When We Met . Xiao × Aether . Modern Au

The Meeting

[Readers Pov]

Aether ran through the slippery streets of Liyue, he missed Mondstadt and had wanted to finish his commissions before the rain started coming down. But, here he was, the rain coming down in sheets, Much to hard to travel back to Mondstadt.

He rushed through the empty streets as he made his way to the inn. He could see it now, the orange light glowing warmly, inviting him to come.

He was only a few steps away when it happened. He slipped while running and felt himself falling backwards. His hands shot out to catch him when he felt them touch something. A hand caught his back and suddenly, he was looking up into the face of a handsome young man.

The man was wearing a cloak, the hood of it had evidently fallen off in the strangers haste to catch Aether. He had raven black hair with a touch of sea blue. His eyes were the most magnificent gold. The kind that seemed to pull you into the sparkling depths.

Aether quickly found his balance and stood up. "Thank you so much for catching me!" He smiled nervously at the man.

The stranger looked at the golden haired boy and replied coldly, "You shouldn't run on slippery surfaces."

His voice was soft and melodic, while also calm and comforting.

The disapproval in his eyes was evident as he surveyed Aether. Aether felt like a bug under a microscope as the savior looked him up and down. Something about this meeting was familiar though.. It was a strange feeling. Warm but wary, the memories were stirring but they hadn't surfaced yet.

"I haven't seen you before, what is your name?"

"H-huh?" Aether blinked in surprise, he pulled himself out of his thoughts and replied "Aether, my name is Aether. I am a traveler who has recently found a place to stay in a city named Mondstadt. What is your name?"

"Xiao," he replied.

The memories were restless now. What was it that he needed to remember? He knew there was something he just couldn't grasp what. "I should probably go, thanks again for saving me!" He called, dashing away and into the inn.

The rain pitter pattered around Xiao as he stood looking after the shining boy. "Bye, I guess.."

.

Aether woke up early in the morning. The clock read 3 a.m. He stared outside into the gray dawn. The rain had stopped but it didn't matter to Aether. He was no longer in any hurry to leave Liyue. "Xiao.." he murmured the name. He had finally remembered where he had met him before. "Haaah.. how could I forget?" He wondered aloud. "I've found you again.. and this time I'll try and not lose you."

[Xiao's Pov]

"It's late afternoon and I'm walking down a road when he runs up to me. The shining boy that i met yesterday. I think his name was Aever..? Wait no, Aether.

Aether comes up to me, panting, and he goes, "X-xiao, w-ait a.. a second," He looks like he ran all the way here you know, and he's sweaty and all and he goes, "Do you.. remember me?"

Now i dont know what he takes me for but we literally met yesterday, now I'm not dumb or anything- so I go, "yea, yea i know you." He looks really happy now and opens his mouth to speak, but then I go, "your the one who almost fell right?" At this point, he looks disappointed, saddened, like what- he confirms it was him so why is he sad?"

[Readers Pov]

Xiao is sitting at a table in a pub with two other men. One has golden orange hair cut short, with stunning, electric blue eyes. The other wears his beautiful, dark brown hair in a long pony tail. The second mans eyes are gold, not like Aethers sunshine and rainbows happy gold, but like a molten pool gold.

A red haired man with a ponytail is wiping glasses and watching the hustle bustle of the crowd. They're sitting in the middle of all the mess.

"What do you think of this story?" Xiao asks the other two.

The ginger like hair colored dude speaks up, "Maybe you met somewhere else, you might've forgotten?"

"Seriously, Childe? Xiao has great memory, he surely would have remembered if that was the case? And didn't you hear him say that Aether was a traveler? Xiao has never been too far out, right?" Mr. Ponytail turns to Xiao, waiting for an answer.

"Well... you see guys.. there was that one time, as a child, when i wandered too far away and got lost, I was very far. I don't remember meeting anyone though?" Xiao looked troubled and his two friends consoled him.

"Don't worry about it Xiao! If you cant remember there is no way goldie can." Childe grinned at Xiao "Right, Zhongli?" He added, addressing the brown haired man.

"Mhm.." Zhongli wasn't listening and Childe whacked him lightly on the arm.

"Oh for the love of archons, atleast try.."

Xiao looks amused as the two start bickering, loudly. He looks at the wine bottles scattered around them, then at the rosy pink cheeks and sighs.

While Aether has remembered Xiao, Xiao remains clueless, then again... there's a reason for that.

.

Aether was walking along a beach when he found Xiao. Xiao was sleeping on a rock and Aether, curious, wandered closer. He admired Xiao's looks and was playing with his hair when he woke up. After that misunderstanding was cleared up, there were many, many more. However, each one led them to understand each other and they grew closer. But then, Aether eventually developed a crush on Xiao.

It was small and harmless at first, but it grew and grew until Aether was miserable, so sure the Xiao didn't like him back. Xiao noticed his silence and the gloom he brought with him everywhere and tried everything to cheer him up. Nothing worked.

In his last attempt, Xiao took Aether to see some beauriful waterfalls, on their way there however, Aether lost his balance and in his panic, shoved Xiao forward while flailing his arms around. Xiao fell and hit his head, Aether, stricken with despair ran for help. When he came back, Xiao was gone.

Aether didnt know, as nor did Xiao, that the injury caused some minor memory loss. It buried those bittersweet memories of them together down deep, deep, deep, to forever be hidden. He also didn't know that while he was gone, some people found Xiao and took him to save him. Eventually, Xiao became all but a faint memory for Aether, and then he just wasn't there anymore.

Aether swore after the meeting the previous night, he would find Xiao and try and get him to also remember, he set off this morning to go look for his ex-crush but only found him after hours of looking. After letting him leave once again, Aether felt determinded to make him remember.

[Hey! Pademelon here! Thank you so much for reading this chapter and sticking to the end of it <3 I really haven't planned out anything so please just chill with me as i try and figure out my jumble of thoughts. I believe I will make chapter 2 a little about more Aether? Maybe not though. Anyways, good luck with all your wishing and I'll see you next episode!]