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Chapter Text

The wind gently ruffled the familiar blonde hair as he leaned peacefully against the railing of Wangshu Inn. The sun setting in the horizon let out a peaceful glow which reflected perfectly on the water below. The lake shimmered in deep orange and pink hues. Specks of gold and yellows merged along with them creating the sunset ahead. The golden star in question reminded him of something lost to him. No, not his sister if you may ask. But his wings. 

Oh god how he missed his wings…  

They were beautiful. Light golden hues that dispersed into a pale silver at the tips. He had six in total. He and his sister had six. Three on each side if you may ask. Within his culture, having your wings was everything. It is what represents your strength, your power, and your freedom. They were what helped him travel across worlds with his missing sibling. They were a part of him, but now? Now, they were gone. Ripped from him by that unknown god. Torn out of his body. He could still remember the pain from that day. The day he lost everything. 

He remembered it burning. That was the first sensation he felt. The edges of his wings had felt like they were on fire and perhaps they were. He couldn’t remember. Next, was the snapping. He felt each individual wing meticulously snapped in half by what he could assume was the hands of that wretched god. He had been praying around this time. He was praying to any deity that might have heard him to save him, but no one did. They couldn’t save him from the next step of the goddesses' plan. The last step was the removal of his wings. There was nothing that could explain the excruciating pain. The feeling of something attached to your body being ripped out of you. He felt every muscle stretch and stretch and stretch until it finally released the appendage. He remembered the feeling of blood pouring down his back. He remembered begging and pleading for her to stop. Again, his prayers for the torture to end was heard on deaf ears. He was only granted peace after his wings were gone and the darkness that held him for hundreds of years took over.

His grip on the banister, overlooking the water below, loosened as he backed away. He couldn’t stand the colors now. It was too much. He brought his hands around himself and turned away, heading to his reserved room. He opened the door, hoping to see his fairy friend, but then remembered where she was. She was with Xiangling trying out various new dishes. She requested to stay the night as it might last until the next day. He had happily obliged. He could not rob her of this “once in a lifetime opportunity.” He chuckled despite himself. Was he really this pathetic that he couldn’t comfort himself? 

Wait, was he? He felt that familiar onslaught of panic setting in. He had learned very quickly in the beginning of his journey that he hated being left alone for long periods of time. It wasn’t that he couldn’t survive alone. He just didn’t like it. Sleeping for hundreds of years and waking up without your sibling can really make you develop abandonment issues. Closing the door behind him, he caught a glimpse of himself in the mirror. He tilted his head a bit. He felt wrong. He didn’t look like himself. He had dark bags underneath his eyes. It was the wear and tear of commissions and quests to find his sister. The bright spark in his eyes was gone. He felt dull. Before he could process it, he felt tears welling up on the edges of his eyes. He didn’t want to be alone. He couldn’t be alone. He can’t be abandoned again. He can’t. No no no no. Stumbling backwards, he landed heavily against a wall and slid down it. Placing his head between his knees, he struggled to breath. The memories were overwhelming. He didn’t want to remember his wings. He didn’t want to. It hurt. It hurt. It burns. He can feel it again. The sensations. All of them. He gasped and buried his teeth into his forearm, the light taste of blood hit his tongue, to cover up the sound of his sobs. He needed someone. Anyone to get rid of the pain. Who would come? It’s not like he could call anyone and they could get there soon. Wait… Swallowing another sob, Aether choked out the one person he knew would be there in an instant. 

“Xiao…”

--

Xiao leaned peacefully in a tree watching the sunset. He was on the outskirts of Wangshu Inn, having just finished defeating a few monsters who had wandered too close. A very rare smile was on his face. He felt a certain sort of peace when he was alone and watching the sunset. The wind around him flickered warily. Warning him of something to come. Of course, his peace could never last long. The familiar sound of his golden sun traveled towards him. Except it sounded broken and hurt. That was all it took for Xiao to immediately teleport to where the Traveler resided. 

“You called.” He froze like a deer in headlights when he finally caught a glimpse of the crumbled man before him. He hesitated briefly, before sitting in front of the Traveler. “Traveler, what is wrong?” 

Blunt. That was Xiao for you. Aether couldn’t help but let out a strangled laugh at the question. In turn he got a strange look from Xiao. His amusement was short lived as his breathing quickened again at the thought of why he was upset. He couldn’t do this. He, again, buried his blunt teeth into his forearm to muffle the strangle sob. 

“Traveler, stop that. You are injuring yourself.” Xiao abruptly grabbed onto Aether and gently pulled himself off of his arm to prevent further injury. It felt like he was inconveniencing him. Why did he call him here again? He felt like a dog being reprimanded by his owner. Now that he thought about it, why did he respond to the traveler anyways? He had a name. How come no one ever asked him of it? He pulled away from Xiao in a fit of displaced anger and resentment.

“My name isn’t the traveler.” Aether snarled out, causing Xiao to hesitate again. 

“What should I call you then?” Xiao stared, his head tilted a bit to the side. An earnest question. Aether calmed and took in another shuddering breath.

“You can… You can call me Aether.” It felt weird saying his own name. 

“Alright then, Aether … May I ask you what is wrong?” 

