Chapter 1: Welcome!
Chapter Text
I wanted to get back into writing, so I decided to open this story up!
I have some story ideas in mind, but I'm always willing to take suggestions! If you have any, please dont hesitate to put them in the comments!
I'll do most ships (Minus any that involve Klee, QiQi, Diona, Teucer in the pairing)
I will trigger warn any chapter beforehand if it has any upsetting content within it
Spoilers will also be tagged!
I look forward to seeing any of your suggestions! Hope you guys have a good day!
Chapter 2: Unaligned
Summary:
SPOILERS FOR 'We Will Be Reunited' and Zhongli's Story Quest Part 2!
Aether feels conflicted by all the new information that was recently dumped on him.
Notes:
This was written at like 3 am, apologies for any mistakes
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
I feel...unaligned.
My allegiance to one is none.
I should be aligned with the good..
But, my moral is grey.
Grey..like the sky.
Sky that stood so blue now only brings gloom.
Aether stared at his reflection in the mirror. He scanned his face, not daring to meet his eyes. He fears he won’t see him staring back.
He shook his head and washed his face with the lone cloth nearby. He needed sleep..yeah, sleep would do him good. Paimon was staying with Xiangling for the evening, something about needing a taste tester for new dishes.
Aether didn’t mind. It kept Paimon fed and happy; it’s all he could ask for. After washing up, he made his way into his rented room in Liyue. It overlooked the harbor and gave an adventurous spirit to anyone who eyed the mountains around. To Aether, it was perfect.
But now?
He felt...lost.
After being confronted by Lumine in the domain, he felt like a shell of his former self. Why did he have to continue this journey? Why couldn’t he be with Lumine now?
Why did she leave him?
All these questions loomed in his mind. Why did it have to be him? A small sigh escaped his lips as he looked out at the ocean. “I-I miss you, Lumine.” he whispered to the night air.
“I hope we can be together again someday...someday we can-we can-”
His bottom lip trembled slightly as the weight of the events that spanned over these past few weeks finally hit him. Lumine was the Princess of the Abyss Order, she knew he was here, she won’t let him see her for a while..
The archons must have known about his sibling.
And they never said a damn thing.
Anger and confusion swirled inside his chest. Why were they sworn to secrecy? Why couldn’t any of them say anything about Lumine? About Khaenri’ah? Why the hell should he believe them anymore?
Deep down, he knew it was irrational to be angry with the Archons. They had their own reasonings, but Aether wanted answers. He needed them.
A soft sob escaped his lips as he leaned his head against the wall. He just wanted to go home. He wanted his home again.
His shoulders shook with every passing sob. It was full of heartbreak and sorrow. Tears he refused to shed were finally brought to light. “I c-can’t- can’t do this anymore.” he whispered into his gloved hand.
A small knock soon broke him out of his small trance. Was..was that his door? Aether quickly wiped his eyes and frowned to himself. Who would that be at this time of night? “Coming!” he called out, cursing at the soft break in his voice. He tried to make himself look more presentable. Hopefully the darkened room helped with that.
He stood up and made his way to the door. After taking a deep breath, he opened it. His eyes widened once he saw who was on the other side of it.
“M-Mr. Zhongli?”
“Good evening, Aether...may I come in?” the former Archon asked. Said man stood there in his usual attire. As if nothing had happened these past few days.
“Yeah, uh sure” Aether stepped out of the way and allowed the taller man inside. Honestly, he was a bit nervous to see him after the Azhdaha ordeal. Zhongli walked in and looked around the rather small room Aether had rented.
“Where’s Paimon?” he had asked.
“With Xiangling. She needed a taste tester and she was all too willing to devour free food.” Aether joked softly and closed the door behind them.
A soft chuckle escaped Zhongli’s lips as he now turned his attention to Aether. “Traveler, why don’t you take a seat? You look rather pale.” he frowned and guided the smaller boy to sit on the bed.
Aether nodded numbly and felt the plush bed dip beneath his weight when he sat down. A muttered a small thank you before looking down at his hands. “May I ask why you’re here so late? I didn’t take you as a night owl.”
Zhongli took a seat in the chair near him. He clasped his hands together on his lap. “I wished to check in on you after what happened with Azhdaha. I sensed how upset you were with my response about...Khaenri’ah. I apologize for not being able to tell you more about it. I care deeply about you, Aether. Truly, I do. I wish to aid you to the best of my ability.”
Aether listened to what the former archon had said. It made him rest a little easier knowing Zhongli cared enough to come visit him.
He took a deep breath and looked at the consultant. “May I ask one question then?”
Zhongli seemed to hesitate for a moment, before giving a small nod.
“You knew my sister was here the whole time...didn’t you?”
There was a heavy silence that filled the room. Aether couldn’t make out the look he saw on Zhongli’s face. Was it sadness? Anger? Confusion?
After what seemed like an eternity, Zhongli responded. “I’m so sorry, Aether.”
The blonde swore he felt his heart stop before it began to hammer in his chest. “You...you knew about Lumine and yet you didn’t tell me? W-why? Why couldn’t you tell me?! Why didn’t I deserve to know about my DAMN SISTER?!” Aether didn’t mean to yell, but all these emotions were resurfacing from earlier.
Tears fell down his cheeks. He didn’t even notice he was crying. His chest heaved with every breath he took. “I-I’m sorry, Mr. Zhongli.” he whispered and covered his mouth to muffle the sob that left it. He pulled it away to whisper another apology to the former Archon.
Without another word, Zhongli stood up from his chair and sat himself down next to Aether. “Don’t apologize, dear Aether.” he whispered in his ear. He wrapped his arms around the smaller boy, pulling him to his chest. “Let it all out. I’m here.”
The dam behind Aether’s eyes broke at that as he sobbed into the other’s chest. He let out all his frustrations, anger, and sadness. Zhongli said nothing and gently rubbed comforting circles on his back, gently pressing a soft kiss to the crown of his head from time to time.
Any other scenario, Aether would be blushing madly to be in this position right now. But, he couldn’t think of that now. He needed this comfort and he was going to take all that he could get.
Eventually, the traveler had worn himself out and quietly slumped against Zhongli. His eyes were closed and his breathing had gotten a bit deeper. A small sigh of relief left Zhongli’s lips. There was so much he wanted to tell the traveler, but he couldn’t.
With little effort, the former Archon placed Aether on his bed and tucked him in. Aether curled up in the blankets fast asleep. Zhongli placed a small kiss on the boy’s forehead. “Sweet dreams, Aether.” he whispered and stood back up. After casting one last glance at Aether, he left.
The sun was beginning to rise on Liyue. Another bustling day would go by. Maybe Zhongli would handle Aether’s commissions today. After all, he deserved a break.
Notes:
Let me know if you guys have any requests/suggestions for future chapters!
Chapter 3: Am I Meant For This World?
Summary:
This was a suggestion from coffeeonthebrunhild! Thank you for it!
Aether invited Zhongli to help with commissions when some geovishaps attacked them. Aether says the line 'Maybe I wasn't meant for this world' before he passes out. How will Zhongli react to this?
Notes:
This is a no beta since it is approximately 3 am. Am sleepy
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
Aether had invited Zhongli to help with commissions in Liyue for the day. The former Archon knew the land better than he did, plus he enjoyed hearing the history of the land that Zhongli provided.
They had stopped by Dunyu Ruins after finishing the first two. They weren’t particularly difficult. One was to clear out a nearby Hilichurl camp while the other was running errands for Xiangling since she had run out of calla lilies.
With a soft grunt, Aether sat down with his back against a tree. He stretched and flexed his wrist.
“Whew! Paimon is beat! All this flying has tired me out!” the little fairy sighed dramatically.
“Ah yes, because all that floating really helped us today.” Aether teased with a laugh.
The fairy gasped and placed her hands on her hips. “HEY! Flying is tiring!”
Another giggle escaped his lips as he leaned his head against the tree. “How are you holding up, Mr Zhongli? I hope I haven’t pushed you too much.”
Said man had taken a seat next to the blonde. His polearm rested on his lap as he glanced over towards Aether. “No worries, dear Aether. I’m surprised that after all these years, I still have it in me” A small smile rested on Zhongli’s lips.
“Weren’t you like..the God of War?” Paimon floated closer to him. “Shouldn’t it still be fresh in your head??”
“Paimon!” Aether groaned.
“It’s quite alright, Traveler.” Zhongli chuckled. “She’s quite right. I do remember quite a bit, but it never hurts to practice again.”
“I suppose you’re right. Even Archons need practice. I wonder how long it took Venti to learn all those songs…” Aether mused and rested a hand on his chin in thought.
“It surprises me that he hasn’t forgotten any of them from all the drinking he does.” Zhongli muttered to himself, thinking Aether didn’t hear him. The blonde laughed softly at that response.
“Cut him some slack. He’s getting better about not drinking as much. I made sure to ask Diluc to help with that.”
A witty remark was on the cusp of Zhongli’s lips, when he felt the ground begin to shake. Aether let out a soft yelp and quickly stood up, sword in hand. “Waa! What’s happening?!” Paimon screeched and held onto Aether’s scarf.
Two creatures soon burrowed out of the ground and stood in front of the 3 beings.
Geovishaps.
“Oh, Gods…” Aether groaned. “I hate fighting these things.”
Zhongli stood in front of the duo and crossed his arms. “Fear not, Traveler. I shall handle this one.”
He pushed his arms out, causing a stone structure to sprout from the ground. It shrouded them in a shield, making it difficult for the beasts to attack them.
Or so Aether thought.
What they thought was two geovishaps turned out to be four of them. Zhongli and Aether were fighting tooth and nail.
“I will have order!”
“Terra-Smash!”
Aether tiredly wiped the sweat from his forehead before slashing at a geovishap once more. One down, three more to go. The traveler could already feel himself getting weaker by the second.
Just as Aether delivered a final slash, one of the geovishaps charged him and slammed him into the ground. Aether cried out as his back collided with the rocks beneath him. That had been the final straw for the traveler. His entire body ached. The dull ache in his head was not a blinding white hot pain. It forced him to close his eyes in an attempt to block it out.
“Aether!” A voice called out to him, but it sounded too distant..like he was underwater.
“May-maybe I wasn’t meant for this world.” he whispered before slipping into unconsciousness.
Usually when Aether dreamt, it was all memories of his past adventures with Lumine. All the worlds they’ve been to, all the people they’ve met. There were so many memories he could pick and choose from.
But now?
There was nothing.
Aether felt cold, alone.
The darkness in his dreams had seeped into his very being. Was he dead? Was this the afterlife?
A sudden jolt to his right seemed to shake him. Was he still dreaming? No, he can’t be. He has to wake up...he has to wake up to see Paimon again. To see Zhongli.
To see Lumine.
Aether gasped and quickly sat up from his position. That was his first mistake. Pain overcame him as he grasped at his chest. “Easy, Aether.” a deep voice soothed him.
He glanced over and noticed Zhongli next to him. Where the hell was he? He remembered the commissions earlier and the conversation with Zhongli. And then-
The geovishaps.
“Mr. Zhongli?” Aether hated the way his voice cracked.
“Rest easy, dear Aether. You were knocked out by one of the geovishaps and I finished them off before carrying you to the statue nearby. It’ll take a moment to fully heal your wounds, so please relax for me.” Zhongli gently pushed Aether’s shoulder, forcing the blonde to lean back against what he now assumes is one of the statues.
“I..thank you, Mr Zhongli.” he whispered and looked down at his lap. “W-wait..where’s Paimon?” Panic seemed to rise in his chest when he didn’t notice the fairy near him.
“Rest assured, she went to find a healer at Liyue Harbor to bring back. I said I’d wait with you here. The statue has great power, but a healer would be advised after the injuries you sustained.”
Aether let out a sigh of relief at that and leaned his head back once more.
After a moment of silence, Zhongli spoke up. “Aether? May I ask you something?”
The blonde turned towards the man and gave a soft nod. “Anything.”
Zhongli took a moment to choose his words carefully. “Before you fell, I heard you say something. I..I heard you say you weren’t meant for this world. Do you truly believe that?”
Aether stayed silent and mulled over the question. Did he truly believe it? That question always loomed in the back of his mind. He knew he wasn’t from this world or any world he had visited. He and Lumine were always the outsiders of every realm they went to. It hurt, but it was the truth.
“I..I do.” Aether replied, barely above a whisper. He hadn’t even noticed his throat tighten a bit and some tears clouded his vision. “I’m not from here, Mr. Zhongli. I’m an outsider, a traveler. I don’t really..belong anywhere. Maybe I wasn’t meant for Teyvat or any world my sister and I have been to.” he finished lamely and looked down at his lap.
He expected Zhongli to stay quiet, if he was being honest. How could someone reply to a confession like that?
“Aether. Look at me.” Zhongli commanded in a gentle, but firm tone.
The traveler wiped his eyes and looked over at Zhongli. He couldn’t read the expression the male had. The geo user gently took Aether’s hand and gave it a gentle squeeze.
“At one point in our lives, we all feel like outsiders. Not understanding what it feels like to have someone. You may not be from this world, but it doesn’t mean you’re any less important to me, to any of the people you’ve met on your journey. No matter where you go, dear Aether, you’re meant to be in that world. Destiny has driven you to many places and I know your journey won’t end here. It’ll prosper for years to come. And even in those worlds, you’ll belong there. No matter what.” Zhongli spoke in a calm, but somewhat fierce tone as he looked Aether in the eyes.
Aether took in all that Zhongli just said. For the first time in his long life, Aether felt complete hearing that. No one had ever said he belonged in a world he and Lumine visited. They were outsiders, nothing more. “D-do you truly mean that?” Aether whispered, his lip quivering slightly. He wanted, no, needed to hear the affirmation.
Zhongli gently brought Aether’s hand to his chest. “I do, dear Aether. I mean it with all my heart.”
The dam behind Aether’s eyes broke at that. Tears fell down his cheeks as he quietly sobbed. Zhongli gently wrapped his arms around the blonde, careful not to agitate his injuries. “Thank you so much/” Aether sniffled as he held onto him. “Gods, thank you for telling me that.”
Zhongli gave a soft hum in response as he carded his fingers through the blonde’s hair. He may have only known Aether a short while, but he cared deeply for the traveler. He’d do anything to keep them on track for their long journey ahead. He’d do anything for them.
Notes:
Please keep the suggestions coming! I look forward to them!
Chapter 4: You Weren't Supposed To See Me This Way
Summary:
This is also a prompt from coffeeonthebrunhild! And thank you to JustAReader240 for asking as well! Thank you both!
Zhongli helps Aether in a domain and takes a hit for Aether, causing him to pass out. Based on Zhongli's line "You weren't supposed to see me this way."
Notes:
It's once again late af, so this hasn't been reviewed
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
It was selfish really, in hindsight. Or so the traveler thought. Aether invited Zhongli to help him with a domain he was having trouble with. He needed these artifacts to give to Kaeya and also needed to go into yet another domain to find items to make Bennett stronger for their next adventure.
The first person he thought of to ask was Diluc actually, but the redhead had prior commitments. He apologized and swore to make it up to Aether another time. Aether waved him off, saying it wasn’t a big deal. He would’ve asked Kaeya and Bennett, but he wanted to make the items he fought for a surprise for them.
This brings the traveler and funeral consultant to the present. The domain was going really well for the both of them. Aether found some high quality artifacts and a few trinkets he could make good use out of. They were going in for another round, per Zhongli’s request.
But, the enemies seemed a little upset at the influx of visitors that day. They had summoned some backup. Four Abyss Mages, two Geo infused Mitacurls, and a Ruin Guard. The duo was in for one hell of a fight.
Two of the Abyss Mages were down. Aether was working on one of them as Zhongli was taking out the two Mitachurls. Aether slashed the mage into oblivion and wiped his eyes tiredly. He wasn’t expecting to get this much of a workout today.
Zhongli made work of the Mitachurls before glancing over at the traveler. He was slightly concerned, but also impressed by how much sheer strength Aether had.
“Mr. Zhongli? Are you okay?” Aether called out to him from across the domain. The traveler was worried he pushed Zhongli too much.
“I’m fine, Traveler. We still have more company.” he twirled his polearm and motioned to the Abyss Mage and Ruin Guard. He threw a shield up, blocking the incoming projectiles of the Ruin Guard.
“The Mage is almost down!” Aether announced as she slashed at the floating creature. He summoned a rock and slammed it down onto the enemy. With a pitiful squeal, it faded away into ash. Aether let out a sigh of relief and pulled his sword out of the ground. Now, it was time for the big guy.
Zhongli’s shield around the enemy was beginning to wear away. It was their time to shine. Aether ran over to Zhongli’s side, battle ready. “Ready for this?” the traveler asked.
“Born ready.” Zhongli gave him a small grin before calling down his shield. Let the show begin.
And what a show it was. The Ruin Guard was full of surprises today; the rockets were much more powerful today, causing Aether to heal a lot. He noticed his supplies were dwindling a bit, but that wouldn’t stop him. They needed to finish this. It was then he noticed something. Both him and Zhongli were taking hits, but Zhongli hadn’t healed at all.
Was Archon healing a thing? Did they even need healing?
Aether was so lost in thought that he hadn’t even noticed the Ruin Guard’s attention was on him. There wasn’t enough time to react, he just waited for his impending doom. Aether covered his face and hoped for the best.
“AETHER!”
But, the pain never came. He opened his eyes and blinked a few times, noticing a brown and gold clad man standing in front of him. The Ruin Guard had sent more missiles in their direction, but none of them hit Aether. Zhongli took it all.
The former Archon fell to his knees in agony and placed a hand on his chest. “You...you weren't supposed to see me this way” he whispered to Aether before passing out on the floor. Aether cried out his name and immediately was at his side. A small sob escaped his lips as he tried to check to see if the man was still breathing.
Gods, please don’t let this be the end of him.
A sigh of relief puffed out of his lips. He felt a pulse, it was going to be okay. Aether looked back at the Ruin Guard, a new found strength billowed within him. Time to take this monster down.
With little difficulty, Aether took the Ruin Guard down and quickly ran back to Zhongli’s unconscious form. “Come, Mr. Zhongli, you’ll be okay.” Aether whispered and did his best to pick the taller male up. He had no trouble carrying him, but his long limbs were a bit of a hassle.
They were lucky to be by a Statue. Aether gently sat Zhongli against the statue and let it’s healing ability kick in. With a soft grunt, Aether sat down next to him and rested his head between his legs. Zhongli’s last words echoed in his head. Aether wasn’t supposed to seem him that way? What did he mean by that?
He let out a soft sigh and looked out at the sunset. It was quite beautiful, if only he had his Kamera with him. He let Paimon borrow it to take pictures around Liyue Harbor while she waited for him to finish up. He hoped Paimon wasn’t too worried about them. He’d make sure to invite Zhongli to dinner as an apology for a mess of a day.
What seemed like hours later, Zhongli began to stir. Aether had created a small camp for them in the meantime. The sun had officially set, so he also had a small fire going. Aether turned quickly when he saw the man stir. “Mr. Zhongli?” he said cautiously, hoping he didn’t startle the man.
Zhongli blinked a few times, trying to get his bearings. “Aether?” the man whispered and looked over at the blonde. “Y-yeah! It’s me. How are you feeling? Are you okay? Do you need anything??” Aether took a deep breath, calming himself before continuing. “I’m sorry. I was just really worried about you.”
A soft chuckle left Zhongli’s lips. “I’m quite alright, dear Aether. I must’ve been caught off guard earlier. My apologies for worrying you.”
“I-I wasn’t sure what to do. If I could heal you here or not. Thank the Gods it worked. If I hadn’t spaced out, you wouldn’t be in this position right now. I’m so so sorry, Mr. Zhongli. I’ll make it up to you! I promise!” Aether rambled on.
Zhongli watched in amusement as the traveler stumbled over his apologies.
“Aether.”
The blonde quieted down and looked at him.
“Please don’t apologize. I chose to protect you. I knew I would get injured, but didn’t anticipate that much damage.”
Aether gently scooted closer to him. “I-I can’t thank you enough for that. Truly. You have no idea how much that means to me. But, I don’t want people getting hurt on my behalf. I couldn’t live with myself if you...you…” he trailed off and looked down at his hands. “Just..please don’t scare me like that again.”
Zhongli gently wrapped an arm around Aether’s shoulders, drawing him closer. “I can’t promise I won’t protect you, but I’ll do my best to not get hurt.”
Aether laid his head on his shoulder. “That’s good enough for me.”
There was a silence between them before Aether asked “Can I ask you a question?”
“Of course.”
“Before you passed out you said I shouldn’t have seen you that way...what did you mean by that?”
There was another silence between them. Aether feared he overstepped his boundaries and was about to apologize when Zhongli replied.
“I didn’t want you to see me in a weak moment. I’m supposed to be a strong individual, always ready for what life throws at me. I’ve been through a lot and never let anyone see me falter. Not once. People see me as their beloved Archon, I cannot let them see the downfall.” Zhongli finished quietly and looked up at the stars.
Aether let what Zhongli said sink in. Did pride really get in the way? “Zhongli…” Aether started. “You know it’s okay to be human, right? You’re allowed to show weakness. It’s what makes people human. You may no longer be an Archon, but this applies to even then. Being strong is wonderful, but no one can keep that façade up forever. I’ve been alive for a long time. I used to be scared of others seeing me hurt. But, you know what? I learned to let people in, see my vulnerabilities. I learned to ask for help when I needed it. I never for a second doubt how strong you are, Rex Lapis. I never did and never will. It’s okay to let people see you in such bad times.” He knew he went on a bit of a tangent, but he hoped Zhongli stuck along for the ride.
There was yet again, another long pause. Was it for the dramatic effect this time? Zhongli laid his head on top of Aether’s “Thank you, Aether.” he whispered to him. “Thank you for your kind words. I...I’ll do my best to honor your words. You’re right. I should be more open. I shouldn’t have to hide my weakness from anyone.”
“And, I’ll be right here by your side to help in any way I can.” Aether hummed with a soft smile.
“Thank you, dear Traveler.”
The duo stayed for a little while longer, chatting and staring at the stars. Two lost souls were intertwined that night. Hopefully, it was the start of a new fate for them.
Notes:
Please leave any suggestions you have! Thank you for stopping by to read!
Chapter 5: A/N Thank You!
Chapter Text
I wanted to start off by saying that you to everyone who has read this story! I appreciate all your kind comments and prompts I've been receiving.
I'm currently writing a longer chapter, I apologize for it taking longer than usual. But, I promise it'll be up soon!
I also wrote down the other prompts I've received, so they will be written soon. If you guys have any prompts still, please let me know! I'll do most pairings!
I really enjoy the suggestions I've gotten so far and I can't wait to write them!
I hope you all have a good day and I'll update as soon as I can!
Chapter 6: Trip To Mondstadt
Summary:
This was a suggestion from Im_A_Person asking for Zhongli to meet the people of Mondstadt!
I know I missed a few characters, but this one took a while to write. I hope I did the characters justice! Thank you guys for all the suggestions so far! Hope you enjoy!
Chapter Text
The trek from Liyue Harbor to Mondstadt wasn’t as bad as Aether originally thought. He had a partner by his side to make the time go by faster. The traveler asked Zhongli to accompany him to Mondstadt. He thought it would be a good time to introduce some of his friends to the former Archon.
Zhongli gave it some thought. It had been a while since he'd stepped foot in Mondstadt, but he couldn't resist the puppy eyes the traveler had given him. He soon gave in and relished hearing Aether cheer. It could make even the grumpiest being crack a smile.
The duo had just passed through Springvale, Zhongli was admiring the wildlife. He stopped to pick some calla lilies as well as some mints he found. Aether was glad to see Zhongli enjoying himself so far. He feared that he somehow forced the other here. It put him at ease to see the geo user carefree.
“I can see the cathedral! We’re almost there!” Aether may have squeaked out, but covered it with a cough to the best of his ability. Zhongli chuckled at his enthusiasm and smiled over at him. “Let’s not waste anymore time then. Shall we?”
Aether all but tugged Zhongli over the bridge. He apologized to Timmie for scaring away the pigeons and waved to the knights stationed outside the gates. They welcomed the Honorary Knight and went back to their guard.
“Aether!!” A small voice cheered as soon as they stepped in. A red clad girl and a slightly annoyed pink haired girl were sitting by Kathryne. “Hi Klee! Hi Diona!” Aether greeted the duo.
