Loss - A Hu Tao Centered Fic

Chapter 6

A part of Aether was worried about coming to visit Hu Tao after two weeks of not seeing the Funeral Director.

For all he knew, Hu Tao probably was going to blow up in his face.

For all he knew, Hu Tao probably was going to simply ignore him no matter what he said.

For all he knew, Hu Tao probably was going to question Aether as to why he was visiting.

There were many more things that could've happened. He's just glad that she didn't do the first two options. He really wanted to explain as to why he was here to begin with. But what he wasn't expecting was to hear Hu Tao, who just a few moments ago was saying her relationships with everyone at Guyun Stone Forest had been burned, having her breath being shattered.

"I-I'm s-sorry Aether a-and Paimon." When Aether and Paimon looked back up, they saw that Hu Tao was crying.

"Why are you apologizing?" Aether asked, looking at his friend, noticing that there were three butterflies in the office with them.

"B-Because!" Two more butterflies appeared. "I-I t-talked t-t-to you in such a h-harsh a w-way," one more butterfly. "I-I a-attacked you w-with my polearm, I-I t-tried to h-hurt you when y-y-you were just trying to make sure I was o-okay." Another butterfly. "I'm so-sorry for b-being a b-bad f-f-friend Aether a-and Paimon. I-If you're both mad w-with me, I-I understand. I-I deserve it." Two more appeared.

Aether and Paimon were stunned. No one was in the wrong here. Not Aether. Not Paimon. Not even Hu Tao. Aether didn't know what to say to calm Hu Tao down. So he didn't, he simply stood up, and walked to the other end of the desk.

"Get up." Aether simply said, looking at the brunette woman.

"W-Why?" She asked, not looking up at Aether's gaze.

"Just, please Hu Tao." Aether replied.

Hu Tao, while hesitant obeying, stood up, still not looking at Aether.

Hu Tao didn't know what to expect. So much so, she halted in her crying. She never expected to suddenly feel herself move forward. She never expected to be pressed up against something. She never expected to feel herself get slightly warmer from the compression. She never expected to feel something going up and down rubbing her back. She never expected to remember the feeling she was feeling.

Then it clicked.

Aether was hugging her.

Aether, a friend she surely thought she burnt her friendship with, was comforting her.

The tears started to store in her eyes, some starting to fall out. As much as she tried to hold it in, she couldn't hold in her sniffles.

"You holding some of it in." Aether said, not moving from where he stood. "Let it all out."

A part of Hu Tao didn't want to for some reason. She knew she let out her true feelings just now, but for some reason, she wanted to try and ignore her feelings. She wanted to appear strong to Aether and Paimon for some reason. She just wanted to forget all of what just happened.

Despite this, she raised her arms up and wrapped them around Aether's torso. Aether could tell that she didn't want to let go with how tight she was hugging him.

"You've been having a hard time these past two weeks, am I right Hu Tao?"

Hu Tao didn't speak, she didn't want to. But she did nod her head against Aether's chest.

"Have you been lonely?"

Again she nodded, some more tears coming out.

"Like, alone alone?"