Xiao felt helpless in this moment as he waited desperately for some form of push in the right direction. He was not the comforting type. He was an adeptus. He was a protector of Liyue. During his thousand of years of living, why did the scene before him hurt him the most? His heart twisted painfully. He could see the turmoil behind Aether’s eyes as he debated on voicing his thoughts. But he could also see the panic. He watched for a moment as Aether’s breath quickened again, sending him into another panicked spiral. Xiao frowned, placing a hand on his arm to snap him out of his thoughts. He hesitated again, but only for a moment. His decision was final.

“Aether, come here.” Xiao opened his arms wide, invitingly. He grunted ever so slightly as the supposedly younger male tackled himself into his arms. His face was pressed firmly into his shoulder and his arms held him tight, but not tight enough to hide his trembling. Xiao’s own arms wrapped around and underneath Aether to lift him. It was effortless. The mortal was lighter than he looked. He moved the two of them to the bed. It was a more comfortable place to reside. He leaned against the bed frame and held his star against him, helping him overcome the storm. Eventually, Aether’s sobbing and shaking slowed enough to where only light sniffles were heard. Xiao hummed a bit and ran his fingers comfortingly on his back.

“Would you like to talk about it?” 

“Yes, but I might… I might start crying again…” Aether murmured embarrassingly against the yaksha. 

“Aether… There is nothing wrong with that. Something is clearly bothering you. I do not mind the tears that follow.” Xiao watched him worriedly as he waited for him to continue on. 

“I had… I had wings once. That is where I believe I should start.” Aether let out a shuddering breath, feeling Xiao tense underneath him. He gripped onto him tighter. The warmth comforted him and edged him to continue. 

“My sister and I encountered this unknown god, as many are aware. This god, she… she sealed our power and…” Aether choked on his own words.

“Shh, you do not have to continue if you do not want to.” 

Aether shook his head stubbornly. He needed to tell someone. He gripped onto the other male tighter. “Xiao… she took my wings. She ripped them out. I couldn’t fight back. I couldn’t stop her. She… God I can still feel them being taken from me.” He shuddered. “I can never fly again. She took everything away from me like it was some sick trophy.” He whispered the last part. He knew it was true. He knew that was why she took their wings. There was no other reason. 

Xiao took in his own calming breath and held Aether tighter. He understood the feeling of losing your wings. Maybe not as intensely as Aether had, but he still lost his own. He brought the other closer. Along with his feelings of sadness was rage. He wanted to hurt whoever hurt his golden star like this. He wanted them to regret ever touching him. He felt Aether yawn underneath him and smiled a bit. 

“Aether, I am truly sorry for your loss.” Xiao hummed a moment in indecision, before continuing on. “I had wings once as well.”

“You did?” Aether asked him weakly as he glanced up to stare confusingly at him. 

“Yes, but that is a story for another time. You need rest my golden star. You’re exhausted.” Xiao murmured softly, pulling Aether so they were laying next to each other. He reached over and tangled his hand in the other’s braid. It needed to be redone. Loose strands had somehow escaped it. 

“Please don’t leave.” Aether asked him as he nuzzled into him again. A sense of calm overcame him whenever he was in the presence of the other male.

“I won’t, Aether. I promise I will be here in the morning when the sun rises and will remain with you until I deem so.” 

“Thank you, Xiao.” A smile graced Aether’s face, before he closed his eyes.

“You are most welcome, my little star” 

Aether swore he felt a soft kiss placed on his forehead, before the darkness overtook him. 

Chapter Text

Aether sighed softly as he made his way up the stairs towards Third-Round Knockout. He had left Paimon to do her own things, preferring to have this possible conversation with Zhongli alone. He rubbed his shoulders a bit and sighed again. His back had been hurting him. Well, it wasn’t really his back. It was his wings, but his wings were sealed away. He had looked into it and apparently it was called phantom limb pain. Shaking his head, he quietly approached where Zhongli was sitting. He pulled out one of the chairs and sat beside him. He had arrived mid-story, so Aether didn’t feel like starting the conversation. At least, not quite yet. He felt Zhongli’s questioning stare, but he ignored it. Instead, he chose to relax his head against the table and listen to the story. The exhaustion from the last couple days hit him like a brick once he had finally relaxed. He didn’t know how long he rested there, but someone lightly brushing along his back got his attention. He picked his head back up off of the table to see Zhongli staring at him. Was that worry in his eyes? 

“Are you alright, Traveler?” Zhongli asked softly, not wanting to draw unnecessary attention to the two of them.

“Please, just call me Aether.” Aether murmured. He noticed a new crowd forming for another story from Iron Tongue Tian. He sighed again, before standing up to leave. Maybe this wasn’t the right time to talk. “I wanted to ask you something, but… uh… if you are busy I can leave you be. I don’t want to interrupt your relaxation time.” 

“No, please, Aether…” Zhongli reached over and placed a comforting hand on the younger male’s shoulder. “If you need my help, I will provide it. However, follow me to my abode. We can have the conversation there more privately.” 

“I…” Aether hesitated a bit, before shooting him a grateful look. “Alright.”  He smiled a bit and allowed Zhongli to grab onto his hand and to lead him to his place of resident. During the walk, he unconsciously leaned against Zhongli. He swore that any of the pain he was feeling disappeared in this man’s presence. 

