Aether Pov
---------------
I watch Alatus and the crack in the sky with horror coursing through my body. Xiao just glares at Alatus, which is understandable.
"Alatus!" I say. "Don't do anything you'll feel to regret. The version of me from this world still loves you. I can feel it. Don't destroy that."
Alatus looks at me, his expression a mixture of sadness and anger.
"I get that you're confused. I really do. But doing a thing like this...hurting people...and you can take my word for it, that won't make me love you more." I say.
Alatus watches me with heart wrenchingly sad eyes.
"Just help us leave and you'll never have to hear from us again. You can have your Aether, and I can have mine." Xiao says to Alatus. "We automatically hate and repel each other, but we do not have to."
Alatus stays silent.
"Besides, Scaramouche won't do anything for you. He murdered one of my friends. You can't trust him. Once he's done with you, he'll kill you!" I cry.
I don't dislike Alatus, and I definitely do not want to see him die. I can only hope that my eyes succeed in telling him this.
The grey eyed boy sighs.
"Truth is...I really do trust you two more than I trust him." Alatus says.
"Wait... you're actually going to help us?" I ask in surprise?
Alatus looks at me in disbelief.
"I'm not evil!" Alatus says.
I sweatdrop and wave my hands.
"I-I didn't mean- it's just- normally people don't just immediately agree in this situation!" I say frantically.
Alatus rolls his eyes with a small smile.
"It's also because I watched your interaction with Xiao and you two are so cute that I can't be upset anymore." He teases.
I blush like I just came down with a fever and I feel Xiao turn red next to me.
"Um, nice moment and all, but what about the giant crack in the sky?" A new voice asks, making me jump.
I turn around to see a familiar girl with a messy blond ponytail.
"Yoimiya, you scared me!" I say, catching my breath.
She smiles, but it quickly fades.
"What the heck is going on?" She asks.
Wait, didn't Scaramouche say-
"Didn't Scaramouche say something about Venti?" I ask Alatus.
His grey eyes fill with guilt. He avoids my eyes.
Xiao notices and opens his mouth to speak.
"Speaking of Dandelion Wine..." A cheerful voice pipes up, scaring me for a second time.
I turn around to see Venti with his normal childish grin.
Alatus stares at Venti in shock and confusion.
"How? I thought I-" Alatus starts, but then stops.
Venti smiles wider.
"I'm not just a god, but I'm one of the original Seven Archons! I don't die that easily." Venti sings.
I think about the whole I don't die that easily statement for a moment, but I eventually paint it off as Alatus listening to Scaramouche.
I smile.
"Shall we figure out how to fix this whole mess?" I say.
~Le Timeskip~
---------------
BardBoi:
With my superior detective skills, I'm going to say, that the person holding the knife....
Probably did the stabbing 🤔
Lu:
Yeah, that's normally how it works.
Scara:
What the fuck is wrong with the sky?
Aether:
Tomo, if you will
TomoNotThoma:
Yes, yes.
So I don't have permission to screenshot is it okay if I just copy the text itself?
Aether:
Yes.
Now I am going to leave to spare myself from the horrifying embarrassment in my future.
WaterFoul:
Damn.
TomoNotThoma:
Oh wait I do have permission 🤯
*TomoNotThoma shared a picture*
(A/N: He shared the text saying that Aether is an interdimensional world traveler from before in case you didn't know.)
Mona⭐:
Wait...
What?
Xiao:
Damn you shared the bottom part too 💀
Aether:
Wait no I meant just the first part damn now there's no context.
TomoNotThoma:
Oops, well you should have clarified.
Too late now ig 😏
BardBoi:
I am confusion.
What's happening? That text is confusing.
Aether:
It is how it says.
I'm actually a 600+ year old interdimensional world traveler sent from a parallel reality to this one under a set of circumstances.
The crack in the sky is kinda my fault but also kinda not.
Xiao:
Wdym?
Dumb shit done by the Fatui is never your fault.
Aether:
Thanks ig?
But I kinda need help to not get this world completely destroyed.
WaterFoul:
That sounds kinda like a you problem, comrade.
Aether:
It's Scaramouche's fault 😐
WaterFoul:
LETS KICK HIS SHORT ASS FR 😡
🥶Ice Ice Baby🥶:
FR FR
Mona⭐:
FR FR FR
BardBoi:
AND WE'LL ASK ABOUT THE WHOLE TEXT THONG LATER!
