–––Xiao–––
When I wake up, the first thing I notice is a hard, unbearably painful object in my mouth.
I try to remove the object but find my arms tied down with chains.
I bite down hard, trying desperately to at least break the object in my mouth.
It hurts too much for me to stand it for long.
After failing to break the object in my mouth, I attempt to spit it out.
That fails too.
I think it might be attached directly to my fangs in some way, considering it feels like it'll pull them straight out of my head if I try to hard to move the object in my mouth.
I look around the room I'm in.
The humans must have left it dark so I couldn't see.
Hah, they're so idiotic.
Vampires can see in the dark.
I see everything clearly.
But...
What's going to happen to me now that I've been caught?
Are they going to kill me?
Probably.
I raise my head as I hear a door opening from in front of me.
A familiar person descends the stairs, careful to not trip in the dark.
It's that blond boy I'd stupidly spared that one night.
He turns on the light and stands in front of me.
Has he come to mock me?
I scowl and bite down on the object in my mouth, giving a display of my anger.
The blond boy puts his cold yet soft hands around my cheeks.
"Calm down." He says, demanding yet soft.
Almost like a mother consoling her child.
I yank on the chains holding me in defiance.
"I'll take that thing out of your mouth if you promise to not attack me. I know that thing hurts you, and I hate them for doing that to you." Blond boy says.
What does he know about being hurt by humans?
But, my desire to stop the pain in my mouth rides greater than my anger towards blond boy.
I bow my head, a signal that I agree to his terms.
He reaches slightly into my mouth and, to my relief, removes the painful object.
Oh, how easy it would have been to bite him, turn him into a vampire, and have him kill every human in this forsaken place.
But, I made a promise.
I move my jaw around, wincing from lingering pain.
"Now listen to me closely. I'm going to help you escape. I don't care what you do to me after that, I just can't leave you here. What they do is awful. I can't believe that the people here are calling you all the monsters. Also I found Kauri." Blond boy says.
"You found Kauri?" I ask, my voice extra raspy due to how dry my mouth is.
Blond boy nods.
"I already helped her escape. Now all that's left is you." Blond boy says.
"You really don't agree with what the humans do to us? But you're one of them." I ask incredulously.
"The title 'monster' applies to what a being with a soul does with their life. Plus, Ritsu is really nice, and you are too. If you really were the monster that you and the others believe you are, then you would have killed me without hesitation that night." Blond boy says with a smile.
For some reason that smile of his...fills me with euphoria.
It reminds me of his.
"I'll strike a deal with you, human. You help me escape and I won't kill you like I was planning to. In fact, if you help me return home, I'll even allow you to continue associating with us." I say.
Why am I doing this?
I hate all humans for what they did to me.
Don't I?
Blond boy's face lights up and he smiles again with that genuine happy smile.
He unlocks my chains and I rotate my shoulders.
"Aren't you betraying your sister by doing this?" I ask.
Blond boy's hazel eyes grow misty.
"She'll understand eventually." He says.
He then leads me to the way out.
"That reminds me. I forgot your name. What is it?" I ask.
Blond boy tilts his head.
"It's Aether." He says.
"Sora?" I ask.
"Aether." Blond boy says.
"Sora." I confirm.
"It's Aether. A-e-t-h-e-r." Sora spells.
"You're from Khaenri'ah, are you not?" I ask. "I am unfamiliar with the ways you speak. In Liyue language, your name is Sora. So I shall call you Sora. It will be difficult for me to constantly say Ai-ter." I try.
"Aether. You know what? You can call me Sora. But I must ask, if my name is Sora in Liyue, what is yours. You named yourself Xiao in the language of Mondstadt." Sora asks.
"It is similar enough. I am Syou. But you can call me Xiao." I say.
Sora nods.
"And your brother?" He asks.
"How do you know of him?" I ask.
"Well, Kaito mentioned him after you were knocked out." Sora says sheepishly.
"My brother is Azrael, or Syan. In Mondstadt he is called Xian." I explain.
I wonder why I am so open with Sora...
I do not know.
Sora nods.
"Where are we going?" I ask.
"We're running to Fontaine. The only place they don't have eyes. How good are you at blending in with humans?" Sora asks.
"I stop walking for a moment and my form shimmers.
I transform into my disguise, which causes the green highlights in my hair to disappear and my eyes to turn grey.
This action also causes my fangs to become normal canines until I need them for something.
It is a useful disguise.
Not even a vampire test can determine that I am a vampire.
Only one of my arsenal of abilities as prince.
Sora's eyes light up with awe.
"Woah! You look totally human! That's so cool!" He exclaims.
Something about his genuine awe is...cute.
No.
NO!
I cannot think like this!
I will not think like this!
Not again.
I look up to see the bright sun peeking over the hills.
"It's dawn." I say.
To my surprise, Sora grabs my hand and begins to run down the hill.
"S-Sora? What are you doing?" I cry as I struggle to keep up with him.
"We need to get on the first boat to Fontaine! Otherwise they'll catch us!" Sora says.
I pick up speed and we run until we reach the port.
Sora pays for tickets and we board the boat with no hitches.
I sit down on one of the chairs and Sora sits next to me.
After a few minutes, I feel something heavy on my shoulder and I look to see that Sora has fallen asleep on me.
My mind screams at me to push him off me, but my heart won't let me.
That's odd.
I look out over the crystalline blue sea.
Azrael, Ritsu, Hu Tao...I'll be back soon.
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