Chapter Text
Aether was on the ground, eyes shut closed as he just tries to breathe. He felt like he was dying, which might be an over-exaggeration- but, when you’re currently tied up held hostage in god knows what kind of camp- A treasure hoarders camp? He doesn’t know. But when you’re tied up with a stab wound and exhausted from prior tiring commissions you can’t blame him for feeling like this.
They caught him when he was at his weakest, and he couldn’t even go down fighting when a cloth was over his mouth and a knife was in his leg. He had been knocked out in an instant, then woke up later in one of their tents.
He looks up in a daze when he hears the wind pick up outside, and he thinks it’s odd… Especially with the shouting and yelling that follow after it. His eyebrows furrow as he tries to make out the voices, and immediately perks up when there’s one he recognizes very clearly.
“Where is he?” Aether hears, and he swallows once before opening his mouth,
“VENTI!” The blonde calls out shakily, but then yelps when he’s grabbed by someone from behind and a knife is held to his throat. The sudden motion almost makes him throw up, and he can’t even see Venti enter as his head swirls.
“Put the knife down, now.” Venti says in an almost dangerous voice, the knife digs into Aether’s skin further at that and Aether lets out a distressed noise. The knife suddenly goes flying from the person with a small gust of wind, and Aether falls to the ground while the person is pushed away with a stronger gust of wind.
Venti, after knocking out the person mercilessly, is immediately by Aether’s side and checking him up and down. The bard frowns deeply at the stab wound and the bruise on his cheek, along with other small injuries and what seems to be a twisted ankle.
“Let’s get you home, golden flower.” Venti whispers as to not be loud and hurt Aether in any way. The blonde only lets his head fall onto Venti’s shoulder and hums in exhaustion. “I know.” Venti responds and lifts Aether off the ground. “I do not believe you have a concussion, but I would still restrain from sleeping.” He says in a murmur, exiting the tent and tightening his hold on Aether as the natural wind outside hits them both.
Venti is rushing off to Mondstadt when Aether doesn’t respond, only looking up at the bard in a daze. However- the Anemo Archon freezes when Aether would let out a sudden wheeze, halting in his steps and looking down with panicked eyes-
When Aether suddenly fades into an elemental dust, Venti really freaks out- immediately grabbing onto the small ball of glowing energy still there and holding it closely. It would squirm for a moment, but then settle down and swirl slowly in place. “Aeth-” Venti starts with a shaky voice, but watches as the glowing ball starts to take shape. What was…
Pop-
Pop-
Two little feet- well, they looked more like paws, pop out of the ball first. Then came the wings, two small and two others well- not as small but still not big.
Then a small tail and then-
It. It looked like his wind spirit except…
“...Aether..?” Venti questions nervously, hope sparking in his chest and-
The little spirit nods with wide eyes once completely formed, wobbling in place on Venti’s hands as it tries to get its balance. The bard is quick to bring up a hand and grab Aether by the back of his tiny cloak, holding him securely with a soft sigh. “Please don’t scare me like that again, give a god a warning next time you decide to transform.”
Aether’s small legs just sway back and forward in the air in response, the tiny spirit then letting out a terribly cute sneeze when a petal would blow by its face.
“Bless you.” Venti says in amusement, eyebrow raising suspiciously, “Aether, I may be bold in saying this, but. You’ve never been in this form before, have you?”
Aether’s wings flutter for a moment, “No.” The small spirit finally squeaks out, head tilting down in embarrassment as he sways in Venti’s grip.
“Awwwwww…. That means you imprinted on my form!” Venti coos out, sitting down criss-cross on the grassy fields he had been running in moments ago now that Aether was stable. Seeing as if you go into a form such as so, it’s usually to heal and rest. He knows this of course, from experience. The bard brings Aether close to his face, booping the small spirit on the face with his nose and making Aether whine.
Venti drops Aether softly onto the ground then, the spirit plomping onto his face immediately with a squeak and struggling to get up on his own. It makes Venti smile fondly, helping Aether up onto his two tiny little feet- Aghhhh oh my Barbatos he wanted to squish those paws-
He pokes the tiny toes, unable to resist and Aether immediately tries to kick him, but ends up falling onto his bum. The spirit lets out a defeated huff at that, looking up at Venti with what seems to be a tired lil look. “Alright, Alright, I won’t torture you any longer. Come, let us sleep in the windrise tree together while you heal.” He scoops Aether back into his hands, holding the small spirit close.
Aether would only yawn squeakily and rest his tiny head against Venti, making the bard coo.
Though, his grip would lightly tighten on the traveler as he thinks about how he ended up this way.
Someone wanted Aether as ransom, and almost killed him in the end.
Venti’s eyes darken, as much as he would wish to handle this himself- he would let the knights in Mondstadt know as soon as possible. But for now….
His gaze shifts down to the now sleeping Aether in his grip-
He’ll make sure he rests.
//Art by Me!
