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The wind whipped his face as Diluc trudged through the snow. He stemmed himself against the blizzard, daring it to try and push him back, to keep him from marching on.
"Paimon." He had to raise his voice, just to have a chance to be heard above the howling wind. When no immediate answer came, he stopped to look behind. Aether's fairy companion was floating in the air but even hiding in Diluc's slipstream was barely enough to keep her from getting blown away. He momentarily felt a pang of guilt, reaching out to grab a hold of Paimon and pulling her close to shield her from the storm. Paimon shivered and whined in his hold. He could tell that she wanted to keep going, but her exhaustion was quickly catching up to her.
"You should rest now," Diluc told her, but Paimon only shook her head, teeth chattering. "N-no, Paimon can't! We didn't find Aether yet! What if he -"
"He will be fine." Diluc cut her off, perhaps a little harsher than necessary, but he would not allow any other outcome to their search, he could not. "You said you were near Wyrmrest Valley when you got caught in the blizzard?"
"Y-yes, he must be somewhere around here -"
"Then you can go and rest up," Diluc said again. "I will find him on my own." It was a bold thing to say, considering how drastically the blizzard had lowered the range of visibility. "Imagine what Aether would say if he saw you like that, he would be terribly worried." Paimon squirmed in his hold, looking up at him with fear and hope. She seemed to silently judge him on whether he would be able to keep his word but whatever she saw appeared to be enough. Paimon nodded slowly. "Please bring him back safe." He could see tears forming in the corners of her eyes, but before Diluc could say anything else, she was already gone.
Alone, Diluc turned to face the storm once more, trudging on as he called out for his lost friend.
And to think that the day had started so peacefully.
Diluc had spent most of it managing the many duties that came with leading a successful winery. He had inspected the vineyards and checked the progress of the aging wine in his cellars. There were some orders he had to coordinate, and at some point Adelinde had sought him out for his opinion on a new set of curtains for the foyer.
Nothing remarkable, everything considered.
Diluc remembered that he had felt like going to Mondstadt to take a shift at the Angel's share, but it was still early, and so he had decided to take one more walk around the winery. He knew everyone who lived and worked here, and he thought it was his responsibility to ensure their well-being. One of the people he ended up speaking with was Connor, who seemed almost uncharacteristically enthusiastic.
"Master Diluc! What a fine day, don't you agree?" Diluc kept his expression neutral even as Connor beamed a smile at him.
"It is." He confirmed with a small nod. "You seem to be in high spirits, did something happen?" Diluc inquired with a raised brow.
"Yes! As a matter of fact, I am sure you will be quite pleased as well! You see, I heard that a new type of Cryo Regisvine was discovered in Dragonspine by the Honorary Knight." The mention of Aether brought a smile to his lips, but Diluc quickly cleared his throat to hide it. "Yes, so I've heard. What about it?"
"Well, we have already experimented with wine made with special ingredients such as Mist Flower Corollas. The results were great, so I thought that using the Corollas of this new.. 'Resurgent' Regisvine would make for an excellent wine! I had posted a commission with the Adventurer's Guild more than a week ago, but due to its dangerous nature, no one had accepted it - until now! I heard the Honorary Knight himself was the one who took the commission!"
"He did?" It was not surprising, really. Aether was known to accept any and all commissions that came his way. One day he was catching runaway cats in Mondstadt, the other, he would be battling Ruin Guards. Diluc had accompanied him on a few occasions, and he had witnessed Aether's strength and capability first hand, but Aether also tended to be a little reckless. He was not stupid, but sometimes Diluc wished he would take better care of himself.
So, while the Resurgent Cryo Regisvine was, without doubt, a formidable foe, Diluc was confident that it was no match for Aether. However, there was something else that troubled him greatly. Aether, as strong as he was, was an Outlander and Dragonspine had become the last resting place for many Adventurers before - even those who had seemingly known the mountains like the back of their hands. The weather could be treacherous, changing from one moment to the next, especially during the current season.
