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Aether’s legs were swinging under the table, his fingers tapping on it's surface as he’d happily listened to Xingqiu, Chongyun, Xiangling, Zhongli and Paimon chatter. He contributed to the conversation occasionally with few words or a nod of his head, though staying quiet for the most part. He was just happy to be here, honestly.
When Hu Tao enters with Xiao very reluctantly following behind her, he just perks up even further. Xiao looks like he definitely doesn’t want to be here, though surprisingly- it seems more for the karmic debt reasons over the anti-socialness.
Eh, no matter the reason, he still knew Xiao was definitely going to be getting embarrassed soon. Especially with Hu Tao here. So, he makes the intelligent decision of embarrassing him first.
By extending his hand towards the adeptus and making a grabby motion with it.
Xiao stares him down, not moving as everyone glances from Aether then back to him with eyebrows raised.
….
Xiao lets out a deep sigh, bringing his hand up to pinch the brim of his nose.
Aether taps his foot on the ground patiently.
“Well?? Ai ya, don’t leave him hanging!” Hu Tao exclaims, waving her hand around. “Just look at those pleading eyes! He’s even soooo patient for you!” She coos, being dramatic in her pointing at the blonde.
Xiao’s face takes on a light red as refuses to look up, and he avoids meeting the attention on him as he steps over to Aether to take his hand and sit down. Aether’s feet start swinging again and his smile is wide as he squeezes Xiao’s hand happily.
After more teasing, mostly on Hu Tao and Xingqiu’s part- the conversation turns to the fact that Xiao is an adeptus and praising him. Something that just makes Xiao squeeze Aether’s hand back as he feels the awkwardness settle in over embarrassment. Especially as Zhongli acts like they’ve never met and also praises him. Aether just shrugs, unable to really help him on that part. He was just here to hold his hand.
…And.. And spend time with his friends, of course.
…
Aether may have gotten a little distracted. So he decides to focus on the food getting placed in front of them all and getting himself a dish full. The food is of course delicious, he praises Xiangling for her hand in it and that causes a conversation about spices. As he listens to Chongyun sigh about having to try Xiangling’s dishes and Xingqiu looking suspicious as if he had something to do with that- the blonde lifts his chopsticks with something on his plate.
Except he doesn’t lift it towards his own mouth.
He lifts it towards Xiao’s.
Xiao hadn’t gotten his own plate, of course. He seemed reluctant to do so, probably not wanting to try anything at the moment as he was well… Definitely picky.
And when Aether holds the food up to him, he stares at it with a pout. But the food isn’t moving from where it’s in front of him despite this, and somehow he can’t reject Aether. So he takes it into his mouth, side-eying Aether who was still listening to the others speak and chewing. The blonde meets his side-eye with a small questioning smile, and Xiao’s eyebrows furrow.
It tasted….
“It’s good.” He admits, not too surprised that Aether would only offer him something he thinks he’d like over just something random on his plate. With the way the blonde had been trying each piece of food with care- it was like he was trying his hardest to taste which one Xiao would like best.
Aether beaming and Xiangling letting out a cheerful ‘I’m glad!’ to him makes him just look away with an unreadable look. Which to Aether was just him hiding his bashfulness.
There’s a ‘wooshing’ sound then- which really just sounds like someone making air noises with their mouth. Then the door is bursting open and Venti is strolling in like he owns the place.
Xiao questions how he was convinced into coming here.
He watches as Hu Tao and Venti instantly get along, the girl standing from her chair and heading over to him. They talk in a poetic way Xiao can’t comprehend and he takes the chance of trying to meet Zhongli’s gaze- but the man is staring into his tea cup and Xiao thinks he can see his eye twitching.
…Xiao has a feeling there’ll be more acting like they don’t know each other and that just makes his brain hurt more.
He instead looks over to Aether, the blonde practically bouncing in his seat with his eyes on Venti. Well, there’s at least one thing he understands. Aether was easily excitable, and something told him he hadn’t seen Venti in a little while.
Something also told him he was about to burst out of his seat because of it. So he lets his hand go, and tilts his head towards the bard when Aether looks at him in confusion. The blonde connects the dots and beams, kissing Xiao on the cheek quickly before standing up and dashing towards Venti- leaving Xiao with widened eyes.
He’s too busy staring at the table and bringing a hand up to where Aether kissed to see Aether tackle Venti to the ground- completely surprising the bard as they tumble onto the floor. He only looks over when he hears the ‘thump’ of them hitting the ground and lets out a soft sigh.
“Certainly wasn’t expecting that.” Xingqiu hums in amusement, “Quite a lot of surprises tonight, it would seem.”
“...Indeed.” Zhongli agrees, his own eyes shining in entertainment. Xiao can take a guess and say the old god was glad for Aether intervening before Venti made it over to bug him. Though, how long that would last- Xiao also guesses, not for long.
