is instead littered in stores selling thousands of pointless trinkets and clothing. Even without his inhuman hearing, the shouts of the store owners are much too loud for him, as their voices compete with the steady sea breeze. Aether drags the two of them to a couple of stands that pique his interest, his eyes glimmering as they scan over gaudy fabrics cut into questionable clothing. Xiao simply raises an eyebrow, letting Aether’s hold of him slip away as Aether peruses the outfits, and lets his gaze idle over the rest of the festival.
Colourful banners cover most of the lowest parts of the city, accompanied by what must be millions of flowers gathered in bouquets on every street lamp. There are some lanterns scattered around at this festival, too, though they remain unlit on the ground, waiting for nightfall to show off their brilliance. Their numbers pale in comparison to that of the Lantern Rite, but Xiao imagines they would still take a few hours to clean up should they fly away into the shores of Celestia. The reminder of his old home brings a soft wave of nostalgia over him, but he shakes it off a moment later, focusing on the festival at present instead — he tries to enjoy the drastic shift in his lifestyle.
A now-familiar arm snakes around his waist, interrupting his city-watching, and he turns to meet Aether’s gaze. To his mild surprise, Aether holds none of the items he had been so eager to look at, and presumably, had wanted to purchase.
“Nothing struck your fancy?” Xiao asks as Aether gently guides them out of the stall, into the steady flow of people.
“A couple of them were nice,” Aether admits, breathing into his ear, “but they were way overpriced, and a few of them were falling apart at the seams.”
“Sounds as though the store owner intends to make more money than she is due,” Xiao comments, and Aether nods. The arm around his waist pulls him closer, as they wander through the crowd, cutting through to the other side when Aether catches sight of another store he likes. This one sells bite-sized food portions, which smell rather nice given Xiao’s disposition against eating foods. The store owner greets them graciously, and begins rattling off her wares, even offering a few of the small portions for Xiao and Aether to try.
“I like to call these ones ‘love bites’,” she laughs, and Aether stiffens slightly, halfway through eating the food in question. Xiao simply eats the portion he had been offered, indifferent to the conversation that they hold. “I’ve been told many couples enjoy them before and after they… indulge in each other’s intimacy,” the store owner elaborates.
Aether’s face immediately turns bright red as he all but chokes on the food. “We’re not-” he stutters, and whatever argument he was about to make falters when the lady throws a knowing look at the arm Aether still has around Xiao’s waist.
“Ah, still young and innocent, I see,” she chuckles, and Aether hides his face in his free hand, awkwardly swallowing.
“It’s… nice,” he eventually mumbles, and Xiao nods in quiet agreement, reaching for another. Aether sees the motion and bats his hand away, earning an offended glare from Xiao. “Xiao, you can’t just eat all the samples,” he whispers quickly.
The store owner simply laughs again, and waves towards the love bites. “He’s welcome to have another, if he wishes. Perhaps you two have some important matters to discuss when you get home,” she winks at Aether, who’s positively speechless as he sputters. Xiao happily sticks another morsel in his mouth, not entirely sure what has Aether so flustered, but not complaining about being offered free food either, especially when it’s something he can stomach.
They sample a couple more bites from the store, and Aether settles on buying a box of pink licks, as the lady had called it — they were soft and sugary, and namely, pink, but also very filling as Xiao had found after eating just one sample of it. Aether begrudgingly buys a paper bag from the store, too, anticipating that they will likely buy more items during their time at the festival.
Xiao feels a little awkward having both his hands free while Aether’s are fully occupied by the bag and Xiao’s waist, respectively, as they walk up and down the waterfront. Their walk is slow as they peek into most of the stores for a second or two, occasionally stopping as Aether picks up idle chatter with the store owners while they both sample the wares. He looks at some of the other couples that walk past them for an inkling of what he should do with his free hands, but most of them are holding hands like he and Aether had earlier, with very few people opting to instead follow from behind while they hold their partner’s clothes or shoulders. Xiao frowns, fidgeting with his hands when once again Aether abandons his side to venture deeper into a store. It’s not that he minds all that much, he simply feels like he’s… missing something.
