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After all was said and done with finding their way out the Chasm, and after they had settled on the cliff edge behind Pervases’ temple, Aether finally felt his shoulders relax. The soft, warm breeze of a Liyue evening tousled his hair, his fringe tickling amongst his eyelashes. He blinked a few times in hope of dislodging it, but instead it poked further in and made his eye water. Aether reached his hand up that was supporting his weight while he leaned back and rubbed at his eye. The action disturbed whatever Xiao was thinking about as he shifted his focus to the person beside him instead, eyebrows pulled inwards in concern.
“Are you getting tired?” Xiao asked, unconsciously leaning forward into Aether’s space.
Aether squeezed his eyes shut and continued rubbing at them, the hair was out of the way now but having Xiao so close to him and looking at him so intensely was too much at once.
He felt his face warm up at the attention, “Yeah, I’m exhausted.”
Xiao let out a small hum at that answer and went back to sitting up straight and gazing out at the scenery. Aether gave himself a few more moments to collect himself before he braved opening his eyes again. As soon as he did, his gaze was immediately drawn to Xiao’s figure.
He didn’t look sad anymore. Just pensive, quiet, like he was caught up in his past memories while still processing his new ones. Aether didn’t blame him, he’d long come to terms with that part of Xiao that would never truly learn how to move on. He supposed no one really could, considering the full weight of the history and bloodshed he’d gone through.
Aether opened his mouth to say something, he wasn’t sure what just yet, when he realised that Paimon was still floating nearby.
She had been strangely quiet since they’d settled behind the temple, the trip having clearly taken a severe toll on her. The burst of energy she’d had once they’d reached the surface had petered out again, leaving her look like she was going to drop out of the air to curl up and doze off.
“Paimon, why don’t you go rest in the Serenitea Pot for a bit?” Aether suggested, voice low enough that it wouldn’t disturb the layer of quiet that had fallen over them all.
Paimon turned and blinked slowly at him like a content cat, and he couldn’t help the fond smile spread across his face at her.
“Paimon thinks that’s a good idea.” she agreed. Aether wasn’t expecting her to give in quite so easily right off the bat, she was usually reluctant to go or do anything on her own for even a few minutes. This time round though, it seemed their recent journey was a bit too much for her to even care about that.
Without much more fuss, Paimon was safely tucked away in the teapot. Aether hoped she would settle down quickly and get some proper rest so they could start their journey back up again.
Aether pulled his knees up to his chest and hugged them as he propped his chin up on top as he resumed looking out into the distance. His brain wasn’t particularly bustling with thoughts for once, emotionally and physically drained after what had just happened.
He didn’t want to dwell on it too much, but he knew that soon enough he’d have to confront everything that happened.
“Aether.” The voice coming from Xiao made him jump slightly, but he turned his head toward the other and raised his eyebrows.
Xiao wasn’t looking at him, but Aether can tell that he’s just thinking about what he wants to say next. After their multiple journeys together, he’d gotten better at reading the adeptus’ facial expressions. What at first would seem like a blank look, the next second could be interpreted as something else. Xiao never expressed much on his face in mundane situations, a slight frown or minutely widened eyes were usually the only tells of him feeling anything other than neutral.
Aether felt special being privy to such knowledge, so he stayed quiet until Xiao was ready to talk.
Finally, Xiao turned his head to face Aether.
“I’m glad you’re safe.” is what he says, their eyes locking.
Aether’s heartbeat speeds up, both at the words and the gaze, but he can’t bring himself to break the contact. The air feels dense as he breathes in, sticky like molasses, and his head begins to spin.
“...I’m glad you’re safe too.” He replied after a beat of silence between them.
Aether swallowed, and they both heard the click of his throat at the action.
“I… really thought that we’d never make it out of there. I thought that was the end of my journey, and I’d never see my sister again.” The illusion he saw in the transforming room didn’t count, he thought, “but I knew that with you by our sides that we’d find a way back.” He finished. Aether feels shaky and out of breath at that admission, it feels a little too close to something that was unspoken between them - like if they went any further talking about this, it would lead to more. A shift in their dynamic. As he continues on with his journey, keeping morale up during their hardest moments feels impossible, especially when all he feels like if he’s chasing after a ghost and layers upon layers of secrets and hidden twists.
