The Spark [Xiao x Aether]

Continuing point IV

Slowly but surely, the Adeptus was starting to get tired of the boy.

"Oh, you got me all wrong. I can't wish for him to die. He's most likely already gone. We can't do anything about it. So why don't-"

Before he could finish his sentence, he felt a hand slap him roughly across the face. It was so strong he almost fell to the ground, but luckily to his anemo vision, he kept his balance. Xiao's hand left a pretty bad bruise on the boy's face.

"Enough about death." The Yaksha said bluntly.

Scaramouche was about to hit him back or try to piss him off some more but suddenly the ground started shaking. It wasn't a light shake but more of an earthquake. Everything started to move so suddenly, the floor started to crack and huge pieces of the ceiling started falling on it.

It all happened too fast. Before he could do anything, he noticed that the boy with the hat vanished, he wanted to do the same but then a strange fog started coming out of the center of the room. It wasn't just any fog, but the type that had elemental energy stored inside of it.

He started walking towards it, using his polearm to protect his head from any bricks falling on it. The spear was barely holding on after just a few, house of Daena was a really strong building after all.

Something happened.

A boy with long blonde hair started to appear from within the fog.

"Aether!?" Xiao yelled, running towards him as fast as he could. He grabbed him by his hand and started to run away from the building that was collapsing. But right before they could jump off the balcony, the blonde pulled him back and pinned him against the ground.

He was breathing very heavily and was greatly injured. Blood was dripping from his head and his whole body. He also couldn't stop shaking.

"Xiao....ho-...how do you feel..?" The traveler questioned as he held the other's hands tight on the ground.

"That doesn't matter. Let me go! We need to leave before this entire building collapses!"

The Adeptus felt weak. No matter how hard he tried he couldn't get up. The amount of strength the blonde had at that moment was frightening.

"Answer me!" The boy yelled. He sounded desperate.

Suddenly, a huge chunk of the ceiling started cracking. It was about to fall any second. The piece was right above the two boys. If they don't decide to act quickly enough it could crush them.

"Let me go!" Xiao yelled back.

Right then the chunk of the ceiling started to fall. It was right about to crush the two. Screams from the citizens of Sumeru could be heard loud and clear. It seemed like they all also had issues.

The Yaksha closed his eyes, he couldn't bear to see this. He expected to die right there and then but something unexpected happened.

Aether grabbed him in his arms and teleported far away from Sumeru. He didn't know where he wanted to go. But he needed to leave. The entire earthquake was his fault after all. Once he has time to come back to Sumeru, he'll need to apologize for all the damage he has done. But before all that he had other things to worry about.

He was panting from all the sharp wounds on his body, he finally let go of his lover and kneeled to catch his breath. Every limb of his body was in a lot of pain.

"Aether...you're back." The other managed.

"How...how do you feel..."

"I should be asking you that...You're bleeding...Can you even breathe!?"

"I'll manage. Don't worry. But tell me, how do you feel?"

Asking such a question at the time made no sense. He was the injured one so why would he ask someone who was completely fine about their health?

Xiao looked at him with confused yet somewhat scared eyes. Did Irminsul mess with the boy's head?

"I feel worried about you." After a while of just staring at his lover, he finally responded. "Careful now. Tell me what happened, did you manage to get rid of Lumine?"

The Adeptus held him in his arms while he was just barely catching his breath. His body felt lighter than usual, it was strange but the Yaksha didn't question it.

"Removing her from this world's memories was a success...it took a lot of work but I managed to do it...but that wasn't the only thing I decided to get rid of..." Slowly but surely, his voice started to calm down.

"Huh?"

"Your karmic debt, Xiao."

And then it hit him. Not once since his lover left did Xiao experience any form of physical pain. From all that worry he hasn't even noticed at all. Everything seemed so usual for him since he got used to peace.

Aether decided that getting rid of his partner's pain and suffering was something he couldn't leave without doing. Seeing the boy in agony was something he hated, despite the number of wounds he got while erasing the gods who put the curse on him, he didn't regret it one bit.

The boy grabbed his hand and held it tight after seeing the shock in his eyes.

"It's over. You'll never feel such a horrible way ever again..."

A smile slowly started appearing on his face, the same smile the Yaksha missed over the past few months.

"You injured yourself more than you should have just for me? You're insane..."

Tears started forming in Xiao's eyes. He wasn't sure if it was happy tears or worry that his lover still might not make it. The wounds were pretty bad, leaving tons of stains on the boy's hands and clothes.

"Woah don't cry...You shouldn't feel pain anymore. Now is your opportunity to forget about all the bad things that have happened and start something new...!" The blonde wiped his boyfriend's tears away with the last strength he had left.

"How am I supposed to not cry? You're dying Aether...I can't bring myself to smile while you're losing so much blood."

To that, the traveler didn't respond. He just held the hand of the other even tighter.

The earthquake in Sumeru started to calm down as well. No screams could be heard from a distance, it was way too quiet. The entire world of Teyvat seemed to have calmed down, there were no enemies anywhere around the two boys. Hilichurls all disappeared, the only thing that remained was the creatures created by the archons.

"Come on! I'll bring you to a doctor and everything will be fine. If we manage to get there in time everything will be alright!"

Xiao was scared. It was as if he was losing his former companions all over again. The spark was slowly fading from the blonde's eyes, it was turning whiter each second that passed. He didn't know what to do. Deep down he knew his partner wasn't going to make it, but yet again he still had a little hope left.

"It's not worth it."

"You made a promise to me a long time ago, saying we will never part ways. This can't be the end...Even with my karmic debt gone, how can I continue living this life without you? Please...I need you..." The Adeptuses voice was extremely shaky. The tears were making his vision blurry.

"I'm sorry...I don't think I'll make it...but even without me, please don't let the negative emotions take over you. You'll eventually find a better lover...I know it!"

And with that, his eyes turned completely white and closed. The smile he had always worn also seemed to have faded away.

"Aether...?" He called out.

"Aether!?"

"No...don't leave me...please don't go the same way they did..."

"Please...Without you, I am a nobody. Just a machine made for killing. With you, by my side, I always felt like there was a purpose in my life after all..."

"Please. Stay..."