--

Zhongli was quietly enjoying the stories of Iron Tongue Tian, before the traveler approached his table. He had noticed him rather quickly, sluggishly weaving his way through the crowd. It was worrisome. He had never seen him in such a state. Any greetings were bypassed, mostly due to the story, but there was another factor. The traveler just simply laid his head down on the table and drifted in and out of semi-consciousness. Another spark of concern ran through Zhongli. However, he waited until the story -as he was not wanting to interrupt others- was over to finally to gain his attention. Reaching over, he lightly ran his fingers down the others back. A soothing action to hopefully awaken him as well as not induce any panic. 

“Are you alright, Traveler?” Zhongli had asked softly, not wanting to draw unnecessary attention to the two of them. 

“Please, just call me Aether.” 

Him suddenly standing up had thrown Zhongli off. There had to be a reason why he came. There was something more to this which was proven further as their conversation continued. Worry sparked throughout him in waves. Offering him his help was all he could do which eventually led to him taking him to his home. 

--

The apartment that Zhongli lived in was nice. There were many trinkets that laid about on the various shelves he had strewn about in the living room. It all seemed like it had their own place within the chaos on the shelves. He smiled a bit more. It seemed like Zhongli’s inner dragon hoarding had come out. In the far wall there was a couch and then a table that had a few books on it. To the left was the kitchen area and to the right seemed to be where his bedroom was. It was a rather homey apartment. 

“This is nice.” Aether grinned as his eyes scanned the room curiously. He wondered what story laid behind each item.

“Thank you. These items are from my various adventures throughout Teyvat.” Zhongli led Aether over to the couch. “Would you like some tea?” 

“I would love some. Thank you.” 

“It is no problem, truly.” A few moments pass, before Zhongli is back in the living room with some tea. He settles down across from Aether after handing him his own cup. “Now, what did you want to ask me?” 

“What do you know about breaking seals?” Aether asked, a bit hesitant. He took a sip of the tea to try and calm himself. The tea was delicious. It warmed his throat and calmed his nerves, just a bit. 

“I know some things. Though, it depends on what is sealed. Is it an object you have? A place you need to break into? The specifics of what it is could help me determine the proper actions.” 

Aether froze and took in a shuddering breath. How could he explain this? How could he even begin to explain to Zhongli his failure? I mean, that was the only reason he was in this situation. He couldn’t save his sister and in turn his powers got sealed by that unknown god. He didn’t realize that he was shaking until he felt the drink fall from his hands and spill all over the floor. He swallowed harshly before wiping at his eyes to get rid of the tears that stung the corners. 

“I’m sorry. I’ll clean it up.” He murmured quickly standing up to find a towel or something to clean up the mess. He was spiraling. 

“Aether…” Zhongli set his tea aside, before standing up. He moved closer to the panicking male, before gently pulling him into a comforting embrace. He felt his little sunflower latch onto him like he was a much needed lifeline. “The tea can be cleaned up in a moment. Aether, Let’s worry about you.” Zhongli gently moved the two of them back onto the couch, dragging Aether into his lap in the process. He was still shaking against him. Running his fingers lightly along Aether’s back, he held him closer as a choked sob escaped him.

"Shh shh. Aether, can you breathe with me? We breathe in for five, hold it for five, and then let it out for five. Ready?” Zhongli prompted gently, before taking a deep breath, holding it for the first few moments, then releasing. He felt Aether take in a shuddering breath, attempting to copy his actions. He repeated the actions, until he felt the panicking subsiding from the younger male.

“Good good. You are doing such a great job, Aether. One more time for me?” 

Another deep breath in and out and most of Aether’s panic had dissipated. He laid against Zhongli for a moment. Just holding him close. He listens to his soft hums while relaxing against the tender touches placed on his back. It was comforting. He started to run his own fingers along Zhongli. He drew little designs to distract himself. He knew that the older male was waiting on an explanation, but he was holding out on him. A few minutes ticked by as he stayed peaceful bliss.

“Aether…” Zhongli started, but was quickly interrupted.

“What if the object sealed is a person?” 

“Aether.” Zhongli said, more sternly, a hint of anger in his voice. “Do you have a seal placed on you?” 

“Yes…” 

“Who was it?”

“W-what…?” Aether glanced up at Zhongli confused. Why did he want to know?

“Who placed it on you? And what did they take from you?” Zhongli snarled, gently holding Aether closer. No one should have touched him. 

“It was her.” 

“Who is her?”

“The unknown goddess. The one who trapped Lumine and me here permanently. I don’t think I’ve told anyone the full story since Mondstat, but uh, when we were originally trying to leave here, we were stopped… She trapped us here by sealing our powers.” Aether trailed off, swallowing the temptations of panic again. He blinked in confusion when Zhongli gently held his face in his hands making him look up. 

“Aether, listen to me very closely. I will do everything in my power to get the seal removed from you. I do not care who I have to hurt to get it done. But I promise you, your powers will be returned to you. Then you will be free to travel again with your sister. And I will never let her hurt you again” 

“But Zhongli, I… you don’t understand. Even if you break the seal, Lumine and I are still stuck here, permanently.” He could feel the tears again pooling around the corner of his eyes. He cleared his throat and pulled away, looking at the ground, ignoring those amber eyes staring at him questioningly. “When she sealed our powers, she took our wings…” 

“She did what?” His voice was laced with the intent to kill. 

