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"….S-so…..let me see if I understand this…" A gloved hand is shoved right against Aether's face. "Just humor me for a bit."
"Ok, shoot."
"You and Paimon wanted to meet someone from an old family story…"
"Yes…?"
"In that story, this person recused a man from drowning…"
"Correct."
"So to hopefully meet the same person, you went to a mountain in the north…and pretended to drown yourself?!"
"Y-Yeah, didn't get very far though. Before I knew it, Xiao had already dragged me back to shore. He's as quick as the wind."
"….."
"A-Amber?"
The Outrider pinches her nose with a mildly frustrated grunt. "Do you see what's the problem here?"
"Oh come on…" Aether's face drops a tad. "I promise you I wasn't in any kind of danger. Crazy stunts Paimon comes up with aside, there was a reason she had me swim there and not, say, in the middle of the ocean. "
"I see…so it was all Paimon's idea, hm?" She grumbles low, looking at the fast-asleep child on the carpeted floor.
"What did you say?"
"O-oh, ah, nothing at all! It's just- hearing all of this makes me really concerned as to what other ideas she's putting into your head. And how many of them you actually obey." With an unamused expression, she crosses her arms and huffs out at the adventurer. "And yet somehow! This is still better than last year!"
A dull pain comes throbbing back to Aether's head at the reminder. "Hey, I've already apologized for that one many times. I admit it wasn't…the wisest choice to dive headfirst into a sea dragon's blast."
"You think?! I just about passed out when I hear the news! Remember?"
"Yes ma'am… I'm sorry. Again."
Amber takes a long pause and sighs. "…N-No…you're right. You only did that because Liyue would've been in danger… And we have talked about it since…. Sorry…."
An awkward silence comes over while Amber takes off her gloves, before facing Aether again. "Turn around please, I'm almost done…"
Seconds later, Aether finds himself sitting with his back to the grand bed, giving Amber her privacy while staring at Paimon. "…You're mad, aren't you?" The way he words that makes it barely qualify as a question.
"No I'm not."
"Amber, even when I'm not looking at you, I can tell you're lying. Scratch that, even if we weren't together, I'd be able to tell if you were lying. Pretty sure everyone in Mondstadt would say the same."
"F-Fine, maybe I am a little annoyed! But it's fine, I'll just have to take my vengeance upon you another time! …Maybe after the fireworks, hm~"
Aether raises an unseen eyebrow. "Stealing Eula's catchphrase, are we?"
"It fits in this scenario, sorry to say~" A minute goes by with nothing but fabric jostling and temptation being contained, but eventually- "Alright, I'm done."
Of course when Aether stands up and turns around, he blushes a bit at his sight of heaven, despite this not being the first time. There's just something about Amber in her red sleepwear that makes it so cute- or maybe it's the childish pout she's giving him.
"You sleep on that side tonight, I have plans for tomorrow and may need to leave early."
Minutes later, an absentminded thought occurs to Aether as he's about to finally drift off…. "I hope you like Lantern Rite…." He expected for Amber to already be asleep at this point, but instead his back gets locked in place by an explosion of warmth.
"I know I will…but please…take better care of yourself… Because… if you…do…n't…"
Both of them fall asleep with the sentence incomplete.
-0-
Aether has a peaceful sleep, but bizarrely, can't dream at all- every single one gets cut off.
-0-
When the Honorary Knight opens his eyes, the comfortable bed beneath very nearly makes him fall back asleep. As to be expected…this was an expensive vacation… There's also no one chirping at him or pleasant feeling beside his body, so Paimon must still be sleeping and Amber must have left already. As Aether tries to stretch himself out and stand up, he realizes-
He can't.
Extending his left arm just gives a nasty rubbing sensation across… His palms? No, more across his wrists... And doing the same with the right results in the same feeling.
What…the?
He can also feel his feet pressing together upon squirming those, and there's yet another uncomfortable feeling across both ankles…
Feels rough…
Aether's senses are starting to come back, quicker than normal at so many unusual things occurring. Although he can't see his face, he feels nothing blocking his breathing, so there's no restraint on his neck. Meaning he should be able to turn his head enough…!
L-Let's see…here….ah!
There's some rope? Around his wrist, tied to a corner of the bed… and checking his opposite hand reveals the exact same thing on that side. He strains his neck just enough, and yup, more rope encircles around both ankles, predictably tied to the bed's base. Though he only looked for a second in the darkness, all three binds are thick and look to be the same kind, just like what a Mondstadt merchant would use to hold goods to their cart. In Aether's experience, they aren't the most sturdy material, but that isn't his first priority.
