The Winds Bring with them Change (Volume 1)

35: Overcoming

AN: Xiao is punishing himself for things again, just a heads up.

Xiao and Kazuha had settled carefully into Aether's, room, checking it over first for any suspicious runes or mechanisms that might be causing him to act this way. As there was none, they tentatively set up the little bedding they had, and prepared for a wait.

Though neither could find a thing wrong with him, he slept through day after day of wait. His golden hair shifted only when the wind blew through the windows to disturb them, horrible warm breezes that made Xiao's heart beat in a way he wasn't too fond of. He was reminded of the conversations he and Venti had had regarding the traveler, and their respective feelings towards him.

He was beautiful, there was not a soul in Teyvet who thought otherwise, with his quick wit and helpful smile. But seeing him as he was, unconscious with no signs at all pointing towards his awakening, he felt absolutely useless. No matter how much he loved anyone, it was his curse to lose them eventually.

He had no way of helping Venti, and the only method he knew of to help Aether was one he hadn't used except by accident in centuries. He was drifting off in his head, his thoughts weighing him down heavily as he remembered the last time he went into someone's mind knowingly before Kazuha cleared his throat.

"Doesn't the Akademiya have a library full of knowledge pertaining to the Archons here?" Though he was correct, and Xiao had been meaning to visit the famed library together with Aether, he still felt guilt as to what he was keeping from his companion. However, Venti's condition was only worsening as the time slipped through their fingers, and no matter how much he cared for Aether, his boyfriend came just slightly above him in Xiao's list of priorities.

Venti would doubtless hate that. He didn't care.

He gave one last long look in Aether's direction, the knowledge that he could actually do something to combat it in the back of his mind, and slipped out the door.

His body had become overpowered by his debt the longer Aether had been gone, and now he felt it in a way he hadn't in a long time. It seemed as though Xiao's very bones ached, pain shooting up his spine when he began to move faster. It was nearly excruciating, but just in the way he used to very much enjoy. So he maintained the pace, breathing almost feverishly through his nose as the pain only increased.

He reached the huge building, noticing guards at its doors and opting to instead hop through a window. His body ached once more, and he grit his teeth at the pain, focusing on simply finding any literature pertaining to the archons and erosion.

There are countless novels referencing the deaths of different gods, most of them tracing back to Greater Lord Rukkhadevata's demise and potential reincarnation. Though the plots were certainly...imaginative, they weren't exactly what he was looking for. There were little to no mentions of any other Archon's suffering erosion, or in what matter it could be treated, if any.

His body was aching, and now, for his little knowledge of the script of Teyvet and his illiteracy, Xiao's head hurt as well. He decided that even reliving his past abuse was better than struggling through another flowering passage about death and it's "truths," so he packed a couple of the books that seemed less of a fiction than others into his pack and made his way back to where he left the Inazuman and Aether.

Kazuha was laying his head on the mattress when Xiao returned, looking more tired than he had since they'd left him to deal with Aether's head injury. He sat up when Xiao made himself known, reaching out for the books he was presented.

"I believe I can help him." Kazuha presented him with his long suffering smile for that, bringing a book up to tap it.

"Then I'd better get to reading I suppose." With a swift nod, Xiao was at Aether's bedside.

His hands shook as he placed them carefully on the mattress beside the blonde's, and he let out a breath harshly as if to calm himself. The last time he'd done this consciously, he had still been working for her. The voice in his nightmares, the one his Lord had rescued him from, the one who used such a young adepti to harm the mortals he had sworn to protect. Even now, though it had been thousands of years since her form had cursed any land, it was as if she was whispering in his ears, gripping him by the shoulders roughly. He shuddered, focusing once more on the limp form before him.

He was nowhere she could harm him, she was long dead. Still, no matter his own certainty to the matter, he couldn't bring himself to begin what he needed to. His own fear froze him in place.

There was a rustling behind him, then a gentle hand touched down on his shoulder, fingers light enough that he didn't pull his spear on it immediately. However, his body grew tense, and the hand was retracted, a soft voice reassuring him.

"It is just me, there's nothing to fear." His tone was, as always exceedingly patient and kind, and Xiao let his shoulders drop.

"The last time I did this was an accident, I don't think I can make myself," Kazuha cut him off there, hand once again on his back in a comforting manner. Or at least what would be comforting if he wasn't so tightly wound at the moment. Now, his body flinched against his will.

"Then we shall simply recreate the way it happened last." Of course. Except for the little tiny issue that was him. He wasn't even sure if he was capable of recreating it. The thought of crawling up onto the mattress was a good one sure, but as to whether he was actually able to do that....

Even in his and Venti's relationship, the ex-Archon had been the one to initiate everything. He wasn't sure that he could do even such a small thing as this without combusting. Like one of the little girl from Mondstat's toy bombs. Boom.

But then again, Aether never waking up definitely scared him more than the embarrassment of actually cuddling up to him in his sleep. He sighed lightly, rising to his feet and beginning to remove his jewelry. Once his beads, gloves, sleeve and shoes were folded neatly on the floor, he sat on the edge of the bed lightly. Kazuha watched on with an amused look on his face.

That man knew too many things for his own good.

Xiao ignored him, laying down as softly as he could beside the sleeping blonde and placing a hand on his. He steadied his breathing, examining how the other man's breathe blew his bangs so they fluttered ever so slightly.

This was going to be a long night.