When Aether circles back to him, he deposits a necklace into Xiao’s fidgeting hands, and cupping them in his own.
“What do you think?” He asks, tracing his thumbs along the dip between Xiao’s thumb and forefinger. Xiao turns over the item in his hands, inspecting its craftsmanship closely. He runs his fingers along the small, pearly beads, and his mind buzzes in a strange way as he takes in the simple textures; a rough cord that holds it together interrupted by the occasional smooth bump of a bead — he finds it oddly pleasing. In the centre of the necklace are two tassels hanging from larger beads, hugging a dark stone that has a satisfying weight to it, shining the way a gem would, yet doesn’t cloud over under his curious touch.
He nods approvingly. “It’s made well,” he says, “and it is… pleasing to look at,” he settles on, unsure how to phrase his appreciation for how it feels. He thinks Aether might call him strange for admiring such a quality; he had never heard such a compliment himself in his time on Teyvat.
Aether smiles, taking his hands away from Xiao’s and holding the necklace up between them. “Want me to put it on?”
Xiao nods again, silently lamenting the loss of its weight— that is, until Aether slips the clasp around Xiao’s neck instead, his hands resting on Xiao’s shoulders as he takes in the sight of the new accessory.
“Just like I thought; it suits you,” he declares with a smile, letting his hands drop away as he watches Xiao stare down at the necklace, eyes wide in wonder.
“Thank you,” Xiao breathes, reaching up to touch the stone with his hand, memorising the edges of it, letting the soft threads of the tassels brush over his knuckles. In his distractions, Aether takes his other wrist and draws it around his own back, a mirror of the way Aether again holds him, as they make their way out of the stall once more.
Like this, their bodies are practically inseparable; even if someone had tried to part them, they would find it nigh impossible, as they both hold a secure arm around the other. Xiao turns to look at Aether’s face, trying to gauge which store his sights have landed on this time, and it’s then he realises just how close such a hold has made them, as his breath washes over Aether’s cheek. Aether laughs a little at the feeling, and leans away slightly before he faces Xiao, too, meeting his gaze with that charming smile Xiao has come to adore.
Adoration, Xiao muses, letting his eyes roam across the pretty face of the person who has essentially changed his life. He spots how Aether bites his lip nervously at the attention, notices how Aether’s eyelids flutter whenever their gazes meet for too long. At this distance, Xiao can count the number of eyelashes he has, or admire each delicate line in his iris, or see the start of where Aether’s lips have begun to peel, for he had not drunk enough water the days prior. Yes, Xiao thinks, taking in his flaws and beauty alike, I do adore him.
Aether is the first to turn away with a shy laugh and a smile to match, as he leads them back into walking through the crowd — Xiao hadn’t even noticed that they stopped walking to stare at each other, as he falls into the same stride as Aether. He presses his fingers into Aether’s side lightly, testing the way it feels to have his arm around him, and feels how Aether’s fingers mimic the action on his own waist. Xiao finds he quite enjoys the silent communication, pressing into Aether’s side so often, as Aether presses into his barely a moment later.
They work their way back towards the city centre, the sound of various bards’ songs filling the air the closer they get. Aether tells him that though there usually isn’t bards in Liyue, they tend to gather in the city during festivals such as this one, busking to liven the mood — when Aether drops a few coins into one of their instrument cases, he explains that it’s custom to do so as a way to say ‘thank you for the nice performance’. Xiao takes in these strange mortal customs with a puzzled frown, but is eager to learn them nonetheless. He hopes that in understanding this vivid culture Aether has grown up in, he can eventually understand Aether himself, and learn what it is that makes him so special to Xiao.
A girl in an apron and a frilly dress quite unlike what he’s seen in Liyue so far approaches them, holding out a wooden board with stacks of glasses on top. When he looks towards where she had come from, he sees a permanent store type selling the same drinks, alongside various others — he figures this is the way the shop gets their samples to more people, though he wonders whether it’s safe to have so many fragile items on a simple wooden board.
