Work Text:
"How long has it been...?" Lyney spoke in the midst of the evening silence as he and Aether sat on a hill— the same one where they first gazed at the stars together. "Since what?" the blonde traveler asked. His boyfriend scooted closer to lay on his shoulder and answered, "Since we both realized our feelings for each other." Aether paused, suddenly hit by the nostalgia of how they came to be. He couldn't help but think that being with him was one of the best miracles he could ever ask for.
Aether sighed fondly and ran his hand along Lyney's upper arm. "It's been a year," he said. "A whole year with you..." the ash blonde muttered in awe. "Honestly, I didn't think we'd make it this far back then, let alone think I'd actually make you mine," Lyney confessed, getting up to see the traveler eye to eye. "Well, neither did I," Aether replied, making them both giggle.
Lyney sighed to calm down and spoke again. "It's funny how one of the people who once deceived you ended up loving you more than life itself, haha." Aether sensed a hint of sadness in the magician's voice, frowning from the fact that the trial still haunted him to this day. "Hey," he held Lyney's hand in his, trying to comfort him. "I told you it's all water under the bridge now," he reassured him with a smile.
Lyney had always found peace in Aether's gaze. However, the idea of hurting him again is something that never left his mind. "I know, it's just..." The magician breathed sharply, as if there's a certain weight tugging him down for his chest to feel heavy. "I just don't want to hurt you again like before, to the point where you and I have to pick a side."
"And I know you won't," the golden blonde replied. "I forgave you when you proved you're sincere with your apology, Lyney. It's alright." The heavy feeling in Lyney's chest slowly evaporated, somehow relieved from what his lover told him. The ash blonde then wrapped his arms around the traveler, hugging him tightly as a 'thank you'. Aether returned the gesture and kissed his temple.
As minutes of silence passed by while admiring the moon, a thought crossed Aether's mind. "Lyn?" he uttered to get the other's attention. The magician hummed in reply. "Remember when I took you out here for the first time?" began Aether. "When you were on your way to Natlan the next day? What about it?" asked Lyney out of cluelessness.
"I was actually going to tell you that night, but other than thinking you won't feel the same and all of your musings of me are just platonic, it felt wrong for me to tell you the good news before the bad." No wonder he mentioned backing out last minute when Aether confessed a year ago— he was also considering how Lyney would feel if he told him about both his feelings and leaving Fontaine at the same time.
Now thinking about what could've been back then, the magician would've also have his heart broken in a blink of an eye. He would've begged for him to reschedule his trip to spend a few days more with him. Lyney then broke away from his thoughts. "I understand, mon amour," he replied.
"Honestly, I'm glad you didn't," the magician added, smiling. "But... Why, though?" questioned Aether. "Looking back at it now, and comparing it to what could've been, I would've been more devastated if you told me you loved me and you're leaving me on the next day, haha," he replied frankly, with the traveler just giving a warm smile in response.
"But Aether, there's one thing I wanna know about." "I'm all ears," he responded, listening to him. "When we parted ways after sitting out here, what happened with you and Paimon?" Lyney asked away. Aether paused to think, then he began. "Well, it went like this..."
***
"So... I'll see you tomorrow morning, then?" Lyney asked. Aether smiled at him once more. "Yeah, I'll see you tomorrow," he replied. They exchanged greetings once more, and went their separate ways. On the way to the aquabus station, Aether suddenly stopped. "Paimon wonders if– Hey, why'd you stop?" Paimon turned around, confused.
"Actually, I... wanna sit by the beach for a bit," he answered. "But aren't you tired?" the fairy asked out of concern. "It's alright, I could hold up a little longer," he assured his companion. "I just have a few things in my mind." "Well, alright then," said the fairy.
Both of them sat by the shore behind the Opera Epiclese near the entrance to the Fortress of Meropide. As quietness took place around Aether, with only the crashing of waves making volumes, he stared far off from the ocean, sitting on the grainy sands. Not long after, Paimon joined him.