Diluc turned his head to look at the snowy peaks of Dragonspine looming in the distance, and he watched the darkening clouds engulfing the mountain with growing concerns. Next to him, Connor was still prattling on about the wine he was going to make, but Diluc barely registered a word he said.
Just a quick stop, Diluc had told himself, just a quick stop before he would head to Mondstadt. There was a steep narrow path that led from the winery into the mountains, and he was sure that Aether would come this way to deliver the Corollas to Connor after his mission. Diluc would meet him on the way, they would talk and catch up with each other, and perhaps Diluc would even be able to convince Aether to spend the evening with him in Mondstadt. Diluc would have once again been proven wrong for fretting so much over his dear friend, but he would gladly take it because the alternative would be far worse.
Halfway up the path, there was still no sign of Aether, and Diluc picked up his pace.
Nothing. Even as he reached the foot of the mountain, where the temperature dropped drastically, and snow painted the world white. No Aether. He moved on, and the wind picked up, before he knew it, a snowstorm was raging around him.
Diluc stopped. Perhaps he had been wrong. Perhaps Aether had taken a detour, perhaps he was already sitting somewhere warm and safe, listening to his strange little companion as they enjoyed a filling meal after a day of work. What good would it do if Diluc would wander into the mountains? In the middle of a storm no less, and because of what - because he was worried? For someone who had shown time and again that they could take care of themselves?
He had just turned around to go back when he heard a familiar voice cut through the storm."Help, please! Someone, anyone!" Paimon shrieked at the top of her lungs. Diluc whirled around only to see the fairy floating through the air, tossed around by the strong wind. He looked behind her, straining his eyes to try and catch a glimpse of gold among the everlasting white, but it never came.
"Paimon, what happened?" Diluc asked, already moving to grab her. "Where is Aether?"
Which had led him to where he currently was, braving the storm to find Aether. According to Paimon the two of them had been on their way back to the winery when the blizzard caught them by surprise. They were on a pass high atop one of the many mountains of Dragonspine, and with no shelter in sight, they had no choice but to try and descend the mountain. The wind, the cold, whatever it was - Aether had slipped and fallen, although Paimon could not tell him how far. She tried to catch him, but the wind pushed her in a different direction.
When she had found him on the ground, Aether had trouble to even get to his feet. He only managed a few steps before collapsing into the snow, and after that Paimon had not been able to wake him again. She had been scared to leave him, but Diluc had assured her that she had made the right decision. If it was not for her, Diluc would have never made it all this way out into the mountains.
Still, he had yet to find Aether. Diluc could feel the fear gnawing at his heart, trying to take hold of him. He knew that every minute, every second that ticked by decreased the chance of him finding Aether alive. The weather was just too harsh, the sheer cold too deadly. Diluc tried to dismiss these thoughts. They did not help him nor did they help Aether. He could not allow himself to give up.
Suddenly, the wind seemed to pick up, and Diluc raised his arm to shield his face from the cutting cold. When he lowered it, he finally spotted the speck of gold he had been looking for.
"Aether!" Diluc called out, making his way through the thick snow and toward the other as fast as he possibly could. His call went by unanswered, not eliciting even a single move from the other. Diluc grit his teeth, a thousand possibilities running through his mind. Was Aether hurt? Did he hit his head? Or had he hurt his legs? The snow had already started to bury Aether in its cold embrace, and Diluc realized not without fear that Aether might have just gotten completely covered if Diluc had taken much longer to reach him.
The thought alone - Aether buried in white - Diluc trudging past, unable to see him made his heart twist painfully in his chest, and as soon as he could, he reached out to brush the snow from Aether's still form. He was surprised when he saw that Aether was not wearing his usual get up. Instead, he was wearing Diluc's old coat, which he had given him a few weeks prior when Aether had first expressed interest in climbing Dragonspine. Something stirred in his heart at the sight of Aether wearing his clothes, but he quickly pushed the feeling aside. He was glad that Aether had chosen to wear it, but now it was soaked and freezing cold.