“Care to try some of our newest brew?” The girl asks, twirling the board expertly towards them, silently inviting them to take one of the small glasses.
Aether pauses for a long moment, looking between Xiao and the drinks, before clearing his throat. “I suppose one couldn’t hurt,” he mumbles with a laugh, and takes a glass for himself. Xiao, too, mimics the action, wondering what makes the small drink so special.
“We are having a Spring sale, so you can buy two bottles of this sakura wine for the price of one!” The girl chirps, as Aether takes a small sip of it. He hums in approval, eyeing where the original store is.
Beside him, Xiao stares at the glass he holds, hardly larger than his thumb, crinkling his nose at the awfully strong scent it emits. He figures that whatever it is can’t be bad, though, when Aether drinks it so casually next to him, so he tips the whole drink into his mouth.
It’s far too strong for him, and the liquid practically burns down his throat as he instinctively coughs. The girl laughs cheerfully and Aether pats his back, rubbing circles through his shirt whenever Xiao’s face turns more sour.
“You’re not supposed to have it all at once,” Aether unhelpfully supplies, as though Xiao can change his error now. “Honestly, I didn’t expect you to like alcohol anyway, so I’m surprised you drank it at all.”
Xiao squints at him, covering his mouth as he stifles more coughing. “Alcohol?”
Aether nods slowly, his eyes widening when Xiao retains the clueless expression. He apologises briefly to the girl, who simply smiles and reiterates the store’s sale, before he drags Xiao away into a shaded part of the street.
“You’ve never had alcohol before?” Aether asks quietly, holding Xiao’s waist with one hand and the cursed drink with the other, as they face each other in the cool air.
Xiao shakes his head, still wincing whenever his tongue hits a lingering spot of alcohol in his mouth. “I don’t understand how anyone could enjoy such a… such an unpleasant drink,” he mutters, frowning as Aether takes a sip from the cup. The corner of Aether’s lips turn up at the remark, as though the bitterness of liquid fire doesn’t bother him in the slightest.
“This one’s actually rather sweet for a wine,” he comments, clearly savouring the taste on his tongue when he takes another slow sip, speaking again after a long pause. “I suppose it’s an acquired taste, though, and you’re not exactly fond of even the more normal foods around.” He runs his hand up from Xiao’s waist to his chest, then trails around to grab his shoulder, shaking him lightly, playfully.
Xiao crosses his arms, neither encouraging nor protesting against the action he’s subjected to, as he watches Aether’s calm expression finally turn into a frown, as slight as it may be.
“Bitterness finally caught up to you?” He asks, eyeing how the cup Aether holds is almost empty.
Aether shakes his head. “No… it’s just…” his frown deepens, as he tilts the cup slightly, watching the liquid move around as he does. “It’s stronger than I thought it would be,” he eventually mumbles.
“Stronger?”
Aether hums, and finishes the dregs of his drink. “For only a shot of wine, it’s definitely getting to me.”
Xiao’s face only draws tighter in his confusion, but Aether ignores it as he wraps his arm around Xiao’s shoulders, and walks them to the store the drink originated from. The girl from earlier greets them with a bubbly smile, asking if they want to try another, but Aether politely declines with a shake of his head. Instead, he turns his attention to the glass bottles lined on the counter in front of the store owner, trying to find the one which he and Xiao had tried minutes earlier. His eyes land on something called Sakura Sweetie, and he squints to read some of the numbers written down the side of the label, before his eyes blow wide.
“Holy— well, that explains a lot,” he cuts himself off before he can properly curse, huffing as he calms his expression to a much more subdued surprise.
“What is it?” Xiao asks, looking at the same label Aether had but finding nothing noteworthy on it.
Aether points to the label, as if to emphasise his point. “It’s a really strong alcohol.”
“I thought we had established as much, already,” Xiao frowns. Aether chuckles lightly, squeezing his shoulders that his arm is still wrapped around. Remembering what Aether had invited him to do earlier, Xiao hesitantly draws his arm around Aether’s waist, and his heart flutters when Aether shoots him an approving smile.