Xiao’s the first one to break eye contact after that, moving his gaze to look down at the grass. Aether isn’t sure what the expression on his face means, he’d never seen it before. He lets his eyes roam around Xiao’s face freely, taking in the tips of his ears turning red and his pursed lips. Embarrassment, perhaps?
“I’m sorry if I worried you when I spoke about sacrificing myself. Yelan was correct in everything she said about me.” Xiao said, voice quiet.
Aether let out a puff of air, a fraction of a laugh, “she really put you in your place, didn’t she?” he grinned in an attempt to lighten the mood. Xiao finally looked back up at him.
Aether continued, “She was harsh, but right. Paimon and I weren’t just placating you earlier by saying there are people out there that care about you and want you around. I know it might be difficult for you to believe that, but it’s true. You…” Aether feels a wave of embarrassment choke him at what he wants to say next, but he knows he needs to. “You… have me. I care about you and want you around. I don’t want to lose another person I cherish, okay?”
The statement could be taken in two ways. Platonic enough that it could be understood in that way, but something more that it could be accepted in. Aether wasn’t sure which version he wanted Xiao to interpret it as, but either way he would be satisfied. Having a friendship with the adaptus was fulfilling enough.
Xiao’s breath hitched at the admission, his face softening into an expression unlike anything Aether had seen before. His heart sped up again, and all he could hear now was blood rushing in his ears. It wasn’t quite a confession, but Aether knew now what he truly wanted.
He didn’t want to lose anyone else, of course. The thought of that happening to all his new found friends felt unbearable in every way - but the thought of losing Xiao was truly on another level. He didn’t want Xiao to… to die , or to disappear for good, or go crazy and forget himself in despair like he was apparently destined to. He knew Xiao would forever be battling against himself and his past sins, but when will there ever be enough penance and good deeds made to wash the blood off his hands? There would never be enough, even if he lived forever, but that didn’t mean he had to suffer alone for the rest of his existence.
“I really care about you, Xiao.” Aether choked out, voice breaking halfway through with emotion after realising everything. He didn’t want to cry, not even the slightest watering of his eyes, but the exhaustion and barrage of terrifying experiences and new revelations was too much.
Aether buried his face in his hands, leaning his forehead on his knees to fully hide away as tears made their way down his cheeks.
He sniffled, all he could think of now was the image of his sister’s back as she walked away in the abyss before disappearing. Xiao, hurt and in pain. Yelan, Yanfei, Paimon, Itto and Shinobu so worn down that none of their relief of being free from that place meant anything much to them right now, their fake bravado of going for food and sightseeing was the only thing keeping them together for now. Everyone would process what happened in their own time, but for now it still felt like waking up from a nightmare.
Aether knew that his journey around Teyvat would be a difficult one. He knew that there was no guarantee that at the end of it all, he’d find his sister and would be able to hold her hand again to guide her back home. He knew that. It would constantly loop around in his head as he delved deeper and deeper into the truths and secrets of this new world - he was so equally fascinated and scared at the same time - because what started off as a solo journey to the end, he gradually found himself surrounded by new friends and nations he would do anything for.
He had come to realise that he loved and cared about the people in Teyvat, despite him acting like a glorified errand boy most of the time, but his deeds had always been paid back in full by the end of it all, and bonds and friendships had been solidified. It was always worth it in the end. If it took saving a nation to get closer to finding his sister, then he’d do it.
But what would any of it mean if he lost Xiao too? To go on with the knowledge that the person he loved was no longer with him, no longer just a call away, could it be truly counted as a victory?
He couldn’t handle it. The depths of the Chasm had taught him a lot, but this was the thing he understood the most.
Aether sat back up, wiping his tears off his cheeks as he calmed back down. He steeled himself before turning back to Xiao, finally ready.
