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The plan, in its simplest form, was supposed to be quiet. Aether had one errand to run in Liyue Harbor, and then he could spend the rest of the afternoon relaxing.
Aether had been looking forward to a slow, wandering day through the city for weeks. He craved the kind of afternoon where the only "elemental energy" he encountered was the steam rising from a bamboo stirrer. No Commissions, no Fatui plots, and certainly no urgent letters sealed with wax that smelled faintly of impending disaster. Just the sun hitting the golden-tiled rooftops and the sharp, clean salt-drift of the docks. If he was lucky, he’d find Xiangling at her stove, and for once, he’d enjoy the pleasant, rare weight of having absolutely nothing to do.
Paimon was currently absent, having vanished to visit her "secret snack stockpile"--a location she guarded with more security than the Northland Bank. Aether suspected it was tucked somewhere beneath the floorboards of the inn, given how often she hovered near the kitchen with a guilty expression. He didn’t mind. Her hiding out gave him the perfect opportunity to sneak off to the city alone.
It would have been the perfect opportunity, if the road south from Wangshu to the harbor had not turned treacherous overnight. The plains were suddenly crawling with demons, and something much larger had begun leaving deep, jagged footprints in the mud near the marsh’s edge. Three separate travelers had limped back to the inn that morning; one was missing a shoe, and all three looked like they’d seen a ghost.
Verr Goldet had been pacing the lobby, muttering about forbidding anyone from leaving until the demon activity was suppressed. But Aether couldn't wait that long.
So, Aether climbed the stairs to the highest balcony of Wangshu Inn. He stood at a respectful distance, the wind whipping his braid, and said, very carefully, "Xiao? Can I ask you for a favor?"
Xiao turned from the railing with the fluid, predatory grace of a hawk. The evening light caught the gold of his mask where it hung at his hip, glinting like a warning. His expression was his usual unreadable default: cold detachment that could mean anything from “Bother me again and I’ll throw you off this balcony” to “I will assist you, but I won't enjoy it” or maybe, in an alternate universe: “Anything for you, traveler.” It was an understatement that he was difficult to read.
"Speak," Xiao commanded.
"I want to go to Liyue Harbor tomorrow. Just for the day." Aether paused. "But the road south is... active. Something big is out there. Even the local scouts are turning back."
"Then don't go. Why put your life at risk?"
"I need to. There's a vendor who's holding something for me, and the hold expires tomorrow. It's–" Aether hesitated, feeling the sudden absurdity of explaining a shopping trip to a being who had fought in the Archon War. "It's a gift. For Paimon. Her birthday is coming up."
“What are you trying to get her?”
Aether was kind of surprised that Xiao cared enough to ask. “It’s um… a very small, very embroidered purse shaped like a fish. Paimon pointed at three weeks ago and then said ‘not that Paimon wants it, or anything’ eleven times on the walk home. If I don’t get this for her… I think she will be sad.”
Xiao looked at him for a long moment. Something passed across his face: not quite reluctance, and not quite resignation.
"The demon activity," Xiao said finally, his voice low. "I was not aware the corruption had spread so close to the roads. Do you know the count?"
"At least two, maybe more. Verr Goldet has been thinking of forbidding people to leave the inn until the situation is dealt with. For their safety, of course. But… I’m sure she’ll let me leave if you’re going too."
They were both quiet for a moment. The wind moved through the bamboo below them, sounding almost musical.
"Fine," Xiao said. "I will accompany you to the harbor tomorrow, and I will deal with the demons along the way. You’ll get that gift for Paimon."
Aether let out a breath he hadn't realized he was holding. He nodded seriously, suppressing the urge to smile. "Really? Thank you, Xiao. Seriously."
"There is no need to thank me; conquering demons is my duty–it just so happens that you need to head that way." Xiao had already turned back to the horizon. "Just call my name when you are ready to go."
⋆⁺₊⋆ ━━━━⊱༒︎ • ༒︎⊰━━━━ ⋆⁺₊⋆
They left at dawn.
The path south was eventful. Xiao disposed of several large demons with the kind of efficiency that made Aether feel both deeply grateful and slightly humbled. He had suspected that there were two or three, but it was more like twenty. While Aether is indeed strong, Xiao is the one who has more experience fighting actual demons. He wouldn’t have made it without his help.