“We missed you! Big brother Albedo hasn’t stopped talking about you since you left!” Klee giggled and hugged his leg. Diona rolled her eyes at that. “You weren’t supposed to say that part out loud, dummy.”
“Hey! I’m just telling the truth! Wait...Aether, who is that?” the pyro user pointed at Zhongli.
Aether took a moment to catch up on the conversation. He was a bit flustered to hear that Albedo was talking about him again. Must be from the experiments he had helped with previously.
“This is Zhongli! My friend from Liyue. Mr. Zhongli, this is Klee, the Spark Knight of the Favonius. And this is Diona, bartender at Cat’s Tail.”
Klee was all too happy to hug Zhongli’s leg. She stared up at the taller man. “You have really pretty eyes!”
Zhongli chuckled in amusement at the small girl before him. “Thank you, miss. It’s lovely to meet both of you.”
Diona looked him up and down. “Do you drink?”
Aether was about to step in, but Zhongli replied “Rarely. I don’t find it as appealing anymore.”
Her tail twitched a bit as she studied him. “Hm. I think we can get along. If you come by A Cat’s Tail, I can make you something non-alcoholic.”
A small smile settled on Zhongli’s lips “Thank you, miss. I greatly appreciate that.”
Diona’s ears perked up at that, before she quickly tugged Klee away. “C’mon, we should let Aether be. And I know you wanted to try the Sunsettia drink.” Klee pouted slightly, but understood. “Bye Aether! Bye Mr. Zhongli!” Klee waved to them.
“Bye, guys! I’ll see you around.” Aether smiled and waved back. Zhongli gave a small wave, watching as Diona tugged Klee away.
“I’ve practically adopted them at this point.” Aether jokes. “They’re adorable.”
“I can see why they like you so much. You’re adventurous like children.” Zhongli teased.
“I may still play hide and seek with some of the children in Liyue, BUT I am an adult! I may also enjoy coloring from time to time, but that’s besides the point!”
Zhongli chuckled softly at Aether’s small pout. He ruffled the blonde’s hair and looked around Mondstadt. “It’s quite beautiful here, I can see why you like coming back.”
“Everyone here is really sweet too! They make me feel like I’m home.” Aether then quickly added “But I feel at home in Liyue too!”
Zhongli smiled more at the flustered traveler before him. “I’m glad to see you can think of Teyvat as home.”
“I really do! Mostly everyone has been sweet to me. And-” Aether was cut off by someone calling out his name.
“Amber!” Aether beamed at her. The brunette bound over to the duo and happily hugged the traveler. He giggled and hugged her back. “How have you been?! I haven’t seen you in forever!”
“Pretty good! I was showing Mr. Zhongli around Mondstadt today. Oh! Mr. Zhongli, this is Outrider Amber! Amber, this is Mr. Zhongli from Liyue.”
“Oh! You’re the one Aether always talks about!” she giggled, causing Aether’s cheeks to flush a bit.
“I-I talk about him a decent amount.” he huffed with a small pout. Amber giggled at the flustered boy and turned to Zhongli. “Nice to meet you, sir! I hope you’re enjoying yourself so far.”
Zhongli watched the conversation in amusement. He was honored to know Aether talks about him even when they aren’t in the same place. “The pleasure is all mine, Miss Amber. I think Mondstadt is a very beautiful place. I feel very welcomed.”
“That makes me happy to hear! Every visitor deserved to feel welcomed!” Amber placed her hands on her hips, welling with pride.
Aether smiled at his friend. “She was the first person I met after falling here. Well, besides Paimon. Amber showed me around and helped me get my glider license.”
“The best student I ever had!” she hummed and smiled back at him. “I should leave you be now! I wanted to say hi before you’re off saving the world again.”
“Oh please, I don’t do it on my own.”
“Mhmm suuuure.” she giggled and looked at Zhongli. “I hope you continue to have a good time here! If you ever need any help, don’t hesitate to ask for me!”
“Thank you, Miss Amber. I shall keep that in mind.” Zhongli smiled at her. The pyro wielder waved and ran off in the direction of Wolvendom.
“You’re quite popular here.” Zhongli mused.
Aether laughed a bit and rubbed the back of his neck. “They’re all super sweet here. We should head somewhere else though so we don’t get bombarded again.”
“Where to, dear traveler?”
“Hmm..lets go to Good Hunter! Paimon is probably with Sara still. They were delivering food to people earlier. We could use a little break and food!”
“Sounds like a plan.” Zhongli smiled and Aether was already tugging him there. The restaurant didn’t have many people around, which was nice. Aether noticed Paimon chatting with Sara as well as a big plate of sticky honey roast. He was happy to see her compensated.
“Seems like you’re having a great time.” Aether giggled and watched as the fairy floated over, attacking the traveler in a hug. “AETHER! PAIMON MISSED YOU!!”
Aether laughed again and hugged her back. “I missed you too, Paimon. I was bringing Zhongli over to get some food.”
Zhongli gave a small wave to the fairy. “Good afternoon, Paimon. I’m happy to see you enjoying yourself.”
“Paimon is! Sara has treated her well!”
Sara giggled and waved at the duo. “Paimon has been a great help today.”
Aether was about to thank her again, when he heard another pair of voices call his name. “Mr. Albedo! Sucrose!” Aether noticed them by Timaeus’ alchemy station.
The duo approached them with rapid succession. Sucrose was a little flustered as she trailed behind Albedo. “H-hello, Traveler.” Sucrose greeted.
“Hey, Sucrose! I was just showing my friend around Mondstadt today.” Aether beamed.
“I’m Zhongli. Wonderful to meet you two.” Zhongli decided to introduce himself to the alchemists. Albedo stepped forward and offered to shake his hand. Zhongli accepted.
“Wonderful to meet you, sir.” Albedo replied politely. He may not socialize very much, but he’ll be nice for Aether’s sake.
Sucrose offered a shy wave to the geo man as Zhongli shook Albedo’s hand. “Would you guys like to join us for lunch?” Aether offered. “It’ll be nice to catch up.”
“If it’s okay with your friend here.” Albedo motioned to Zhongli.
The former Archon gave a soft chuckle. “Please. I’d love to get to know you more.”
The duo accepted and soon Aether, Zhongli, Paimon, Albedo, and Sucrose were sitting at one of the bigger tables in front of Good Hunter. They all chatted and enjoyed a big meal. Zhongli would’ve offered to pay, but he may have forgotten his wallet...again. So, the traveler was kind enough to settle the bill.
Zhongli chatted with Albedo about the experiments he runs and what sort of alchemy he gets up to. It was a relief to Aether to see two men he looks up to getting along. Sucrose was scribbling in her notebook some new formulas from what Aether could tell. Paimon was...well, stuffing her face with food as she listened to the conversations.
Soon, the duo thanked Aether for the treat. They needed to head back to Dragonspine to continue their works. Aether happily hugged them and wished them luck. They soon were off, leaving Zhongli and Paimon by the Traveler’s side. “Paimon thinks she’ll stay with Sara a while longer! She probably needs more help!”
Aether assumed she’d stay there for more free food, but he wasn’t going to call her out. “Have fun! If you need us, we’ll be at the Knight’s Headquarters.”
Paimon waved to them and floated over to Sara. Aether turned to Zhongli with an apologetic smile. “I’m so sorry it’s been hectic here. I didn’t expect them to miss me so much.”
“There’s no need to apologize, dear Aether. I’m happy to see you’re at home here.” Zhongli reassured him. “I like seeing you happy.”
Aether’s cheeks flushed pink at that and looked down at the ground. “I..thank you, Mr. Zhongli. Care to join me for the rest of the tour?”
“I’d be delighted to.”
With that, the duo was off to the headquarters. “I can bring you to see the library! It’s so nice! Lisa keeps it in perfect condition.” Aether rambled on and held the door open for Zhongli.
Zhongli listened to him and happily walked in. “You’re gonna love it, Mr. Zhongli!” Aether cheered and smiled at him. He led Zhongli over to one of the library doors when Jean suddenly walked out of her office. “Honorary Knight! I was just about to go look for you.”
“Hello Acting Grandmaster.” Aether gave a slight bow out of respect. “What can I do for you? I was showing my friend around today.”
Jean turned her attention to Zhongli. “You must be the famed Zhongli the traveler talks about. Hello, I’m The Acting Grandmaster Jean.”
Aether’s cheeks flushed red now at Jean’s statement. Zhongli smiled at Jean now, not before stealing a glance at the flustered traveler.
“Wonderful to meet you, ma’am.”
“If I may, it’ll only be a moment of your time. I need to borrow Aether. There’s a commission I need him for.” Jean explained.
Aether wanted to interject, but Zhongli stepped in “I’ll have a look around the library while I wait, Aether. It won’t be a problem.”
The traveler let out a sigh of relief. “I’ll be quick! I promise!” he reassured Zhongli as Jean ushered him into her office. Zhongli gave a soft wave and now entered the library. He marveled at the design and sheer amount of books in his midst. A few people milled around the area. Zhongli noticed a woman clad in purple behind the counter, he assumed she was the librarian of the place.
“Good evening.” he greeted the woman. She lifted her head from her teacup and grinned at him. “Hey there, cutie. Do I know you? You don’t look familiar.”
“Forgive me for not introducing myself. I’m Zhongli, one of Aether’s friends.” Zhongli introduced himself.
“Oh? The other cutie brought you? I haven’t seen him in forever.” the librarian mused.
“You can call me Lisa, handsome. I’m the librarian here. Please be sure to return the books when you’re finished. I’ll know if you didn’t.” It was a vague threat, but Zhongli could feel the truth before her words.
“Fear not, I’m here to browse.” Zhongli knew most of the history of Mondstadt and their beloved Anemo Archon. But, it was nice to browse from the selection. He noticed a few other people in the library. Particularly a young girl speaking Hilichurlian. He was quite impressed with how much the girl knew.
Some time passed and Aether quickly, but quietly rushed into the library. “I’m so sorry for taking so long.” he whispered to Zhongli, careful to not be too loud. He didn’t need Lisa to yell at them.
Zhongli shook his head. “It’s quite alright, Aether. I was catching up on some reading.” he motioned to one of the history books he had opened. “There’s only so much a certain bard will say.”
Aether laughed a bit at that. “C’mon. I have a few more places I wanna show you.” Zhongli gave a nod and put his book back before allowing Aether to lead the way.
On the way out, Aether waved to Lisa and walked out of the headquarters. “I’ll bring you to the cathedral! It’s gorgeous on the inside and Barbara is the deaconess! She’s super sweet and helps heal everyone! She also sings for people sometimes. I think you’ll like her.”
Aether opened the cathedral doors and immediately noticed Barbara and two others by her. “Please be more careful out there, Bennett. You were lucky Razor found you.” Barbara softly scolded the young adventurer as she bandaged the boy.
“Hah, that may be the only time I’ve ever been lucky.” Bennett said sheepishly. Razor stood by his side with his arms slightly crossed. “Don’t like seeing friend hurt.” he huffed.
Aether gently tugged Zhongli up through the pews. “Hello guys.” Aether greeted the trio. Barbara finished bandaging up Bennett before turning towards the two males.
“Honorary Knight! How are you today?” Barbara smiled brightly at the traveler. Bennett was next to greet Aether was a tackle hug. “Traveler! I missed you!”
Aether giggled and hugged him back. “I’m good, Barbara! Hope you’ve been well. I missed you too, Bennett! And hello, Razor! I didn’t think I’d see you here.”
“Bennett was hurt. I keep watch over him.” Razor replied with a soft smile. He then looked at Zhongli. “You smell like...rocks.”
Zhongli chuckled at that. Aether soon introduced the trio to Zhongli. They were all highly interested in what Liyue was like. Zhongli happily answered all their questions. At one point, Razor had to calm Bennett since he was too excited about the possible trip to Liyue Zhongli promised him.
After a while, Bennett chose to walk Razor back to Wolvendom. He claimed he wanted Razor safe since it was getting dark. Aether suppressed a giggle and let them be on their way. They were just too cute together. Barbara busied herself with cleaning the cathedral before heading off to see Jean.
Aether chose to end their little trip at Angel’s Share. Zhongli accepted Aether’s invitation and soon they were off. The tavern was bustling with activity. From some Guild members to a few regulars in Mondstadt. Diluc was behind the counter instead of Charles for the night.
The pyro user picked his head up when he noticed the tavern door opened. Aether walked in with Zhongli in tow. “This is Angel’s Share! Diluc owns the place as well as the Dawn Winery.” The blonde explained.
“Good evening, Aether.” Diluc greeted them as he leaned against the counter.
“Hello Master Diluc! How are you today?” he cheerfully asked.
“Aside from a certain bard, Kaeya, and Rosaria bleeding me dry of dandelion wine, my day has been fine. You?”
Zhongli let out a slight chuckle at that comment. “I’m great! I’ve been showing Mr. Zhongli around town all day. I decided to end the tour here.”
Diluc’s eyes flickered over to the other male. “Pleasure to meet you, sir.” Being a protective man, Diluc eyed the former Archon a bit longer than he should’ve.
“Pleasure’s all mine.” Zhongli hummed and had the same look in his eye. He saw no threat in Diluc, but found joy in giving the bar owner a slight competition.
Diluc tore his eyes away from the tall man. “What can I get you two?”
After ordering, the duo took a seat at a table on the upper level, not before catching a certain captain’s eye.
Kaeya grabbed his drink and ascended the stairs. “Well, well, well, if it isn’t the Great Honorary Knight.” the captain smirked and took a seat by Aether.
Aether’s eyes lit up when he saw him. “Kaeya! How are you?” he asked before sipping his drink.
“I’m great now that I see you.” he winked, causing Aether to blush for what seemed like the twentieth time today. Zhongli cleared his throat, getting the captain’s attention. Something stirred in Zhongli’s chest. He couldn’t quite place what the feeling was, but it wasn’t pleasant.
“You must be the guest our little Aether has been showing around all day. You’re the talk of the town.” Kaeya twirled a few snowflakes around his hand.
“Indeed. I’m Zhongli. And you are?” Zhongli hated the way Kaeya said ‘little Aether’, but he chose to let that go for the time being.
“Cavalry Captain Kaeya of the Knight of Favonious.” the cryo user smirked at his own dramatic introduction.
Aether watched them cautiously. He knew how much of a flirt Kaeya was and hoped Zhongli wasn’t too bothered by it. The two men exchanged pleasantries that seemed a bit too forced. But, the traveler decided not to question it.
A while later, Kaeya left them be, not before ruffling Aether’s hair. Zhongli damn near made a comment, but the captain was quick to flee.
“He’s quite...the character.” Zhongli broke the silence between them. Aether let out a small giggle. “Very much so. He may flirt, but I know he means no harm.”
“We’ll see about that.” Zhongli muttered to himself before sipping his drink. Aether laughed again and found Zhongli’s jealousy a bit cute. The duo spent the rest of the evening talking about the events of the day and anything they could think of. It was the perfect ending to a perfect day.
Bonus:
The sun had set on Windrise, letting the stars shine above Teyvat. A certain green clad bard was lazily strumming a lyre as he looked up at the stars. There was a soft smile that rested on his lips when he felt a familiar presence.
“It’s been a while, old friend.” he spoke and plucked one last note. It resonated around the tree, leaving a sense of peace in its wake.
“Indeed.” a deep voice rang out in the still night. Venti turned and faced the geo user. He flashed him a smile before offering a hand to him. “Care to join me for the evening? It would be nice to catch up.”
Zhongli seemed to contemplate Venti’s offer. Many options weighed in his mind, but ultimately he shoved them all away. “As long as there’s no wine.”
Venti let out a melodious laugh. “You think so little of me, dear Morax.”
“I think enough about you, Barbatos.”
Zhongli took Venti’s hand and soon the two gods sat in the tree, staring at the stars. They reminisce about the past, letting any grudges they held go just for the night. Perhaps sometime in the future, they can mend the bond they had once before.
Notes:
Thank you for reading! Hope you have a nice day!
Chapter 7: Fire In The Sky
Summary:
Spoilers for We Will Be Reunited
This is a What If scenario where Aether kills the Unknown Goddess after she had killed Lumine during their final fight. Lumine saw the errors of her ways with the Abyss Order and joined forces with Aether to help bring her down.
Aether 10000% has that trauma and may be slightly unhinged now and feels like there's nothing left for him. I also added in a theory I've been seeing that the twins are Deities of sorts, so Aether is given his full power again.
This is in no way canon, it's been floating around in my mind for a few days, so I decided to write it. Hope you enjoy!
Notes:
TW for blood, mentions of death, descriptions of death, and just all around a void empty Aether
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
I don’t want to set the world on fire.
I just want to start a flame in your heart.
Aether sat upon the ash stricken land. The air hung heavy with the souls of the dead, pleading to be set free. A sense of strange calmness settled over the boy. He closed his eyes and enjoyed the light breeze that blew past him. Sadly, the Archon wasn’t responsible for that one, rather it was from the whirlwind of screams.
The Unknown Goddess paid the price for separating the siblings. It would have been a triumph if it wasn’t for his friends who intervened. They tried to stop the Traveler from doing irreversible damage to the land. But, why would he care when the one person who he had by his side for the longest time was gone?
The blonde opened his eyes and glanced over at the body next to him. The familiar blonde hair that shined so bright was now matted with dirt and blood. The once beautiful dress now covered in ash and despair. Aether tried.
He tried his damn hardest to save her. But, fate wouldn’t be on his side. For the second time in his life, he couldn’t save Lumine. The Goddess had descended all her wrath upon the twins, cursing them both with a terrible fate. Lumine saw what had become of the Abyss Order under her rule. She knew what had to be done. She couldn’t fight her brother anymore. They needed to defeat the higher evil. The Unknown Goddess.
Just as Aether delivered a blow to the Goddess’s army, he saw it happen. A blade pierced through Lumine’s chest. The heart wrenching scream that escaped her throat. Aether’s heart hammered in his chest. Time seemed to stand still. That’s when the Traveler felt it. A familiar feeling crept over him.
Golden wings sprouted from his back, his eyes began to glow something fierce. A newfound, yet familiar power was brought back to him. Aether dashed over to Goddess just as she tossed Lumine aside as if she was a sack. Anger overcame him. Why wasn’t life fair to him? Why did this have to happen to his sister? They were destined to travel together for eons to come, but time is a terrible thing.
If someone were to ask him what happened in that moment, he would say he didn’t remember. Or, it happened too fast. But, the traveler did remember something. He remembered how it felt to plunge his blade into the Goddess’s chest. The cry she let out when he twisted the sword within her. The fury of a God raged inside him for he finally claimed the power he was stripped of all those years ago.
Aether could hear other people screaming his name, but he couldn’t care about that now. All he wanted was Lumine. He dropped the body of the Goddess and twisted his sword out of her chest before falling to his knees by Lumine. His wings casted his sister some protection from the ash that swayed in the breeze. Just from the look of her, he could tell she wasn’t going to make it. But, he still had some hope.
As he held his sister’s broken body close, he couldn’t help but smile. They were finally together, even if the time would be cut short at any moment. Lumine was rambling out many apologies to her twin, begging for forgiveness of her actions. Aether listened and gently ran his fingers through her hair. He held no grudges against his only kin for he felt the pain she did. They stayed quiet and listened to the Goddess’s army fleeing. They cried out about their Mistress being massacred. But, Aether didn’t worry. He couldn’t worry. It was over now and Lumine could rest easy. He could rest easy.
And that’s how the Abyss Princess lived and died. She was at peace in her brother’s arms. The blood that soaked her dress was glistening in the soft light that surrounded them. It was an oddly beautiful and poetic sight.
Aether gently laid her down on the ground, promising her a grand burial when all was said and done. That leads us back to the present. Aether’s wings gently fluttered in the ash stricken wind. He could hear footsteps approaching him. But, once again, he was calm.
“Hello, Mr. Zhongli.” Aether hummed, as if there wasn’t death and destruction around him. Nothing mattered anymore without his sister by his side.
“Aether...what have you done?” The former Archon whispered. The usually calm and collected man had a slight quiver in his voice. He couldn’t believe the sight before him. Countless bodies slain as well as two ethereal beings laying close by.
“Just taking care of business, dear friend. For you see.” Aether’s glowing eyes snapped open as they bored into Zhongli. “This is my design.”
Notes:
Hope you enjoyed reading this! Im working on the other suggestions Ive been given. So, fear not! They are coming! Thank you again for reading <3
Chapter 8: Another A/N
Chapter Text
I just wanted to pop in and apologize for not updating any stories. Something came up in my personal life and I'm going to need time to figure things out. But, I write to keep myself busy and to help cope. I'm in the midst of writing the next suggestion that was given to me, so I'll do my best to have it up ASAP.
If there were any rare pairings that you like in Genshin, but don't see a lot of it, please let me know as well. I'd love to explore pairings you don't see everyday.
I hope you've all been well and I wish you the best day/night/morning you could ask for.
See ya
Chapter 9: We Can't Have You Catching A Cold
Summary:
Aether and Zhongli head to Dragonspine for a commission, but Aether is stubborn and gets stuck in the blizzard. Zhongli finds him and does his best to help.
This was suggested by coffeeonthebrunhild!
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
“I told you, Mr. Zhongli, I feel okay! The cold never bothered me anyway!” Aether giggled at his own joke, realizing the others wouldn’t understand what he was referencing. He shook some snow off his head and looked at Zhongli. “I promise, I’ll be okay. I just need some chilled meat for Iris. Plus, I’ll need to get used to the cold when I get to Snezhnaya. I’m building resistance!” The traveler rambled on, hoping he was convincing enough.
Zhongli watched on in amusement and crossed his arms. “As long as you promise to take frequent breaks and keep yourself warm, I trust you.”
“Paimon doesn’t think he’ll agree with that, Mr. Zhongli! Aether is very stubborn.” the fairy placed her hands on her hips.
“Paimon! Did you really have to call me out?!” Aether groaned and shook his head. “I’ll take enough breaks!”
“Paimon doesn’t believe you will! And you never listen to her.” she huffed and crossed her arms now.
That was enough for Zhongli to offer his assistance. He claimed it was to help Aether keep his word, but deep down, he truly worried for the traveler’s safety on the mountain. It was a cold, unforgiving place. Few adventurers traverse the snowy terrain, let alone fight anything there.
Aether reluctantly accepted his help. He feared he was putting Zhongli out and was pulling him away from his work. The former Archon quickly dissolved his fears and said he was quite fine, missing a day of work to help out.
With that, the trio was off up the rocky terrain. Aether stopped a few times to read off his map where exactly they were. “I think...I think we’re near the outskirts of the Ancient Palace. Erm...I hope so.” he muttered that last part to himself. To be quite honest, he wasn’t sure where the hell they were. The group had taken a slight detour due to a snowdrift falling in their direct path. There wasn’t any reasonable way to get around it, so they needed to adapt fast.
“Aether, just admit you don’t know where we’re going!” Paimon huffed and rubbed her arms to ward off the cold. “We can build a camp and take a breather! Paimon thinks we need it.”
“She’s right, Aether. I’m sure we can reconfigure and find our way down.” Zhongli stepped closer to the traveler. It was hard for Aether to admit defeat. But, hearing Zhongli’s slight concern in his voice, he let out a sigh.
“Yeah, you’re right. We can stay near one of the old tents up here.”
The trio had set up camp at an old Fatui and had a small fire going. “This fire won’t do much.” Aether sighed. “I’ll go find us some more wood.” he stood up and brushed off his scarf. “Wait.” Zhongli gently placed a hand on his arm. “Allow me to go with you. It’s far too dangerous to be out there on your own.”
‘I’ll be fine, Mr. Zhongli, I promise. I won’t go far! Plus, someone should stay at the camp. Paimon needs prote- I mean, Paimon needs to protect someone! She has a mean bite.” Aether quickly corrected himself when he saw Paimon glare at him.
Zhongli let out a soft sigh and looked down at the boy. “You won’t budge on this, will you?”
“I want to make sure we’re all safe, Mr. Zhongli. I promise I’ll be quick! You won’t even notice I’m gone.”
Zhongli sighed again and shook his head a bit. “Hurry back then. We can’t have you catching a cold.”
And hurry back Aether did not. The storm had picked up around the small camp, causing Paimon to anxiously fly around the tent. “P-Paimon thinks we should go look for him.” The fairy looked over at Zhongli.
