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It should’ve been a simple adventure.
The information was far too tempting: the promise of treasure and rare artifacts locked deep within a domain near Stormterror’s Lair. Fischl always kept her word, and Bennett was never one to doubt his friends.
The traveler from afar, Aether, had insisted on accompanying Bennett to this domain. He has worked with Aether before, mainly in bigger expeditions with other vision users like himself. If it was just the two of them going into the domain, with extra commentary from Paimon, surely things would go smoothly, right?
Bennett should’ve known better. He should’ve learned from his mistakes when they were stranded in that domain months ago and the only solution was to knock himself out.
His bad luck was something he can’t simply dismiss when adventuring. He must proceed with caution even when he feels a rush of adrenaline at the thought of finding treasure. Aether knew this well enough.
Yet nothing could’ve prepared Bennett to see his bad luck harm Aether.
“Just hang in there, we’re almost out,” Bennett huffed. He had one of Aether’s arms slung over his shoulders to keep his balance while Bennett wrapped his free arm around Aether’s waist. Paimon flew not far behind them, small noises leaving the pixie’s mouth in worry.
“It’s okay, Aether! Everything will be okay,” Paimon tried to reassure him with a timid smile. Even Bennett could tell that she was incredibly worried for him with the way she was flying around erratically.
Bennett pushed against the doors of the domain with his shoulder, trying to muster whatever strength he had left before they were both tumbling forward. His grip on Aether loosened and he lost his hold as they both clambered down the steps of the domain. He landed on his butt, moaning in pain. So much for not injuring Aether more than he already was.
He rubbed his head before looking around, finding Aether laid flat on his back. Paimon was hovering over him, concern etched on her face as she muttered something to him that Bennett couldn’t hear. Balancing himself on the heels of his palms, Bennett slowly sat up, trying to gain some semblance of composure.
The moon served as their own light source, the sky shrouded in darkness and a blanket of stars. They were in that domain for most of the day and had nothing to speak of, not even some golden coins or a fancy new artifact. Instead, Bennett had an injured adventuring partner, and it was all his fault.
“Um… I have some medical supplies to help treat your wound,” He spoke up after a moment of silence. Aether remained stuck in place, not moving an inch. Bennett tilted his head just to make sure the traveler was still breathing and sighed in relief upon finding he was still conscious.
“If we go to a safer area, I can patch you up,” Bennett offered quietly. “Oh, but only if you want me to! I understand if you’d want to patch yourself up, especially since my bad luck got you injured in the first place.”
Still no response from Aether.
He gulped. It certainly isn’t the first time people on his adventuring team had experienced a mishap in due part of his bad luck. Though Bennett wouldn’t openly admit it, he knew his bad luck is the main reason why none had returned to his adventuring team. Every day he thanks the Archons that Katheryne is nice enough to let him keep his team, even if said team only consists of him.
When past team members got injured, Bennett offered to tend to their wounds. However, all of them in their desperate attempt to escape would vehemently deny his offer. Some of their words had been harsh but he would never hold it against them.
It didn’t make their rejection hurt any less though.
He’s fully anticipating Aether to deny the treatment. Another moment of silence passed and a gust of wind blew by them, tussling Bennett’s hair. Paimon has yet to say anything either, but suddenly she’s talking to Aether in hushed whispers. Bennett can’t make any sense of what they’re talking about, but from the way Paimon nodded, they seemed to agree on something.
She turned to face Bennett, and he closed his eyes, waiting for her to tell him that they’ll treat the wounds on their own.
“Aether agrees! But you’ll have to carry him again, he barely has any strength left in him.” Paimon told him.
“Ah, I should’ve known you would reject me! I’ll just get out of your way then—“ he’s already preparing to get on his feet and walk away, but then his head whipped back to look at Paimon with wide eyes. “Wait, did I hear you correctly? Aether agrees?!”
Paimon frowned. “Yes? Why do you sound so surprised?”
“Nothing!” Bennett exclaimed, standing up and slowly walking over to Aether. The blonde turned his head to look at him, a weak smile on the traveler’s face as he made an attempt to sit up. He winced in pain and Bennett kneeled, helping him get into a comfortable seating position.
