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“Stand back!”
Xiao’s warning sounds from out of thin air, reverberating around Aether in a disembodied cacophony. Beside him, Yanfei jumps in surprise and stumbles back a step in an attempt to clear the way, but Aether has no intention of keeping his distance.
He hasn’t stopped worrying about Xiao since the moment he’d discovered that Xiao could no longer hear or respond to his calls. The fact that he’d managed to get himself trapped in some weird magic hole in the first place is already bad enough, but being separated from Xiao, who he already knows is injured and potentially in danger, is more than his heart can handle.
Xiao all but falls out of the spatial rift that tears itself open in front of Aether, his legs buckling immediately under his weight as he hits the ground hard. Aether lunges forward just in time to catch him under his arms before he can completely collapse, instantly wrapping Xiao up in a crushing embrace as his full weight drags Aether down to his knees.
“Oh my god, Xiao,” he breathes, pulling back just far enough that he can take Xiao's face in his hands. His heart falls when his thumb accidentally presses into a deep cut on Xiao's cheek and draws a pained hiss out of him. “You’re hurt! What happened to you?”
Xiao leans his upper body heavily onto his spear, his breathing coming in short, pained bursts. “I’m fine,” he grits out through clenched teeth. “These wounds are purely superficial— ugh!” Groaning softly, he drops his head, curling into himself in clear agony.
Biting his lower lip anxiously, Aether pulls away just enough to get a better look at Xiao’s injuries. He’s littered from head to toe in claw-like gashes, which appear to leak some kind of faintly-glowing substance into the air that swiftly dissipates. Aether’s never seen wounds like these before. He doesn't want to begin to imagine what ordeal Xiao must have endured to come out this beaten up—just the barest thought of it makes him nauseous, his stomach flipping sickeningly.
“Aether,” Yanfei gently interrupts, drawing Aether out of his thoughts, “let's move him back to our base camp. Xiao will be able to rest easier there.”
Before Aether can so much as open his mouth to answer, Xiao interjects, “No. It is better for everyone if I maintain some distance.” Even as he argues, though, Aether can see the way his hands tremble where they tightly grip his spear, the way his entire body strains just to stay upright.
“I’m not going to leave you here now that we’ve finally found you again!” Aether insists, drawing one of Xiao’s arms up and over his shoulders before Xiao can argue otherwise. He hefts both himself and Xiao to their feet with some effort, gritting his teeth in determination. “It’s too risky to split up for too long down here. We could get separated again, so you’ll have to suck it up.”
Xiao flashes Aether a glare that says that if he wasn’t so close to total collapse, he’d have some choice words to say, but as he is, he has little choice but to shakily walk alongside Aether with his support, leaning heavily against Aether’s side. “Fine,” he snaps, “but I will not go out of my way to mingle with the rest of you. There’s no need for you to burden yourselves with me.”
“You’re not a burden,” Yanfei insists, gentler than Aether’s no-nonsense tone. “There’s a good chance we’ll need to ask for your help to get out of here, so you should take this chance to rest and recover from… whatever it is that happened to you.”
Unable to argue further, Xiao relents and accepts his fate, focusing instead on keeping his feet underneath him as Aether half-carries him back to their makeshift campsite.
It doesn’t take long for them to reach the main corridor once more, but even after just a short walk, Aether can tell that Xiao is winded. Picking out a spot up against the wall that’s relatively dry and set aside from where the rest of the group has congregated, Aether urges Xiao toward it and helps him to sit up against the wall.
“I’ll explain everything to the others,” Yanfei says. “You two get some rest.”
Aether has his doubts about Xiao’s ability to rest in front of this many people, but he offers up Yanfei a nod anyway. “I’ll take care of things here, go ahead.”
“You don’t need to take care of me,” Xiao quietly says the moment Yanfei leaves him alone with Aether, still struggling to catch his breath. “I just need a moment to recover my strength.”
“You’re so stubborn.” Aether’s words are tinged with weariness, a side effect of the tiring situation they’ve all found themselves stuck in, but even still, he can’t quite keep his fondness out of his tone. He lowers himself down to sit on the ground in front of Xiao and slips his bag off his shoulders to settle it between his crossed legs instead, holding out a hand in Xiao’s direction. “Let me see those wounds.”
For a long moment, Xiao simply stares at Aether’s outstretched hand; Aether can practically hear the internal debate he has in his head before he finally gives in and places his hand into Aether’s. “Covering them will do nothing to speed up their recovery,” he mumbles. “They’re not bleeding like normal wounds would.”