Zhongli felt the same way. Aether had been gone far too long at this point. “You stay here and watch over the camp. I won’t be long.” he told the fairy as he stood. Paimon gave a small nod and watched as he exited the tent.
The ground was slippery beneath Aether’s feet and the snow had begun to cling to his skin. But, he had a task he needed to do. Aether had an armful of wood to bring back to camp, but he seemed to have lost track of which way to go. The storm picked up around him, causing him to lose his way. Panic settled in his chest. What was he supposed to do?
Aether stuck the firewood into his satchel and tried to cover his face from the harsh snow. His teeth chattered, he could feel the sheer cold settling into his being. It weaved its way into his chest, nestling itself there. Aether sucked in a harsh breath just as he lost his footing in the snow. The frigid air stung his lungs, making Aether forget how to breathe for a moment.
He gasped out and fell to his knees now. His hands dug into the snow, desperately clenching around the surface for any purchase. More panic had settled in his chest at this point. He wants to get up and keep walking, but his body wouldn’t cooperate. Aether felt as if he was locked in place. The wind picked up around him and the snow began to fall heavier and heavier.
“Zh...Zhongli? Pai...Paimon?” Aether called out the best he could. His teeth were chattering at this point and his body felt numb. Maybe...maybe a quick rest would help. He hadn’t realized how tired he was until this moment. Aether’s golden eyes drooped as he leaned against the side of the mountain. He wasn’t so cold anymore...just tired.
Maybe if he slept, he’d feel better.
“...er”
“...ther”
“Aether!”
A sudden warmth enveloped the smaller boy. He let out a soft noise of distress when he was picked up from his current position. He willed himself to open his eyes, just for a moment. “Zh’li?” Aether slurred. His teeth were chattering again and the harsh winds surrounded them. Yet, the former Archon acted as a shield to protect Aether from the environment.
“I’m here, Aether. I’m taking you back to camp, hush now. You must save your strength.” Zhongli whispered to him and held the smaller boy closer to his chest. Aether didn’t put up much of an argument as he gave a slight nod before laying his head on Zhongli’s chest.
After fighting through the storm, Zhongli finally made it back to the camp. He breathed a sigh of relief as he gently sat Aether down in the tent before getting to work on the fire. Paimon was floating anxiously nearby, glancing at Aether from time to time. Finally, the fire was burning and Zhongli got to work on warming the traveler. Luckily, his clothes weren't too damp, so he wasn’t too worried about Aether not being able to warm up.
Zhongli moved closer to the traveler and wrapped his jacket around the blonde. “There should be some blankets in his satchel! We use them a lot when we camp outside.” Paimon explained and began to rummage around in it.
After some trouble, Paimon tugged a blanket out of the bag. Zhongli thanked her and wrapped it around the freezing boy. Aether scooted closer to him, relishing in the warmth he felt. He let out a soft noise of distress when a particularly harsh breeze blew through the tent. Zhongli held him tighter and placed a soft kiss on the crown of his head. “Sleep, dear Aether. You’ll be warmed up in no time.” he whispered to the Traveler.
“Pr’mise?” Aether muttered and pressed himself closer to him. He rested his head on Zhongli’s chest and wrapped his arms around his torso.
“With all my heart.” he replied in a soft whisper. He gently carded his fingers through the Traveler’s hair. Aether subconsciously leaned into his touch and closed his eyes once more. He knew when he was feeling better, he would get an earful from Paimon and a lecture from Zhongli. But, for now, he wanted to sleep. Soon, the traveler was fast asleep in the arms of the former Archon as the storm raged around them.
Notes:
Hope you guys have a good day!
Chapter 10: Despair
Summary:
Oop more angst
Basically Aether snaps and reveals his Deity form. He may cause some destruction
SPOILERS FOR WE Will Be Reunited and Liyue story quest
Notes:
I'm still working on the suggestions I've gotten! This was just something I wanted to write tbh
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
Aether had finally hit his breaking point. At the beginning of his journey, he was happy to help everyone he could. The recognition didn’t matter to him after he completed various requests for people. A few of his friends were quick to thank him, but he waved it off. In his mind, Aether felt like he didn’t need it. He was doing a favor, nothing more.
But, as time went on and more and more commissions were thrusted at him, Aether began to wither. Defeating Dvalin was no easy feat and neither was Osial. But, for some reason, Aether felt as if all his hard work was in vain. He saved both Mondstadt and Liyue definitely, but the more things he did, the less thanks he got. It felt as if anything he did was brushed past to deal with a ‘bigger’ issue.
In Liyue, Aether was more taken aback by Zhongli giving his gnosis to La Signora than he was fighting Childe. It broke his heart to know that this was all a ploy to see if the Qixing and Adeptus could put aside their differences to protect Liyue without an Archon. Every land he went to in Teyvat, he would need to save.
All he wanted to do was be reunited with his sister. He didn’t want to fight the battles for anyone else. He was tired of it all.
The commissions and orders were started to overwhelm the poor traveler at this point. There was so much to do and so little time, and to top it off, Aether’s usual party had other duties to attend to. One night, Aether sat atop the roof of the Wangshu Inn, overlooking the plains around him. He studied the constellations that appeared in his hand, quietly naming all the stars he could see.
“What are you doing here?” A cold voice broke the silence of the night.
“Hello, Xiao.” Aether replied quietly and put his hand down, causing the constellation to disappear. The Yaksha crossed his arms and sent a glare towards him. “Don’t make me ask again.”
“I wanted some fresh air. I’m sorry if this is your spot, I can go elsewhere.” Aether replied quietly and got ready to grab his bag.
“No. You can stay...you looked deep in thought.”
Aether looked over at Xiao again. “I was just thinking about...about everything I’ve seen here so far. And everyone I’ve met.”
Xiao gave a small hum to show he was still listening.
“Can I ask you something?”
“No.”
“Well, I’m going to ask anyway.”
Xiao let out a sigh at that.
“Do...you ever get the urge to completely give in? Just throw in the towel and stop giving a shit?”
The Yaksha was silent for a moment before looking over at the traveler. He took note of how weary he looked, how desperate the poor boy seemed.
“Sometimes...sometimes I think about giving into my karmic debt.” he replied simply after a moment. “But then I remember the contract to protect Liyue and everyone in it. I can’t give that up. Ever. And neither can you, Aether. People...need you here.” Xiao was never the best with words, but he did the best he could.
Aether looked down at his hands and let his shoulders fall a little. “Thank you, Xiao.”
If only Xiao could see into the future of what was to come.
______
Aether had finished helping a few of his friends in Mondstadt with a domain they needed to clear out. Kaeya had given him a simple pat on the back and Diluc gave a slight head nod in his direction. He took it as a thank you from the brothers, but in the back of his mind, he felt as if that wasn’t enough. It was a particularly hard domain, nearly causing the end of the Cavalry Captain and the Wine Tycoon. But, Aether had just enough strength to push them through and clear out the Abyss Mages.
It was a tiring experience for the trio. Aether’s bones felt as if they were going to give out on him, but alas he had more work to do. He bid the brothers a short goodbye before fleeing to his next job. The brothers weren’t idiots, they knew something was wrong with the traveler. Every person he encountered was beginning to be suspicious of the blonde.
The sun was beginning to set on Teyvat. Aether sat in the grass of Starsnatch Cliff as he watched it begin to fall behind the horizon. His body ached, his heart was heavy. Aether had barely slept a wink these past few weeks and his mind was beginning to falter. All he wanted to do was find his damn sister, but every single person needed his assistance. He hated it. He hated how he couldn’t say no, he hated how he couldn’t just leave this damned place.
His mind was kicking into overdrive at this point, he didn’t hear the footsteps approaching him.
“Aether?” a voice called out. He looked behind him and noticed a few of his friends were standing idly by. Zhongli, Diluc, Kaeya, Childe, Venti, Xiao, and Jean all had various expressions on their faces as they looked at him.
“What do I owe this pleasure to seeing you all here?” Aether hummed and looked at them with tired eyes.
“We wanted to ask you something, Aether.” Venti started off. He wanted to phrase it delicately, but Childe stepped in. “Why are you not acting like yourself, comrade? You seem tired and just not in a good mood these few weeks. I thought we were buddies!”
Diluc glared at Childe and Jean shook her head with an exasperated sigh. “What he means, we’re worried about you, Traveler. You just don’t seem like yourself.” Jean explained.
Aether blinked a few times and took in what he just heard. “Maybe I’m just finding who I really am.”
“What do you mean by that, Aether?” Zhongli asked gently after a moment of confused silence from the party.
“I mean exactly what I said.” Aether replied simply and stood up now. “Maybe I’m finding out what I’m really destined for, you know? Maybe, just maybe I’m not what everyone thinks I am.”
“I’m...I’m still not getting it.” Venti frowned.
What’s there not to get? Aether definitely wasn’t human and he thought people picked up on that by now. “I’m not human, Venti. I am a Deity from the stars. My sister and I- we weren’t supposed to be here! We’re meant to be free and roam amongst the stars. I’m tired of this, I’m tired of all this!”
Aether felt himself begin to snap. His hands were shaking slightly as he clenched his fists.
“Honorary Knight, you can’t possibly say-” Diluc cut Kaeya off.
“You’re not of this world, Aether, but you can’t say you’re a god.”
Aether stared dumbfounded at the redhead and clenched his fists tighter. Before he could say anything, Zhongli took a step closer to the Traveler.
“Aether, I think you may need some rest. A few others have explained to us that you haven’t been sleeping properly. I’m sure I could find some tea to help-”
The blonde cut him off. “You cannot be serious right now. You and the other Archons destroyed Khaenri’ah for no damn good reason! So don’t you dare try and tell me what I know. I know who I am. I’ve gone by many names over these past centuries. I am a Deity who has been stripped of their powers and forced unto this land!”
Aether was enraged at this point. He kept this secret hidden deep within himself, but today felt like the day to bring it up. “I woke up during the destruction you and the other Archons dealt to Khaenri’ah! I tried to get Lumine and I away, but this fucking Goddess stole her away from me! We didn’t belong here and we still don’t!”
“Aether, you need to stop this right now.” Xiao warned him. “You need to stay calm.”
“No.”
“No?”
“No. I will not stand by and let this happen anymore. I will show you. I’ll show all of you!”
There soon was a loud boom from the sky. Everyone had looked up and noticed what looked like a shooting star. It was similar to all those times Aether had wished for new weapons and friends to join him on his journey. But, this one was a bright red...and heading straight for him. “Took you long enough.” he whispered to the comet and reached his hand out to it.
“Aether! Wait!” Zhongli called out for him. But, it was too late, the comet enveloped the Traveler. Power coursed through Aether’s veins. The familiar feeling of power was returning to him. He wasn’t sure how this was possible, but he would look into that at a different time. Wings sprouted from his back and the aura of godliness surrounded him.
Finally, the light that encased him diminished, leaving a Traveler with the glow of a star and golden wings behind him. He opened his eyes and looked at the others, who gazed on in shock. “I go by many names, but the one most worlds fear is Kong, Deity of the Stars.”
The group before him couldn’t comprehend the fact that Aether wasn’t lying. Or the fact that there may be trouble ahead.
“All it takes is one bad day. One bad day to turn a renowned hero into their worst version of themself. One bad day to watch a beloved friend fall into the abyss. One bad day to see the world fall into despair.”
The sky above them began to crack slightly. A horrible black fog began to swirl upon the land. Aether lazily raised a hand to the sky and held his hand up as if giving an offering to what was above. “And now it’s time for me to bring despair.” he grinned.
Notes:
If yall want a part 2 or other POVs lemme know
Have a good day!
Chapter 11: Mending
Summary:
Here's part two of Despair. Aether meets a familiar face after bringing his wrath down on Teyvat. He has a change of heart after seeing what he just did. Then, his friends do their best to pick up the pieces.
This was requested by Elements1999, Justaway98, and AshedRaisin
I'm so glad you liked it!
Notes:
I use both the names of Aether and Kong interchangeably in this chapter!
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
The land of Teyvat was surrounded in a black fog. Shadowy creatures were sprouting from the ground, attacking anything in their sights. People cowered in fear and tried to ward off the beasts.
All while Kong watched the destruction of a land that was far too cruel to him. They deserved it, he thought. In his delusional state, Kong believed every single person he met in Teyvat needed this vengeance. Deep down, he knew that this was too much. All the traveler wanted to do was find his sister. He just wanted to hug her again and hold her.
The Traveler’s friends couldn’t believe what had happened. They couldn’t wrap their heads around the fact that Aether, no, Kong, was a Deity and that he unleashed hell upon the land. Diluc was fighting off a shadow beast that threatened to invade Mondstadt. Kaeya was at his side, slashing his way through the dense fog. Venti used what Godly power he had to help the brothers defeat the horrible creatures. Up in the cathedral, many townspeople were gathered there as Jean stood guard outside to not let anyone get hurt. Albedo had come down from Dragonspine when he felt a shift in the world. Deep down, he was worried as hell that the Traveler would end them all.
In Liyue, Zhongli and Xiao worked side by side to ward off the evil spirits that invaded their land. A few others stood guard and slashed their way past the beast. How could Aether betray them all like this?
The sky had begun to crack even further. The black fog poured into the world, creating more horrible creatures. Kong watched on in amusement from Wangshu Inn. Said Inn had been deserted in a panic to find groups to survive. “See what you’re missing, sister? The destruction we wanted. All the self control we harbored isn’t needed anymore. We can let go now. There’s no need to fear. Not anymore.” Kong said to the sky.
Kong swirled the dark fog around in his palm, watching the constellation in his hand turn into ash when the fog met the stars. He then felt a shift in the wind around the Inn. He straightened up and looked around to see who was the cause of it.
“Great to see you again, dear brother.” a soft voice rang out. Kong turned to see Lumine standing next to him, looking at the darkened world.
“L-Lumine?” his voice quivered slightly. His brain must be playing tricks on him. She couldn’t be here...could she?
“The one and only.” she hummed and looked over at him with an unreadable expression. “I see you’ve been busy, Kong.”
“I...I was tired of all this.” he sighed and looked at the sea of chaos before them. “They wouldn’t listen to me! No one does, Ying.” Kong looked over at his twin wearily. “I needed to show them what I can really do! I needed them to see that they deserved this.”
Lumine listened to her sibling intently. She knew he was hurting deep down. This separation was a heavy burden on his shoulders. “Aether, Kong, you realize these people are innocent in the grand scheme of things, right? They don’t deserve this.” she said gently. Her usual cold exterior softened a bit when with her brother. “You...you have friends here, brother. They care about you a lot. Even...if some of them may be Archons. You can’t hurt these people anymore.”
Aether listened to his sister's words, his fists slowly clenching and unclenching. His shoulders fell as her words finally settled in his mind. What the hell was he doing? The ocean of rage inside him had begun to subside, leaving a cold, empty feeling. “When can we be together again, Lumine?” he whispered.
“Soon, brother. I promise to see you again soon and we can go anywhere you want.”
“Can we go back to Asgard?”
Lumine let out a soft laugh. “Of course. I’m sure plenty of people will want to see us again.”
Aether cracked a smile at that before it began to fade. “Will my friends ever forgive me?” he asked in a small voice.
His twin was silent for a moment. “They’re your friends. I’m sure they will, they’ll be more worried about your wellbeing then themselves. They love you, Aether. No matter what.”
“Thank you, Lumine.” he whispered and glanced over at her. “I look forward to seeing you again.”
“As do I, big brother.” Lumine gently touched his arm before pulling back. She stepped into the portal, not before stealing a glance back at Aether. Soon, she disappeared into the Abyss once more.
Aether looked up at the sky before letting out a shaky sigh. “For you, my sister,” he whispered. He raised his hand to the sky, allowing a gold energy to shoot into the sky. The energy broke through the fog, suffocating it until it was no more. The cracks in the sky were mended as if nothing ever happened. The beasts all disintegrated into piles of dust. Diluc and Kaeya stood bewildered as the beasts were no more. They looked to the sky and noticed the fog was no more. Zhongli, Xiao, and Childe noticed the same thing and carefully lowered their weapons.
“We need to find him! What if something happened?!” Venti somehow appeared right beside the brothers. “I-I can’t help but worry!”
“We should gather the others.” Diluc said in a hushed voice, ushering Venti away from the crowd of terrified civilians. Kaeya followed in pursuit, not before getting Albedo and Jean.
________
Aether’s feet touched the ground of Starsnatch Cliff, where it all started. He collapsed to his knees, exhausted from the energy he exhumed earlier. His wings gently wrapped around his body, creating a shield to block Aether’s shame from the world. He curled up more and let out a quiet sob into his hands.
“Gods, what have I done?” he whispered to the wind. There was a soft breeze that caressed his cheeks, seemingly like they were trying to wipe away his tears. Aether sobbed harder and covered his mouth to quiet the sound. Unbeknownst to him, there were a few footsteps heading in his direction.
“He’s over here!” a voice rang out, causing Aether’s head to snap up. He glanced over at the group of people that were making his way over to him. He quickly scrambled to his feet and took a step backwards. “P-please.” he lip quivered. “Gods, please stay back.”
The group cautiously stopped a few feet in front of him. Aether could make out Zhongli, Venti, Kaeya, Diluc, Xiao, Childe and Albedo. “Ae- Kong, please. You don’t need to worry.” Zhongli attempted to soothe the shaking Traveler.
“Gods, I-I...I don’t know what to do.” Aether whispered and looked at the group through tear filled eyes.
It broke all their hearts to see their dear friend so terrified. “Just...just please tell me no one died. Please, I didn’t want to kill anyone. I-”
Childe carefully cut him off. “No one died, comrade. It’s okay now.” The others nodded in agreement as Zhongli took a step forward. Aether then took another step back.
“If you’re going to kill me...please make it quick a-and painless.” he whispered to them after taking a shaky breath. It was Albedo’s turn to speak up. “What are you talking about, traveler? We didn’t come to kill you. We...we worried about you and wanted to make sure you were okay.”
Aether was confused by Albedo’s words. “What do you mean? I nearly destroyed Teyvat! Y-you don’t wish me dead?”
“Of course not.” Xiao scoffed and crossed his arms. “We want to help you, Aether.”
“I know you know that what you did was wrong, but no one is going to exile you. People were hurt, but Aether, we care about you too. I know you’re hurting and that’s okay. We’re your friends and we’re here to help.” Zhongli said gently and looked him in the eyes. “I promise, no one is going to hurt you.”
Aether bit his lip and let Zhongli’s words sink in. Aether understood that they wouldn’t forgive him right away. He knew it would take time and he was okay with that. But, the shame and guilt he felt for all this was bubbling up inside him. “I-I can’t forgive myself for any of this. I nearly killed you all and- and I could do it again. I could and that terrifies me. I can’t control it when I’m upset. I’m sorry for getting upset with you all. I’m tired...I’m so damn tired. I just want my sister again.” Aether trailed off at the end and fell to his knees.
His heart began to ache once more as he remembered why this all happened, why he snapped. Aether’s eyes teared up again as he choked back a sob. All the memories he and Lumine shared played in his head. “I just want to be with my sister!” he cried out and let the tears openly flow. He sobbed into his hands and felt the wind pick up around him. There soon was a soft hand resting on his back and another one gently carding their fingers through his hair.
“Let it all out, Aether.” Venti whispered to him. Aether sobbed louder and wrapped his arms around the Anemo Archon. He buried his face into his shoulder and hugged him tightly as he cried. A few other arms gently wrapped around him, attempting to soothe the poor traveler.
Everyone understood it would take time to heal from this. They knew Aether truly never meant for anyone to get hurt. The pain was evident when the traveler spoke and his friends made a pact to help mend Aether back together. It would take time for their trust to fully return to one another, but in the end it would be worth it to see their traveler have a real smile again.
Notes:
I'll be adding another part as a retrospective into what everyone thought when they saw/heard Aether had snapped. Thank you guys for reading and I hope you have a good day!
Chapter 12: Retrospective
Summary:
Finale of Despair!
This is the thoughts of Zhongli, Diluc, Kaeya, Childe, Venti, Xiao, Albedo, Jean and Lumine when Aether snapped.
Thank you to Phantasm19 and Elements1999 for suggesting a POV!
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
Zhongli
Zhongli had his concerns about the Traveler for a while. He noticed how quiet the blonde had gotten in the coming weeks. How vacant his gaze seemed when they would go on their nightly walks around the harbor. Zhongli wasn’t sure how to bring up the subject to the traveler, so he kept his thoughts to himself. Oh, what a terrible idea that was in hindsight.
When he saw the red comet barreling towards Aether, he thought it would be the end of the Traveler. Never had it crossed his mind that Aether was a god of any kind. How surprising it was to see golden wings behind the blonde as well as that wicked smile. Gods, how he wished he could erase the absolute manic grin from his mind.
Childe
Tartaglia had started to notice Aether’s slip in mental state during their weekly battles at the Golden House. Usually, Aether was quick to defeat Childe in his 3 forms, but lately he had been struggling to even get past his Delusion state. Taking pity on the Traveler, Childe attempted to falter once in a while and claimed he was just being clumsy as to let Aether get his attack in.
Usually, he would tease Aether for how ‘weak’ he was for not being able to defeat a Harbinger, but he could tell there was an underlying issue to it. He tried to get Aether to open up to him a few times, but the blonde just shook him off. The power that had exuded from the red comet will forever plague Childe. It reminded him of when he used his Delusion and how absolutely terrifying it was. He can never forget how the sky began to crack or the terrifying fog that settled on the land. How could Aether do this to them?
Kaeya and Diluc
The brothers had an inkling that the Traveler wasn’t doing too well. When they would gather at Angel’s Share for drinks and chatting Kaeya was the first to notice how quiet Aether had been. He struck up a conversation with him, hoping for Aether to feel more included in the conversation. He only was met with short responses and shrugs. He wrote it off that maybe the Traveler was tired after the commissions that day.
Diluc had noticed Aether’s odd behavior after a domain he had helped Aether clear out. The Traveler had seemed irritated at the little things that day. Diluc wasn’t much of a talker, so he just let it slide. But, deep down he worried for the safety of Aether. He wasn’t exercising the caution he needed to do in the domain and seemed more aggressive than usual. In hindsight, the brothers should’ve seen the signs. Maybe they did, but chose to ignore them. But, before them was a God. A Deity that was ready to wreak havoc on the people on Teyvat. They knew they were in for a bad time.
Venti
Venti had heard from a few knights that Aether had been acting strange. He made plans to talk to the Traveler, but each time he tried, Aether wasn’t in Mondstadt. He was a bit frustrated with this, but there wasn’t much he could do. How much he wished he could yell at his past self to try harder to be with the suffering blonde.
Now, seeing Aeth- no, Kong, at full power before him. Venti couldn’t help but feel as if it was his fault this happened. He should’ve paid more attention to him. He should’ve been there when he heard the Traveler wasn’t himself. But, none of that mattered now. What matters is the problem before them. He could see the madness in the blonde’s eyes. What could possibly stop a broken Deity?
Xiao
Aether never left Xiao’s mind after that night on top of Wangshu Inn. The words of the Traveler echoed in his mind. ‘Do...you ever get the urge to completely give in? Just throw in the towel and stop giving a shit?’ Xiao knew he should’ve given Aether some more words of comfort that night. But...none came to him. He didn’t know what to say to make him feel better.
Xiao thought back to that night when he noticed the comet rushing towards Aether. What would’ve happened if he said something differently? Helped him realize he wasn’t alone? All these thoughts plagued his mind when he noticed Aether, no, Kong before him. Whatever was to happen, he would keep his end of the contract up. For Morax.
Albedo
Albedo had heard about Aether when Jean had sent up Sucrose to fetch him. His first thought was Klee. He hoped the Spark Knight was safe somewhere away from harm's way. He was quickly escorted down the mountain and thrusted into the despair that plagued the land. He did his chest to help the civilians, but his mind always went back to Aether. What caused this to happen? Was Aether always this powerful?
The alchemist did his best to understand what happened, but some things didn’t add up. How could his power just appear like that? Did he summon it? Can he summon things out of this world? Albedo had to push all those questions aside. Aether needed help and he was hellbent on giving it to him.
Jean
Jean felt guilty she hadn’t noticed the Honorary Knight’s condition sooner. She felt it was her duty to protect everyone in Mondstadt, including Aether. Jean thought she had let the Traveler down when she noticed how upset he was. She shouldn’t have pushed him to help with Teyvat’s struggles when he has some of his own.