“I guess you wouldn’t be familiar since you haven’t had alcohol before,” Aether begins, “but if you have a lot of it, you can get drunk, and some types of alcohol can get you drunk faster than others — which is what we call a ‘strong’ drink.”
“Getting drunk…” Xiao echoes, his efforts to make sense of Aether’s words making his head spin a little. He’s used to feeling confused at the colloquialisms of humans, and of Aether himself, but the dizziness is new.
“Yeah, you’re already tipsy,” Aether giggles, and Xiao looks at him, entirely bewildered — before he, much too slowly, realised he had spoken his thoughts aloud. He turns his rapidly-heating face away, holding his free hand over his mouth to prevent any more stray words from escaping. Aether’s laugh grows louder, as he tugs on Xiao’s shoulders to leave the store, apparently not intent on buying the wine that he had seemingly enjoyed.
When they’re, again, in the crowds, Xiao notices that the sun has sunk far lower in the sky, as all the clouds take on golden hues for the impending evening. He hopes that the late hour means they will go home soon — it’s not that he isn’t enjoying his time out, with Aether, rather that the alcohol has his head moving in strange directions, and his thoughts turning to new paths; he’s not quite sure he’s ready to deal with the sheer amount of his alcohol-ridden thoughts that are full of Aether.
Aether, too, seems a little slower in his movements, and though the alcohol doesn’t affect him nearly as badly as it does Xiao, it’s still apparent that he’s tipsy, as he had put it earlier. No longer do his eyes quickly flick over things of disinterest, rather they linger on anything that glitters for even a second, and he has to take a long moment before he’s able to ascertain that he doesn’t want it. Xiao wonders if this is the desired effect of alcohol, for every thought to be so utterly inebriated that even the simplest of decisions become puzzling.
In the centre of the open square that the majority of the crowd fills is an elevated stage, which hosts a band that has finished setting up their instruments, and they begin to play. The music is fast, cheerful, reflecting the mood of the festival, and though Xiao isn’t entirely familiar with music, he does enjoy the sound as it echoes off the buildings which cage them in with everyone else. The world around him moves from side to side, slowly, yet perfectly in time with the music, and when he looks to Aether, who he still holds an arm around, Xiao realises it is he who is swaying them. He doesn’t mind the movement; he doesn’t mind anything at all, so long as it is with Aether.
It’s strange, he thinks, that he has grown so fond of Aether. It cannot simply be explained away by the fact that they live together, for Lumine lives with them too; for the most part, he spends an equal amount of time with the two of them, as he navigates his new life. Nor is it entirely down to Aether’s appearance, for even though Xiao must admit that he is beautiful, when they had first met, he could recognise how Aether and Lumine shared that trait; they are twins, after all.
No, it’s something else entirely that has won Aether’s place so securely in Xiao’s heart.
Maybe it’s the way that he always looks at Xiao, with a glimmer in his eyes and an upward turn to his lips. Maybe it’s the way Aether has always made an effort for him, no matter how dismal his attempts at being human may be. Perhaps it’s how Aether’s laugh never ceases to make Xiao smile, too, or perhaps it’s how Aether has been the one to bring him out of his shell and allowed him to enjoy the smallest things of life.
Amidst his reminiscing, Xiao hadn’t realised how much he was leaning on Aether — until the both of them stumbled sideways, still tangled in each other's one-armed hold as they just about crash into the festival-goers beside them. Aether apologises profusely to them while he helps Xiao stand back upright, before he smiles awkwardly at Xiao and gestures for them to head somewhere else. Xiao just nods, having no better idea and never really one to oppose Aether’s in the first place — and certainly not now that his thoughts and judgement are clouded.
The mellow hues of dusk swarm his vision, staining everything he sees and touches in a comforting violet, as he’s dragged by linked hands to the rooftops overlooking the festivities. Everything sways with the music, tilts when Aether abruptly turns them around, and his already dull senses are reduced to a simple murmur thanks to the wine. It’s the quietest his thoughts have ever been, at least until he all but glances at Aether — even catching the slightest glimpse of the long blond hair tied into a low ponytail sends his heart racing and thoughts tumbling.