Xiao’s face almost made tears well up again in response to seeing it. His eyes were wide and glassy, eyebrows raised and lips parted softly in worry as he stared at Aether. His hand was half raised in the air, not fully stretched out as if he stopped himself halfway through, hesitating to take the next step.
Archons, he was so beautiful.
Aether lifted his own hand up to meet Xiao in the middle. He entwined their fingers together, Xiao’s hand finally finding its rightful place.
They both looked at their joined hands still hanging in the space between them. Aether was pretty sure his face was on fire right now, but he’d already come this far and he didn’t want to chicken out at the last minute. He tugged gently at Xiao’s hand, bringing it up to his lips as he pressed a chaste kiss against the adeptus’ knuckles.
Aether felt Xiao’s hand clench in shock around his, and he glanced up quickly to check if what he was doing was okay.
Aether felt himself break out into a sweat at Xiao’s rosy cheeks and mouth hanging open slightly, his eyes zeroed in on where Aether still had his lips ghosting over his knuckles.
He noticed Xiao’s breathing had sped up too, his shoulders moving up and down quicker than usual.
“I know you can’t promise me anything,” Aether began, lips lightly grazing Xiao’s knuckles with every word, “but can you swear that for as long as you can, you’ll always be one call away from me?”
Aether didn’t think it was possible, but Xiao’s face went even redder at that. He itched to pull out his Kamera in that moment to capture the moment, to eternalise such a rare and beautiful sight. He held back a smile at that thought, and hoped that this time his intentions couldn’t be misunderstood.
“Yes.” Xiao finally breathed out in reply.
Aether’s heart stuttered. He squeezed the hand he was still holding and pressed another kiss to it before letting it go.
Xiao’s hand didn’t move an inch from where it was hanging in the air, as if he was hesitating about doing something. Slowly, he unfurled his fingers and cupped Aether’s jaw with it instead. His thumb brushed softly against his cheek bone, and Aether could feel how warm he’d gotten against the contrast of the cold palm pressed against his skin.
He looked at Xiao through hooded eyelids, he was struggling to keep them open at this point now as he finally felt safe. He truly believed that in this moment, nothing was going to happen to them. All his previous worries of loss and heartache were carried away with the evening breeze. Xiao was here with him right now, looking at him so adoringly, and he knew they’d never be separated again.
“Sleep.” Xiao said, voice impossibly warm and barely loud enough to be heard over the wind. Aether hadn’t realised that his eyes had fully closed, and he blinked them back open again. Xiao’s palm was still resting against his cheek.
Aether hummed quietly, reaching his hand up to place it over Xiao’s one. He pressed it in harder against his cheek, just to make sure it wasn’t all a dream or a delusion from the Fantastic Compass.
“I’ll watch over you.” Xiao offered, his thumb brushing over his cheekbone again.
Something in Aether finally snapped. Suddenly he was wide awake, and the only thing he wanted to do right now was kiss Xiao properly.
Aether surged forward, the force of it pushing Xiao down onto his back as he straddled him on the grass. Xiao let out a quiet ‘oof’ in shock of it all, and he blinked up at Aether owlishly as he processed what had just happened.
Aether’s braid hung down between them, swinging side to side almost hypnotisingly from the movement. As if in a trance from it, Xiao reached up after a few seconds of watching it go back and forth and brushed it back over Aether’s shoulder so it wouldn’t get in the way.
The action only added fuel to the fire that was brewing in Aether’s stomach. He clenched his hands into fists in the grass, pulling up shreds of it. His breathing quickened up as steeled himself for what he was going to do next.
“Can I kiss you?” he asked. He didn’t move any closer than arms length away before getting an answer.
Xiao was still gazing up at him, eyes so wide and full of emotion that he felt like his heart was going to burst with it all. Xiao didn’t need to say a word about what he was thinking or feeling, Aether understood because it was exactly the same as what was running through his mind too.
After a few moments of quiet, Xiao nodded.
