Archive of Our Own

Aether groans softly, bringing a hand up to clutch at his throbbing head as he trudged his way to the room he’d rented at Wangshu Inn, forever thankful for the numerous teleporters scattered around Teyvat.

To say that today had been a long day was the biggest understatement Aether had heard in the last 500 or so years. Between fighting Childe in the golden house, defeating the Fatui as well as the Overlord of the Vortex Osial to help protect Liyue from being washed away, and finally finding out that the Geo Archon was under his nose the whole time, working with the Fatui as a test of sorts for the people of Liyue.

Well, Aether was sure that he’d had enough excitement to last a lifetime, he was exhausted, battered, bruised, and absolutely positively drained as well as just generally didn’t feel too good at the moment. 

Hell, after dealing with Osial he could barely muster up the energy necessary to be angry at Childe and by extension Zhongli. Aether should be pissed beyond belief considering how betrayed he felt by Zhongli especially, but he was just too tired of everything.

Aether had been in Liyue for a few weeks, nearly a month or two, having had met Zhongli through Childe, very shortly after he reached the harbor. For some reason Aether and Zhongli seemed to get along almost instantly, Zhongli seemed to almost give off this calming aura that made Aether relax around him.

Truthfully at the time something had seemed off, the wisdom hidden behind Zhongli’s eyes often seemed far too old to belong to the human he claimed to be. 

And yet, Aether had dismissed it because all the Adepti he’d met seemed to believe that Rex Lapis was well and truly gone, even the half Adeptus Ganyu, who worked with Ningguang had claimed that Rex Lapis was dead. It wouldn’t have been the first time Aether had mistaken a human for being something more, he wasn’t infallible after all, and in his millions, upon billions of years traveling the stars, there were always the occasional mistakes.

Aether and Zhongli had begun to grow closer as well, and they would often find themselves seeking out one another’s presence with Aether frequently visiting Zhongli at Wangsheng funeral parlor, simply taking walks with him and listening to him talk or joining him for the occasional meal and drink or two.

On the flip side, Zhongli’s eyes always seemed to light up with interest whenever Aether told him tales about his time traveling the stars, he’d often offer Aether the chance to stay in his apartment for the night instead of at Wangshu inn, and they’d share breakfast when Aether woke up.

And while there were the occasional lingering touches or longing looks along with the two of them obviously enjoying each other’s company, they clearly had something and cared about one another but it hadn’t truly been defined at the time.

Now though, while Aether would be lying if he said he could just disregard all of that now that he knew the truth he also couldn’t deny that it definitely stung.

Aether all but collapses on the bed, sitting down on its edge with a rather loud sigh as he puts his face in his hands.

“Are you sure you’re okay Aether,” Paimon asked as she appeared before him, trying to peer slightly into his face and her voice full of hesitation. 

Aether merely nodded slightly stopping when that made him feel as if his brain were rattling around in his skull, honestly, he wouldn’t be surprised if he had a concussion somehow especially considering Childe had broken the floor of the golden house causing him to fall.

He’d attempted to open his wings, that he once had when traveling the stars with his sister, out of habit at that time only to remember that he no longer had them.

Aether begins removing his shoes, his fingers unnaturally clunky and slow as he does. His entire body is heavy and aching, feeling all too much like one giant sore, he wants nothing more than to just go to sleep.

Feeling a slight irritating tickle at the back of his throat Aether begins coughing, the noise going from slightly quiet to incredibly harsh almost violent with little to no warning, the action making his chest feel as if it was crinkling slightly.

Paimon flutters around Aether for a moment looking slightly panicked by the harsh coughs leaving his mouth. “Aether, are you sure you’re okay? You’ve been coughing a lot since we left Liyue harbor.” 

Aether nodded as he massaged and cleared his throat, sniffing slightly. His throat felt bruised almost which was just one more issue to add to the already long list. 

Aether waves away Paimon’s concern however and Paimon falls quiet as she draws back slowly with a frown. Her last question going unasked, dying on her lips before she can even speak it.

