Work Text:
"You ready, traveler?" Kaeya said nodding toward the hilichurls hovering around a house.
"I told you to call me Aether, Captain," Aether shook his head. Paimon clung nervously around Aether's shoulder. She was muttering something about stupid Kaeya for dragging them here.
"This is no time to be messing around," Diluc's flat voice made Aether turn around. His claymore, Wolf's Gravestone, was already out, and he was wielding it effortlessly.
"C'mon Diluc," Kaeya said coyly. "You should at least have a little fun with it."
Barbara cleared her throat, "It pays to be positive, Master Diluc."
"I shouldn't have agreed to do a mission with you," Diluc muttered, glaring daggers at Kaeya. Kaeya seemed delighted at the development.
"Well that's too bad, you can go back," Kaeya slung an arm around Aether's shoulder. "Me and Aether can take down the camp togethe-" Before he could finish, Diluc jabbed Kaeya with the back of his claymore as if saying "Not a chance."
"Let's go?" Aether cocked his head toward the camp in a challenge, meeting Diluc's eyes. Something that passed as a smile greeted Aether, and Diluc took a running start off the cliff.
"Wh– Hey! Don't just make a flashy entrance without me!" Kaeya drew his sword, twirling it in the air before jumping after his brother.
Paimon shook her head, "Those two knuckleheads. They're like peacocks showing off their feathers. Paimon thinks they look stupid." She stuck out her tongue to emphasize her point.
"Let's go Barbara," Aether pulled out his sword, heading towards the ruins the hilichurls left behind.
Their mission was simple. A village was attacked by hilichurls. He and Barbara were there to assure the safety of the townspeople, while Kaeya and Diluc were meant to eliminate the hilichurls.
Aether took down a hilichurl, ushering a family to safety. He slung a man's arm around his shoulder, moving him towards where Barbara had cast an enchanted dome.
Once inside, Aether gives the man a reassuring smile, "I'm sorry we weren't able to get here fast enough. You're in good hands now."
The man grasped at Aether's scarf, "My, m-my boy, he's still under there, please...I-" The man started to cough, his frail body shaking. Aether looked over at the rubble meters away from them.
He had to get to that boy fast.
"Barbara! This man's leg needs healing quick!" Aether yelled before unsheathing his sword once more. He ran out, jumping over various boulders and hilichurl corpses that were carelessly tossed aside. Flame-tipped arrows whizzed past him as he rushed through, using his palm vortex to throw enemies off his path. Making it to the rubble, Aether immediately started shifting the lighter debris, in hopes of being able to see the boy.
"Hello?" Aether said loudly, his voice barely carrying over the noise of battle behind them. "If you can hear me, please make a noise." Aether heard the sound of light sobbing to his right. He turned to see a small hand waving in the air.
Aether rushed over, bending to lift the heaviest rubble, "Hey kid! Stay calm and I'll get you out in no time. Are you trapped under anything?"
"N-no, my d-dad he pushed me under a table b-before..." The kid dissolved into more sobs as Aether continued lifting. He used his legs to kick over a part of the wall before finally seeing the table's surface.
"Alright, kid. I'll be removing the rubble. So I need you to close your eyes," Aether concentrated, unleashing a palm vortex to move the heaviest piece of rubble covering the table's side. A heavy crash sounded as he released it and rounded the table to grab the child.
The child clung to him like a lifeline, tears immediately soaking Aether's clothes. Good, he was unharmed. His hands stained Aether's white cape, but that didn't matter. Of course, he was scared. Aether patted his head softly, turning towards where he came from.
He froze.
A mitachurl stands in their way, a blazing axe in one of its meaty claws. It was staring at them from far away, eyes glittering as it spotted its prey. Aether put the boy down for a moment, removing his cape. He gently draped the fabric over the boy's head, wrapping it around his body.
"What's your name, kid?" Aether gave him a grin despite the approaching mitachurl.
"M-mikael..."
"Mikael! You're a brave boy for listening to your dad's instructions. See that guy over there?" Aether pointed at the mitachurl, who let out a huff of flames as they looked on. "I'm gonna stay here and deal with him. But before that, I'm going to need your help. Paimon!"
The travel companion quivered as she came out of her hiding spot in the trees, "W-what does Paimon have to do with this!"
"Mikael, Paimon is scared, so I'll have you accompany her to Deaconess Barbara. I'll help you fly over that big guy. All you have to do is protect her. You can do that right?" Paimon was definitely scared, but she wasn't helpless. If anything, Paimon could take down a few hilichurls on her own if need be. But Aether needed to give this boy some bravery of his own.
Mikael looked hesitant for a moment before nodding, "B-but I don't have a weapon." Aether searched his mind before he pulled out a small dagger from his boot.
It has a gold-lined hilt, gilded with noctilucous jade the color of teal. The crest of Mondstadt was carved onto the butt of the dagger, symbolizing his friendship with the city and the Knights. It was a dagger that he didn't use all that often. After all, it was more of a keepsake than a weapon.
He pressed the dagger firmly into the boy's hands, "This is my dagger. I'm entrusting it to you. When I see you again, you can give it back to me, alright?" Determination started to fill the boy's eyes as Aether stood once more. He ruffled the kid's hair before lifting him in the air again.
"I'll send you over him with a tornado okay? All you have to do is stay still and protect Paimon." The mitachurl was now five meters away, just within charging distance. "Are you ready?"
Mikael squeezed at Aether's arm, "W-what about you, Mr. Knight?" Aether smiled at the question. Despite being so scared and young, he still had the heart to worry about Aether.
"I'll be fine. After all, we knights don't go down easily!" Aether unleashed his gust surge, concentrating on making sure it flowed straight towards Barbara's camp. Mikael and Paimon shot up, reaching the top of the tornado safely. It tore up the ground beneath it and he could see Mikael unsheathing the dagger as they floated over hilichurls.
