Work Text:
Aether, Sandrone and Odette hear footsteps behind them at the gate, Aether whips around, a familiar voice calls out "Hey, Comrade, nice to see yo-" haha, he thought he was going to be able to finish his sentence, Aether rushes forward, lunging, he latches onto Childe like a leech. Childe stumbles back by a few steps, trying to keep balance so he doesn't send both of them to the ground, Aether wraps his legs around Childe's waist to stay up. He grabs the collar of Childe's coat and violently shakes him back and forth, "Where have you been!? Why were you gone for so long!? Do you have any idea what happened while you were away!?" Childe tries to answer, though it's a bit hard with the shaking, "I'm sorry, comrade! I was- Ow, hey, my neck-! It was official Fatui business!" Aether stops shaking him, he pulls Childe up into a bone crushing hug. Childe stops, then he carefully hugs back, he says "I missed you too, Comrade." Sandrone sees her opportunity, she clears her throat and says "Am I... interrupting something?" Aether's ears turn red, he frantically let's go and creates some distance between him and Childe. Childe says, chuckling "Come on, Sandrone. Don't be like that!" Sandrone huffs and says "Anyways- Me and Odette shall be off now, we'll leave you two to your... happy little reunion." Odette looks very glad to be leaving, Sandrone walks off with Odette. Aether crosses his arms and says "Don't think this gets you out of answering my questions." Childe says, leaning forward "I won't, I won't. But... since you missed me so much maybe later we could-" Aether plants his palm on Childe's face to push him back, he says "Don't push your luck." The end