Archive of Our Own

Chapter Text

“This is ludicrous! This mission is a one way ticket to my death!” He yelled out in a blind burst of frustration. Aether was not usually one to lash out in this way, but the situation had turned towards the worst possible outcome. It was inevitably headed for failure. Who cares about his reputation now? This was his very life; he was gambling. Sure, Aether had a talent for putting on quite the believable act, but this? This was beyond believable.

“Aether, you have to understand where I’m coming from.” His sergeant begged him to listen to the plan. It was hard to pay attention to them with the sparkly outfit wrapped around their hands.

He slammed his fist into the table, earning himself a loud bang. Aether regretted this decision and felt the noise rattle his brain. He had always been sensitive to noise. “It would be much more efficient to send in a SWAT team to extract their information and jail them permanently.”

Sergeant Jean let out a loud sigh. “We would have supported that plan if it was possible.” 

“Is it not?” 

She bit the nail of her thumb; it was a nervous habit. “As of speaking, we are not aware of the whereabouts of their main base. If we blatantly invade, they’ll surely transfer to another location. All of our work in discovery will be erased. This is where you come in.” Jean passed him a file full of papers. “What we have discovered on the other hand— will be extremely useful.”

Aether gasped. “These are…”

“At seven tonight, multiple gangs will be participating in their annual ball. From what we know, it is a despicable location for human-trafficking, drug-dealing, and—” 

“I-I get the jist. Just tell me what I have to do.” Aether didn’t want to hear any more of those disturbing details. Not until he had to invade himself. 

Jean frowned at his interruption, but didn’t question it. “The Yaksha’s will be attending. This is their prime time for recruitment.” 

He felt his heart skip a beat. “Are you asking me to infiltrate their ranks?”

His worst fears were confirmed when Jean nodded. 

“Why me?” Aether bit his lip until the copper taste touched his taste buds.

Her face darkened. Surely it didn’t have anything to do with the outfit she was carrying, right? 

“Within our investigations, we discovered a very… devious secret about their leader. In fact, this was unsettling for even me.” Jean reached into her desk and handed him yet another folder. Upon opening, he was startled with the sight of multiple pictures featuring a diverse number of women and… “The man you see on those photos is the man you will be trying to extract information from. His Yaksha name is ‘Morax.’ Although it is unknown where these women have disappeared to, we can all reach a dark conclusion on that matter. What we do know is that Morax is invested in the act of women in his presence. We originally thought that his tastes were suited to older women who were in their mid-forties or early-fifties, but we now know that the number was off completely. It is closely connected to your age.” 

Both of them remained silent for a good minute. Aether had been spooked enough for an entire week. Such a despicable man was targeting young women at such a young age? That was a definite motivator in the mission— he would stop these acts. 

Aether had joined the police force at the young age of seventeen, freshly graduated from his prestigious academy. He was the youngest police-officer ever to join their ranks— he also held the record for being the youngest person to reach the rank of sergeant as well. Though, he was still under the rule of Jean, who he admired. It had been two years since he became a police officer. 

Targeting teenagers… such a person should be sent to death-row. The dark thought within his head was justified. Those who suffered under his hand… may they rest in peace.

A thought popped up into his head. “Wait. Women… my role… the outfit in your hand… you’re not telling me to…” 

For once within their conversation, Jean smiled. It was quite the cunning smile. 

“If you want this mission to flow smoothly, the only thing you’d need is the dress. I believe that Ogura Mio would be delighted to tend to your appearance— not that it isn’t stunning enough.” 

If the Archons from the story books existed, please save him now.

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    “Ah-Argh!” Aether groaned as the corset tightened around his waist. Everyone he encountered had already commented as to how slim his waist was— he was unaware as to why the corset was needed. 

When it was tightened enough for Ogura Mio’s standards, he felt like his torso had been completely mauled and changed. If he died from just the corset itself, he wouldn’t have been surprised. 

“It looks wonderful on you, dear!” Ogura Mio clapped her hands. 

At least one of them was enjoying his suffering.

Although he felt as if he couldn’t take any more, all that had been done was the corset. There were still the dreadful stockings, that looked like they could squeeze the life out of his legs, the high heel shoes that would probably bring his one-sixty-five centimetre size up to around one-seventy-five. 

But he pushed himself through it. Though, he could hardly remember what was happening in between. Aether was pulling up the stockings in one moment, then, growing ten centimetres in a second, and somehow fitting the gown over himself. Unfortunately, Ogura Mio had taken away the mirror from him, claiming that he would only see his beauty at the very end. He was disappointed, but then again, Aether doubted he wanted to see himself in this puffy and elegant gown. 

