Chapter Text
Xiao felt it when the barrier appeared.
Perhaps all manner of non-human beings did, being more attune to the world than the majority of Teyvat’s population. It was like something restrained part of the world and Xiao nearly stumbled when he felt it, having to brace himself on his jade spear. It was only once he regained his balance did he realise that Aether was supposed to be in Sumeru presently, or so his last letter said.
He felt his stomach drop at the realisation.
Worse yet, he knew Aether wouldn’t have left even if he knew the barrier was coming down. It was the sheer goodness in him, the need to help every soul in his way especially people he cared about and Xiao knew how much the people of Sumeru (and their archon) meant to him. With nothing but worry in his mind for Aether, he went to Zhongli (because where else would he go?).
”Zhongli-daren.” Xiao greeted the second he appeared on the balcony Zhongli was stood on in Liyue harbour, his gaze directed in Sumeru’s direction.
“I know no more than you do.” Zhongli hummed.
“The barrier –”
”Is inescapable. Already I have heard people tried to enter and were unable, others tried to leave and were also unable,” Zhongli explained. “All I have are conjectures, but I have faith in Nahida. She cares about her people and her nation dearly.”
”And Aether?” Xiao sounded more desperate than Zhongli had ever heard him.
“I have heard nothing,” Zhongli shook his head, placing a gentle hand on Xiao’s shoulder. “He’s strong, A-Xiao, have some faith.”
”I have faith in him, I have the most faith in him,” Xiao murmured. “It’s not faith that is lacking, it is his sense of self-preservation.”
”He will come back.”
He better, he promised after all, Xiao thought.
It was two days later that the barrier disappeared and Xiao felt his breath hitch when his energy settled finally, relaxing from the frenzied state the barrier had left him in. He paced the roof of Wangshu Inn with his spear in hand, waiting.
“Xiao…” A whisper carried across the wind and Xiao grasped it, teleporting. He landed in a foreign land atop what appeared to be a giant tree. The branch he stood on was unlike any he’d ever seen before, and right in front of him stood Aether. He was covered in dust, his hair still in that characteristic braid but messy. He looked tired, but he was there.
“Aether.” Xiao took a step closer, reaching out to cradle Aether’s face with one gloved hand. The blond turned his head to the side to press a kiss to the palm of Xiao’s hand.
“Sorry I couldn’t get word to you sooner,” Aether’s voice was hoarse. “We’ve had… a busy few days here.”
”As long as you’re safe.” Xiao murmured, leaning his forehead against Aether’s.
“Just barely.” Aether joked.
“That is not reassuring.”
”It’s about as reassuring as it’ll get when it comes to dealing with the Second Harbinger.” Aether sighed, and Xiao drew away slightly, holding Aether by the shoulders.
“Again?” He asked sharply. “I thought he was dealt with.”
”Again,” Aether sagged slightly. “I thought so too but… what we saw was half his soul. This was the other half… some sort of data, I’m not sure. He couldn’t have acted alone regardless, he had other Fatui helping him.”
”Despicable,” Xiao hissed. “And the Tsaritsa stands for this?”
”Nahida received a letter from… the Rooster, I believe. With apologies and offers of relief aid. It seems he acted on his own accord, not tied to Snezhnaya or the Cryo Archon, but I don’t know,” Aether shrugged. “I don’t trust the Fatui, in general.”
”It’s wise to be cautious…” Xiao nodded. “Where is Paimon? And your other companions?”
”She’s being treated to dinner by everyone. They’re all at Puspa Café. I think. I’ll be here a couple more days to help them with returning citizens of the city back to their homes.”
”And after?” Xiao asked.
“To Liyue, if you’ll have me.”
“Always.” Xiao drew him into his arms, cradling him close and shielding the back of his head with his hand, fingers threaded into the loose golden hairs there. Aether practically melted into his arms, lips hot against the exposed skin near Xiao’s neck and collarbones.
“Will you come to Puspa Café with me?” Aether mumbled against his skin after a moment. “I know you don’t like being surrounded by so many people, but… I don’t want to leave you…”
”I don’t want to leave you either,” Xiao said hoarsely, feeling a lump in his throat and an odd burn in his eyes that he hadn’t felt in what must have been centuries. “I – never in my life have I been so scared, Aether, never.”
“I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to worry you.” Aether whispered, pulling away to cup Xiao’s face with both of his hands. He leaned in to plant a kiss to his lips, short and sweet.
“You are too kind for this world,” Xiao said fiercly when Aether pulled away. “Too good.”
“No such thing,” Aether shook his head, stroking Xiao’s cheekbones with his thumbs gently. “Besides, you bend over backwards for Liyue too, don’t you… Vigilant Yaksha?”
“That is different… it is my duty.”
“This is mine. My personal duty.” Aether smiled.
“My previous point stands.” Xiao sighed.