I've been trapped…! Which means-!
"Amber! Paimon!" He tries to keep rising panic from his voice, and luckily for him, doesn't even get the chance to judge if he did or not.
*Click*
Light returns to the hotel room above. And in the doorway, stands the Outrider herself. After his eyes adjust again, Aether feels a relieved smile break through.
"Oh thank the Archons…. You're ok….."
Priorities clearly implied, the girl blushes heavily. But then, strangely to Aether, the only movement is her shaking her head and clearing her throat. Shouldn't she rushing over to free him?
"….Amber?"
She replies lower than usual, typical enthusiasm stripped. "Another successful job, thanks to Outrider Amber~"
"….Um, what?"
"I….I couldn't go to bed after we finished talking yesterday…my mind kept going back to what you told me, the "stunt" you pulled for Lantern Rite."
"The "drowning" thing?" Aether wants to face plant on the bed. "I told you-"
"Aether." She begins to slowly walk, almost saunter over to her bound boyfriend, which for some reason, shuts him up. "You're going to be in danger no matter where you go…no matter what you do. I accepted that even back before we started going out." She keeps her focus locked on to the blonde as she approaches, bare feet making inaudible sounds upon meeting carpet.
A sharp frown appears on her face for a second, before going back to a neutral expression. As if she can't make up her mind. "But now…now I have to worry about you during festivals too." Her bare hand goes skyward, right in front of the boy…Aether feels his muscles tense, bracing for a smack.
"Faking a drowning incident….getting blasted by a giant serpent… Do you know have… any idea….how worried hearing stories like those makes me…?"
He gulps, but doesn't look away. He can't anyway. The other hand of Amber has crept up his neck and has a single finger directing his chin.
"Festivals are meant to be a time for fun…nobody should have to worry about their loved ones being in danger during them…."
Amber's palm comes crashing down, preparing to meet soft flesh…or at least, that's what Aether expects.
But instead, it only comes down slowly on his cheek, where she proceeds to gently caress it. Her touch- a bit cold, betraying her name- immobilizes him, making it impossible to even flinch.
"For me to do just that…well, it hardly seems fair, does it?"
"Ah…."
Those golden eyes of hers softly close, and her next breath is taken very deliberately. A drop of sweat trickles down Aether's neck, intensely curious as to what she's thinking of.
"So, I've come to a decision. I…I have to keep you safe. From the Abyss. From thieves and monsters…from Paimon's crazy ideas…and even from yourself.
The fondling of his cheek steadily intensifies, initial frosty touch phasing out as a new warmth spreads. Amber begins to lean in over Aether, his quiet but quick exhales now patting her face.
"Am…ber…what…?" Words and thoughts alike are failing him with increasing frequency the closer she gets.
"Ssshhh….~" The lone digit on his chin previously snakes its' way up the blonde's face, lying on his lips now. Just as slowly as their closing act, Amber opens her golden eyes halfway…and maybe they're just reflecting off Aether's own, but they really appear to glow somewhat, ensnaring his focus.
"No more talking, Honorary Knight~" With a devilish smirk, Amber has now gotten close enough that Aether's panicked breath warms her face up, noses nearly touching each other. Without retreating even an inch, both of her hands get off of his skin and spread themselves to each side, out of his sight. One moment later, and Amber has heaved herself up onto the bed once more, sitting right on top of the hero of Mondstadt.
"….I'm going to have you a-all to myself from now on." Deftly, her hands envelope each of Aether's palms without brushing against the rope on his wrists.
"You'll never be in danger again~"
With hands practically holding each other and Amber completely trapping the adventurer, Aether can do nothing more than just watch in awe…and exhale, resigned to fate.
Amber lowers herself….
Close enough to touch.
…..
And she grins wide.
"Got you~". A fierce whisper echos in his ear.
"…Wha-"
Before Aether can react further, Amber throws her body upwards, providing a now healthy distance between the two- even if she is still sitting on his waist. Her smile continues to grow into a carefree look, not containing a hint of the wannabe seducer mere seconds ago.
"Snnnrk~ The look on your face! You were completely paralyzed!"
All the tension in Aether's chest leaves while Amber continues to laugh, eventually producing an awkward chuckle from himself as well. So she didn't just have a sudden personality change reminiscent of a certain librarian, but was doing this for….fun? He needs more information.
"So...care to explain this?" He gestures to his rope-surrounded wrist.
"Oh, that? Well, mister-" She giggles cutely. "It's quite easy to fool you into not waking up, if I give you a certain warm plush."
"…..Baron Bunny…?"
"Got it in one! And as for the rope, an Outrider always has some emergency supplies! Plus, have you tried really moving around?"
