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Aether was incredibly lonely. That wasn’t new. It was really hard traveling through Teyvat and having to be called a false name, unable to trust anyone with the truth. His sister wasn’t there to comfort him, either. The fact that he was stuck in bed sick made it worse. He wanted someone, someone he trusted, to hold him and banish this feeling he despised.
One familiarly beautiful face entered his mind. Should he? The adeptus undoubtedly had things to do, but he had told Aether to call him when he was needed, didn’t he? Aether didn’t need him more than he did now.
“Xiao?” Aether’s sore voice could barely form the word. “Xiao?” He tried again.
“I heard you the first time.” Xiao said quietly from Aether’s right.
Aether nearly jumped out of the bed. “Holy shit! Could you at least make some noise when you appear?”
Xiao hung his head. “Sorry.”
Aether immediately regretted his harsh tone. “No, no. It’s okay. I didn’t mean to make you feel bad.”
Xiao looked up, visibly softening at the sight of the Traveler. “Do you need me for something? Perhaps to avenge a wound?” He asked, acknowledging his condition.
Aether almost laughed. “I’m sick, Xiao, not wounded.”
“Oh.” Xiao creased his eyebrows in confusion. “Then, what do you need me for?”
Aether flushed, embarrassed at how foolish his reason seemed. “Well, I was feeling really lonely, and needed someone I trust.”
Understanding shone in those dazzling golden eyes. “Oh… I see.” His turn to blush with embarrassment. “Uh… what exactly am I supposed to do?”
This time, Aether did laugh. It quickly turned into a coughing fit, and Xiao reached out, then hesitated, no doubt remembering that he had no idea how to help him.
Aether wiped his tears, then patted the empty space next to him. “Just come and sit with me.”
Xiao looked at Aether, then the empty space.
“Xiao…” Aether croaked. “When was the last time you let yourself rest?”
Xiao looked away guiltily. “I… it was…”
Too long. Aether thought. He reached out and grabbed Xiao’s hand.
Xiao’s head snapped back to focus on Aether, cheeks pink.
Aether gently pulled him closer and onto the bed.
“[Traveler], why do you care about me?” Xiao asked, seating himself awkwardly.
There it was. The false name that made him feel so… estranged. Alone. He stiffened at the word.
Xiao, ever so observant, noticed this. “That’s… not your real name, is it?” He touched Aether’s hand comfortingly.
Aether was spiraling. It might be the dizziness he felt at Xiao’s touch, so full of care and concern, or it could be the ever-present crack in his heart that was slowly driving him insane.
It wouldn’t hurt to tell him, would it? It was only fair that the man he wanted to hold, to keep close, to be with would know his real name.
Xiao’s hand went up to Aether’s cheek, wiping away his tears. Aether melted into the touch, embracing Xiao, a mess of coughs and sobs.
Xiao was frozen in shock for a few seconds, then eased into the embrace, holding him gently but strong, as if he were afraid Aether would disappear.
The word was on his tongue before he could stop it. “Aether.”
Aether hadn’t told his name to anyone. Lumine knew, of course, and he suspected that Paimon and Dainsleif knew, but he never told anyone. Yet, he didn’t regret telling Xiao.
“Aether.” Xiao said, trying the word.
Aether sat up suddenly, holding Xiao’s face and staring deeply into his shocked yet beautiful eyes. He felt the warmth spreading to Xiao’s cheeks as he blushed.
“Please.” He said breathlessly. “Say it again.”
Xiao swallowed nervously, then opened his mouth, and again the word left. “Aether.” This time, Aether could feel the vibration from the words in his hands, as well as the care Xiao put into the name. Hearing it in Xiao’s voice filled Aether with warmth and a need to be with him, to be close to him. He wasn’t alone anymore.
Tears once again streamed down Aether’s face, hydro reacting to the incredibly large amount of emotions bubbling up in his chest.
“Oh-oh. I didn’t… I didn’t um… mean to make you cry.” Xiao said, voice soft.
“Please don’t be upset.” Aether’s hands moved to hold Xiao’s. “I’m really glad you’re here. Seriously. You’ve made my life better.”
Xiao smiled. Not one of those small yet genuine smiles he gave when Chongyun gave him one of his popsicles. It was a real smile, one that glowed with happiness. It was beautiful, filling Aether with a warmth and joy he couldn’t comprehend.
“Now, you need sleep.” Aether said.
“I…” Xiao’s smile twisted into a look of confusion. “I what?”