Aether had just enough time to get out of the way as the mitachurl swung its blazing axe towards him. He ducked under its arm, climbing a tree so he could get a higher vantage point. He jumped, aiming at the mitachurl from above. His sword struck true, catching the mitachurl in the shoulder. He pulled out his sword with a grunt, rolling onto a dirt path.
It was then that Aether felt something hit his leg. Hot, searing pain branded itself into the muscles of his thigh. He reached back, eyes still on the mitachurl as he felt the smooth shaft of an arrow sticking out of his skin.
What bad timing.
He cursed lightly under his breath, snapping the arrow close to the base. It sent another pulse of pain through his leg. As he was distracted, the mitachurl closed distance between them. The back of its axe narrowly missed Aether's head as he ducked, re-gripping his sword before slashing at its arm.
His thigh screamed in agony, as warm blood started running down his leg. This was bad. He didn't bring any potions, his entire stock inside Barbara's enchanted dome.
Ignoring the pain, Aether started to run. He had a good distance between himself and the mitachurl and he raised the sword at an angle, ducking under the axe and slashing down, right into its arm. The mitachurl howled as the blade went through, dropping its precious axe.
He summoned another gust surge to make sure that the mitachurl was far away from the axe as possible. Now it was time for part two, or what he dubbed the "Find a Way To Kill The Mitachurl Quick" part. He slashed at its legs, taking full advantage of his speed to slow down the beast. The mitachurl was well past angry now. It was absolutely furious at him.
Perhaps Aether wasn't thinking too much about himself. Perhaps he pushed his injury so far out of his mind that he temporarily forgot about it and its repercussions. Perhaps it was just a stroke of bad luck – like stepping onto some uneven ground while fighting.
For whatever reason, his knee buckled. He managed to keep himself upright, using his sword as a crutch.
Shit.
The mitachurl instantly slammed the back of its hand into Aether, sending him flying into a wall. He felt something well up inside of him, a sickly feeling that felt unnatural. Something warm spilled over his lips. He wiped at it as he stood again, barely dodging as the mitachurl charged right at the cliff face. His mind spun as he clutched his sword, cutting a shallow cut to the mitachurl's side.
He stumbled away, and with all his remaining strength, he stabbed the mitachurl in the back with his sword. His sword sunk into dense skin, buried into thick muscle. Aether felt relief coursing through his veins at the deep blow.
But the mitachurl didn't die.
No. Instead...it looked even more furious than before. Aether stumbled taking a few steps away as he watched the mitachurl try to grab at his sword. He fell over when it successfully dislodged his sword from its back.
"Aether! What are you doing?!" Paimon. She's here. She hovered over Aether. "You need to get up! It's going to attack you!" Paimon tugged at his hair, holding the dirtied braid in her small hands. He felt like an idiot, sitting on rubble like that, not able to move.
"Just. Just leave, you're not safe here, Paimon," Aether wheezed out, head pounding. He started crawling, using his arms and his working leg to painfully move away. He sat up once more only to see the mitachurl take a charging stance at him.
"No! I'm not leaving!" Paimon yelled stubbornly, her voice getting louder. "Master Diluc! Mr. Kaeya! P-please, someone-" Aether couldn't hear anymore, everything else drowned by the sound of his own heartbeat in his ears.
He saw the mitachurl puff out air. He looked up at the sky. How pitiful. How utterly stupid he was. Oh, how everyone would laugh at him if they saw him now. Especially...
"Lumine... I'm sorry I couldn't find you," He mumbled hushed. He then squeezed his eyes shut, preparing for the next attack to come, for the next round of pain, for the next slam right into a cliff.
But it never came.
His vision blurred as he opened his eyes in surprise. He saw two blobs, one in red and one in blue. There was a shout or something. Paimon's hand smacked his face.
"Hey Aether!" Kaeya, Aether's mind supplied. "Can you stand?"
There was a grunt from the right. Aether's vision cleared a little, seeing Diluc's great sword holding back one of the mitachurl's claws. His head was pulsing with pain. Or- maybe that was just Paimon still tugging on his braid. He glanced at the travel companion, who was still deliriously pulling at him.
Aether swallowed back the ash in his throat, answering Kaeya, "I-I can try." He pulled his way toward a tree, using its trunk as support for his body. His right leg met the ground firmly, Paimon hovering over his shoulder still.
"O-oh...that's a lot of blood- Paimon thinks we have to duck!" A plume of fire nearly singed Aether's hair. Somehow the mitachurl is still strong. There was a reddish tint to its eyes, telltale to the work of the abyss mages. Aether picked up a wooden board from the rubble, stabilizing himself with it.
Despite that, Diluc and Kaeya had it cornered. Aether could only watch, hobbling away slowly, as arches of fire and ice flew true through the air. Then the edges of the world started to darken, a stifling redness veiling his eyes.
"Aether!" Paimon's voice shouted. Aether lifted his hand to his head, fresh blood sticking to his hand as he pulled away. He winced, remembering how he was slammed into the cliff face. He probably bumped his head against a rock. The wound was now gushing blood. Although Aether knew it wasn't deep, his pulse still raced the same.
"This is great," he muttered, closing his eye to keep blood from touching it. The last thing he remembered was swiveling towards the two brothers, seeing them standing over the slain mitachurl. He was sure that he managed to meet their eyes when they turned to him. Kaeya looked surprised, while Diluc was running towards him. Then the world faded to black.
===
When Aether came to, he slammed his head right into something hard.
"Ow!"
The loud noise bought a torrent of headaches to his mind, coupled with the jarring impact that further intensified the pain. He blinked his eyes open, a darkening sky stretched out above him. He looked forward, only to see Barbara, hands froze over his bloodied leg.
He scratched his hair sheepishly, "Uh, hi?"
"Aether! You idiot!" Paimon started sputtering. "Bumping into Paimon as soon as he wakes up!" She was holding her forehead. Huh. So that's what he bumped into. A gloved hand firmly pulled him to lay back down. Aether landed with an "oof" back on the mat. He looked up to see Diluc looming above him.