Seeing the traveler turn into a...God? Deity? Whatever he was, seeing him turn into a powerful being shocked Jean. She knew of Venti and his god-like stature, but she never thought she’d see it in action. Needless to say, she’ll never ask Venti to show his full power. It was nearly too much for her to handle. But, she had a nation to protect. And protect she will.
Lumine
She had felt a shift in the world around her when Aether snapped. Her heart dropped at the thought of Aether. Has something happened to him? She stood up from her throne, but a wave of emotion overcame her. She knew her and Aether were connected, but she hadn’t felt him in a long time. He bottled all these emotions up? For how long?
Lumine felt the pain, sadness, and anger her twin was feeling. Then, she felt it. The familiar power her and Aether had stripped away from them long ago. How had Aether found this power again? It wasn’t possible....until it happened to her. The same comet touched down in the Abyss, enveloping the twin. Lumine’s power was back as well as Aether’s...but she couldn’t bring herself to use hers. Was Aether okay? Maybe…maybe she should take a trip to Teyvat.
Notes:
Now, back to the regularly scheduled requests! Thank you guys for enjoying these!
Have a good day!
Chapter 13: Confrontation
Summary:
Ha, I lied after THIS I'll get back to requests. I adore Jekyll & Hyde and wanted to create a little story with the song Confrontation.
Basically, Aether used to go by Kong. Kong is a deity and wasn't a great one. He killed innocent people and Aether wants to move away from that, but Kong always remains in his mind, no matter what.
Notes:
TW: For a small mention of suicide in a section. Stay safe!
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
It's over now I know inside no one will ever know…
Aether was always the bright and cheerful traveler everyone had come to love. He was always there in a heartbeat to lend a helping hand or to protect people. But lately, Aether has become more and more reclusive. He took to doing his commissions and returning to his room at Wangshu Inn.
Verr Goldet was the first one to notice the traveler’s behavior. He usually stopped by her desk everyday to chat while he purchased some food for the road. But, these past few weeks, he has become more quiet. He would only offer her a wave before leaving for the day. Nowadays, he doesn't even look at her. He just stares blankly ahead and leaves without a word. She was tempted to ask Xiao to check on him, but decided it wasn’t any use to bother the Yaksha.
The sorry tale of Edward Hyde,and those who died…
Aether was back in his room for the night. He had a long day of commissions and wanted nothing more than to curl up in bed and sleep it off. But, the nagging voice in the back of his mind had other plans. The blonde leaned against the counter top of the small bathroom he had.
A shaky breath escaped his lips as he clutched the edges of the counter. Cold water dripped down his face. Right. He was getting ready for bed and decided to wash his face. Nothing more. Aether squeezed his eyes shut and tried to calm his racing heart.
Aether
Aether’s eyes snapped open and caught his reflection in the mirror. Except, the person smiling at him wasn’t Aether. It’s not who Aether is anymore.
No one must ever know..
“L-leave me alone.” he whispered to the reflection and shook his head.
‘Why would I do that? And here I thought you liked me.’ the reflection pouted.
“I don’t want to see you.” he sniffled and closed his eyes again. Maybe if he wished hard enough, he would go away.
‘Dear, Aether, you know that won’t work on me. Not this time.’ the voice had a slight growl to it
They'd only see the tragedy,
They'd not see my intent,
“I don’t want to see you, okay?! I’m not you anymore and never will be, Kong!” Aether yelled at the reflection.
Kong glared back at Aether. ‘What would people think if they saw you now, Aether? Talking to your reflection in a strange land, far far away from Ying?’
“Don’t talk about Lumine! We aren’t who we were in the past! We’ve changed!”
Am I a good man?
Am I a mad man?
‘Have you really changed, dear Aether? I’m still here and I don’t plan on leaving soon. Are you really as good of a man as you think you are? Who’s to say you haven’t lost your mind yet?’ Kong grinned at him through the mirror.
Aether’s breathing picked up now as the words echoed in his head. Has he lost his mind? He thought he had abandoned Kong long ago, but he wormed his way back into his psyche. Is Lumine feeling the same thing? Is Ying bothering her?
‘Stop thinking. Your thoughts are far too depressing.’ Kong scoffed. ‘None of this would’ve happened if you stopped being me. If I just kept going, you know? We coulda had something.’
“No we couldn’t! You killed people and I wanna move on from that!” Aether cried out and tried to stop the tears that threatened to fall.
‘We killed people, Aether. Not me, us. Do you really think I’d let you go? Do you think you’d ever be free. It’s sad to say, Aether, you’ll never be able to get away from me’
“You’re the one in the mirror! When I close my eyes, you go away! You don't have a being to connect yourself to!” Aether knew he was being way too loud for the Inn, but he couldn’t care less now. His legs were shaky and his breathing was erratic now. All sorts of thoughts plagued his mind as to how the hell he was going to deal with all this.
Kong watched in amusement at the scene before him. ‘You’re right, Aether. I don’t have a body I can control...fully.”
With a swift flick, Aether froze up. Why can’t he move? What was happening?
‘You forget, dear Aether, I am you. You are me. We are connected. And yet, you push me away.’ Kong whispered in his head. Aether’s arm began to raise...but he wasn’t doing it. Kong was. ‘Remember who’s in control.’
Aether promptly ripped the hand down and felt his body give into his control once more. “Y-you’ll die out, you know...you can’t cling to me forever.” Aether said in a small voice as he looked down at his hand.
‘I live deep within you, Aether. No matter what, I'm always here. Always watching.’
“I can kill you!” he screamed. “I can find a way to kill you!”
‘Not without killing yourself. Even then, I’d thrive.’
“No you wouldn’t. We’d both be dead! It’s a risk I’m willing to take to end your terrible reign.” Aether snarled and let the tears flow freely now. He couldn’t imagine how pathetic he looked right now. ‘I’d rejoice as you’d breathe your final breath.’
The glass on the mirror shattered now. The wind howled in the small room. Aether’s heart dropped into his stomach when he heard a voice whisper in his ear ‘Oh, dear Aether.’
A façade of Kong stood before him. He looked like a projection, a specter. In hindsight, Aether realized that was all Kong could conjure up. ‘I live inside you forever! I know that now and forever they’ll never be able to separate Aether from Kong! We’re bound together for ever and ever, dear friend. I am you, you are me! And one day, I will take control again and wreak havoc on this land you’re trying so desperately to save.’ Kong’s wicked smile spread across his lips. He leaned in close to a shaking Aether. ‘You’ll be taking me to the grave’*
“Go to hell.” Aether growled shakily. His heart hammered in his chest and he felt as if he was on the verge of another breakdown.
‘I’ll see you there, Aether.’ Kong whispered and his specter disappeared. Aether let out a strangled gasp when he felt his chest begin to tighten. He needed to get out of here. But where the hell would he go? So many thoughts passed through his mind until one face stayed. He would go to him.
Without hesitation, Aether ripped the door open and sprinted down the many stairs of the Wangshu Inn. He was gasping for breath now as he began to run all the way to Liyue Harbour. His breathing was ragged by the time he got there. It was well past midnight, but the lights stayed on. Kong’s voice rang out in his mind. ‘Now, where do you think you’re going, Aether? Surely no one can help you now.’
“Shut up.” Aether gasped out and clutched his chest. He stumbled across the bridge and made a beeline for a familiar building. He raced up the steps and knocked on the door rapidly. His breathing never calmed and his heart refused to slow down.
After a few moments, the front door opened.
“Aether? What’s wrong?” a deep voice rang out. They sounded worried
Aether picked his head up and curled his arms into his chest. “M-Mr. Zhongli? I-I need your help. Pl-please.”
Notes:
I left it open ended, not really sure if anyone wants a part 2. Please let me know what you thought of this!
Have a good day!
Chapter 14: Prompts
Summary:
Hello! I'm writing the next suggestion for this book! Please don't worry, it's on the way!
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
I like getting suggestions to keep the inspiration flowing! Below are some one liner writing prompts
If you'd like any of them with a specific ship (excluding Diona, Klee, and QiQi), please let me know in the comments!
You can combine up top 4 prompts if you wish. And, if you want a specific character saying the line, please don't hesitate to ask! Most, if not all of these prompts are angst ones, so be warned.
Hope you guys have a good day! Stay hydrated!
1. "Am...Am I going to die?”
2. “You...you don’t trust me anymore…”
3. “What did I do to deserve this?”
4. “[Name], you’re scaring me..”
5. “I told you to stay the hell away, now look at what you’ve done.”
6. “Wake up! Please...please you have to wake up.”
7. “At least we’re in each other's arms now.”
8. “If I can’t have you, then no one can.”
9. “Please...let me hear you sing...one more time.”
10. “[Name] didn’t make it…”
11. “The light..it doesn’t shine in your eyes anymore.”
12. “You’re never leaving my side again.”
13. “I’m sorry, I’m not in love with you anymore.”
14. “Please! Make the pain go away!”
15. “It hurts too much! Please, just kill me!”
16. “I...I c-can’t see.”
17. “Please don’t cry…”
18. “It was an accident! I swear! Please don’t die on me!”
19. “It was just a joke…”
20. “Why are you staring at me like that? What’s wrong?”
Notes:
If you want to add anything else, please feel free to ask! The next chapter should be up soon.
Have a good day!
Chapter 15: The Archon War
Summary:
This is for An!
Aether fell into the world during the Archon War and met Morax in his prime.
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
“Aether!”
“Lumine!”
Aether reached out for his sister’s hand desperately, but he couldn’t grab it in time. He watched as his sister was absorbed into a mass of red cubes. Before he could even react, Aether was falling.
Falling down…
Down…
Down…
Aether was awakened by a sudden bang beside him. He scrambled up to his knees, but the sudden movement sent sharp pains down his spine. Everything that had just occurred hit him. Lumine was taken and he fell.
Fell where?
The ground beneath him quaked again and Aether yelped. The sky above him was a mixture of reds and purples. Smoke filled the air and shouts could be heard
.
What the hell was happening? There was another shout next to him followed by heavy footsteps.
“We need to evacuate the village! Go!” A voice cried out. Aether’s heart hammered in his chest. Why were they evacuating? What the hell was going on?
Someone shoved past Aether, causing him to stumble back after just getting up. He groaned to himself and picked his body up again. Another person stumbled past him.”Wait! What’s going on?!” Aether called out to them.
They turned around with the look of fear in their eyes. “Th-they’re fighting! They’re all fighting for the thrones!” They cried out before running again.
Aether blinked, confused by those words. Thrones? Fighting? What did he fall into? Is Lumine okay?!
There was a thunderous roar that came from the sky above. Aether winced and stumbled backwards now. There was something in the sky! Was that...a dragon?!
The poor blonde looked around desperately for cover he could take. But, there wasn’t much in sight. Until, his eyes landed on a small shack in the valley. He took off in a sprint across the land, trying his best not to fall flat on his face.
Panting heavily, Aether threw the door open and stumbled into the shack. It was a small, run down one, but it would do the job so he could get his bearings. He took a seat on the wooden chair there and took a deep breath. The warfare going on outside was nearly overwhelming. Where was he? Why was there a war going on? Who was it against?
All these thoughts passed through the poor blonde’s head until he heard a sniffle from somewhere in the room. Alarmed, he stood up and looked around. “Who’s there? Show yourself!” He tried to sound intimidating, but his voice was shaky.
A small child shakily stumbled out from behind a closet door. They looked like they had been through hell and back. Aether felt a pang of sadness in his chest when he saw this small child. He gently knelt down by them. “Hey, buddy..what’s wrong?” he asked softly.
The small child looked at him with wide eyes. “W-Will Havria save us?” he whispered, Aether blinked a few times. “Havria?”
The child’s eyes welled with tears. “H-Havria has to s-save us! She..she can’t let them hurt us!:
Aether was beyond confused at this point. But, he didn’t have time to question anything. With a cry, the child fled from the little hut. “Wait!’ Aether cried out and stumbled after them. The ground shook when his feet hit the ground.
The blonde groaned and stumbled again. “Gods, what the hell is happening?!” he yelled out in frustration.
The ground shook again, but then...someone was beside him. Aether gasped and turned around to see who the stranger was. Before him was...a man. A man draped in white and gold accents. A hood covered most of their face.
“W-Who are you?” Aether whispered. His question wasn’t met with words, but with a spear to his neck. Fear coursed through his veins for what seemed like the hundredth time in the past hour.
“Who are you?” The voice boomed, sending shivers down Aether’s spine. The voice was full of authority, it terrified the blonde. “I will not ask again.” they growled.
“I-I’m Aether! I don't know where I am. Please! I..I don’t understand what's happening!” Aether was near tears at this point. But, the spear stayed at his throat.
“Pathetic.” the figure muttered. “Who’s side are you on?”
Side? What side?
“I..I don’t know what you mean, I swear!” he pleaded. “What sides? I just dropped in here! I-I don’t know what’s going on!”
The figure removed their hood and glared down at the trembling blonde. At first, Aether was taken aback by the sheer beauty of the man before him. His brown hair seemed to glow at the tips a golden hue, his amber eyes bored into Aether’s yellow ones.
“If you aren’t with me..then you’re against me. Simple as that.” the low voice growled slightly. He tightened the grip on the polearm that pressed a bit deeper into Aether’s neck.
Tears of frustration pooled in his eyes. What the hell does any of this mean? Why did he fall here of all places?
Where was Lumine?
“I don’t know what you’re talking about!” Aether cried out. “I DON’T KNOW WHAT I”M DOING HERE! I DON’T UNDERSTAND WHAT’S HAPPENING! GODS, PLEASE JUST END ME THEN! I DON’T CARE!”
Aether was full blown sobbing at this point. In hindsight, he probably looked pathetic standing here with a polearm to his neck, sobbing his heart out. He was upset, and dammit, he wanted his sister.
After what seemed like an eternity, the spear was lowered from his throat. “You’re coming with me. Now.”
Aether blinked away his tears and looked up at him. “W-What?”
“Don’t make me repeat myself.” the man replied and turned away from Aether. He started walking in a different direction. Aether sniffled and soon willed his legs to move. He stumbled slightly and followed behind the taller man. It was a quiet walk aside from Aether’s sniffles. The warfare from earlier seemed to have disappeared.
“...I didn’t get your name.” the man stated as they walked.
“Aether.” he replied quietly. “Or Kong.”
The man hummed at the response, but said nothing more.
“What’s..what’s your name?”
The hooded figure stopped and turned to look at the blonde. Aether shrunk back slightly. An apology was on the cusp of his lips, when he replied.
“Morax. You can call me Morax.”
Notes:
Fear not! There shall be a part 2! Thanks for reading! Have a good day!
Chapter 16: The Archon War Pt 2
Summary:
Some altercations occur when Aether steps between someone and an angry Morax...whoops?
Chapter Text
Aether had been adjusting to his new life in Teyvat. He recently only found out the name of the land, thanks to Morax.
He also learned about the war that was going on around them. Beings were fighting for the thrones in..Celestia? Aether thought that was its name. He didn’t truly understand the reasoning behind the greed of wanting a throne. Being a ruler would seem so tiring.
Nevertheless, he didn’t bring it up to Morax. He already didn’t seem to like Aether around, or so he thought. Morax was a brash man, he ordered his comrades to do whatever he needed...and they listened. Aether wasn’t sure what kind of man Morax was, but he definitely didn’t want to get on his bad side.
Said man was speaking with a few others..Adepti? Is that what they’re called? Aether couldn’t remember well. But, Morax was speaking with them while Aether was looking out at the water. He watched as the waves crashed to the shore. A small sigh escaped his lips. Where was Lumine? Was she okay?
A small sigh escaped Aether’s lips as looked out at the horizon.
“It’s not that difficult to obey orders.” Aether could hear Morax in the distance. He turned around to see him looking rather angry at another man nearby. This could only end well. The blonde took in a deep breath and let it all out before walking over to the rising conflict. If there was one thing Aether was good at, it was problem solving.
“What’s going on?” Aether asked as he approached them. The man turned and gave a small glare to the blonde. “Nothing. Don’t worry about it.”
Aether let out a deep sigh at that. He was used to people acting like this towards him at this point. “Looked like trouble,” he shrugged.
Morax interjected now. “Aether. This doesn’t concern you.”
He was used to that as well. “Fine.” Aether sighed and walked off. He didn’t go far though, he wanted to listen to what else they had to say to each other. The men were bickering amongst each other, something about details on another being fighting for one of the thrones. They spoke of a wolf being who lived closer by.
“He’s going to overthrow you, Morax! You can’t tell me to leave, you know! I was told to bring helpful information to you. But, it seems you aren’t appreciating what I do.” the man sneered at him. The air shifted around the group as Morax glared at the man.
“It seems you’ve forgotten your place.” Morax said in a deep tone. There was a low growl in his chest as he moved closer to the man. “We had an agreement.”
The man took a small, fearful step back, but attempted to hold his ground. “And you’re not listening to what I’m telling you! They’re going to overthrow you, you know. And I’ll be forced to side with yet another Archon in Celestia.”
Aether winced slightly when he felt the air grow heavy around them. He knew this guy had said the wrong thing at that exact moment.
“What did you say?”
Morax growled, taking a step closer to the man. A small geode had formed in his hand as he glared down at the man. Said man was trembling in his wake, trying to find his bearings.
“I-I..I..um..” the man sputtered out.
Aether took in a deep breath. He decided to step in, fully expecting everything bad to happen. Even if the man deserved it, he couldn’t let him
die.
“Okay, Morax, I think you should back up for a moment, okay? He’s clearly in the wrong, but there’s no reason for you to hurt him.” Aether tried to reason. In hindsight, it was a bad idea.
The sky darkened above them and the Adepti seemed to back up from them. Well..shit.
“Do not stand in my way, Aether, unless you choose to take his spot.” Morax growled, his golden eyes bored into Aether’s. But, the blonde stood his ground. “Are you
really
going to kill him
or
me over this? I admit, he should’ve phrased his intel report better, but, Morax, don’t do this, okay? It’s not worth it.”
The next thing Aether felt was the harsh stone of a wall slam into his back. A cry escaped his lips as he tried to register what was happening. He felt a strong hand encase his neck, forcing him to stay against the wall. He cracked open his eyes and his fearful eyes met cold, glowing ones. Aether felt the wind get knocked out of him and the air began to leave his lungs.
“Never speak back to me like that.” Morax snarled, tightening his grip on Aether’s neck. The blonde hadn’t felt true terror in a long while. This, however, terrified him to the core. He
knew
Morax was capable of killing him with a simple squeeze of his neck. Panic bubbled in his chest. Was he about to die? Was no one going to step in to help? A glow growl rose from Morax’s chest as he glared at Aether. The poor traveler was losing air at this point. His grip on Morax’s forearm tightened a bit. “I-I’m so-sorry!” he choked out. He did not want to die here.
Morax let go of him, letting the traveler fall to his knees. He sputtered and coughed, relishing in the fresh air he could breathe now. Before Morax or the Adepti could say another word, Aether fled from the area. He didn’t want to converse with Morax. He didn’t want to look at him for a while. All he wanted was a quiet spot by the ocean to watch the waves.
About ten minutes of walking, Aether finally collapsed on a cliffside that overlooked the ocean. He let out a deep sigh and subconsciously rubbed his neck. He was not prepared for the bruising that would be left from this. At least his scarf could cover it up. His shoulders fell when he watched the waves crash to the shore. Why the hell was he here? Why couldn’t he leave?
Where was Lumine? Was she safe?
Aether hadn’t allowed himself to cry much. He didn’t want anyone questioning him more than they already did. His throat tightened now as tears welled in his eyes. He didn’t expect all of this to get to him so much, but dammit, Aether wanted to go home. He wanted to see Lumine again. A tear slipped town his face now
His shoulders shook as he quietly sobbed into his hands. What the hell was he supposed to do now? He didn’t have anywhere to go or any way of finding Lumine. He was stranded in the middle of a damn war, what the hell was he supposed to do?
Aether covered his mouth to quiet his sobs now and he let his shoulders shake. He sniffled and rocked himself now. He soon felt another presence with him. He went rigid and fear pooled in his stomach. Quickly, he wiped his eyes and looked over at the newcomer. It was..Morax? Why was he here?
He wasn’t sure what to say to the taller man. Honestly, anything he said might as well be a sniffling mess.
Morax gently took a seat next to him now, not saying anything at first. The only sound could be heard was the waves crashing and Aether’s sniffles. Carefully, Morax wrapped an arm around Aether’s shoulder. He stiffened slightly at that. What the hell was he doing? The blonde looked up at him with a confused expression. “W-What are you doing?” he whispered.
The taller man looked down at him. “I’m..comforting..you. Well..trying to..” Morax trailed off and looked out at the water, but kept his arm around Aether.
It took a moment for all of this to process in Aether’s mind. The man that had just threatened his life was..comforting him?
“Why?” he whispered.
A small sigh escaped Morax’s lips. “I was told you would need it and..I want to apologize for my actions. I shouldn’t have gotten so angry with you. I was angry at the man and..I took it out on you. I’m very sorry, Aether.”
Aether wiped his eyes and looked up at the other male. “You mean it? Truly?”
Morax gave a soft nod. “I do, Aether. I don’t wish to harm you..I can’t say I relate to your situation, but I know it can’t be easy being in a different world without family. I..I do hope you’ll forgive me. Take your time to think it over.” He gently traced patterns on Aether’s arm as he held him a bit tighter.
Aether blinked a few times and listened to him. This higher being before him was..feeling remorse? He honestly didn’t think Morax had any feelings other than anger or being stoic. Eventually, he gave his reply. “Thank you, Morax. Your..your apology means a lot.”
Morax offered a soft smile to him. The tips of his hair seemed to glow a bit now. Oddly enough, Aether found it adorable. The golden hue really brought out the color of his eyes.
Oh no..
Was Aether falling for Morax?
Notes:
There will be a part 3 for this! It'll be a finale! Thank you guys for being patient with me and I hope you have a great day!
Chapter 17: The Archon War Pt 3 (END)
Summary:
Morax takes Aether for a picnic and confesses his feeling for the other!
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
It had been a week or so since the incident with Morax. Things have seemed to simmer down since then. Morax speaks softer to Aether instead of his usual commanding tone. It was not an unwelcome change, but Aether found it a bit strange.
Shrugging it off, Aether usually spent his days in search of clues to his sister’s whereabouts. Sadly, not much was found, but he still kept strong and continued on. There was some information he heard from others around, but most of it was not substantial. Most of the time, Aether believed they were pulling at his leg rather than actually being helpful.
It was difficult to say the least. It was hard to wake up everyday and not have his sister by his side. It was hard to push himself through another day of endless searching all while a war raged on. But..ever since the incident, Morax had been more eager to help Aether find his twin. He sent out small search parties to different regions to look for any sign of her.
At every moment Aether wanted to search, Morax offered to go with him. Usually, Aether declined the one on one searches. He explained that it gave him time to himself to reflect on things. Morax was understanding and made sure to let Aether know he would be there for him.
Aether sat down on the beach, watched the waves crash on the shore. Another day, another useless search. He let out a small sigh and tossed a rock into the water now. It splashed and sunk to the bottom of it. “Lumine..where are you?” he whispered to the empty sky.
A deep sigh escaped his lips now. “I want to go home..” he muttered to himself. Just as he was about to let his mind wander, he felt another presence by him. Glancing up, Aether noticed Morax standing by him. “Hello, Aether..I’d like to invite you for a..a picnic this evening.”
Aether blinked a few times and had to take a moment to register that. “You..you, the great and powerful Morax, want to have a picnic...with me?” he asked, wanting to reconfirm what he just heard.
Morax gave a soft nod. “I would. If you choose to decline, I won’t be upset.” he added the last part a bit quickly.
Aether shook his head “N-no! I’d..I’d love to have a picnic with you.” he smiled at him. “I think it would help take my mind off things.”
Morax bowed his head slightly with a soft smile. “Perfect. I’ll come fetch you when all is ready.”
They exchanged a few more words before Morax went to prepare. An odd feeling bubbled inside Aether. He was..anxious? Why was he anxious? He’d known Morax for a while now. It shouldn’t be a big deal...but the butterflies in Aether’s stomach fluttered rapidly. The blonde shook it off and looked back out at the water now. It calmed him in a way.
