Milion dollar man

Chapter 11

The gentle wind of Mondstadt blew, carrying with it more Dandelions than usual, gift of summer.

The sun was high and proud, illuminating a clear, unperturbed by any clouds.

It's rays hit a rather peculiar mask, mask set on one side of the man who carried it.

The individual didn't seem to take notice of the summer warmth, as a fur coat twice his size was wrapped around him. The man wasn't exactly small himself.

Chin held up high, shoulders straight with a determined pace in his walk.

The hilichurl that were in his ways didn't even dare to attack him, they almost seemed frightened by him.

He didn't spare them something as little as a glance, as he made his way up his hills.

His eye was fixated on the peak of the hill, almost as if he was waiting to see something, or someone.

And soon enough, he did.

A body, seemingly asleep, laying on the ground.

When the man finally got close enough, he stopped in his tracks.

A dark smile took over his lips, almost completely the other half of the mask.

"Finally found you, Aether."

Ever since he first heard of him, eavesdropping on a conversation between Tartaglia and Pulcinella, he became fixated on the boy.

The heroic acts that had everyone intrigued in him, the sweet personality that could make anyone fall in love, the endearing beauty that could make anyone fall at his mercy.

And now, the infamous traveler was literally at his feet. And the stories didn't do him any justice.

Just the sight of the long blonde hair, the shining skin, or just the aura that seemed to surround the sleeping boy exceed whatever expectations he had in his head.

He didn't look human, he didn't look real.

His nose picked up on the faint scent that was radiating off of the boy. It was sweet and soft, elegant and dominant but not overwhelming.

Without thinking about it, he crouched down. He brought one hand to pick one single hair, that was sitting prettily on the traveler's face. It was almost framing him.

He toyed with the soft strand, but his eyes were still on the boy's face.

He was endeared, enchanted, powerless in front of the blonde beauty.

If only things were easier, he would've taken the boy in some God forsaken place, to keep him to himself.
For nobody to touch, but him.

But... things just weren't that simple.

He knew that that irritating boy, Tartaglia, had spoke about Aether to the Tsaritsa.

He knew what he had told her, and he knew that she was after him.

And one thing that he had learned in the time beside her, was that the Tsaritsa stopped, at nothing if it was to get what she wanted.

He still wanted to figure out why she wanted the boy.

Of course, he had no doubt that she was just as smitten as everybody else about him, but the cryo wasn't that simple.

She planned to use him, he just didn't know how, yet.

He would let her have that for now. He wasn't no idiot.

Out of all the things people talked about regarding Aether, the recurring topic was always how other-worldly hsi strength was.