“Come to dinner with me. We’ll eat, I’ll see my friends and then we can stay somewhere for the night, just you and me, okay?”
“Very well.” Xiao relented.
“Where’s Aether?” Tighnari asked when they all settled down, plates of food laid out in front of them.
“He said he was going to call Xiao,” Paimon replied through a mouthful of rice. “Tell him everything was okay.”
”Xiao? The name is of Liyuean origin, isn’t it?” Alhaitham hummed, spearing a piece of chicken in his fork and bringing it up to his mouth.
“Oh, yeah. Paimon always forgets you guys don’t know everyone Aether does. Xiao is one of the adepti from Liyue, he’s the last Yaksha. Him and Aether are really close.”
”In what way?” Kaveh raised an eyebrow, silently piling more vegetables onto Alhaitham’s plate, who in return poured Kaveh a glass of cold water and nudged it in his direction.
“Hm, Paimon’s not sure, exactly. If it’s anything… romantic, they don’t do it in public, or in front of Paimon.” She shrugged.
“Private then…” Cyno nodded in understanding. “Love is a precious thing after all, to be treasured.”
”What he said.” Sethos laughed.
“Sorry I’m late!” Aether walked into the room. “I brought someone, if that’s okay?”
”Xiao!” Paimon cheered, waving with a chicken leg in her hand.
“So this is the famed adeptus.” Alhaitham mused. He wasn’t very tall, around the same height or just a little taller than Aether himself. He had several accessories on, a mask tied to his waist where a white shirt was tucked into a pair of loose, dark blue trousers. One of his arms bore a pale green tattoo, from his shoulder all the way down to his wrist. He came armed, but then again, so did everyone else. And his weapon was a marvel of dark green, tipped platinum. The end of the spear was a similar shade of green to the handle, and shards of jade seemed to surround it.
“Xiao, these are my friends here in Sumeru, and the ones who have been working tirelessly to stop Dottore. Everyone, this is Xiao… my partner.” It was simple, Aether didn’t introduce him by his title, or his role in Liyue, he introduced him as the person he was to Aether, and that was all everyone needed to warm up to him.
“I commend your efforts these past few days,” Xiao spoke to them. “Dealing with Harbingers is never easy, especially not one of his calibre.”
”We had a lot of help,” Tighnari gave him a thankful smile. “And we definitely couldn’t have done it without Aether, and that’s not an exaggeration.”
”It’s true!” Nahida popped up, back from where she had been checking over the food in the kitchen. “If he hadn’t stepped in to bring me to Apep, I wouldn’t have had enough strength.”
”Of course I stepped in,” Aether rolled his eyes light-heartedly. “Sumeru is dear to me.”
”As it is to all of us,” Nahida smiled warmly. “I need to return to the Sanctuary and then back to Aaru to oversee a few things, but I will attend whatever feasts we host in the coming days. Adeptus Xiao, give my greetings to Zhongli.”
”Of course, Buer.” Xiao bowed his head as she departed.
“You should eat, you look half dead on your feet.” Dehya said to Aether.
“There’s plenty of food to go around,” Candace nodded. “The chefs spared no expense.”
”I will, I will.” Aether chuckled, wrapping his fingers around Xiao’s wrist and tugging him along. They sat opposite Alhaitham and Kaveh, with Cyno on Xiao’s other side and Paimon on Aether’s.
”Archons, I need a vacation after this.” Kaveh groaned.
“You could come to Liyue with me,” Aether offered, before he pulled a face. “Well, not with me with me… you could travel with me, if you wanted? I’m going back after we finish escorting everyone back to Sumeru City.”
”Liyue, huh? I’ve wanted to visit for ages.” Kaveh sighed.
“Kaveh’s an architect,” Aether informed Xiao. “I think he’d like Liyue Harbour.”
”Yilong Wharf as well,” Xiao hummed, spooning rice onto Aether’s bowl and piling some chicken atop it. “Eat.”
”I will. Do you not want any?” Aether frowned.
“The flavours are too strong,” He shook his head. “I will ask for Almond Tofu when I return to Wangshu Inn.”
”I can make you some later if you stay,” Aether offered, brightening when Xiao nodded in assent. “Sorry, we got off track. Liyue is beautiful, Kaveh. Lots of old ruins too, Alhaitham.”
“I’ve wanted to visit every nation in Teyvat for as long as I can remember, but till now I’ve only left Sumeru for Fontaine, and nothing else,” Kaveh sighed. “It does seem nice, maybe I will come.”
”Any outstanding commissions?” Alhaitham asked.
“No, no, I managed to finish them off before this whole… crisis,” Kaveh waved his hands. “I’m all caught up.”
”I can take time off.” Alhaitham offered.
“Really? You want to come?”
”Why is that so surprising?”
”Just seemed like you were content with Sumeru. You didn’t come to Fontaine with me last time.”