Finally, the road curved down into the warmth of the valley, and Liyue Harbor rose up ahead of them in the morning light. It was already busy with fishermen, merchants, and tourists clambering around.
Xiao had gone very still at the edge of the city.
Not tense, exactly, more like a cat watching a room full of unfamiliar people, cataloguing every entrance and exit. His eyes moved constantly in those first minutes: the flower vendor on the corner, the couple arguing cheerfully over a cart of melons, a child who sprinted past them shrieking with laughter and very nearly collided with Xiao's knee.
Xiao stared after the child with an expression that suggested he was recalibrating his entire understanding of mortal risk assessment.
"I appreciate you assisting me, but there shouldn’t be any danger from here on," Aether said.
"You don’t know that." Xiao crossed his arms.
"I've been here a hundred times. The demons don’t come near the city."
"Hmm..." Xiao's gaze swept the street again. He had not reached for his weapon, but his posture definitely allotted for it. "Where is this vendor you are looking for?"
"On the other side of the harbor," Aether said, turning down an alley between buildings.
Xiao followed him. “I will make sure you get there safely before I take my leave.”
The market in the morning was Aether's favorite version of it: a little sleepy, golden light slanting between the stalls, the smell of frying dough and chrysanthemum tea.
Xiao walked at his left shoulder– close, alert, eyes still doing their restless cataloguing of the crowd. But as they moved deeper into the familiar chaos, something began, very slowly, to unknot in his posture. There was no threat here. Just fish and silk and the competitive shouting of three separate vendors who all claimed to have the freshest lychee.
Aether was so focused on a stall selling cor lapis jewelry that he flinched hard when he heard a voice like a cheerful foghorn behind him. Xiao instinctively reached for his spear, stepping between Aether and the threat.
"Well! Look at this."
They both turned. It was not actually a threat. Though, with her attitude, she could probably be considered one anyway.
Hu Tao was leaning against a stone pillar with a playfully relaxed posture. She was wearing her director's hat at a rakish angle, and her eyes, already sharp and gleaming with mischief, had zeroed in on the two of them.
"Hi, Hu Tao," Aether greeted her, having learned to be careful around open flames.
"Traveler~!" She pushed off the pillar and floated toward them with a bounce in her step, her pigtails swinging. "And… The Conqueror of Demons? Huh." She stopped in front of them and tilted her head, grinning. "Didn't know you two were– well… I mean... Obviously I didn't know. But it makes a lot of sense now that I'm looking at you."
Aether blinked. "What does?"
"You know…" She gestured vaguely at the space between Aether and Xiao. Then she clasped her hands together and beamed at them like a proud grandmother at a wedding. "So? How did you two meet? Oh, oh–!" She grabbed Aether's arm. "Tell me it's a good story. Something dramatic! Please."
"Wait, hold on–" Aether started.
"How we met..? Aether came to Wangshu Inn," Xiao explained. “And he brought me almond tofu.”
Hu Tao stared at Xiao, then at Aether, then back at Xiao, who had returned to scanning the market for threats.
Hu Tao's grin widened dangerously. "Almond tofu?"
"Yes," Xiao said. “It is the only mortal food I can stomach.”
"He means–" Aether started again.
"And you," Hu Tao said, turning to Aether with sparkling eyes, "That is so sweet! Did you make him that almond tofu yourself?"
“He did,” Xiao replied, quicker than Aether could process the question.
Aether just stuttered. "That's not–we're not–"
"Oh, don't be shy, Aether, it's nothing to be embarrassed about." She patted his arm sympathetically. "I've presided over enough funerals to know that life is short, love is precious, and you've got to grab it while it's–"
"Hu Tao."
"Okay, okay, I won't get morbid." She looked delighted. "So do you two spend a lot of time together? Like, fighting demons and then–what, dinner? A scenic walk? Very cute, honestly, ten out of ten, love the aesthetic."
"Uh, no. We're just here for the day," Xiao said. He had turned back to face Hu Tao now, and his expression was unchanged from its usual flat watchfulness. "Aether needed safe passage to the harbor, so I provided it."