*Thing
TomoNotThoma:
Guys I think Venti just got caught being horny in 4k 🤯
BardBoi:
Because of a u t o c o r r e c t ?
TomoNotThoma:
Y e s
Scara:
Uhm...
Aether:
And yes, there are 2 Scaramouche's.
But one is evil.
I think.
Xiao:
One is cryptically infuriating, the other is sadistic.
WaterFoul:
But aren't....aren't they...both sadistic?
Xiao:
Yes, but one will actually kill you, the Scaramouche in this group chat won't.
And before you deny it, remember that you will get arrested if you kill someone.
BardBoi:
That's awesome and all, but what do we do about the crack in the sky?
Aether:
To be honest, I have no idea.
Xiao:
I think you should try to find Kunikuzushi.
Aether:
Yes.
I like that plan.
And yes, I'll be sure to be safe and not die.
Xiao:
Good boy.
But don't forget what I told you.
TomoNotThoma:
What did he tell you 😳?
Aether:
Let's see if I remember.
If you awake to a knife at your throat
If monsters dig their claws into you
If death comes knocking at your door
Call Out My name
Adeptus Xiao.
I will be here when you call.
Right?
Xiao:
Yes. You remembered my mantra, I'm surprised.
Aether:
Of course I did ❤️
Mona⭐:
Can you two be sickening after we fix this?
Aether:
Yes ma'am.
I'll be back when I can.
---------------
I place my phone back into my pocket, my heart already feeling lonely.
I'll come back, Xiao. I promise.
I love you.
Now where would Scaramouche be?
I begin to run through the park, sending out my elemental sight for traces of electro.
Should I shout for him, or would they be weird?
It'd probably be weird.
I run through the dark pine trees, but find nothing.
Did he leave this park already?
I stop to catch my breath when my phone pings.
What?
---------------
Scaramouche:
Are you by any chance looking for me?
Aether:
Why would you assume that?
Scaramouche:
Because that's the logical next step in trying to stop me.
Aether:
Okay fine, I am looking for you.
Now where are you?
Scaramouche:
Don't you want to know why I'm doing this?
Aether:
Look.
I really don't care why you do what you do.
I gather that you have ulterior motives.
I just want you to stop.
Scaramouche:
I will.
On one condition.
Aether:
What?
Scaramouche:
Come to the clearing in the trees and we'll talk.
Aether:
But this place is huge!
Scaramouche:
Do you want me to stop or not?
Aether:
Fine.
I'll be there as soon as I can.
Scaramouche:
I can be patient.
---------------
Xiao Pov
---------------
I watch Aether leave with a hole in my heart.
I've already lost almost everyone that I care about.
If I lose Aether too...
Well, I think I'd finally fall to the corruption threatening to...
Well, to corrupt me.
"Don't be sad. Remember, he won against Ei. I'm sure he'll be fine." Barbatos says, trying his best to comfort me.
I sigh and try to steady my breathing.
"I'm...I'm scared." I admit to the god.
Barbatos shoots me a surprised look.
"The Vigilant Yaksha is scared!? How can this be?" He teases.
I glare at him.
"I don't want to lose him. I....I love him." I say.
Barbatos' teasing smile melts into sympathy.
"I don't exactly understand, but I can see where you come from." He says.
"Isn't that roughly the same thing?" I ask.
"What I mean to say is, I can't vibe, I've never been in love before, especially not deeply in love, but I can try to see what you mean." Barbatos says.
"What makes you say that I'm deeply in love with him?" I ask, mildly offended.
"I mean, you don't look at everybody the same way that you look at Aether. But, to be fair, that'd be concerning." Barbatos laughs.
"Sometimes I wonder what runs through your head." I say, shaking my head.
"Just admit it. You're deeply in love with Aether!" Barbatos sings.
I look away and my face turns hot.
"You're right. I am deeply in love with him. If it wasn't socially unacceptable, I'd have already asked him to marry me. I want to be with him. I want to see him smile and I want to make sure that it stays there until the end of time." I admit.
Barbatos smiles, but this time it's a genuine smile, not a childish, teasing smile.
He watches the trees, and the wind blows his blue braids.
"You do realize you don't have to listen to the homophobes, right?" He asks.
"I meant socially unacceptable in the fact that we've only been dating for like, a week." I say.
"But you're like, 3000. It's fine." Barbatos laughs.
