Genshin Impact BL DISCONTINUED

A new sky: New direction (Aether/Xiao)

Part 2 of 2 <3

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"...don't you want to rest too? I ..heard that most adepti don't sleep much but....you've been watching me for days even weeks now ... why don't you sleep a little? I promise to not leave this room. I won't even go down to talk to Veer Goldet... it's pretty late anyways...", sitting on his bed after arriving at home again, Aether looked at Xiao attentively and, if the yaksha could read him right, worried. How ridiculous considering that he really seemed to compare an adeptus to mere mortals.
"...I don't need to rest but why don't you rest yourself? I assume that you found the day exhausting.", leaning against the window like he always did, Xiao didn't look at Aether in return. He didn't sound worried, not even like he cared, but compared to the rest of the time his voice sounded very neutral. Maybe Zhonglis words were echoing in his mind or he was already  starting to change his opinion about Aether, but no one could've told that. But if only this meant that he wasn't hating him anymore, then the blonde would be happy about it. Small steps. Aether already knew that it would take a lot of small steps to reach a big goal at some point.
"...it was but... I am very grateful that you gave me this opportunity.. I .. already noticed that you don't like people that much, it must have been very exhausting for you too .. so ...thank you very much, really."
"I don't like their company and their ways of thinking, that's all. My purpose is to protect them, not like them. It's exactly the same as with you. I only do what I was asked to do. Enough now, you should sleep."
'...exactly the same as with you.'
Aether sighed quietly when he slipped back under the covers, hiding between layers of cotton and silk so no one could see that he felt uncomfortable about this statement. Small steps huh? Aether was nothing more than a job for the yaksha, he would never forgive him that way, not when he didn't even see him the way he really was. It was strange. They didn't know each other for long but it was bothering the blonde the most. Maybe because he was spending most of his time in Xiaos presence. Lumine trusted the dark-haired and he trusted her, they had formed a strange bond over the time they spent together and Aether honestly was feeling... envious. One side of him was happy to know that Lumine never had to be alone if she didn't want to, that she made so many friends along the way, he really was, but the other side was feeling bad about it. He couldn't help it even if he knew that he was the one to blame, that it was his own fault, but knowing that it eventually would never be the same for him felt horrible.
"Xiao?", still hiding under the blankets, Aether knew that the other could hear him even if he was only whispering.
"It doesn't make any sense, does it? ... everyone who looks at me carries the same expression in their eyes no matter what they say to me. It's the same as yours. An expression that tells me that I don't deserve to ...be. I guess that's exactly how you look at me now...", Aether chuckled quietly, a frustrated chuckle, when he turned under the covers, away from where Xiao was sitting even if he couldn't see him anyways. Some days before the darkness had still been clouding his mind every now and then, leaving him confused and sometimes angry, but right now it were just his own feelings, his own vulnerability.
"Aeth-... ... you won't change anything if you pity yourself. Those who do not want to listen will not understand and those who listen have to decide for themselves which way they want to go. Who do you want to beg for forgiveness to? Gods that do not listen? Archons you decided against? Do you think your sister got anything for free? If you think that way, you should begin to listen first before asking others to hear. ...... and stop hiding.", at the moment in which he had almost spoken Aether's name, it had sounded almost warm, but this barely lasted a few seconds. Xiao had sounded stern, a little judgmental but not mean. The blonde had heard him move, but was still startled when the bed dipped next to him shortly after. Crawling out of his self made blanket cave, Aether looked completely disheveled and confused as he looked at the other, who was now sitting so close to him.
"You wanted someone to listen to you? Then talk, I'm waiting."
"...huh?"
"You kept talking all the time but none of it had any meaning, why don't you stop wasting your time and tell me what you want me to listen to?"
"...You want to hear about my past motives?"
"Whether I want it or not doesn't matter. You wanted me to rest and I will while you tell me the truth."
"I............huh? ...  ... eh yes, yes of course.."