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"Hey... Xiao?"
Aether murmurs lazily playing with his scarf as he gets an idea. A low hum from a bit higher up show's the other is listening carefully to his every word.
They're both laying on the tree branches of the tree that holds Wangshu Inn in a tight grasp casting shadow's upon the humble Inn.
"I was wondering just now. I've never actually asked you about your power's or how they work specifically did i?"
Silence falls on them both but Aether knows the other is carefully trying to pick his word's and not give away too much. Which again- is fine.
"No. I do not recall you ever asking."
He replies in a stern voice clearing his throat right after upon hearing the very obvious rasp on his voice that made a chuckle slip out of Aether.
Him covering his mouth to muffle his giggles wasn't really working so he gave up instead clutching his stomach as his shoulders shook with laughter.
Not Xiao nor Aether had any idea what actually was so funny so throw him into a giggling fit.
But Xiao decided to just let him be simply content with the other's seemingly good mood.
"If you'd like to know more i can try and provide you with some information. As long as i deem it acceptable."
He nodded humming to himself in a simple and an unspoken agreement.
"Can i?"
"Sure I don't see any reasons this could potentially cause any real harm."
"Right so..."
Aether said almost as if considering what should he say.
Sitting up on the tree branch he was on he looked up at Xiao who was looking at his hands. An autumn leaf being twirled back and forth in between them.
At some point of him staring Xiao's eyes slipped to him and immediately he looked away flushing genetly the leaf falling out of his loose grasp on it.
It floated down and landed on Aether's palm that he had outstretched specifically to catch it.
He felt Xiao's cold icy glare on him and he took the finger in between his fingers making sure it wouldn't fall out before he started climbing up on the top of the tree where the branches were coming out of almost creating a sitting spot for him specifically.
Xiao looked up curious as he himself stood up and climbed up to where Aether was.
It was basically two gigantic branches that had merged together in a way that made them a bit flat where they connected. Xiao stepped past Aether sitting a bit father away from the trunk while Aether let his back rest against it huffing contently.
Slowly he started fiddling with the leaf Xiao dropped just a moment ago immediately catching the sight of Xiao glancing his way.
"Did you tear it off a branch?"
He said his voice coming out calm and soft as to make sure Xiao didn't feel as if he had been in trouble if so.
Sheepishly Xiao nodded playing with the fabric of his clothes.
"So... Have you thought what to ask yet?"
"Oh right! I didn't need to i have a general sense of direction."
"Good."
"Hm?"
He curiously looked up at Xiao who's face was turned to him tilted to his right shoulder. His legs were dangling freely his hands behind him propping him up on the branch. His hair was swaying wildly on the breeze strand's of hair flying towards his face. His amber eyes just simply scanning his face very carefully analyzing every feature.
"Good as in- you are mostly aware of what you'd like to know. Truth be told I'm not too keen on people wanting to know something yet not being aware of what more or less specifically."
"I guess. Paimon's like that at times. It's a bit dreadful having to deal with it so i get your point."
"Mmm... That's good now then ask anything."
He said nodding as he turned away from Aether looking right in front of him and taking in a deep breath his lungs filling with the fresh air as a breeze flew past them ruffling their hair.
"How do your teleportation powers work? As in... Do you need to know the specific place or..?"
Xiao hummed thoughtfully as he looked down at the ground far down below them.
"Not exactly."
He spoke up after a minute of silence pressing his lip's into a thin line before finding the right word's so that it would make sense to Aether.
"I don't need to know exactly how something looks to be able to go there. It's more like. If I've been there before in the past no matter how long ago i can go there. Of course thing's change and all so probably if I'd teleport to a city i haven't been in for a millennia or something likewise i will probably hit something. Because my power work's with my memory. So it will teleport me as if a single day hadn't passed science i last was there. So... For example i might find myself bumping into things or likewise. It's... Not really fun. Especially if somewhere with no civilization there suddenly is one."
"Oh? Is that why you don't really travel to other nations?"
"Not necessarily... It's more of as in i do not have the time for it. And even if i do travel is not on the first place on my list."
"How long have you had power's?"
Xiao looked at him his eyes becoming sharper before ultimately he gave in shrugging.
"It wasn't always a teleportation power. Sort of but.."
"What does that mean..?"
He said closing his eyes as he felt a warm ray of sun hitting him warming him up.
Xiao stayed quiet for a while before shrugging.
"Nothing more than you'd think. Before i was under Zhongli's care- i was forced to devour dream's as your aware yes?"
Aether nodded opening his eyes and sitting more upright crossing one of his legs.
"Well it was a sort of teleportation power. It manifested from being able to get into people's dream's as in teleporting to their consciousness and then devouring the dream's to an addition where i discovered i can also teleport from place to place. Eventually i figured out the workings and so.. i got to know more and became better at it."
"Oh? Does that then mean you're not able to use your... Previous abilities?"
"I can still but it's not something I'd like to do anytime soon."
Aether nodded humming.
"How about your vision?"
"I don't really use it."
He replied going straight to the point shrugged before letting his shouders slump.
"Does the diamond on your forehead have anything to do with it?"
"Yes. That's where i have my power's from. Most i use the anemo vision is throwing up enemies into air to impale them, getting to higher places. Dashing somewhere mid air or thing's like that. It's not something i couldn't live without but i still applicate it to a degree."
"Oh and- do you have your own form? Most adepti do from my knowledge."
Xiao's face flushed and he glanced at Aether grumbling something under his nose before he nodded letting out a dragged sigh.
"I do."
"What is it?"
"Why the questions?... It's a bird. That's all I'll say."