"It's too soon. But I hope... I hope that will happen someday." I say.
Barbatos' expression suddenly turns serious, which makes me a tad bit uncomfortable.
He rarely gets serious.
"Do you want to stay in world with Aether?" He asks.
"What?" I ask.
I can't.
My contract.
I have a duty to fulfill.
"Be honest with yourself. Isn't it better in this life? Not having to worry about Aether getting attacked by monsters? Being sure that he won't go 1v1 another Archon?" Barbatos asks.
I stay silent.
"Do you think that Aether will leave this world once he saves his sister? Even if you love him to the ends of the earth and back, if he wants to leave you, there's nothing you can do." Barbatos says bluntly.
I think about what the anemo god said...
...and before I knew it, hot tears began to stream down my face.
I throw away all logic and bolt through the trees.
I have to ask him.
I have to know if he's going to ever leave me.
I use my adeptal energy to teleport to him.
He turns around in surprise.
His beautiful golden eyes light up when he sees me, but they quickly darken.
"Xiao! Did....did something happen?" He asks.
I say nothing and cup my hands around his cheeks.
I stare into his eyes.
"Nothing happened...but I have a question for you that was brought into light...I couldn't wait for you to come back to ask it." I say.
He nods.
"Aether....when you finally save your sister....are you going to leave Teyvat?" I ask. "Are you going to leave me?"
Aether looks at me, his expression a mixture of sad shock. Or, well, I think that's what it's called. I'm no expert on mortal emotions.
He doesn't speak for quite a few moments, leaving me to listen to both our heartbeats.
He looks away for a second before catching my eyes again, his sad expression replaced with determination.
Aether leans forward and places a soft kiss on my lips.
"I won't leave you ever, Xiao. I promise." He says.
More tears stream from my eyes.
I grab on to his shoulders and bury my face into his neck, sobbing.
He...
He won't leave me..
He'll never leave me...
I feel his soft hands stroke the top of my head.
He returns my hug.
Everything about this beautiful creature is soft and loving.
It makes me feel almost like I've fallen into a world of purity and light.
Aether isn't a mortal.
He's an angel.
He's my angel.
I lift my head from his shoulder and place a kiss of my own on his cheek.
He smiles and blushes which in turn makes me smile.
We part from the hug and I wipe my wet eyes.
"Don't let Venti see you like this." Aether softly teases.
"He's the one who made me do this, actually." I admit.
Aether grins.
"Damn, I said come and we'll talk, not come and be sickening." An amused voice says.
I turn to see Scaramouche sitting on a low tree branch.
I feel my face turn red.
"H-how long were you sitting there!?" Aether cries in embarrassment.
"Oh, I saw it all." Scaramouche laughs. "Now if only I had a heart to appreciate it."
"Can't we just have a moment for once?" Aether asks.
"Roll credits." I mutter.
"Anyways. Scaramouche, what's the condition of you stopping what you're doing?" Aether asks.
Scaramouche smiles a cold smile.
"That depends. I said I'd talk to you, not him." He says, nodding towards me. "But, if you want my horrible conditions said in his company...well, your funeral I guess."
"Tell Hu Tao to put Windwheel Asters on my coffin. Maybe some Qingxin flowers too." Aether says.
I automatically grab on to Aether's hand.
I really don't trust Scaramouche, if that wasn't obvious.
Suddenly, the air seems to vibrate, making my head pound.
Aether is also affected apparently, which angers me.
Once the vibration stops, I right myself, my hand still gripping Aether's.
"What the hell was that?" I ask bitterly.
"That's called Interstellar Waves. The stronger they occur, the closer this world is to being torn apart." Aether says. "If we're in this world when it collapses, then we'll cease to exist."
I squeeze his hand tighter.
I won't let this world get destroyed.
I will protect it.
I will protect.
"So what's your conditions?" Aether asks Scaramouche.
The navy haired boy winks and smiles sadistically.
"I stop this world from being destroyed....and one of you goes back to Teyvat....
.....and the other stays here."
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Short chapter because I'm still in awe of the 1k reads mark on this story.
So just so you all know, the story won't be done once the main climax is finished.
I'm intending for this story to be as long as I can make it without dying inside 😅
This chapter is short also because my right arm has been hurting really badly the last few days, and I'm trying to use it less.
Unfortunately, it's my dominant hand/arm.
Well, I'll keep working on the next chapter.
Thanks for reading!!
-Coin💮