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"What is this?"
Aether fiddles with the hem of his top. "A picnic."
Xiao turns to him. His eyebrows are knitted together—to Aether’s relief, not in anger, thank the gods—and he looks genuinely lost, like he can’t grasp the concept of sitting on a piece of cloth in the wild and staining it with grass and food.
"I know it isn't much," Aether says quickly, "but last week, some… people told me today is your birthday, and it would be wonderful if you would—maybe—spend some time together?"
Xiao stares at him in silence.
"Why?"
Aether’s heart sinks to the pit of his stomach.
Xiao has roamed this world for eons—he could probably tell how many steps it would take to traverse from one land to another as well as recite the amount of sweet flowers on the way. The view of Yaoguang Shoal bathed in the saturation of Liyue sunset, no matter how glorious, is nothing new to him.
And yet, a small voice in the corner of Aether's heart pleads to the universe that such a minute gesture would leave a mark or mean something in the vastness of Xiao’s existence.
The yaksha makes a noise in the back of his throat. “What I meant was, why bother?"
Oh. Aether nearly laughs at his own short-lived distress as he offers a hand to Xiao. "It is your birthday, isn't it?"
He eyes his extended hand before reaching for it. "Yes, but I don’t see the point of engaging in the mortal tradition of a birthday celebration."
"Then humor me this once?"
When Aether said 'this once,' it's more likely that the persistent traveler meant 'once annually,' and even though it's clear that Xiao is aware, the adeptus stays quiet and makes a comment about how his hand is shaking instead.
Aether takes that as a yes.
He leads him to the fabric he spread near a Statue of the Seven, a spot that overlooks Sea of Clouds where coral water glimmers underneath the afternoon sun and Guyun Stone Forest scrapes the sky.
On the cloth awaits a plate of almond tofu, berries he picked this morning, and a bottle of Mondstadt's famous dandelion wine, obtained by ambitious, perhaps slightly illegitimate means.
Xiao gapes for a moment, and pride surges through Aether upon assessing his reaction. “You… did this?”
“I was assisted by some friends.”
He shakes his head and scoffs incredulously, but a faint, gracious smile slowly settles on his lips as he mutters, “You really are difficult to comprehend.”
Which, according to A Guide to Alatus: The Vigilant Yaksha by One Very Reliable and Renowned Traveler, is his way to convey gratitude and fondness.
Grasping Xiao’s hand tighter, Aether brings it to his lips and places a reverent kiss on his gloved fingers before meeting his eyes and grinning, chest bursting with happiness.
Xiao averts his gaze. “Please just let me eat the almond tofu.”
Aether barks a laugh.
-
When the sun has started sinking into the horizon and they’ve made themselves comfortable, Aether bites into his berry and watches as Xiao chews through his almond tofu.
"Do you…" he pauses, hesitation heavy on his tongue, "not celebrate your birthday?"
"No." Xiao’s spoon cuts through the dessert with ease. "Not like this."
The blond debates if he should prod further, but before he could even ask, he halts in surprise as Xiao offers a spoonful of almond tofu to his lips.
Now this is something new, and as he tucks into the silken texture of the dish, Aether’s stomach churns in excitement upon the idea of discovering more of Xiao and unveiling parts of him that indulges Aether.
“I do not care much for birthdays and celebrations,” he starts slowly, almost cautiously, “and I have lived long enough to stop remembering my age in numbers. I started measuring my lifetime with experiences instead. Incidents. Wars. I simply thought it’s not fitting for me to live a life of enjoyment because I don’t have the luxury to afford it, that all I have is my duties.”
“You... thought?”
"Yes.” Xiao’s voice is softer now, as is the golden pool of his gaze. “Until you. I have found that I’m taking a liking to this, and spending time with you is pleasant.”
Aether’s heart jumps to the back of his mouth, causing tears to prick his eyes. “I’m glad.”
“If you don’t mind,” the adeptus clears his throat, “I have a selfish request.”
The traveler inches closer.
“Would you—” he pauses, and Aether melts at the way he turns pink, “would you like to spend the following birthdays in a similar manner?”
Aether screams into the abyss, feeling as if he’s going to combust.
“Yeah. I’d do that,” he steels himself, “and not just on your birthday. Anytime you want.”
“That’s good.” Xiao wets his lips. “I also happen to have something for you.”
“For me?” Aether perks up, watching Xiao rummage through a worn leather pouch with great interest.
Xiao takes out a handful of crystalflies, embedding one into his hair, blissfully unaware that a part of the blond is dying inside. “I thought crystalflies would look good on you.”
Aether makes a sound akin to a dying animal.
“I was right.”
It feels like getting hit by a meteor twice. Aether struggles to form words in his mouth. “You—thank you.”
The yaksha stares at him, quiet, and Aether wonders if something is on his face when Xiao leans into him abruptly. In the haze of the moment, the word pretty crosses his mind. Xiao looks downright ethereal with dusk glimmering on the edges of his figure, the setting sun lighting his pretty hair and his pretty eyes, and Aether is drowning in the admiration he has for this creature of the heavens that it hurts.
With his cheeks burning in the sunset, he shuts his eyes tight and parts his lips, bracing himself for the kiss.
It never comes.
Instead, he feels the flick of Xiao's wet-hot tongue at the corner of his lips.
Aether nearly stumbles backwards, mouth splitting around a silent gasp.
The bastard pulls away, savoring the bit of almond tofu he stole like he didn't just try to murder Aether by giving him a palpitation. "...Sweet."
Aether is positive his heart has made a run for Jueyun Karst.
-
"Xiao," he whispers against his spit‐slicked lips when they've run out of wine and berries and the grass below them smells sweetly of almond tofu, "your existence is celebrated."
The adeptus weaves his hands into Aether’s hair and chases after his mouth, but Aether pushes against the weight of Xiao’s body bearing down on his. Listen.
"I wouldn’t have you any other way."
Xiao hums noncommittally, his eyelashes fluttering.
"If we get to live another life, I hope to love you again."
Xiao buries his face in Aether's neck and quietly presses a wet kiss on the skin there.
Fingers dig into the flesh of the adeptus' arms. "Would you have me again?"
The answer comes with firmness that holds knowledge that this vow they make in the silence of the night is the truth, that it's been granted by the stars of their constellations that whatever happens, I would have you in this life and the next and I would have you in death and whatever comes after.
"Without a doubt."
Aether’s heart soars into the night sky.