Aether was ushered towards a seat at Ogura Mio went to work on his braided hair. He was about to chime in and deny her access to her hair, but it was far too late for that. His long golden hair reached all the way down to his bottom. There were dents within his hair due to his braid being in for such a long time. But Ogura Mio didn’t mind. She began to straighten his hair with multiple devices that Aether wasn’t knowledgeable about. After she was done, she began to curl the ends of his hairs, creating a beautiful wavy pattern. When she was done, she allowed his hair to roam free— in which it settled on his chest and behind his back. 

“Are we… finished?” He muttered embarrassingly. Aether’s voice was awfully different. It was at a much higher pitch. Perhaps it was for the best, in terms of his mission. 

The lady hummed. “Not yet, dear. We still have your makeup to complete… oh! And the lovely flowers for your hair.”

His mind raced with several intrusive thoughts. Makeup? Flowers? Wasn’t this supposed to be some kind of rough gang meeting? Surely he was being disguised as the sun within a forest of darkness. 

Aether had no time to protest after she began prodding his face with a million instruments. Because he was defenceless in this manner, Aether decided to let the lady roam free; he closed his eyes and fell asleep in his despair.

    Upon waking up, Ogura Mio announced that she had finished her work. She muttered something about revealing his new self in front of a mirror. But the very thought of his transformation sent shivers down his spine. His eyes shot open. He had to inform his sergeant of this before—

There was a painting in front of him. It was awfully shiny for a painting. The beautiful girl who couldn’t have been past twenty sat in the middle of the picture. However, her frown differed from the woman behind her. The pink haired lady standing behind her wore an enormous smile as she gazed upon the girl in front of her. She looked awfully like…

Wait. The lady behind her was moving. 

“How do you like your new look, Aether?” 

Now, the pink haired lady had moved beside the girl’s side. She offered her a hand— seemingly to help her stand up. Aether wanted to reach into the painting; he wanted to see what monstrosity this painting was committing. But as soon as he moved his hand, the girl within the picture began to move her hand in the exact same motion as his. Baffled, Aether retracted his hand. His face was obviously frightened; but so was the girl’s face within the painting. 

Ogura Mio giggled. “That’s you! Hard to believe, right?”

That’s… me? Hold on. Was she talking about the painting? The shiny… 

No… way…

The girl seated within the picture had long golden hair trailing down all the way to her bottom— her wavy hair suited the girl, as it made her look much more elegant and entrancing. As his eyes trailed down, he noticed that the girl was wearing a beautiful white gown, decorated in golden embroidery— the dress puffed out at the bottom, but it wasn’t shaped like a round jello. It simply came down in silky waves. The bodice of the gown wrapped around her thin body snugly, illuminating her curves. Matching her gown, the gloves she wore replicated the same golden embroidery and reached all the way up to her elbows. Glove like whtie stockings made sure to address her thin legs. On her fragile neck, a golden chain of reflective jewelry showcased her supposed wealth; it was paired with a white choker decorated with cecelias. When his eyes met the girl’s face, the first thing he noticed were the pink sakura lips that seemed to puff out more than usual, however, it was the humble shape that entranced others that all women desired. No other makeup was noticeable— which left her golden eyes for show and tell. 

They stared at him at pure and utter shock. 

Supposedly, this girl was seeing something she didn’t want to see. 

Well, the girl he was staring at wasn’t a girl at all. 

And the person within the painting wasn’t a painting.

It was a mirror.

Aether was looking directly at himself. 

How could anybody have pulled it off so well? Enough to trick himself. He was a guy! Surely there were still remnants of his past self within this picture, right?

“Truly, you look prettier than any girl I’ve ever met. But it is not gender that matters, Aether— I realise that this is a mission, but the boundaries created by society can be broken by those who want to break them. If you ever need any assistance in outlining the beauty you already have, feel free to ring me up.” Ogura Mio winked and exited the room, leaving Aether by himself to process this information himself.

    She was right. If any boy could pull off the act of cross-dressing, it was him. Aether had always been small and lean. No matter how hard he tried to change it— countless hours of training within the police-force and eating enough protein— nothing ever changed. But was that such a bad thing? Having a lean body wasn’t the equivalent of being girly. Not at all. But societal norms truly got the best of him. Especially after…

Aether would be done within a short time. All he had to do was attend the stupid ball, clinb the ranks for a week or two, gather enough information, and then get the hell out of there. It would be fine. 