“Xiao, you haven’t slept in who knows how long, so I’m making you take a nap.” Aether folded his arms.
A small amount of tension in Xiao’s shoulders released as he sighed. “Aether, I can’t-”
Aether heard a scream from the door. His head spun, and his eyes found Paimon covering her eyes against the scene before her.
Xiao tensed once more, stoicism hardening his features. Disappointment flooded Aether’s mind.
“You-uh-Paimon’ll-” Paimon motioned wildly towards the door.
Xiao sighed. “No, it’s okay, Paimon. I need to leave, anyways.”
“Oh, uh, okay.” Paimon stammered.
Xiao leaned in and whispered in Aether’s ear. “I hope I see you again soon, Aether.”
Both faces turned pink, and Xiao gave Paimon a nod before vanishing into thin smoke.
“So…” Paimon said, a sly grin growing on her face. “When did your boyfriend get here?”
Aether got redder. “I-he was just-”
“No need to explain it.” She put her hands on her hips in a smug gesture. “Paimon can tell you like him based on your excuses to visit Liyue, and your sudden love of the color yellow, and-”
“I get it! I get it!” Aether shouted, voice raw. “I’m being obvious, I know, and I-” He launched into another coughing fit.
Paimon slammed a glass of water on the nightstand, then glared at him.
He sighed, then drank.
“He was just here to help me feel less lonely.” Aether finally decided on saying. “He’s really good at doing that.”
“Oooh, Paimon gets it! You want her to set you two up!” She giggled.
Aether shouted her name, then hid his red face in the bed covers.
“Okay, Paimon will stop now.” Paimon’s voice was muffled due to the blankets over Aether’s head.
“Good.” He said, staying under the blankets.
“Will you come out and talk to Paimon?”
“No. I’m still mad at you.”
“Why?”
“You scared Xiao away. I almost got him to fall asleep for once.”
“Aw, Paimon’s sorry.”
“Are you?”
“Sorry she couldn’t see that! That would be SO CUTE. Paimon just got a new kamera, and that would be the perfect first picture.”
Aether groaned and tried not to imagine it. He did anyways. Xiao asleep while holding Aether gently… gods, now he was wishing Paimon could have seen it, if only it meant that it would’ve happened.
“Let me sleep.” He said, letting his head out of the blankets.
“Okay! Paimon’ll leave you to your dreaming about Xiao~!” She kicked her legs excitedly.
Aether turned pink and hid beneath the covers once more. Paimon left the room laughing.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Aether’s sickness only got worse. Sometimes he even struggled to breathe. Paimon insisted that they find a doctor, so Aether found himself on Tighnari’s “hospital” bed while Collei searched for medicine as Tighnari gave Aether a checkup.
“Your symptoms tell me that you have pneumonia,” he noted, tail twitching. “Have you been exposed to cold climates without any protection?”
Aether looked to Paimon, who frowned. “Well, I guess Fontaine was pretty chilly,” she mused.
Tighnari raised an eyebrow. “I don’t know that ‘pretty chilly’ is cold enough to contract pneumonia, but here we are. Collei? Do you have the medicines I asked for?”
Collei rushed to his side. “Right here, Master!”
Tighnari gave her a soft smile as he took a cup of what looked like tea from her. He then brought the drink up to his nose, whiffed it, then lowered the cup, nodding with approval.
Collei grinned widely. “I need to go on patrol. Get some good rest, [Traveler]!”
“Bye, Collei!” Paimon replied. Aether just waved.
Tighnari handed the cup to Aether. “Drink one of these every night. I’m not going to force you to stay, but if you’d be willing, I’d like to keep an eye on you.” He nodded at the tea, wordlessly telling Aether to drink it.
He did. It was warm, and soothed his sore throat. It did not, however, taste good. It was bitter, and left a distinct taste on Aether’s tongue. He wrinkled his nose in distaste, but drank it anyways.
Tighnari took the cup from him. “Rest.” He demanded, leaving the room.
“Paimon will leave you to sleep.” Paimon said with a look of concern. She floated out of the hut, looking back multiple times.
Aether lied down in the bed and attempted a sigh, but it came out as coughs.
Once again, he had the feeling to call Xiao. Could he even teleport that far? Would Aether get him sick? Could Adepti get sick?
He remembered their latest interaction. Xiao needed rest. Aether figured that he wouldn’t let himself without a little push.
“Xiao?” Aether called.
He appeared with a small sound next to the bed.
“Was that better?” Xiao asked, a smile tugging at his lips.