”That’s because it was Fontaine,” Alhaitham rolled his eyes. “Aether, you’ll be going by boat, won’t you?”
”From Port Ormos,, yeah. We’ll dock in Liyue Harbour.” Aether nodded.
“I’ll have to trouble you to secure two extra seats.”
”No trouble at all,” Aether smiled. He dug into his food, eating as fast as he could as he noticed Xiao’s growing agitation at being surrounded by so many people. He knew the adeptus wouldn’t complain, but he could see the slight clench of his jaw, the stiffness of his posture and how his fingers curled into his palms.
He lowered his free hand under the table and nudged Xiao’s clenched one, holding it palm up. The adeptus seemed to get the message, relaxing a little and threading their fingers together, glove against glove. Warmth emanated even through the fabric, and Aether wished then that neither of them wore gloves, so he could feel Xiao’s skin against his own.
Nevertheless, he kept holding Xiao’s hand while he ate with his free one, listening to the conversations around them in silence. He was content to be surrounded by friends, feeling no need to add anything to the conversation himself.
“Come on.” Aether said once he was done, standing up.
“Already?” Xiao furrowed his brows, following him up.
“I’m tired,” Aether shrugged. “And I can tell you’re overwhelmed.”
“Aether –”
“I’ll see you all in the morning.” Aether waved goodbye to everyone, tugging Xiao out of the café with him.
“You did not have to –”
“I’ll see them in the morning,” Aether said, stopping in his tracks in the middle of a side-street. “I have not seen you in so long, and you’re going to leave soon too. Is it wrong of me to want to spend time with you?”
“I can stay the night at the very least,” Xiao murmured. “It’s not wrong, it’s never wrong of you to want that.”
“Come on, we should make the most of the time we have.” Aether led him through the empty streets of a city evacuated in a panic. Only a small amount of people had returned to their homes, the majority still in in the desert. Aether was staying in the same little home Dunyarzad rented for him on a permanent basis. She insisted on continuing to do so so he would always have somewhere to come back to, despite his protests.
“I thought you would stay at an inn of sorts…” Xiao hummed when they arrived at the house.
“One of my friends here has too much money for her own good. She insists on renting this place on a permanent basis for me, she might as well buy it at this point.” Aether sighed, shaking his head as he unlocked the door with the small key he unearthed from one of his pockets.
“Friends in high places… this seems to be something common everywhere you visit.” Xiao mused, following Aether inside and toeing his boots off by the door just like the blond.
“I suppose you’re right,” Aether nodded. “Perhaps one day, I can take you to meet them.”
“One day… when your journey is over and you allow yourself that freedom, it would be honour.” Xiao gave him the fondest look and Aether fought back the urge to burst into tears. How was he so understanding? How was so kind, and gentle, and tender to Aether in a way no one had been since Lumine.
“You’re too good to me,” Aether said thickly. “Too good for someone who can’t be there with you all the time.”
“I am as good to you as you deserve,” Xiao shook his head. “You’re there when it matters, and that is all that I care about. I have my duties just as you have yours.”
“Archons…” Aether wiped his eyes with his palm, chuckling wetly. “I miss you so much, you know? When I’m… when I’m in all these different nations, fighting enemies and saving people and… getting involved in things I don’t always want to be. You’re the last thing I think about when I go to sleep, and the first thing on my mind when I wake up. I ache for you when I’m away. I might be away from Liyue and you, but my heart I leave with you, always.”
“Xinjian1,” Xiao rasped, raw affection in his tone. “You are the first and only person I have ever loved. It scares me, this feeling… I worry for you every waking moment I cannot see you, I think about you in a nation so far away, somewhere I can’t keep you safe. I know… I know you are more than capable, of course, but… I worry regardless. The thought of the slightest harm coming to you… I can’t fathom it. All I want is to be by your side.”
“You could,” Aether whispered, stepping closer in the darkness, nearly nose-to-nose with Xiao. “You could come if you wanted. I never asked because… because Liyue matters so much to you, and so does keeping it safe.”
“You matter too,” Xiao insisted, his mouth brushing Aether’s as he spoke. “If you’re sure… I will speak to Zhongli-daren.”
“Of course I’m sure, I…” Aether bowed his head slightly resting his forehead on Xiao’s collarbone. “It gets so lonely, Xiao. Of course, I have Paimon and I’m endlessly grateful to her because without her… I wouldn’t have made it this far. But even still, I’m lonely all the time. I sleep in a bed too big for one person, cold sheets around me.”
It was that statement that shattered Xiao’s impulse control and he surged in, capturing Aether’s mouth in a kiss deeper than their previous one. His hand cupped Aether’s jaw, pressing a thumb slightly against his Adam’s apple. The blond exhaled, throaty, as he relaxed into the kiss,
“No more, not if I have anything to say about it.” Xiao whispered aginst his lips fiercly.
“You’ll warm my bed?” Aether kissed him again in between words.
“Anything you want.”