Chapter Text
After a long day of missions in Dragonspine, Aether was on his way to Mondstadt, ready for a well-deserved rest and willing to open his purse and spend some Mora on Paimon's whims.
The setting sun warmed his face as he crossed the bridge leading to the main gate. Paimon was already prattling on about the dishes she had in mind for that evening. Aether listened to her voice absently, simply wishing for a break in the warmth of a tavern after the long hours spent in the sharp cold of the Dragonspine mountains. The blond still felt shivers run through his limbs just thinking about it.
The sky, painted pink and blue, was darkening. The windows and streetlights slowly began to light up, while the residents of Mondstadt swarmed around the shopping booths. Aether considered going to greet Katheryne to collect his daily rewards, but before he could make a decision, his ears picked up a singular melody; vibrating chords were coming from his right. Aether was instantly drawn to the song, it had been a long time since he had heard something this captivating, not to mention the alien and atypical contrast it set against the cobblestone streets of Mondstadt.
"Where are you going? Paimon is hungry... And Sara's dishes never disappoint!" Aether barely heard Paimon's complaints, enraptured with finding the source of the music. He passed by the flower shop and the tavern, listening as the music grew louder, while being completely oblivious to the friendly greetings of the owners, until he reached the side entrance, where Hertha of the Knights of Favonius was usually found, keeping other weary colleagues company during their guard shifts.
That day, however, the side entrance was vibrating with life and excitement. There was a small crowd gathered around the source of the music, and onlookers cheered and danced happily with the beat. Aether made his way through the crowd all the way to the front. The usually lifeless area of Mondstadt was lit by the warmth of lanterns and candles, brought by the observers themselves, which cast shadows that seemed to dance to the song. Seven men in colorful foreign costumes and cheery looks were seated on boxes and stools (which had probably been borrowed from Diluc's tavern). Six of these played stringed instruments with vigor and fervor that Aether had never seen, while another of them sang passionately in a strange tongue, full of long vowels and slurred words that spoke of love and devotion. However, Aether's eyes fell on something he had not expected to see, something that made him let out a gasp.
This something, rather this someone, stood in the center of the semicircle the musicians had formed around him. Wearing nothing but a flowing indigo skirt that reached the floor with deep cuts on both sides made of a light fabric whose movement seemed to mimic a blizzard night, accompanied by a tight belt, low on the hips, from which hung white gold beads that resembled snowflakes, falling abundantly along the skirt. A veil of the same color was placed on the head of the individual and covered the right side of his face. His abdomen and arms were bare save for several white gold chokers and bracelets that ran in chains down the sides of his torso, until they met his belt, connecting the jewels to the beads on his belt.
He was barefoot, his feet making contact with the cold cobblestones that covered much of the city. Up his calves, tan skin in caramel tones stretched up the entire length of his endless legs, which appeared and then were briefly hidden by his skirt, dancing in the light of the lanterns at a brisk, jaunty pace. Past the belt, the curve of his hips highlighted his petite waist, his navel adorned by a piercing. Slender and tanned, his lightly freckled shoulders gave an endearing touch to the eye-catching dancer. His abdomen and hips were in constant motion, accompanied by his meandering arms that seemed to mesmerize those who watched him, performing sensual and alluring sways that took Aether's breath away. His hair, long and lustrous, a beautiful navy blue with light blue highlights, brushed his hips frequently; strands as deep as the ocean framing his chiseled face. His abundant eyelashes brushed his cheekbones every time he blinked, and this, combined with a charming, suggestive smile, had Aether in a complete trance, watching his smooth, homogeneous movements with complete attention.
The blond had almost forgotten about Paimon's existence, until Paimon interrupted, her voice growing outraged, " Come on now! This is as far as it goes. This performance is really nice and all, but Paimon needs to eat! Come on, Paimon doesn't want to wait until Sara closes Good Hunter!" Aether mumbled something absently in response, concentrating on the way the dancer's abdomen undulated along with his tireless hips. Finally, he resigned himself to his fate of having to feed Paimon and himself. As he walked away from the audience, already lamenting the loss of human and emotional warmth in the candlelight, he turned to look one last time at that slender figure wrapped in swaying fabrics. Perhaps he was tired, or maybe it was his imagination, but Aether could have sworn he caught the tanned man smiling broadly with his white teeth, blowing a kiss in his direction.
