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It was when he fell asleep at the bar in the angel’s share that he ‘borrowed’ a jacket. It had been a long week and he hadn’t slept for any of it. He only came to the angel’s share to get some sparkling apple juice, and while waiting for his drink to be made he sat down on one of the stools- resting his head on his arms and staring up at Diluc who had to go to the back in order to get the juice.
Before he knew it, his vision went blurry and his eyelids forced themselves down.
He fell asleep, and the next time he wakes up it’s about an hour later- he feels warm. Like, really warm.
His eyes flicker open, and he’s pleasantly surprised to find that the area around him is darkened- the lights are still on- but just dulled down. He lets out a soft sleepy noise, his arms he has crossed tightening closer to himself as he yawns. He starts bringing up a hand to rub at one of his eyes, but pauses when it brushes across a fabric he’s not quite used to.
He grabs at the unknown fabric, tugging on it lightly and blinking when he feels the warmth across him move slightly. Oh. There was something on his back- he tilts his head, face immediately reddening when it clicked in his brain- this was Diluc’s jacket.
Aether hated to admit it, but with the jacket around him- he felt safe.
The blonde tugs the jacket further over his shoulders and he buries his face into his arms-
Diluc wasn’t getting this jacket back for a while.
Diluc knows Aether took it, but says nothing when Aether comes in looking more rested the next day- and even the day after that.
He’d need it back at some point, but he can make do without it. He had more jackets, after all.
The next jacket he ‘borrows’ comes from Kaeya- ironically. Though, it’s not in the best circumstances.
He doesn’t just fall asleep at a bar in a safe area- he’s knocked out cold while fighting alongside Kaeya near dragonspine. He had a commission to get rid of a ruin guard- the usual, of course. But the ruin guard turned out to be three ruin guards and while they managed to get two down- the final one got a sneaky blow on the back of his head and slammed him to the ground.
Kaeya acted swiftly after that- the ruin guard freezing where it stood and bursting into a million shards.
The Calvary knight takes Aether into his arms immediately, assessing the damage to be simply a concussion along with the few bruises and cuts across his body. Nothing terrible. Good.
Kaeya still rushes him back to the city and to the cathedral to be swiftly healed. He ends up staying with the blonde by his bedside, letting out a soft sigh of concern for the shorter male as he watches his chest rise and fall.
Kaeya had been hoping with him helping Aether with his commissions today he’d be safe, but he still ended up getting hurt despite the assistance. He wanted the blonde to stop doing everything on his own- everyone did, really. But alas, they can only take the chances Aether offers for them to come along and help. Even then, look how it ended up.
The blue haired male takes off his jacket then, he’d worn something heavier seeing as they were right next to dragonspine- and honestly, he hated being too cold. Ironic, he knows- seeing as he was a cryo user. But there was something about the cold- especially when it settled in his heart that made him feel terribly lonely.
He drapes the jacket a top of the blanket already over Aether, and hopes its warmth can chase away what Kaeya feels daily- Aether, the kindest soul Kaeya’s met thus far, doesn’t deserve the burning lingering that comes from crushing cold that comes from being alone.
He wants the blonde to know that he has him by his side- for as long as he would like him to be.
And when Aether wakes up hours later- Kaeya is gone, though- he can hear his voice along with another outside of the room he’s in.
It’s not hard to notice the extra weight on his chest when he becomes more aware- and warmth is quick to settle in his chest when he sees the familiar blue of Kaeya’s known color. His jacket.
Aether frees his arms from underneath the blanket in order to grab the jacket on top of him and hold it close, burying his face into the fluff on top.
He falls asleep with the thought of, he’s not getting this back either. Right as Kaeya walks in alongside Diluc, both immediately looking soft at the boy who holds the jacket close.
“You’re not getting that jacket back, I hope you know that.” Diluc says- amusement there in his voice. Kaeya glances to him- slightly surprised at the tease but more confused at the comment itself.
“Oh? It sounds like you have experience with this, wanna tell?” Kaeya questions with a grin, the smile only widening as Diluc rolls his eyes.
“I gave him my jacket when he fell asleep at the bar, came back to him and my jacket gone sometime later. Either someone took the jacket from him, or he took it himself.” Diluc sighs out, “I have plenty of jackets- it’s not a problem. But if you don’t, better take it back now.”
Kaeya glances back over to Aether, and he feels something in his chest do a flip.
“Ah… No, he can keep it. I have others.” Kaeya says fondly, soft at the way Aether’s hands tighten on the jacket.
Aether is gone the next time he wakes up with the jacket, and Kaeya can only laugh when he comes back to the empty bed.
Well, his brother was right. He won’t be getting that jacket back.
…Oh well.