"Lie down and stay still," Diluc said sternly, squeezing his shoulders. "Barbara needs to take out the arrow."
"That's right Aether," Kaeya chimed in, smiling. "You should be a good boy so this will get done quicker.
"I-is everyone else o-okay?" Aether directed the question to Diluc who was still firmly grasping his shoulders. Diluc hummed in confirmation, intently watching Barbara work.
"What about you, Aether? Are you okay?" Kaeya asked, standing to his right. Aether squinted at him for a moment. His tongue felt heavy in his mouth.
"F-fine," Aether couldn't feel anything wrong with himself.
An unreadable look passed on Kaeya's face before he spoke, "I see. Barbara, I think Paimon was right."
"See! Paimon told you! That big, ugly hilichurl hit Aether's head really hard!" Paimon had her fists up as if fighting an imaginary foe. A giggle escaped from Aether's lips. This caused Diluc and Kaeya to exchange looks.
He couldn't catch what Kaeya said next, as the headache returned full force, pulling a small whimper from his lips, "H-hurts..." Aether didn't remember moving his hand, but it was clawing at his head just a second later. There was commotion now, but Aether couldn't hear a thing. Then everything clicked into silence, darkness claiming the injured traveler yet again.
===
When he woke a second time, it was because of the gentle sounds of town. Aether's eyes fluttered open, catching the sunshine filtering through the window. There was something heavy resting on his chest, warmth seeping through the blanket on his body. He tilted his chin down, spotting tufts of white hair and a golden crown pressing against him. Paimon. A tired smile made its way to his face as he brushed her hair out of her eyes.
"Is Paimon heavy?" Goosebumps ran up and down Aether's back. He turned his head to see Kaeya standing next to the window, arms crossed.
"Oh, it's just you, Kaeya," Aether's voice sounded hoarse from disuse. "And Paimon...not really." Kaeya still lifted the sleeping companion from his chest, laying her on top of a cushioned chair. He spread a smaller blanket to keep her warm.
"Where are we?" Aether started inspecting the room, finding a low ceiling above him. Despite that, the room was decorated beautifully with many plants, rocks, and other curiosities. Notes lined one side of the wall and a crafting bench was seen in the corner of the shack.
"Sucrose's shack," Kaeya answered, handing him a glass of water. "Turns out, she was setting up camp in Springvale for her experiments. She lent it to us when we arrived." Guilt circled Aether's gut for disturbing Sucrose's humble abode.
Aether shifted to sit up, startling yet again when a low protest reached his ears. It was then that Aether noticed another person sleeping by his bedside. Fiery red hair cascaded over the snowy sheets, his face tucked into his arm. His dark overcoat was nowhere to be seen, though his gloves still remained. Diluc. Sleeping. A sleeping Diluc. Aether reached out to touch him.
"I wouldn't do that if I were you," Kaeya shook his head. "That idiot, despite how he seems, was really worried about you. He stayed up the whole night to make sure you didn't break out into a fever of any sort."
"M-master Diluc did?" Aether glanced down at the sleeping older. He had never seen Diluc look so relaxed before. To him, Diluc was always guarded and closed off, even in the confines of his own home. To have him worry so much... It made him seem a little warmer.
"And you? You weren't worried, Kaeya?" Aether teased, with what mirth he could infuse in his tired voice. Kaeya's smile faded slightly, brows furrowing. The usually aloof captain had a serious expression on his face.
"Aether... Of course I...of course I was worried about you," Kaeya's voice was tender, as if it pained him to even say those words. "I..." His hand reached out, almost brushing against Aether's cheek. He seemed to realize what he was doing, and ruffled Aether's hair. But even that lacked its usual vigor, uncharacteristically gentle.
"Kae..ya..?" Aether tilted his head as the Cavalry Captain retreated towards the door.
Kaeya turned his head slightly, "I'll go get Barbara. She probably wants to check your injuries. Meanwhile, you should wake up Diluc. He doesn't want anyone else seeing that side of him."
Then Kaeya left before Aether had a chance to ask what happened. Weird. Very un-Kaeya-like of him. Usually the knight would use that opportunity to mess around some more, teasing Aether for being beat by such an easy kill.
Aether shook off the thoughts, gently moving his hand over Diluc's hair. The red locks looked pristine, glistening under the sun. Aether briefly wondered when Diluc had the time to care for his hair.
Diluc's hand shot up to grab his wrist, "I'm awake." That scared him. Diluc's voice was deeper than usual, sleep lingering at its borders. His glove was cool against Aether's warmed skin.
"A-ah, Master Diluc," Aether smiled nervously, his wrist still held within Diluc's grasp. "When did, uh, you wake up?" Diluc sat up, brushing his hair back with his other hand.
"Just Diluc is fine."
Aether made a puzzled noise, "What?"
Diluc sighed tiredly, "You don't have to keep calling me Master Diluc each time. You're...you're not one of my staff, Aether."
"A-ah...right..."
"And to answer your question, it was when Kaeya was about to leave the room," Diluc replied. "How are you feeling?" Diluc was acting strange today. He wasn't the type to speak more than he needed to. In short, small talk wasn't his thing. And yet...
It was kind of...nice to talk to him.
"Well-rested?" Aether gave a firm nod. "I feel bad for taking up Sucrose's space though."
"Don't feel bad. You were injured," Diluc let go of his wrist promptly. "Now that you're awake I shall take my leave." Wait...what? And Aether was just contemplating how nice it was that Diluc was talking to him.
"You're, you're leaving?" Aether sputtered as Diluc stood up. The redhead nodded, fixing his gloves a little. Aether was at a loss for words. Diluc was truly unpredictable.
"Yes. Unless you're feeling hurt anywhere?" Diluc turned to him, not really meeting his eyes, but rather seeing right through him. Aether didn't know how to answer that.
He didn't have to.
He tugged off his glove, reaching for Aether's forehead. Aether squeezed his eyes shut as Diluc gently placed his hand under his bangs. The touch was soft, and Aether opened an eye to see Diluc staring at him. His brows were furrowed as if he was angry, yet his hand was gentle as he checked Aether's temperature. Aether swallowed nervously. He looked like he was about to give Aether a lecture of his life.