Aether already doesn’t look good, his face pale and his amber eyes hazy as if he’s having trouble focusing, he’s covered in bruises and scrapes some from Childe and others from the Fatui and by extension Osial’s attacks. He looks beyond exhausted as if the very weight of the world was pressing down on him.

When the truth about Rex Lapis and by extension Zhongli had been revealed to them Paimon had honestly been expecting to be comforting Aether on the trip back home. But the young man hadn’t even cried at the news, barely even reacting and Paimon didn't know if that was worse or not.

She was scared to voice her questions in case the dam holding back Aether’s emotions at the moment broke.

“I’m fine…just…tired I guess,” Aether eventually murmured. His voice is slightly hoarse and each breath he takes he can feel crackling in his chest. But he brushes it off, ignoring it, what was a few possibly cracked ribs on top of everything else.

In the morning he’d be healed and wake up just fine like usual. His injuries never truly seemed to last long with most healing after a good nights sleep. He wants nothing more than to just collapse in bed right now and go to sleep, but he forces himself to get to his feet and Paimon frantically flutters around him when he sways dangerously in place for a moment.

Eventually, though he waves away her concern as he trudges into the bathroom to take a bath or a shower, his skin feels gritty almost, a fine layer of dust, grime, blood, and sweat coating it. Even after a shower, however, Aether feels miserable.

As he trudges back to bed and lays down all he can hope is that he feels better in the morning, physically at least that is.

If he does he intends to head to liyue harbor and get some answers from Zhongli immediately.

Paimon watches him with worried eyes from her usual sleeping spot on the sofa as Aether extinguishes the lamp sitting on the nightstand, before silently rolling over.

“Good night Aether,” she said softly after a moment, with Aether merely giving a soft hum of acknowledgment. 

Through the night as she tries her best to go to sleep, Paimon can hear Aether coughing softly, a raspy slightly harsh sound that only has her worries growing as the night progresses. 

At one point Paimon looks over at Aether wondering if she should get up and go to him when Aether suddenly sits up as if startled awake.

“A-Aether?”

Aether sits there, his eyes incredibly wide as he slowly blinks, at first he was extremely confused and disoriented having no clue as to why his body had decided to jolt him awake after it’d taken him hours to finally drift off to sleep in the first place.

He feels awful, it’s far, far too hot as if he were suddenly being baked alive leaving his skin sensitive almost, the blanket covering his lap which had previously felt incredibly soft now feels as scraping against his skin like sandpaper.

His chest aches, feeling as though something were sitting on it like a crushing weight. Aether grimaces clutching at his chest as he curls into himself, gritting his teeth even his own touch is painful, sending sparks of pain jumping along his skin.

He can hear Paimon talking and more than likely fluttering around him, although he can faintly register that she seems frantic; he can't make out anything she’s saying. It’s muffled, coming to him as if he’s underwater.

A wave of nausea slams into him violently as his stomach churns furiously, feeling as if it were throwing a tantrum inside of him. 

Swallowing thickly Aether takes a deep shuddering breath, well as much as the ache in his chest will allow.

Considering he felt battered and bruised when he went to bed, he can’t help but wonder if this pain in his chest is a broken rib or something. Truthfully Aether isn’t sure and he can’t help but be a bit scared by that fact.

He’s experienced broken ribs before, as well as punctured lungs, this feels like something is constricting his chest, squeezing it until it caves in under the pressure.

He has no clue whatever is causing this pain but everything in him wants it to stop.

Aether whimpers, flinching away when Paimon’s familiar hands on his back send a sharp pain sparking across his skin.

This time however Paimon’s frantic voice reaches his ears, when she speaks.

“Aether you’re glowing,” she exclaimed frantically, worry and panic coating every inch of her voice.

Aether makes a choked gasping noise as he slowly opens his eyes a bit, his hand not clutching his chest is gripping the blanket so tightly it seems as if it might rip, and to his shock Paimon is right. A faint golden light is cloaking his body, creating an almost ethereal glow.

Aether can’t voice his shock however, hell it’s a struggle for him to simply breathe at the moment not to mention the intense waves of nausea rolling over him almost relentlessly.