“I can only speak for myself, but it was the last thing that unknown goddess did before we were put into a coma. I… she ripped them out of me Zhongli… I can’t get them back.” It was reluctantly, but he had accepted it months ago when he had first woken up. He couldn’t feel them. Not like his power. He could feel his power. It was there, on the edge of his grasp, but anytime he reached for it, it shrunk away. His wings however? They were gone. He couldn’t feel them. They were vacant. The only remembrance he had of his wings were the last few moments of agony, before they were ripped away from him. 

“She is never going to hurt you again, Aether. I am going to kill her.” 

“No, no. You don’t have to. Please, I’ve already accepted it.” 

“Aether. She hurt someone that I love. She is going to pay the price. It is my contract to you.” 

“Zhongli…” Aether couldn’t help the smile that crossed his face. Especially with such an unique way for someone to admit their love. Leaning up, he pressed his lips hesitantly against Zhongli’s. His kiss was immediately returned, almost greedily. Pulling away was another form of reluctance that Aether would never admit, but alas he needed air. “I love you too, Zhongli.” 

“Aether…” Zhongli murmured softly. He leaned forward, gently pressing their foreheads together in a comforting manner. “I am so sorry for your loss.” 

“It’s okay. I am okay.” 

“But, It’s okay to not be okay.” 

That statement alone is what finally broke him. There was no point in keeping the tough nonchalant traveler act up. Especially with Zhongli, his love. Another sob escaped him, before the dam of tears broke open. The rest of the night was spent with constant reassurance, cuddles, and kisses from his dragon. 

Chapter Text

One two three. One two three. One two three four. ’ Lumine was counting in her head. Counting to keep herself calm. Well as calm as she could be. It had just been a bad dream. That was it. That was all it was. But why did she flee the inn? Why did she run from their little safe haven for the night? She had left Paimon, sleeping on the bed, so she had to go back eventually. But not right now. Not at this moment. Because she couldn’t fucking think straight. The dream… It was haunting. Plaguing her mind. 

‘The unknown goddess stood before her. She already captured her brother leaving her helplessly trying to escape the cubed prison. She tried desperately to pull herself out. But all her struggles stopped the moment she felt a sharp tug on her wings. 

“No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. Please. Please! We’re sorry. We won’t leave. What do you want? Anything but that… Stop it please!” 

The tugging against her wings only became stronger. She could feel her body flexing, trying to do anything to stop the tearing of flesh and tendons as her wings were being ripped out of her. Anytime she was about to lose consciousness, she felt some type of power surge through her, forcing her to stay awake until the procedure was over. She sobbed, begged, pleaded with the god before her to stop. She would do anything to make it stop. However, it only stopped once her wings were ripped off of her body, effectively leaving her flightless. That was the last thing she remembered before waking up on that damn beach.

The feeling of a cold wind rushing past snapped her out of her thoughts. She picked her head up and looked around where she was. Where was she? Recognition ran through her at the sight of a familiar ruin. So she wasn’t that far from Wangshu Inn. Turning to leave she flinched when the familiar sound of a ruin guard hit her ears. She could hear it shifting, seemingly to shoot the missiles towards her. She should run. She should move. She should do something . But there was only one thing that came to mind. She wanted comfort. She needed someone to save her. She didn’t want to fight.

“Xiao.” 

A simple phrase really. She didn’t use it often, out of fear of bugging him too much. But a promise was a promise wasn’t it? Honestly… She expected the missiles to hit her. She didn’t believe he would get here in time. However, warm arms wrapped around her, effectively protecting her from any harm that might bestow her. She felt them move, faster than her brain could process, before effectively being teleported out of harm's way. She felt him gently let her go. She whined, not liking the lack of warmth and safeness she felt in his arms. 

“Traveler, are you injured?” Xiao had shifted away from her when setting her down, but hearing her make a noise of what he thought of pain made him stop short. He reached towards her, when he heard no response, and grabbed her face gently with his hands. He began inspecting, looking for injuries. He prompted again, seeing her far off expression. “Traveler…?”

His voice snapped her out of her thoughts. She blinked slowly, a sense of clarity forming in her eyes again. She felt his warm hands against her cheeks as he delicately looked her over. She could also see the concern leaking out of him. Another cold wind whipped past them, making her shiver. 

“Xiao…” She murmured happily, nuzzling into his hands. 

“Traveler?” He was a bit taken aback by her actions, but seeing as she wasn’t injured, he removed his hands from her. 

“Xiao, just call me Lumine.” She whined tiredly. “And I’m fine. Just tired.” 

“Why are you out so late, Trav- Lumine? It is past midnight. Furthermore, it’s extremely dangerous out here. I would have thought you were smarter than this… ” 

“I went on a walk to clear my head and I.. I know it’s dangerous. I can defend myself.” 

“You say this, yet called my name against a singular ruin guard. There is obviously something else going on. What is it?” His voice was demanding and almost harsh against her ears. Was he mad or more concerned with her well being? Lumine couldn’t tell. Another shiver ran through her, but she remained silent, not knowing how to answer. The dream, fresh in her mind, made her stomach turn. 

“Fine. I am leaving then if me rescuing you is all you need.” 

“NO!” Lumine, before she could think, lunged and tackled him into a hug. Xiao, not expecting that, lost balance and fell backwards. The two of them hit the ground in a tangle of arms and legs.

