Chapter Text
Aether walked the silent pathways in Chinju Forest. The sound of running water filled his ears, silence not speaking a word.
The clink and tap of his shoes filled his ears as he walked aimlessly in the forest, alone. Normally, his travel companion Paimon, would be flying around with him. Today, she was helping Tubby plant some new flowers in the Serenitea pot.
The Serenitea pot was lovely, serene, and had a pleasant atmosphere. He and Paimon had a large home to live in during their travels together, and on occasion, some friends would stop by using the Teapot invitation permit he had given some of his acquaintances.
To Paimon, she would consider the little pot as “home.”
But to Aether, that was not his true home.
He had none, at least, not anymore.
His true home was with his sister.
Ever since he had arrived in Teyvat, separated from his sister Lumine, he had traveled together with Paimon.
He enjoyed Paimon’s company. With her around, he felt a little less alone.
Together, they moved from region to region, exploring the mysterious lands of Teyvat. He had come to love this world, truly.
Yet, as time passed, his love ran out.
He loved the people and the land, but he was tired,
Oh, so tired.
Every region so far, he had saved. He had fought and purified a dragon, defeated a fatui harbinger, almost got killed by another fatui harbinger, fought a sea monster, and defeated a god.
Oh, and he had also sent many letters and run many errands.
Aether sighed, as he felt himself stop walking.
The sound of his shoes hitting the stone below him stopped, as he looked up.
“I never asked to be a hero,” he whispered.
“Lumine, where are you?”
Though they had been separated by the “sustainer of heavenly principles,” he knew she was here.
Somewhere, but she was here.
As soon as he awoke, he could feel her presence in this world.
He did not know where, but he would search until he found her.
— — — — — — —
And then, he did find her.
It was hardly the reunion he had hoped for.
Lumine stood in front of him, eyes cold and unwavering as chips of ice.
“Aether, why are you with Dain?” She asked.
He felt something inside of him shatter. Perhaps it was his heart, or perhaps it was his lingering flame of hope.
Or perhaps, it was both.
His heart shattered like a bullet breaking through glass.
His small flame of hope burned out.
“You’re asking about… Dain?” He could hardly recognize his own voice.
It was broken, filled with agony.
‘All I wanted,’ he thought, ‘was to see my sister again.’
‘After so long apart, she’s asking about Dain?’
The two twins stared at each other.
Two gaze’s meeting each other.
One as hard as stone.
The other pained, as if he had been stabbed with his own sword.
— — — — — — — —
“Hey, traveler?” Paimon asked. “Are you okay?”
He didn’t know.
He truly didn’t.
“I’ll be fine, Paimon,” he responded.
Was it a lie?
He didn’t know.
He truly didn’t.
“Er… well! How about we go visit some of our old friends in the other nations before we continue our travels?” Paimon suggested. “I’m sure we’ll find her again! Don’t worry, Traveler!”
Traveler.
Traveler.
Traveler.
Even Paimon didn’t call him by his name.
No one else did, either.
Traveler, traveler.
Always traveler.
“Hey, traveler! Can you help me with this?”
“Traveler! Please deliver this letter for me!”
“Traveler!”
“Traveler!”
“Traveler!”
Traveler, traveler.
“No thanks, Paimon,” He found himself responding. “I just want to be alone, please.”
She respected his wishes, and flew off into nowhere.
“I’ve had enough,” he said. “Why do I even help others? I’m no hero. I never asked to be one.”
“I never asked for this.”
He unclenched the hand he didn’t know was even in a fist, and muffled a sob.
“Is it selfish of me to just want a break from everything?”
“Is it selfish to walk past, and ignore their pleas?”
“What about my own problems? There’s no ‘hero’ to help me.”
“I can’t do this, Lumine,” he choked out. “I can’t do this. I never asked to be a hero.”
“I just want to go home.”
— — — — — — — — —
Months passed after Aether and Lumine’s last encounter.
He had ended up visiting the other nations in the end.
And once again, the voices began again.
They would scream at him again, demanding his help.
Demanding his help. Over and over again.
Again and again.
“Traveler! Hey!”
“Oh, hello traveler! It’s been so long!”
Aether looked up a blinked.
The flame of hope lit up again, only for it to be blown out in seconds.
“I’ve been waiting for you! Come help me with this, would you?”
“Actually, could you take this to Springvale for me?”
He couldn’t.
He couldn’t anymore.
He forced himself a smile.
“I’m sorry. It’s nice to see you again, but I’d just like some time to relax, please.”
That’s right. Smile. Pretend.
Pretend that your twin sister hadn’t just turned her back on you and walked away,
“Oh, I see.”
“Fine.”
They walked off. Who were they? Aether didn’t know. Their faces were replaced with laughing masks.
Sneering at him.
“Traveler!”
“Traveler!”
He was so tired. He truly was.
Just let me take a break.
His pleas went unanswered.
— — — — — — — —
It was the same in the other nations. More errands. More letters to deliver.
Again.
And again.
Even Paimon began getting tired of doing other people’s work for them.
“Ugh! Another letter delivery? This is getting so annoying!” She cried, stomping her foot in the air.
In the end, he delivered the letter.
And continued meeting the people’s requests.
He was their ‘hero.’
He wasn’t allowed to refuse.
He was tired.
Oh, so tired.
“I never asked for this.”
— — — — — —
He found himself fighting against Lumine and the abyss.
After Sumeru, he had given up on being the ‘hero.’
His sword met hers,
Clink.
Clank.
The sound of broken souls dancing with eachother.
Clink.
Clank.
Again, and again.
‘Why,’ he thought. ‘Why are we fighting like this, Lumine?’
His grip on his sword slipped.
Her own sword plunging into him.
Roses of scarlet sprayed across.
He felt no pain.
Only betrayal.
He gave up.
He let his sword drop to the ground, as he fell.
Reaching out to hug her for the very last time.
Paimon cried out, desperately trying to reach him.
“AETHER!” She screamed, diving for him.
Oh.
Aether.
He felt a smile rush to his face.
The scarlet roses still grew on the ground, rising up and overtaking him.
His own blood.
He embraced Lumine in his arms, not daring to see the broken expression on her face.
It hurt.
It truly did.
“Thank you, Paimon, our journeys were fun,” he said.
“Lumine,” he breathed. “I love you.”
He looked at her one last time, and wiped away the falling crystal from her eye.
“Home, is wherever we are together.”
He moved no longer.
He was finally at rest.