After a while, Morax had found Aether once more. This time, he had a few flowers in his hand. He cleared his throat and Aether glanced up at him with a smile. Then, his eyes landed on the flowers.
“Hello, Aether. These are for you.” he said and gently thrusted them towards the blonde. Aether gingerly took them and admired them. “Windwheel Asters..my favorite!” he beamed and happily held them. “Thank you very much!”
Morax smiled down at him gently before offering a hand. “Come. Follow me.” The blonde gently took his hand and allowed himself to be tugged along down the dirt path. He looked around at all the birds tweeting and some rabbits hopping about. It made it seem like the war wasn’t really going on. It was..comforting.
After some walking, Morax pushed back some thickets, revealing a little meadow filled with flowers and different crystalflies buzzing about. Aether’s eyes widened as he took in the beauty around him. “Morax, this..this is..this is breathtaking.” he whispered. His golden eyes reflected in the sunlight that poured through the trees.
Morax was slightly entranced by the honey that shone in Aether’s eyes. He snapped out of his thoughts and cleared his throat. “Here. Follow me.” He led him over to a patch of grass and laid out a blanket for them. He helped Aether sit before unpacking the picnic. Inside was an array of foods he could scrounge together. There wasn’t much he could do due to the ongoing war. But, Aether was appreciative of anything.
“My apologies for the lack of diversity.” Morax said to the other. Aether was quick to cut him off. “No! It’s perfectly fine! I appreciate it either way.” he smiled.
Morax could melt at the sight of the smiling blonde. It was positively infectious. “I hope you enjoy it.” he hummed.
Both of them began to eat the picnic and chat with each other. Aether opened up a bit about not being from this world and what other places he has explored with his sister. “Oh! We went to this one place that was filled with nothing but emeralds!” Aether rambled on. “It was so pretty! But, the funny thing was, the man in charge of the land claimed to be this big wizard! He apparently knew the answers to everything, but when Lumine and I met him, he was just a man who landed in this world and became the magical wizard there. In all honesty, he was a coward...but he did help Lumine and I leave that place.” he finished and glanced over at Morax.
Said man was completely enraptured by Aether’s story and had a gentle smile on his lips. “I’m sorry if I rambled too much.” Aether laughed softly and rubbed the back of his neck. “I like talking about my adventures.”
Morax shook his head. “They’re very entertaining, Aether. You’re an interesting person..I admire that about you.”
Aether’s cheeks flushed slightly at that. “I..thank you very much, Morax. That’s very sweet of you to say!” The butterflies made home in his stomach once more. Why was he so nervous all of a sudden?
Morax let out a small chuckle and gently moved closer to the blonde. The crystalflies lit the small field up, creating a soft flow around the duo. “Aether..I…” he trailed off
“Hm?.” The traveler tilted his head.
For the first time in his life, Morax couldn’t get the words out. He felt the same butterflies that Aether had felt just moments earlier. What was he supposed to say? How could he tell the golden haired boy before him just how much he made his heart flutter?
“Never mind.” The adeptus said softly and shook his head. He couldn’t go through with it. He would hate to make Aether uncomfortable.
Aether tilted his head. “Are you sure? You can tell me anything, you know.”
Morax took a deep breath. “I..well..” He looked over at the golden boy. “Aether. You’re a wonderful being. No, you’re more than that. You’re this beacon of light in this dark world. You shine brighter than everyone around you. I’m terribly sorry you were forced upon this land without as much as a glance. But...you’ve truly made my life better. And you’ve made me incredibly happy. Happier than I’ve ever been in a long while. Aether...I love you.” Morax finished with a whisper. A breeze blew through his hair now as he looked down at the grass beneath them.
Aether on the other hand was staring wide eyed at the man before him. It took him a few moments to process what he had just heard. Morax..liked him back? Could this be true?
The blonde moved closer to him and gently rested his hand on the others. “Morax…” he whispered. The brunette glanced over at the smaller boy with an unreadable expression.
“I..I like you too.” he whispered. “You’ve helped me a lot these past few months and I can’t help but feel as if we’ve grown closer now. My heart flutters when I see you and I get so happy when you’re around.”
Morax nearly couldn’t believe what he was hearing. The golden boy before him liked him back? Aether smiled at him more and placed a soft hand on his arm. “I..I love you, Morax.”
The geo user gently cupped Aether’s cheeks before pressing a sweet, yet passionate kiss on the blonde’s lips. Aether’s mind froze as he tried to wrap his mind around what exactly was happening. He couldn’t believe he was kissing Morax. Or the fact that Morax liked him back after all this time. The blonde melted into the kiss now and closed his eyes.
After a moment, Morax pulled away, but rested their foreheads together. He gently stroked Aether’s cheeks as well. “I’ve..I’ve wanted to do that for a while.” Morax confessed with a soft laugh.
“So have I.” Aether giggled softly and gently leaned into his touch. His cheeks had turned rosy and he was basically putty in Morax’s touch.
He let out a soft chuckle and smiled at Aether. “I vow to help you find your sibling, Aether. Whatever it takes.”
“Thank you.” he whispered. “Thank you so very much.”
The two were huddled there in each other's arms, staring out at the meadow before them. It was unlikely they would move from this spot for a while, so they enjoyed every moment they could before the sun went down.
Notes:
I'm working on the suggestions slowly, but surely. Thank you all for being patient with me! I hope you have a good day!
Chapter 18: Past Lives
Summary:
This is purely a headcanon I have that Aether and Lumine are Immortals who have tried to start their own respective families. But, they outlive each of them since they don't age.
Kaeya knows a thing or two about separated families, so Aether confides in him about his past.
Also! Small mention of alcohol in this since Aether is definitely old enough to drink. #letaetherdrink #letluminedrinkVague mentions of death in this chapter, be warned!
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
It was no secret that the traveler had been around a while. If it wasn’t from his nonchalant talk of the past, it was his eyes. They had seen hardships, wars, love, loss. They told a story.
Kaeya was the first to notice this. He was ever the observant man, but he found a fascination in the blonde. It was little things at first. He noticed how Aether acted with children. It seemed like second nature to him when he would talk to Timmie or Flora. He had a gentle voice and always talked eye to eye with them, never down. When Klee visited, he fit right in like a puzzle piece. He listened to Klee and played all the games she wanted.
“Did you ever want kids one day, Aether?” Kaeya asked one night as they sat by Starsnatch Cliff after a long day of commissions.
Maybe it was the late night or the bit of wine Aether had earlier that made him open up a bit more. “I did,” he replied. “But, it’s..it’s in the past now.”
That piqued Kaeya’s interested. Perhaps he could pry more. “Oh? What made you change your mind?”
The blonde stared out at the water before them. He didn’t say much to that. He only gave a simple shrug. Kaeya pressed his lips together. Maybe..maybe he could push a bit more. “Oh, Honorary Knight, always full of secrets.” he joked with a light chuckle.
He took another swig from the bottle of wine he had with him. Beside him, Aether seemed to tense slightly. His mind had millions of thoughts swirling within. He knew most of Kaeya’s story from the few select times the blue haired man opened up. Kaeya was good at keeping secrets, he knew. If Aether knew of Khaenri’ah, maybe he could share a little bit about his past.
“I had a family once.” Aether started quietly. “Kaeya, if I tell you this, please don’t tell anyone. I can’t have others knowing about me..it would only cause more problems. I trust you because you trusted me with your story.” The blonde glanced over at the Cavalry Captain with a sad glint in his eyes.
Kaeya was taken aback by the sudden shift in Aether. He honestly didn’t expect him to open up..at least not tonight. “Of course, Aether. Anything you tell me stays between us. Captain’s honor.” Kaeya offered a soft, reassuring smile.
The traveler looked back out at the water. “I used to have a family. Many families to be exact. Every place Lumine and I went..we tried to settle down and have a family. We would each find a wonderful partner and raise our own families. B-but that’s the curse of being immortal.” Aether’s voice quivered slightly. “No matter where we went or who we found..Lumine and I always outlived them.”
Kaeya stayed quiet as he listened to Aether. It amazed him that for someone who looked so young could be so much older. Aether then continued on.
“I wrote down in a journal every family I ever had..all spouses and children I ever had the pleasure of knowing. E-Even if Lumine and I were immortal, it never was passed down to the children.” Aether began to fidget with the hem of his scarf. “Everytime I see Klee, she reminds me of one of my daughters. Gods, she is just like them.” He let out a soft laugh and tried to blink back the tears.
The Cavalry Captain moved closer to him and placed a gentle hand over his. He didn’t say anything, but made it known he was here for Aether. The blonde sniffled and looked Kaeya in the eye now. His golden eyes glistened with emotion and turmoil.
“I had to watch them all grow old and pass..it hurt every damn time. There was no way to stop it..aging is just part of life. B-but, that never stopped me from trying in different worlds to settle down. I desperately wanted a family, Kaeya. I-I want one more than life itself. I want to settle down with someone I love and raise children and grow old with them before peacefully passing.” He hadn’t even noticed he was crying until he felt his cheeks become wet. Aether wiped his eyes and tried to stop them, but they kept coming.
“Lumine and I..we promised to never start families again. I-it hurts too much to watch each other suffer..it breaks my heart every damn time my children cry for me! They just wanted their father to hold them one last time. N-no parent should have to bury their children..no parent should have to deal with this torment.” Aether was shaking at this point as he sobbed into his scarf.
The blue haired man had a shocked expression as he listened to the poor blonde’s ramblings. He gently wrapped his arms around the shaking being and rubbed his back. He placed a small kiss on the crown of Aether’s head. He continued to cry into Kaeya’s chest. The Captain then decided to speak quietly.
“I can’t imagine what you’ve been through, Aether. I won’t even begin to fathom it. You’re a strong one, please don’t forget that, okay? I bet you were an amazing father and partner to your spouses. That kind of duty is never easy. I’m proud of you, Aether. I’m proud of both you and your sister for trying to have families.” he gently stroked Aether’s hair and continued. “People...people tend to take their families for granted. I’m glad you enjoyed the time you had with them. One day..one day you’ll be able to achieve your dream, dear Aether. I know you will. Always keep those memories with you, alright? You’re making your children proud.”
Aether listened to everything the captain said. Albeit, it did make him cry harder, but he knew Kaeya was sincere with his words. He knew his families were always looking down on him, protecting him. He would always cherish the memories he made. For now, Aether was content leaning against Kaeya.
Kaeya didn’t mind in the slightest. He held the worn traveler and looked out at the water. Maybe tomorrow he would have a chat with Diluc...civilized talking would be a good start to any road to recovery between estranged siblings.
Notes:
I have so many more stories of Aether and Lumine's past lives if anyone ever wanted me to continue this small series!
I shall get to work on other suggestions now. Have a good day!
Chapter 19: At Journey's End
Summary:
TW: VIOLENCE, BLOOD,DEATH, SU*CIDE Please stay safe out there! Please read at your own risk
Lumine and Aether have one final battle at the end of the journey. Abyss Prince Aether versus Savior Of Teyvat Lumine.
Notes:
PLEASE ADHERE TO THE WARNING IN THE SUMMARY
No beta since I am tiredMy apologies for the sporadic updates. I'm attempting to get things in my personal life sorted out. But, I wanted to write and decided to vent through it. I'm still working on requests, I just had this one in my head for some time now. Stay safe out there, my friends <3
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
The sun rays broke through the cloudy sky, allowing the light to spill through the seams. Ash and smoke covered the land, but the sun was quick to dissolve it. The terror seems to cease for the moment. For all except the Traveler.
Lumine had made it to the end of her journey. She met the Archons, saved countless people and nations. She learned the truth of this world and paid the price for it. Many lives were taken in the midst of the battle between the Archons and the Abyss, but none as detrimental to the traveler as her own twin.
Amidst the battle, Lumine and Aether clashed their swords. The Savior of Teyvat versus the Abyss Prince. Neither of the star born twins wanted to do this, they were destined to. Destiny always led to this moment no matter what world they were in. No matter where the celestial twins appeared, no matter the timeline, they were destined to have one final clash to end it all.
The golden haired Traveler had seen it all on her journey. She saw death, defeat, shattering heartbreak. But she also saw hope, inspiring adventurers, blossoming friendships. It pained her to fight her own flesh and blood. To fight the one person she trusted most with her life.
But, all good must come to an end. Lumine saw how cold hearted Archons could be. She faced the wrath of many and carried the burdens a few of them left behind. All without a thank you behind it. All these years in Teyvat and Lumine never truly felt a sincere thank you from any of her friends. Of course, it hurt to see that the people she grew close to act as if she was just a Traveler, nothing more.
Perhaps they were right.
Sword clashed with sword. Electro was summoned, but was blocked by a Cryo shield. A Pyro burst left the weapon, but was dodged by a Geo construct. Everytime Lumine grew stronger, Aether did as well. She unknowably helped power the Abyss with her strength. Lumine barely had time to register the strike Aether rained down on her. She went into a defensive stance, bracing herself with her sword.
“Come on!” Aether barked, twirling his sword in his hand. “Fight back!”
But, she couldn’t. Lumine couldn’t fight her only flesh and blood to the death. “Aether, I-” She dodged another attack. “I can’t do this to you, brother!” she cried out. “We can leave! We don’t belong here in Teyvat!”
A war was on the horizon. Lumine could feel it in the air, the Abyss was ready to strike. And so, it did. The blonde had thought she would be fighting alone, but the Archons appeared beside her as well as the friends she made along the way. From her peripherals, she could see Diluc gripping his claymore, Tartaglia’s battle hungry gaze at the ever growing Abyss Order, and Kujou Sara at the ready to give orders.
Hope swelled in Lumine’s chest. With all her friends by her side, maybe they would win this. Maybe she could convince Aether that he doesn’t need to do this, that the Archons are far from perfect, but don’t deserve this ending.
Oh, how wrong she was.
“This ends here, Lumine!” Aether yelled as he delivered another Electro filled slash at the blonde. “Celestia will go up in flames!”
Lumine’s eyes welled with frustrated tears that she blinked away before blocking another attack. “It doesn’t have to! We don’t need anymore bloodshed! Please!” Her pleas fell on deaf ears. Aether let out a cry as he charged at Lumine now. She used Anemo and blasted her twin back.
He fell back on the ground with a grunt. Lumine shakily scrambled over to him and grabbed her sword. “Aether...Aether please just listen to me.” her lip trembled as she crouched down beside him. “We can leave, we can find a new home. Just the two of us. We...we can settle down for once...
please
, just please don’t do this anymore. Call off the attacks. Too many people have already been killed.”
Lumine watched with tear filled eyes as her brother locked gazes. She thought she saw something in those golden eyes...regret? Anger? His eyes softened a little bit. “Lumine, you know we can’t. This is our destiny, there’s no changing it.”
“We’ve done it before! We can do it again!” Lumine slammed her hand into the ground. “We can try again! Aether, I don’t want to fight you, I want to fight beside you! We..we always have each other’s back.”
The battle around them raged on, but all of it seemed like a blur to the twins. What seemed like an eternity later, Aether let out a deep sigh. “You’re...you’re right, sister.” he spoke quietly.
Lumine blinked a few times, wondering if she heard that correctly. “W-what? What did you say?”
“You’ve always been the more optimistic one out of us.” Aether let out a small laugh. “You’re right, Lumine. We...we can leave Teyvat.”
The blonde’s heart fluttered in her chest at that reply. Aether now sat up and looked over at his sister before opening his arms. Lumine took that as her opportunity to hug her twin. But, when she got into his arms, he was no longer the warm, older twin she used to know. He was cold like a Snezhnaya winter. The feeling of dread pooled in her stomach.
“We’ll always have each other’s backs, right Lumine?” Aether hummed in her ear. “Always the naive one...always the weak one.” The Abyss Prince held up his sword, prepared to plunge it into his twin’s back, but fell short when he noticed a sharp pain in his own back.
Oh.
Oh.
Lumine shakily pulled her sword out from her twin whilst suppressing a sob. It clattered to the ground, it’s echo ringing out on the now silent battlefield. “I’m so sorry.” Lumine whispered as she gently laid the now bleeding male back on the ground. “Gods, I’m so so sorry, Aether. Please don’t think poorly of me.” she pleaded, gently holding onto the other’s hand.
Aether let out a choked sob as he gripped her hand as tight as he could. “Don’t be sorry, Lumi...I knew you’d win in the end...you always do.” The pool of crimson spread around the dying Prince before her. Lumine let out a small cry and shakily brushed a piece of Aether’s hair from his eyes. “See you in the next life?” Aether whispered.
“I’ll wait for you there, brother.” Lumine sniffled and placed a small kiss on his gloved hand. Aether smiled at her and felt his eyelids grow heavy. “Goodnight...Lumine.” he muttered before the cold abyss finally took him. His hand went slack in Lumine’s hand, forcing another cry from the poor blonde. “Goodnight, Aether. Wait for me.”
Every fight between Teyvat and the Abyss ceased as they watched the mourning Traveler cry out for her brother. She rested her head on his chest, gripping at the armour he had on. “Aether...Aether please!” she sobbed, not knowing what she was pleading for. His life? His strength for her to go on? Beneath her, Aether’s body began to glow before dispersing into thousands of gold specks in the wind. May the lonely Abyss Prince rest peacefully.
Lumine stumbled back onto her knees, clutching the tattered scarf that was left behind. She let out a heartbreaking sob and buried her face into the clothing piece. A pair of footsteps could be heard approaching, but she couldn’t be bothered to see who it was.
“Lumine.” A gentle, but deep voice rang out. She picked her head up and glanced over at the brown gold glad man before her. Zhongli stood there with his polearm by his side. His eyes held a sympathetic gaze for he understands the pain of losing a loved one. He gently reached a hand out to her.
“Come. This is no place to grieve.”
But, the Traveler turned away from him. “No.” she whispered.
Zhongli dropped his hand and tilted his head. “No?” he questioned.
She shook her head and gripped the scarf tighter. “No. I’m not going with you.” she replied, shakily standing up now. “The war is over, everyone can go back to their own affairs. I...I can’t stay in a place I don’t belong.”
In a flash, Lumine grabbed her sword and held it up to her own throat. A few gasps and cries of her name rang out. Zhongli took a step forward, but she took a step back, keeping the sword up. “I don’t belong anywhere, Zhongli.” she whispered. “We were destined to be travelers, wandering from world to world with no real sense of belonging. Fighting other people’s battles before heading to another world. I’m tired of it. If Aether isn’t by my side, then it isn’t worth it. I fought for years to find him here only for destiny to say we are destined to be apart forever. I-I can’t have that. I want to take control of things for once. I...I don’t want to be here anymore.” Lumine’s voice broke at the end. Tears silently rolled down her cheeks, landing on the blade below.
It broke the Archon’s soul to see their Traveler teetering on the edge of her breaking point.
“Lumine, please put the sword down.” A new voice called out gently. The familiar red haired pyro user filled her version. “Please, I know it seems like the only option, but it’s not. You have friends here who will help. Don’t do this.” Diluc rarely showed this much emotion in all the years Lumine knew him. His ruby eyes were slightly glossy and his claymore was nowhere to be seen.
“You don’t understand.” Lumine sniffled. “This is a never ending cycle for me and Aether! I’m tired...I want to rest forever...I want Aether by my side again. I want to be selfish for once! I can’t take this anymore! None of you can stop me.” With the scarf gripped in one hand and the sword in the other, her fate was decided. “I...I love you all. I hope to see you again in another lifetime.”
Screams and cries could be heard across the battlefield. Despite Xiao being known for his swiftness, even he couldn’t make it to the Traveler in time. With a slice of her sword, the crimson color stained the front of her dress, leaking onto the ground beneath her. Lumine’s knees buckled, but Zhongli was there to catch her. He pressed what seemed to be fabric against her neck to stop the bleeding, but it was no use. The damage was already done.
Zhongli gently cradled the blonde in hopes of giving her the bit of comfort she needed to pass on. A small smile rested on Lumine’s lips. A sense of relief flooded her body. She felt light as a feather and as nimble as a bunny. ‘See you soon, brother.” she thought to herself as dark spots filled her vision. The uncomfortable sensation of the crimson slowly filling her lungs, cutting off her air was nearly unbearable. Deep down, Lumine believed she deserved this ending. With a final gasp, Lumine went limp in the former Archon’s arms.
From that day forth, the threat of the Abyss was abolished as was the Traveler that everyone had come to adore.
In a far away distant star, golden eyes burst open, giving life to them. Beside them another pair of golden eyes shone. Maybe this life will bring a sense of belonging or yet another perilous journey of being saviors. Only time will tell for they certainly have plenty to spare.
Notes:
Maybe I should write some fluff to balance all this angst out....MAYBE
Please let me know what you thought of this and I hope you all have a wonderful day!
Chapter 20: Cuddle Commission
Summary:
Aether was feeling overworked and tired, so he may have posted a commission with Katheryne for...cuddling. He thought nothing of it, but soon he got MANY eager replies
This has small spoilers for Inazuma story quests. This doesn't necessarily go in order of any canon storylines, but it takes place before the last act, but after the first one! Some characters wouldn't be placed in here if it went along with what actually happened. I just wanted to write fluff with the over worked bean.
Chapter Text
Aether limped his way over to Katheryne at the Adventurers Guild. He heaved his sword behind his back, letting it disappear in a sparkle of gold. It had been a long four commissions and the Traveler was ready to call it a day. First, it was a Hilichurl camp, before a time trial that ended with a slime attack. Aether was royally upset by the end of that, but continued to push on. After that, he encountered a ruin guard and a few Abyss Mages.
The Traveler ached all over and just wanted to sleep the rest of the day away. “Ad Astra Abasossque.” Katheryne greeted the tired adventurer. Aether muttered back a ‘hello’ and exchanged a few pleasantries with her. He grabbed his rewards and thanked Katheryne before stepping away.
But, a thought lingered in his mind. It had been an exceptionally difficult few weeks in Inazuma with the Raiden Shogun and the ongoing Vision Hunt Decree. Aether could use some relaxation...and he had just the idea in mind. It was initially supposed to be a joke, but little did the blonde know it would turn into something more.
“Hey Katheryne? I have a question for you…”
______________
Aether was relaxing in his teapot now. The soft glow of the sun shone over the floating isles. Tubby had greeted him with her usual chipper tone and offered tea. Usually, Aether would decline, but he felt up for it today. The teapot spirit’s eyes lit up and soon disappeared into the tiny teapot she floated in.
A few moments later, she reappeared with a tea cup for Aether. He gratefully accepted it and chatted idly with the spirit for nearly an hour. A few refills here and there and Aether was off into the mansion. He stretched out his back and made his way to the bedroom he deemed for himself. Many other bedrooms were made up for the various friends he had allowed entry to his domain. Though, they seemed to be vacant now.
He yawned now and flopped down on the one bed. He thanked the Archons that Paimon decided to spend the day with Ayaka. He adored the little fairy, but he enjoyed the peaceful atmosphere from time to time. Eventually, the blonde dozed off into a light, dreamless sleep.
Voices.
Aether could hear voices inside the mansion. He let out a small grunt and rubbed his eyes. How long was he out?
“Move! I was here first!” A voice huffed from the hallway.
“I’m not letting the likes of you anywhere near him.” Another voice groaned.
He blinked a few times, trying to register who he was hearing. Ever so slowly, the Traveler stood and stretched out his aching muscles before making his way to the door. “Guys? What are you-” Aether cut himself off when he saw Tartaglia and Diluc standing in the hallway.
“Um..hi?” Aether greeted them a bit awkwardly.
“Comrade! Perfect timing!” Childe beamed. “I just happened to see-” The Harbinger was cut off by another person running into the mansion.
“Aether! I saw-” Thoma was cut short when he saw the two other men there. “O-oh! You’re both here too…” he laughed nervously.
“I see the malewife of Inazuma wanted a piece too, huh?” Childe grinned, already getting into a battle pose. “Well, you’re gonna have to fight me for it!”
“Hey! There will be no fighting in the teapot! Tubby gets anxious!” Aether butted in. “As much as I love seeing you all...why are you here?” he asked them, crossing his arms.
The group looked at each other, silently debating amongst themselves. Finally, Thoma stepped forward. He produced a piece of paper from his jacket and showed it to Aether. “We...saw your commission…”
Oh.