Nothing could possibly go wrong.

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            The pair of police officers rode silently within their stealthy car. All the windows were tinted, and the car was built as a monster to protect. Aether truly felt safe within this car. However, it wouldn’t be long until he was dropped off right in the middle of a pit of death. 

Jean was the first to break their awkward silence. 

“Remember, Aether, you cannot trust a single person within that crowd. From servant to any fragile being within the event. Only speak when you must— which you don’t seem to have trouble doing— and remember to keep within the act. You are no longer Aether after this talk. Your new name will be Sora. Appreciation for this new identity can be given to the aristocrats rotting in jail. We were lucky to capture them, after discovering their involvement in several crimes. You can also send your thanks for the one way ticket inside of there. Lives are at stake right now— and we cannot risk more tragedy and terror amongst this already shattered city of Teyvat.” Jean allowed herself to take a breather between her words. She had suffered tragedy due to the horrors of this gang. She was not the only victim of their crimes. Almost everyone within this country had been affected. Aether himself had been traumatized by their malevolent acts. He swore vengeance. No matter what it took. 

“Also…” She paused. Aether was certain that she was going to comment on his new appearance. When Ogura Mio presented him in front of her, Jean had accidentally mistook him for a new client. She didn’t elaborate on her mistake earlier. Never once did she treat him any different than she did before. However, his predictions were soon proven to be wrong. “Please proceed with caution… You're more than trustworthy, and your skills can be appreciated with much more than praise, but I’ve… they’re dangerous; despicable monsters who won’t let a single fly go. It hurts me to say this… but I have been ordered to by the boss. ”

Aether’s body tightened up at the mention. Grandmaster Varka is currently the boss of every police officer within the country. His rule of this invisible kingdom began just as Aether joined the police force. But he knew how rough the changes he made affected the police officers. He was brutal in his training, and he had a no-mistake policy. Especially with his high position, it wasn’t hard for his failures to reach the very top. 

“If you have concluded the mission with failure— in terms of being discovered or imprisoned— no human within the police force has the ability to rescue you. If so, that police officer will be fired, along with permanent displeasure in their records and those close to them.” When she stopped her sentence, Aether knew that she had finished Varka’s speech. While it was terrifying to hear, he understood the reason behind it. Obviously, the Yaksha’s were the most dangerous group of criminals in the country— and perhaps even the world— which led them towards the fearful and cautious actions they took to avoid their wrath. Those with brave souls like Aether still had to tread the thin ice. Jean continued after letting the boss's speech sink in. 

“So, this might be a farewell from me. But I have… absolute faith in your abilities. I expect to see you soon, Honorary Officer. You have convinced me without even trying to.” She nodded down towards his entire self. “You look absolutely stunning, Aether. If you were my age, I would have been interested in pursuing a relationship. Don’t worry though, kid, I’ve already got my lovely librarian.” Jean winked at him jokingly. She timed it perfectly with the car’s stop. This was his cue to exit. But Aether wasn’t ready at all. Not in the slightest.

“...Farewell, Jean. I’ll do my very best to stop these tragedies. To put those criminals in jail.” He wanted to comfort her into thinking that he was going to be alright. Aether knew that she was extremely on edge. Being the person he was, he needed to make sure that she could sleep without worry from now on. But truthfully, this comfort was to convince himself that he himself was going to be alright. More suited to the occasion now, she herself. 

            Aether was gone. Out came Sora. Supposedly a sick child raised within her mansion. When interviewed, she had mentioned that her father never made time for her. Her father was an extremely rich man— money he originally earned from honest work in the retail empire he owned. But he deviated from this path in search of more money. This created a monster out of his innocent old shell; he turned to crime to fuel his empire, partnering up with gangs— in then, led him to the Yaksha’s. Tonight, he was going to send his daughter in the midst of all the action. Though, the reason was unknown. 

            He pulled on the handle to exit the car— but he allowed his poker face to extend throughout his whole body before doing so. If anybody noticed his stiffness, he would be suspected right away. However, what most people failed in the acting scene, was to portray true emotion. Aether imagined what Sora must have been feeling throughout her whole life. The loneliness of being caged in all day without family, the boredom of having the same useless routine everyday, the shock of her father’s wrongdoing— but later acceptance of the matter. That already outlined the very emotions Aether felt inside. He felt a tinge of sorrow from that thought. 

Jean carefully hid herself away from prying eyes, and split away into the darkness of the car after Aether closed the door. 

