Work Text:
These nights never seem to go to plan
I don't want you to leave, will you hold my hand?
Oh, won't you stay with me?
'Cause you're all I need
Stay With Me, Sam Smith
─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───
“Call my name, and I will be by your side,” he said.
Aether smiled weakly.
“I mean it, Aether. No matter the time of day or the weather, no matter where I am or what I am doing, I will be by your side. Simply call my name.”
─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───
Aether’s breath came through his throat like poison gas, rough and nearly impossible to swallow. He couldn’t breathe, even if he wanted to.
He could feel the grass beneath him, soft and plush, like a cushion, but the sword he held in his hand was impatient, and so was his opponent.
He ran across the moonlight-dusted grass swiftly, despite the aches and pains littering his skin, and made a move to slash at the pyro Fatui agent’s thigh but missed, his blow miscalculated. He aimed too low. What a fool.
His mistake came with a swift, merciless punishment as the Fatui agent quickly dashed for Aether’s exposed stomach, slicing it with his hunter’s knife. Blood spilled out instantly, seeping into his waistband and staining his skin. Aether’s eyes shot wide open, and he planted his hand there, feeling the wound, the sliced skin, and the blood pouring with his fingertips. He distantly heard Paimon screaming his name, but couldn’t react.
The Fatui agent just laughed at him as if he was a commoner. Like he was some mere mortal who hadn’t battled gods and dragons and mighty sea beasts.
For a brief moment, Aether felt like a common mortal. He felt weak, as his knees buckled beneath him and as he struggled to block another incoming blow from the Fatui.
He was so tired. Always tired, never being able to give himself a break. He could never allow himself a period of weakness like that, not when there were so many people to help and things to get done.
Sluggishly, he barely dodged the Fatui as he rapidly lunged forward, just barely missing Aether’s throat by a hair. Aether felt like vomiting.
“What’s wrong with you?” the Fatui prodded. “You’re fighting like a fucking girl.”
Aether just smiled at him, a dry, weak smile, his eyes tired. “My sister always was a much better fighter than I,” he chuckled dryly.
But Aether’s words just irritated the Fatui even further, and he lurched forward, his eyes narrowed and his hand glowing with the heat of his pyro vision. With swift speed that Aether’s sedated movement had no match against, the agent curled his fingers around Aether’s neck, holding it tightly, squeezing.
“You’re a coward,” he growled, and grinned maliciously as he watched Aether’s face redden, his eyes tear up, and his skin sear against the heat of the gloves wrapped around his neck.
After another moment, he tossed Aether’s body to the ground like he was a mere crystalfly. “Come back when you’re not half dead already, then I’ll fight you,” he spat, and walked off, discarding Aether as if he was Sunday’s trash.
Aether lay still as Paimon rushed to his side and let her tiny fingers run through his sweat-soaked hair. He let his fingers run through the grass, feeling every root, pebble, every grain of sand beneath him.
He smiled at Paimon weakly. “I’m sorry, Paimon.” I’m sorry I wasn’t able to help Verr Goldet, who originally asked me to remove the Fatui from this area.
Paimon’s tears fell onto his forehead, and she kept screaming his name among other unintelligible words. Aether was exhausted after doing so much today, and didn’t have the energy to move a muscle.
His eyes started to slip shut as he thought of the dinner he was supposed to have with Xiao tonight. He had planned to order bamboo shoot soup with a side of rice buns, and Xiao, as always, was going to order almond tofu.
Xiao.
“Xiao…” Aether mumbled. His voice was weak and feeble, carried away easily by the strong evening breeze, hopefully reaching its destination. “Xiao.”
Aether had never called for Xiao before, even in situations where he wasn’t sure he’d be able to make it out safely on his own. But tonight, there was nothing he wanted more than Xiao’s comforting presence.
After what felt like an eternity, he felt Paimon’s soothing fingers leave his hair. They were replaced with larger hands, soft hands, gentle hands. They traced a line from Aether’s temple down to his cheek, where they held his face like he was something precious.
“Xiao…?” Aether mumbled, and let his eyes crack open. Above him, he saw Xiao, his amber eyes glossy with tears as he stared into Aether’s exhausted expression. His thumbs drew little circles around the apples of Aether’s cheeks. “You came.”
Xiao nodded solemnly. “You called.”
Aether’s tears finally fell down his temples at Xiao’s small voice. “Call my name, and I will be by your side,” Xiao had said. And here he was.
Aether soon felt Xiao’s anemo energy all around him, circling him like a warm and comfortable hug, and in an instant he was laying on a soft bed in the Wangshu Inn. He heard the clamor of the dinner rush in the kitchen, and the loud voices of those dining on Smiley Yanxiao’s infamous cooking.
He let Xiao’s soothing touch and the sounds around him lull him to a deep sleep.
─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───
Aether awoke to a quiet rustling sound, which he soon discovered was Paimon laying beside him, wrapping herself in as many blankets as she could gather. Aether smiled fondly.
He sat up, hissing at the burning sensation in his abdomen and neck, and looked down to see his shirt was removed, his stomach bandaged, and neck as well. He bit his tongue harshly, hoping he hadn’t burdened anyone too much.
As he swiveled in his seat, he saw Xiao sitting beside the bed in a chair that, at first glanced, looked like the most uncomfortable chair in Teyvat. His eyes were closed, mouth slightly open, and hair mussed and falling into his eyes.
The sight warmed Aether to his core.
Xiao’s eyes twitched open as Paimon let out a content yawn, and he immediately stood up and rushed to Aether’s side, placing his hand on the back of Aether’s head and hugging him close.
Aether returned the hug. Xiao’s arms felt like home, and smelled faintly of qingxin flowers and cecilias. His touch was so warm and gentle that Aether never wanted to let go.
“Are you okay?” Xiao asked quietly. Aether nodded into his shoulder, not entirely trusting his voice to come out smoothly.
“Can you tell me what happened?” Xiao asked cautiously. He didn’t let go of Aether at all, and let his fingers rake through his blonde hair.
Aether nodded again. “I…” he cleared his throat, but even then his voice came out sticky and hoarse. “I was… clearing out a few Fatui for Verr Goldet. I-I don’t know what happened, X-xiao, I- I must have just- messed up, I don’t know, I’m sorry,” Aether said, his voice feeling trapped in his throat and his eyes tearing up again. He remembered the feeling of the Fatui’s searing hot hand wrapped around his throat, cutting his airflow. He remembered the way he was tossed like a piece of trash-
“Hey, hey,” Xiao said quietly. “It’s okay. You’re okay. I’m here for you. You’re safe.”
Aether appreciated Xiao’s words, he really did. But he had grown to never feel safe anymore, no matter where he was. He was used to it.
But he took comfort in Xiao’s touch and his presence.
Xiao pulled away a bit, to Aether’s dismay. He left a small kiss on Aether’s forehead, and pushed a few strands of honey golden hair away from his face. “Are you hungry? Or thirsty?”
Aether shook his head no. He felt like if he swallowed anything his throat would hurt even more. Xiao just nodded and tugged Aether close again, hugging him just as tight as he had before.
But Aether pushed him off. He turned to Paimon’s sleeping figure and shoved her over a little bit, and made room for Xiao to lay beside him. “Will you stay with me?”
Xiao didn’t even need to respond. He climbed into the bed beside Aether and wrapped his arm around his shoulders, tugging him close. Aether rested his head on Xiao’s chest and laid his arm across his stomach, hugging him.
“Always,” Xiao said quietly.
─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───