Aether swallows, his chest constricting with the implications of Xiao’s words. “They’re not, but… I’d feel better if they were covered, I think. Even if it doesn’t do anything,” he says carefully, trying to ignore the way his heart falls when he sees once again the full extent of Xiao’s injuries. Every inch of exposed skin is covered in them, from Xiao’s wrists all the way up to his shoulders. Even his face hasn’t been spared from whatever assault he’d endured, his cheek and forehead also sporting unnatural tears that almost appear to flicker when he moves.
To this, Xiao offers no rebuttal, just sits still and patient while Aether pulls a roll of bandages from his bag and begins to wrap them around his arm, covering up the oozing marks. After a few minutes of tense silence, Aether finally, quietly asks, “Will you tell me what happened?”
At first, Xiao doesn’t reply to Aether’s words, and for a moment Aether wonders if he’s fallen asleep sitting up, but when he lifts his gaze to glance up at Xiao’s face, he sees the Yaksha looking back at him, a thoughtful frown tugging at the corners of his mouth.
“I will,” he finally says, picking his words very carefully, “but not yet. I need… I’d like to gather my thoughts first.”
Sighing softly, he raises his hand to his face, curling forward just slightly. Like this, he looks even smaller than he already is, an exhaustion to his features that Aether’s never seen on him before. Aether’s fingers itch to hold him, to do something, anything, to alleviate the anxiousness that invades his expression, but he’s not sure Xiao would be receptive to such an action. Instead, he drops his gaze back to his work, tying the bandages off at the center of Xiao’s bicep and reaching back into his bag for a band-aid to cover the cut on his cheek.
“That’s okay, you can take your time. Whenever you’re ready to talk…” Leaning forward, he gently lays his fingers along the edges of Xiao’s jaw, turning his head just slightly to the side so he can smooth the band-aid over his cheek. “I’ll be here,” he finishes, mustering up a small but genuine smile.
Aether’s fingers linger against Xiao’s cheek over the bandage, his thumb stroking briefly over the uncut skin there before he draws back again. Xiao watches him intently as he does, something unreadable in his expression that has Aether’s heart leaping up into his throat against his will. He swiftly tears his gaze from Xiao’s, stowing away the rest of his first aid supplies now that he’s covered the worst of Xiao’s wounds.
Clearing his throat, he announces, “There, that should do it for now. I know it might not do anything to help, but…” he trails off, laughing softly. “I guess it was kind of silly to waste my medical supplies, huh?”
“It helps,” Xiao says immediately, drawing Aether’s shocked attention once more. Aether blinks at him, eyebrows raised in surprise, as Xiao experimentally flexes his hand. Pointedly, he doesn’t meet Aether’s gaze.
Aether cracks a smile, a soft chuckle escaping him. “That’s good, then,” he decides, pushing himself to his feet. “Get some rest, I’ll be back in a minute.”
Xiao nods his head and, content with his work for now, Aether turns to see what the rest of the group is doing. Yelan is nowhere to be seen—Aether guesses that she’s likely scouting the area for signs of another secret entrance. Across the clearing from him, he can see that Itto’s taken up the job of watching over Paimon, who’s passed out like a cat in his lap. Aether doesn’t think he’s ever seen Itto sit so still before. Perhaps he, too, is feeling the emotional exhaustion that’s come with their predicament. Not far from them, Yanfei and Shinobu huddle close together, speaking lowly to each other so as not to bother the others. Shouldering his backpack, he makes his way over to them.
“Aether,” Shinobu greets, waving him over as he draws closer to the pair. “We were just discussing what we should do next. How is your friend?”
Aether manages a tired smile. “He’s… been better, but he’ll be okay, I think,” he replies, though uncertainty tinges the corners of his voice.
Yanfei casts him a pitying look. “I’ve never seen him looking so beaten down before,” she murmurs, concerned. “The two of you are close, right? Did he mentioned anything to you?”
Aether gives a helpless shake of his head. “Nothing.” He casts a worried glance over his shoulder to Xiao, who’s curled in on himself with his head lowered, almost like he’s trying to blend into the background. He bites his lip. “I’m worried about him,” he confesses, turning back to Yanfei. “Whatever he saw really seemed to shake him. I’ve never seen him look so defeated, and his wounds are bad. Whatever attacked him really did a number on him, physically and emotionally.”
Yanfei hums, her brow furrowing in thought. “Whatever it is, we should keep our guards up. Yelan’s looking for another path now, so until she gets back, I guess we should all take a break and try to keep our spirits up.”
