In The Midst of Snow

Lumine Asserts Her Dominance

Ever since Aether had sent out those letters, he had been pacing restlessly around Wangshu Inn, constantly looking into the sky for a sign and even jolting at a loud sound. Xiao knew that he was really anxious on the Archon's replies, but seeing Aether so agitated...it really made Xiao snappy too.

As Aether went up the stairs once again, walking past them as if he couldn't see them at all, Lumine murmured sadly, "He's still like this, huh."

"For the past 3100 years since I've known him," Xiao admitted, unable to hold back a little frustration in his tone. "He's always pushing himself and planning ahead. While he's determined, he doesn't know when to stop. I would usually step in, but with the war so close, I can understand why he's edgier than normal. But still-!"

He was taken aback when Lumine patted his shoulder comfortingly. "Leave this to me."

"What are you-"

However, she had already vanished up the stairs. Stunned, Xiao followed a second later, emerging onto the top-most floor.

Only to hear a resounding smack.

Xiao was at a loss of whether to be angry or not. Aether's eyes were widened, a visibly hand-shaped redness forming over his cheek. In front of him, Lumine was smiling wickedly, her hands on her hips.

If that had been anyone else, they would have been murdered on the spot, no mercy spared. But this was Lumine, Aether's twin sister, so Xiao could just open and close his mouth like an idiotic goldfish.

Was physical harm a method of communication between the siblings?

"Snap out of it already, you dolt," Lumine chastised. "Worrying so much will get you nowhere. See, you didn't even notice your boyfriend acting weird because you're so in over your head."

"Lumine, you didn't have to-" Xiao found himself rebuking. The last thing he wanted to do was to make Aether feel guilty for Xiao's own emotions.

"It needs to be said," she insisted, as stubborn as a rock. Sometimes, Aether and Lumine's personality were so polar opposites that it made Xiao a little flabbergasted that they were siblings.

But then Lumine's eyes softened, her stature changing as quickly as the tidal waves came and went. "I know you've been through a lot without me by your side, Aether. And that...it might be your time soon."

Silence. It was a forbidden topic that they never talked about. Only Xiao and Lumine knew so far, but they never brought it up only because it would hurt them to do so. Aether...he never said anything more about it too after his first fainting, so Xiao followed suit.

However, the truth was that Xiao wanted to scream at the world for taking away his Aether. It was so sudden, neither of them had expected it. He had thought they would have been able to spend more time with each other, only for that to be shortened to a week.

Aether didn't mention it, but judging from how he was acting, Xiao knew that Aether's time would be up sometime during the war between Celestia and Khaenri'ah. The thought sickens him. He knew that there was little they could do to stop the war as big as between the two of the strongest forces in Teyvat, but Aether had still tried to take on the impossible.

And for what cause? He wouldn't benefit at all. It was only for Lumine's safety and to prevent Xiao's death from happening. He wouldn't be there to truly witness the fruits of his labor, but he still kept pushing on. After 3100 years, he still stayed strong to his mission.

Xiao respected that; respected his wishes.

But it still hurts.

"That's why I want you to enjoy the time you have left with Xiao!"