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In the land of Kannazuka the Moon always shines the brightest. Its light reflects in people’s eyes and yet, it’s never bright enough to cast its light upon two shadows dancing in the night. Two shadows born in different worlds, they seem to never reach each other but during these, their own special nights, they finally collide becoming one, becoming whole.
In the land of Kannazuka the Moon always shines the brightest. But Kunikuzushi thinks it’s nothing compared to Aether’s eyes. Those eyes that shine so bright, yet never reach the person they’re looking at. However, now when the night is still young, when they’re dancing here, sword to sword and body to body, stealing glances at each other, those eyes are filled with so much rage and hatred that it makes him drunk. And honestly, Kunikuzushi would be lying if he said he didn’t like it. More so, he enjoys every second of it. The mere fact that he’s the only one to see this side of the traveller arouses him more than any man or woman can ever. He knows for sure that if there is anything he can pride himself on then it’ll surely be the sight he sees in front of him, the sight that only he can cause. The sight of the Almighty Hero and Saviour of nations who’s as usual covered in their dark-red blood that is a striking contrast to his golden eyes, breathing heavily and looking like a beast.
At first, the Harbinger was confused. He has a goal, a great one even, and all these ridiculous human emotions are what he despises the most. So why is it every time he sees the traveller, all thoughts about greater goal become forgotten? Why is it he suddenly wants to feel, to feel so much it’ll leave him breathless and exhausted? Now he knows. He wants him raw, without any traces of the righteous facade that golden boy was mastering for ages. The Honorary Knight, mysterious and famous traveller who is always ready to help all those in need, but right here and right now he’s nothing but a madman. Kunikuzushi knows that with every clash of their blades, with every scratch he leaves on Aether’s perfect body, he peels him off of all these useless layers in hope that one day there will be nothing but a pitch-black abyss in which they’ll fall together.
In the land of Kannazuka the Moon always shines the brightest. And Aether hates it. He hates this moon, this stupid land. Maybe at this point he hates the whole Teyvat. He hates the day he met the Harbinger and looked into his eyes. He hates the fate for always bringing them together as if everything he went through was simply not enough. He hates Kunikuzushi’s porcelain skin that he’s oh so eager to touch and hates those violet abysmal eyes he wants to dive in, never coming out again.
But what the golden boy hates the most is that despite his loath he always comes back here so that he can embrace the anger, embrace these long-forgotten feelings he tried to get rid of. He hates the fact he’d rather feel intoxicating rage than be his usual righteous self. He hates the feeling of relief that comes with every fight they have but he wants more. He desperately wants these nights to never come to end, to die under the blade of that one person he detests so much, the only one who somehow can see through Aether. He doesn’t even mind the pain for it is the only thing that proves that he’s real. The world be damned but if he has to leave everything and everyone he’s met, he’ll do that willingly for all these teeny tiny bits of reality.
In the land of Kannazuka the Moon always shines the brightest. For many people the Moon is nothing but a satellite, a sign that the long day is finally over and it’s time to fall into a slumber. But there are two beings for whom the Moon is like an anchor, an unspoken promise made a long time ago. A promise to embrace each other every single night, to clash the swords again and again until the Moon will fade away and finally will break this promise. But little do they know it’s never bound to happen.