Diluc didn't move nor did he open his mouth to speak. So Aether just sat still, waiting for his words to come.
The sound of people coming broke him out of his stupor. Diluc's hand slipped to cover his eyes for a moment, and he felt lips press against his hair. Then the hand was gone and light flooded his vision a little too suddenly.
Aether's cheeks warmed. Did he just...?
"There he is!" Barbara's voice floated through the air as the door creaked open. "Everyone's worried about you!" Aether smiled before scanning the group for Diluc's presence. But it seemed like the older had already slipped by.
Suddenly Paimon shot up from where she was sleeping, "Uh...huh?? Paimon was not sleeping! Paimon was watching Aether the whole time!" She rubbed at her eyes with her small fists, floating over to Aether's bed.
A small laugh escaped him, "Yes, yes. Thank you for guarding me, oh Great Paimon."
Barbara set off to work right away, hands firmly checking his bandaged leg "How are you feeling? Drowsy? Any dizziness?"
"Mmm, not really...just tired I guess," Aether replied as she continued to check on his head. Sucrose was fluttering nervously at the edge of the bed.
"Sucrose," Aether waved. "Thanks for lending me your house."
"O-oh it's really no problem," Sucrose busied herself with her desk, shuffling around sheaves of paper. "Y-you were injured after all."
"Are you not going to say hi to Paimon!" Paimon huffed. "I was the one who was guarding you while you were injured!"
"And I thank you for that, my guardian," Aether grinned. "Now be a little quieter, Barbara's trying to focus." Paimon opened her mouth to argue some more, but in the end, she huffed again, sitting on the edge of the bed.
"Speaking of injuries, how's the kid I sent you? Is he okay?" Aether turned towards Barbara who was preparing a tonic, reading instructions off her spellbook.
"He's alive because of you," Barbara said, handing him the healing tonic. "His dad's coming along fine as well, he just needs some time off his feet."
Aether smiled genuinely this time, "That's good. I'm glad." He knew firsthand how painful it was to be separated from family. A few thoughts of Lumine passed his mind before he steadied his resolve. He will find her, soon.
"Do you feel like you have a fever?" Barbara asked, writing something down on a piece of paper.
The word fever brought Aether back to that moment with Diluc. Diluc, whose hand was so much warmer than Aether could've imagined beyond the layer of glove. Diluc, his hair red aflame against the white snow of his blanket. Diluc...and that ki– Aether shoved the thoughts away.
"No I don't," Aether blurted, biting back the "I'm sure, Diluc checked for me." What was he thinking?
Barbara looked at him questioningly, "You sure? You're looking kind of red-"
"Yes, I'm very sure. Don't worry." Aether pushed out a laugh. "So...how long until I can stand again?"
"The tonic's supposed to work in a couple of hours, but in this case, since you were heavily injured in many different areas, it'll take a little longer," Barbara explained. "But I can guarantee that you can take a small walk later today, just that you need to be careful not to strain your leg. You need one more dose to be up and running again."
Aether mentally cheered, "Barbara, your tonics are like magic!"
Barbara rolled her eyes, "They are magic, you dummy traveler! And don't expect me to do this twice. If you get injured like this again...you'll have to find another Deaconess to fix you up!"
"No~" Aether whined playfully. "But you're my one and only Deaconess friend in Mond." Barbara giggled childishly, before taking a contemplative look onto her face.
"Thinking of it, where are those other two?" Barbara mumbled to herself. "That Bakaeya and blockhead Diluc, those two were the most worried about you last night. And yet... Kaeya left after telling us you were awake. And Master Diluc is nowhere to be found." Aether just shrugged, not wanting to correct Barbara that they were the first to see him wake. He could picture Barbara bombarding him with questions upon questions about what they did.
"Uhm, Mr. Traveler, sir?" Sucrose was looking at Aether tentatively.
"Just Aether is fine, Sucrose." The alchemist in training brought over a fragrant leather pouch, placing it in Aether's hands.
"Aether, then. It's, er, it's really just a small thing," Sucrose started to explain in a small voice. "Inside, there's a few different herbs that can be used for different injuries or brewed into tonics. If you don't know the uses, I could show you… I just... I know you're doing a lot for Mondstadt and I wanted to give you something..."
Aether smiled brightly at the alchemist-in-training, squeezing the small bag to his chest, "Thank you! I'll be sure to treasure this, and I'll remember to use it if I'm ever in a pinch." Sucrose brightened slightly, still keeping her shy demeanor as she turned back to her desk.
A low whistle sounded from the door, "Aether's really popular with the ladies huh..."
"Speak of the devil, Barbara," Aether remarked in deadpan. "It's Bakaeya."
"You're right, it's really him," Barbara squinted at him suspiciously. "You didn't...get into any trouble with the townspeople...right?"
"How could you think so little of me, Little Deaconess?" Kaeya grasped at his chest as if he was offended. "I'm just here to visit my sweetest and most favorite traveler." He said the last sentence with a big helping of sugar, making Aether gag.
Once he got within arms distance, Kaeya instantly attacked his hair, "Also, how dare you call me 'Bakaeya', you little shit!" Aether groaned, trying to push away the knight without success. He was glad, though. That Kaeya was acting a little more like himself now.
"Language!" Barbara shrieked. "That's it, I'm leaving. Kaeya, you're insufferable. Aether, I'll see you in the afternoon. Sucrose, let's go...collect more samples." Sucrose nodded, hurriedly gathering a few of her notes. Paimon tittered behind the two, saying something about finding Aether a cure.
"You feeling better after the tonic?" Kaeya asked, plopping onto the bed casually. Aether made space for him so that the knight could lean against the headboard comfortably.
"Yup!" Aether popped the 'p' in excitement. "Barbs even said that I could take a small walk later!"