“I’ll make us something to eat,” Shinobu offers. “We may not feel hunger when we’re down here, but a good meal might help lift everyone’s spirits a little.”
“At the very least, you’d earn Paimon’s thanks,” Aether agrees with a smile, casting another glance in Itto’s direction. “She really wore herself out.” He just hopes that she feels better when she wakes up, that sleeping will still have some positive affect on her despite the fact that they’re currently existing in stasis.
Inevitably, though, his mind drifts back to Xiao. Will resting even do anything for his injuries? The nagging thought that his physical state of being might be stuck in place like the rest of them is an unwanted and concerning one, one that has him gnawing on his bottom lip anxiously.
Yanfei lays her hand on Aether’s shoulder and gives it a reassuring squeeze, drawing Aether out of his spiraling thoughts. “You can leave the cooking to us. You should take a break too, while you still can.”
Aether sags under Yanfei’s comforting words. He’s become so used to being the one taking care of everyone else that it feels a little odd to be on the receiving end of someone else’s good will, but he’s far too tired to argue with her now. “Okay,” he sighs. “Let me know if I can do anything to help.”
“We’ll call you over if we do,” Shinobu promises. It’s hard to read her expression with the mask covering half of her face, but her words are gentle and kind.
Aether nods gratefully, slipping out from under Yanfei’s hand and immediately turning back to Xiao.
The Yaksha hasn’t budged an inch from where Aether had left him, his head lolling forward slightly and his bangs falling into his face. He has one knee drawn up to his chest and appears to be leaning forward onto it for support, the other leg stretched out in front of him. Aether walks over to him, careful to keep his footsteps quiet.
Xiao’s not sleeping, though, and as Aether approaches, he lifts his head and blinks up at him. He says nothing, dropping his gaze a moment later as though in defeat.
The sight of it breaks Aether’s heart a little. Frowning, he quietly sits himself down at Xiao’s side, far enough that they don’t quite touch but close enough that Xiao will feel his presence there and, perhaps, take a little bit of comfort in it. He draws his legs up to his chest, loosely wrapping his arms around them. “Will you sleep?” he whispers.
“I shouldn’t.” Xiao’s response comes hoarse and edged heavily with fatigue, and Aether can see the way he’s drooping, struggling even to keep his head up.
“You should,” Aether argues, his voice soft but firm. He tilts his head forward in an attempt to catch a glimpse of Xiao’s face, but Xiao turns away from him, stubborn until the very end. “It’s okay,” he tries again, reaching out to lay his hand lightly against Xiao’s upper back. “No one here is going to hurt you. You can rest.”
For a long few seconds, Xiao doesn’t reply, but then he raises his head, slowly turning to look Aether in the eye. There’s a surprising vulnerability in his expression, exhaustion forming cracks in his resolve. “Will you stay?” he whispers, a broken plea.
Aether swallows down the lump in his throat and ignores the stinging in his chest. “Yeah, of course. I’ll stay for as long as you need me to,” he promises. He slides his hand from Xiao’s shoulder and lets it rub down his back instead, feels Xiao shiver beneath his touch. He’s trembling, Aether realizes belatedly, goosebumps raising along the bare skin of his back as Aether rubs his hand back up again, setting a comforting momentum.
A moment later, Xiao sags against Aether’s side, his head dropping down to rest against his shoulder. It’s as though all the remaining tension in his body has left him all at once, leaving him boneless and devoid of strength as he leans his full weight on Aether.
Aether stumbles over his next breath, momentarily frozen with shock. Out of all the ways he might have expected Xiao to react, this is certainly not one of them—Xiao’s exhaustion must run even deeper than Aether had initially thought.
Wordlessly, Aether slides his hand down from Xiao’s back and settles it around his waist instead, steadying him in place as he leans them both back against the Chasm wall. Xiao’s steady breaths tickle the side of his neck with each exhale; it takes less than a minute for them to even out, a sure sign to Aether that he’s fallen completely asleep beneath his arm.
Aether breathes a sigh of relief, taking the slightest bit of reassurance in the fact that, at the very least, Xiao might be able to snag a moment of respite. Perhaps the relief he feels is why he indulges himself in the end, turning his head so he can press his nose into Xiao’s hair and tightening his hold on his waist. Xiao feels so small like this, with the easy way he fits against Aether’s side beneath his protective arm.
“Rest well,” Aether murmurs, pressing his lips fleetingly to the top of Xiao’s head. “I’ll be here when you wake up.”