            “Would you like a hand, madam?” On his right, Aether was faced with a tall and muscular security man. His head had orange curls puffing out, and it reflected the lights coming from the grand building in front of them. It reminded him of his school teacher. 

“Y-Yes please.” Aether muttered out, allowing his voice to naturally change. It surprised him how convincing it sounded. If he said that he was female, everybody would believe him. He felt weirded out for not realizing any sooner. 

Carefully holding the tips of the bodyguard’s hand with a moderate grip, he managed not to slip in his high-heels. They stayed together until they were stopped at the door. Somebody asked him for his invitation, in return, he passed him a black card embedded with strange patterns. Upon glancing at the invite, the invitation-checker allowed him inside. 

Humongous doors swung open, and the lively vibe of the ball was revealed to him. People from every corner of the country must have been attending. All with their own unique style of ballroom clothing. But it helped to know that he was just one of many who dressed for the occasion. At the very least, he wouldn’t be caught first thing after entering. A soft rhythm could be heard from every corner of the ball, and within the middle of the large auditorium where the event was hosted, there was room made for an uncountable number of couples to dance. They twirled around elegantly to the beat. Smiles outlined their faces. 

If somebody had shown him this scene and told him that it was related to horrible gangsters just a week ago, he wouldn’t have believed them. 

“Miss Sora.” A voice hummed behind him. The same bodyguard was still holding her hand. “May I escort you down the stairs?” 

Aether turned red. Instead of just standing there, acting all suspicious by idly looking over them on the balcony, Aether should be attending their novelties and extracting information. 

“You’ll have to forgive me, I have never been in contact with so many people before.” It was a half lie. Although it stemmed from Sora’s life, his own life had always been secluded. 

His bodyguard chuckled lightly. “Mustn’t let such a fear get to you. You have already blown me away by your beauty. It is an honor to assist you. My speculation is that many other guests will welcome such a fine young lady with open arms.” 

Both he and Sora shared the weakness to compliments. Even if they weren’t entirely true of him, being called beautiful was a first. But he didn’t dislike it. In fact, it made him feel much better about himself.

“I am flustered by your words!” He giggled out sweetly. 

Once they finally reached the bottom of the steps, Aether had the ability to glance up into the crowd.

It was frightening. Everybody was far bigger than him in size. Even though he was an adult, to these older adults, Aether was just a kid. Nineteen seemed to be considered young these days. He just had his birthday a few weeks ago in November. Fresh out of teenagehood and into the weird and sickening world the adults faced. Well, he was sure that most of them didn’t have to cross-dress and attend a ball. 

But upon glancing up, he realized that there were many stares directed at him. There was definitely a lot of mummering around him. 

            “I’ve never seen that girl before.”

Somebody gasped from behind him. “She’s absolutely stunning.”

“I’m not… lesbian… right?” Another woman muttered to herself.

“That girl is sure to attract even him. ” 

“Surely not. I’ve never seen him showcase the tiniest of affections— much like a God, I suppose.” 

            As they kept gossiping at his appearance, Aether noticed the crowd closing in upon his small stature. Never once has he felt such fear. He tightened his grip on the bodyguard's hand. For some reason, it gave him much assurance. He watched as the man’s ocean coloured eyes glared upon the intrusive people. 

“Ojou-chan, I believe it is a wise time to mo—”

            The sudden silence of the music within the room and the stillness of the people around them indicated that something had occurred. All of them were staring at the very top of the balcony he just arrived from. He followed their actions and began to gaze upwards. 

For some reason, his sensitive ears had not picked up the sound of the large doors opening to another guest. Only this time, it seemed that the VIP of the ball had arrived. Several buff men and women surrounded the gentleman who walked in. Two of them held the doors open and the others stood nearby to present him to the crowd. 

“It is our honor to welcome our splendid— yet rare— appearance of Morax!” One of the bodyguards shouted down into the crowd, earning many knowing looks and mummers. Several women— and a few men— had bright red blushes plastered on their faces as well. The remaining few were scared out of their pants. Aether himself had only noticed that he held onto his bodyguard's hand even tighter than before. Upon seeing the confused glance, Aether quickly released his grip and whispered into his ear.

“I appreciate your exquisite services to the bottom of my heart, but it is my desire to fray from here at this moment of time.” He told the bodyguard with a thankful expression. The appreciation wasn’t a lie. If he hadn’t had assistance, he would’ve died falling down the stairs. 