Aether couldn’t help but smile. “Yeah. Thanks for thinking of that, Xiao.”
“Is there something wrong?” He asked.
Aether just moved aside, leaving space on the bed for Xiao.
Xiao sighed and looked at him with sad eyes. “You’re really determined about this, aren’t you?”
“Can you please let me take care of you if you won’t?” Aether pleaded.
Once again, Xiao seated himself on the bed.
“Lie down.” Aether said gently.
Xiao did. Rather awkwardly, but he did.
“Why don’t you ever let yourself sleep?” Aether asked beside him.
Xiao was on his side, facing Aether. “I’m too busy conquering demons.” Too quick. An automatic answer.
Aether waited, looking into Xiao’s golden eyes.
Xiao finally succumbed to Aether’s worry, and sighed. “And the nightmares. It also… it really hurts, Aether.”
The pain in his voice created fractures in Aether’s heart. Xiao didn’t deserve this.
He moved closer. They were centimeters apart now. Xiao’s breathing quickened.
Aether grabbed Xiao’s hand and pressed it to his own chest. “Breathe with me. Ready?”
Xiao swallowed nervously, then nodded.
Aether breathed deeply, and Xiao followed suit, closing his eyes.
“Turn around.” Aether said as Xiao opened his eyes again.
Confusion sparked in his yellow eyes, but he did as he was asked, trusting Aether enough to show his back to him.
Aether wrapped his arms around Xiao’s torso and pulled him in. He felt so small in Aether’s arms.
“It’s okay.” Aether whispered, as his lips were nearly touching Xiao’s ear. “The nightmares can’t get to you when I’m here.”
Xiao let out a shaky breath, then relaxed in Aether’s arms. His eyes were closed, and his breathing was slowing.
Aether smiled. He did it! Finally Xiao could- oh, gods, this was actually really comfortable. Being this close to someone never felt this good. Aether found himself following in Xiao’s footsteps and drifted off to sleep.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Tighnari stood in the hut, baffled at the scene before him. Paimon was floating next to him, holding in squeals of delight.
[Traveler] was asleep, holding tight to another man with messy teal hair and a diamond tattoo on his forehead, as well as tattoos on his shoulders. He was also asleep. He had a… dark aura about him, though his expression was peaceful. Tighnari was wondering how the hell this guy got into the hut, as no one had approached it since he left.
“Who the hell is that?” Tighnari whispered.
“Someone very special to [Traveler],” Paimon responded deviously. She rushed to her pack and grabbed a kamera.
The click was enough to wake the man Tighnari didn’t know. His eyes snapped open, then he stood up and summoned his polearm. His first instinct was obviously protecting The Traveler.
“Xiao?” [Traveler] asked drowsily, then saw Tighnari and Paimon. “They’re friends, Xiao, calm down.”
The man (Xiao, apparently) took a few deep breaths, then his polearm vanished into golden sparks.
“How the hell did you get in here?” Tighnari blurted.
Xiao folded his arms. “The Traveler summoned me.”
[Traveler] turned red.
Xiao received silence as an answer.
“If there’s nothing else, I’ll take my leave.” Xiao said, incredibly stiff. [Traveler] stood up and stretched beside him.
Xiao took one look at the Traveler and immediately softened. He turned pink, then leaned in and planted a quick kiss on [Traveler]’s cheek, whispering something in his ear as he pulled away. He then vanished, leaving behind a small amount of smoke.
[Traveler] was shocked. His hand was nearly touching the spot Xiao kissed, as if in reverence. The color in his cheeks was slowly deepening.
“So…” Tighnari began.
“Bye.” The Traveler replied, scrambling past them and escaping into the forest.
“I didn’t know his condition was so… severe.” Tighnari noted.
“Oh my gods, they should just kiss.” Paimon sighed, shaking her head.
Tighnari had only seen a few moments of interaction, but he found himself agreeing with Paimon.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Take care of yourself. You’re important to me. That’s what Xiao had said.
Aether would do anything for Xiao, even if it was difficult.
You’re important to me. Aether was practically skipping down the pathways of Gandharva Ville, illness forgotten. He could still feel the light touch of Xiao’s lips to his cheek.
He found himself on the outside of Gandharva Ville, alone with the plants and trees.
Aether looked to the sky, imagining Xiao’s smile, so bright, so perfect.
“I love you.” Aether said, the realization hitting him hard, causing another whirlwind of emotions.
He’d deal with the negative aspects later. Right now, he just wanted to drink in the joy of having someone who could brighten his day just by being there.