To Bask in a Ray of Sunlight: a XiaoAether fanfiction

Chapter 18

Aether.

"Your party was rather fun. I'd look forward for another celebration next year, yes?"

Despite being way shorter than him, I've succesfully pulled Tartaglia next to the waypoint to get him out of the teapot. "You'll be invited again as long as you won't team up with Kaeya to pull up pranks. Now go, it's almost night time." I said.

"Yes, sir!" At last, he went out. I sighed as I wipe my sweat out of my forehead, exhausted. The celebration was indeed fun, but it sucked up almost all of my energy.

I was about to go back to the mansion to make sure everything is already clean when Xiangling's voice was heard from a distance. "Oh, I thought you're going to follow after Tartaglia." She said.

"Not really, I was just about to check the house."

"Oh, don't worry. Chongyun already cleaned the rest that wasn't cleaned properly. Xingqiu's helping him. It'll be okay to leave you with the two, right?" I only nodded in response. "Well then, until our paths cross again! Happy birthday, Aether."

"Thank you." I waved my hand as she dissapeared, the waypoint teleporting her back to Teyvat.

As I opened the main door of my house, what I saw was clearly expected between the two. Chongyun, being a naturally kind person, was wiping the vase with a paper towel until it was squeaky clean while Xingqiu, on the other hand, was just standing still in the middle, reading a book.

"Sometimes I can't quite understand how you fell in love with Xingqiu." I took the paper towel off of Chongyun's hand and threw it in the bin. "And that's enough cleaning. I know you're tired as well after the kids went to play with you."

"That Klee is scary, I can say. That bomb of hers made me almost lose my cool." Chongyun said as he sat down on the sofa, laying his head down.

"Yun-yun, we should go back soon. Our families must be already waiting for us," Xingqiu kneeled down and pinched Chongyun's cheek. "Ow," he uttered. Xingqiu pulled Chongyun up and held his hand. "Xiao is waiting for you outside as well. It'll be better of you go with us." We went out of the mansion and left the teapot together.

As we arrived at Teyvat, Xiao was the first one who welcomed us back.

He shook his head. "Nothing out of the ordinary. My room is safe and sound throughout the party." Xiao reported.

"That's good to hear." Xingqiu smiled. Xiao's expression is still as bland as ever, but a hint of confusion was seen on his face when he replied back. "It is dissapointing to say but we must go back home. We've been gone the whole day," he looked at Chongyun, who was already half-asleep despite the fact that he was standing up.

"Can you even travel in such distance at night? We can accompany you both if you want to," I offered.

"Oh, don't worry about us. We've already travelled farther than this together; this will be just a piece of cake for us." We all went out of the inn and down to the bottom floor, where the dining tables are placed for the customers who walks in for meals. There we all said our goodbyes and saw the couple off.

"Good thing there's not much people today, huh?" I said as we waited for the elevator to arrive at the ground floor.

"The night is indeed peaceful today." Xiao answered back.

"How was the party?"

"It was.......wild." he sighed. "A lot of unexpected things happened such as that blue-haired guy with an eyepatch and that Tartaglia.....calling me his stepson because he's married with Mr. Zhongli while that blue-haired guy cheer him on." He held my hand as he started getting inside the elevator, making me follow him. "But the celebration was indeed joyful. Nothing bad happened......" He was then lost in thought.

"Yes, nothing." His grip loosened up. "I'm glad..." he mumbled, his eyes fixed at the night sky, the full moon enlightening the darkness.

It was early in the morning when I woke up. Xiao wasn't beside me as usual.

When I went down to the kitchen, I was suprised by a feast served on the table. I was the one who usually cook our own breakfast. Paimon, as usual, was already eating before I even sat down.

"Good morning, Aether." Before I even turned around to see him, he already grabbed my waist from the back and kissed my nape as he placed a cup of coffee on the table.

I feel full already and my soul ready to ascend to Celestia.

"W-what makes you feel so motivated today?" I asked, trying my best not to fall down by holding on to the edge of the dining table.

"I...just feel like it." Xiao said.

"Come on, seeing you two like that doesn't improve Paimon's apetite at all." Paimon slammed the table with her tiny hands. "Plus, we have an important mission to do so Paimon needs to eat well today!"

He moved a chair for me to sit before he sat beside me. "A mission? Maybe I could help." Xiao offered.

"No, we got this. Besides, we're just going to check some locations. It won't be dangerous at all." I assured him.

After that, our meal went on with a peaceful conversation. After we finished our meal and cleaned the dishes, We both parted ways, promising that we'll see each other later at night inside the inn.

I had been resting for days. I do wish that I can continue such peaceful life, but there are things I must accomplish to solve every issues at hand.

First, I have to follow the leads of my sister's whereabouts.

"This is the last one." Paimon said.

At last, we've arrived at the highest point of Qingyun Peak, just below the floating abode we've accidentally found out long ago. We looked around the cliffs and even at the bottom of the peak.

".......no signs of your sister, either." Paimon went to me after checking every side of the point.

"I'm quite unsuprised, to be honest. It was Childe who said that, after all." I slid through the smooth surfaces of the mountain, slowly going down. A Fatui's words usually either have something hidden behind or simply a hoax to ignite emotions, only to collapse in the end.

"Still, we travelled for a whole day climbing mountains! There must be som-AH!" Paimon screeched as a fiery arrow flew towards us, almost hitting my head if I didn't dodge in time. I swiftly located its origin while descending from the peak. "Paimon, come on, hide!" She dissapeared in an instant. I took shelter from one of the cave-like stones nearby.

Peak of the Mt. Aocang; I'm pretty sure there are around 3 Fatuis. Perhaps that information Childe gave me last time was a trap?

I clicked my tongue in frustration. If I knew how to fight with a bow, I could've just eliminate them from right here. It was then until I thought of something.

The waypoint.

Without further ado, I used the Teleport Waypoint to Mt. Aocang. Little did I know, it was a trap waiting for me to be opened up.

A group of Cryogunner Legionnaires, Electrohammer Vanguards, and a couple of Pyroslinger Bracers are all pointing their charged attacks on me as soon as my body emerged from the waypoint.

Well, this is going to be wild.