It's never too late to love, isn't it? °Xiao x Aether°

Chapter 2: Aether

Actually it hadn't been Xiao's intention to show up.
No.
In fact, he didn't want to.
But he had made a promise he would not break, and that's what Aether's call is all about.
So he showed up.

Well, he really didn't want to, but that wasn't so much the traveler's fault as more his own, or better yet, neither of them.
But when he teleported near the call, he saw said traveler leaning against the grounds on the terrace of Wang Shu Inn, with his back turned to him.

Xiao was confused and wanted to say something, but when Aether didn't speak and just kept looking at the dark sky, the Adeptus decided to stay calm and leaned into the shadows against the wall.
He now doubted that Aether had summoned him for a reason. Presumably he had said his name for some reason without realizing it. So he just shook his head and wanted to leave again since the traveler didn't obviously need his help.

But then it happened that aether turned around.

Both of their hearts stopped for a split second as they looked into each other's eyes. It was quiet, nothing could be heard.
Just the wind blowing through the leaves of the big tree and playing with both of their hair while their eyes didn't break from each other.
Aether looked him straight in the eye, making him feel a little uneasy about guilt.
He clenched his fingers in a fist and looked away, he couldn't.

"Aether, I..."

bang

A loud bang broke the loud unbearable and charged tension and made both of them flinch. A bottle of wine has just been opened inside the inn and the contents poured into a wide glass. Loud laughter rang out and the conversations took their course. But they didn't notice any of this at that moment.

Xiao's eyes were still on Aether when he couldn't hold back his laughter after such an absurd situation. In the end, he couldn't hold back his laughter and had to hold his stomach from laughing, so that Xiao finally became soft and had to smile too.

When the blond boy collected himself and stopped laughing, he noticed the other person's gaze and didn't know what to say. So does Xiao.
He was slightly overwhelmed.
He hadn't realized how much he liked the other's presence.
Should he say something?
Explain to him why he distanced himself from him? That it had to do with his condition and past.
But how is he supposed to tell a human how he felt?
Could he understand it at all?
Not remotely and nobody could change that.

So he sighed as usual and crossed his arms over his chest and adopted a certain tone.

"Long time no see," he said, ignoring that he wasn't in a position to say it.
Aether obviously didn't know what to answer until he stood straight in front of him and looked at him.

"That doesn't surprise me.", the blond just said. Without the hint of reproach in his voice, he looked into the distance before turning back to him and slowly opening his mouth.

"I'm honestly only here because of an assignment I accepted here..but you probably already know that."
He added, which made Xiao fall silent imperceptibly.
"Sometimes when I'm fighting enemies or in trouble, I have to think about your offer or promise you made me. That you would come when I called you. After all, you watch over the people of Liyue and protect them, without one thanks or asking your well-beeing.."

This made Xiao flinch and his eyebrows furrow.
"What are you getting at?"
Not thrilled by the traveller's sudden confrontation.
"Did you call me just to question my life choices? And anyway, what do you know."
Honestly, he didn't know what got into the traveler and apparently neither did he, because his eyes didn't shine as usual, on the contrary, they looked quite dull.
"You haven't been drinking, but you should sleep, you're not quite sane."