Chapter Text
Xiao wanted to be anywhere but here. This get-together at Diluc's tavern, was not one he wanted to be at. He purposely showed up late, but for some reason he couldn't keep himself from just not showing up. He heard that a certain blonde was going to be there tonight, and he didn't like the idea of him being around a bunch of drunks without him there.
By the time Xiao had gotten there, Venti was already long gone. He had a bad habit of drinking Diluc dry of his wine supply and completely forgetting the next morning. Xiao placed himself at the bar, a seat away from where everyone else was enjoying themselves. He tried to be as quiet as possible with his arrival, the last thing he wanted was to cause a stir and draw attention to himself.
"What'll it be?" Diluc asked him, pulling out a glass.
Xiao studied the wall of options before simply, "Whatever is fine."
Diluc nodded and handed him a glass of their Dandelion Wine, and they both went to keeping an eye of the rowdy group at the bar with them. Upon further exception, there were only three causing all the racket. Venti, the loudest of course, was running a drinking game with Kaeya and Aether. Xiao glanced to the other tables through the tavern and found all of the ladies and...Zhongli? Xiao simply shook his head. He guessed that Zhongli found himself briefly bored with Liyue and made him way to bother those in Mondstadt for brief entertainment before returning. They were gossiping at a table away from the loud group at the bar.
"Aether~ You lost again," Kaeya let out a deep laugh, teasing Aether for his weak drinking abilities. Aether had a fine alcohol tolerance, but compared to Venti and Kaeya, he was being left in the dust.
"How should we punish him this time?" Venti muttered, a little slurred, as he leaned against the bar counter. He made eye contact with Diluc, who quickly broke it, and Venti perked up.
"Diluc! Help us out! Aether lost again, but I've run out of punishments," Venti bounced in his seat.
"I think you've played with Aether enough tonight. He is reaching his limit," Diluc sighed.
"Hmm~ I think you're right, we can play another time little Aether," Kaeya cooed, bringing his hand to tuck Aether's hair behind his ear. Kaeya had a habit of getting a little friendly when he was drunk, and everyone had been a victim of his drunken affections. Xiao, however, didn't know this, and anger boiled in his gut as he watched Kaeya play with Aether's lose strands that had found their way out his braid.
Venti turned around in his seat and scanned through the people who were in the tavern. When his eyes found Xiao, they lit up. Dread washed over Xiao, as he could tell the gears working in Venti's head were only capable of causing trouble.
"I've got it! Aether, for your last punishment...hehe," Venti trailed off into a string of giggles. Kaeya shook his head and Aether watched Venti in anticapation. Aether's eyes were full of wonder, and his face was flushed. It was clear he was drunk, but he also seemed to be having fun, besides what seemed to be his constant losing at whatever drinking game he had been playing.
"Sit in Xiao's lap," Venti finally said, his eye's narrowing as he kept his eye's trained on Xiao. Xiao couldn't help his eye's widening, at what he had just heard.
"Don't be ridiculous," Xiao growled, and turned away from the bunch.
What Xiao missed, however was Aether, as silent as can be, rising off his chair and making his way over to Xiao. Xiao felt a hand grab his tricep, and he spun towards to culprit. It was none other than Aether, his eyes full of determination and focused on Xiao's lap. He then began to lift Xiao's arm off the bar and above his head.
"And just what do you think you are doing?" Xiao asked, his voice softer than he he addressed Venti moments before.
Aether's eyes snapped up to meet Xiao's, and he placed a finger on Xiao's mouth, "Shh, I can't talk right now. I am very busy."
Xiao's mouth fell open slightly at what Aether had just said to him. Xiao, the Vigilant Yaksha himself, had just been shushed. He had never been shushed before, and he wasn't quite sure how to react. If it was anyone else he probably would've responded with a glare and a few harsh words, but with Aether, he was truly lost. So, he silently watched as Aether climbed his way up. Aether placed the arm he had been holding back onto the bar, once he was inside, and then he placed his hands on Xiao's shoulders and hoisted himself into Xiao's lap. Xiao was not expecting them to be in this position. It was much more...intimate than expected. Aether was not just sitting on Xiao's lap, he was snuggling into him. Aether was straddling Xiao, his arms limply wrapped around Xiao's neck, and Xiao felt his face flush.
He had been close to Aether before, but only for a few moments before, and never in such a relaxed situation. Aether's face was flushed from all the drinking, and his eye's were wide with wonder. Xiao watched as Aether's eyes flickered around his face, before a large smile crossed his lips. He leaned down and buried his face into Xiao's shoulder, and rested his head there.