He assumes it’s the alcohol, when Aether’s gentle touch tracing up his arms sets his skin on fire. His mind tries to wander towards a word, something that sounds like love, but his head throbs at the sound and so he forgets it; his attention is easily stolen away when Aether’s fingers are under the sleeve of his shirt, when one hand trails down his chest to curl around his waist, where it so rightfully belongs. Aether pulls them closer together, swaying in time to the music which hums nearby, letting his breath wash over Xiao’s face.
Your breath stinks, Xiao thinks. Maybe he says it, too, for Aether chuckles when the thought ends.
“Yours stinks too,” he grins, as though the stench of the too-strong wine in Xiao’s words doesn’t bother him at all. Xiao frowns, because he expects to want to pull away from the smell, and inhale the fresh air of the harbour, yet instead he lingers in the same space, sharing his alcohol-stained breath with Aether’s.
Aether tilts his head with a lopsided smile, and nudges Xiao to step sideways, backwards, forwards, leading them in a small circle. It’s a confusing path they take, having no destination and a rather inefficient journey, but Xiao doesn’t question it — Aether is smiling, and his head feels too dizzy to want for anything else.
He almost pouts when Aether’s hand abandons his waist, but then he’s being spun away from him, their linked hands being the only connection while they stand so far apart, and Aether strikes a moderately elegant pose with his free hand outstretched. Before Xiao can dwell in the sudden sadness brought upon by their distance, Aether spins himself right back into his arms, wrapping himself in a warm embrace as the cool night air settles in.
They’re so much closer now, he thinks, as Aether detangles their arms to hold Xiao the way he did before. Their noses bump and brush at every movement, and Aether only tries such a move once more — his pose much clumsier as the fatigue and alcohol catch up to him — before he settles in against Xiao’s body for the remainder of their motions.
Dancing, Xiao realises much too late, something he had long forgotten how to do; something he had forgotten he knew in the first place at all. The dances he performed were parts of his rituals, the very manner in which he fought with a blade. Never had they been to merely indulge in another’s company, and never had they been to the sound of soft melodies. With this memory, though, he attempts to at least try and dance, too.
He shifts his arms around Aether’s waist, stepping one leg forward as he lowers the blond in a dip. It’s not nearly as low as he’d like, but it seems more than enough for Aether, who has desperately wrapped his arms around Xiao’s neck, giggling at the sensation of falling even though both his feet remain firmly on the ground. When Xiao rights them once more, Aether sinks into his hold, pressing his face into Xiao’s hair with a soft laugh.
Hugging, Xiao knows, from the many times that Lumine and Aether have shared a similar interaction at home, though never quite as close as this. Aether lowers his head to settle in the crook of Xiao’s neck, cradled in the arms he has yet to remove from around his shoulders. He looks as though he might fall asleep, Xiao thinks, and strangely has to suppress a wave of sleepiness of his own. Aether had told him that since he was mortal, he would need to sleep much more than he already was — not that Xiao would ever admit to sleeping in the first place, but as he sways dangerously far on his feet, he thinks maybe he should listen to Aether’s advice. The stagger he makes causes Aether to lean away, blinking away his grogginess to again, smile at Xiao.
They’re so close, they’re too close, even though Aether has in fact made more distance between them, it somehow feels closer than when their entire bodies were pressed together. Xiao studies his eyes in the dim lighting, the way a distant lamp barely holds onto life in the reflection of his iris, the way the pupils flick between his own two eyes, as if Aether can’t decide which he wants to admire more.
“You’re so pretty, Aether,” Xiao attempts to say, his words muddled and his eyes refusing to leave the subject of his adoration. “You’re beautiful,” he continues anyway — he tries, opening his mouth to say more, yet nothing but a sigh escapes, as in his drunken stupor he fails to conjure anything else.