He gives Aether about a minute on the floor with Venti, the bard all too happy to dote over Aether with his arms wrapped around the blonde and whispering things into his ear that makes him giggle. Then he’s standing from his chair, walking over to the two and grabbing Aether around his waist from behind. He lifts him off the ground, steadying him on his feet then helping Venti up with an offer of his hand that the bard gladly accepts.
Aether would instantly take both Xiao and Venti’s hands then, leading them over to the table and sitting them all down. His energy just bounces off of Venti’s, the two of them both swinging their legs now- and Venti’s smile is a lot wider.
“Wait… So… I know that Aether knows a lot of people- but he and Adeptus Xiao are…” Chongyun looks at the both of them, then meeting Aether’s eyes as the blonde tilts his head ‘obliviously.’ “C’mon… Don’t make me say it…” Chongyun whines, averting his gaze over to Xingqiu who looks smug.
“Are what, Chongyun? Go on.” Xingqiu smirks, waving his hand at the other blue boy.
“Xingqiu…” Chongyun bites his lip, eyebrows furrowing. “They’re like… Me and you..”
“Me and you? Elaborate.” Xingqiu flutters his eyelashes.
Chongyun’s face flushes, “....Boyfriends….”
“Ohhh? I thought you’d say soulmates.. It would’ve been a lot more poetic.” Xingqiu sighs out, pretending to look disappointed and having to resist smiling when Chongyun whines and grabs at his hand.
“You’re right! Soulmates is certainly more fitting.” Venti snickers out, looking straight at Xiao and Aether- pleased to see both of their faces red this time yet still holding one another’s hand. “Say, I’ve heard Mr. Zhongli here knows quite a lot. Perhaps he can enlighten us on the topic of Soulmates? Are they as poetic as they sound?” Venti’s attention turns to the taller man next to him, and Zhongli’s face- though if you don’t look hard enough you can’t tell- sours.
Xiao grimaces as Zhongli turns the conversation then around onto Venti, seemingly praising him for being a known bard but having some snark that Xiao has trouble picking up on behind his words.
Ugh. Back to… Not knowing each other.
This was getting to be a bit too much for him.
Once the conversation moves from questioning if he thought Zhongli was actually an adeptus- he’s side-eying the door and frowning deeply.
Aether sees this, and the blonde squeezes Xiao’s hand in a comforting manner. He gestures to the door once the adeptus catches his gaze, eyes questioning and frowning when Xiao tries to shrug him off.
“Um…” Aether starts, clearing his throat as he suddenly has everyone’s attention on him. “My stomach hurts a little, I think I could use some air?” He states almost shyly, eyes flickering from Xiao to the others at the table.
“...I’ll go with you.” Xiao says, standing almost immediately and actually seeming oblivious to the fact that Aether is lying.
“Oh, nothing like a walk after a nice meal.. Yes yes, go on! But be back soon, hehe.” Hu Tao chirps knowingly, waving them both off and even standing up herself in order to hop on over to Xiangling to talk about more food.
Venti would say nothing, only reaching over to tuck Aether’s hair behind his ear kindly and gesture for him and Xiao to go in his own knowing manner.
Aether follows Xiao out the door after giving Venti a smile, letting out a small hum at Xiao’s breath of relief as soon as they’re outside.
It’s quiet for a moment, the adeptus soaking in the silence while Aether fidgets behind him- admiring Xiao’s back a little unashamedly. He liked to put his hand right where it’s open, it always made Xiao jump in surprise and his face would redden in embarrassment.
Yet, he never told Aether not to do it.
He blinks when Xiao turns around, catching his gaze and raising an eyebrow. Aether just smiles sheepishly, face red as the adeptus steps towards him with a sigh.
“Are you alright?” Xiao questions softly, and when Aether tilts his head in confusion he gestures to his stomach.
“Oh!” Aether shakes his head, “I’m okay. I was worried about you, so…” He moves his weight from one foot then to the other back and forward, rocking in place. “...Are you okay?”
“...Fine..” Xiao mumbles, averting his gaze but-
“Was it Venti and Zhongli?” Aether questions, immediately getting Xiao’s attention back on him.
“No- I mean, not just them.” Xiao sighs lowly, “It.. Doesn’t matter. Times are different- I guess I just expected… Something else.”
Aether lets it be quiet for a minute, then he’s taking Xiao’s hand and looking at him with a pout. The adeptus squints, seemingly trying his hardest to defy Aether’s eyes that plead for him to continue.
…
He fails, of course. And he inhales sharply, “Right. Fine.” Xiao forces Aether to let go of his hand so he can bring it to the blonde's waist, pulling him close and kissing Aether a bit spitefully before separating to stare him down. “I’ll explain. But you’re persistent, you know that?”
Aether just smiles obliviously in response, face flushed sweetly as he seems to just have adored the kiss given to him.
Lord, Xiao thinks lovingly despite being ‘guilt tripped’ into opening up, how he didn’t deserve his beautiful star.