Aether thought he saw the bodyguard's eyes dimmer. He must have been disappointed. “No, Ojou-chan, it is my pleasure. I will be standing guard at the large painting of the royal prince over there.” He pointed towards the huge picture hanging at the very front of the room— where the stage was. Aether winced.

They both bowed to each other (Aether curtsied) and parted ways. 

            He dashed through the crowd while they were still on the topic of the newcomer and ended up at the concession tables. Even he couldn’t hide his temptation for the delectable food positioned on the table. It even glistened in the light. 

No, Aether! You must stay on the task. Don’t you dare treat this as an actual party. You’re here to extract information, and hopefully leave. 

            Plan B was one that he didn’t like. But it wasn’t like he could go home without properly completing this mission. And abandoning their only chance would be at the cost of other lives. He would do what he could. Even at the cost of his own life. 

What was he going to do now? 

The sudden announcement confirmed the Yaksha’s presence at the event. It was the mission of picking them out in the crowd. He remembered from experience the identifying feature about them. 

A flower had been tattooed on each of the member’s' bodies. To be specific, a Glaze Lily. 

Those who were farther within the ranking system were given a handmade mask. A medal of sorts. Though, most of these high ranking Yaksha’s would use them as disguises. That was why it had been a struggle to uncover the identity of any of them. To this day, all high-ranking Yaksha’s have stayed clear of the authorities. Not this time though. 

Which left...

            Everything seemed to blur within that moment. The crowd became muffled, the lights began to dimmer, and the people around him moved in slow motion. 

It took a two on the shoulder to bring him back to reality. He stiffened at the sudden touch and twirled around quickly to catch the intruder within his vision.

Long brown hair tied into a rat tail, trailing down his back and almost reaching his knees. He loomed over Aether— he had to be at least six-two. The man was dressed in luxurious clothing, obviously signifying his wealth, but the clothes were quite humble. He wore a black tailcoat, decorated with golden embroidery— much like his own dress. It matched with the white pants and brown boots. When Aether finally met face to face with the stranger, his eyes must have widened as far as they possibly could

An illustrious face without any defects, intense amber eyes, a chiseled chin, high cheekbones… 

It was him.

Suddenly, everything I paused itself and returned to it’s normal pace. However, it seemed that the two strangers had paused within their own little world. 

Amber eyes met his own golden ones. 

The stranger was the first to speak. “Excuse my inexcusable intrudence, young lady,” He bowed down to greet her, but his eyes never left his own. “I must be truthful, your beauty has astonished me beyond recognition. If I may be brazen to ask, will you accompany me to a dance?” 

He stretched out his hands as an offer. 

Aether froze, unsure of what to do. This man is… 

“Ah! I just have been too rushed. While most people know me by the name of Morax,” He leaned in right beside his ear. “But those who I trust dearly can call me Zhongli .”

That’s right. 

Morax, leader of the Yaksha’s, the terrifying tyrant with an unmistakable beauty, had asked him for a dance. Aether hadn’t even done as much as to utter a word to him. Was this truly the man of rumors? 

No. The files he read were correct. He was attracted to young women— whom he currently identified as. Who knew what he was in for now. If he fails to ace the act, he’s going to suffer a fate much worse than death. Who knew the consequences of declining his offer?

“M-My name is… Sora.” Aether didn’t know whether his stutter was his own fear, or a part of his act. “I would love to dance.” How could he turn down such a handsome gentleman? Well, disregarding the whole… mafia…

No. He simply had to immerse himself within the act, but let that seed of suspicion remain at the very back of his mind at all times. 

            Zhongli gave him a lovely grin and took his hand with grace. He was gentle, but there was an underlying force in his grip. Aether knew that his fate had sealed at that moment. There was no turning back now. 

            Within the hazy void Aether felt inside his mind, the pair eventually made it to the stage— though, the effort was greatly supported by Zhongli, who didn’t seem bothered by his hazardous state. This sense of endless drifting made this all seem like a dream. Perhaps Zhongli had drugged him, and wanted to make him forget about the night after it happened. Was he going to become just another victim in his schemes? Or was Aether simply too entranced in a fatal attraction for the wrong person?

            Many onlookers began to whisper about the two beautiful figures who took the spotlight in the middle of the dance floor. 

Zhongli held onto the side of his thin waist and tightly grasped his other hand. With a strong force, Zhongli managed to guide him perfectly. It seemed that he was making no mistakes regarding his footwork either. 

From the outside, those who were watching commented on the picture-perfect couple. They gracefully moved from side to side, sweating like a gentle sea breeze. 

