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Tartaglia had a dilemma, well, more like a problem, and a big one at that.
“Tartaglia, you there? Hello?”
“Oh, sorry.” Tartagalia cocked his head towards Aether, an easy-going smile on his face. “Did you say something?”
Aether sighed. “I asked you why you even needed me to tag along for this.”
“Aw, come on, isn’t this what friends do?” Tartaglia asked, poking Aether with his elbow. “You know, like hanging out and stuff.”
“Friends.” Aether scoffed. “Whatever, didn’t you say you wanted to pick something up or whatever?”
“Oh yeah, we’re almost there don’t worry.”
“We better be, I don’t want to leave Paimon alone for too long”
Tartaglia gave him a well practiced grin in return, though Aether’s bluntness still stung him a bit on the inside.
Getting close to Aether used to be so much easier, he was Aether’s knight in shining armor, a friend in an unknown land. But now it felt like he was talking to a wall whenever they were together. So, what if he tried to destroy Liyue Harbor and all of its inhabitants? So, what if he may or may not have figuratively played Aether like a fiddle? It all worked out in the end, didn’t it? Right?
But what bothered him the most, was just how affected he was by the loss of Aether’s friendship, by that widening chasm that now dwelt between the two of them. To be honest, Aether wasn’t the first person Tartaglia stabbed in the back, and he certainly wouldn’t be the last. And yet… this was different from all of the other times. Every one of Aether’s eye rolls, and sharpened remarks, was like a honed pin pressing painfully against his heart.
Somehow, somewhere, along the way, he had grown fond of Aether, and that scared him. You weren’t supposed to develop feelings in this line of work.
Even now, just walking along side Aether, Tartaglia wanted to grab a hold of his golden locks and tangle it in his hands, to bring it close to his mouth and feel it brush against his lips. He wanted to feel the shape of Aether’s trim, bare waist between the touch of his own hands, to feel the warmth of Aether’s skin against his own, and to see Aether’s face flush in a rosy haze of realization as his hands trailed lower.
But most of all, Tartaglia wanted to see Aether smile again, to be able to make him laugh carelessly like he used to, before everything got so… messy.
It didn’t help that Aether drew attention everywhere he went. He could see and feel the stares of the people around them even now, their eyes lingering on Aether, trailing down his body in a hunger Tartaglia knew all too well.
Jealousy bloomed beneath Tartaglia’s skin, as if the prickly vines of a rose had spread beneath the entirety of his body.
Aether, was, fortunately, or maybe unfortunately, oblivious to all of this. Too lost in his brooding anger to notice any of Tartaglia’s pining and longing.
Tartaglia sighed.
They eventually arrived at their destination; a jewelry store located near the center of Liyue Harbor.
“Jewelry, really?” Aether said, the exasperation obvious in his tone.
Tartaglia winked at Aether. “Trust me, just this once.”
Aether gave him a withering glare. “Fine.”
They walked in; the chiming of bells signaled their presence.
A dark-haired woman propped up at the sound, and gave a welcoming smile to the two of them. “Ah, Master Childe, are you hear to pick up your order?”
“Yes, if you wouldn’t mind Mrs. Yu.”
“Not at all, I’ll just be a moment.”
Mrs. Yu ducked below the counter, no doubt rummaging for Tartaglia’s order.
“So, what’d you buy?” Aether asked, his tone flat, though Tartaglia could swear he heard just a tinge of curiosity hidden in its depths.
“You’ll see.” Tartaglia smiled in return.
“Ah here it is.” Mrs. Yu stood up; a small red box held in between her hands. She placed it on the counter, and slid to towards Tartaglia.
“Do you want to open it?” Tartaglia slid the box to Aether. “Consider it an apology gift.”
Aether gave an Tartaglia an incredulous look, but opened the box anyways. In it laid a delicately built hair clip, the flowers that it donned encrusted with the pale green sheen of jade.
“Like it?” Tartaglia asked, his tone hopeful. “I heard that wearing jade was considered a sign of good luck in Liyue.”
Tartaglia waited for that sweet gasp of realization, or quite frankly, any reaction at all, but Aether only stared at the hair clip, his face frozen in an expression Tartaglia couldn’t quite place.
“Here I’ll put it on you.” Tartaglia picked up the hair clip and brought it close to Aether’s face, he waited for him to slap it out of his hands or to pull away. But he didn’t, surprisingly.
Tartaglia felt Aether stiffen the moment his rough fingers touched his golden hair, the expression on his face shifting slightly at the contact. Tartaglia brushed through Aether’s bangs, his touch near delicate as he clipped a portion of it to one side, revealing a bit of Aether’s forehead.
The change was, dramatic to say the least. He looked like a painting, beautiful in ways Tartaglia couldn’t describe. His eyes stood out the most, like the rays of the sun at its highest peak in the day.
Tartaglia couldn’t help it, his fingers trailed down to Aether’s jawline, and he followed it to the soft point of his chin. He heard Aether’s breath hitch at the act, a gasp so sweet, so demure, that it stirred something dark and hungry inside him.
He tilted Aether’s head towards him.
“Beautiful.” Tartaglia breathed out, his half-lidded eyes were drawn to the curves of Aether’s partially open lips.
Aether’s face flushed in response, his golden eyes widening, and yet he still didn’t pull away.
Tartaglia drew his face closer, so close that he could feel Aether’s breath against his skin, could see how his dilated, golden eyes shook slightly, and how inviting his lips looked as they parted open just a little bit more.
He wanted to kiss him, to devour him, to leave his mark on him. The desire was nearly all consuming in its heat, its flames coursed through his body, leaving his skin flushed. He brought his other hand up, and cupped it against Aether’s cheek, his thumb caressing Aether’s soft lips.
“Uhm… excuse me?” Mrs. Yu exclaimed suddenly; her face flustered, unsure of what to do.
It was enough to break the moment. Aether pushed himself out of Tartaglia’s hold, and sprinted out of the shop, his ears stained a rosy red.
Tartaglia wobbled slightly as the heat of the moment escaped from his body, leaving him with a feeling of cold dissatisfaction.
He gave Mrs. Yu a murderous glare.
Mrs. Yu paled. “Uhm… sorry?”
“Ugh, it’s fine.”
Tartaglia paid what was due, and left the shop.
He replayed that moment over and over again as he walked, his mind hyper fixating on the look on Aether’s face, the flushing of his cheeks, the hazy look in his eyes. What Aether’s face was expressing in that moment was not hate, but something similar in intensity.
Tartaglia grinned to himself.
This was going to be fun.