“I’m sorry. I’m sorry. I’m sorry. I’m sorry. I’m sorry. I’m sorry.” She gasped out as she untangled herself from him. She had landed on top of him and was now awkwardly pulling away. Why was she shaking? She took in short panicked breaths as she tried to breathe. She felt him shift underneath her, sitting up, making it where she was now sitting in his lap. His arms wrapped around her and brought her against his chest. Her own arms wrapped around him to keep him close and she nuzzled into him. 

“Lumine… It’s alright. I’m here.” He gently stroked her hair as he held her closer, hoping to calm her down. A choked sobbed escaped her as she held him tighter. 

“I’m sorry. I’m sorry. I just had a really bad dream… well it’s more like a memory and I couldn’t go back to sleep and I panicked so I left the inn and then I zoned out and suddenly I was near the ruin and then the ruin guard appeared and tried to attack me and so I called you because I didn’t want to fight and I knew that you would protect me and…” She was gasping for air after her rambling off an explanation. 

“Lumine, Lumine. It’s alright. I’m not mad. I don’t need an explanation.” Xiao was a bit lost on what to do, but a brief flash of a memory hit him. Some words of wisdom from Rex Lapis. “Can you… Can you try and breathe with me? We breathe in for five, hold our breaths for five, and then release for five.” 

Lumine nodded, not trusting herself to speak. She copied Xiao as best she could. She breathed in for five, held for five, then released for five. They repeated the actions again and again. Eventually, Lumine's spiraling mind began to slow. Her trialing thoughts could only focus on breathing properly. She sniffled and wiped at her eyes as her panic began to ease. 

“I’m sorry.”

“Do not apologize, Lumine.” He gently brushed a stray strand of hair out of her face. “Would you like to talk about it? Your dream that is. I’ve heard that it can help.” 

“I wouldn’t mind that.” 

“Hm. Let’s go somewhere more comfortable.” He held her tightly against his chest as they teleported into his room at the end. They landed gently on his bed and in turn Xiao reluctantly let Lumine go. She didn’t move away however. She instead nuzzled closer to him and sighed softly. He hesitated, before wrapping his arms around her again, once he realized that she wasn’t moving. 

“Where are we?” She asked softly

“We are in my room at Wangshu Inn. I don’t use it often, but it was given to me for my efforts around Liyue.”

“That was nice of them.”

“Yes, I agree that it was.” 

They fell into a comfortable silence as Lumine organized her thoughts. A few moments passed, before she spoke again. 

“Did… did I ever tell you how I arrived in this world?” 

“Yes, though it wasn’t really detailed. Just a brief run down.” 

“Hmm, so my dream. It involved our encounter with that unknown god. It was more of a memory that I…” her breath caught in her throat as she swallowed back a sob. 

“Take your time…” Xiao murmured encouragingly, gently rubbing circles on her back. 

“She did something to us. Besides sealing our powers.” She pressed herself against him as a slight whimper escaped her. She could almost feel that pain again. 

“Lumine, you do not have to tell me anything you don’t want to. If this is too much, we can stop.” 

“No, I think… I think telling someone will help me. It’s a secret that not even paimon knows about.” She paused before taking in a deep breath. “Xiao. I used to have wings.” 

The statement was clear and concise. She didn’t linger on it much longer. Yet, for Xiao? He stiffened underneath her. She felt his loose arms tighten around her. He held her, almost protectively. 

“Lumine. What did she do to you?” There was a dangerous edge to his voice. This wasn’t Xiao. This was the Conqueror of Demons. And any answer she gave promised the demise of this unknown god. 

“She… Xiao, she ripped my wings out of me.” She choked out gripping onto him tighter, trying to ground herself. She didn’t need to go into another panic attack. “I.. she did something to me… I was awake the whole time. It hurt so much.” Her breathing hitched and a sob escaped her. She leaned into his touch and used him as a way to ground herself. However, she just couldn’t stop crying. 

“Lumine. I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.” He hesitated, before placing a soft kiss on her forehead. He nuzzled against her temple a moment, before placing another kiss against her. He left soft kisses against her skin, pausing between each one to murmur soft words of comfort. He also gently rubbed circles into her back. The comforting actions eventually led to Lumine calming back down. She had reduced down to low sniffles and whimpers instead of full out sobbing. 

“I promise that she will never hurt you again.”

“Thank you…” She swallowed again. That sentence alone almost made her burst into another set of tears. Instead, she leaned up and placed a soft kiss against his cheek. “Thank you again for everything.” 

“Your welcome, Lumine.” A light blush was on his cheeks from the reciprocated kiss. “You need some rest. You’ve had a long night.”

“Are you going to stay with me?” Lumine asked, a hint of desperation in her voice. She did not want him to leave. Not yet at least. 

“Of course.” 

“Can we cuddle?” She asked this meekly and glanced away, a bit embarrassed. A soft genuine laugh left him, but he nodded nonetheless. He shifted until the two of them were comfortably laying down. She was cuddled up against his chest while he rested his head on top of hers. A soft yawn left Lumine as a wave of exhaustion hit her. She nuzzled into him and closed her eyes. The two laid there for awhile, while Lumine drifted in and out on the verge of sleep. Before the darkness could overtake her, she had one more thing to say. 

“Good night… I love you.” 

“Good night, Lumine… I love you too.”

Chapter Text

The wind.  

