Chapter Text
Xiao had made a very important promise to Aether, that if Aether ever needed him he would simply have to call Xiao’s name and he would appear. Xiao was not someone who made promises such as these lightly.
Which is why he now stood on one of the more secluded piers in Liyue harbor, standing in front of Aether, Paimon, and one of Aether’s friends Xiangling.
Xiao didn't know the human girl well, but had occasionally heard Aether talk about her sometimes when they were spending time with one another.
“Customers? That includes me?” Xiao asked, scowling slightly, his arms crossed as he stared at the small group before him.
The girl, Xiangling, nodded almost excitedly. “Uh-huh! Aether says that you prefer milder food so you’re just the type of person I’m looking for. I’d like you to try these dishes I’ve made and tell me your thoughts please.”
Xiao’s scowl deepens unused to Xiangling’s enthusiasm and excitement, it is admittedly a bit overwhelming for him.
Aether gives him a sympathetic knowing smile. “Please help Xiangling out Xiao,” he practically pleads.
Xiao sighs softly, closing his eyes for a moment, both he and Aether know that it was hard for him to refuse something when Aether asked it of him.
“Okay,” he said looking at Aether. “Since it's you, I will do it.”
“Yay!” Xiangling cheers excitedly and Xiao merely crosses his arms.
Xiao is admittedly hesitant when he tries the dishes, after all his body dislikes quite a bit of human food.
Xiao gave a soft hum, his eyes widening slightly for a moment in surprise.
“Um, how is it? Are you sure you can eat it? Don't force yourself,” Paimon told him, clearly sounding worried about Xiao’s reaction.
“...tastes pretty good,” Xiao said. He sounds a bit shocked and that's because he is, it was rare that human food didn't leave the bitter taste of ash and poison in his mouth due, whether that be due to over-seasoning or because his body just didn't like it.
After his words for a moment, there’s silence, then Xiangling speaks with her eyes wide, almost dumbfounded.
“H-Huh? R-really?” she asked in shock. “I...can’t believe it, an Adeptus said he likes my cooking. If my dad were here he’d be crying tears of joy.”
Xiao shyly glances away for a moment as Aether gives him a wide grin. “You excel in the culinary arts. I’m reminded of another chef I know. That chef cooks dishes with soul, as do you. Both of you are masters of your craft,” Xiao told Xiangling, pointedly ignoring the warm smile Aether gives him.
Aether knows Xiao doesn’t make such compliments lightly, so for him to say that about Xiangling’s cooking he must mean it.
Paimon, slightly confused, looks at Aether. “Who do you think he means? Smiley Yanxiao?”
“It has to be,” Aether chuckled.
Xiao sighs as he looks at Xiangling, forcing back a grimace when a sharp bolt of pain streaks across his stomach. The pain is sudden and intense as if he’d been stabbed, he pauses for a moment before speaking.
“If I had to find fault with something...the two sides are a little strong for my taste,” he admitted. “Some minor adjustments would take this dish from excellence to perfection.”
Xiao shakes his head scowling when the pain stabs at his stomach again, sharp and vicious as a cold almost slimy feeling begins settling in the pit of his stomach. “Just my own opinion...do not fixate on it. Take it or leave it as you see fit.”
Xiangling nodded. “Alright, go easy on the sides...okay. I got it.” Giving a small laugh she grins at Xiao. “Thank you, Adeptus friend! It was really great to meet you!”
Xiao nodded, her words confuse him but she sounded grateful at the very least. Looking at Aether he sighed, “I’ll be leaving now.” Xiao told him more than a little anxious to leave.
The pain in his stomach was gradually growing worse, and worse as if the organ were throwing a full-on tantrum inside of him and he had enough experience to understand why by this point in his life.
Aether scowled slightly as he stared at Xiao for a moment, he couldn’t help but think Xiao looked a bit pale. “See you soon,” Aether told him with a small wave and in the next moment, Xiao teleports away.
Xiao leaves yes but in his current state, he doesn’t manage to go far, reappearing behind a rather large tree, a little ways outside of Liyue harbor. The moment he reappears and knows he’s away from prying eyes he crouches down nearly falling to his knees as he wraps his arms around his stomach, gritting his teeth and squeezing his eyes shut as a deep, sharp ache twists at it.
