Work Text:
The trek back from the ruins was a long and heavy one.
"It's okay, Paimon. I'm fine, really." Aether says as he waves his hands in front of the two of them.
Aether appreciated the little pixie's efforts to try and lift the traveler's spirits, but in the light of today's events, the blonde's mind is still hazy from the strings of a thousand questions wrapping his thoughts up. After fighting a ton of Abyss Mages and beating that Herald's ass thrice, Aether would probably prefer just a peaceful and quiet walk back home, wherever that is. At first, anywhere's fine as long as he can sleep safely and soundly, but now, he's not so sure anymore.
After Paimon's never ending persuasion and a bag of mora, the two decided to book a room in Wangshu Inn to stay for tonight. With all of that fighting, a mention of a soft and bouncy bed was enough for Aether to surrender.
The staff greeted them as usual, the warm smiles and their delicious food made his shoulders relax for once. He had no idea how long he kept those stiff and tense. With Paimon happily munching on their food, he goes to Verr, notifying her of their stay.
"Good eve, boss lady." Giving adorable little Wei chin scratches, the cat purrs, as Aether greets Verr with a casual smile. "We'd like to book a room for two, please." and Verr just tiredly sighs as a reply.
"I told you, it's just 'boss.'' The woman digresses her thoughts when she sees the ragged bags under Aether's eyes, evident of exhaustion. As much as she wanted to indulge in a conversation with the traveler, she figured that maybe leaving him be for a while might be better for now. She has a lot of customers to attend to as well. So she gives him the key, pointing her arms to the direction of the room he and Paimon will be staying in.
"Your meals will be served in a few moments. In the meantime, as always, I hope you enjoy your stay."
"Thanks, boss." He smiles for the nth time today.
Without even bothering to take his shoes off, Aether plops down onto the bed, breathing in the clean scent of the bedsheets, fresh from the laundry. And as if on cue, his heavy eyelids started to close, vision slowly turns into black as he finally got his first rest after who knows how long.
-
"Listen to me, Aether."
Lumine abruptly cuts her twin brother's rambling as she looks at him straight in the eye. She looks cold, overly-distant. Lips rested into a casual frown. Aether looks at her in disbelief, confusion clouding his thoughts.
"I have already traveled through this world once. Once you reach the end of your journey as I did, you will see for yourself the true nature of this world."
Aether just stares back in response, speechless as another batch of unanswered questions flood his head, waiting to be answered. He takes a step closer, raising his arms, reaching for her.
"So we'll meet again."
The Abyss Herald summons a portal, a mass of black void suddenly appears behind him and Lumine, cold air seeps as he and Paimon watch in defeat.
"Though we need not rush, brother. I have more than enough time to wait for you."
What are you doing just standing there?? MOVE! RUN! Don't let her slip away from your hands again! You still have a lot of questions to ask her! You're going home together right? Move your legs, Aether. MOVE!
The latter shakes his head as he starts to run for his sister, arms overly stretched, trying to reach for her wrists as she turns away, walking for the portal.
"We have always... had enough time."
LUMINE!!
-
Aether snaps his eyes open, breathing heavily as the room's interior slowly comes in his vision. Sweat trickles down his forehead as he sits down, moonlight quietly shines down the open window beside his bed. He turns to see Paimon on the other side of the room, loudly snoring away with untouched food beside them. They must've waited for Aether to wake up to eat with him, but failed and fell asleep in the middle of waiting. The blonde silently apologizes, ruffling the little fairy's hair a little bit, aware that it won't wake them up considering that Paimon's a heavy sleeper.
He eats, despite his appetite, for the sake of not dying from starvation. But after a few spoons of rice, he calls it quits and sets the plate down. A breath of fresh midnight air would be nice at the moment.
But it doesn't explain why he has a plate of almond tofu on the highest balcony of the inn.
Force of habit? Yeah, let's think of it that way.
Aether puts the plate down, next to that little rock formation slash decoration settling on that big flower pot. He leans on the wooden railing, taking in the air and the view in front of him as he takes a loud, long inhale. He looks back at the pot, only to see an empty plate where he swore there was almond tofu in it.
"How unusual, to see you awake at this time of the day."
The blonde turns his head to the source of the voice, the lone figure of a certain adeptus sitting on the roof of the balcony slowly shows itself in the scene.
"Evening, Xiao."