"Hey, traveler?" the white fairy spoke first among the both of them. Aether turned to her direction. "Is everything alright?" The traveler could only sigh for an answer. "You didn't tell him, did you?" Paimon guessed.
"No, I didn't," he replied. "But that was your only chance!" "I don't want to hurt him after possibly making him happy, Paimon," Aether counterargued. Paimon tried to slowly register what he just said. "Well, now that you mentioned it, you do have a point," she agreed.
"Now that Paimon thought about it, the clauses "I'm in love with you" and "I'm leaving for Natlan" really don't go together, do they?" she tried to restate what Aether said in a jokingly light-hearted manner, but the traveler didn't respond in any way.
Not only was he scared he misunderstood Lyney's mannerisms around him, but he regretted missing every single chance to tell him way back during his stay. After getting nothing from Aether, Paimon gave up trying to cheer him up.
After a long break of awkward silence, Aether finally spoke. "I should've told him sooner the moment I had him alone all this time, but... I don't know why I didn't." And before he could notice, a droplet of salt ran down his cheek. "Traveler..."
"And when I come back here after saving Natlan, who knows if Lyney could still possibly be in love with me... or found someone better..." he continued, his voice breaking from the tears. "I've lost so many chances with the others before, I can't lose another one again!" Aether cried out, no longer able to bear the pain anymore.
All his life in Teyvat, he was called by so many names from "Honorary Knight of Mondstadt" to "Executioner of Justice", but rarest are the instances where he'd be called by his real name, "Aether". Only his sister were able to call him that, and a few he considered closest to him— that includes the siblings from the House of the Hearth.
Not only he's the only trusted "outsider" of the Hearth— he was also considered "family", especially the Knave. A huge honor from the 4th Fatui Harbinger it may be, but to also three of her "children" who were once orphans roaming the streets. To him, that's what makes him consider them— and especially Lyney— "home".
However among all of them, only Lyney had called him by his name more than he could count ever since he found out. And with that had he grown closer and loved Lyney more than he had. Hearing the magician calling him by it made his heart flutter. Whenever he looked at him, he found peace and happiness— in his eyes, he found solace.
He found that same feeling in a few people, but none of them came around. He was hoping Lyney would. He wanted him to... But how would he come around... when the clock already stopped running?
"Paimon hugged him from behind as an attempt to comfort him. "Hey, it'll be alright. You know, Paimon thinks that Lyney wouldn't let you go that easy, best case scenario." Aether's breath quivered. His eyes, exhausted from shedding tears for a magician even he couldn't attain himself. But what if Paimon was right? Maybe Lyney would come around tomorrow... Aether looked at the heavens and quietly prayed, a sliver of hope in his golden eyes...
"If there's at least anyone who could hear my wishes... If there's one thing I wanted other than to find my sister... May the alignment of the stars defy fate... And intertwine our souls together."
***
"You... wished upon the stars... for me?" The magician stuttered, still absorbing everything from what he just heard. Lyney wished for him too, but Aether wishing for him? He was speechless. He never knew the traveler also yearned for him so much.
"Of course, I would," Aether replied. "Oh, Aether, I-" the golden blonde fondly smiled at his lover looking all flustered and fumbling his sentences. But in truth, Aether would go through any lengths to fight for him. His love for the magician is one of the things he swore to protect— one of his own "truths".
"I mean-" Lyney finally sighed and spoke again. "Mon etoilé, I have no idea why I deserve you, really. I wished for you every night too." "And here we are, side by side, together," Aether replied, pecking the back of his hand.
"I don't know if I ever told you this, but..." The traveler then pulled Lyney closer to him, a few inches away from his face. "You're one of the few things I'd keep fighting for, Lyney." The ash blonde's heart raced thrice than it usually did. "Then, I'll keep fighting for you, Aether," he smiled as he caressed his cheek. "Until the last of my days..."
Seconds later, Aether's lips pressed on to his, and every kiss felt sweeter after another.