"Aether, can you hear me?" Diluc urged, placing a hand on Aether's shoulder in an attempt to rouse him. Aether was lying on his side, slightly curled up on himself. His skin was as white as the snow surrounding them, his lips blue. Tiny crystals of ice had formed on his lashes, and while Diluc's breath escaped him in white clouds, Aether's did no such thing.
Diluc cursed and reached over to carefully pat along Aether's body. He wanted to check whether he could feel any injuries and when he was reasonably sure that there was at the very least no major damage he started to remove Aether's soaked cloak. With its relative proximity to Dragonspine, the winery had seen his fair share of Adventurers, who had fallen victim to the sheer cold of the region. Diluc knew that he had to move Aether as little as possible, and so he ripped through the fabric of the coat without a second thought.
As soon as Aether was free, Diluc removed his own coat and wrapped it around the other as best as he could, pulling the hood over Aether's head, then, carefully, he picked Aether up to carry him in his arms. The cold around them instantly tried to seep into Diluc's core, but he used his Pyro vision to warm himself from within. It would not last him long, but it would be enough to get them both out of the cold. Or at least, he hoped it would.
With Aether in his arms, still, stiff, and so very cold, Diluc started to walk back the way he had come. The blizzard still raged around them, already covering the footprints Diluc had left before but still, he pressed on.
The way seemed longer this time around, and it frustrated him greatly. Aether had to get out of the cold as soon as possible. He could not afford Diluc to get exhausted and to falter. Perhaps the storm itself realized that there was no stopping him, that even a blizzard was no match to Diluc's power of will, and slowly it started to fade.
Taking a deep breath, Diluc continued his trek. He was already at the edge of Dragonspine, where snow slowly gave way to lush grass, and when he finally caught a glimpse of the Dawn Winery, he could not help the hope that welled in his chest. Diluc smiled, almost triumphantly. They had made it out of the blizzard, the rest of the way would be much easier and soon Aether would be able to get help. He looked down at him then, and the smile quickly fell from his lips. It was too early for celebrations. Even now, Aether remained unconscious and unmoving. Diluc was not sure how long he had been left in the cold, but Aether's temperature had already dropped way too low.
Finally, Diluc reached their destination. His lungs burned, and his limbs ached, and with Aether in his arms he had no choice but to stem himself against the heavy doors of the winery. When they finally opened, he all but stumbled inside.
The employees gathered in the foyer gasped at his entrance. Truly, it must have been a grizzly sight: Diluc trembling from exertion, his breath ragged and his eyes wild, clutching the bundle in his arms.
"Get a room ready, now," Diluc ordered. His voice was hoarse, but it still held enough strength to spur his personnel into action. Adelinde was the first by his side, with Moco and Hillie right at her heel. "Master Diluc! What happened? Are you hurt?" She reached out for him, but Diluc instantly shrugged off her hand. "Not me, him." He tightened his grip around Aether, and Adelinde carefully pulled down the hood to get a better look at his face. "The Honorary Knight?!" She gasped, the other maids hurrying to fulfill Diluc's order.
"He was out in Dragonspine, we need to warm him up." Adelinde nodded though she regarded him with worry. "Master Diluc, should someone else carry him? You look terribly exhausted yourself-"
"No." Diluc fixed her with a glare, furious that she even suggested that he should let go of Aether before he knew that he would be fine. Adelinde seemed taken aback for a moment, but she was not surprised, instead, she moved to stand next to Diluc, grabbing onto his arm to support him as best as she could as they made their way up the stairs. She led him to the guest room the other maids had been preparing. Adelinde opened the door for him, and Diluc carried Aether over to the bed, where he could finally lay Aether to rest.