He groans swallowing thickly as he tries to force back the bile threatening to surge up his throat, his stomach roiling and sloshing inside of him as his head throbbed viscously in time with his heartbeat as if threatening to split itself open.

Aether feels as if he’s burning alive from the inside out and truthfully he wouldn’t be shocked honestly, his skin is stinging and tingling fiercely,  every little wince, flinch even the breath he takes sends pain sparking along it.

This pain isn’t helped in the slightest when his stomach lurches, a surge of its contents surging up his throat and filling his mouth in an instant.

Aether just barely manages to close his mouth, his hand shakily leaving the blanket to come up and cover it. Even that small movement is a challenge sending pain dancing along every inch of his skin and it only gets worse when he attempts to get up and go to the bathroom.

The moment he manages to ease himself out of bed, and at a sluggishly slow pace no less, the intense pain nearly takes his breath away. He nearly screams, a choked gasping noise leaving him due to his tightly sealed lips as tears fill his eyes and stars burst in his vision.

He hasn’t even begun moving yet but his legs are violently shaking beneath him so much that Aether is shocked that he’s even still standing.

He continues his painfully slow walk to the bathroom, struggling to keep his stomach contents inside of him the entire time as he lurches and convulses trying to send up more of its contents.

By the time he actually manages to get to the bathroom, tears are running freely down his face as his entire body feels as if it’s turning against him like some wild animal.

Aether faintly hears Paimon shriek as he collapses in front of the toilet and opens his mouth, allowing the large watery surge of vomit he’d been doing his damndest to contain pour out of him.

This time when she lays a trembling hand on his back Aether doesn’t try moving away, because not only is he just in too much pain right now, but he’s a bit too preoccupied with his stomach turning inside out.

A series of harsh wet coughs leave Aether’s mouth as thin strings of bile and drool drip from his lips, and Paimon winces because it sounds as if the coughs are raking across Aether’s lungs and throat. Just completely and utterly painful.

A grimace twisted her face when he when one of his harsh coughs before a strangled retch that has him lurching forward, the noise becoming choked and garbled as more of the murky watery vomit surges from his lips.

Paimon is very, very worried. She has no clue what’s wrong with Aether, just that he’s in a lot of pain and clearly sick from something considering the sheer heat radiating from his body. Still, people weren’t supposed to glow when sick were they? Then again in the world of Teyvat, there were a lot of things about Aether that weren't really normal.

Paimon tries to desperately rack her brain because Aether does clearly need help, but who could she go to? If this was an issue specific to Aether and his sister then there wasn’t really anyone on Teyvat that could help him could they?

Paimon looks back at Aether when he gives a low weak groan, slumping forward slightly, his body still lurching as he retches, choking up a large surge of watery vomit as tears run down his face. The soup-like mixture streams from his lips giving him no pause nor chance to breathe.

It eventually does slowly taper off, the stream thinning as it takes on a slightly thicker almost sludgy consistency similar to paint. 

Aether is left coughing harshly as he retches emptily over the toilet.

“Aether,” Paimon said softly, trying to peer into Aether’s face when he rested it on his arm. 

He’s trembling practically shivering beneath the hand Paimon has on his back. Aether merely gives a weak groan but says nothing, an incredibly dazed look in his glassy half-open eyes.

It is not an exaggeration for Aether to say that he feels like he may be dying. On top of the pain filling every inch of his body is exhaustion weighing it down like a mountain, if he wasn’t basically slumped across the toilet Aether was sure that he’d just be fully collapsed on the floor right now.

He can’t even turn his head to look when he hears a familiar noise, signaling that someone has entered the room. It’s a noise belonging to only one person that Aether knows of as well.

“X-Xiao,” Paimon exclaimed when he suddenly appeared in the doorway of the bathroom.

He glances at her but says nothing as he turns his attention to Aether, a scowl on his face and his eyes slightly narrowed.

Xiao had felt a strange yet familiar surge of sudden adeptal energy coming from Wangshu inn. Immediately he had stopped fighting the corrupted hilichurls and come here. Normally Xiao wouldn’t do something as sloppy as that but the energy had been familiar to him specifically because it had been incredibly similar to Osial’s.