"Barbs huh...and all I get is Bakaeya, how tragic," Kaeya jammed his elbow gently against Aether's side.
"Well it's not like you're not an idiot half the time- I'm joking, I'm joking!" He laughed as Kaeya stared at him dejectedly.
"So...you wanna take that walk now?" Kaeya asked, mischief in his eyes.
"Kaeya...you know the medicine takes a while to kick in right?" He wiggled his leg slightly. "I can only move it about this much right now."
Kaeya chuckled, "Okay, okay I concede. Then, do you want to eat anything?"
Aether's mouth started to water at the thought of food. Come to think of it, his last meal was a Teyvat Fried Egg down at the Good Hunter last morning... He nodded furiously at the knight, who just gave him a sly smirk in return. Kaeya pulled out a small parcel with sticks poking out of it, handing it to Aether. It was still warm to the touch.
"I figured you wouldn't be able to stomach food that was too difficult, so I asked Brook to cook some simple Chicken-Mushroom Skewers," Kaeya watched on thoughtfully as Aether all but devoured the delicious morsels of meat. "I even made a few myself."
Aether froze, swallowing his mouthful of food, "Wait, you can cook?" He must've been a sight because Kaeya started laughing loudly, smacking his hand on his knee.
"Please, do you think so little of me, dear Aether? Of course I know how to cook. It comes in handy during expeditions. After all," Kaeya grinned widely, eyes sparkling. "I'm still your friendly Favonius Cavalry Captain."
"Right... Then shouldn't you be back in Mond? Attending your squadron?" Gears were turning in Aether's head. "Oh my Barbatos- didn't you tell Jean we were only going to be gone for a few hours yesterday?" Kaeya merely gave a loose shrug. "Kaeya!"
Kaeya leaned back, arms behind his head, "Don't worry about such trivial things. I couldn't go back last night. Not after you got injured. Plus I already told Jean about it, Diluc generously lent his falcon for it"
"And what did Jean say?"
"What do you think our caring, compassionate Acting Grand Master said?" Kaeya raised a brow. "She told me to stay until you were back on your feet again. She probably feels guilty, you did get injured on a mission from the Knights."
"It's not her fault I got injured though," Aether muttered, fixing his unruly hair. He really needed to get it back into a braid. He reached for his hair tie, braiding up his hair.
"You're right," Kaeya paused, not completing his statement. There was that look again. It vanished in a matter of seconds. "So, now that you've eaten, do you think the tonic's worked yet?"
"Well..." Aether hesitated, moving his leg a little. He couldn't feel any pain, probably due to the tonic. And it would be good to walk just a little.
Kaeya was already leaping out of the bed, holding out his arm, "Since we don't have a real crutch, I'll be your escort for today." He said it so proudly, even though he would technically be filling in the role of a crutch.
Aether shook his head before grabbing onto Kaeya's arm. He swung his leg over the bed, landing it on the ground gently. His left leg was a little stiff, but that was a given since he was lying down for so long. His right leg on the other hand didn't feel like anything at all.
He felt like he was leaning too far to one side before Kaeya grabbed his waist. Kaeya's hand was slightly cold against his bare waist. It was a given, Kaeya possessed a Cryo vision after all. He smiled gratefully at the captain before they slowly hobbled out.
"Are we going to have to get you an old man cane, Aether?" Kaeya teased under his breath as they made their way on top of a small hill.
"Shut up, Bakaeya, I'll be up and running by tonight, just you wait," Aether grumbled. Kaeya just chuckled at him, making another comment about him being an old man.
Suddenly the wind gets knocked out of him. He heard a small shout of surprise from Kaeya, who managed to grab onto his arm. Kaeya ended up falling with him. They rolled onto the thick grass. Aether looked up in surprise to see a small kid sitting on his torso.
"Ah! I was right! You are Mr. Knight from yesterday!" The kid cheered his hands reaching for the sky. "Do you remember me?"
"Ah. Mikael?" Aether's eyes sparkled as he recognized the kid.
"Mikael! You can't just run away like that!" He heard another man's voice ringing through the air. Aether sat up, letting the child sit on his uninjured lap. Beside him, Kaeya was brushing off the grass from his cape.
"That's just my dad. I was running away from that guy," Aether followed Mikael's finger all the way to one familiar-looking redhead.
"Diluc..?" Aether murmured. He mentally swatted away the memory of the kiss once again. It still made heart skip. "Uh, what did he want with you?" Diluc was staring in what looked to be disbelief, unmoving from where he was meters away.
"W-well, he wanted your cape back, but I told him I would give it to you later, because we promised," Mikael rambled on about how scary Diluc looked as Aether scratched his ears. He hoped they didn't look as red as they felt.
"I'm so sorry, Mr. Knight," Mikael's dad rushed to apologize. "My son has caused you trouble."
Aether shook his head, "It's no trouble at all! He's a very cheerful boy." Aether ruffled Mikael's hair.
"Hey, what's that?" Mikael pointed at his injured leg.
"Yesterday, I fell against a rock and got hurt," Aether winked. "Don't tell anyone, it was really embarrassing."
Mikael nodded, wide-eyed, "I'll keep it a secret, Mr. Knight."
"Don't go running into people like that all the time kid," Kaeya said, nodding. "What if Mr. Knight fell and got hurt again?" A sorry look crossed his face after that comment.
"It's fine Kaeya! No harm was done," Aether swatted at the knight. "Say, could I have my cape back now Mikael?"
Mikael bounced out of Aether's lap enthusiastically, "Oh! Yes! Let's go get it, Mr. Knight." Aether braced himself on Kaeya's arm to stand and the group of four made their way over to the boy's hiding place. Diluc was nowhere to be seen, to Aether’s slight disappointment. Was he avoiding Aether?
"I kept it very safe," Mikael dug around underneath the stairs of one of the house. "Here it is!" The small boy procured a white bundle in his arms. Aether sat on the steps, gingerly holding the cape in his hands.