He heaved a sigh of relief, still hovering above Aether. He removed his gloves, then Diluc reached out to cup Aether's face with both of his hands, brushing his thumbs over delicate cheekbones. He was still cold and terribly pale, his lips still sickly blue. For a moment, all that Diluc could hear and see was Aether, the bustling of the maids around him did not reach him anymore. Ten seconds passed, then another twenty. One of Diluc's hands moved down to Aether's neck, where he pressed his fingers against the cold skin in search of a pulse. Another thirty seconds, but while Diluc could feel his heart beat faster and faster, he could not feel Aether's at all.
"He's not breathing." Hearing the words from Adelinde made it worse because they made it feel so much more real. It was not just Diluc who had failed to pick up on any signs of life - it was Aether who showed none. "It's the cold." Diluc retorted, trying to keep his voice firm even as he started to remove the coat he had wrapped around Aether with trembling hands. "It slowed down his heart rate and his breathing." He had seen it before. Men and women who had been presumed dead, waking once again once their bodies had been sufficiently warmed. It had to be the case with Aether as well. Diluc did not want to believe he had been carrying a corpse all this time.
Once he had discarded the coat, Diluc began to remove the few pieces of armor Aether was wearing - his breastplate vest, the scarf, and his cape. For a moment, Diluc hesitated, then he ripped off Aether's cropped shirt as well.
Aether never seemed to have trouble floundering his midriff for anyone to see, but Diluc did not think that he specifically would ever be allowed to see more than that - that he should ever catch even a glimpse of the expanse of Aether's bare chest. He was gorgeous, even more so than Diluc could have ever imagined. And he had imagined - had allowed himself to indulge whenever his thoughts strayed to the other. During sleepless nights, sometimes even during the day. And how he had wished to be able to see Aether like this - bared and vulnerable and beautiful - and how he cursed the stars for twisting his wish because this was not what he had wanted. He wanted Aether warm and safe, wanted to drown in his easy smile and glimmering eyes, wanted his voice in his ear and his breath on his neck.
Diluc frowned deeply, and placed his hand on Aether's chest, right above his heart. His skin was cold, even now. Slowly, Diluc began to direct the flow of elemental magic within himself into his hand to generate a gentle warmth. He had to be very careful - if he heated up too much too quickly he could hurt Aether even more. After a moment, when Diluc was sure that he was in control, he added his second hand, gently stroking Aether's chest and stomach as he tried to warm him up. He had never realized before just how frail Aether really was. During a battle he always appeared so strong and fierce, as immovable as the boulders he summoned to crush his foes, but underneath Diluc's hands, Aether looked small and vulnerable, like something to be protected.
Slowly, Diluc could feel a change. Aether's core temperature seemed to increase under his touch, just as Diluc had hoped it would, but even then, Aether remained eerily still. Diluc gritted his teeth, and once again he pressed his fingers against Aether's neck. His skin was a little warmer now, a little softer but even then - nothing.
Dread filled him so suddenly that Diluc himself felt as if he had been tossed into icy waters. His stomach felt sick, his knees weak. He felt as though the ground beneath his feet had been pulled away, and he gracelessly clambered onto the bed, kneeling next to Aether's body. Somewhere in the distance, he heard one of the maids call out to him, but he paid them no attention. Instead, his hands went back to Aether's chest, feeling for his sternum before he placed his hands on top of it. Diluc pushed down on Aether's chest, letting it rise back up before he pushed again.
"Master Diluc!" The voice was closer now, droning in his head. He could feel hands on his upper arm, and instantly dread turned to fury. "Don't touch me!" Diluc growled, not sparing Adelinde a single glance as he kept compressing Aether's chest fast and hard. He had no time to deal with her. Did she not see that Aether needed help? That this bright speck of light that had entered Diluc's life so unexpectedly was fading right underneath his touch?
When his arms began to ache, Diluc cupped Aether's face with both of his hands. He tilted Aether's head back and moved one hand so that he could pinch Aether's nose closed. A moment later, he leaned in, sealing Aether's lips with his. How often had he dreamed of this? But in his dreams, Aether's lips were warm and soft, unlike now. It was just another painful mockery of Diluc's desires.