Truthfully he hadn’t known what to expect, maybe a small hydro creature skulking around, but definitely not Aether collapsed in front of the toilet all but slumped across it.

He didn’t even seem to register Xiao's presence either, as Xiao walks closer to Aether however he ignores Paimon’s attempts to speak to him, his eyes widening as he stops by Aether’s side.

He hadn’t been sure before but now that he’s this close there’s no denying that Aether seems to be glowing. A faint golden light cloaking his body but not only that but Osial’s energy is unmistakable now that Xiao is this close. Almost oppressive even.

Aether’s skin is incredibly pale as if all the blood had simply been drained from it, he seems heavily dazed as well. His half-open eyes, glassy with unshed, and his breaths coming out closer to wheeze pants than actual breaths.

Aether does notice Xiao standing at his side but says nothing, simply doing his best to breathe around the pain still clutching his chest, it’s awful, crushing even. He feels that even the slightest movement with cause his body to fall to pieces. 

His head is pounding so relentless that his brain is gradually becoming numb as his stomach churns furiously.

He is exhausted in every sense of the word wanting nothing more than to simply pass out and escape this horrible pain assaulting him. He’s never experienced anything like it that he can remember and that honestly terrifies him, but in his current state, all he can do is lay there trying to catch whatever Paimon is saying to Xiao. 

It comes to him in bits in pieces as if drifting in through one ear and out the other. But he does manage to catch the words “something’s wrong” and “Zhongli”.

Some of his awareness begins to fade further the room blurring before his eyes, and a wave of relief hits him as Aether thinks that he’s finally passing out.

This relief is instantly shattered to piece when Xiao suddenly grabs him and begins picking him up. Xiao isn’t being particularly rough or quick either in his grip but Aether’s body doesn’t care, the choked scream he lets out makes both Xiao and Paimon freeze.

Aether begins struggling in Xiao’s grip which does exacerbate his pain but Xiao’s touch is worse at the moment, a lot worse. “L-let me go, don’t-don’t touch me!”

Xiao looks at Paimon as if she would know what was wrong, but she shakes her head looking just as shocked as he does.

Scowling, Xiao looks down at Aether who’s still struggling in his grip. “You are radiating adeptal energy and ill, I’m taking you to Rex Lapis.”

Xiao may not know what exactly is wrong with Aether, but he has hope that Rex Lapis, or Zhongli rather, would. Especially considering whatever seems to be affecting Aether involves Osial. 

Xiao and Aether weren’t exactly close, although he did have a certain respect for the young man. What he did know however or rather, was told by Madame Ping was that Zhongli was close to Aether, very close , that had also been how he’d found out that Zhongli was in fact Rex Lapis.

He’d sworn to serve Rex Lapis until his last moments no matter what may happen, and he knew that Zhongli would no doubt wish to know if something was wrong with Aether, especially something like this.

Hearing Xiao's words, Aether pauses for a moment, his struggling stopping despite the pain still lashing at his body due to Xiao’s touch. He couldn’t deal with Zhongli, not yet at least, the wound, the betrayal, it was all still far, far too fresh right now.

“I don’t-don’t need to go to him. I…I’ll be fine. It’s happened before,” he manages to force out through his teeth that are tightly gritted against the pain. 

Aether knows he’s lying without question, he’s never felt any horrifying pain like this before but neither Xiao nor Paimon would know that. He’s just hoping that his words somehow persuade Xiao not to follow through with taking him to Zhongli.

Xiao is quiet for a moment and Aether waits with bated breath, one hand clutching at his chest as that crushing weight seems to settle further within it.

Eventually, Xiao sighed a scowl on his face. “Very well then,” he said after a moment or two, his voice a bit quieter than usual.

“Aether…” Paimon murmured, pity clear in her voice as she watched the exchange.

She follows Xiao not saying anything as he teleports across the room to Aether’s bed. As Xiao places Aether down on the bed some of the tension that’s been tightly coiled in Aether’s body seems to fade away, although he still seems to be in a lot of pain considering the way he’s clutching at his chest.