"Thank you," Aether couldn't help but smile softly at the familiar material of the cape. The very same one Lumine picked out for him many worlds ago. He unfurled the material to reveal his dagger wrapped up inside. He twirled it around his fingers, relishing in the familiar weight.
Kaeya let out his second low whistle today, "You lent him that dagger?"
"Yeah. I can't hand the kid a sword, can I, Baka Kaeya?" Aether jabbed the sheath against Kaeya's ribs jokingly.
"Mr. Knight, sir," Mikael stumbled over carrying a basket of some sort. "This is for you! My daddy said you saved his life, so he wanted to say thank you." Aether peeked inside, finding an assortment of fresh fruits and vegetables inside the basket. A gaggle of kids approached him, following Mikael.
"Are you really a knight?" One of them asked, eyes sparkling in the light of the setting sun.
"Why yes-"
"Really? Where's your sword?" One boy questioned.
A girl clapped her hands, "Did you ever fight a dragon?"
Another tugged on his shirt, "Do you have a princess you have to save?"
"Uh, my sword's in my bag, I did fight a dragon once, and yes, I do have a princess to save," Aether blurted out in one breath, afraid of being talked over yet again. The kids silenced for a little bit before their enthusiasm blasted through the roof. Oh no. Aether put his hands up in mock surrender as the kids continue to bombard him with questions about being a knight.
He looked up at Kaeya who cleared his throat, "Hey kids, do you want to hear about my stories as a knight?" The kids go quiet as if measuring up Kaeya.
One of the kids, probably no more than five years old started laughing, "My mommy told me lying is bad, Mister! You're not a knight, you're definitely a pirate! Look, you even have an eyepatch." The word 'pirate' seemed to stab into Kaeya, his mental state taking damage.
Aether couldn't help but double over in unfiltered laughter. To think that such a small kid could take down Cavalry Captain Kaeya in three short sentences. Aether had to wipe tears from his eyes from how hard he was laughing.
Then all at once, the chatter silenced around him. Aether's laughter died in his throat, turning awkwardly into a small cough. The kids were all staring at something behind him. Aether turned and was greeted by scarlet eyes that were oddly fixed on him. Diluc. His expression looked somewhat...upset. Remembering the atmosphere from this morning, Aether looked away.
A kid tugged on his pant leg, "Is he a bad guy?" The kid's voice wobbled, intimidated by Diluc's sheer stature.
Aether shook his head, "No, he's my friend, M- ah! I mean...Diluc." Kaeya looked at him weirdly at his fumble. Aether just didn't want to risk upsetting Diluc any more than he already was. Plus he was the one who told Aether to drop the honorific.
"Aether. We've got to go," DIluc's voice was void of...anything really. It sounded flat as...as the ground...? Clearly, too many thoughts were spinning in Aether's mind, too many to think of clever allegories.
"Where are we going?"
"Back. Barbara's calling." Now that was odd. If Barbara was calling, it was more likely that she would've sent Paimon. Diluc wasn't the easiest person to approach, even for the cheery Deaconess.
"Oh, okay," Aether was about to reach for Kaeya to stand when Diluc interrupted by stepping forward.
"You know, I can take him back," Kaeya offered, scratching the back of his head. "It was me who took him out here anyway."
"That's okay, I'll take him." Diluc's insistence was weird in itself, but the way he looked at Kaeya was a challenge. It sent shivers down Aether's spine. Kaeya just stared right on back unwaveringly.
A child whispered, "I don't like your Scary Friend, Mr. Knight. He's arguing with Mr. Pirate." Aether comforted the child, hoping that none of the two heard that.
"Uhm, can you not have a sibling fight right in front of the children?" Aether was the one who was the most confused out of all of them. He had never seen them act like this before. What was wrong with them anyway? "I'm more than capable of making it back to Sucrose's shack myself, thank you very much." The two brothers looked at him dumbfounded.
Aether stood up, his leg protesting slightly from the movement. Otherwise, there was almost no pain. He took an experimental step, feeling Diluc and Kaeya's eyes still watching him. The children cheered him on, one of the older ones holding his hand. Kaeya opened his mouth to protest but no words came.
"Are you guys coming?" Aether called out over his shoulder. He smirked over at the still-frozen pair. Serves them right. He made it halfway to the shack before Kaeya tried to offer him his arm again.
"C'mon, I don't want you getting hurt again," Kaeya pleaded nervously. "Barbara would kill me."
Aether declined, "Not when you guys were fighting over something as stupid as escorting me. Besides, I'll be fine." His leg really did feel fine, although there was a slight ache in it now that he was walking. Nothing another round of Barbara's tonic can't fix.
And Diluc... He was trailing Aether's little party from a few meters away, looking vacant of thought. He reminded Aether slightly of a lost puppy. It was kind of adorable. He chuckled lightly before turning around for a moment.
"You know you can just walk beside me, right?" Aether said. "Although, I'm still declining if you're offering help." Diluc took a few tentative steps until he was only half a meter away. The children made sure to give him a significant berth.
Aether removed a leaf that had fallen on Diluc's shoulder, "That's better." They reach the shack in almost no time at all, with the children cheering to end the journey. Aether sent them back with a quick goodbye, before turning to his audience of two.
"Can I talk to you?" Aether directed this at Diluc this time. He needed to figure out what Diluc wanted with him. Diluc looked momentarily surprised before nodding.
"Alone, please," He looked at Kaeya apologetically. Another one of those complicated expressions dawned on Kaeya's face.
Kaeya sighed loudly, ruffling up Aether's hair, "Well, I can't win against you, huh, Dil?" He turned, heading in the direction of a pub, "If you want to drink after, come find me." The last part was directed at Diluc, who just stared at Kaeya's back.
"What was that about winning..?" Aether mumbled, opening the door to the shack. Again, he couldn't decipher Kaeya's moods. Inside, the candles were already lit, a plate of food besides the bed. There was also another vial of tonic. Both were probably Barbara's doings. Aether wandered over, grabbing the plate and moving to the only table that was devoid of paper in Sucrose's abode.