Hu Tao pressed both hands over her heart. "He escorted you?"
"Hu Tao–!"
"That's a very romantic thing to do, Xiao. I hope you know that."
“Romantic?” Xiao gave her a look that suggested he was deeply uninterested. "Are you… selling something? Or do you just enjoy obstructing traffic?"
"Both," Hu Tao said cheerfully. "But don't let me keep you!" She stepped aside with a sweeping bow and a grin that was entirely too wide. "Enjoy the day, you two. Don't do anything I wouldn't do!"
"That's terrible advice!" Aether called out after her as she skipped away.
Aether’s heart was still hammering against his ribs as they wove through the initial crowd. Hu Tao had a habit of leaving a wake of chaos behind her, and even though they were moving away from her, the air between Aether and Xiao felt suddenly, sharply pressurized.
"She was acting strange," Xiao commented.
"Strange is an understatement," Aether muttered, picking up the pace. "Don't take anything she says to heart. Hu Tao just likes to... get a reaction out of people. She’s probably already forgotten she saw us and moved on to selling funeral coupons to some unsuspecting tourist.”
Xiao didn't look convinced. "She seemed concerned with the nature of our association. Is 'escort' not a sufficient term for mortals?"
"In Liyue?" Aether let out a nervous laugh, adjusting the strap of his bag. "No. Everyone in this city wants to know everyone else’s business. It’s practically a local sport, especially when it involves someone like you, who isn't exactly a common sight at the market. Anyways, come on. We’re not even halfway to the vendor that has Paimon’s gift yet."
They ducked under a low-hanging banner of red silk, transitioning from the main thoroughfare into a side street where the air grew noticeably heavier with the scent of spices and sizzling oil. The distant shouting of the merchants was replaced by the rhythmic thrum-thrum-thrum of cleavers on wooden blocks and the hiss of woks hitting high flames.
The food stalls gave way to the cooking quarter, and the cooking quarter meant Xiangling.
They heard her before they saw her: the clattering of pots, pans, and other utensils by someone who had clearly transcended ordinary cooking. She appeared from behind a cloud of fragrant steam wearing an apron spotted with three different sauces, and her face lit up when she saw Aether.
"Traveler! You're here early!" Then her gaze slid to Xiao, and her eyes went wide. "Oh, and you brought…?" She clapped a hand over her mouth, then pointed between them with a spatula. "Are you two…? Wait, don't answer, I can tell."
"We're just–" Aether started.
"Sit, sit, sit! I've been experimenting with a new Jueyun Chili sauce and I need someone with an actual palate to try it." She was already pulling two stools from behind the counter with her foot, somehow without dropping the spatula she was holding. "I'll do a full spread. Are you hungry? You look hungry. Well, I guess that hardly matters right now, I’m so curious! How long have you two been together?"
"Since this morning," Xiao said, taking a seat. Aether followed his lead and sat next to him.
Xiangling beamed. "Just since this morning and you're already– aww!" She pressed the spatula to her cheek. "That's so cute."
“Cute?” Xiao questioned.
"Xiangling," Aether tried to salvage the situation, "he means we left Wangshu Inn–"
"So!" She planted herself in front of them, all business now, eyes bright. "I'll do the new chili sauce dish, the steamed fish, the rice– oh and the clay pot, I just started a new batch…" She paused. "One portion or two?"
"Just one is fine," Xiao answered.
Xiangling practically melted. She let out a soft gasp, genuine, and it clearly showed how moved she was. Then she turned back to her stove before Aether could explain that Xiao doesn’t eat mortal foods, and that’s why they only needed one portion–not because they were sharing.
"Don’t worry, I'm giving you guys a couples discount!” Xiangling called out, voice rising cheerfully over the sound of a fresh pot being set to boil. Aether winced at the attention being drawn towards them. “We just started it– my dad told me discounts should bring in more families and I figured, families, couples, all the same spirit, right? Food tastes better when you share it."
"Xiangling, we really don't need–"
"I insist." She pointed the spatula at him like it was a weapon. "The discount is happening. No arguments."