"Xiao," He whispered, shifting himself on Xiao's lap without much thought. Xiao felt weird with the movement, and tried very hard to stay very still. He felt...warm.
"Xiao," Aether repeated, breaking Xiao's focus on the warm feeling pooling in his chest.
"Yes?" He replied, his voice sounded as bored and uninterested as always.
"I'm falling," Aether said simply, and Xiao's face flushed again when Aether began to shift again on his lap. The weird feeling began to grow in his stomach, and he couldn't tell if Aether knew what he was doing. Xiao very gently placed his hand on the bare skin of Aether back, stopping him from falling and halting his wiggling. Xiao felt Aether shiver slightly under his unexpected touch.
"Stop moving," Xiao growled quietly in Aether's ear. Xiao heard Aether hitch his breath for a moment. The both of them were silent after that, and after a few minutes, Diluc and Xiao began to have a conversation about nothing really important. Diluc didn't seem to pay any mind to Aether who was snuggled into Xiao's lap and showing no signs of moving.
Enough time had passed for Xiao to have a few more glasses of wine. Xiao couldn't tell if Aether had fallen asleep or not, but he had made no attempt to check. He didn't quite understand it himself, but he didn't want Aether to move. He quite liked having the blonde wrapped tightly around him, with his arms lazily hanging around his neck. Xiao was relatively aware of how protective he was of Aether, and he had come to accept that Aether was special to him. He didn't make any attempt to understand these feeling any further, a little worried of what they would mean. He wasn't in any position to want anything from Aether, or wish to deepen anything between them.
"Xiao.." Aether whispered, this time Xiao could feel his hot breath pass over his neck, and it sent a shiver down his spine. Aether was making it very hard for Xiao to keep it together in the tavern. Xiao could hardly understand any of these desires, he had never felt them before, but one thing was very clear. He wanted Aether to himself.
"I..I want..," Aether began to trail on.
"What is it you wish?"
Aether replied with silence. Xiao felt Aether bury his face further into the crook of his neck, and Xiao let out a defeated sigh. Taking care of a drunk Aether was really challenging his heart. Suddenly, Xiao felt Aether sink his teeth into his neck. Xiao, choked on his wine, and used the hand that had been resting on Aether's back, and moved it and grabbed Aether's hip, squeezing it a little to get Aether's attention while he recomposed himself.
"Ae-Aether, I, dear gods- that," He stumbling out before finally putting his words together, "What was that for."
Aether giggled a little in reply, before pressing a kiss to where he had just bitten Xiao.
That was it. Xiao couldn't handle any more of this. He set down his glass, and he used his newly free hand to push Aether's face away from his neck.
"Diluc, I'll pay the tab later. I'm going to need to take him home," Xiao said quickly, before taking a quick look at Aether, and flinging him over his shoulder and leaving the tarvern.
Diluc simply shook his head, and wished silently wished Aether luck. He had dug himself his own grave, but Diluc wondered just how much of it was on purpose.
Xiao decided to take Aether back to Wangshu Inn. He had a room there, and he didn't know the people of Mondstadt well. It doesn't take much for Xiao to find his way back to his room, going in through the window so no one else would see Aether in the state he was in. Aether had complained the whole way there, struggling without much force, and whining for Xiao to put him down. Xiao simply ignored his pleas until they had made it safely back to his room.
Xiao set Aether down, and Aether plopped down thoughtlessly down onto the bed. Xiao pinched in between his eyes, before speaking.
"Please take off your shoes before you get on my bed at least."
Aether didn't reply, but struggled to remove his boots. Xiao silently got down onto one knee, and began to remove his shoes for him. Aether stilled, and watched Xiao intently.
"Are you just going to stare at me, or are you going to explain yourself? You are probably the only person who can get away with biting me."
Aether rose to his feet once again, and Xiao followed suit, not liking the idea of being below someone. Aether grabbed Xiao's shoulders and pushed him back onto the bed, before climbing once again, back into his lap. Xiao was left a little stunned by his actions, before sitting up, and closing the distance between them.
"You know you don't have to sit on my lap now. We aren't at the tavern anymore."
Aether responded by beginning to shift once again on Xiao's lap, a little bolder than he had been back at the tavern. At the tavern it seemed innocent, now, Aether's eyes were narrowed, and he was avoiding eye contact with Xiao. Xiao grabbed his hips, halting his movement.