Aether immediately leaned down, stopping just as their noses touched. Xiao had closed his eyes at the movement, and Aether let himself indulge, eyes scanning over the face of the adeptus below him. His red eyeshadow stood out even bolder this close up that the redness of his cheeks almost blended in with it all. Aether could feel the heat radiating off them both due to their close proximity. It was so impossibly endearing seeing Xiao like this, warm, breathing and alive beneath him that Aether barely knew what to do with himself. So instead, he finally leant in the rest of the way to close the gap between their lips.
Xiao jolted at the first contact of their lips touching together. It was feather light to begin with, until Aether felt a hand cradle the back of his neck while the other one came to grip on his hip.
He shifted on his knees slightly after that - his thighs clenched and pressed closer to Xiao’s hips to fully encase them in their own little world, boxing them both in. Being so close to Xiao, Aether felt his breath hitch at the movement. He pressed their lips together harder. This time, the action drew a tiny noise from the back of Xiao’s throat.
Aether wondered if anyone before him had ever touched or kissed him like this. He hoped that he was Xiao’s first. He wanted to show Xiao how much he cared for him, how much he wanted him alive and thriving right by his side throughout the rest of his journey in this world. The idea of being able to introduce him to his sister at the end made everything feel worthwhile.
Aether tilted his head to the side slightly to get a better angle, their lips moving together as the kiss deepened. The air between them crackled with what felt like Electro, the hairs on Aether’s arms stood up as goosebumps rippled down his whole body.
It was Aether this time he let out a noise, not being able to hold back a moan. The base of his spine tingled as Xiao’s lips brushed just right against his own. He felt like he was floating, and the only thing holding him down was the hand on the back of his neck pulling him impossibly closer.
Xiao’s grip on his hip had gotten tighter and tighter with each passing moment of their kiss, bordering on painful, but the thought of it hurting was soothed over by the idea of it bruising and leaving physical evidence of all this happening instead, so much so that his brain was going fuzzy with it all.
He bit down gently on Xiao’s bottom lip, relishing in the noise that came out from him at the action. They were both panting at this point, muscles taut with tension. Their breaths mingled together, wet and heated, and it felt like too much but not enough at the same time.
Aether wasn’t sure who started it first, but the next moment their tongues were curling around each other. It was sloppy and clumsy from neither of them having any experience, but it was so genuine and a physical culmination of their feelings that it didn’t matter. The wet sounds of their mouths moving against each other were so lewd in the silent evening atmosphere that Aether could hardly believe himself. He vaguely remembered that they were still out in the open, right behind Pervases’ temple, but the sun was just about fully set by now and he knew no one was around anymore. He made a quick mental note to leave plenty of incense for Pervases after this as an apology.
He pulled back slightly to catch his breath, both of them panting and chests heaving. His mouth was spit slick and swollen, and looking down at Xiao he could see the same thing had happened to him as well. Aether felt a little delirious at it all. Xiao looked like a dream, eyelids hooded and a thin line of drool sliding down from the corner of his lips. Aether wanted so desperately to lean in again, maybe to lick it off before capturing Xiao’s mouth in another searing kiss. He wanted to spend the rest of the night pressed against each other as they melded into one, just to prove that it wasn’t all in his head, but the exhaustion and reality of everything crashed down on him. He didn’t even have the strength to raise himself back up anymore to climb off Xiao, instead he pushed his knees out from underneath him to lie fully pressed against Xiao’s front. With a little shuffling around, Aether was now huddled up against Xiao’s side with an arm slung over the adeptus’ stomach. Xiao had reached an arm around his shoulders to pull him in closer.
Aether rested his head on Xiao’s shoulder, their breaths slowly evening out as they came down from their high. The heartbeat of the person beneath him was so soothing that he couldn’t help but let his eyes slide shut so he could focus on the steady thump thump of it.
“I’m gonna fall asleep,” Aether mumbled out, words slurred.
“I’ll be here when you wake up.” Xiao responded quietly and pressed a kiss against the top of Aether’s head.
With the promise of still being there even by morning, the trust between them stronger than ever, and Aether relieved that he was finally able to show Xiao just what he meant when he said that he cared about him, he finally drifted off to sleep.