Rising Storm || Genshin Impact

42: Giving Up

SORRY FOR THE SLOW AF UPDATES HAHAHAAASOIHSIOF

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A heavy sigh seeped through Aether's lips as he hung his head down low. Paimon stared back at him, almost teary-eyed, as she waited for a response. The city streets were so alive, and yet, it was so silent.

"You're..." Aether whispered. "You're right, Paimon. I don't know what's gotten into me..."

He plopped himself down on the stone steps, his forehead grasped between his hands. As if one cue, Paimon flew to float beside him.

"I do want to help Mondstat; I do want to help my family, here," he murmured. "But...I just want to go home, Paimon."

His fingers crawled up to grip at his blonde locks.

"I feel so lost. What am I even supposed to be doing right now?"

Paimon looked down at her friend, who's hands covered the view of his face. Aether wasn't crying, she knew. Aether only ever cried when talking about Lumine, and that was a subject he reserved for his most vulnerable moments. 

If Paimon were to look through Aether's palms, she would see a storm of guilt and confusion, all crammed into a single expression on the traveler's face. 

It was strange, really. The Honorary Knight had never opened up like this; he had never admitted to any feelings of neglect or insecurity, he had never once spoken of his own uncertainty or discontent. The two had been traveling together for what's felt like an eternity now, and yet, Paimon has only seen the bits of Aether that he wanted to share.

Aether's facade had broken down. Now that he had stepped down from his pedestal, Paimon wasn't even sure how to respond.

"It...it must be hard," she muttered. "Being separated from your family in an unknown world, Paimon can't even imagine it. And to be fair, the people here haven't been that much of a help, huh?"

Aether twitched. "That's not what I meant...but come to think of it, Amber's the only one who actually tried to lend a hand."

He sighed. "I feel like the people forget that I'm just a traveler too."

The pixie nodded. "Paimon can understand."

"What should I do?"

Aether looked up from his lap, his gaze burning onto his companion's. 

"What would be the right thing to do?"

Paimon stared back at him. 

"I-I don't know..." she uttered. "What else is there to do? Paimon thinks you should stay."

Aether gulped down. It wasn't the answer he wanted, but it was one he expected. 

"Paimon knows it's hard," the fairy murmured. "You don't always have to be sure of yourself, you don't always have to love what you have to do. But you have to pull through. Paimon knows you can do it!"

The traveler widened his eyes. 

"So you're saying that I should just cope?" he murmured. 

"Is coping not hard enough?" Paimon asked. "Some things, Paimon can't control. But just because Paimon doesn't have a choice doesn't mean she runs away."

"But I don't want to keep going on like this..." Aether sighed. "I just feel like a part of me is always kept at a distance. If I stay here, then the thought of Lumine just out there..."