Aether is practically clawing at it, the fabric of his shirt the only thing keeping him from actually digging his nails into the skin there. His eyes are squeezed tightly shut and as Xiao pulls the nearby blankets over him neither he nor Paimon misses the way Aether flinches.

It is only once Xiao has left the room however that Paimon floats over to Aether’s side. She sits down on the bed beside him simply staring at him for a moment. “Aether, you should’ve let Xiao bring you to Zhongli.”

Aether’s eyes open ever so slightly and he shakes his head, immediately stopping when it makes his brain feel like it’s rolling around his skull. “I can’t see him. Not yet,” he whispered softly, his voice strained and raspy.

“But Aether you-“

“Please,” he told her, his tone practically pleading and she pauses. “I can’t do it…not right now. I’ll be fine.”

Paimon knows that she should push the matter, it definitely feels as if she should but it’s the tone Aether speaks in that stops her. The way his voice breaks on his words and how even more tears well up in his eyes, it is at that moment that she can tell that the damn that had been in place since his fight with Childe in the Golden House has finally broken.

For better or worse.

Knowing that she truly can’t say anything to help in the situation, Paimon simply grabs his free hand, giving it a soft squeeze. While Aether does grimace he neither pulls away nor flinches away from her touch. Both of them can tell that this is probably going to be a rather long ordeal.

~~~

Aether isn’t getting any better, his condition getting worse and worse over time. The second day he’d been throwing up on and off, his fever still incredibly high but he was lucid and conscious as well as in horrible pain.

Now though today, which was the third day, he was in and out of consciousness and those moments when he was awake Paimon tried to give him water, so that he wouldn’t get dehydrated. Sadly though he couldn’t seem to keep that down and even worse was him bringing up this strange grayish pink-tinted foam when he threw up.

Paimon was at the end of her rope at this point not knowing what to really do to help Aether. Hearing Aether’s weak whimpering Paimon looks over at him simply staring for a moment as Aether writhes on the bed, weakly clawing at his chest.

That golden glow is still cloaking his skin, and hasn’t dimmed since this whole ordeal began. When Aether opens his eyes however Paimon freezes, his pupils are blown wide and illuminated with a dark sea blue glow as if someone was shining a light from behind it.

But that part isn’t what has Paimon really freezing, it isn’t what has this wave of dread washing over her. It’s the pure icy hatred that seems to be lurking just beneath Aether’s gaze, that has her feeling as though all her hair is standing on end.

Paimon knew that Aether was fairly old despite his youthful appearance and personality. Just the stories he would tell her from time to time about traveling the stars with his sister pointed to him being far, far older than anything or anyone currently known in Teyvat or otherwise. Perhaps even older than Teyvat itself.

And Paimon has never seen such a look in Aether’s eyes before, even when he’d been fighting Childe she hadn’t seen him look like this. Aether typically had a rather approachable air about him but none of that is there at the moment. In its place is ancient knowledge and hatred lurking behind his eyes that seems far, far too out of place for his youthful appearance.

It’s not directed at Paimon in fact Aether doesn’t even seem to be aware of her, but it still terrifies her and the sight of it is what finally causes her to make a decision.

“Paimon will be back soon, okay Aether? I’ll get help,” she reassured him.

She didn’t even know if Zhongli would be able to help, but if it really was adeptal energy that was making Aether sick like Xiao said then as the leader of the Adepti Zhongli would know best. 

Before she leaves the room to teleport to Liyue harbor, Paimon makes sure that the blankets are pulled around Aether and gives his hand a small squeeze before leaving.

~~~

It is a nice day in Liyue harbor as usual, yet as Zhongli glances around at the city around him during his usual daily walk as he always did he finds himself almost hesitant to truly enjoy the scenery like he normally would.

He knows exactly why as well and truthfully it’s his own doing. He has not seen Aether since the young man found out the truth about Rex Lapis and by extension Zhongli. Zhongli could still vividly remember that faint glimmer of hurt and betrayal that flared to life in Aether’s exhausted gaze before quickly extinguishing.

A wall instantly coming up between them. Aether’s responses had been between quiet and nonexistent with the young man seemingly almost emotionally shutting down in a sense.