The food arrived in a careful, beautiful sequence. Xiangling set down tiny dishes, each one smelling better than the last. Aether picked up his chopsticks and decided he could address the misunderstanding after he'd eaten, because the chili sauce dish smelled extraordinary and he was not about to let the crisis of social mortification ruin it. Not paying the full price was also kind of nice. He was about to spend a lot on Paimon’s gift, after all. If they ever got there.
Next to him, Xiao sat very still. He did not pick up chopsticks. He barely even looked at the food. He instead chose to set his sights on Aether with his usual quiet, watchful attention.
Aether looked up mid-bite. He wasn’t exactly sure how to explain to the adeptus that it was weird to watch people as they ate.
"Did you want to try some..?" Aether asked, the words out of his mouth before he'd even thought about them.
Xiao's gaze dropped briefly to the food. "No."
"Are you sure? I know you only like almond tofu, but…”
"Yes, I am sure. I’m quite content just watching; doing anything more would only make me feel sick."
"Right." Aether looked back down at his bowl. His ears were burning. "Right, of course. Sorry."
"There is no need to apologize. We’ve been traveling since dawn with no breaks. While I do not need to eat, I understand that you do. Take your time."
Xiangling swept past and refilled Aether's tea without being asked, shooting them both a smile that could have powered the city for a week. "I’ve got to go check on my slime condensate recipe, but stay as long as you like. Only the best treatment for Liyue’s favorite heroes!"
She practically skipped away. Aether buried his face in his tea cup, taking a gulp that was far too hot. He could feel Xiao’s steady, golden gaze on the side of his head, and that just made him feel even more flustered.
They finished in a comfortable, if slightly self-conscious, silence. Aether made sure to leave enough mora on the table to cover the bill and a large tip, despite Xiangling’s protests from the kitchen. As they stepped back out into the street, the mid-morning air felt cooler against Aether's flushed skin. The frantic energy of the cooking quarter began to fade, replaced by the more rhythmic, steady pulse of the merchant stalls.
The sun had pulled Xiao's shoulders down from their fighting tension. Not fully, never fully, but enough that he no longer looked like he was calculating exits from every alleyway. He walked at Aether's side with something closer to ease, his gaze still moving but not urgently anymore.
They passed a group of elderly men playing a card game on a stone table, their laughter punctuating the air. Xiao paused for a heartbeat, his eyes tracking a stray kite that had escaped a child’s grip and was soaring toward the rooftops. He didn't reach for his spear, or tense up for a leap. He just watched it go, a strange, quiet stillness settling over him. It was as if the harbor’s mundane peace was slowly acting as a filter, straining out the echoes of the screams he usually heard in the marshes.
"You've been here before, right?" Aether asked. For a moment, he worried it was a stupid question.
Xiao didn’t treat it as one. "Many times. Liyue Harbor is one of the few places in this country that has not tried to kill me. But that does not mean it’s always clear of danger."
Aether laughed, and Xiao glanced at him with what might have been the very beginning of a surprised expression.
"It seems like you have low expectations," Aether suggested.
"Perhaps. Safety is a fleeting concept," Xiao replied, his voice losing more of its sharp, defensive edge. "But I suppose... seeing the city through your eyes makes the 'danger' feel somewhat less imminent. You treat this place as if it were a home, rather than a battlefield."
Aether slowed his pace, matching Xiao’s stride as they approached the bridges leading toward the docks. "That's because it is a home, Xiao. For a lot of people. Including me, sometimes. I really like it here."
They had just turned onto one of the older streets near the docks, when Aether noticed a figure standing at the railing overlooking the water. He would have recognized that silhouette anywhere.
The former archon was dressed in his usual deep amber and brown, one hand resting on the railing, his eyes on the distant sea. He looked, as he always did, like a painting of something older than language.
"Zhongli," Aether greeted him.
Zhongli turned. His gaze moved from Aether to Xiao with calm, thorough attention, and something in his expression warmed.
"Aether." Then, quieter: "Xiao. It’s good to see you both."
"Rex Lap–Zhongli," Xiao inclined his head, correcting himself. Aether watched something shift very slightly in Xiao's bearing. Not submissive, exactly, but a profound reverence. His guard was considerably lowered now.
"It has been some time since you have come down to the harbor," Zhongli said. "I trust you are well?"
"Yes," Xiao responded.