"Aether." He said sternly. Aether's eyes rose to meet his, and he whispered out.
"I want you," He whispered, and wrapped his arms around Xiao's neck, running one of his hands through the the hair on the back of his head, tugging at it slightly.
"Aether. I recommend you stop before you push me any further. You will regret starting this," Xiao warned, his voice low and his eyes narrow.
"Xiao..." Aether breathed, closing his eyes and resting his foreheads on Xiao's. He grinded his ass hard down onto Xiao's lap, and Xiao let out a low growl.
"Aether, this is the last time I will-" Xiao began before Aether cut him off by pressing his lips hard onto Xiao's.
Xiao's eye's shot open wide, and Aether nibbled on Xiao's lower lip before pulling away.
"I want you," Aether breathed against his lips, his eyes meeting Xiaos, "Don't you want me?"
Xiao's hand rushed up and pulled Aether in by his neck, keeping his head still as he kissed him. Aether quickly matched his pace, letting out a whimper as Xiao moved with him. Their lips moved in messy unison, Aether melting under Xiao's touch. Xiao moved the hand still occupying Aether's waist to his back, and as his fingers met Aether's spine, he shivered under his touch. Xiao was curious about this reaction and gently moved his fingers down Aether's spine, his rough hands brushing delicately over Aether's soft skin dotted with rough scars of his own here and there. Aether grinded back onto Xiao again, and Xiao let out a groan and once again put pressure down on Aether's hips to keep him still.
Aether pulled away, and trailed his hands down Xiao's chest, admiring the man in front of him. Aether had dreamt of moments like this but he had never thought it would happen. Especially because of a punishment from a stupid drinking game with Venti.
"Xiao," Aether sighed, out of breath from kissing his moments ago.
"Aether we shouldn't be doing this."
Aether looked up and met Xiao's eyes. Xiao wanted him so badly. He wanted Aether, but not like this. He wanted Aether to be his, and his only. Not just his for one drunken night in bed. Xiao searched Aether's eyes for a response, and he found them to be narrow and his expression was hard to read in the dim light from the moon that filled the room.
"Xiao, did I get something wrong?"
This answer took Xiao off guard. Aether's tone was completely solid, and he seemed almost sober. If he hadn't been drunk an hour or so before Xiao would have barely noticed now.
"What do you mean?"
"I thought..I thought you might've felt the same way so I was.." Aether trailed off. Xiao was frozen, processing the words that had just left Aether's mouth. Xiao tried to look again once again into Aether's eyes, hoping to find answers, but Aether was dead set on now avoiding that. So, Xiao grabbed his chin, and forced him to look him in the face. Xiao couldn't help but run his thumb over Aether's bottom lip, and watched and Aether swallowed, letting his lips go slack.
"Aether. Tell me what it is you wish of me," Xiao commanded. Even in the dark room, Xiao could see the bold Aether melt into a shy one in his hands, and he began to stumble on his words before answering.
"I told you already. I want you," He mumbled.
"I need more than that. What do you mean by that?" Xiao asked, softer this time. He wasn't trying to be mean, he truly didn't understand what was going through Aether's head. Aether let out a sigh, before slowly leaning down and burying his face onto Xiao's shoulders, and shifting on his lap again, bringing himself as close as he could possibly be to the Yaksha in front of him.
"I want you...to be mine."
Xiao was slightly shocked by his words, but continued, "Just for tonight?"
"...no," Aether whispered.
"Aether, this is not how you treat friends," Xiao just wouldn't stop. He wanted as much confirmation from Aether as he could possibly get. He needed to know if the way he had been feeling for Aether, was the same for what Aether was saying he felt for him. And what it was that he was feeling for him.
"Xiao. I know that. I don't want to be friends with you," Aether sighed, his patience much less than what it when he was less intoxicated. Not that he was much anymore, but the buzz was still there.
"Aet-" Xiao began, before Aether grabbed his face and looked back at him.
"I want you to be mine. I want you to let me be with you. Permanently."
With that, Xiao finally understood. Xiao thought for a moment, before removing Aether's hands from his face.
"Your wish is my command," Xiao decided and before Aether could protest, Xiao once again connected their lips. Aether melted under him, wrapping his arms around his neck again, balling Xiao's shirt into his hands, pulling on the fabric. Xiao pulled away and ripped off his shirt.
"A-ah," Aether let out in surprise, looking at Xiao's now bare upper body.
"Was that not what you wanted?"
"N-no..it was just unexpected," Aether mumbled, hesitant to touch him.