Well...Aether didn’t plan on anyone actually taking him up on it. On the paper before him, it read:
Commission From The Traveler
In need of cuddles. Only acceptable for people who have realm dispatch into my Teapot. Will be rewarded with Mora, food, or other items at my disposal. Many thanks ^
-Aether
The blonde’s cheeks heated up as he reread what he had asked Katheryne to post for him. “I..I...shit, um..look, I appreciate you all wanting to help. I was in a different mood then I...I took a nap and I think I feel better now.” he tried to reassure the trio before him. If he could go back in time, Aether would’ve smacked his sleepy self for making such a ridiculous commission.
“Are you sure? Comrade, you’ve helped us a lot! I’m sure you could use it! These arms aren’t only for fighting, you know.” Childe grinned and flexed his arms a bit.
“Let's leave the Fatui out of this one.” Diluc crossed his arms as he glared at Tartaglia.
“Don’t be such a downer, cherry top.” The Harbinger laughed. “Deep down you know I’m right!”
Aether wasn’t about to have a fight break out over this. He shook his head and stepped between them. “You three are stubborn as hell, so there’s no way I can convince you to let this go…” He let out a deep sigh. “If you three fight, you’re all leaving. Got it?”
A chorus of affirmation rang out and Aether gently nodded. “Then, make yourself at home.” he opened the door to his bedroom. The three men happily walked in.
The Harbinger gladly plopped himself down on the bed. Thank the Archons, Aether splurged and got a bigger bed. It was a nice treat for himself, he thought. The pyro users idled by the doorway as they looked around the room. “C’mon, let's all settle in.” Aether said and got into a comfy position on the bed. The others filed in and found a respective position. Childe, being Childe, found a spot sidled up next to Aether. He wrapped his arms around his waist happily before laying back. Thoma shyly situated himself on the other side of the Traveler and opted to lay on his side. Diluc opted to sit close by, mostly to keep an eye on the Harbinger. He wanted to make sure Aether was comfortable with the position.
The Traveler let out a happy sigh and laid his head back on the pillows. He closed his eyes and let his mind relax. It was a foreign feeling to have so many bodies close to him. He couldn’t remember the last time he was hugged, let alone cuddled. He savored every moment he could for now.
That was until he heard the door creak open. Aether’s eyes darted over to the door, wondering if an intruder somehow got in. But, before him were a few familiar faces. In walked Kaeya, Venti, Albedo, and Kazuha.
“Looks like the party started without us.” Kaeya teased with a smirk on his lips.
“Let me guess...you all saw the commission too?” Aether asked. There was a variety of nods as well as commission papers in hand.
“How could we pass this up?!” Venti giggled and bounded over to the bed. “Make room for the bard!” Somehow, Venti settled in somewhere between Diluc and Childe, happily reaching over to hold Aether’s hand.
“I wasn’t expecting you to have this many participants.” Albedo mused. “But, it seems everyone was eager to help you out, dear Traveler.” He settled himself opposite of Diluc, but in the same position.
“It’s a good thing I stumbled upon your commission, Traveler.” Kazuha began. “It’s been a while since I could create a poem for you. Perhaps our time here will prove to be useful in more than one way.”
Instead of asking Kazuha to explain what the last part could mean, he instead shimmied slightly out of Childe’s grasp to beckon the samurai in. He obliged and somehow settled in on the massive bed. “Don’t sit by me.” Diluc glared at Kaeya, causing a slight chuckle from the cryo user.
“So cold hearted, dear brother.” he grinned and ended up sitting by Albedo.
A few hours passed and they all took turns cuddling up to the tired Traveler. He gratefully accepted it and cuddled up to whoever he could. Diluc and Thoma were the first to leave since they had matters to attend to. Diluc with the Winery and Thoma with the Kamisato Clan. Afterwards, Albedo wished the Traveler well and gave his hair a slight ruffle before heading out. This left Kaeya, Venti, Childe, and Kazuha.
Childe still held his spot curled up around Aether, but Venti had taken Thoma’s spot when he left. Currently, he was all snuggled into his side. Soon enough Kaeya excused himself to get back to work and all but dragged Venti away with him. Venti groaned and called for Aether to help him, but this was far too entertaining for the Traveler. He let out a small laugh and cuddled close to Kazuha now.
There was slight stillness in the air as Childe continued to hold Aether tightly and Kazuha gently carded his fingers through the blonde’s hair.
“Ah, it seems we came at the right time.” A deep voice hummed from the doorway. Aether cracked his eyes open and saw Zhongli and Xiao standing there. “You saw the commission too?” Aether asked.
“Indeed. It seems we were beaten.” he chuckled. Aether shook his head “You’re more than welcome to join!”
Xiao seemee to glare at the Fatui who still had his arms wound tightly around the Traveler. “Do you need help detaching that thing?” Xiao asked. Childe made sounds of offense and glared at the Adeptus.
“Hey! I'm off duty now! Plus, Aether said no fighting in the Teapot!” Tartaglia huffed and held Aether tighter. A low growl emitted from Xiao’s throat, but Zhongli stepped between them. “Let’s not stress the Traveler out. This is supposed to help relax him.” he chided.
So, the Adeptus and Harbinger begrudgingly quieted and settled in the bed. Kazuha gave them the room they needed and soon enough the five of them were settled in for a while. “You know, you can let someone else stay in that spot, Childe.” Aether hummed, looking over at the ginger.
“But, it’s the best seat in the house!” Childe whined. “I don’t wanna move!” Aether simply giggled and laid his head on Zhongli’s lap once more. He nearly let a purr slip when he felt the surprisingly gentle touch of the former Archon’s hand gently petting his hair.
A few more hours had come and gone. If Aether had to choose, it was most likely sunset now. He was glad with how many visitors he had today. It made him feel as if he was on Cloud Nine, as if every problem he ever had melted away. Eventually Zhongli, Xiao, and Kazuha excused themselves to go back to their duties, leaving just the Harbinger left.
“Don’t you have Fatui business to attend to? I’m not hating this attention, but I’d hate for you to get in trouble.” Aether asked as he looked over at Tartaglia.
“Maaaaaaybe.” Childe answered cryptically. “But, that can all wait! I want to make sure my sparring buddy feels better!”
Aether let out a small laugh at that. “I’m definitely feeling better now thanks to everyone. It’s a nice change in pace.”
Before the other could answer, the door creaked open. “Oh for the love of the Tsaritsa. Of course your dumb ass would be here.” an annoyed voice sighed. Speaking of Harbingers…
There stood Scaramouche in all his scowling glory. He crossed his arms and glared at Childe. “You were supposed to be training new agents today. But, I see you’re flinging yourself on the Traveler instead.”
Childe’s head snapped up as he glared at the other. “Hey! I’ll get to it later. This is a commission I’ll have you know.” Aether gave a small nod “It...it was. He was one of the first to answer it.”
“Oh? And what kind of commission is this?” The Balladeer jested as he now directed his glare at Aether. “One for cuddling?” he answered in a meek tone and tried to hide under the blanket now. “I mean...you’re welcome to join in. O-only if you want!”
There was a long, pregnant pause. Aether refused to move from his current spot until he heard anything from the short harbinger. “...If anyone hears about this, I will personally stab both of you.” he grumbled and sat his hat aside before joining the duo on the bed. He settled on the other side of Aether awkwardly at first. But, slowly he warmed up to the fact that Aether was more or less cuddling his arm.But, if the Traveler was content he wasn’t going to do anything about it. Aether was soon lulled into another light sleep being surrounded by warmth.
Scaramouche more or less tugged Childe out of the bed at one point, nearly threatening to stab him if he didn’t let go of the blonde. He heaved the ginger up and slapped his arm. “You’ve been here all day! We have a job to do, idiot.” Scaramouche groaned.
“We can do this again another time, Childe.” Aether laughed. “Get back to work.” Begrudgingly, Childe left with Scaramouche. It hadn’t dawned on Aether until that moment just how the Balladeer got into the teapot. He could’ve sworn he never gave him access to it.
But alas, that was a problem for another day. Aether planned on actually sleeping the rest of the night away when his door was pushed open again. Who he didn’t expect to see was the Resistance General Gorou standing there with a shy smile. “I-I hope it’s okay that I’m here!” he rambled. “I just hope I wasn’t too late!”
Aether shook his head no. “Of course not! C’mere.” he papped the spot on the bed that Childe once inhibited. Shyly, the general scooted over onto the bed and tried to lay as natural as possible. “I know you don’t like your head pet...but can I do it just once?” Aether pulled his best puppy dog eyes he could.
With a small sigh, Gorou nodded. “You’re the exception to that rule...and Itto. I can’t stop him from doing anything.” Aether giggled at that and gave Gorou a headpat. He tried not to let his hand linger too long, but he was honestly surprised at how soft the other’s ears were. “Thank you.” Aether whispered and laid back down on the bed. He curled up under the blanket and closed his eyes. A small yawn escaped his lips. It had been a wonderful, relaxing day and the Traveler was ready to call it. He was on the cusp of sleep when thunderous footsteps could be heard down the hallway.
“OH MAN, DID I MISS IT?!” A voice boomed, rousing Aether from his sleep. There stood the one and only Oni, Arataki Itto. He had a small pout on his lips as he looked at the two sleepy boys.
“Not at all, Itto. You can join.” Aether invited the Oni into the blanket cocoon. With a cheer, Itto dove under the covers and sidled up next to Aether. He wrapped his arms around both the blonde and the general with ease. Gorou let out a small yelp and was definitely slightly flustered at being so close to Aether’s face now.
It didn’t seem to bother the Traveler much. He enjoyed the closeness and took it all in. The Oni was content now and Aether wrapped his arms around Gorou, effectively pulling him closer to make them more comfortable. Shakily, the General returned the affection and held Aether like Childe did earlier. But with possibly less force. Now that he was warm and comfortable, Aether teetered on the edge of sleep. His last thought before sleeping was posting another commission for this in the future.
Notes:
I hope you guys enjoyed!
I shall be writing one with Lumine and the girls of Teyvat since she will definitely simp for themHope you guys have a good day!
Chapter 21: You're Never Leaving My Side
Summary:
This was a prompt from my chapter a few pages back with one liners. These ones were
4 “[Name], you’re scaring me..”
12 “You’re never leaving my side again.”
This one was requested by Chaosboyo with Beidou and Jean!Jean goes to one of Beidou's famous parties aboard the Crux and Beidou takes a particularly obsessive interest in the Acting Grandmaster.
Notes:
WARNING:
This contains possessive behavior, drinking, and dark themes. Please be advised!
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
It had been another long, tiring day at the Favonius Offices. There were sightings of Abyss Mages too close to Mondstadt as well as treasure hoarders hanging out by the docks. Luckily, Kaeya and Amber were quick to take care of the mages and Diluc was kind enough to take care of the pesky hoarders.
Jean sat down in her office and began to pour over some paperwork she had to get done by the end of the week. “This never ends..” she sighed to herself and dipped her quill in the ink before signing a few papers.
An hour or so later, there was a soft knock at the door. “Come in.” she called out, setting her quill down. In walked the Honorary Knight with Paimon floating next to her. “Ah, Hello traveler. How are you today?” she asked.
Lumine smiled at the Acting Grandmaster. “I’m good! How are you, Jean?”
“I’m well, thank you for asking. What can I help you with?” Jean asked with a tired smile. It was hard to keep up the facade forever. She was tired and it was beginning to show.
“Well, I was wondering if you’d like to come with Paimon and I to the Crux Fleet! Beidou is having a party on her ship to celebrate one of the crew member’s birthday. I told her how stressed you seemed lately and she told me that I should invite you to come with us!” Lumine explained and shifted on her feet. She had an entire script prepared in her mind if Jean tried to oppose.
Jean mulled over the invitation. She knew of Beidou and her fight against Haishan. It had been a daring tale that had found its way to Mondstadt. Maybe she needed a break and..and a party would be nice. But..
“I’m sorry Traveler, I wish I could, but I have too much work that needs to be done.” Jean explained to her, but Paimon butted in.
“Nu uh! Paimon and Lumine talked to Kaeya and Lisa! They both said they’d cover for you for the rest of the day! You need a break, Jean!” Paimon huffed and crossed her arms. “There’s no getting out of this one!”
Jean let out a soft sigh. She knew they were right, but it was hard for her to admit defeat. “You won, Traveler.” she chuckled. “I’ll go for a bit. Sounds fair?”
Paimon let out a happy cheer. “Yay!! Kaeya owes me a sticky honey roast now!”
Jean looked at the Traveler in confusion. “Paimon and Kaeya made a bet.” she explained. “Kaeya didn’t think you would come, but Paimon believed you would. If she won, she got sticky honey roast and if Kaeya won he had Paimon for the whole day..I think he would’ve lost either way.”
That earned a ‘HEY!’ from Paimon, which caused Jean to laugh. “Give me a few moments, you two. I’ll meet you outside.”
Lumine and Paimon waved and waited outside her office. Jean took in a deep breath and fixed her ponytail. “It’s just for one night.” she reminded herself. “And then, you can make it up to Kaeya and Lisa.”
She stood up and signed one last report before stepping out of her office. Kaeya and Lisa were chatting with the Traveler when Jean noticed them. “Hello Kaeya, Lisa.” She greeted them.
“Hello, dear.” Lisa smiled at the blonde.
“Ah, hello Acting Grandmaster.” Kaeya grinned. “Glad to see you’ll be attending the festivities. I do hope you’ll enjoy yourself.”
“I will, thank you both. I’ll make it up to you two. I promise.”
Lisa shook her head. “You can make it up to us by having fun tonight, okay? I want to hear all about it when you get back.”
“Of course.” Jean laughed softly. “See you all later.”
With that, Jean, Lumine, and Paimon headed off to the Crux Fleet. After the journey, the ship docked in Liyue could be seen. There was music, cheering, and most definitely drinking. Paimon fluttered excitedly around them. “Paimon bet there will be soooooo much good food there!” The fairy practically drooled at the thought.
Lumine let out a small giggle. “’Cmon, Paimon. Let’s get you that food then. I’m sure Jean wants to take a moment to settle in.”
Jean was thankful for that and began to make her way through the crowded ship. Lumine and Paimon disappeared in the crowd to sample the foods. She didn’t know many of the people aboard the ship...well, she didn’t know
any
of them per se.
“Maybe this was a bad idea..” she muttered to herself and contemplated leaving. She missed the quiet streets of Mondstadt already.
“Would you look at that? Is that Miss Acting Grandmaster I see?” A voice called from amidst the crowd. Jean lifted her head and attempted to pinpoint that voice. A hearty chuckle could be heard. “Over here.”
There stood Beidou, strutting over to the blonde. A smirk settled on her lips as she crossed her arms. Jean cleared her throat and turned to face the Captain. “Ah, Captain Beidou. Wonderful to finally meet you.” The blonde smiled at the other.
Beidou let out a hearty laugh and offered a handshake to the Acting Grandmaster. “It’s a pleasure, Jean.”
Jean gladly shook her hand, noting how strong the Captain’s grip was. “Wonderful ship you have here.” she smiled. “And this party seems to be thriving.”
A grin spread on the Captain’s lips. “Aye. Couldn’t have done it without my crew. They put this lil party together for me.”
The Acting Grandmaster perked up at that. “Oh? What’s the occasion?”
“Does there need to be a reason to celebrate?” she grinned. “Crew and I just want to have a party. And how better to celebrate than inviting some of the best people in Teyvat?” She clapped the blonde on the back as her smile grew wider.
“That’s very kind of you, Captain.” Jean let out a soft laugh. “The traveler was kind enough to invite me.”
“Oh? And who do you think told her to invite you?” Beidou swung an arm around Jean’s shoulders. “C’mon, loosen up a bit! We got some partying to do!”
Before Jean could even voice a protest, she was dragged from her spot over to a table on deck. “Let's get the Acting Grandmaster a drink!” Beidou hollered to the crew member in charge of drinks. Jean wanted to refuse, since she wasn’t the biggest drinker, but Lisa’s voice sounded in her mind. The librarian would want her to have a fun time, not be a downer.
“Well, I suppose one drink won’t hurt.” Jean shrugged. A mug was thrusted into her hands now and Beidou ushered her to another spot on the ship. The blonde clutched onto the mug and allowed herself to be taken by the captain.
“Thought we could use a spot away from everyone.” Beidou laughed and helped Jean up to the Crow’s Nest. Jean thanked her and climbed up and held onto the railing. “It’s so pretty up here.” she whispered in awe and gazed out at the vast sea.
Beidou joined next to her with a grin. “Isn’t it? Gods, I love this view. I can never tire of it.” She took a swig from her bottle and let out a happy sigh. Jean smiled to herself, letting her shoulders fall as she looked out over the water.
“I think this is the most relaxed I’ve ever been.” she whispered, completely mesmerized by the horizon. “I could get lost in thought for ages up here.”
The two women idly chatted about life and the lives they both lead. They both had their own priorities in their line of work, but it all boiled down to the welfare of others. Beidou expresses her gratitude with parties and loud celebrations while Jean preferred quieter gatherings and little words of praise to her fellow knights.
As the afternoon went on, the sun had begun to set. A soft sigh escaped Jean’s lips. “This has been a wonderful experience, Captain. I think this is what I needed. A night off to relax my brain. It’s…it’s been hard work being the Acting Grandmaster.”
The Pirate gave her a gentle, but firm pat on the back. “You’re doing a fantastic job, Jean. But, you gotta relax once in a while. I promise, all your troubles will go away!”
The blonde let out a small laugh at that. “If only I could do this more.” she whispered to herself, completely oblivious to the dark look that spread across Beidou’s face.
A few more hours flew by. The Traveler and Paimon had long since left the boat, claiming they had early morning commissions to get to. Most of the crew members had long since passed out, or were drunkenly singing tunes that sounded awfully similar to ones sung by a certain green clad bard.
Jean stretched out her back, letting a few joints pop. She had more drinks to last her a lifetime in one night and she was ready to call it a night. But, she stopped in her tracks when a thought crossed her mind. Could she make it back to Mondstadt like this? She wasn’t too drunk, but she wasn’t sober either.
A small sigh escaped her lips. Perhaps she could find an Inn close by? Wangshu Inn was a bit far, but that could always be a last resort. Just as she took a step to head off the ship, someone grabbed her shoulder. “Woah there, sailor. You’re not leaving this ship tonight! Not in this condition!” The captain huffed and ushered her back aboard.
“No, no. I should leave…I need to get back.” Jean shook her head, trying to step away from Beidou, but the captain kept a firm grip.
“Jean, you need rest. We can go back in the morning.” She sighed, but the Acting Grandmaster was stubborn. “Ca..captain Beidou, I appreciate the…the gesture, but I can’t stay.”
Tension seemed to be rising between them, but Jean noticed the shift in energy a bit too late. Beidou seemed to stand a bit taller, her face darkened significantly. The grip on Jean’s arm tightened.
“Beidou, you’re scaring me..” Jean whispered, her eyes widening slightly. Wordlessly, the captain all but carried the other into her private quarters. Jean’s tipsy brain started to kick into overdrive. Why would the Captain go to such extreme measures over something so small?!
“Beidou! We can talk about this! Please, put me down! It’s…it’s embarrassing!” she groaned. The small room was dark except for a single burning candle. From what Jean could make out, there was a desk, bed, and a few chests stacked up in the corner. Before she could make anything else out, Jean was laid down on the bed.
She tried to sit back up, but Beidou pushed her back down. “You don’t seem to get it, Jean.” The captain whispered close to her ear. “You’re never leaving my side again.”
The poor blonde went rigid at that declaration. “B-Beidou, this isn’t funny. Please-”
She was cut off by a sudden wave of nausea. Why did she have to be such a lightweight when it came to liquor? “Shhhh…” Beidou whispered and brushed a piece of Jean’s hair out of her face. “Relax…I’ll take care of you, Jean. You won’t need to worry about anything ever again. All your worries will be blown away when you’re with me. Sleep now. I’ll be here for you.”
A small whimper escaped Jean’s lips. Why was she so helpless in this situation? If she could gather her anemo energy, she could make a run for it. But-
But…the alcohol did make her sleepier than she expected. She blinked a few times and tried to keep her eyes open. “No…” she muttered, but Beidou continued to play with her hair. “Sleep well, my treasure.” The captain whispered against her hair.
Jean couldn’t keep her eyes open much longer. Sleep soon overcame her. The last thought she had was that her friends would come look for her.
At least she hoped they wouldn’t face the wrath of the Captain.
Notes:
Thank you all for being patient with me for getting to your requests! I hope you all have a wonderful day!
Chapter 22: Can You Wash Me, Can You Drown Me?
Summary:
This was requested by Rin_6539
Thank you for being patient!Aether had tried cutting through Dragonspine to get to Mondstadt, but accidents happen. Fortunately two brothers were in the area to help...or so that was the plan.
Notes:
TW: Death, Near Drowning, Violence, Sad Stuff
Diluc and Kaeya are brothers in this. Some things said are not canon between them, I made it up. Had to add brother angst in there too.
I may have nearly cried writing the last bit of this.
No beta either since I am what the kids call 'lazy'.
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
Frigid air wraps itself inside a being. It constricts the lungs and forces every inch of warmth to leave the body. It’s cold and unforgiving.
Especially in water.
The day had been going surprisingly well for the Traveler. He had gotten his commissions done early and even cleared out a few domains to help upgrade his sword. There was even time to swing by Liyue Harbor to have lunch with Zhongli and Hu Tao. Everything was going great, even Xiao was in a decent mood when they swung by to visit him.
“We can just cut through Dragonspine, Paimon! It won’t be too bad.” Aether pointed out. “It’s too long to go all the way around. Plus, we need to build resistance to the cold for Snezhnaya!”
Paimon let out a groan. “But it’s too cold! Paimon can’t fly in the snow for that long!” He fairy pouted and crossed her arms.
“You can stay in the Teapot then! And when we’re across, I can come get you. How’s that sound?” Aether replied.
She looked at him with a pouty expression before letting out a sigh. “Fiiiine. But, you need to hurry! Otherwise Paimon will miss you too much!”
The Traveler let out a soft laugh. “Okay okay! I will, Paimon. I’ll hurry along for you.”
With that, the fairy gave Aether a pap on his head and disappeared in a cloud of sparkles. The blonde laughed to himself and now began to trek up the mountains. He pulled his scarf closer to him as the wind nipped at his exposed skin. “Maybe I should’ve gone around.” he muttered to himself.
The wind whipped around the blonde, causing snow to cascade around the trail. It made it nearly impossible to see where one has been or where they were going. A frustrated sigh escaped the Traveler’s lips. How the hell was he supposed to get around this forsaken place?
A blizzard was blowing in from the North. It engulfed the remains of the Entombed City Outskirts, blanketing the area in the powdery substance. The temperature had already dropped well below a healthy amount. Aether needed to find a place to warm up and fast. Usually, there were little mechanisms spread throughout Dragonspine that allowed someone a quick break to regain lost warmth before continuing on their trek. But, Luck was not on the Traveler’s side. Not a single mechanism was in his sight.
Aether cursed his luck and pulled his scarf closer to his already freezing body.Luck continued to not be on his side unfortunately. As the snow clouded the landscape, it made it harder for Aether to navigate the terrain. He climbed up one jagged rock formation carved into the mountain before doing his best to look around.
The snow whipped around him. The wind wailed desperately in his ear as if it was begging him not to continue. Where the hell was he? Aether believed he was heading towards Wyrmrest Valley. If he could make it there, he could make it to a less snow filled area and trek to Mondstadt.
Panic seemed to settle in Aether’s chest when a realization crashed over him. He had no idea where he was. There wasn’t a single sign of life around him, only the frigid wasteland. His thoughts were as scrambled as his sense of direction. He widely looked around, desperate to find any source of life, even if it was from an enemy camp. He can’t stay out here much longer…Aether could already feel the cold settling into his bones.
A debate weighed in his mind. He could either climb down and continue this wild goose chase of finding warmth or he could use what he had in his back to make his own camp. After further inspection, Aether realized a flaw in his second option. There wasn’t enough cloth material to make a decent sized tent for himself or use as a blanket. For what seemed like the umpteenth time Aether cursed and took in a deep breath. Option one it was, then.
Carefully, Aether scaled down the rocky terrain and took off in a direction. Sooner or later he would hit another location. It was bound to happen.