-ˆ-ˆ-ˆ-ˆ-
Sitting at a secluded table at Good Hunter, Aether absentmindedly watched Paimon stuff a whole meatball into her mouth while she jabbered about how good it was. There was a faint cool breeze ruffling his hair, but it did little to soothe his tortured imagination. The dancing man lingered on Aether's blonde head, his movements fluid and his smile flirtatious. The blond had never experienced emotions as strong as those the dancer and his art elicited in him, his heart beating harder in his chest at the mere thought of it. A distant voice on the back of his mind told him to avoid thinking too much about the tanned man. With his position as a traveler, Aether couldn't afford to get attached to places, things, nor people. Even the room he had rented in Mondstadt remained inert and barren, aware that it was going to be abandoned eventually.
Still, he couldn't help but think about what it might be. It had been so long since the last time that... No. Aether interrupted his own thoughts, but not quite early enough to avoid the prickling heat burning his cheeks. He covered his face with one hand as he cleared his throat, reaching for the already cold cup of tea with the other. When he looked up again and was greeted with the view of a tall, graceful figure approaching his table, Aether was almost convinced it was a product of his own imagination.
"Good evening. I hope I'm not interrupting anything." smiled the tanned man as he sat down in a chair next to Aether. "I usually don't take much interest in my audience, and yet, here I am. I see that you' re not from this region either." he continued without waiting for a response.
"No, not really! But we're taking a break in Mondstadt for a while. We're travelers!" remarked Paimon as soon as she finished swallowing the huge chunk of meat she had been chewing. Aether, as always, thanked his companion silently for taking the reins of the conversation. Talking had never been his forte, and, even if it had been, he was too busy observing every detail of the man sitting next to him to manage to say anything coherent. "And you, where are you from? Paimon has never actually seen clothes like yours!"
It was true. Not only was the music he danced to foreign, his wardrobe was completely alien to the style of both Mondstadt and Liyue. He was currently wearing a gray fur coat, and had tied his hair back in a low ponytail. Aether noted keenly that he was still wearing the skirt from before, but the beaded belt, along with his other jewelry, were gone. The blue veil had been removed to reveal an understated patch covering his right eye.
"Very smart, dear traveler. I currently have the pleasure of dancing in Mondstadt, but not for long. Soon my companions will be packing their instruments, and I my garments, to head to the next region." he explained in an amiable manner. "However, I must say that Mondstadt is a most charming town. Its people and its wine are top-notch, definitely. In fact," he added, turning to meet Aether face to face "I was just wondering if you weren't going to, at least, buy me a glass of wine."
"...Why would I do that?" The blond cleared his throat slightly, his voice with an unusually high-pitched and unflattering timbre. Aether mentally slapped himself for his lack of subtlety as he bit the inside of his cheek anxiously.
"I'm used to being watched, but your stare was so potent I was almost convinced you were casting a curse on me. It did alarm me a bit, to tell you the truth. It would be a shame to be denied the chance of discussing your true intentions while sharing a few drinks in one of Mondstadt's cozy taverns, don't you think?"
Aether's heart was not preparing for this situation, beating like a runaway horse in his chest. The tanned man's periwinkle eye was piercing his pupils with a playful gaze, making the blond feel like a naive toddler. With great effort and difficulty, Aether managed to act like a reasonable person, ignoring his companion's wary looks.
"Paimon doesn't understand. You want Aether to buy you wine, but Paimon doesn't even know your name." Inquired Paimon before Aether could speak.
"You do have a point." The other man chuckled "how unbecoming of me, to approach you demanding drinks without first introducing myself." He started to rise from the chair, and Aether wondered for a moment of panic and relief if he was going to leave. When instead he knelt down in front of him, took his hand, and gave him the brightest smile he had ever seen in his life, the blond felt himself faint. "My name is Kaeya. I have spent my entire life traveling and discovering the wonders this world has to offer. I hope both of you will be able to forgive my lack of manners."
Aether was frozen in place. All he could concentrate on was the melodious voice of the stranger- No, Kaeya's, and the sensation of his right hand being held by slightly larger, slim ones. He noted with wonder that the warmth of Kaeya's palm did not extend all the way to his fingers: his pads were freezing cold.
"Now that you know my identity, I'd like to know at least your name, if it's not asking too much" Kaeya's voice flowed softly into Aether's brain again, interrupting his thoughts as the blue-haired man stood up with ease. Aether thought Kaeya was even more beautiful from that angle.
"Aether. A pleasure. My companion is Paimon. If you're ever low on food, she's always at hand" He tried to go for an amiable and relaxed demeanor, resorting to the typical, casual joke in mockery of Paimon.The blond did his best not to stare at Kaeya like an idiot as the humanoid chided him for his remark.
"Aether... A lovely name for an equally fair man. So what say you, Aether, do you accept the humble proposal of a curious dancer?" The blond's name poured from Kaeya's lips like honey from a honeycomb. The traveler felt his stomach flip as he rose from his chair.
"Gladly. However, you're going to have to buy some food for Paimon first."