The food was good, yes, nearly perfect just as Xiao said but his body really doesn’t care, it just wants the food out.
He swallows thickly panting and drool dripping from his lips as that cold slimy feeling that’d been churning in his gut seems to spread throughout his entire body. A cold sweat prickles at his skin as a wave of dizzying nausea washes over leaving him breathless and lightheaded.
One hand leaves his stomach, coming up to cover his mouth when air bubbles at the back of his throat and a loud gurgling burp leaves his mouth jolting his body and sending pain streaking across his stomach as his nausea swells.
Hearing footsteps approaching Xiao cracks one eye open ready to teleport away if necessary but freezes when he here’s a familiar voice speak.
“Here you are,” Aether muttered as he approached Xiao. He stops beside him where he’s crouched on the ground. “You looked pale so I figured something was wrong.”
Aether kneels beside Xiao as he reaches out, hesitating for a moment to see if Xiao would flinch away before he carefully places a hand on Xiao’s back. “You didn’t have to force yourself to eat you know,” Aether sighed, already knowing what was more than likely wrong. He can’t help but feel a little guilty for calling Xiao here in the first place.
Xiao shakes his head slightly, swallowing hard a few times before speaking. “I-it tasted fine,” he manages to say, his voice wavering. He squeezes his eyes shut gritting his teeth as pain tabs at his stomach relentlessly, nausea hooking its cold claws into him and refusing to let go. He can’t help but internally cringe, his face flushing slightly with embarrassment when another loud gurgling burp tears its free from his lips.
“Oh, Xiao,” Aether whispered sympathetically. “Do you want anything,” he asked as he glanced back in the direction of the harbor. He had told Xiangling and Paimon he may be a bit late coming to the contest in Yujing terrace, saying that he needed to check on something really quick.
Xiao shakes his head slightly, taking shallow shuddering breaths but stops opening his eyes slightly. “My...back, can you keep rubbing it? It...feels nice,” he told him softly, sounding almost embarrassed.
Aether chuckled, a small smile spreading across his face. “Sure.”
Xiao closes his eyes again going silent for a few moments, shallow panting breaths still leaving his mouth. As a particularly nasty wave of nausea rolls over him, Xiao swallows thickly as even more saliva begins to flood his mouth, although this time it’s warm, sticky and feels far too heavy in his mouth carrying an almost metallic taste.
Aether feels Xiao’s entire body tense up, going incredibly still for a brief moment then he’s lurching forward with a loud, wet retch as a surge of mostly watery vomit and bile comes gurgling up his throat bringing the remnants of the food he’d eaten, completely undigested with it. Quickly reaching out, Aether brushes the longer strands of Xiao’s hair from his face and out of the line of fire.
Xiao coughs wetly, blinking as he gasps for air threads of drool and bile dripping from his lips into the mess. He groans taking a shuddering breath in before he retches again, the noise strained and strained as he brings up a trickle of bile adding to the medium sized puddle of vomit at his feet.
“There you go, just try to get it up Xiao. Its okay,” Aether told him reassuringly, his hand rubbing small circles on Xiao's back.
Xiao merely gives a shaky groan shaking his head slightly still gasping for air. He gags emptily over the mess on the ground, but thankfully he can feel the pain in his stomach beginning to ease up significantly.
“Think you’re done?” Aether asked after a moment when it seemed as if Xiao’s stomach had finished wringing itself out.
Xiao nodded as he sat back, his body jolting with soft hiccups. He shakily reaches up wiping his mouth with the back of his hand sniffling slightly. “I’m sorry,” he murmured.
Aether frowned, confused as to why Xiao would be apologizing. “Why are you apologizing? You haven’t done anything wrong.”
Xiao shakes his head. “Your friend, she values her craft very highly. I don’t want to disrespect that.”
Aether stares at him for a moment then chuckles softly. “Xiao, I’m very sure you won’t offend Xiangling I promise you that. It’s not as if you can help it and she doesn’t need to know about this.”
He nods slowly and Aether smiles slightly, reaching out to cup his face in his hands. “Do you feel a bit better though?” Aether asked, searching Xiao’s face, a bit worried by how pale he still was.
Xiao nodded slowly and Aether’s smile grew, he pressed a kiss to Xiao’s forehead. “Good, go back to the inn and rest. When I finish helping Xiangling I’ll come see you.”