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Ying’er waves and greets everyone who walks past the shop, having small chit chats to anyone who stops in.
A normal day for her indeed.
“Where are you going????”
Oh?
She takes a peak in the direction she hears the oh so familiar voice and sees a certain traveler run past.
“Just hang out with Xiangling! I’ll be right back!” Aether shouts before he keeps running. Ying’er glances at Paimon who floats there before flying off to she assumes to be Wanmin Restaurant.
Ying’er simply giggled at the whole thing to herself and paid it no mind.
The day went on as normal, taking a break from the shop to walk around the harbor.
“….holding them till I made a choice?”
“Of course. It’s the least I can do after all you’ve done, Traveler.”
Ying’er glances over and finds the Traveler at a small jewelry shop, looking lost with himself.
“Our brave traveler looks flustered over a bit of jewelry??” She teased as she walks over. Aether whirls around and then quickly recovers from his shock.
“Oh why don’t you ask Ms Ying’er?? She’s great help with this stuff!” The young lady behind the counter says.
“I um hmm….” Aether fumbles with his words as Ying’er giggled.
“If I can be of help to our dear traveler I’d be honored.” She smiled at the blond who huffs out a sigh.
“So let’s say hypothetically I wanted to get a special someone a gift like say…a necklace.” Aether began, showing her the two pieces of jewelry in question.
They were your average necklaces. Gold with a blue gem on one and silver with smaller gem twirled around the chain.
“Hm…” Ying’er hums. “Traveler these are so…how do I say it….normal choices. Surely you want to get this special someone something that stands out more?”
“Well there were other ones I was looking at a few days ago…”
“Tsk tsk tsk!” Ying’er waves her finger in his face. “Let me make this gift for you instead! Give me a small summary about this someone and I’ll make the perfect gift for them!”
“Eh?! You will?? On such short notice??” Aether gasps.
“Only the best for our adorable hero~!”
“And there it is.”
Aether tells Ying’er about this special someone, aka finally spilling the beans to her and full on rambles and gushes about Kaeya, while ignoring or avoiding the uh….more tmi stuff she asked.
“Mhm mhm I think I have a clear picture. Stop by the shop tomorrow morning and I’ll give you the perfect gift for this lovely knight of yours~!” Ying’er giggled before going on her merry way.
Aether has a bad feeling about this….
~~~~~~~
The following morning Aether walks over to the shop and finds Ying’er standing by the door waiting. She claps her hands when she sees him, rushed him inside to hide from prying eyes.
She makes him sit in a chair before rummaging around in her drawers before pulling out a blue and silver box and setting it down on the table beside him.
“Well?? Go on, open it!” She urges. He picks up the box, looking it over before taking the lid off and…
A silver chain with blue that leads to an O shape at the front with blue gems around it. He lifts it out of the box and examines it, it looks like it would fit Kaeya okay but a bit snug almost.
“Ying’er this looks like it’d be a bit tight.” Aether comments.
“Well collars aren’t known to be loose on people.” She hums and giggles when Aether blushes a bright red.
“Collar?!” Aether gasps and sets the necklace-erm collar back into the box. That explains the O shape on it. He could reach up, loop a finger in the ring and yank Kaeya down to his level much easier- Wait what is he thinking?!
Aether shakes his head and looks at the woman.
“I just wanted a simple necklace.” He mumbles.
“Aether I could feel how protective and possessive you are of him. No need to hide it.” Ying’er smiled. “Besides, he’s a knight. Honestly a collar like this is much better than some little necklace. He can wear it while he’s out fighting hilichurls or something and won’t run the risk of losing it.”
That…was true. Oh Gods what is Aether thinking?! Kaeya wouldn’t wear such a thing! ….would he?
Ying’er took the box and collar and reboxed it, setting it in Aether’s lap.
“You’ll never know how it goes if you don’t try, little traveler~”
~~~~~
“Ah greetings, Traveler.” Tubby bows her head as Aether walks over from the teleport.
“Hi Tubby. Is Kaeya still here?” The blond asks.
“He is. He should still be in the living area of the mansion.” Tubby answers. Aether bowed his head and said a thank you before walking inside, there he found Kaeya laying on the couch by the fire place. He sits up when he hears footsteps and smiles when Aether walks over.
“I was so sad when I woke up and you weren’t there. How rude, leaving me all by my lonesome.” Kaeya pouts. Aether fixed that pout once he got closer, leaning down and giving him a quick kiss on the lips.
“I know I know. I’m sorry.” Aether sighed and sat beside Kaeya when the other makes room for him. That’s when the knight saw the small box in the Traveler’s hands.
“Went shopping did you?” Kaeya teased but Aether became far too red in the face. “Oooh? My sunflower is far redder from simple teasing so soon?”
“It’s not because of that, Kaeya-it’s um…” Aether fumbles with his words before taking a deep breath and handing the box over to Kaeya.
Kaeya’s visible eye blinks and then looks down at the box being handed to him and takes it. He waits for the traveler to say something and when the blond stays quiet, he opens the box and gasps.
“I was going to get a necklace but Ying’er insisted on making something herself and I know it’s a bit bold but I can still get you this really pretty necklace I saw and-“
“Can you put it on me?”
As if his face couldn’t get an redder, Aether slowly looks at Kaeya.
“You…you like it?” He asks.
“I do.” Kaeya confirms. “Now could you please?”
Aether stumbles as he lifts the collar up, Kaeya turning around in his spot so his back was facing Aether. Very carefully Aether clips the collar in place, gulping a little at how it was snug on Kaeya’s neck but loose enough that it wasn’t squeezing his neck.
Kaeya turns back around, running a finger over the chain around his neck. He could feel Aether staring holes into the collar and himself.
“So? How does it look?” The captain asks.
“It uh…it…looks good.” Aether stutters and looks away real quick. Kaeya the ever mischievous one saw clearly what this collar was doing to his traveler and scoots closer to him.
“Just good? Nothing else?” He asks, leaning closer to whisper into his ear. “I thought we agreed to be honest with each other, darling.”
Aether turns his head to look at the captain again, eyes burning holes into his neck where the collar sat. After a few more moments of staring, Aether reaches up and loops two fingers around the ring of the collar and pulls until Kaeya is straddling his lap. He brings him as close as he can and kisses the collar then actual skin on Kaeya’s neck.
“You look amazing.” Aether whispers into the captain’s neck, kissing it again and adding. “Beautiful even.”
Kaeya was smiling as Aether does this then gasps softly when the traveler lightly bites the side of his neck.
“But above all.” Aether whispers. “You’re marked as mine.”
“Like that‘ll stop you from marking me up else where.” Kaeya chuckles, pressing closer to Aether.
“Mm you know me so well.” Aether grins and pulls back enough to look at Kaeya.
~~~
“Hm hm hm~” Ying’er hums a little tune to herself as she sweeps in front of the shop, saying hello to anyone who passes by. Her usual morning.
When she hear footsteps come her way she looks up and smiles.
“Aether! Good morning my dear.” She greets. Before she could say more Aether takes her hand and places a small pouch in it. “Oh?”
“As um. Thanks.” He says.
“Aether come on!!!! The others are waiting and Paimon is hungry!!” Paimon shouts from a ways up the path. Aether waves Ying’er good bye and hurries off.
Ying’er watches him go and catches a glimpse of the man with him and his floaty companion, she could see some sort of shining metal on his neck.
“Could that be…” She mumbles to herself and looks down at her hand.
She opens the pouch and finds Mora in it. A generous about in fact.
“Ah I see. Well. You’re welcome, dear traveler.” She giggled to herself and gets back to cleaning up before the day truly begins.