Zhongli was a patient man and was willing to wait until Aether came to him, he was also willing to do anything within his abilities to gain his trust back.

Still, Zhongli missed having Aether by his side, the talks shared between them, the way Aether’s eyes would light up whenever he was incredibly fascinated or interested in something.

Zhongli had told Aether that whenever he was ready that he would meet him in Yujing Terrace to answer any questions he may have had. At the time the young man had simply given him a blank look, a small hum, and nodded with Zhongli being unable to tell what he was truly thinking.

Zhongli closes his eyes for a brief moment and shakes his head slightly to clear it. He didn’t know what Aether may say to him or what questions he may ask him but all he could do was speak the truth and be prepared for when that time came.

Opening his eyes Zhongli turns slightly upon hearing the call of his name from a familiar voice. It’s Paimon, practically zipping through the air as she approaches him. Her movements are incredibly frantic as if she were a fly being chased.

It’s almost a miracle that she doesn’t bump into the nearby railing leading up towards Yujing Terrace. She practically skids to a stop in the air before Zhongli, panting and huffing her eyes wild. “Z-Zhongli! Help!”

A slight scowl appears on his face, a strange sense of dread cloaking him although he keeps his expression calm. “What is wrong?”

“I-it’s Aether! He’s really sick,” Paimon explained her words coming out in a rush. “Xiao said that he’s radiating adept energy and I-”

Instantly Zhongli’s expression seems to harden at her words, a slight glow flaring to life behind those amber-colored eyes that has Paimon freezing her words dying on her lips. There is an almost far-off look to Zhongli’s eyes as he pins Paimon with his gaze. When he does speak, it is only four words and yet despite Zhongli’s tone still being as calm as ever, there is no doubt that it is a demand more than a request.

“Take me to him.”

~~~

Aether feels as if he’s drowning, his lungs and chest filled with a heavy crushing weight that has a deep ache settled inside of it. Almost as if his lungs are going to burst open.

His consciousness and mind are hazy, his thoughts slipping through his fingers before they even have a semblance of forming. Its almost as if he’s a drift or slowly sinking beneath ocean waves, and yet the coldness he typically associated with the ocean isn’t there merely burning heat.

The pain wracking his body alongside the nausea is what helps keep him aware, aware enough to faintly recognize that something isn’t right about this. That something is wrong, and yet his weary exhausted mind can’t place what.

He opens his eyes slightly briefly able to make out the ceiling of his room at Wangshu inn despite his blurring and swimming vision. He struggles to keep his eyes open, something yelling at him in his mind that he needs to but he’s too tired and in too much pain right now so he just can’t.

It only feels like seconds to Aether after he’s closed his eyes when he feels familiar hands on him snatching him back from the invisible ocean current threatening to drag him under once more.

Aether whimpers as he opens his eyes slightly an all too familiar face is peering down at him, leaning over him as two eyes the color of cor lapis rove over him.

“Z-Zhongli,” Aether manages to rasped and he notices those golden eyes narrow ever so slightly, as Zhongli adjusted his grip on him. Aether begins struggling weakly not even registering that Zhongli’s touch isn’t hurting him. “Don’t touch me let-”

“Be still.”

Aether freezes at Zhongli’s words, not because of the words themselves but at Zhongli’s tone. It’s abrasive and rough, said firmly like an order, a fary cry from Zhongli’s often gentler way of speaking. Aether can’t be sure considering his currently dazed and hazy mind but he can’t help but think Zhongli sounds legitimately pissed for some reason.

This has a bit more of Aether’s awareness coming back as he narrows his eyes at Zhongli. Who did he think he was being pissed? If anyone had the right to be pissed it was Aether.

If Zhongli notices the look Aether is giving him he says nothing as he briefly examines the young man, his hands roving over him before he draws back with a grave-looking scowl on his face.

He knew what was wrong with Aether. He hadn’t believed it possible but it would seem that much like everything else since meeting him the young man defied his expectations. It seems that somehow during the battle with Osial in Liyue harbor Aether had absorbed a great deal of Osial’s energy, like a sponge so to speak and it was putting a large strain on him from the looks of things.

For a moment Zhongli simply stares at him his eyes roving over Aether’s forming for a moment, the way his glassy eyes peered up at Zhongli with a mixture of irritation, indignation, and hurt behind them, his skin incredibly pale and soaked with sweat that carried the heavy scent of salt water, the faint golden glow cloaking his body and the faint dark blue glow lurking beneath his pupils, how each breath he took sounded as if he was trying to breathe through water filling his lungs.

As Zhongli’s gaze softens Aether scowls noticing something akin to pity and regret in the man’s eyes. Aether freezes, a small gasp leaving his lips as Zhongli leans down once more, incredibly close touching their foreheads together as tangles his fingers in Aether’s hair.

“I shall make this right.”

Zhongli’s words are soft but firm, an absolute promise and Aether finds that he can’t say anything. His anger dimming slightly and as Zhongli eventually draws back Aether finds himself wishing they’d stayed like that if only for a few moments longer.

Aether is quite merely watching as Zhongli removes his gloves, and his eyes can’t help but widen slightly when he sees Zhongli’s bare hands. Smooth, snake-like brown scales the color of fresh earth lined his skin stopping at his wrist while the scales that covered his hand were orangish the color of cor lapis.

Noticing Aether’s seemingly shocked expression Zhongli merely gives him a small, reassuring smile before gently grasping Aether’s hands in his own. Aether was unable to get rid of the energy trapped in his body on his own, but he could replace it with the energy of something else incredibly similar to how he switched between using anemo or geo.

Considering that it was Osial’s energy causing the issue, however, something just as strong would be needed to cancel it out. To replace it in a sense.

“I ask that you bear with me if possible, this may be painful. But once it is over, you may rest,” Zhongli reassured him to which Aether simply nodded.

