Work Text:
All of the nations are as beautiful as any other Aether has ever been to — unique in their own ways. The traveler always sees the most beauty in the way the nation's people unite in the end — be it through culture or basic human decency. He always finds it adorable — the way humans are so similar but different at the same time. Aether will never get tired of it — of the way the world overflows with joy every time he helps saving another nation.
Well. Maybe he may, if people start forgetting again that he is also human, and not a killing machine.
One after another, at some point of his journey the errands start to bore him — and the ungrateful people start to annoy him. At first, it was just a minor inconvenience — after all, you can meet petty people everywhere. Then, it started to get annoying, because, well, excuse him, sir, he just got rid of the monsters that were attacking you, and you're complaining about your stained shirt? And lately, it started driving Aether into those moods when even Paimon gets scared of him.
Bit by bit it finally gets him, he snaps, and sends Paimon away before he had time to say the things to her that he never meant to say. Paimon may be annoying sometimes, but she is the only true friend he has around all the time. She is, indeed, like a little sister to him by now.
It always starts the same — he feels guilty, then fights himself in his head for being so hot-headed, then calms down again, because, well, sometimes even he forgets that every single living being in the Galaxy sometimes has bad days and a desire to be alone.
He tends to forget about that lately. Xiao once, long ago, said, that this is a bad habit of his that will affect him in the future — and Aether didn't understand what he meant back then, because its never bad to want to help people, right? A little bit of selflessness is not that bad.
Maybe its not, until you start forgetting what your personality truly looks like.
Aether sometimes wonders about how he may sound, look to other people. Does he seem friendly? Or, maybe, the opposite — he's in his head so much, sometimes he doesn't even notice when people start talking to him. What kind of atmosphere he has? Is he attractive? Maybe some time ago he could describe himself, but now his personality feels so vague he doesn't even want to try. That makes him want to cry, to be honest — because he remembers himself long, long ago, taking care of himself so well just, caring so much not to lose his personality.
To be completely honest, The traveler, the knight of so much people, the one to save the day — Aether, as few call him — is tired. So tired, that he doesn't want to rise from his bed. He doesn't want to go out of another one of his hotel rooms, doesn't want to find clues about this planet, about his sister, about the Archons. He doesn't care at this point. So many people he met at the start of his journey don't even write him letters anymore. His own sister, for whom he was doing it from the very beginning is behaving so weird, so distant. What will prove that these people he met here in Nod Krai are any different?
There is always this one person, though — the one that feels like the sea's breeze, like the most freeing air you can ever sense. The one who will never judge, the one with whom your shoulders always relax without warning.
So without thinking much, Aether leaves a letter for Paimon with a pocket of Mora for her to use and travels with the Ley Lines all the way to Mondstadt — to the land where this all started... To the land that feels like home.
Yes. He admits it. Its been a long time he felt at home with Lumine, or at his actual birth planet. Those places are nothing to him, no more. All of these experiences feel so fake now, so mocking — teasing him for feeling something for places and people that never cared for him the same.
"It's been a long time, has't it, dear traveler?" — Aether can hear the voice from behind, and only then he realizes he already passed the big tree near the lake — never actually remembered how its called, only the clear Anemo flow, that surrounded this place. He turns around, meeting those painfully kind, calm eyes. Venti was resting on the roots of the tree, without even wearing his cape for some reason.
"Indeed," Aether manages to respond, before exhaling loudly. He turns his torso fully to the Archon, not really sure what to say. He isn't sure why he came here. "I'm sorry I haven't visited for a while. I…" He gulps, not being able to find any excuses. He actually just keeps saving the visits for another days. The days that never come, because he is always so extremely tired. "Yeah," He finally gives up on words, sighing.
"Rough week?" Venti huffs, getting up from the roots and coming up to him, slowly, without any hurry in his steps. He really is the wind — his steps are soundless, careful, wide, yet delicate, like he is moving with the current of the breeze. He is so pretty, Aether thinks, eyes wondering around the snatched waist and thin legs of the Archon. But its not a lustful thought, not at all — his eyes don't even widen at the pleasurable sight.
"Something like that," The traveler mumbles in response, barely opening his mouth. His eyes threaten to drop as Venti comes closer to him. Aether can feel the delicate scent of cecilias, that is always coming from the Archon for whatever reason. The traveler's forehead drops on Venti's shoulder when he's close enough, and Aether finally lets himself to close his eyes.
Damn, this was a long ass week, and this is the only thing he can think about, when Venti's long, thin hand raises up to scratch at his scalp, and his other hand his placed at his shoulder, grounding him, holding him close.