It softly bristled past, biting into her exposed skin, as she stepped into the land of freedom. Having teleported into the middle of town, she got a few weird looks, but otherwise was ignored. It was late after all. It was pushing past ten at least. Shaking herself out of her thoughts, she wrapped her arms around herself, almost uncomfortably, before rushing towards Angel’s Share. He just had to be there. If not, she didn’t know what she would do. She just had to make sure that he was alright. Pushing her way inside, she gave a small nod to Charles before disappearing further into the tavern. It took her a brief moment to spot him, but there he was in all his “glory”. A sigh of relief escaped her. He was okay. She was going to leave, but she caught his eyes. A genuine smile crossed his face as he maneuvered his way towards her. 

“Well, hello there traveler! What brings you back into the nation of freedom, hmm?” Venti‘s eyes gleamed knowingly as he gave Lumine a cheeky grin. 

“I-” She caught herself and instead shifted uncomfortably, gripping herself tighter. She took a step away, shaking her head, intending to leave. However, a warm hand gently grabbed her by the arm, stopping her in her tracks. She felt Venti move around, coming to face her once again.

“Traveler…?” Concern was evident on his face, a note of seriousness was there as well, something she has never quite seen on the archon. 

She could feel the tears forming in the corner of her eyes again. She stubbornly wiped them away. “It’s… It’s nothing.”

“It’s quite obviously something. Especially if you’ve come all this way. Please, allow this silly little bard to help you.” 

Maybe she could let him help her? Well, more like comfort her. She just really wanted to hold him. A bit selfish she knows. But it was only to truly make sure he was safe . But she couldn’t. Not here. She could feel the few people there staring at her. She was the traveler for archon’s sake. She wasn’t supposed to appear weak in front of them. Taking in a deep breath, she steeled herself for a night alone. 

“It’s nothing important. I shouldn’t have bothered you. I-I’m sorry.” She pulled away, voice cracking a bit towards the end. She could just feel the judgemental eyes of everyone on her. She pushed past him and quickly exited the tavern. Yet again, she was stopped only moments after attempting to leave. He held her arm firmly this time, but not hard enough to hurt. She shifted a bit and her eyes glanced warily towards the few individuals still out this late at night. A wave of understanding passed through Venti as he started to gently pull her along. 

“Traveler, come along now.” 

“I told you that it was nothing.” 

“And yet, I don’t believe you.” 

She fell silent and allowed him to gently drag her away from the tavern. It was a short walk to his home. He had an apartment within one of the buildings close by. He mumbled something about Diluc and Jean providing it for him. In the center of the room was a couch and a table. Along the table, there were many books and papers dedicated to his hobbies. To the right was a small kitchen area and to the right were two doors. She assumed they were entrances to his bedroom and bathroom. She snapped back to attention when she felt herself being gently pushed down onto the couch. She felt him shift away and that wave of uneasiness hit her again. She reached out, grabbing him by the hem of his shirt. She felt him freeze a moment, before shifting closer. She tugged him a bit, drawing him in. Her arms wrapped around his lower back as she buried her face into his stomach. He was here. He was safe.  

“Traveler…” He murmured softly, gently running his fingers through her hair. Any continuation on his part trailed off as a soft whisper escaped her.

“Lumine…” She held him tighter, as a flash of confusion ran through the bard. Apparently it was evident enough as it urged her to continue. “It’s my name.” 

“Lumine… It’s a lovely name…” He hummed a bit, liking the way her name effortlessly slid off his tongue. “Would you mind if we got a bit more comfortable, my love?” 

A light nod escaped Lumine as she pulled away, albeit a bit hesitant. Venti hummed a bit more, placing himself on the couch beside her before promptly pulling her against him. He leaned back a bit, relaxing into the couch. She immediately nuzzled into him, almost melting under the soft fingers running through her hair. They laid there comfortably. The main reason as to why she was here almost left her. Almost . 

“Lumine, my dear, could you perhaps tell me the real reason as to why you came?” 

“I… It’s stupid honestly. It was just a dream …” She mumbled, pressing into him harder. Her eyes squeezed shut, trying to hold back the tears. 

“Lumine, even if it was just a dream it hurt you enough to seek me out and I need to know what it was, so I can help you. So, please my love…” He held her tighter, feeling her need to be close to him. 

“It’s just that… god, it was just a dream, but it was so real… S-she hurt you, like she did to me and… and I-i just couldn’t risk it being true.” Her breathing hitched as her explanation came out strangled, almost like it hurt to talk about. A sob escaped her, unintentionally of course, moments after making Venti hold her closer. 

“Lumine… Lumine. I’m right here. I’m alright. Shh , darling. No one has hurt me. Breathe for me. Please?”  Soothing words escaped him as he tried to pull her away from the panic. Her breath hitched again and her grip on him tightened.

“I-i know that you’re not hurt b-because there would be blood, so much blood and she… she did the same thing to me and god it hurts. It hurts. It hurts. It hurts… b-but then I woke up and they were just gone and I felt so empty and I never ever want it to happen to you.” 

“Lumine, darling, I… I don’t know who you are talking about, but I am never going to let them hurt you again.” He paused a moment, rubbing soothing circles into her back. 

“I’m not worried about me getting hurt. I’m worried about you. I… I just don’t want her to hurt you like she did me.” 