~~~

It is only when the process actually begins however that Aether truly realizes that Zhongli may have been understating slightly when he mentioned just how painful it would be.

Aether screams, and screams until his throat is raw he’s sure that Zhongli has done something or had Xiao do something to keep everyone else in Wangshu inn from waking up because he is screaming bloody murder. It feels as if his skin is slowly being clawed off bit by bit, following each wave of vicious pain comes a quick wave of warming, almost soothing relief that is cut short by even more pain.

It's almost as if he’s being stabbed, healed then stabbed once again, he can’t help but feebly struggle trying to pull himself free of Zhongli’s iron grip but of course, in his weakened state, it is absolutely useless. Aether isn’t sure but he does begin pleading, begging even tears running down his face.

Eventually, though he just stops struggling altogether, any strength he has being used to just lay there gasping for air as he stares blearily at the ceiling with tear-filled eyes. It’s too painful for him to even pass out because before his consciousness can even fade he’s violent yanked back into full awareness.

Aether has no clue how long this process takes, it feels like a lifetime to him which truly says something. But eventually, all of the pain fades a strong soothing warmth taking its place having the same effect as applying a healing salve to a burn.

Aether groans weakly as his eyes slowly move to look at Zhongli when the other begins gently stroking Aether’s hair with one hand, his other hand still grasping one of Aether’s hands.

“It’s…over,” Aether manages to whisper his voice airy yet at the same time strained and rough due to all his screaming and crying.

Zhongli nodded giving him a warm smile as he carded his fingers through Aether’s hair. “Yes, the process is finished. You did incredibly well.”

Aether gives a soft humorless snort at those words, the faintest hint of a smile appearing on his face. “I…hate…to see…what you’d call…doing badly,” he murmured. His eyes slip closed as he speaks only for Aether to force them open once more.

“I will retrieve Madame Ping to properly access you for good measure,” Zhongli told him as he began to draw away but Aether speaks making him pause.

“No. Stay…just a little bit…I’m still upset with you…so at least give me this,” Aether told him his words a bit firmer than before.

Zhongli simply stares at him for a moment but eventually nodded. “If you would like me to stay, then I shall.”

Aether gives another soft snort, and yet despite the humorlessness of it, there’s still a slight smile on his face as his eyes slide closed. For now, he simply wanted to enjoy Zhongli’s familiar calming presence.