Aether didn’t like the beach. The sand had always felt like hands grabbing up to pull him down. They halted his path to freedom, and drowned him. This was what Aether felt like. He was slowed down by the relentless sand, hazy and afraid— and, he was caged in within Zhongli’s grasp. 

“Sora, how old are you?” He whispered into his ear during the break between songs. The crowd was awfully loud. It hurt his sensitive ears.

The new tune to replace the old one filled him with nostalgia. It was still within the etiquette and elegant theme, but it deviated into its own adventure. It called for some dramatic dancing. “Nineteen years old, sir.” 

Zhongli chuckled. “You don’t need to call me sir. I’ve already told you my name, don’t waste the opportunity to squander it.” Aether was spun around a few times before being pulled into Zhongli’s chest. “I’m twenty-three. Where are you from? Here in Khaenri’ah?”

Aether cursed the song for including it’s ballad portion. It was incredibly slow and romantic. This prompted dancers to dance quite close to each other. Zhongli definitely would have taken advantage of this. He was sure his face was bright pink. However, it was hidden under the slowly dimming lights. 

“Yes… though, I would hardly call it a nation anymore.” He muttered solemnly.

            It was true. Khaenri’ah was the biggest power house in the whole of Teyvat. They had unimaginable power. Not only was their military good, but their royal bloodline never ceased to fail. Strong leaders were born into every generation; fit to rule. However, Celestia was a jealous nation. Their arrogant nature took no pride in the wealth they currently had. So, hidden from view, they devised a plan to overthrow Khaenri’ah. The very first time they tried, they failed miserably. However, the second time they tried was a success. This was greatly affected by the disappearances of multiple royal’s.

Now, his hometown was governed by strangers with no sense of humility. When the Queen and King died— due to unknown reasons— Celestia claimed that because both heirs to the throne were presumably dead, they would take over. 

Aether felt horrible for the family. But perhaps it was for the best. Khaenri’ah was growing at an exponentially rapid pace. That development would have to be halted before anyone got any power hungry ideas. As a civilian, Aether still felt proud of his Nation. The only thing that it lacked was it’s old cheery vibe. Perhaps it was because the people missed the royals. 

Either way, it didn’t matter to him. It didn’t affect him. 

“I suppose those Celestians will go to Hell when they meet their demise one day. I will personally meet them there in your honor.” Aether felt Zhongli’s breath tickling his face. He smelled the fluorescent smell of Glaze Lillie’s. Like hot silk laced with a sweet perfume. 

“Hell? Why would that be important?” Aether pondered. 

Zhongli was amused. “Sweet thing, that’s where I came from.” His husky voice lowered, and he felt his dangerous gaze upon him.

 “Though, I have the ability to bring death to others.” He lifted Aether’s chin up to face him. His golden eyes were quivering for sure. “For you, I can bring you to heaven and back.”

“You don’t say...”  

            He hummed a soft tune. “You’re at university age, I truly wonder what interests you in life.” 

Aether tilted his head coyly, “Assuming I’m up to the high standards of the University life— you overestimate me. Benevolence is never a feature to be ashamed of on the contrary.” 

“You speak as if you know everything.”

            As if mimicking, Aether hummed out the tune Zhongli was humming previously. For him, he had heard it all his life. “Perhaps I do. Though, to be all knowing is to utterly ruin the curiosity of life itself. If you knew everything about me, that would ruin the fun, wouldn’t it?”

If Jean saw him right now, she would give him an Oscar. Aether felt that wasn’t needed. After all, everything flowed all naturally. That was just him.

            Zhongli’s eyes darkened. “My dear lady…” He held Aether’s chin up into the air with two fingers. “You grow much more interesting by the minute.”

His lips curled into a frown. That was the most natural face for him. “Interesting? Hardly. You’ve barely touched the surface. Though, I do warn you, stepping any deeper inside will ignite a supernova.” He did his best at a laugh, even smiling along the way.

The other man did not let go of his chin. “I’ve always been treated with nothing but fear in my life. No matter who it was, what they had, the people they hand… nobody could ever stand without falling to their knees at least once.” Zhongli was so close to Aether’s face that he could stimulate the touch of their lips just by the heat emitting off both of them. “Yet you defiantly stand without a care in the world. Forget hierarchy, forget mortal reign… you have the strength to approach a God without fear? Simply put, such a feat could only be pulled off by a certain individual.”

A tinge of warmth filled his heart. It was unknown, but it made him feel uneasy. “Maybe I’m just special.” 

Zhongli laughed at his words. “You truly are, my little dove.”