Aether flashes a smile towards him, and Xiao materializes his spear back from his hold, hands now aiding support from leaning back on the roof. The adeptus swifty lands down on the floor, approaching Aether to point at his injuries.
"You should know better to tend to your wounds first before wasting your time being so carefree around the adepti." He says, attention directly fixated on the scratches and bruises the blonde has on his arms and body.
"Ah, sorry. I forgot to since I instantly fell asleep the moment I entered my room." Aether shrugs, and winces when Xiao tugs at his messy braid.
"That explains this then. Give me a comb."
"What?"
"I said give me a comb."
Aether heard it well the first time. He was just surprised the adeptus offered to fix his hair for him. He complied nonetheless, reaching for a small comb from his pocket and handing it over to Xiao. The blonde feels his chest relax as the other starts with his work, pulling off the elastic and patiently separating each strand for easier combing.
"So? Do you need me to deal with whoever that made you cry?"
"Huh?"
Aether hadn't noticed how wet and red his eyes were the moment he got out of bed. He must've looked so horrible in front of Xiao, suddenly burying his face on his hands.
"I'm sorry, I didn't even bother looking at the mirror when I got out. Besides it's fine, I've dealt with them already." Aether puffs out a lie.
"You don't look too happy about it." Xiao replies. Spot on.
"What do you mean? I'm... not sad." He tries to drive the topic away from him, and thank the archons Xiao is smart enough to understand. "Fine." Xiao continues to fix his braid in silence, both of them going quiet for a couple of moments.
"I.. found her."
Aether breaks the silence first.
"Her? You mean your sister?"
"Yeah. She's with the abyss order."
The blonde felt Xiao's movements halt for a second, then resumed to hide his surprise. Aether stiffs out a tired laugh.
"She looked so... different. She looks cold and angry, she wasn't my adorable little sister I went travelling universes with." He continues, while Xiao falls silent to listen.
"It turns out that she was traveling around Teyvat for years before I woke up. And encountered something that changed her from what she used to be. Years, decades, maybe even centuries. She went through wars and battles alone. And I was there, on the shore sleeping everything away." Aether felt his hands tightly gripping on the wooden railing, enough to crumble on the brittle sides.
"I'm the older twin. I should've been there to protect her. I-I could've prevented whatever breaking points she had back then I-" The blonde stops on his rambling when Xiao places his hands on his shoulders from the back, shaking him a little bit.
"Breathe, traveler. You're overwhelming yourself."
Aether looks back to turn to Xiao, eyes losing their shine as he faces the adeptus.
"I'm.. not sad. I'm confused. And devastated. And, a little disappointed."
"All I wanted was for me and my sister to be together again. But when she was there, I felt like everything I did was in vain. If I had woken up a little bit earlier, she wouldn't have any reason to side with the abyss, fighting an endless battle where I couldn't even help. I felt like I let her down, when I was trying my best to find her all this time. I'm, tired." Aether said the last line in a faint whisper, but audible enough for Xiao to hear. Tears finally rolled down his eyes, but silently as the blonde tried to muffle a sniffle.
Xiao, on the other hand, feels his chest tighten from the sight of the traveler in front of him. His insides uncomfortably swirled in a fit of sadness and anger, as he reached for the blonde's head and rested it on his shoulder.
"Then rest, Aether. And I shall catch you when you fall."
Xiao saying his name was like a trigger silently pulled as he immediately wrapped his arms around Xiao on cue. Shaking uncontrollably, he felt Xiao gently rubbing his back, whispering shushes as he did so.
"Shh, shh. Sadness doesn't suit you."
Aether ignored his advice though, while he continued to let out his pent-up emotions from today's events, gradually feeling better as more tears flew out of his eyes. Is this what home feels like?
Home, could be a place or a person. For Paimon, it definitely must be delicious food. For Xiao, it could be liyue. For Aether, it's Lumine. It's wherever they are together.
For more than five hundred years Aether was asleep, he woke up and wandered Teyvat alone, without his sister to guard his back and support. The constant longing for that warmth and comfort. It probably was hell to him, and it's probably worse for his sister.
But for some reason, having Xiao by his side revived that warmth for him. Maybe even more than that. He finally calms down, and finally lets sleep engulf his tired body, as Xiao places a peck on his temple, rendering him sluggish for a dreamless sleep.
"You've done well, and you deserve a rest. Don't worry, for I will be next to you when you wake up."
After centuries seeking for a home, Aether finally finds one, right on Xiao's arms.