Diluc sat on the opposite edge, removing his outer coat and draping it over the chair. Aether paused, grabbing another plate and shoving half the food onto it. He slid it over to Diluc who looked at him unamused.
"Aether–"
"I know, I know, I probably need it more than you do. And I'm injured," Aether smiled sheepishly. "But just humor me? I don't like eating alone."
Diluc grabbed a fork in silence, stabbing it into the Matsutake Meat Rolls. Aether smiled cheerily, biting into his own portion of food. It was...a bit homey. It reminded him of Lumine. There was the same comforting silence. Although Lumine would always be the first to break it, telling Aether an interesting story about the world they were currently visiting.
In that aspect, Diluc differed. He simply watched Aether eat, a disinterested air around him. Despite his aura, he still chewed on a few bites of the meat. And with every bite, Aether's smile grew just a fraction wider. Diluc honored his request, waiting till he finished eating before asking any questions.
"What did you want to talk about?" As expected, Diluc was right to the point. Aether slowly chewed through his last bite.
"Do you not like Matsutake Meat Rolls?" Aether nodded at the leftovers.
"It's not that. I was just wondering what business Mondstadt's Honorary Knight had with me," Diluc rested his chin in hand.
Aether looked at him closely, "Are you okay?" It wasn't the greatest opener to a conversation that Aether had, but it usually worked.
"And why wouldn't I be?" Diluc said, raising a perfectly arched brow.
"Mmm, it's just...Barbara said that you were worried last night, I hope that I didn't...scare you." Aether wanted to ease Diluc's worries, even a little. "And this morning, it looked like you had something to say."
"You did," Diluc said flatly, face turning grim. "Scare me, I mean. Yesterday was very reckless of you."
The answer startled Aether, "I'm so–"
"Wait," Diluc held up a hand. "I wasn't finished." Aether nodded, prepared to face whatever words Diluc had for him. He had a feeling that Diluc would be a little bit angry at him. It must've been weighing down on him this whole time.
"You...your injuries looked really bad last night," Diluc's voice wavered slightly. "There was blood soaking your entire boot. There was blood on your face too, from this." Diluc's hand ghosted over the bandages on his forehead.
"I...I don't want to think of what would've happened if Paimon hadn't called out in time," Diluc's voice cracked at the end as if the sentence was even painful to say. So all this time it wasn't anger, but worry? Over him?
"Hey, I'm fine now," Aether said softly, reaching for Diluc's hand. Diluc let him hold on to it. "It was just an injury." It hurt his heart to see Diluc upset over him getting injured.
"You almost died," Diluc's eyes burned him to his core. "Do you understand what that means? That means that even with me and Kaeya there, we weren't enough to protect you. And I know, you can hold your own. But...still you got injured."
Guilt was filling Aether to the brim now. He felt sorry for causing his friends so much stress. He felt sorry for the people who saw him injured that way. But most of all, he was sorry that he wasn't able to avoid getting injured to that extent.
"Do you know what you mean to us? To me?" Diluc squeezed his hand, breathing shakily. "I don't think even I can answer that question, honestly. But don't you think for a second that this was 'just an injury'. You're important to everyone in different ways, Aether." The way Diluc said his name was tender, as if he was saving some unknown emotions within his chest for...for Aether himself.
Tears started falling onto his lap. Why was he..? He quickly wiped them away, hiding his face from Diluc. Yet a gloved hand landed on his cheek, brushing away stray tears, turning his face forward.
"I-I'm s-s-sorry," Aether cried, emotions weighing heavy in his chest. "I should've c-called sooner. A-are you...m-mad at me?" He didn't know when Diluc moved, but he was now kneeling in front of him.
"Shh, don't cry," Diluc said softly, still wiping at his cheeks. "I'm not mad, I don't think I could ever get truly angry at you. I just wanted you to take care of yourself a little better. I don't want to see you like...that ever again."
"I...I will, I'll be m-more careful," Aether's shoulders shook with every unstable breath and sob.
"Then promise me," Diluc pleaded. "That you'll take care of yourself when you're out exploring alone."
Aether raised his pinky, meeting with Diluc's newly-ungloved pinky. He curled it around Diluc's, relishing in the warmth of his skin.
"W-when this is all over...when I find my s-sister and bring her back safe..." Aether hesitated, choking on his next words.
Diluc hummed, "When it's all over..?"
"I p-promise to come back to you," Aether said sincerely. "To Mond, a-and to everyone else safely."
"Good," Diluc sighed out, still crouching in front of Aether. Aether sniffed, tears still hanging onto his eyelashes. Diluc was just smiling affectionately at Aether, still catching tears with his fingers. Aether didn't have time to appreciate his smile through his still-blurry vision.
"Do you not hear that a lot? That you're important?" Diluc asked softly. “Because to me, you are.” It probably wasn't his intention, but Aether let out a small sob, a fresh wave of tears assaulting his eyes.
Diluc made a startled noise, "Aether..." Aether himself was shocked at the second wave of tears. The tears contained all his exhaustion and all his pain in his so far unfruitful search for Lumine. It contained all his frustrations too, that he couldn't protect himself and the hearts of his friends. Diluc's words rang in his ears, 'You're important to everyone in different ways.'
Diluc had stood up, and Aether tightened his grip on Diluc's arm. No... Don't...don't leave...
Diluc brushed a few hairs away from his face, meeting his eyes, "It's okay, I'm just getting something. I'll be right back." Aether let go of him, drawing knees to his chest. It was lonely in the moments without him, Aether lamented. Somehow it felt colder as well.
A hand touched his hair again, and he looked up to see Diluc holding a cup of something. He set it on the table, before putting an arm under Aether's knees.
Aether yelped in surprise, mid-sob, "H-hey, what-"
"This time, you humor me, Honorary Knight," Although Diluc's tone didn't change, there was a slight curve to his lips. Aether tightly gripped onto Diluc's forearm, hiding his tear-stained face in his shirt. He was gently set down on the bed, the covers pulled over his legs. He sniffed, wiping his cheeks with a handkerchief. All that crying had him drained. Diluc had pulled over a chair, giving him a few moments to gather his bearings.
