♢ to a world without you ♢ | xiao x aether |

| The grassy fields |

A/n : everyone's favourite taru-chan here lmao... j/ umm I haven't wrote in like over 4 months 😀😢 so I hope I'm not rusty lmao ENJOY PART 1 

| author pov :

As aether finished his adventures in mondstadt a new challenge arived- liyue aether had never been to this region but has heard so much about it. After meeting Xiangling his first thought was to go to wanmin restaurant and try the great liyue delicacies they had to offer. He was already halfway there and could feel the atmosphere change as he approached this new nation..

As he stepped through its borders the air was cool and frosty after all it was the winter.. 

Paimon: "uhhh~~~ Paimon is getting hungry could you walk a bit faster or at least run!!!"

Aether face palmed. 

Aether: "ahem.. says you- all you do is float and eat. Don't complain when you don't even do much. I would keep quiet if I were you. Emergency food!"

Paimon looked over at aether with an annoyed expression.

Paimon: "PAIMON IS NOT EMERGENCY FOOD!!!" 

aether laughed at Paimon trying to stand up for herself. But in the end it was true he was tired mondstadt and liyue are very far from eachother and it was taking quite some time getting there. Aether noticed a statue of the seven and decided to approach it. As he reached out to touch the bare rock surrounding it he could see how the archon on top looked different from the one with venti on top. Aether was then given the power of geo.

Aether: "well at least we're in the right place" 

Paimon: "of course we are! Thanks to paimon's excellent navigation skills!!" 

Aether smirked. In the distance he could make out a huge tree with a building on it. Aethers legs were feeling very weak after all that walking not only to mention how he had to deal with all the slimes and hillichurl camps he found. He decided to walk to the big tree 

His legs barely carried him up the stairs. Aether managed to find his way to the reception. 

Ver goldett:"hello let me welcome to you to wangshu Inn, how long are you planning to stay?"

Aether let out a sigh of relief finally he could rest lucky it was an inn. He decided to stay one night and then leave for liyue harbour first thing tomorrow. Aether and Paimon stayed in different rooms on different floors. Aether took a shower and changed into his pyjamas which were composed of a short sleeve t-shirt and some trousers. As soon as he changed he collapsed straight into bed and fell asleep as soon as his head hit the soft pillow.. he had no rest on his journey from mondstadt to liyue..

In total it had taken him 16 hours to get from windrise to liyue just by walk and enemies. 

| the next day | 

aether had woken up at 1pm. There was a clock in his room and he stared at it in utter disbelief. 

Aether: "I said I would leave in the morning.. clearly much later.." 

****: "jeez.. mere mortals like you should be more careful with your fragile lives" 

A strange figure was in his room he couldn't make out his face but only noticed a demonic mask and his tattoo on his right arm.. aether couldn't make much of him as he had just woken up. 

Aether: "w-wait.. how long have you been w-watching me!!" 

****: "the whole night.. you should be more careful.. you could've died right here in your sleep and you wouldn't know it!! Lock your door!!"

Aethers eyes widened in shock. Not only was this stranger in his room, watched him asleep the whole night and he left his room door open. 

Aether: "s-sorry I'll remember.. but you know you could have locked it instead of wasting your time" 

Aether laughed it off but the boy didn't seem to find it funny..

****:"I wanted to be here when you realised it" 

Aether: "couldn't you just come back?!"

****: "well sorry but I would forget plus why would I want to spend time to come back to a mere mortal" 

Aether was still confused. 'Mere mortal?!?! Me? so are you!!' 

Aether: "you calling me mortal makes me sound inferior" 

****: "you are.. the mortal life is fragile and someone like you should not test it's limits.. for it is nothing compared to an adeptus.." 

'Oh so that's what he is' without another word the boy dissappeared.. 'I didn't even get his name!!' Aether just continued the rest of his day. He brushed his teeth and hair and got dressed luckily Paimon had woken up an hour before him so it was okay. She had already ate 

| 2 hours later |

Aether and Paimon finally arrived in liyue harbour.. it was much busier than mondstadt for sure. Aether recieved his commissions from the adventurers guild and set off.. he let Paimon explore liyue harbour when he set off. His first commission was to defeat a hillichurl camp. It was near wangshu Inn so it was pretty important. As he cleared the camp, in the grassy fields under a tree he could see someone.. 

As aether walked up he recognised the person.. it was that boy- well he hasn't slept all night so he decided to rest. His demon mask was still on so aether couldn't make much of his face still. He carried him to wangshu Inn on my back. Aether met a person from the guild and they agreed to take my commissions. He put this boy in bed and his mask slowly faded away. His face was very handsom and his hair was very beautiful .

Aether could feel his face have some warmth to it. 'Wait.. what am I thinking' he quickly left the room making sure to lock it just like he asked.. hopefully the boy didn't notice aether at all 

A/n: I'm so tired it's nearly 12am so 😢 and this took 2 hours to write sooo hope you enjoyed lol 

Word count: 1019