“Hmm?” Aether pushed his boundaries even further. “What makes you believe I’m a dove?” 

“Perhaps it is best that I keep my own personal opinions within my head. Though, perhaps the story of Aquarius will repeat itself.” Once again, Zhongli’s voice pushed against the wall of fear and danger. Or at least, that’s what he assumed. 

He giggled. “Perhaps so.”

            Aether’s own eyes darkened with curiosity. “I wonder what the purpose of an interrogation is. Whether it be pleasant chit chat, or harmless fun— a lady is bound to confuse herself within the boundaries.” He mocked Zhongli’s behavior from before.

            They stared at each other for what seemed to be forever. Zhongli was the first to break the silence. Aether assumed that the other man’s favourite spot was centered around the side of his head, right against his ear. Naturally, a shiver trembled down his spine every time. Once again, he took that favourite spot. 

“I only wanted to confirm my interest in you. My bodyguard was quite adamant in praising your unique individual prowess. Not only were you the most beautiful art I’ve seen within my lifetime, you prove to be better every second of your existence. Therefore, I must apologize for my imprudent actions.” At the end of his chilling speech, Zhongli somehow gathered the audacity to blow his warm breath right into his ear. 

Aether’s heart turned cold. “What are you—”

            A blow in the nape was the last thing he remembered before everything went black. 

━━━━━━━━┛ ✠ ┗━━━━━━━━

            Drifting off into the dark haven of his unconsciousness was a blessing of its own. It was a place where it was necessary to force anything out. But alas, such a peaceful moment could be temporary. 

          Aether jolted awake with absolute recollection of his previous moments. His eyes were not yet used to the lighting of the room, yet he darted them from side to side in order to analyze. His judgment had always been accurate, despite certain individuals being completely adamant on their decisions. He would often prove them wrong with irrefutable evidence. People were simply too dumb at times. 

            “I see you’ve awoken. I’m impressed. I barely managed to bring you here before you began gaining your consciousness. I might have to use a drug next time.” A familiar voice echoed throughout the room. It was at that moment that Aether’s eyes began to focus. He laid eyes directly on the target with a glare.

The other man smiled viscously. “Don’t even try to move. You’ll only hurt yourself further.” 

Aether coincidentally began to feel the uncomfortable cold metal encasing his ankle. He couldn’t help but frown. The man beside him, Zhongli, chuckled coldly. 

“You don’t seem to be bothered.” Zhongli noticed his monotone reaction. “First time?”

“I have to say, the environment you’ve created around me is even more unsettling than the chains.” Aether pointed out the lavish background. 

            They were positioned within a pure white room. The window on his left was the source of all the light within the room, which blinded him immensely. Though, Aether couldn’t get a feel of his location due to the blinds blocking the view outside. The room was completely contemporary— the furnishing had to be high class as well; made with pristine care. A brown wooden desk sat against the far wall and a small closet connecting to the wall. The white painted door was very tempting. It was mocking him for not being able to exit. He would. Aether would definitely exit. The room screamed rich. It was something he hated.

            “This is nothing compared to the actual room I have installed for you.” Zhongli was right beside him, sitting on a one person sofa. “You’ll come to enjoy the lifestyle. Or at least… that’s what the others think.” 

Aether tsked. “Oh goody.”

“You’re not going to ask why you’re here?” 

He hummed the same little tune from before. “You’re a Mafia, kidnapping could end in two ways— death or torture.” His little rant made Zhongli chuckle, but he was being serious. 

“You’ll be glad to know that none of those things will be happening.” Zhongli squinted his eyes slightly. “Though, that’s depending on how you behave.” 

“Oh?”

            To Aether’s surprise, Zhongli reached in within his blanket and unlocked the chain wrapping around his ankle. Though, this made him acutely aware of the other cuff around his wrist. This one wasn’t chaining him onto anything though. However, it looked more of a leash than anything.

But his kindness only lasted so long. 

Zhongli whipped his right arm through the air to perform a hook punch to Aether’s head. He jumped straight off of his bed onto the other side, narrowly dodging the deadly blow. 

The other man seemed quite amused by his reaction and continued to pursue the battle. He jumped over the bed to chase after Aether. 

            Luckily, the room was quite large and had the capacity for a rut. Though, Zhongli was incredibly tall. Not only that, he was extremely muscular as well. It would be a losing battle for Aether if he didn’t find a way to win. He took a glance at the door and cursed within his mind at the discovery. 