"I...wasn't really sure what to do," Diluc said, uneasily handing Aether the cup. "I've never really had to comfort a crying person before. I just copied what Adelinde would do for Kaeya when he was small." Aether almost choked on his sip of tea. The whole carrying business and Diluc's comment made him forget all about his sadness. Instead, his shoulders started to shake with silent laughter.
"So I was the first person you ever made cry?" Aether giggled. He silently delighted in the horrified expression that crossed Diluc's face for a moment. Teasing him was way too easy.
"That...that makes me sound like a bad person," Diluc fiddled with his gloved hands.
"I'm only half kidding," Aether smiled softly at this clueless side of Diluc. "It was sweet of you." Diluc looked at him again, and under the soft glow of the candle-lit lantern, his eyes seemed to be looking at him with such softness it gave Aether goosebumps.
Diluc took off his gloves. Aether followed his hands for a little, as Diluc removed his vest and great sword harness. He swallowed. He really shouldn't be staring. Now he understood why so many people chased after-
Aether gulped down more tea, though it burned his tongue just a little. He turned away, looking at the most interesting window on the opposite side of the room. It was already pretty dark outside. Huh. They must’ve spent a lot of time talking. It was then he felt fingers brushing against his own hair. He whipped around to see Diluc's hands expertly untying his hair.
"Huh, wh- I can do that myself," Aether incoherently put together some words, the surprise making heat rise in his cheeks. Coupled with his thoughts from before, Aether felt like he was going to positively explode.
Diluc nodded his head towards the drink, "You just focus on the tonic tea. I'll do it this time." Aether turned around immediately, letting Diluc have his way. The tips of his ears felt hot, and he just hoped that Diluc didn't notice. Deft fingers started running through his hair, undoing the braid that held his unruly locks together. It felt so soothing and so familiar to him.
"Y'know this reminds me," Aether spoke, eyes going distant. "Back when it was just me and Lumine, she would always insist on undoing my hair. After that, she could've spent hours and hours brushing through my hair. And I never really understood her." He paused, "Ah sorry, I was rambling..."
"I can understand, a little bit," Diluc hummed, fingers still running through his hair.
"In what way?" Aether turned around. Diluc's hands were in between his golden locks, contrasting against his pale skin.
"Try figuring it out yourself, Aether," Diluc said, a lilting tone flitting through his voice as he raised his brow. Aether let out a strangled sound. Talkative Diluc was dangerous. Aether's heart could testify, with how it was beating as if he was running away from a ruin guard.
There was a breath, and Aether set the empty cup down on the table. It was obvious that Diluc was still watching him, but he didn't know what to do about it. Maybe if he didn't say anything...
"Are you going to sleep?" Aether asked, pulling a pillow to his chest.
"No." It's a short and Diluc-like answer.
"At least sit on the bed," Aether scooted over, patting the space next to his uninjured leg. "The bed's big enough for two." Diluc looked torn, his eyes looking around the room awkwardly before finally settling on the bed.
Aether smiled, throwing the blanket over his legs too, and laying down on his pillow. Which he conveniently placed on Diluc's lap. It was Diluc's turn to make a strangled noise.
Aether snuggled into the pillow a little more, "Is this okay?" Aether didn't know what possessed him. Maybe it was greed in wanting to see all these new sides of Diluc, and keeping them all in his memory. Maybe it was just a moment of stupidity.
"I–," Diluc cleared his throat, his voice going abnormally high. "Yeah, this is fine." Aether felt Diluc's hand running his hair. It was soothing, more than Aether could ever imagine.
Soon enough, he heard his breathing match Diluc's, his eyes growing droopy. He blinks hard, sleepiness threatening to take him. But he had one more question for Diluc. Ah, should he just ask later? A surge of courage from who-knows-where filled him and his lips slipped open.
"Diluc?" The older replied with a soft hum. "Do you...like me?" There's a sharp breath and the hand stroking his head stops. It took a small sound from Aether for him to continue his ministrations. Aether waited for his answer. His ears started burning again at the embarrassingly frank question, sleepiness fading a bit.
"Was it that bad?" Diluc's finger brushed against the shell of Aether's ear. "I was trying not to be obvious." Diluc's reply momentarily stunned Aether because – holy shit.
The Diluc – the Master of Dawn Winery, the Darknight Hero, and Mondstadt's most eligible bachelor, actually liked him.
"Mmm, doesn't matter," Aether mumbled, still half‐shocked at the reply. "I like you too." It was unclear just how much fondness he held in his heart for Diluc. He could feel it slowly unfurling in his chest like a flower. But that he could figure out another time. Besides, they still had plenty of time to spend with each other and to figure out how to move forward together.
"Yeah?" Diluc asked, seemingly breathless.
Aether yawned, "Yeah..." The sleepiness returned full force after that. And with the gentle touch of Diluc's hand still stroking his hair, Aether finally fell asleep. It would be a simple night, one without any nightmares. And one that the newly found pair would remember for a long time.
===
extra.
It was morning time and Kaeya was hesitant to look into the shack. He wondered why Diluc didn't visit him in the pub all night. Did he maybe have a fight with Aether..? He cracked the door open, poking his head through the space.
There, in the early morning sunlight, Kaeya spotted a rare sight. Diluc was leaning back against the headboard, clearly asleep by the slow rise and fall of his chest. His hand was resting against the traveler's golden hair, protectively curling around him. Said traveler had his head buried in Diluc's stomach, pillow strewn aside in his sleep. One of his hands was clutching at Diluc's shirt.
"So you finally did it, huh." A few emotions washed over Kaeya, but mostly he truly was happy for his brother. Diluc could use someone looking out for him, and so did Aether. Kaeya quietly closed the door. Jean probably won't get mad if they slept a few more hours. And with a slight breeze, Kaeya left the pair to sleep in for once. They deserved it, after all.