“Here, let me help you again. On the count of three,” He slung Aether’s arm over his shoulders again. “Alright. One, two… three!”
They both stood up at three, and Aether let out a harsh hiss as they began to walk. To where, even Bennett didn’t know. He took in his surroundings and tried to remember if there were any camps nearby that they could rest at.
“T-Thank you,” Aether coughed out. Paimon came to rest on his shoulder, clinging tightly to his shirt as they walked through the woods. “I was careless and didn’t bring any medical supplies…”
In the distance, Bennett could barely make out an abandoned camp left behind by an adventurer from long ago. He gradually picked up speed, looking around every few seconds to make sure no enemies were in sight. For once, his bad luck had decided to grant him mercy.
“It’s no problem at all. After all, an adventurer must always be prepared, right?” He reassured the traveler. He tried to carry most of Aether’s weight on him, trying not to put too much pressure on the blond’s already wounded leg. Every time Aether flinched in pain, Bennett offered words of comfort.
It took a bit longer to reach the camp, but the moment they do Bennett is helping Aether into a seating position beneath the makeshift tent that was left behind.
Once he’s sure that Aether is comfortable enough to sit up on his own, Bennett pulls away slightly to unbuckle his utility pouch, setting it on the ground next to him. He unzipped the pouch and opened it all the way, and he could hear a small gasp marvel at all of its contents. It had everything that an adventurer would need if the adventure went haywire: adhesive bandages, ointment, cotton balls… did Bennett mention bandages? He had a lot of those stored away.
“Wow, Bennett, you have so many bandages!” Paimon exclaimed as she hovered over his shoulder, looking at all the contents inside of the utility pouch. “It seems like you’re always prepared.”
He grabbed one set of bandages along with some cotton balls before he let out a sheepish laugh, shaking his head. “Oh, it’s nothing,” He murmured. “I always end up injured on these adventures after all… Barbara is so kind as to give me some bandages after she treats my wounds.”
As Bennett looked around to check if there’s a water source nearby so he can properly stop the bleeding on Aether’s leg, the other boy spoke up.
“Does she frequently treat your wounds?” Aether asked curiously, following Bennett’s gaze. Much to their luck, there was a small pond nearby. He politely asked Paimon if she could fill up the bucket with some water, which she begrudgingly agreed to after Aether promised her that he would make her some Sticky Honey Roast once they return to Mondstadt. Once Paimon is off and her grumbles trail off, Bennett looked at Aether.
“She’s the Deaconess after all. Who wouldn’t go to Barbara for their healing needs?” He smiled fondly as he began to remember all the moments he had stumbled into the church, the Sisters pointing into the direction of Barbara the second they saw him.
She would always have the most worried expression on her face even if it became a routine, offering Bennett comforting words and even humming the tune of her latest song as she tended to his wounds. Barbara even gave him tips on how to treat them himself, though he’s never able to do it as meticulously as her.
“Without her… gee, I doubt I’d be out adventuring right now!” Bennett laughed as Paimon returned with the bucket of water. She huffed as she placed it on the ground next to him, and he dipped a washcloth that he had stored away in the utility pack, squeezing out the excess water. Bennett paused for a second and hesitated before clearing his throat.
“Your wound…” He coughed, hoping Aether would get the hint. The traveler tilted his head before he let out a small noise, reaching over so he could pull his pants leg up more to expose the wound. Bennett clenched his teeth. It would heal properly once he dressed the wound, but seeing it for himself doesn’t make him feel any less guilty.
Aether got it as a result of his bad luck after all. Why wouldn’t Bennett feel guilty?
“This might sting a little,” Bennett warned him before he gently pressed the wet cloth to the wound. Aether sharply inhaled, clenching his teeth as Bennett cleaned the wound.
“Ah, are you okay Aether?” Paimon asked with worry, her face twisted with concern. He merely nodded, sending a glance towards Bennett.
