Chapter Text
Golden, golden, golden
As I open my eyes
Hold it, focus, hoping
Take me back to the light
I know you were way too bright for me
I'm hopeless, broken
Xiao’s been told that he had a habit of drifting away from conscious thought and he always acts aloof. He’s been compared to the winter winds in Liyue, cold, feels harsh at times but you end up liking it anyway. That’s what Zhongli – sensei told him in a comment, written in a returned poetry they passed for the teacher’s literature class.
He doesn’t mind being likened to the bleakness of the white season but if someone asks, he’d like to tell that Spring is actually his favorite. It can be cold at rare times but it is warm enough so he can stroll around at night near the city’s harbor or near the mountain cliffs. Unfortunately, for the quiet Xiao, nobody dares ask him or start small talks with him asides from his two closest companions in school, Xingqiu and Chongyun. He actually didn’t know how they all ended up as friends or how Xingqiu convinced him to run as a student council officer, but here he is stuck 24/7 with them. Zhongli – sensei had a fault with that too. Zhongli believed that Xiao has a lot to offer, he said that he’ll be a great public servant, just need to work on his poker face and he’s good to go. The teacher promised that he’ll be less harsh on Xiao's papers if he runs as a student council and win. Xiao didn’t believe him but he didn’t want to back down either. In the end, he actually won as a Peace Officer and Zhongli sensei had been less lenient on his grammar mistakes. He doesn’t dislike anything that happened though.
Xiao is a simple man; he doesn’t like many things and doesn’t hate many things either. He’s just going with the flow, or where his feet will lead him. And often times he finds himself walking to the Wanmin restaurant with his two friends after class, asking Xiangling for her best almond tofu, and end the day relaxing by the harbor watching the busy people of Liyue finish their day.
“Oh, here’s the new kid.” Xiao snapped from his almond tofu fantasies and gave as much attention as he could muster after hearing Xingqiu’s words. Right then and there, Xiao sees a flash of bright long blond hair tied up in a long braid, fair milky skin, and fierce golden eyes. Everyone was quiet, this new kid is a foreigner and Liyue isn’t that kind to foreigners. He’ll have a hard time, Xiao thought, especially with that overly serious look. He does hope that blondie speaks the same language or communication would be hell for him.
Childe – sensei brought the kid to class but Zhongli – sensei is their current teacher since the former speaks foreign languages.
“Childe – sensei, thank you for assisting my new student. You didn’t have to,” Zhongli politely thanked the younger man.
“Ah it’s no big deal sensei. I’ve been told that we’d be having a foreigner transferee and it’s my free time anyway, thought I’d help you out. Turns out, this kid really is fluent in the language so he might not be needing me anyway.”
“That’s great to know. Now, Aether, you can thank Childe – sensei so he can go on his way.”
Aether. That was the name of the boy with golden eyes and blond hair. Besides Childe – sensei, most of them more likely never heard of foreign names so it would be easy to remember.
“Thank you, Childe – sensei for accompanying me to my homeroom.” He gave a deep bow to the teacher.
“Well, I think my job here is done. Try and call me back some time, will you? See you later, sensei~”
Childe – sensei definitely does not care that the whole class is watching him flirt with their homeroom adviser. The whole school actually knows how smitten the younger teacher is with Zhongli when the former hired a popular Rockstar in Liyue, afiery girl named Xinyan, perform just for the older man. The thing is, the concert gift was done at the school gymnasium and the students went wild for the free concert. Childe sure got an earful for that from the Principal, Miss Ningguang of the Qixing.
Zhongli indeed wanted to see Xinyan perform but not in the way Childe did. He said at the younger man, “You could have asked me to go to her actual concert, right?” Zhongli can only shyly smile at the younger’s advances. Everyone likes Zhongli after all, from the faculty to the students, he just gives off a respectable, noble aura with everything he does.
Since the whole school knows about their romantic misadventures, they became the school’s unofficial couple and everyone swoons over their “moments” even Xingqiu fawns over them for acting like main characters in a cheesy romance novel. When Xiao asked, why does the son of the Feiyun commerce guild read such novels, Xingqiu replied, “Novels teach you many things about the human psyche. In this way, I can woo the heart of my soulmate and have him crawl to me and beg for my love.” Xingqiu doesn’t look like it but can be such a sadist at times.
Xiao only grunted; romance really isn’t his best suite.
Zhongli – sensei motions for Aether to introduce himself and so the new kid steps forward and Xiao notices the almost robot – like, scripted way that he speaks. Added with the fact that his golden eyes flicker to something like annoyance and defeat with his current situation.