            Before he could collect his thoughts, Zhongli came running towards him with a roundhouse kick. Aether put his hands out in a defensive stance to block the kick. It didn’t break his forearm, but they would be bruised, 

            Aether was anchored into the ground by his annoying gown. If he knew it was going to end this way, Aether would have just dressed as a man. Though, Zhongli’s actual interests were still unknown. Was this what he did with all the women he was with? Kidnap them and then force them to fight him? He doubted that even Varka would be able to win. 

            Zhongli spun around in the air and side kicked him in the stomach. Aether gagged at the sudden blow, but recovered quickly enough to kick Zhongli. He managed to surprise him by faking a kick on one leg and using it to propel him into the air and roundhouse kick him right in the neck. Before he could reach the neck, Zhongli placed his hand beside his neck to pack the blow. 

Without wasting another second, Zhongli and Aether exchanged multiple punches and kicks. Both of them aimed for their pressure points. Zhongli was incredibly skilled and could sense that Aether was trying to find an opportunity to sweep him off the ground. However, Zhongli kept forcing Aether to remain on his feet.

            After what seemed like forever, Aether had the opportunity to hook Zhongli right in the neck. Alternately, the other man aimed for his waist. 

Aether could feel his fingertips brush against Zhongli’s adam's apple, however, he was quickly interrupted when Zhongli managed to grab his hand and wrap his free hand around Aether’s waist. Zhongli stepped forward and sweeped Aether off his feet using only one leg. The other man carried Aether within his arms after letting go of the hand Aether used to attack him. 

He was now being carried like a child— hands on either side of Zhongli’s hips and his chest facing directly towards the man. 

Golden eyes stared daggers into Zhongli’s amber ones. The other man couldn’t help but smile from the lovely sight. 

            “Ah, such talent. Only took two minutes to prove that you’re so much more superior than every other member of this Mafia.” Zhongli seemed to relish his actions. Even though he seemed distracted, Aether couldn’t move an inch within his arms. He was completely trapped in this embarrassing pose. Not only that, Zhongli’s face was barely five centimeters away. 

“Join me,” He told him, “Become a part of the Adepti and join the Yaksha’s.”

Aether winced at the mention of the name. 

            The Yaksha’s had their own hierarchy within their Mafia. The lowest of the bunch were the slaves of the gang. They would probably consist of kidnapped civilians. The normal subordinates were simply subordinates and consisted of those daring enough to join, but always lacking something special. They were usually the bodyguards of the gang— though, they handle tedious work like the cleanups , and buildup of Gang Structures. Next within the hierarchy were the Qixing were the ones who did most of the tasks. No explanation needed. Murder murder murder. The Adepti did the exact same thing, however, they were given high classed missions and were their own bosses within the Gang. They would also recurve rewards for their work. 

How could he have possibly earned his spot within the Adepti? Not only that, was Zhongli being serious, or was he playing with him because he knows the truth?

           Aether played along cautiously. “Why do you want me to join your gang? Surely I’m not fit for the role.” 

“Hmm… you were already destined to fall into my hands either way,” Zhongli laughed, keeping the despicable grin on his face. 

“What are you talking about?”

Zhongli looked genuinely surprised at his words. Was there something he wasn’t told before the mission? “Of course you wouldn't know. Your father was that kind of man, wasn’t he?” Aether didn’t answer him and only stared in confusion.

“Your father sent you here in hopes of clenching my wealth and power. He knew that he was doomed to fall. Though, perhaps being caught by the authorities wasn’t a part of his original plan— you were a pawn on his chessboard.” Zhongli suddenly brought Aether’s head right against his chest. “Perhaps he thought that I would break him out of jail and hide him. Oh no no no! Everything he’s done has only worked in my favor. Everything he has is now gone.”

“What… what are you saying?”

“Your father sent you to seduce me and marry me.” 

Aether flinched. Sora truly didn’t know about this? Was she trying to sabotage him at all? But it seemed that Zhongli wasn’t catching any suspicion from it.

            Zhongli resided within his favourite spot again. His breath tickled his ear. “Because your father has lost all authority… never escaping jail… everything he owned over you is now mine. You are mine. And you will become one of the new cores of the Yaksha’s, because you are a gem that cannot be replaced.” 

“Forget about the Adepti! You’re so much more than that. You’re simply my little dove.”

            What in the world did he accomplish to gain the interest of the Yaksha’s leader? Simply put, how ddI he attract such a crazy man? Nothing made sense to him. The emotions running around between both of them were completely unknown. By doing almost nothing, the most powerful man he knew was calling him his. 

What had Aether gotten himself into?