Zhongli’s gaze moved briefly to Aether, then back. "I see." There was nothing pointed in it, but Aether could sense a hint of amusement. "Diligent as always," he said–to Xiao, Aether thought–though it seemed directed at both of them. "It is rare to see the Vigilant Yaksha so far from the marshlands without a spear in hand. The harbor has changed much since you last walked these streets with such… leisure."
Xiao tightened his jaw, his arms crossing over his chest. "I am not here for leisure, Zhongli. I only came to the harbor to ensure the traveler’s safety."
"And yet," Zhongli countered, tilting his head toward a nearby stall where soap bubbles drifted through the air, "you are currently standing in the center of the marketplace. If safety were your only concern, you could have vanished the moment the city was in sight."
Aether felt a sudden, frantic urge to look at a particularly interesting pebble. "I, uh, I asked him to stay for a bit. It’s a big city, after all."
He hadn’t asked him to stay, but lying, even to a former archon, seemed easier than dealing with an embarrassed Xiao.
Zhongli’s smile was small. "So it is. You have a way of collecting remarkable companions, Aether. It speaks well of you," he continued, "and of those who choose to walk alongside you."
Xiao shifted his weight, his eyes narrowing slightly as he looked away from Zhongli’s knowing expression. He seemed to pull the silence around himself like a cloak, uncomfortable with the weight of the former archon's approval. To be "remarkable" was a mortal's concern; to choose a path of leisure was a concept he still hadn't quite reconciled with the karmic debt pressing against his ribs. And Aether had just lied for him.
"I am merely a weapon," Xiao said, his voice stiff, though his gaze remained anchored to the horizon. "A weapon does not 'choose' its path; it simply clears it. If I am standing here, it is because the duty to protect this harbor remains unchanged, regardless of who walks beside me. And Liyue still stands, even today."
"It does." Zhongli turned back to the water. "Liyue has endured a great deal, and it will endure a great deal more. As will you, it seems; I spoke with Hu Tao just a little while ago," he added pleasantly. "She was in exceptional spirits, mentioning that she had run into a new couple. I was not aware that weapons were capable of building relationships?"
“Building relationships..?” Xiao questioned.
Aether stiffened. "That was a misunderstanding," he said quickly, before anyone could interrupt him this time. “Er– I’m not agreeing with Xiao calling himself a weapon. He isn’t one. I’m just saying we’re not... what Hu Tao said. We’re just together. For the day. As friends.”
"Of course." Zhongli's expression did not change by even a fraction. He looked back out at the water, and the light caught the angle of his profile. "You know… I have been thinking lately," he said, "about what companionship means… To be truly accompanied." He seemed to be speaking to the water as much as to either of them. "It is a rarer thing than most people understand."
Aether said nothing to that. Xiao also said nothing, though the tips of his ears were turning pink.
For a few seconds, Xiao’s mind seemed to race, replaying the morning in a sudden, sharp sequence: Hu Tao’s "romantic" comments, Xiangling’s insistence on a "couple’s discount," and now Rex Lapis speaking of companionship. The realization hit him: Aether’s friends hadn't just been strange. They had looked at him and Aether and seen something entirely different from a mere escort or a friend.
"There is a saying," Zhongli continued, oblivious–or perhaps entirely aware–of the silent crisis occurring next to him. "The lantern does not question why it was lit. It only shines."
“What does that mean?” Aether asked.
Zhongli turned his gaze from the water to look directly at the two of them, a knowing glint in his eyes. "Whether it was lit by a traveler seeking a path, or by a spark of sudden inspiration, the light that a lantern provides remains the same."
"That's…" Aether tried. "That's a very– that's nice, Zhongli."
"Mm." Zhongli turned to look at them both, briefly, "I find it applies to many situations." Then he inclined his head. "Enjoy the rest of your day, both of you. The afternoon market will be setting up soon. The vendors near the east dock are worth a visit, if you haven't already been over there."
"Thanks," Aether said, his voice tight.
“Alright,” Xiao mumbled under his breath.
They walked away, the sound of the ocean fading as they headed back toward the shops. Aether replayed the sentence in his head two or three times, trying to determine if he was supposed to find it reassuring or alarming. He arrived at both.