"You may touch me, if you'd like," Xiao reassured, bringing Aether's arms back to where they had rested around his neck for most of the night.
Aether immediately went to work, gently running his hands down Xiao's chest and down his stomach, where he found the small man unsurprisingly very toned. He ran them back up and around to his back, digging in his nails teasingly, leaving red marks in their wake. Xiao let out a groan and closed his eyes at the new feeling, slowly opening them again to meet with Aether's. Aether took it as a sign to keep it up, and shifted teasingly on Xiao's lap, and pleasantly, he found that he wasn't the only one excited. Xiao's eyes narrowed as a warning, but he was no longer making attempted to stop him. Not that there was any need to anymore, any misunderstandings that would have come from this were already cleared up before they could begin.
Xiao was displeased at the fact he was the only one getting attention, and lunged forward, running his lips down Aether's neck, running his hands everywhere he could find bare skin. Aether gasp at the sudden attention, and leaned back, giving the man Yaksha more access. Xiao sunk his teeth into Aether's neck, getting a lovely sound out of the man in return. Xiao teased the end's of Aether's crop top, and quickly ran his hands under it, and the blonde allowed him to undress him.
Aether was now sitting on Xiao's lap, feeling very bare in only his underwear. Xiao leaned back and took a deep breath.
"Is something wrong?" Aether questioned, slightly concerned.
"You are so beautiful," Xiao sighed, his eyes softening, and wrapping his arms around his waist, bringing Aether in close, "and I am so scared I am going to hurt you."
Aether's was saddened at that, and he squeezed the Yaksha reassuringly. "I trust you Xiao. You are nothing that I can't handle. I wouldn't let it happen."
"Aether, may I kiss you again?" Xiao asked cautiously, after a few moments of silence. Aether laughed.
"Of course, you silly Yaksha."
Aether had broken down all of Xiao's walls, and Xiao gently pulled him in. This kiss was unlike the others they had shared tonight. It wasn't hungry and needy, it was slow and full of the words it was too soon for them to say. Aether silently told himself to thank Venti later, and teased Xiao's bottom lip with his tongue, asking if it was okay for them to deepen the kiss. Xiao happily obliged, opening his mouth, and Aether slipped his tongue into Xiao's mouth, earning a small gasp in return. Xiao is a fast learner, and he didn't live all these years without learning what humans did behind closed doors, followed Aether's movements.
Aether began to wiggle, shift, and grind down on Xiao's lap, earning many grunts and groans from the man. Xiao began to match his movements, keeping pace with Aether and grinded up on him, his hands finding their place on Aether's hips, encouraging him to continue. Xiao broke away from the kiss and began to nip and suck at Aethers neck. Aether whimpered at the loss and grabbed Xiao's hand, bringing it to his mouth and beginning to suck on his fingers. Xiao bit harder on his neck when Aether swiped his tongue through his fingers. Xiao leaned back, and admired his work. Aether's once bare skin, was littered with bite marks, and forming bruises that weren't going away any time soon. They covered his neck and shoulders, and Xiao watched as Aether was shaking at the stimulation. It was enough and not nearly at the same time. Xiao began to run his hands up and down Aether's thighs, watching how his breath hitched in his throat when he grazed his inner thighs.
Xiao couldn't take it anymore, and let out deep growl from his throat, leaning forward and biting Aether's ear before whispering, "May I take this further?" Aether whined and nodded furiously, tears beginning to drip down his face from all the teasing. They were both so riled up, and Xiao was finding it very hard to keep himself under control. However, his stubbornness had always been one of his strong points and so he kept himself together. He ran his fingers along Aether's inner thighs, under the hem of his underwear before slowly taking it off. Aether eagerly undid Xiao's pants, and before Aether could do anything more, Xiao pulled him into another kiss. Aether was getting more and more upset at Xiao dragging this on, but he couldn't help but melt into the kiss, letting out all kinds of whimpers and plea's shamelessly. He wanted Xiao to hear him, to know that he was his. That only he could mess him up like this, and that he didn't want anyone else.
"Xiao..I want you," Aether pleaded. Xiao pulled away and for a moment looked like he want going to say something, before pulling Aether back in.
"Sorry, I just want to keep kissing you," Xiao apologized between kisses, "You are addicting."
Aether shuttered at the words, and kept whimpering his name in between messy kisses.
"I am yours Aether's, all yours," Xiao said, before flipping Aether onto the bed underneath him. Leaning down into his ear, "I am going to make sure you never forget that."