“Good Morning everyone. My name is Aether. I have a twin named Lumine and she’s enrolled by our sister school’s all-girls campus. Our father is a scientist and our mother pharmacist however, we move a lot because of their jobs. I hope I can spend a great time with all of you.”
He made a deep bow and everyone was amused after hearing him speak, that he’s like an actual Liyue native. He hides his foreign accent well, even better than Childe – sensei. His voice also creates a stark contrast with his cute face because it is deep and low pitched. Wait, did Xiao just think that this transferee is “cute”?
He let out a small cough as if by doing so his thought and the uncomfortable feeling welling up in him will disperse away. However, it only caught Xingqiu’s attention and the young master made a subtle look from the front. “Are you not feeling well Xiao? You look kind of red like you just ate a bunch of jueyun chili.”
“I’m fine. Thank you for asking.” Xiao ignores Xingqiu’s scrutinizing eyes and hopes he stops asking more.
“All right, tell me if you feel anything. We’ll go to Nurse Katheryne.”
“Aether, the class is kind of full but you can sit there over the back besides…”Zhongli-sensei said and motioned his hand over to their area at the back of the room.
Xiao’s heartbeat hammered. The class sits by twos and there are two pair of seats empty, one besides Xingqiu and one besides him. If you ask where Chongyun is and why is he not seated beside Xingqiu? He requested to be moved to the first row besides the classroom door so Xingqiu will not be able to pull pranks on the poor ice boy during class. Xiao hated Xingqiu for a second cursing his pranks. Xiao looks unbothered but if someone has the ability to hear heartbeats, they’ll wonder why is he so nervous for. Yes Xiao, ask yourself, what are you so nervous for? It’s just a new kid.
“…Xingqiu. He’s the student council president and he’ll accompany you for the next few weeks until you get used around the campus.”
A sigh of relief escaped from Xiao’s lips and his roaring heartbeat dissipated. He’s glad that Xingqiu will deal with the new kid. For some reason he felt like he escaped a fall from a ravine. At the same time, there’s a nagging thought that he’s disappointed to not be seated with the new kid. He already had enough work dealing with people being peace officer and all—
“Also, behind Xingqiu is Xiao, the council’s Peace Officer. Bullying occurs at the school with some black sheep here and there but Xiao being in charge had diminished that number a lot. You can come to us if you encounter any of those troubles.”
He thought he was off the hook from extra duties but here is Zhongli – sensei putting too much faith in him. He let his eyes wonder to the blondie once again.
Their eyes locked and connected, golden ambers irises matching through their different shades. He felt electrified in that bliss. Xiao had to look away, trying to calm himself again, and trying to act as aloof as possible. He found it hard to do when transferee started walking towards their direction. He saw Xingqiu with his overly friendly smile with a hint of slyness. The blond took the sit besides Xingqiu and Xiao marvels at the sight. Long blond hair tied in a braid, they’ll look pretty loosened for sure with soft curls, reminds him of sunset by the harbor of Liyue. He doesn’t even hear what the two in front of him were saying. He just stared, lost in his thoughts about the captivating stranger.
In those few minutes, he already made scenarios he never thought he’d think of. Some of them from the romance novels Xingqiu read and told him about. And for the first time in his bane existence, he pictures someone with him, someone with blond hair, golden eyes and a pretty face with a strong and passionate aura.
His reverie was once again cut off, by a deep voice he thought was from Zhongli-sensei calling him for recitation. He looked up at front and saw that the teacher indeed started his lecture but it seems like he didn’t actually call Xiao. So, Xiao shifted his gaze back to the two in front of him and saw them staring at him. He acknowledged them by raising his left brow, trying to look as disinterested as possible.
“Xiao it was Aether who called you not Zhongli – sensei.”
It was a shock to the former’s system, he’s not over his unreasonable shyness over the blondie and now he’s talking to him?
“What?” His reply came off as irritated, he acted as if he’s trying to listen to the lecture. In reality, he's just too nervouse to talk to the stranger beaause he keeps thinking that he's too pretty.
“Hi. I’m Aether. Nice to meet you.” The young man reached out his hand, asking for a handshake.
“Xiao. Nice to meet you…Aether.”
He held out his hand to reciprocate the gesture but oh boy, he wasn’t ready for that spark made when their hands made contact. The atoms in their hands creating a reaction. Xiao felt embarassed hoping both at the same time that he was the only one that felt that and also wishing that Aether felt it too.
Electrocharged.