"A bird? Something like the crane's?"
"Not... Really. Next question."
He huffed signaling with his hand for Aether to back off the question.
"I'm curious also. You've lived for over two thousand year's right?"
"Indeed. What are you getting at..?"
He said seemingly a bit hesitant and off put by the question although it was still clear he was quite curious.
Aether chuckled smiling warmly at him.
"Nothing too serious. Have you ever kissed anybody?"
"Kissed...?"
Xiao mumbled shyly his hand flying over his lip's to cover them as he started at Aether bewildered by the question.
"Mhm. I mean- surely as an adepti. A good looking one at that and with a consideration to your age. I'd figured you did but it's still an entertaining question."
The blonde said shrugging innocently.
"I have.. though very few. Very.. very few."
"Romantically or?"
Aether chuckled leaning forward to peek at Xiao's face which had been turned away from him his ear's a rubie red.
"Doesn't matter. Have you?"
Aether freezes up upon hearing the question. His mind feels a bit fuzzy as a light blush creeps up covering his face. He nods hesitantly after a while a low chuckle rumbling through his chest.
"I have. Many."
Xiao's eye's go wide upon hearing the second part.
"Really..?"
"Yeah- i mean. I had time when i was still just traveling especially when i was much younger. You know.. i used to have a few actual relationships but- they just didn't work out."
"Oh..."
Xiao mumbles something under his breath eye's locking onto his own hands that were now laying on his lap. His lips pressed into a thin line as he stayed quiet.
Finally Aether huffed feeling slightly amused.
"Don't worry it's nothing too serious. Things like these are bound the happen."
He says shrugging.
Xiao looks at him with curiousity in his eyes as he takes a deep breath before speaking.
"Have you kissed anyone in Tevyat yet?"
Aether's eye's narrow at him but the other stays unmoving eye's keeping the eye contact very well.
"No.. i didn't have the time to think about it."
"Would you like to?"
"What?.."
He said pausing as his mind couldn't quite grasp as what Xiao long as getting at.
"Why do you ask?"
Finally he says deciding on a simple question to make sure he wouldn't get taken the wrong way.
"Well.. i wanted to propose that you kiss me."
"Kiss..- kiss you? But.. you've only kissed a few people?!"
He says his hands flailing around as he sits up right on the branch his body tensing up.
Xiao sigh's shaking his head as a shy voice escapes past his lip's a look full of regret but also relief as well as something he can't quite place..
"Such a foolish reason I'm afraid.. i just.."
He pauses his mouth open before he closed it his jaw clenched tightly.
He closes his eyes opening them as his cheeks flush a bright red his eye's looking at everything. Almost as if not wanting to hold eye contact with Aether at all cost.
"I just wanted to kiss you.."
"You want to kiss me!?"
He says now sitting on his legs as he leans forward towards the yaksha who had turned away his hair covering his face and shielding it from view.
"Is that so bad..?"
"No but... explain it to me."
"Explain what exactly..?"
"I'm not too sure. Just- why do you want to do that? You're always all about how adepti do not share desires or have feelings like these of a human and all. So it's just..-"
"Surprising?"
"Yeah.."
He says softly leaning back slightly as he takes a deep breath looking up at Xiao who only barely had his face turned towards him.
"I thought that there is no possibly for adepti to seek out things. Have desires.. but. Ever science we've became closer and closer there's been a heavy yet warm feeling in my chest whenever i see you. Just seeing you.. thinking about you. It makes my heart sped up and- and then. I get these thoughts like now where i want to kiss you. I am unaware of what this means as love is not my expertise but.. still."
Aether takes a moment to get it all into his head. To process each and every word spoken to him. This made his heart pound wildly in his chest making his face even redder than before.
Although he also felt relived at the same time. He couldn't deny that the adepti was quite handsome and charming- in his own yaksha way. But still.
He was- no. He just had that something about him that made Aether want to just be with him for an eternity.
No matter the consequences to kiss him to let his feelings take lead. To not care about what comes next because what will come next is unstoppable sure. Things can be repressed and hidden but at some point even the simplest worry can become a big problem and make the illusion shatter.
Emotions are like glass. Delicate and broken when in the wrong hand's.
Aether couldn't imagine how it had to feel for Xiao to be experiencing this all. Surely this must be a lot on the yaksha.
Admitting he had feelings and desires is something Aether couldn't ever imagine Xiao doing. Yet.. here he was clearly admitting to it.
He didn't realize when a soft and warm smile that was directed at the conqueror of demons appeared on his face. Almost as if the action was automatic having put no thought into it yet have had it come so naturally to him.
"Xiao.."
He whispered his name as if it was the most delicate thing in the whole entire world his eyes filled with love and adoration.
Xiao upon hearing his name being called furrowed his brows his jaw clenching tighter as he cleared his throat throughly.
Aether just shook his head almost as if to make sure this all was real. No way in hell was Xiao admitting he had feelings for him. Did he even know what it was really? Did he understand it?
Doesn't matter...
He can always help him with it. Help him understand things better and help him make good choices.
And if this was the choice he wanted to make? Then so be it. Seeing Xiao so open and vulnerable like this really made his heart sting painfully almost making his breath hitch.
When he leaned forward Xiao"s eye's were instantly blown wide open upon feeling two arm's holding him by the shouders.
"Is this something you really want Xiao? You can back out at any time alright?"
He said a stern expression on his face. As much as he himself loved Xiao and adored him it was different from doing things he might be uncomfortable with.
Plus. It never hurt to actually make sure.
Xiao nodded leaning forward slightly pressing their lips together in a sweet and gentle kiss.