Metanoia // Aether x reader . . ?

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ㅤ╰⮞ you shut your
ㅤㅤㅤㅤeyes close. sweat
ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤbeading down your

forehead. you've been moving around crates with the other crew for the past days you spent. sometimes, captain Beidou would anchor on Liyue to import the goods from Inazuma. you weren't particularly fond of it, due to the relentless storms erupting in the seas disrupting the importation. nonetheless, you had to imply to their regulations.

after all, you did volunteer yourself to help out to avoid getting thrown onshore. you yawn, bags were evident right beneath your eyes. "where are we heading now..." you mutter under your weary breath.

as the large ship sways across the waves, the sky slowly painted in a shallow color of gray, clouds puffy, covering most of the area. you unfold the lids of your eyes, gazing upon the tense atmosphere above. it was getting gloomy, the more the ship was flowing towards the land. you furrow your brows, shifting your folded arms from the unsettling feeling the island gave.

soon while the ship anchored upon a sandy ground. captain Beidou and Kazuha stepped down the dock and making way to the center of the ship. "we'll be back later," she hovers her hand behind a sailor's back. she lightly pats it with a smile.

you raise a brow, wondering about the abrupt anchor among this gloomy land. but you shrug, taking this opportunity as an escape. you stand up, slowly stepping back to avoid noises that may disrupt your plan. you lightly step on a piece of the boat that seemed to be a rim of the ship. you glance at the ledge of the boat and the water below. you click your tongue in annoyance.

"umph—" you climb down the edge, slowly but surely nearing the bottom. as you felt a part of the wood curved, you jump off the side of the ship. water seeps into your footwear, making you wince at the cold feeling. you sprint over to a nearby bush. "now, just where are they going?" you mutter, peeking at the holes of the bush you remained behind.

as you continue to spy over the two, moving between leaves, trees, or even rocks. Kazuha looks in your direction, noticing someone watching over them. 'crap.' you cover your mouth, staying still, refusing to move an inch. "hm? Kazuha?" the said man stared, still in the same direction. he shook his head, looking forwards to their original path. "nevermind." you quietly sigh out of relief, thankful that you didn't get busted.

the two walked further on the pale sand. you hummed, moving a few bushes near the path they went, till she saw the two conversing with someone, accompanied with two uniformed individuals. you couldn't take a proper look cause of your relentless position behind the leafy patch.

a few minutes have gone by, the group has abrupted their conversation, then walking towards a broken ship, disappearing from your sight. you moved slightly over, attempting to take a better view to whatever they had gone to. as your (e/c) eyes scavage around the abandoned ship, you peer to two groups seemingly to have two of their own have an individual battle with each other.

your eyes widened and mouth gaped as you chances upon one of the opponents. 'the traveler?' you immediately get past your shocked state, calmly observing the battle from where you stayed. they were swinging swords, the blonde's opponent barely even got to touch him, whilst the others also observe from a distance.

the leader, of the opposite side of the traveler, yelled a command, executing her troops to take action. you hid behind the bush more firmly, not wanting to be caught in the crossfire. you swing your head to the side, not wanting to see the blood clash. a series of blades clashing, arrows piercing through the skin, and yells of soldiers on the battlefield. you didn't expect a war to be seeing the blonde traveler in for the third time of you life.

you couldn't even remember half of the events that happened long ago, stuck in a daze. you haven't seen any person fight with another person like themself, as Fontaine would be lawful and avoid such extremity. but as these occurrences ended and the blonde traveler was done talking to the group, from earlier. you took this chance to finally meet him.

after all the trouble you had to deep into just to meet him, this was the moment that one would dream to achieve. you looked around, the series of people gone. the blonde and his companion only visible as they walked away from the stranded beach. you were hurriedly standing up, stabling your aching legs from sitting down in a difficult position for almost an hour.

"wait!" The stress was painted all over your face, the hurry obvious in your actions. the man abruptly stopped to turn around from the call. "hmm?" he faces you completely, golden eyes casting upon (e/c) orbs, shrouded with dread and anticipation. now that you're finally meeting him, it was nerve-racking. he certainly looked like a strange individual, attire wasn't local from the seven nations, and beside him was a flying child.

"may I ask..." you clutched the strap of your backpack that laid on your shoulders, distress laid upon your unnecessary shifts of movements. "wait, who are you?" the floating child, asked, placing her forearms behind her back, both their gazes were still on you. you heave a sigh, as to relieve yourself of the current situation.

your mouth gapes, "I am.. (Y/n)," you smile sheepishly, calming down from your past state. "so," you switch gazes between the two, checking whether it was okay to do what you've requested, "why did you—" before you could continue your sentence, you went into a fit of coughs, pounding her chest with your fist to stop whatever that made you choke all so suddenly.

"hey, are you okay!?" the child and the blonde rushed over to your side, holding you in place to steady yourself. "Y—yeah..." you fixated your gaze upon the ground, 'whatever that was.. it didn't want me to ask my question.' you screw your eyes shut, brows furrowed, slowly relieving from the sudden rush of pain.

"I think I'll be fine in a few days of rest." you straighten her pose, trying to hold up a smile, that, till you realized she had nowhere to temporarily reside in. your face transitions into a bashful demeanor, looking up at the traveler.

"may I stay at your place?"

▸ 1087 words ## rewritten ✓
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