I haven't. He realizes, and does so. To his mild surprise, the binding isn't exactly tight, not restricting him that much all things considered… "How did you do this…?"
A light blush appears on the archer's cheeks. "Lisa…gave me a book…"
"Ohhh….."
"Yup….…."
…
"….So care to untie me?"
"Nooope~" She winks at him from above.
"But why?!"
"Well, it's… oh, it's like the shows we watched…! "Every performance always has some truth behind it", right?
Aether raises an eyebrow. "So, do you actually want to keep me tied up, literally, and prevent me from exploring?"
"No, of course not… It's just…" Amber finally removes herself from Aether fully, sitting on the side of the bed and sighing.
"Look… I know firsthand how special you are Aether. Everything you do is incredible…you fight dragons, Abyss forces, and apparently gods?! That's just… unimaginable, for a normal person like me…"
"Amber…"
"I know the "target" on your back will just get bigger and bigger. I know this. But there's nothing I can do… I can't stop you from exploring, and even if I could, I wouldn't. I kind of just have to…hope and pray to Barbatos that you're okay, and that you'll always return."
She turns back to face him with a smile. "So, during the times when I shouldn't have to worry about you, like for festivals… can you just try to not to take on these crazy tasks. For me?"
….Aether contemplates his next words very carefully upon Amber going silent. Finally he opens his mouth.
"I will always keep you in mind Amber, but I can't promise that. I can't be idle when people might need me, no matter what's going on."
"…I can, however, agree to be smarter with my "reckless" actions. Coming back home to you- that's just as important as anything."
The Outrider breathes out slowly, but then cheekily grins. "Good enough, for now that is. Heheheh…" She leans over Aether again as an idea strikes. "Now listen. I'm going to hang out with Eula, her friend Yanfei, and her friend… Hu Tao, I think that's her name? When I return, we can go to dinner, watch the fireworks, and have some real fun. Ok?" Her fingers dance their way up his chest.
"Ooh, girls day out?"
"We'll see. Last I heard, Hu Tao might bring friends?" She tries to remember, serious part over with.
"Ah, right Amber?"
"Hm?-"
As mentioned previously, Aether's head and chest weren't restricted. And with Amber being so close once already, he definitely was not about to pass this chance up a second time. Catching her off guard, Aether suddenly lifts himself up and presses his lips with hers. Amber's yelp of surprise gets quickly covered up by this- and from a certain archer's pleasurable moan. However just before she can truly melt, Aether withdraws and willingly gives himself up to gravity.
"….See you at dinner. And for the record, I don't think there's anything wrong with being "normal'". He laughs, seeing her face quickly redden.
"…." In a happy daze, no thanks to the smile Aether's giving her, Amber slowly gets up and stumbles out of the room. Or, is about to-
"One more thing, Amber….what happened to Paimon?"
She tries her best to put on the "act" again at the question, turning around to face Aether with an amused expression.
"Oh, she's a bit tied up at the moment. …Hey did I ever tell you I know Xiao?"
-0-
"And furthermore! One is still outraged the Conquerer of Demons designated oneself as the "Most Talkative Adepti Rex Lapis knows" and decided to…PAWN you off to oneself! Especially as you came up with that slanderous nickname for oneself, in one's own abode!"
A great flap of wings accompanies this great booming voice, directed to one not-so-great Paimon sitting at a table. Her eyes may be closed, her head may be down, but she isn't asleep, unfortunately for her. Well, even if she could nod off, Cloud Retainer wouldn't allow that to stand for two seconds.
"Hmph! Still…one supposes this could be a great opportunity….away from your esteemed companion, perhaps you would be eager to subject yourself to one's own Supreme Cuisine Machine…!
"…..Paimon is NOT EMERGENCY FOOD!"
-0-
"Is this….how humans show affection to one another?" Hours after Amber left, a new awed voice from the hotel room comes from Xiao, of all people. Aether called him of course…though true to what she said, Amber already made him promise "to not free Aether except for emergencies".
Aether was in no hurry to give his friend an unfair dilemma, he just needed someone to talk to. It gets boring, not having Paimon.
"Sometimes…I guess. I don't know what she was thinking." He responds, wrist tugging at the binds.
"Perhaps, that you would find….this…fascinating." Xiao awkwardly replies, clearly out of his element.
But that comment…it's enough to get Aether's imagination running…
...
….Amber tightening the ropes on his limbs…restraining his movement…
Her approaching him with a sultry, sexy smile…
Being completely at her mercy…
….
Oh crap.
Maybe he was into it. Just a little.