What he didn’t expect was to find an inhabited camp full of Fatui agents on high alert from the storm. And to think he thought it couldn’t get any worse. Aether tried to sneak around them, but one of the Skirmishers spotted him and called in his lackeys. Throwing all caution into the wind, Aether thrust himself into a fight against the Fatui. His sword sliced through his opponents with ease. Quick use of Anemo sent the enemies flying back into their tents.
A small celebration was in store for Aether as he finished off the last Agent. He let out a sigh of relief and turned away from the camp. That was his first mistake. One of the Fatui was still clinging to life and rushed towards him, weapon at the ready. They charged and slashed at the Traveler.
If it wasn’t for the cold, Aether would’ve had better reaction time. But, he was slowly freezing to the core. A yelp escaped his lips and the sword he carried fell into the snow. A piercing pain spread through his torso when the Agent’s blade made contact. Using what little strength he had, Aether shot out a blast of Anemo that projected himself backwards.
It would’ve worked out better if he had looked around at the landscape better. A freezing lake captured the poor Traveler instead of the plush snow. The Agent had been impacted by the anemo blast and was thrown back into the snow, promptly fading away into the background.
But, Aether didn’t see that. All he could focus on was trying to not feel the pins and needles stab him all over his body. When he made contact with the freezing water, every coherent thought escaped his mind. All air was expelled from his lungs and he searched for that air again.
He flailed beneath the surface and attempted to get back onto dry land. By some miracle, Aether latched onto a piece of ice just above the surface and dragged himself half onto it. The blonde coughed and sputtered all the water that lodged itself in his throat. A gut wrenching cry escaped his lips when he tried to lift his body up. He nearly forgot about the injury on his torso as well as the many bruises covering his body from the fight.
Ice had started to form on Aether’s wet hair as well as his eyelashes. His lips were a dark shade of blue. How the hell was he going to get out of this one? He tried to call out for help, but nothing came out.
What?
Aether tried again, but a small puff of air escaped. His teeth were chattering too much for comfort. Panic had finally settled into the Traveler. Half his body was submerged in water whilst his other half clung to the floating piece of ice in this damned lake.
“Gods, what am I going to do?”
He thought to himself. His ragged breaths came out in small puffs. The wind blew against his already frigid skin. There was a faint sound in the distance. Or was it the wind playing tricks on him?
“Over here!” A voice called out above the wind. Aether was too tired to figure out if this was reality or an illusion. He rested his head on the piece of ice currently keeping him a float before closing his eyes. Gods, he was exhausted. At this point, he couldn’t feel anything below his waist, where his lower half remained submerged in water.
A pair of arms wrapped around the Traveler, hoisting him up and over their shoulder. A small noise of protest escaped his lips, but there wasn’t much he could do about it. His limbs refused to cooperate and if they did, he felt as if his blood was replaced by molasses.
“C’mon, stay with me, Aether.” A familiar voice rang out, worry laced in their tone.
Aether cracked his eyes open finally and noticed a familiar black and red combo. He was gently placed on something akin to fur. He made a soft noise of distress when a particularly cold gust of wind shook his frame.
It was then, things began to click in his mind. “Diluc?” he muttered, finally seeing the man before him.
Diluc crouched over Aether after doing his best to assess the damages on the other. He noted the frost that gently coated his skin as well as the festering wounds on his torso. A small curse escaped his lips. “Kaeya!” he yelled across the camp.
Earlier that day, Diluc begrudgingly trekked Dragonspine with Kaeya to help Jean in finding some supplies a few knights had lost. He didn’t want to get roped up in it, but he knew how much helped the Acting Grandmaster needed. So, he put his grudges aside with the one eyed captain and worked together with him.
Soon, the cryo user evaded Aether’s line of sight. He crouched down on the opposite side of him. “What do we need to do?” he asked, his tone laced with worry. If Aether could think properly, he would’ve made a joke about Kaeya’s usual flirtatious humor not being present.
“Get him warmed up. Find any wood you can.” he ordered the Captain. Kaeya gave a nod and gathered any dry firewood he could. Without leaving Aether’s side, Diluc used his vision to start a small fire with the little material they had. He then shifted closer to Aether and wrapped him in his thick jacket.
The storm raged outside of the small tent. Aether came to the conclusion they were in the camp by the lake that he had stumbled into earlier. He was glad his mind was at least coherent enough to understand that.
“D..Diluc?” The traveler mumbled. He lazily looked down at the red head, who was currently doing his best to dress Aether’s wound. He looked up at him “What is it, Aether?”
The blonde blinked a few times, debating whether or not to say what was on his mind. Ultimately, he decided against it. “Nothing.” he shook his head and laid his head back down.
Diluc tilted his head and hovered over Aether now. “Are you still cold? I can do my best to continue warming you or we can get more wood for the fire?” If he was feeling more up to it, Aether would’ve laughed at how frantic Diluc was being.
“I..I’m fine.” he hummed. Oh, how he wished that was true. His entire body felt as if massive snow drifts were pressing against him. His torso was on fire from the Fatui earlier, and to top it off, he wasn’t warming up fast enough. Aether wasn’t sure if it was a good idea to bring up the fact that he couldn’t feel anything below his waist.
“But…” Aether started, his eyes darting around the small tent. “Can..Can I sleep?” He all but whispered.
Diluc let out a small sigh and placed his hand on Aether’s forehead. “I’m sorry, Traveler. I’m gonna need you to stay awake until we can get you out of Dragonspine. It’s too dangerous.”
Aether’s nose scrunched slightly at the claim. “Alright.” He let out a sigh of defeat. His eyes landed on Kaeya in the entrance of the tent. His back was to them as he scanned the snowy landscape.
“Did..did you two make up?”
Diluc let out a small scoff. “Archons, no. Jean needed us to work together for a mission…can’t say it’s been easy.”
Aether let out an airy laugh. “Cut..cut him some slack.”
The red head let out a small huff that sounded akin to a laugh. “We’ll see.”
Around twenty minutes went by and Aether still wasn’t warming up. It didn’t matter how much heat Diluc could produce by his vision or the fire, it simply wasn’t enough. A frustrated sigh escaped his lips.
“I-I’m sorry.” The traveler whispered to him. He suppressed a cough and tried to steady his ragged breathing.
“Don’t.” Diluc shook his head. “None of this was your fault, understand?”
Aether simply gave a small nod and laid back in the tent. Diluc patted his head and went to stand with Kaeya by the tent entrance.
“It’s not letting up anytime soon.” Kaeya said softly, glancing over at him. “I- Diluc, I’m not sure how this is going to go.”
“He’ll be fine.” Diluc replied quickly. “He’s stronger than he looks.”
“That’s the problem.” A dry laugh escaped Kaeya’s lips. “I..I can sense something amiss.”
Diluc fully turned towards his brother now and crossed his arms. “And what’s that supposed to mean?”
Kaeya sighed and faced him. “That night when…when father passed, we exchanged some heated words. And we also clashed swords. After we parted ways, I so badly wanted to give up, Luc. But, I felt I couldn’t. I had to continue on in life and find my own path. I wanted someone to tell me that it was okay to give up and give in…but no one ever did. Thinking back on it, I’m glad no one did. But…But Aether has been so strong throughout all these messes our land has created. Diluc, you and I both know Aether can’t make it out of this…his body isn’t warming up fast enough. He won’t say anything, but he wants to give in. He
needs
someone’s permission to give up and stop this useless fighting. It will only prolong the hurt. He won’t survive the night.”
The Cavalry Captain wiped away the tear that had slipped down his cheek before looking down at his hands. “I..I think it needs to come from you, Diluc.” he finished.
Diluc’s breathing picked up slightly. He did his best to process everything his brother had just explained to him. Diluc was never the best at words and this moment proved it. Instead, he decided to use actions. He pulled Kaeya in for a tight hug and tried to steady his breathing.
Kaeya stiffened at the initial touch. But, slowly he melted into the hug and reciprocated it. “I can’t do it alone.” Diluc whispered to him.
“I’ll be with you, I promise.” Kaeya replied in a hushed tone.
Inside the tent. Aether was fighting for his life. His breaths came out ragged and harsh. His skin was void of any color by this point, his amber eyes were clouded in pain. A small whimper escaped his lips. He wasn’t going to make it, was he?
‘You can’t give up! People need you!’
His mind argued. “But, I want to.” he mumbled aloud.
“Aether?” Diluc appeared in his line of sight as well as Kaeya. They both crouched down on either side of him. “How..how are you feeling?” the words caught in the pyro user’s throat.
“B-bad..” Aether choked out, tears clouded his vision. “I-I don’t think- I don’t-” He cut himself off with a violent cough that rattled his frame.
Diluc carefully pet Aether’s hair. “It’s okay.” he whispered before glancing over at Kaeya. The cry user gave him a small nod to continue.
“Aether..” Diluc started. He gently took the Traveler’s hand. “You know..you know it’s okay to give in, right? No one is going to think any less of you.”
Aether’s eyes widened slightly at the declaration, but Diluc continued. “I know you’re in pain and it isn’t fair. I know even now you’re clinging onto a small heap of life. I-I know it hurts.” Diluc’s throat tightened as he looked at the blonde's broken expression. He took in a deep breath “You can give in, friend. Kaeya and I will be here, okay? If you want to keep fighting you can, but if you don’t think you can..you can let go. I promise, no one will judge you for it. You’ve done so much good in this world, Aether. A legacy will surely follow you.”
The traveler let out a small sob and gave Diluc’s hand a squeeze. “Thank..thank you.” he whispered hoarsely. “Gods, thank..thank you. I-it..it hurts too much. I-I’m sorry, I can’t- I can’t keep going.”
Kaeya gently took Aether’s other hand. “We’re with you till the end of the line, Aether.”
Aether whispered a quiet thank you to them. “Please..please keep looking for Lumine for me. I beg of you..she..she’s going to need someone.”
Diluc gave a small nod. “Of course. We’ll find her, I promise.”
The Traveler gave a content hum and stared at the ceiling of the tent. The weight had been lifted from his body, or so that’s what it felt like. He felt…light. Light as a feather. Warmth had begun to spread over his body. For once, he was at peace.
“Don’t miss me too much.” Aether joked quietly.
“Wouldn’t dream of it.” Kaeya smiled sadly at him.
With a final ragged breath, the Traveler went limp in the brother’s arms. His breathing slowed to a stop. There was no sound except the storm outside. The brothers didn’t say anything. There was nothing they
could
say about what they witnessed. The soul of the mighty Traveler was now at rest. If only the same could be said for his twin in the Abyss.
Notes:
Thank you for reading, I hope you enjoyed! Thank you all for being patient as I get to your suggestions. I hope you all have a wonderful day! Remember to drink water!!
Chapter 23: Update!
Chapter Text
Thank you guys for being patient with suggestions! I'm in the midst of moving and doing a lot of things behind the scenes and it means a lot that you guys are still supporting me! <3
I'll be doing a more lighthearted, funny scenario for the next chapter before continuing suggestions!
Hope you guys are doing well and remember to drink water!!
Chapter 24: Do You Want Some Glitter Glue?
Summary:
The Traveler, Childe, Diluc, Kaeya, and Zhongli find themselves in the Daycare of the Pizza Plex...this wont end well.
Notes:
PLEASE DON'T TAKE THIS SERIOUSLY, THIS IS PURE CRACK!! I WAS FUELLED BY LACK OF SLEEP
I couldn't decide what Traveler to use, so you decide! I used they/them pronouns for them!
I wanted to write something stupid/funny after writing all that angst. But, I promise I'm still working on them!
I'm also back in my FNAF Phase since Security Breach dropped, so I wanted to write how my Genshin team would react to being in the Daycare level.
I apologize for it being short as well, I didn't put too much thought into this one since it was purely crack/dumb. Hope you enjoy!
No beta since I am tired
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
The group stared at the vast Daycare before them. “You know, I don’t think this can be that bad.” Childe pointed out.
The Traveler stared blankly at him. “Do you wanna go down there first then?”
They motioned to the giant slide that led into a ball pit. Childe grinned and flexed slightly. “Well, don’t mind if I do.” In one fluid motion, he zoomed down the slide.
“Why are we doing this again?” Diluc sighed. “This seems pointless.”
“We don’t have a choice.” The Traveler shrugged. “And it could be fun?”
Diluc gave them a deadpan look. “I know it won’t be.” The traveler laughed and slid down after Childe. “Oh, cmon, Master Diluc, this will be fun.” Kaeya teased.
The red head glared and all but shoved Kaeya down the slide after the Traveler. The blue haired man yelped and not so gracefully landed at the bottom. He splashed into the ball pit with a small groan.
Diluc smirked to himself and followed in suit. Zhongli sighed softly and did his best to slide down. Once everyone was down in the ballpit, they suspiciously looked around.
__________
“Is…is that Sun thing dancing?” Childe tilted his head and stared at Sundrop, the animatronic. Sundrop, standing a full 7 feet, was dancing around the little play area with the Traveler.
The Traveler laughed and happily danced with them. “You’re a wonderful dancer, Mr Sun!” they beamed. Kaeya placed his hands on his hips as he watched in amusement.
“You know, if you loosened up a bit, you could dance too.” he teased in Diluc’s direction. Dilic glared at him. “I’m just trying to figure out a way out of this damn place.”
“Awww, is the Dark Knight Hero scared?” Kaeya teased. The red head rolled his eyes. “I know it’s hard for someone like you to understand, but I actually want to go home.” he deadpanned.
“Master Diluc! Come dance with us!” The traveler beamed. “Mr Sundrop is fun!”
Diluc let out a sigh. “No thank you, Traveler.”
They pouted. “Why not?! He’s fun!”
“Master Diluc, I do believe everything is under control here.” Zhongli said. “If something were to happen, I know we all can defend ourselves.”
The red head looked at Zhongli wearily. “I know that, but I don’t wish to stay here any longer.”
“Suit yourself.’ Zhonglu chuckled.
______________
“Why did you have to punch the lights?!” The blonde glared at Childe. The entire Daycare was shrouded in darkness and a new Daycare attendant had taken the floor. This one wasn’t nearly as fun as Mr Sun.
“In my defense, I didn’t think the light switch would
shatter
.” Tartaglia argued and crossed his arms. “Clearly, I’m not at fault!”
Diluc glared even more at the Harbinger at those words. “I told you I wanted to get out of here. Now look what you did, Fatui scum.” he spat.
“Now, now, let’s not get too carried away.” Zhongli chided. “We need to find those..ah, what were they called again, Traveler?”
“Generators.” They sighed. “Five of them to be exact.”
“And they’re in this…play…structure?” Kaeya vaguely motioned around the room.
“Seems like it.” The Traveler replied. “Stay away from that Moon…I can see why Mr. Sun wanted the lights on.”
“How shall we split up?” Kaeya asked. “I, for one, would love to stay with the dear Traveler here.” He glanced over at the blonde with a smirk.
“Hey! I wanted to go with them.” Childe pouted. “We’re comrades!”
“Why the hell would anyone let the likes of you near them?!” Diluc groaned. The three men bickered amongst themselves in the play structure. During that time, Zhongli had whisked the Traveler away to find any signs of the generators.
____________
“YOU MOON MOTHERFUCKER, GET BACK HERE!” A certain Harbinger cried out. He wielded a flashlight he had found, ready to use as a makeshift weapon.
“Why the hell is he doing that?!” The Traveler groaned. “He’s gonna get his ass handed to him!”
“I do believe Moon scared Childe in one of the tunnels and now he wants revenge.” Zhongi deduced.
Three generators had been flipped on, one two more to go. When Tartaglia was crawling through a plastic tunnel, Moon had jumped into view, effectively spooking the ginger. A bloodthirsty Harbinger had begun chasing after Moon for the duration of their time there. In all honesty, the group was amused by the antics. At least he bought them time to get the lights back on.
Another ding could be heard from somewhere below the play structure. “Found it.” Kaeya hummed. “One more to go.”
“Thank the Gods.” Diluc groaned. “This is my own personal Hell.”
“Being stuck with me or being stuck in a children’s place?”
“Both.”
The two siblings continued to bicker and shove each other out of the tunnels around the playroom. The Traveler bit back a laugh whenever they heard any sort of cuss come from them. They were just happily exploring the area with Zhongli…even if the Adeptus needed to take frequent breaks.
_________
“The last one!” The Traveler beamed and flipped the final switch. The lights turned back on and the group let out a sigh of relief.
It was short lived when they heard a blood curdling scream. Quickly, they got out of the play structure only to see Childe squaring up with Mr. Sun. “No please!! Don’t hurt me!!” Sun cried out.
The Traveler quickly ran over to pry Childe away from the poor Daycare Attendant.
“NO! LET ME AT EM! I WILL NOT BE SCARED BY SOME STUPID ASSHO-”
“Sun is nice! Moon was the mean one! Now stop!” The blonde argued and tugged him back to the group. Zhongli held Childe back from causing more damage to the anxiety riddled animatronic.
“That does it! You are all banned from the Daycare!” Sun yelled and effectively tossed the group out the door without another glance.
“I will never forgive you for this.” The Traveler glared at the ginger and crossed their arms.
“Well, that was quite an adventure.” Kaeya laughed. “I dare say, I had fun.”
“Seems you’re the only one.” Diluc muttered under his breath.
“Still a downer, I see.” the blue haired man teased. “Seems even the famous Mr Sun couldn’t make you smile.”
Diluc was going to make a smart remark, when a shrill scream could be heard. Fearing the worst, Diluc shoved past Kaeya and ran over to the sound.
The Traveler was holding Childe back from fighting a Map Bot that had scared him once more. “Gods, what an idiot.” Diluc muttered.
Notes:
Thank you guys for reading, i hope you enjoyed! I'll be back to writing the suggestions soon! <3
See you guys later
Chapter 25: Meant To Be Yours
Summary:
Inspired by Meant To Be Yours from Heathers (since I wanted to hop in this Tik Tok trend)
Childe has a sick fascination with Zhongli and things escalate.
Notes:
TW: Obsessive behavior, manipulation, gas lighting, mentions of violence. Spoilers for Liyue Archon Quests as well
Please be advised, this is NOT light hearted,there is a lot of toxic behavior. Thank you to my friend for helping me with the ideas in this! <3
Childe is referred to as Childe, Tartaglia, and Ajax in this one. He also called Zhongli 'Xiansheng' a lot.
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
Thud.
Thud.
Thud.
The pounding of Zhongli’s heart mixed with the small pants he tried desperately to conceal in his gloved hand filled the tiny room. He strained his ears to pick up any movement outside the door, but alas, it yielded to nothing.
But, the brunet didn’t dare move a muscle. The Harbinger could be around any corner…any moment now and Zhongli wasn’t about to push his luck. How did it come to this? Why didn’t Zhongli notice this behavior early on? Perhaps if he caught it sooner, he could’ve put a stop to it.
Everything had been back to normal, well, normal as it could be. After the Golden House and Osial Incident, Tartaglia had decided to stick around Liyue a bit longer to tie up some loose ends. Of course, the population was less than thrilled to see the Harbinger that nearly destroyed them still there, but Zhongli had stepped in to reassure others that Tartaglia would mean no harm.
In the event that passed, Zhongli had fully apologized to the Harbinger for deceiving him and basically using him in the grand scheme of things. For someone as bloodthirsty as Tartaglia, he was quick to forgive the former Archon. Even joining him on strolls whenever he could.
“
All is forgiven baby! Come on, get dressed. You're my date to the festival tonight!
” The Harbinger called out in the seemingly empty home. But, he knew better. He knew the geo user was tucked away, just waiting for Childe to find him. “Hiding will only make it worse, my dear.” He chuckled under his breath before kicking one of the doors open.
From down the hall, Zhongli jumped at the sudden crash. His heart rate increased significantly as he mulled over the options he had. Even in this more human form, he was strong. But, he didn’t want to cause harm to Tartaglia, no matter what. He was always suave with his words…perhaps that could get through to the other?
But, any coherent thought that could be formulated seemed to leave his mind when footsteps slowly echoed down the hallway. “Zhongli, I know you’re there…are you truly going to make me find you? C’mon, Xiansheng.” A smile crept onto the Harbinger’s lips.
Zhongli almost didn’t want to believe just how far Childe’s mindset had deteriorated in the span of a few months. He always assumed that the Harbinger wanted to get to know the land better, so that’s why he stayed. But, as time went on, Tartaglia only had his eyes on the former Archon. He developed a sick fascination for the individual, even slacking on his Fatui duties just to be around him.
It didn’t matter what was happening, all Tartaglia wanted to do was be around Zhongli, wanted to listen to him, wanted to hold him, treasure him forever. It had begun to be tunnel vision, a one track mind that settled on the geo user. And Tartaglia does not take no for an answer.
The climax of events had finally reached its peak that night. Zhongli and Tartaglia were out on their usual nightly stroll around the harbor. A festival was underway for Yun Jin’s newest opera. Most of the citizens were ecstatic and were planning all sorts of festivities around the play to show their support for her.
“It’s quite a treat to see Miss Yun perform.” Zhongli mused. “I know her productions always spark joy within the harbor.”
Tartaglia hummed in thought as he stopped by a railing that overlooked the waters. “Xiansheng? Do you believe in destiny?” he asked.
Zhongli stopped and gazed at the Harbinger. He pondered the question as he joined him by the railing. “In my time, I do believe everything happens for a reason.” he began. “The Butterfly Effect takes its toll and decides what will happen. But, I also do believe that the future is not set in stone, for it can be shaped into something new with passing time.”
“I’m destined for great things.” Childe grinned as he looked out at the water. Zhongli has heard this song and dance before from the Harbinger. Ever since he first met him, Childe had always talked about the victories that would pave his path to victory.
“I believe you are.” Zhongli replied automatically. It amused him just how much the other rambled on about his battles. Honestly, it reminded the former Archon of himself when he was younger.
Tartaglia turned to him now with a slight smirk on his lips. “Say, why don’t you join me in my reign?”
Zhongli tilted his head. “Your reign? What do you mean?”
“My reign over Teyvat, of course!” Childe laughed. “You remember, I told you when we first met!” Zhongli did remember that. They were having a conversation over some tea and the Harbinger brought up how someday he planned to overrun every Archon and take his seat on the throne of Teyvat. At the time, Zhongli just assumed it was arrogance speaking, nothing truthful.
Before Zhongli could reply, Childe continued. “I’m gonna topple Celestia, slay every last Archon, and take my rightful spot on top.” A wicked smile settled on his lips, causing Zhongli to shift uncomfortably beside him. Many thoughts passed through his mind. He wanted to believe Childe was lying…but he knew that look in the other’s eyes.
“And, of course…” Childe carefully took one of Zhongli’s hands and held it tightly. “With you on my side, we can be
unstoppable
. No one would ever oppose us! With the Archons out of the way, we can have whatever we want!”
“Childe…” Zhongli started. He swallowed hard as he glanced down at their hands. “I…You would go against the Tsaritsa? Your fellow Harbingers?”
The other man scoffed playfully. “Of course, I would. I’d do
anything
for you, Xiansheng. Anything for us. And, I plan to reveal everything at the festival tonight! Give everyone a taste as to what's to come.”
That sentence made Zhongli’s blood freeze. He knew Tartaglia well enough to take a guess as to what was planned for the festival. All he knew was that it would
not
end well. The man who was as sturdy as a mountain seemed to crumble at the declaration. It was clear Childe wasn’t in his right mind. What did he want Zhongli to say?
“I..Childe, you can’t-” But, Tartaglia cut him off. “Can’t do what? Rule Teyvat? I thought you believed in me!”
Zhongli shook his head. “This isn’t something that can just…
happen
. No one person can do this, Childe.”
“But, I have you on my side, Xiansheng! Together we can do anything!” The grip on Zhongli’s hand tightened. “I love you, Zhongli. I love you with every fiber of my being. Don’t you understand? I adore being around you. I love you more than you possibly can believe. It’s always been you. Together, we can take on this world! Start our own Destiny!”
The former Archon’s breath caught in his throat. The world around them seemed to move in slow motion. What possibly could Zhongli say to satiate Tartaglia’s never ending devotion and love for Morax? He couldn’t possibly go through with anything the other was saying.
Zhongli somehow untangled his hand from Childe’s and took a step back. Tartaglia’s smile faltered at the sudden action. “Xiansheng? What’s wrong? We’ve been together for so long…don’t you think we belong together? How can we not be?” He took a step towards Zhongli, but the other had taken another step back.
“Ch- Ajax…” he started. “You’re not thinking clearly. Perhaps you should take a rest.”