The smile that graces Aether’s lips is too pleasing, too pretty, too perfect for Xiao, and he feels his heart trembling. That same word from before tries to worm its way back into his foggy thoughts, and he tries — he tries so hard to say it, to confess how he feels to Aether. He remembers fingers carding through his hair, in the late hours of a night; he thinks about an arm permanently glued around his waist, when any other touch makes him uncomfortable; he feels soft, damp lips pressed into his cheek, for so, so long. That’s happening right now, he realises, and wonders if the hotness in his face can be felt by the one who kisses him.
Kissing, Lumine’s words from earlier echo in his head. Aether is kissing me, Xiao breathes, and feels Aether nod as he presses another kiss to the other side of his face, lips lingering even longer than before. They mouth silent words against his skin that Xiao cannot hear, but their intent is so obvious that his heart feels as though it might burst out of his chest. Xiao holds his waist tight, not knowing what else to do, but not wanting this to end, either.
Aether is kissing me, and I think I’m in love with him.
He’s probably said that out loud, too — except this time, he wants Aether to hear it.
The rest of the night blurs into a pleasant memory, as the two of them stumble back home in the early hours of the evening. Maybe it’s not just the wine that has them drunk, for sharing just the smallest glance sends them both into a fit of giggles — even Xiao can only hold out on his joy for so long before he’s so utterly overwhelmed by everything Aether. Lumine had apparently gone to the festival, too, for when they walk through the door, no one is home. They struggle to separate themselves from each other's arms, both groggy and reluctant to do so, but in the end it’s a bitter victory. Aether leans down to the necklace around Xiao’s neck, and presses a kiss to the stone before whispering a confession into it, smiling as he does so. When he straightens up, he simply tells Xiao,
“Now you can always have me next to your heart.”
Xiao nods, not sure how to respond, so he pats Aether’s shoulder awkwardly. A bursting urge somewhere in his guts demands him to go to the bathroom, and he hastily excuses himself. It’s also something he has to get used to, that his bodily functions are far more demanding as a mortal than ever before, constantly causing him discomfort if he fails to meet their requirements in time. Xiao feels embarrassed every time he has to excuse himself to go, but Aether assures him that it’s nothing to worry about.
Because, Aether always does him such favours, and asks for nothing in return except his simple, quiet company. Because, Aether has always been so kind to him, even when his mistakes are glaring, even when his errors are harmful, meeting all of them with nothing but a small sigh and helpful words. Because, Aether has always talked to him so gently, and touched him event gentler; because Aether has always respected his personal space and guided him through his slow adaptation to mortal life.
Because Aether has always shown him so much love, that Xiao can’t help but love him back.
When Xiao emerges from the bathroom, feeling far more relieved, the lights are all turned off, so he traces his hand along the wall until he encounters the open door to the bedroom he sleeps in. It’s always been Aether’s room, but never has he come in to find Aether himself asleep in the bed — but there he lay, snoring lightly for the awkward position he sleeps in, yet sleeping soundly even when the door closes a little too loudly, even when the bed dips next to him under the weight of someone his size.
Xiao reaches out to pat his head, letting his fingers drift to the hair tie that Aether had forgotten to remove, and tugs it free with nothing but a quiet grunt from the blond. He threads his fingers through the golden waves, admiring how soft the strands feel, and how well-kept the ends are. He lets his fingers graze against Aether’s skull, smiling drowsily when a soft sigh replies to his touch, and lays down beside him in hopes to hear the sound better.
When his thumb brushes over the tip of Aether’s ear, a sleep-filled eye blinks open at him, and he pauses, hand still cradling Aether’s face. Aether only hums, and slings a lazy arm over Xiao’s waist, tugging him closer before closing his eyes once more. When Xiao repeats the action that had stirred him again, Aether instead remains fast asleep, seemingly content with the impromptu sleeping arrangement as a soft snore escapes his lips.
As his own eyelids grow heavy with sleep, Xiao thinks; he could get used to this life, if it’s Aether that he shares it with.
Because Aether isn’t just beautiful, or witty, or kind.
He’s infinitely ordinary,
And Xiao wouldn’t ever ask for more.