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On the nights when the sky is clear, when the stars are visible in all their twinkling beauty, Aether feels the stinging bite of loneliness more precisely than ever, feels where each tooth sinks deep into his heart.
Teyvat is a beautiful world to wander around. He ranks it high on the list of scenic worlds they have traveled, but the experience is marred with a nagging emptiness that pervades each of his waking hours.
It shouldn’t be allowed to ruin every landscape worthy of a painting.
And on a nice night like tonight, weather pleasant and crickets chirping, it manages to be both achingly troublesome and absurd. After all, he isn’t alone, not at all.
Across the fire, Paimon floats near Kazuha’s ear, rambling on with her critiques on the food from the regions she has visited so far. Kazuha, seemingly unbothered, lets her go on, adding in his own vague and poetic opinion now and then to leave her bewildered. Qiqi dozes near the pair. And in the upper branches of a tree, Xiao rests, close enough to protect but far enough to avoid contact.
No. Aether is not alone, not at all.
But he is missing the one, the only, person he truly needs—Lumine.
He doesn’t dare speak it into existence, but he would leave his companions, his friends, in a heartbeat if it meant he would be reunited with his sister.
Gazing up at the night sky, Aether charts out his constellation and its twin, hers. It is easy to find the grouping of stars after knowing them for so long; the stars do not change between worlds. He wishes finding Lumine would be as simple; he has known her equally as long. He wonders if the Abyss has its own reflection of the sky. Does she search for his constellation too?
Aether tries to understand Lumine’s reasoning for wanting to stay in Teyvat.
He tries, but he fails.
The unknown god tore them apart, separated them by time. Despite all that, they had found each other again, in the same space. And yet, Lumine had taken the meeting for granted.
His traveling companions aren’t that fortunate. There will be no reunion for them. Kazuha carries the memory of a friend that is nothing more than a grave, marked by a sword and a faded vision. Xiao lives on each day due to a promise. His existence serves as a tribute to the yakshas, fallen and forgotten. And Qiqi, sleepy and talisman-bound, forgets so often. Her past, her self from before the accident, is forever lost.
When Aether considers his friends’ misfortunes, he considers himself lucky. Not everyone is allowed to meet once more, but they had.
Home is wherever they are together, she had said. Why would she leave him behind? He would follow her to the Abyss if it meant they no longer had to be apart. He wouldn’t even hesitate.
He doesn’t understand her devotion to the cause either. They could leave it behind. Teyvat is a world, one of many. Is it not enough to see each other, alive and safe, and forget the rest? Are they not what matters most to each other? Maybe he was the only one that felt that way.
Aether has considered asking Mona to use her hydromancy to see what the stars say. He does not believe in fate, not completely. Part of him thinks beings like him aren’t subject to what the stars say. The other part of him fears what can be found on the water’s surface, what unwanted answer awaits. He decides it is best not to ask.
He cannot forget Lumine. Never. Every adventure is tarnished with the longing to share it with her.
Battle becomes more difficult. There is a blind spot where she would normally be. He has learned to compensate for it, but he shouldn’t have to in the first place.
Reeling in bioluminescent fish under the light of the moon does little for him. The Lunar Leviathan is little more than a school. If the wish-granting is true, he has only one wish to ask.
Learning recipes in each world always captivates him. The way food is prepared and the tastes that cultures preferred teach a lot. The highlight of it all is sharing the meal together. Alone, cooking is not the same. Cooking is—
“Aether, the grilled fish you made is delicious!” Paimon chirps.
She flies over to him, hovering in front of his face. Glowing asterisms fade in and out around her.
“Thank you.”
“You know, Paimon thinks you can give Xiangling a run for her money. When we find your sister, you two should open a restaurant together. Paimon’ll help.” She waggles a finger. “As long as the food’s free!”
A gentle smile grows on Aether’s face, and he picks off a fish scale stuck to her cheek. “Paimon, you’re a good friend.” But you’re not my best friend, goes unspoken.
There is nothing in his voice that gives his thoughts away, but Xiao and Kazuha’s eyes snapping to him has him wondering if he had spoken aloud.
Xiao shuffles in the tree for a moment before excusing himself on a patrol. He disappears in a flash of black and green light.
Kazuha brings a leaf to his lips and begins a tune, slow and soft as not to disturb the peace or Qiqi’s slumber.
One glance at Paimon’s beaming face reassures Aether that there was no slip of the tongue. The words he keeps hushed must be easier to hear by those with age, by those with loss. Tragedy unites. He hopes that Paimon is fortunate enough to escape it, that her constellation is free from strife.
“Thanks! Paimon’s a great friend to have. You’re a great friend too.”
“Thank you.”
Twirling, she says, “We’ll find your sister soon. I know it!”
A firefly passes.
“We will.”
After all, the loneliness and this world will never let him rest until he does. Never.