"Shush," The Archon whispers, before kissing his temple, and Aether almost feels his knees buckle. "Its okay. I know how you feel," his voice is so gentle, so sweet and caring, that the traveler actually might sob — though, that would be embarrassing, he won't. He does feel the need to crawl into a cave with Venti and hide from the world as long as they can.
Yet, soon enough, Venti carefully relocates them both, to carefully arrange to sit on the tree's fork in the branches. Aether takes the opportunity to quickly curl up on the Archon's lap, and the guy doesn't even resist — only hugs him, tugging close. Aether may have made the right decision about coming to him.
"So? Will you so kindly tell me what upset you so much, buttercup?" Venti's gentle voice came up again.
Aether sighed heavily, melting further into Venti's arms. "Would it be wrong if I said nothing happened?"
"Well, traveler, I would prefer if you told me the truth," The Archon hummed, pinching the earring Aether has on his ear. His thumb stoked up, and Aether felt his ears heat up. "Its not obligatory, though. No one forces you."
Aether sniffed, nose stuffed full; the stupid cold is acting up even more as his body seems to be growing warmer in the hugs of the Archon. "…Its nothing, to be honest. I can't even say something particular happened," he muffled against Venti's neck, eyes half-closed. "It just kept piling up and I got fed up." He waited, as Venti hummed again, with this sweet voice of his. "Forgive me for saying this, but people can be so bitchy sometimes," and this line ended up sounded much more pouty and childish than he intended it to.
To that, Venti answered with a soft laugh in his ear, as he stroked the tangled hair of Aether's that wasn't tied up in his braid. "Well, that's not news to me," he giggled, and Aether realized that Venti might be looking directly at him now. Not willing to meet the Archon's gaze, the traveller only buried his face further in the soft neck of his. "Did something serious happen?" Venti's voice got calmer, sounding suddenly so serious.
"Nah," Aether huffed, "Everything is all the same as it used to be. Its just that I'm sick of it all," he exhaled deep, opening his eyes only to find Venti's slender hand with his and intervene their fingers together. "I want to stay at home and meet no one. I'm simply tired."
Venti's breath hitched — for a second, but Aether noticed how his chest stopped rising for a second. "…If you'd wish, I could help you finding a way to return to your planet. Just say a word," He said, clearly keeping his voice carefree on purpose. That made the traveller frown — what was he even thinking?
"And go for another tiresome adventure? No, thank you," Aether rolled his eyes sarcastically, watching as his thumb met with Venti's. "I don't even remember how it looks, nor where it is located. Plus, home wouldn't feel like home without Lumine there." His thumb slipped, and Venti caught it again, pressing on it with his. "To be frank, I'd like to be here. With you, preferably," He felt his cheeks heat up. Surely Venti wouldn't mind, right? Aether is a couple hundreds years old, anyway. There's no fear of losing him, he ain't an ordinary human.
"Ooh?" An amused laugh escaped the Archon's mouth, as his lips were obviously smiling. "What an honor, me of all people," he tickled under Aether's chin, causing him to squirm. "I wouldn't be against it, but, traveler, you have to understand — you have so much more to uncover about this world, about me. You have a mission to complete, and I am in no position to have you nest in Mondstadt to run from your big ambitions," He gently cooed, cupping Aether's face and having him finally look at him. "Okay?"
The Descended watched his face hazily, then exhaled loudly at this. "Yeah," he muffled, closing his eyes. The wind his as gentle as ever, caressing his face along with the soft hands of it's master.
"Yeah?" The Archon asked again with a coo in his voice, squeezing his cheeks and holding him firmly.
"Yeah," Aether uttered louder, and only then Venti let him go with a small smile.
"Why me, though? You met so much people. Surely there would be a person more suitable than a bard like me?" Venti mused, returning to play with the traveller's braid.
Aether's head returned to the comfortable shoulder it's been lying on all this time. "After all this time… There is no person who would be closer to me than you," He exhaled, relaxing again. "I understand that you are a couple of thousands years old and probably have met people much better than myself, of course, but… I don't know. Its feels like you are home to me. I feel safe in your presence, like time is stopping," he proceeded mumbling, suddenly feeling like falling asleep. Indeed, he felt a little bit too safe with Venti holding him like that.
The Archon didn't answer for some time, letting the silence settle — before shaking the air with his gentle voice again. "In that case, my dear traveler, I will wait for you to finish your journey," his voice dropped to whisper, as his head fell back against a tree branch. "It will be a tough road for you," he hums. "But you have the blessing of the Anemo Archon, after all. May you finish your mission well. Until then…" His voice dropped almost completely, when he kissed Aether's forehead. "I will be waiting, Aether, my meteor in the starry sky."
Aether didn't hear him. Aether was already asleep.