“Take a rest!? We’re only just beginning, Zhongli! C’mon, the festival awaits!” Ajax reached out a hand to the other, but Zhongli stood his ground. “No. I will not join you, Ajax. You’ve taken things too far.” With that, he turned to leave, but a hand grabbed his biceps tightly. Tartaglia turned him back around to look at him, but Zhongli wasn’t having it.
“Childe- let me go.” Zhongli pleaded quietly. He didn’t want to use his power on the other, but if push came to shove in that moment, he would.
“Please, Xiansheng, listen to me.” Childe leaned in close to the other, faces only inches apart. “We were meant to be one. Don’t give up on me now…or you will
regret
it.” He all but growled the last part. There was a small, dark glint in Childe’s eyes that made Zhongli’s stomach drop. In a flash, he pulled away from the other and booked it down the street as fast as he could.
Another door was kicked open, now closer to where Zhongli had tucked himself away. “You changed me, Xiansheng! You made me see just how important I could be in this world! Don’t you want to be a part of it, my love? Can’t you picture it now? Me ruling over Teyvat, you by my side and the whole world bowing to us! Ah, what a dream!” Ajax swept his eyes around the room and made a ‘tsk’ sound.
“You don’t want me to get upset, do you?” Ajax pouted. He flipped a blade in his hand as he kicked down another door. “I promise, if you come out, I won’t be mad, my love. I’ll forgive you.”
In the other room, Zhongli mulled over his options. He could act in favor of Tartaglia and put on a facade of happiness before making his quick escape when the time is right. But on the other hand, he could use force against him. Zhongli swore to himself that he would never harm Ajax again. Even if his life depended on it, he didn’t believe he could harm the other.
Footsteps grew closer and closer to the room Zhongli was hidden in. His heart was thumping in his chest. His options were running thin. He had to make a choice. But, when he tried to get up, he froze in fear. He could see the outline of Tartaglia’s shadow from underneath the crack of the door.
Childe leaned against the door and placed his ear up to it. “I can hear you, Xiansheng. We can do this the easy way or the hard way.” Upon hearing no reply, Ajax let out a frustrated growl. He slammed his fist against the door. “Why can’t you accept my love!? I gave you all that I had and you became selfish! You carved open my heart! You can’t just leave me to bleed!”
He slammed another fist against the door, a shaky sigh escaping his lips. “I know you’re scared, Zhongli. I know! I’ve been there, but I can set you free! You don’t have to live in fear anymore, I’ll be beside you!”
On the other side, Childe could hear small shuffles. His heart raced in his chest. “We were meant to be one, Zhongli.” he whispered through the door. “I…I was meant to be yours. You were meant to be mine.”
He pulled back from the door and gripped the knife in his hand. “I will
not
ask you again, my love. Come out of there.”
Once again, he was met with silence. Ajax growled slightly. “Don’t make me come in there! I’m going to count to three!”
One.
Two.
Fuck it.
With a yell, the door was kicked open.
Notes:
Thanks for reading, I hope you enjoyed!
I left this one open ended because I wanted to hear your guy's inputs on how it should end! I can do multiple endings if so for it.
Remember to drink water and take care of yourselves! <3
Chapter 26: The Chasm
Summary:
Lumine vents her feelings about the latest mission in the Chasm. Perhaps she should stop bottling up her emotions.
Notes:
SPOILERS FOR THE CHASM ARCHON QUEST! PLEASE BE ADVISED!
No beta, since I am lazy
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
The seal on the Chasm had finally been lifted and obviously the Traveler would be the one to get to the bottom of the issues there, so everyone thought. It was exciting to say the least. A brand new area that had been sealed off for years, what would be discovered?
Of course, it couldn’t be a simple commission. It
never
can be, can it? The pieces fell into place the further down Lumine and Paimon ventured into darkness.
Hurt.
Anger.
Despair.
Suffering.
Lumine felt an ache in her chest seeing all these hilichurls accept their end within the dark crevices of the Chasm. Why was she forced to fight these creatures who only endured misery since the fall of their nation? Why did her brother seek to push them even further to damnation?
They’ve already suffered enough
, she thought. There was no reason to chain them to this plane of existence if they’ve already accepted the end.
She clenched her fists at the thought of the Abyss’ plan, her
brother’s
plan. Khaenri’ah still stood for a certain Cavalry Captain was here as well as the Chief Alchemist. Why would he dismiss the fate the hilichurl’s gave themselves? If the cataclysm didn’t occur..then where would all this be?
Too many unanswered questions rattled within her mind. Dainsleif ended up creating more questions than answers. His last words still echoed in her mind.
I only hope the next time we meet, you know whose side you’re on.
She knows what side she’s on. It’s just…complicated. She wants to stop the Abyss, but wants Aether to join her once more. Is that too much to ask?
“Traveler? You seem rather quiet today. Is something on your mind?”
Lumine blinked a few times, snapping back to reality. Oh, right. Zhongli had invited her to his home for some tea. It had become tradition at this point to sit down once a week with the former Archon and chat. Paimon had floated off to Wanmin Restaurant with a sack full of mora in tow, leaving the two alone.
“Just…thinking about things.” She replied quietly, staring at her reflection in the dark liquid. Truth be told, she wanted to learn more about Khaenri’ah. She wanted to know every damn thing about the nation, how it was in its glory days, how someone could curse all those innocent people for eternity. What kind of monsters-
“Perhaps you could indulge me in said thoughts?” Zhongli mused before taking a sip of his tea.
Lumine furrowed her brows slightly. It wasn’t healthy how she bottled up her emotions after every mission she endured. It isn’t fair to others if she lets the emotions flood into her daily life. It isn’t fair, it isn’t fair, it isn’t-
“Traveler?”
“Why?” Was all she could muster. Her voice small, albeit shaky. Lumine snapped her attention away from her reflection to loom at the man sitting across from her. Zhongli tilted his head in confusion.
“Why what, Traveler?” he asked calmly.
“Why did you do it?” The question escaped her lips before she even had the chance to decide against it. She noticed the passing look of confusion on the other’s face. Before he could reply, Lumine continued.
“I know you can’t give me the true answer, Zhongli, but…but you have to know the toll the cataclysm of 500 years ago took on them.” The blonde’s heart hammered in her chest as she spoke. All the emotions she felt in the Chasm came rushing back. When she noticed the flower, when she saw
Aether
with it, when they trekked through the hilichurl camp. She took a deep breath in an attempt to calm herself.
“They’re cursed, Zhongli.” she breathed. “They’re innocent people turned into monsters. What kind of life is that?”
The former Archon shifted ever so slightly in his seat. “Trav- Lumine, I suggest taking a few deep breaths. You’re upset and it isn’t healthy.”
The traveler nearly laughed at that.
The audacity he has
, she thought to herself. “I know you can’t answer my questions. And I’m not asking you to. I’m only going to ask you one thing. Was it worth it?”
A silence fell between the two of them. The tea shared between them had long since turned cold and bitter. Lumine’s eyes bored into Zhongli’s. They both seemed to be searching for something,
anything
within them.
Of course he wouldn’t answer
, Lumine scoffed internally. “Zhongli, I consider you a friend, you know this. As one friend to another, I need you to realize how..how devastating it is to see these creatures have no humanity left..because of the Archons, because of
you
-”
“Lumine, do not continue tha-”
“I wasn’t done talking!” The blonde shot back. She stood up from her chair in a flash. “Do NOT cut me off! How dare you sit here and act like nothing has happened. I don’t give a damn about the contract you made. They’re suffering because of the destruction of their homeland. They can’t die because of all of you! How is that fair?!”
A silence fell between them. Lumine’s ragged breath shook her very core. All the anger that boiled up inside her seemed to simmer down. “Look- I’m not doing this right now.” She shook her head and turned towards the door. “I’m sorry for snapping at you, Zhongli. But the more I learn about this world..the more I want to leave. The Archons aren’t as great as everyone thinks. Dain was right.”
With that, the Traveler turned and stormed out the door. The slam echoed behind her, leaving the former Archon to sit there in silence. A sigh escaped Zhongli’s lips as he peered down at the dark liquid in his cup. “If only you knew, Lumine..” he murmured.
Notes:
Thank you for reading, I hope you enjoyed! Sorry it's been a while since I last updated, but I promise I'm working on other suggestions <3
Chapter 27: The Last Goodbye
Summary:
From the prompt list, numbers 6 and 9 with Venti and Zhongli. Requested by Raeskywalker. Thank you for your patience!
6. “Wake up! Please...please you have to wake up.”
9. “Please...let me hear you sing...one more time.”
After the twins left this world, the Abyss resurfaced and it's up to the Archons to save Teyvat. Zhongli is gravely injured and asks something of Venti.
Can be read as ship or platonic!
Notes:
TW: Death, Violence, Slight Gore, Hinted at s**cide at the end. Stay safe out there!
Please be advised!
No beta bc I'm lazy
Song used- The Last Goodbye by Billy Boyd
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
War had been on the horizon for decades. With the Abyss Order in shambles after their leader left. Everything had been thrown into chaos and the Archons had to band together to defeat yet another surge of beings from the Abyss.
It had been surprising how organized these monsters were without a leader. But, somehow, they grew stronger without a star-crossed Traveler to guide them. They caught everyone off guard, especially the Archons. Every Vision Bearer was thrown into war against the raging Abyss, Every Archon was ready to defend their land one more time.
Zhongli, polearm in hand, slashed through countless enemies in his wake. To his left he could see Ei calling down lightning from the heavens to strike her opponents. To his right he saw Barbatos commanding wind currents to demolish the enemy.
The Geo Archon summoned his meteor to crush a group of Mages before him before thrashing his spear into another. Even after slaughtering countless enemies, more flooded onto the land, pouring out from the crevices of the world.
A curse escaped his lips before calling down another meteor. This wasn’t looking good. Their odds of winning grew slimmer with each passing moment. The aura of power between the Archons was slowly beginning to diminish when more enemies continued to flood the field.
Zhongli wiped his brow before getting ready to delve into yet another battle against an Abyss Lector. He slashed, jabbed, and sliced the opponent with ease, but his energy was wearing thin. There were too many of them, far too many. Zhongli leaned against his polearm for only a fleeting moment's rest. He glanced to his side and noticed how his fellow Archon’s strength was waning.
Venti’s wind currents were weakening by the second and Ei’s Musou No Hitotachi was losing its power. What could they possibly do? Yet another Abyss Lector made its presence known, sending a burst of flames down before Zhongli.
The former Archon moved out of the way just in time for the fiery weapon to rain down inches away from him. He wiped his brow and vaulted his polearm into the Lector’s head. He tore it out with a small grunt before launching yet another attack on an Abyss Lector.
“Zhongli! Look out!” A voice cried from his side. But, the former Archon was too late. A sudden blow from his right side knocked him flat on the ground. A grunt pushed itself out of his lips, causing him to grimace. The sound of his blood pumping filled his ears. He didn’t notice another person was by his side until he felt feather-like touches on his face. Why couldn’t his body move?
“Morax? Morax!” A voice cried above him. The touches didn’t cease despite the fact Zhongli tried to push them away. He blinked a few times, his eyes feeling heavy. Did it suddenly get warm?
“Gods, please stay with me!”
His vision cleared to see worried teal eyes peering down at him. He noticed the figure was saying something, but he couldn’t make out what it was. “Wh..what?” His voice didn’t sound like his own. Was that him talking?
The Archon above him placed a hand over Zhongli’s side, causing a hiss to escape his lips. “Wh..what?” he muttered. “Venti?..What’s wrong?”
The Bard furrowed his brows. “Morax, please stop talking. You need to stay still! I can’t tell how bad the damage is yet.”
“D..Damage?” Zhongli murmured, wincing at the sound of his own voice. It sounded so..frail, weak. Was he sure it was his own?
“Yes, you blockhead! Stop moving!” Venti huffed in frustration laced with fear. Ei was covering for both of them as Venti quickly assessed the damage done to the former Archon. A shaky sigh escaped his lips. Major damage on his abdomen, likely a head injury. He moved Zhongli’s hair out of his eyes, trying to steady himself.
“I’m going to try and heal you, okay? Don’t move too much..it might hurt.”
All the geo user could do was nod. There wasn’t much room to argue with the bard. Venti muttered something under his breath and placed a hand over the wound. A small hiss sound from Zhongli’s lips. “I know, I know, I'm sorry.” Venti whispered.
The war raged around them, but it was all muffled to Zhongli’s ears. He squeezed his eyes shut. Venti cursed above him. Nothing he was doing was working. Without his Gnosis, he wasn’t able to summon enough energy to do much healing. On top of that, his psyche was waning. The battle..it wasn’t going to end in their victory, was it?
Venti snapped out of his thoughts hearing another pained groan from Zhongli. His eyes snapped down to the wound. “Oh no..” he whispered. Whatever poison that oozed from the Abyss found its way into the enemy’s weapons. How could he forget that? He almost couldn’t look away. The black ooze coated the exposed wound, creating a sludge-like substance.
“Bar..batos?” The Forme Archon coughed. His eyes were heavily lidded and his skin was paler than usual. “I’m here. I-I’m here, Morax. Please stay with me.” The Anemo Archon pleaded. His hand found the other’s. “I can get a healer- Just please, don’t close your eyes. You’re gonna be fine.” Venti was more or less trying to convince himself that Morax would be okay than anything.
“I’ll be right back, okay? Just-” Venti was cut off by a tightened grip on his hand.
“Don’t..don’t leave..” Zhongli gritted his teeth. He hated feeling so vulnerable, but..he knew. He knew this was his end. Despite the fact he claimed he hated Venti, they were never true. He was quite fond of the tunes the bard sang from time to time in the early days of the nations.
“Morax, I need to get you help.” he whispered to him. “We can heal you just fine and you’ll be good as new to use that giant meteor of yours again.” Venti gave him a reassuring, albeit shaky smile. But, Zhongli shook his head. “Stay with me..” he murmured.
The throbbing pain in his abdomen only got worse. It crawled up to his chest, flowing in his veins. There wasn’t much time left for him and he damn well knew it. “Please...let me hear you sing...one more time.” Zhongli pleaded. His amber eyes caught Venti’s cerulean ones. Barbatos’ grip on his hand tightened. He wanted to argue. Wanted to scream at Zhongli that he’ll be fine, that they can find a healer to clear the Abyss poison.
But..he could see it in Zhongli’s eyes. It was the end of his own contract. There wasn’t anything he could do to change his mind. Venti’s eyes filled with tears when it finally dawned on him that his dear friend’s life was waning. Who was he to deny a friend’s wish?
“Okay..okay. Listen close, yeah? I’m only gonna do this once.” Venti sniffled. He shifted from his crouched position to kneeling beside the other. Carefully, he rested Zhongli’s head on his lap. It was hard to ignore the pained noise the other made, but Venti did his best. He raked his brain for an appropriate song he could use at this moment. The Traveler once spoke of this song they had heard before. Naturally, Venti had coerced them into teaching him it. Needless to say, it was time to use it. He cleared his throat and began to sing.
I saw the light fade from the sky
On the wind I heard a sigh
As the snowflakes cover my fallen brothers
I will say this last goodbye
The war raged on around them, but neither of them seemed to notice. Zhongli focused his attention on the bard’s singing. Many memories flashed in his mind from the day he was created. He thought of all the companions he’d lost along the way, all the friends he had honored in life.
All the lives he had taken.
Night is now falling
So ends this day
The road is now calling and I must away
Over hill and under tree
Through lands where never light has shone
By silver streams that run down to the Sea
Venti carded his fingers through Zhongli’s hair. Any comfort he could offer the old God was good enough in his eyes. For that, Zhongli was grateful. There were so many things left unsaid, so many what ifs. They always spoke of the future in Celestia, about what it may hold. But, neither of them would speak of the possibility of
this
happening.
Under cloud, beneath the stars
Over snow and winter's morn
I turn at last to paths that lead home
And though where the road then takes me
I cannot tell
We came all this way
But now comes the day
To bid you farewell
Venti’s voice faltered at the end. A tear had slipped down his cheek, landing on their intertwined hands. A small smile rested on Zhongli’s lips. “Thank you.” he murmured, his eyes closing. “Zhongli?” Venti whispered. The hand he held went slack within his grasp. “No no no no no, Zhongli!” His breathing became more erratic.
“Wake up! Please...please you have to wake up.” He cried out. Tears spilled from his eyes and onto his lap. As tears stained his cheeks, he leaned down and rested his head against Zhongli’s chest.
Nothing.
There was nothing. No heartbeat, no sign of life.
A sob escaped his lips. “I’ll see you again soon, Morax. Wait for me.” he whispered to the other. Venti pressed a chaste kiss to his forehead before gently laying his head down on the ground. He stood, bow in hand, ready to face the Abyss head on. It didn’t matter how it ended, but he knew one thing.
He would see Morax again very, very soon.
Notes:
Thank you for reading, I hope you enjoyed. And thank you all for being patient with my slow updates <3
Remember to stay hydrated! See you all later <3
Chapter 28: Puppet Boy
Summary:
Dottore doing his little experiments on his favorite puppet, Scaramouche.
Based off the song Puppet Boy- DEVO
TW: Torture, Choking, Manipulation, Power Imbalance, Implied/Underlying Sexual Themes, Needles
Please be advised!
SPOILERS FOR SCARAMOUCHE'S BACKSTORY!
Notes:
PLEASE ADVISE THE TRIGGERS
TW: Torture, Choking, Manipulation, Power Imbalance, Implied/Underlying Sexual Themes, Needles
THIS IS NOT A HEALTHY RELATIONSHIP STORY! STAY SAFE OUT THERE <3
Scaramouche is called Scaramouche, Kuni, Kunikuzushi, and the Balladeer in this one!
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
Drip.
Drip.
Drip.
Kuni’s eyes squeezed shut. The constant plink of the water was slowly driving him insane. “Can’t you turn the damn faucet off?” he murmured. The Balladeer squirmed under the restraint he was stationed in. It was always the same ever since he joined the Fatui. A certain doctor had taken a wicked fascination to the puppet and wanted to do what he did best.
Pulling his strings.
Contorting his mind into the perfect devotion of the twisted Doctor.
“Now, now, my dear. It’s for the experiment.” The Doctor hushed the other. He bustled around the little lab set up. Beakers sat bubbling over open flames. The smell from it all was…overwhelming to say the least.
“You could at least loosen these stupid things.” Kuni muttered under his breath. The straps that help him on the table were as uncomfortable as they were stupid. He wasn’t going anywhere, why did Dottore still use them?
The Doctor eyed the other Harbinger. “What was that, puppet boy?”
Scaramouche clenched his fists upon hearing that name. He wasn’t a puppet. He was his own person. A mantra he whispered to himself over and over again. ‘You’re not a part of her anymore. You’re your own person. You control yourself. All actions you make are your own. You. Are. Not. A. Puppet.’ These words of affirmation he created were for himself and himself alone.
“Stop calling me that.” he spat at Dottore. “You know how I feel about it.”
A laugh escaped the blue haired male. “But my dear, Kunikuzushi..” He leaned in close to the other. His red eyes held a glint of insanity within them, possibly even more at this very moment. The sadistic smile he proudly wore stayed glued on his lips. Why did Scaramouche allow these experiments to happen again?
“You are my little puppet boy, understand?” The Doctor’s hand trailed over the other’s neck. His hand wrapped around it possessively. Kuni’s breath caught in his throat. What the hell was this so-called doctor on? “Stop it, Dott-”
Dottore squeezed the Balladeer’s neck with just enough pressure to cut the other off. “Listen.” He all but growled at the other. He towered over the other who was helplessly strapped to the table. “You gave yourself to me. You begged for my help. You allowed me to give you your freedom from her. But, you still belong to me and my experiments. No matter how much you push me away, little puppet…I will always come back.”
He released his hold on Scaramouche before pulling back. The Balladeer’s ‘heart’ hammered in his chest. Was it his heart? No..it felt like something else. Like a current of electricity ready to explode. “Y-you..” He sputtered. His eyes squeezed shut. ‘I need to get out of here.’ he thought.
“Yes, puppet?” Dottore smirked down at the other. “Use your words, darling.”
Kuni tugged against the restraints, but he paused at the little name. It made him feel..nice to be called darling. ‘What’s wrong with you? Get out of there!’ His mind screamed at him. His hand formed a fist and attempted to pull himself out of the restraints.
“Kunikuzushi.”
The Balladeer froze at that tone. Slowly, he lifted his head in Dottore’s direction. The Doctor held a syringe in one hand while glaring at Scaramouche. “You’re not going anywhere, little one.” He chided in a low tone. “You don’t want to be punished, now do you?”
His blood ran cold at hearing that, an overwhelming sense of dread washed over the puppet. “Dottore, stop.” Kuni whispered. “I-I changed my mind, I don’t want to do this anymore.”
“Oh?” Dottore took a step forward. “And what makes you think you’re in charge here, my little darling?” There it was again, the damn pet names. Scaramouche closed his eyes again. He needed to leave. He needed to leave now. Find Knave, find Pantalone, find anyon-
The Doctor rested a hand on the other’s cheek. It was..a softer touch than he expected. Gods, why did he feel warm? What was this? “Kuni..” he chided softly. “You’re very very special to me. Don’t make me angry or you will regret it.” The blue haired male leaned down and placed a small kiss on his forehead.
He hated how he felt at that moment. Scaramouche refused to look at the other, to show him that he won. “Just..stop..” he whispered. “I wanna go.”
A sigh escaped Dottore as he pulled his hand away. “You never learn, do you? You don’t understand you’re more precious than all of them out there! I can give you life, I can give you that heart you always blabber about. I can give you purpose, my sweet little puppet if you’d just let me.”
All Scaramouche wanted to do was leave. He wanted to get as far away as possible to sort out his own feelings on the matter. Yes, he wanted a heart, he wanted to be more human. He wasn’t a puppet. He wasn’t a puppet. He wasn’t-
“I’m not a puppet.” He spoke quietly.
Dottore turned his back to the other as he faked busy work. Two can play at this game. “What’s that, puppet boy?” he smirked. “I can’t hear you.”
“I’m not a puppet.” he spoke louder, more fiercely.
“What’s that, puppet boy?” Dottore repeated.
Scaramouche let out a laugh of disbelief. “You’re a damn freak. I’m fucking real!” He squirmed more in his restraints desperately.
“I can’t hear you, puppet boy!” The Doctor grabbed the syringe again. His red irises pierced his purple ones. “Scream it louder for me!”
“I’M NOT A PUPPET! LET ME GO!” Scaramouche cried out desperately. “DOTTORE, PLEASE-” He was silenced by a tight grasp around his neck. The Doctor leaned over him with a chuckle. “What’s wrong? Cat got your tongue?”
A choked sob could be heard from the Balladeer. Why couldn’t he just break free from his grasp? Surely he was stronger than the other but these damn restraints made it nearly impossible to do anything. What were they made of? The electricity thrummed throughout his body. It coursed through his veins, crackling in his hands.
“We can’t have that now, can we?” Dottore mused. He kept the firm pressure on the other’s neck while testing the syringe. “We’ll have more fun when you wake.” he cooed. “Dream of me, yeah?”
Without warning, he plunged the syringe into Kuni’s neck. He pushed down on the plunger, releasing whatever concoction was within it. Scaramouche cried out at the feeling. No no no no no. He didn’t want to sleep. He didn’t want to plunge into the darkness. He didn’t dream, there was nothing for him to dream about. Nothing can be created within his subconscious to even recreate dreaming.
“Please..please no.” he let out a broken sob. “Please..I-I can’t.”
The empty syringe was released from his neck and discarded on the table. Soft hands carded through his hair. “Shhh, sleep now my sweet puppet. We’re going to have so much fun.” Dottore placed another soft kiss on his forehead. He watched as Kuni’s eyes became more bleary until he passed out.
The Doctor pulled away and grabbed another syringe. “You’re a treasure, Kunikuzushi. Never forget that.” He mused. “Now..let the Doctor do his work. You’ll be a sweet, sweet puppet for me, won’t you?” Of course there would be no reply, but that didn’t stop Dottore from speaking aloud.
“Allow me to pull your strings, my dear.”
Notes:
Thank you guys for reading, I hope you enjoyed. I've had this idea in my head since I listened to the song. Ive seen other people write about the same song and pairing too and thought 'why not?'
I'll be back to writing the suggestions now! Please drink water and have a good day or night! <3