The Object of My Unholy Desire (Xiaoaether)

Aether Pov
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I watch as a look of shock, realization, annoyance, and discomfort passes through Xiao's face before it's covered up by a neutral expression.

"Are you feeling alright Aether?" Xiao asks. How did he get in my apartment anyways?

Why is my head so fuzzy

"Come to think of it, my head is really fuzzy." I say.

Xiao walks up to me and presses a hand to my forehead.

"You have a fever. You should get some rest. You're sick." He says.

"No!" I cry. "I promised my sister I'd work hard in this school!"

"You can't go to school today. I'll make sure to pick up your homework, okay?" He says. I give him a sad look.

"If you insist." I whine.

He leaves and I retreat back to my bed. My head hurts so badly, but I'm not tired. For some reason I can't seem to remember much of the past week.

It's because of my fever.

Right?

I lie back down and open my phone. I'd better tell Lu that I'm sick.

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(TeyvatChat.Exe)

WindbladeExtreme:
Heyy Lu...

Lu:
Oh! Hiya Aether! Feeling better after last Wednesday?

WindbladeExtreme:
What happened last Wednesday...?

Lu:
Umm
You got kidnapped remember?

WindbladeExtreme:
I did?
No... That didn't happen...?

Lu:
Wait, then was Xiao lying?

WindbladeExtreme:
It's probably because I got a fever so I'm out of it...

Lu:
Oh no! Get better soon big brother! Here is your 🥣🥫

WindbladeExtreme:
Thanks Lu.
I'm going to go rest now. Have a good day at school.

Lu:
Bye bye big brother 👋🥺

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I exit TeyvatChat and close my eyes, trying to slip into sleep. Sleep is one of the best remedies for sickness.

After a while, I begin to slip in and out of a fever dream state.

Some of the dreams I have are really strange.

But the one that sticks with me is the one where I'm trapped, weighed down by black red cubes, filled with hopelessness and loneliness.

It's such an awful dream.

I'm woken up to a hot, stuffy, dark room by the sound of scratching at the window.

I get up sleepily and open the curtains to check on what the heck is making that sound.

I find nothing.

I open the window to let some fresh air in, and notice a black string with an odd looking charm attached to it.

Weird. I didn't put that there.