He waited until they had rounded the corner before he stopped and pressed a hand over his face. Xiao asked him if he was okay, and Aether just waved him off in response.
They found the vendor eventually, tucked into a side street near the lower docks. The embroidered purse was exactly as Aether remembered: small, a little ridiculous, and completely perfect. The silk was a vibrant turquoise, and the fish’s face had a bug-eyed expression that Paimon would undoubtedly find adorable.
Aether paid the mora, watched the shopkeeper wrap it in thin, crinkling paper, and tucked it carefully into a secure pocket of his backpack. When he turned around, Xiao was standing a few paces away, arms crossed. He wasn't scanning the rooftops for threats anymore. Instead, he was watching a nearby crate of starconches, his golden eyes tracing the spiral patterns of the shells with a quiet, unreadable intensity.
"Got it," Aether said, patting his bag.
Xiao looked up, his gaze softening as it landed on Aether. "The fish purse?"
"The purse shaped like a fish," Aether corrected his wording slightly. The purse was not made out of fish.
"Paimon will like it," Xiao said. There was no mockery in his voice, only observation. "She seems to value things that reflect her own... unique spirit."
"I hope so, especially after everything we had to go through to get here today," Aether joked, though his heart gave a small, traitorous thump at the word we.
Something moved at the corner of Xiao's mouth that was not quite a smile but was certainly in the same neighborhood.
"The sun is high," Xiao remarked, looking toward the horizon where the sea met the sky in a haze of brilliant white. "The demons are suppressed for now; you are safe within the city or along the path to the inn, should you wish to return there. My task here is complete."
He shifted his weight, the familiar green glow of Anemo flickering faintly around his boots. He was preparing to vanish, to return to the solitude of the balcony or his blood-stained duty of the marshes.
Without thinking, Aether reached out. His fingers closed around Xiao’s wrist, a grip of gentle restraint. Xiao froze. He didn't pull away, but he went as still as a statue in a storm.
"Wait," Aether blurted out. His face felt like it was currently being roasted over one of Xiangling’s highest flames. "Xiao, I... I’m sorry about today. About Hu Tao, and Xiangling, and–and for whatever Zhongli was trying to do."
Xiao tilted his head, his eyes searching Aether’s face. "Why are you apologizing?"
"Because they kept... assuming," Aether sighed, finally letting go of Xiao’s wrist but staying close. "Treating us like a couple. I didn't mean for you to feel pressured or uncomfortable. I know you don't care for mortal customs or... or labels like that. I don't want you to think I brought you here to trick you into a date or something."
The bustle of the harbor seemed to fade into a dull hum. Xiao looked down at his own hand, then back at Aether. For a moment, the adeptus looked remarkably human.
"Aether," Xiao said, his voice low and steady. "I have lived for thousands of years. The opinions of a funeral director and a chef do not sway the mountains, nor do they concern me. Rex Lapis, on the other hand… his wisdom often sees paths I have not yet permitted myself to walk. If this is what they wish to believe, let them. It changes nothing about the reality of our arrangement."
"Right," Aether said, a little breathlessly. "Our… arrangement?"
"Only the two of us can define what we are," Xiao continued, stepping a fraction closer. The scent of qingxin flowers clung to him. "Whether others see a contract, a friendship, or... something else... It does not matter to me. All that matters is that when you call, I come. And I will keep doing it, time and time again."
He reached out, his gloved hand hovering briefly near Aether’s shoulder before settling there with a firm, fleeting pressure.
“So… you really don’t care about people thinking we’re dating? Isn’t that… I don’t know… doesn’t it inconvenience you?”
"No. And you do not need to worry about inconveniencing me," Xiao replied, a hint of that almost-smile returning. "If you wish for me to walk through the city by your side again, even for something as trivial as a fish purse, you need only speak my name. I find that... I do not mind the company as much as I’d originally expected."
With a final, lingering look that felt more significant than any poem Zhongli could recite, Xiao vanished in a rush of wind and teal butterflies.
Aether stood alone in the alley for a long moment, the heat in his cheeks finally starting to fade into a warm, contented glow. He adjusted his backpack, felt the weight of the fish-shaped purse for Paimon, and started the long walk back to the inn. This was enough action for him for the week.