He shared a couple of breaths with Aether, and when he was done Diluc observed the other for a short moment. When Aether remained still, Diluc began anew. Again. And again. Until he felt Aether's lips tremble against his own. Diluc instantly drew away. He moved his hands to lightly tap his fingers against Aether's cheeks and watched as the other weakly gasped for air. Diluc feared that Aether might not be able to breathe on his own, his body still much too frail, but just as he leaned closer golden eyes fluttered open to meet his.
It stopped Diluc immediately as if Aether's gaze had frozen him in time. Diluc thought he saw a spark of recognition in Aether's eyes but the next moment they were already falling shut again. He quickly pressed a finger against Aether's neck, and as slow and feeble as it might have been - Diluc was finally able to feel a pulse.
Relief washed over him, and if it were not for the other people in the room, Diluc might have just grabbed Aether and kissed him - properly this time. Not wasting any time, Diluc quickly began to undress himself, carelessly tossing his clothes on the floor.
"Master Diluc, what are you doing?" Adeline asked with a high pitched tone, hurrying to pick up the clothes. "He's breathing again, but he's still too cold," Diluc answered plainly, now stripping his pants. "Don't you think someone else could-?"
"No." Just the idea of anyone else lying next to Aether, sharing their body heat with him had Diluc fuming. There was no way he would allow it. Adeline gave him an unhappy frown, but she knew better than to argue with her master.
Once Diluc had stripped down to his underwear, he carefully did the same to Aether. The maids had already been preparing blankets, and as soon as Diluc had laid down next to Aether they were already being wrapped around them. Aether was still freezing cold, but Diluc held him close regardless, moving him to lie on his side so Diluc could press his chest against Aether's back. The maids handed him warming bottles, and he arranged them around Aether's torso before they were both covered with two more blankets.
"Someone go and get the doctor from Springvale," Diluc said after they had settled. "If you leave now, you should be back before noon tomorrow. The others can leave now. I will call if we need anything." His staff bowed before they began to file out of the room, Adelinde being the last one to leave. She stopped in the door, turning around one last time to look at her master. "Please get some rest as well, Master Diluc." With that, she left, and Diluc and Aether were alone.
Diluc allowed himself to heave a sigh of relief, even though he knew that he still needed to remain vigilant. He could not rest like Adeline had suggested, not until he knew that Aether would be fine. Even now, Aether was still so cold, his breaths so shallow that they barely moved his chest.
He held Aether a little closer, hesitantly burying his face in Aether's hair. Even after everything, he still smelled divine. How he wished the situation would be different. That Aether was well, sleeping in his arms not because of necessity but out of his own will. How would it be to sleep like this every night? To wake up to Aether's smile every morning? Diluc could only imagine - and hope. Hope, that Aether would even live to see another sunrise.
The thought stirred all kinds of feelings inside Diluc - fear, anger, helplessness. He felt tears prick his eyes, and for the first time in years, Diluc allowed himself to cry.
When he woke up, he felt a warm weight on his chest. Diluc opened his eyes, squinting at the sunlight that streamed through the window before he realized that it was Aether who was lying on top of him. They must have moved in their sleep. He looked down at Aether's sleeping form, his cheek mushed against Diluc's chest, tussled hair framing his face. Aether was breathing softly, Diluc could feel it against his skin, and while he still seemed exhausted, he looked more beautiful than ever before.
Diluc smiled to himself, reaching up to stroke Aether's head. It seemed like the worst was over, and with how stubborn Aether could be, Diluc had no doubts that he would be trying to get up and about before dinner rolled around. Before that, however, Aether would get to hear an earful from Diluc. He would make sure Aether would never again even think of setting foot in Dragonspine all by himself.
Just as Diluc thought this, Aether nuzzled against his hand, slightly parting his lips as he made the most adorable sound in his sleep, somewhere between a sigh and a yawn.
Perhaps the lecture could wait for another day.