“Thank you again for this, Bennett.” Aether thanked him, sincerity laced in his words. Bennett could already feel his face heating up. He hadn’t been thanked like this before.
Once the wound was clean, he began to apply the ointment so it wouldn’t be infected. “Aw, shucks, it’s the least I could do,” He replied as he lathered a generous amount to Aether’s skin, keeping his eyes focused on the task before him. He stretched out the bandages before wrapping it around his leg, watching the wound slowly disappear beneath the blanket of white.
“After all, it’s my fault you got hurt in the first place.” Bennett ripped off the excess bandage before reaching into the utility pack and pulled out some medical tape, ripping off just enough to tape Aether’s bandage down and keep it in place. “There we go! It might not be the best patch up work in the world, but it gets the job done.”
Aether and Paimon both let out small noises of marvel as they examine his handiwork. It almost made him feel embarrassed. It’s not like he did anything special during the treatment.
“I’m impressed. Maybe you picked up some of Barbara’s magical healing touch after seeing her so many times,” Aether teased as he moved his leg around, barely flinching now that his wound had been treated.
“You’re just trying to flatter me,” Bennett said as he began to put away his medical supplies. “Barbara or even Master Jean could do a better job than I could.”
Suddenly, Aether reached over and grabbed both of Bennett’s wrists. The adventurer looked up in confusion and nearly reeled back when both Aether and Paimon looked at him with the most serious expressions he had ever seen on their faces.
“You should give yourself more credit, Bennett!”
He blinked twice.
“Huh?”
“Aether’s right!” Paimon nearly shouted as her cheeks puffed up. “You, sir, need to put a little more faith in yourself!”
Bennett nearly cowered from how overbearing they were being. What exactly brought this on? Is this the bad luck he’s finally experiencing after having such a smooth trip to the camp? A lecture from Aether and Paimon?!
“Bennett, I know your luck isn’t exactly the best, but I decided to come along with you anyway. Do you know why?” Aether asked him suddenly.
“Um… is it because you wanted to make sure I wouldn’t hurt myself?” Bennett tried to answer, his brows furrowed in confusion.
Both Paimon and Aether shook their heads.
“It’s because I trust you enough that no matter what your bad luck decides to throw at us, I know that you will have my back if something bad happens to me. You patching me up is enough proof of that,” The other boy responded, his eyes full of mirth as he looked at Bennett. “And I would do the same for you, too.”
Bennett found himself blinking again, trying to properly process Aether’s words. It’s the first time in all of his adventuring journey that he had a companion that wholly trusted him despite knowing of his bad luck. Aether and Paimon never explored with him out of pity. They knew of all the dangers that they would face, and Aether decided to put all of his trust in Bennett. His old adventure team buddies didn’t even bother giving him an ounce of their trust.
It’s so touching, knowing that this traveler who took Teyvat by storm, had given him a shot when no one else bothered to even glance his way. So touching, in fact, that Bennett found himself bursting into happy tears.
Aether and Paimon looked at him in concern, but upon seeing the smile on Bennett’s face, they smiled at him in return. For once in his life, Bennett finally had companions that trusted him despite all the odds that were placed against him.
He hurriedly wiped away his tears with his arm, his cheeks growing warm as he suddenly realized he had cried without warning in front of them.
“Sorry, sorry!” He apologized as he let out a small laugh. “I’m… I’m just happy is all.” He reassured them.
The three of them all look at each other before Aether lets out a small laugh, and it’s not long before they’re all bursting into giggling fits. Amidst their laughter, there’s a large growl that interrupts their merriment, and Paimon nearly shrieks.
“Ah, what was that?!” She said in a panic as they all quieted down. The next moment, the growl comes again, so close to them that they look around in confusion, before realizing that the sound is coming from her stomach. “Oh…”
“I’ll go see if there’s any bird eggs around,” Bennett said as he got up on his feet, looking around. “I’ll whip up some of my own charred fried eggs for you guys! Consider it my thanks for putting your trust in me.”
It was at that very moment Bennett felt that Lady Luck finally graced him, that he had found an irreplaceable treasure.
And that was none other than Aether’s trust for him.