Abyss Aether × Xiao || You can try to escape ||

Found

(Aethers POV)

I reach my arms out for him.

"XIAO!" I cry. I start running towards him as well. When I get close enough to him, I pull him into my chest and hold him close. He flinched for a second but doesn't try to escape my embrace.

"Thank god you're okay!" I whisper. He looks into my eyes.

"You came for me Aether" he mumbles. I smile as I don't let him go. I turn my attention back to all the Fatui guards.

"Trust me Xiao" I mutter, before picking Xiao up and throwing him over my shoulder. He yelps slightly in surprise.

"AETHER!" he yells. I giggle quietly. I point my sword back at the guards and charge towards them, making my way back to the exit. They were still pretty easy to defeat, even with me carrying Xiao on my shoulder.

After I defeat all of the guards, I make my way towards the exit, knocking out anymore guards that appear with ease. Once to the exit I have to admit that I was quite pissed. I didn't get to kill the Doctor, but it would be hard to do it with Xiao here, so it's fine.

I leave a note on one of the knocked out Fatui guards. It was a warning to the Doctor that if he wanted a fight, he can come find me for one. I leave the lab and come back to the Herald that was waiting outside. He opens a portal up for me and Xiao and we head back to the Inn. I'm still carrying Xiao on my shoulder.

Once back inside the Inn, I put Xiao down on the bed and sit next to him. I put my head on his shoulder, and completely pass out.

~Xiaos POV~

"Aether?" I whisper when he goes completely limp against my shoulder. I slightly shake him, but he doesn't respond. The Abyss Herald from earlier walks into the room.

"His Highness has been awake for the past 3 days, and has been using a lot of his energy. It all probably just caught up with him. He will probably be out for awhile" The Herald tells. I can't tell if I'm happy or not. I put my arm around Aether and lay him down on the bed. I leave the room and go down to speak with Verr.

"Hey Verr?" I question. She looks up at me.

"Oh Adeptus Xiao! What brings you here?" she smiles.

"I was wondering if you could give me some tips?" I mumble, slightly embarrassed for asking a mortal for help. She seems shocked at first before smiling at me again.

"Why of course. What is it you need tips for?" she asks.

I pause, trying to think of how to word it without sounding weird.

"Can you tell me how to take care of someone else...like in a nursing kind of way" I blurt out quickly, trying my best to keep a straight face.

"Oh...." she whispers, shock very obviously written on her face. I glare at her and she quickly smiles again to assure that she's not making fun of me.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to say that. I can tell you all the tips I know of"

*Verr tells Xiao all the basic tips of taking care of someone else*

"I see....I understand" I confirm. I thank her before walking back up to my room. I stop on the balcony for a minute. As I'm standing there, someone calling my name catches my attention.

I teleport to the source of the voice, just to be met with an excited traveler.

"Xiao!" she cheers. I'm confused as to why she called me hear.

"What is it, Traveler?" I question. She doesn't seem to be in any danger.

"I was just wondering if you want to attend Lantern Rite with me next week?" she smiles. All I do in response is sigh.

"Traveler, you know I won't go into place crowded with mortals right?" I breathe. She nods but continues to smile like she expects me to say yes.

"Traveler, I'm not going. I'll watch from somewhere quiet and vacant" I tell. She stops smiling and sighs in defeat.

"Fine then, I'll just go and invite Aether instead. I haven't seen him for a while" she boos. She begins walking towards the Inn before I stop her.

"Aether is sleeping right now. It's best not to bother him Traveler" I speak. She seems confused but then begins to question me.

"So what if he's asleep? I'll just wake him up like always" she laughs.

"Traveler. It's best to keep your antics to yourself and allow your twin to rest when needed. When someone sleeps, it's because they need it. Even I know that about mortals" I scoff. She seems thrown off guard by this before looking down in defeat.

"Alright, alright. You got a point" she mumbles. She heads back off to Liyue Harbor. I teleport back to the Inn to check up on Aether.

When I get there, he's still tucked in the bed, sleeping soundly. I head over to the couch and sit down. Now all I can really do is wait for him to wake up. I will follow Verr Goldets tips. I run down and grab a bunch on medicines and other things and make my way back up to the room.

I know that there are monsters near the Inn that I have to deal with so I make sure that the door is locked and everything that Aether will need is in the room before I leave.

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After dealing with every monster around, I look over to the Harbor and see the Lantern Rite in action. I should head over to the Harbor, but I have to watch over Aether. I go back up to the room and to my surprise, Aethers eyes are open and he's trying to get out of the bed. He still looks tired as hell though so why would he be trying to get up.

"Aether, what do you think you're doing?" I announce. He seems surprised by my appearance and looks over at me.

"I was gonna....." he trails off as a yawn escapes his mouth. I walk over to him and push him back down on the bed, pulling the blanket back over him.

"You're clearly still tired, so go back to sleep" I whisper. He looks at me, his eyes almost shut with bags underneath them.

"But I don't wanna sleep...." he mumbles. I sigh and sit down next to him.

"I don't care if you don't wanna. You need sleep and I won't leave until you fall asleep" I sigh. He pouts at me and looks away, turning his back to me.

"Stop being petty" I speak. He laughs quietly. He turns back towards me and wraps his arms around my waist, hugging me. I stare at them in confusion.

"Alright, if you really want me to sleep, then I'll listen" he coo's. I turn my head to look back at him. I put hands over his, which are still on my waist.

"Then go to bed already.....you idiot"

He smiles, closing his eyes and falling back asleep. I sit there for a while longer before removing his hands from me and going back to the balcony.

"You need to take better care of yourself Aether.....if not for yourself, then do it for me. I don't want to see you hurt anymore...." I whisper, sadness filling my heart. I look out to the Harbor, and think about something that could maybe make Aether happy.

"Maybe I could invite him to Lantern Rite when he gets better..."