“May I ask what she did? But only if you are comfortable telling me. It’s just that… talking about it might help you. And I want to help you, Lumine.” Venti was desperately missing context. He wanted to know what happened. He wanted to help her. But alas, all he could do was sit here and hold her close. Feeling her tense against him made him backpedal immediately. “Or we can just forget I asked anything and stay like this.” 

“You have wings right?” Lumine asked quickly, forcing herself to relax against him. She started to lightly draw indiscernible figures on him, trying to keep herself calm. 

“I, uh, yes, I do, technically speaking. However, in my current form, I do not possess them. Why do you ask?” The sudden shift in topic had him grasping at clues. Why was this being brought up?

“And you can still like fly, er float, or something? They aren’t like gone gone right? You can get them back?” 

“I call upon the winds and they help me float around my dear. Small perks of being the anemo archon. And of course they aren't gone. I can summon them whenever I please." His mind was racing. What did this have to do with anything? Any ideas or possibilities were blocked by an imaginary wall in his mind. 

"That's good. I'm glad." The words were caught in her throat. She felt the tears welling up and making their way down her face again.

"I do apologize my love, but I am very confused on where this is going. Any ideas I may possibly have are blocked by, per se, my lack of imagination. Could you perhaps lend me some insight…?" 

"I… Venti… " A sharp intake of breath, to steady her nerves, before blurting out the inevitable. "I u-used to have wings. It was how me and my brother traveled to other worlds, but whenever we got t-trapped here, she uh… she ripped them out of us. I-i can't feel them anymore… They are gone now. I-i miss them. But anyways, my dream, no. My nightmare… she… she hurt you too. She took your wings and I could never ever forgive myself if she took yours too. I can't… I couldn't risk it being true, so, so I panicked and came to find you. That… That is why I'm here. And now you know one of my little secrets I don't really tell anyone anymore because it just hurts ." 

So much information was bombarded on the bard at once, but three things stuck out to him: 

Lumine used to have wings.

Someone ripped them for her.

They were going to pay dearly for hurting someone he loved. 

"My darling… Who hurt you?" His voice, sickly sweet, was laced with a tension that was bound to snap. 

"I… I don't really know… It was the unknown goddess. The one I'm searching for. The one who took my brother… " Her voice trailed off as a light sniffle escaped her. Hearing her sound so disheartened and defeated made his heart clench and anger dissipate. Nuzzling into her, he placed light kisses against her head. 

"Lumine, I am so sorry that she hurt you. I vow to you that she will never ever lay a hand against you again. I will always, and I mean always, protect you… And if that means traveling by your side then that is what this silly little bard will do. Again, Lumine, my darling, my love , she is never going to lay a finger on you while I am around. Do you understand?" 

A soft sob escaped her as she nodded rapidly against him. The dam of tears she had been holding back for ages now decided to break. Heart-wrenching sobs left her, but Venti was there. He held her protectively against himself. Soothing words of comfort and love left him. An unspoken understanding ran between them that he would always be there for her. No matter what that situation was. It only made her heart swell with pure unaltered adoration. She was safe . 

"I love you, my silly little bard." She mumbled exhaustedly, eyes closing unintentionally.

"I love you too, my little starflower." He placed a soft kiss on her forehead, before holding her tighter. "Get some rest now, my dear. We have a long journey ahead."

Chapter Text

The moon’s light cut through the forest and shone, almost tauntingly, against the edge of the cliff. It was the cliff that he and Tighnari had set up camp for the night on. The cliff in question wasn’t particularly high enough to kill someone if they jumped, moreso badly injure them. Depending on how the person landed, they might be bedridden for a few weeks and it was a few weeks that Aether didn’t have. He couldn’t test the newfound theory plaguing his mind. He needed to figure out what happened to his sister. Someone he dearly missed. He shook his head, attempting to clear himself of the sad thoughts and went back to tending to the fire. The familiar sharp pain went shooting down his back. A soft hiss of protest escaped him and a quick glance towards the tent showed that Tighnari did not wake. A sigh of relief escaped him. Tighnari had just gone to sleep. He didn’t want to accidentally wake him. They were currently investigating the giant mechanical crab and the other events surrounding it. 

You should jump. Come on. You want your wings back don’t you?

The thoughts startled him. He wasn’t suicidal. Maybe jumping off of a cliff wasn’t the smartest idea in the book, but it was the only idea he had. His wings. He could feel them. They were always on the edge of his mind, only a few paces away, and when he reached out to grab them all he felt was that sick sense of pain. His wings being ripped from him as his powers were sealed… 

A tired distressed whine escaped him as he rested his face into his hands, blocking the world around him. His back was killing him. The pain wasn’t debilitating, but it made his stomach twist uncomfortably. The first time this pain happened? Oh, he screamed and cried. It had scared Paimon half to death. They were exploring a forest in Mondstadt and suddenly he had felt them. His wings. They were right there, but the pain? It was burning. He felt them being ripped from him once again. He woke up hours later seemingly having fallen unconscious after the sudden outburst. Paimon never left his side. From then on, he could handle a little pain. It was just the fact that this pain was constant and he c ouldn’t get rid of it. No matter what he did, it just wouldn’t leave. He has tried everything and at this point he has given up. The only other thing he could think of doing would be forcing his wings out. But that would mean making a dangerous and potentially fatal decision. Tears pricked at his eyes and a choked sob escaped him. He didn’t want to. He didn’t want to at all. He just wanted the pain to stop. 

