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“Can’t we go get more food? I didn’t have enough..” Paimon continuously rambled on as the Lantern Rite festival came to an end. Paimon was still enthusiastically talking about all the quests and missions they had accomplished through the whole week of the event. Aether, on the other hand, was exhausted, both physically and mentally. He usually appreciated the cheerful environment the mini constellation creature provided. However, all that weighed on his mind was the fact that a year had passed. It had been so long since he was together with her. Lumine, his twin sister. The sunlight glistened on his blond hair as he was deep in thought, completely blocking out the higher-pitched voice about food.
Lumine. It had already been months since he lost her, and he couldn’t find any hint of what could have happened. He had been such an aid and wonderful helper to the friends and individuals around him. Venti had found Dvalin and made sure that he wasn’t suffering anymore. Monstadt was saved. Aether had the power to do that and become the honorary knight. In addition to Monstadt, he solved the mystery behind the “death” of Rex Lapis and helped them out of the whole ordeal. But, deep down, he couldn’t help but feel that he didn’t make any progress. He didn’t do enough. She was probably suffering in the depths of hell, surrounded by the darkness that took everything away from her while he was enjoying a festival with friends surrounded by his accomplishments that were acknowledged by almost everyone.
“Hey, are you even listening?” Paimon asked with her high-pitched voice. Her eyes darted to the blond traveler. Aether being completely oblivious, “Sorry, did you say something?” His eyes turned to face her, with deep sorrow building behind his eyes. When Paimon took her first glance at him, she knew that Aether was suffering, even all that he had accomplished, he still hadn’t achieved anything towards his true goals. This was the one time that Paimon couldn’t find any sarcastic remark to help boost the morale of her partner and herself. “I think I’ll just leave for now and take a nap, you can go around to get some food,” Aether stated hurriedly before he quickly went around roaming through the streets staring at the streets filled with lanterns that lit up in the sky. Although the lantern festival was about to come to its end, individuals around were still lighting up the last few of their lanterns hoping to get their wishes fulfilled. His steps were quiet in comparison to the loud atmosphere that was bustling with enthusiasm within the town’s festives. However, to himself, Aether felt as if every footstep was heavier and louder than steel smacking against the ground. He eventually walked up the concrete path and came up to a metal railing, glancing up to the sky, staring at the endless amount of lanterns floating ever so gently up into the sky. The view could be described with nothing less than magnificent, he prayed that every wish flown would be fulfilled to their heart’s content. Of the hundreds of lanterns that flew, instead of being filled with the joyous nature of the festival, the more he looked up, the more the sky looked like it was spinning, swirling, about to absorb all of him away, not at all filling the dark void within his heart. Where can I find you? Will I ever be able to see you again?
As he gazed at the sky, he slowly diverted his eyes towards the mountains, a decent distance away from Liyue. The clouds were slowly overcasting them, making the glow of the mountains from the shining sun slowly fade away. However, within the fading light, he spotted a quick shadow descending down the mountain. A flash of green that seemed to come from a source of Anemo was seen before the figure had disappeared. Although Aether had no particular reason to investigate as he had already had an image of who the shadow was. He felt the need, the urge to go and meet him. He didn’t know why, but his feet started instinctively moving towards where the shadow was last seen. His footsteps become quicker with each step he takes towards the mountain. He ran into the forest that seemed to go on forever before the exit. The wind getting stronger, and the view of lanterns getting further and further away from his view. Hoping to run into the figure, he dashed as quickly as he could, using his Geo to better navigate through the woods that seemed endless. As soon as the bright light flashed, he knew that the end was coming. As he ran out to the very top of the mountain, he spotted no figure. Not even a sliver of life was seen within the small radius of where he stood.
Although Aether didn’t show it on his face, his heart was distraught. The more he stared at the lanterns from afar, the more lonely and desperate he felt. The feeling of needing someone, just having someone to hug, relying on them, felt like such a dismissed variable to himself. He looked down and back up again and felt the warm drips down his cheek. “Huh?” Aether raised his hands to his face feeling the warm droplets of water rolling down his cheeks. The feeling of his fingertips swiping away at the tears that he now knew were rolling down his cheeks made him feel all the more to scream at the top of his lungs. Why was this happening? The quivering of his lips and the mild whimpers that escaped despite his best efforts to keep it contained.
As Aether was in the mess of his mental state, he failed to notice another presence creeping upon him. “Ah-”, as he felt a lightly pressed hand on his left shoulder. Aether slowly turned around, wanting desperately to see who it is, to gain comfort from it. The blurred vision caused by his tears, the sniffling of his slightly red nose from the cold caused him to make out a figure that was mildly short with dark turquoise tips for his hair. “X-Xiao? Why are you here?” No response was given by the shorter figure, except for a glance with a stern gaze upon Aether’s face. If one was not familiar with the adepti in front of them, one might mistake him for being angry. However, even though the blurred vision of Aether’s eyes, he could tell the compassion behind them. Despite his cold exterior, Aether saw no pity nor anger. He only saw golden orbs that shined with the want to help him. It might have felt like hours gone by, despite the passing of only two to three seconds, and those seconds were enough for Aether to burst out into more tears.
This time, his lips didn’t produce mild whimpers, they produced cries of desperation, the desperation of someone to validate the progress of their goal. The other figure didn’t respond, he simply continued staring into the traveler’s amber eyes. The figure steadily raised his arm from his shoulder and cupped a gloved hand around Aether’s cheek. The rough and cold texture of the glove against Aether’s skin felt surprisingly nice, as Aether craved for the touch of another person. Xiao’s thumb gently wiped away the fallen tears as they dropped from his amber eyes. The blonde hair boy unconsciously leans against Xiao’s touch and his forehead leaning closer and closer to the figure in front of him. Xiao subtly raises his right arm and pats the figure on the head in front of him, running his fingers through his silky blonde hair. Although Aether was a few centimeters taller than him, reaching his head was no trouble to Xiao. The blonde hair boy leans down into the adepti’s chest, hugging him tightly with both of his hands tightly around his back as he sobs uncontrollably into his white and green attire. Xiao paid no mind that his outfit was getting stained by the boy’s tears.
With the atmosphere getting dimmer and dimmer, Xiao embraced Aether into his chest. Unbeknownst to him, his eyes started to quiver, tears gently falling as well. Small sniffles were heard from the adepti despite his usual cold exterior. Aether gently tilted his head to look up at the boy, putting both hands on the adepti’s cheek. Although no words were exchanged, both of them understood each other perfectly. The feeling of losing someone and journeying with little to no progress. As Xiao’s own tears blurred his vision, he surprisingly didn’t feel sadness nor the pain from all these years of meaningless slaughter. Instead, his mouth slowly curved upwards, producing a small rare smile from the adepti. The more Aether looked at him, the more his heart started to race rapidly. He felt as if his heart was about to burst, maybe from the emotional wreck that both of them were in, or maybe something more. The more Aether gazed into his eyes, their forehead leaning closer and closer, their nose touching. Although both of them still had tears streaming down their faces, they thought the opposing was beautiful with the moonlight slowly starting to shine in. Taking his time, Aether gently leaned in feeling lips that were softer than he had thought. Both hands cupping each other’s faces, with touches so delicately that made the other feel as if there was a warm fire surrounding them. The fire that radiantly burned with passion filling the void in both of their hearts.