Maybe, he could ask Tighnari. But he didn’t want to bother the man. He just always seemed so busy. He had to take care of his Forest Watcher duties and help get rid of the withering zones, and help take care of the sick patients. He just… Aether assumed the man didn’t have time for him. Besides, he could still function with the pain. It was only sometimes he couldn’t get up out of bed no matter how much Paimon prodded and poked at him. It was only sometimes his entire brain fogged over to the point he couldn’t remember the day. Another sharp pain ran through him causing another whimper to escape him. He had learned rather quickly that heat helped with the pain, but he was on watch and he could only curl so close to the fire. So, instead he put his head between his knees and tried to deal with it. 

---

Tighnari wasn’t particularly exhausted. He was more tired from running around all day, but he was used to it. He was a busy man after all. After setting up camp, he took the first watch of the evening. He wasn’t intending on waking up the other male, but Aether waking up himself allowed for the change in shift. After a brief goodnight, Tighnari got comfortable and drifted off into a light sleep. 

A sound of distress is what awoke the man up. He blinked blearily, half conscious. He didn’t hear anything for a moment. He was about to go back to sleep and simply related it to his imagination, before another sound caught his attention. It sounded like crying? A moment later a wave of realization hit him. The crying was coming from the Traveler. Silently, he removed himself from the tent and tentatively approached. He didn’t want to risk scaring him off or worse. Tighnari took in the Traveler’s disheveled state and a wave of worry overtook him. Something was wrong.

“Traveler…” He frowned at the lack of response. Tighnari crouched down in front of Aether. His ears twitched hearing the ragged breathing coming from him. It sounded like he was in pain. “Traveler? Are you alright?”

“I-” Aether’s voice cracked and he swallowed heavily. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to wake you. Go back to bed. I’ll be fine.” 

“Hmm…” Tighnari hummed and gently brushed his hand over Aether’s forehead. He didn’t have a fever. “There is something obviously wrong with you. Can I help you somehow?” 

“No. I’ve already tried everything. Well almost and I just can’t risk the last alternative because jumping off the cliff doesn’t seem like the best idea , but it is the only idea I have to just make it stop .” Aether’s breathing had quickened to the point he was hyperventilating. The feeling of hands gently grabbing onto his own made his head snap upwards. He stared dumbly at Tighnari. Why did the other male look so concerned for him?

“Traveler, please- I… Come here. Come here.” Tighnari gently tugged Aether into his chest. Aether immediately latched onto him like a lifeline, sobbing openly into his chest. “It’s alright. Can you try breathing for me, Traveler?” 

“Aether. P-please just call me by my name .” 

“Alright, alright. Aether. That’s such a pretty name” Tighnari murmured. He rubbed soothing circles onto his back, keeping him close. “Can you try and breathe with me? In for four, hold for five, and out for six. Come on, that’s it.” 

Tighnari took a deep breath, held it, and then released it. He continued the same action repeatedly. The first few attempts from Aether were quick and panicked, but slowly and surely his breathing calmed down to a relatively normal pace. Tighnari continued to mumble soothing words, holding him close. A few minutes ticked by before Aether shifted against him, before reluctantly pulling away. He rubbed at his eyes with a small frown. 

“I’m sorry…”

“Aether, there is absolutely no reason why you should be apologizing. It’s alright. However, could you perhaps tell me what was wrong?” 

“I just can’t make it stop and I really want it to stop.”

“What can’t you make stop?” 

“The pain. I just… I just want it to go away. But I’ve tried everything and I can’t-” 

“Aether, why didn’t you come to me? I could’ve helped.” Tighnari asked. He pulled Aether close to him once again. He didn’t like how his breathing quickened when trying to explain. 

“I didn’t want to bother you.” 

“Look at me please.” Tighnari cupped his cheeks with his hands. “You could never bother me. I care about you. So please , tell me how I can help.” 

“The problem is that you can’t .” Aether choked back a sob and pressed himself against him. “Tighnari, I used to have wings.” His composer cracked as he started to sob openly into his chest again.

Tighnari’s blood ran cold hearing those few simple words. His stomach twisted into a knot and he held Aether closer. The implications left a wave of protectiveness coursing through him. “Oh, Aether. I’m sorry. I’m so sorry .” 

“I- I couldn’t stop it. I was too weak. I couldn’t stop her. A-and s-she just took them from me. They're gone. I just want them back. I just want them back.” Aether trailed off softer towards the end as another wave of tears erupted from his eyes. Tighnari just held him closer, rubbing soothing circles into his back.

“ Aether , I promise that whoever did this will not hurt you again. I am so sorry for your loss. I can’t imagine what it feels like and I can’t imagine the pain you are in, but I promise that I will do everything in my power to stop it.” Tighnari’s voice was soft as he spoke. Once he was finished, he pressed a light kiss onto Aether’s forehead, before nuzzling into him. He sat there, murmuring comforting words, as Aether cried into him. Slowly, the crying turned into sniffles and the sniffles turned into yawns. Tighnari hummed lightly, pressing another soft kiss onto his head. 

“How about we get some rest now, Aether?” Before he could answer, Tighnari scooped him into his arms and carried him to the bed. He gently laid the two of them down. His arms remained tightly wrapped around Aether, who subsequently nuzzled into his chest. 

“Good night, Tighnari and thank you.” 

“Your welcome, my love. Now get some rest.”