In the name of love [Xiao x Aether]

8.

It has been a few weeks ever since that kiss. Xiao has been a little distand and would not let Aether get to close and in truth he was to scared to do anything. This morning he did want to kiss the other but he had not the nerve to do so so instead of doing that he takes Aether his hand like a child would with their parent not wanting to get lost or something. Aether turns to look at Xiao giving him a smile and holds his hand back "what is it?"

"Can we go to the lantern rite festival? Together...just us two" he whispers so Paimon would not hear.

(I have never experienced this event before but i know it is coming up. If i write it wrong i apologise since i know people are very fond of this event)

Aether gives Xiao a nod and a warm smile giving Xiao his hand a light squeeze aswell "i would love too...just us two " he smiles brightly liking the idea.

Seeing Aether smile so warmly at him at first before smiling so bright makes the adepti his heart beat faster. He just lets go of Aether his hand and gives him a nod "then i will be off...i will see you tonight. Meet me on the cliff side where there is a good view of everything"

"Where no people are? You sure want a romantic spot hm?" Aether lightly teased but seeing Xiao burn up he furrows his brows and cup his face "i am teasing Xiao. It is perfect "
At this point the adepti is blushing a very dark red and is looking down. He just gets out of the other his hold and just walks out of the house to set a few things up at said spot.
Aether smiles softly and just gives Paimon her breakfast as Paimon really has been acting like his child that he takes care of but in truth...she just likes being spoiled and taken care off. Aether just takes a apple for himself before he heads out of the house all by himself so he can walk trough Liyue harbor. He sees a lot of people he knows so it is hard to pick who he wants to meet first but that soon would be changed when he feels a arm wrap around him and somebody mess up his hair.

It was Childe as Zhongli soon joins Aether his otherside "where is the little grumpy guy?" Childe asks.

"Setting up a few things i suppose. We will meet on the cliff side where it will only us. We will watch the fireworks together" Aether smiles up at them both.

Zhongli thinks for a moment but smiles softly and then gives Childe a knowing look since they had a romantic moment once while watching fireworks together "i will speak with him" he spoke and just like that Zhongli dissapears in the growd.

Childe just keeps talking with Aether for a while buying him a drink before walking of to the now returning Zhongli.

Aether smells the drink and it is clear that there is alcohol in it. He drinks it nontheless but in small sips not wanting to get drunk. The next person he would meet is lady Ninguang and Beidou who are walking together yet upon seeing the traveler want to walk passed them Beidou pulls the other in for a hug whos face was pretty much in her breast as Beidou kind of did it on purpose as a joke. Ninguang chuckles and smiles at them before she places a hand on Beidou her shoulder "leave the poor thing be"

When Beidou lets the blonde go she can see how dark the traveler is blushing "we should get going but it was good seeing you again kid. Kazuha is still in Inazuma so he will not be joining us" she spoke patting Aether his head before they keep walking.

Aether was standing there. Frozen in place for a good minute before he manages to continue to walk meeting up with many more others but he sees one of his friends is still at work. Hu Tao. He would walk over to her and place a hand on her shoulder "i could sense you coming from miles away. Did you try to scare me?" She smiles at the traveler when turning to face him.

Aether chuckles and shakes his head "no i was not. I just came to say hello and tell you you should stop working and enjoy the festival"

Hu Tao raises a brow before she laughs and shakes her head "the death do not rest traveler. Zhongli came here earlier to ask me to come along but my awnser will remain the same!" She smiles at the other placing her hands onto her hips "it is a no-...i  will scare people of anyways"
The blonde just pulls Hu Tao into a hug knowing she may not like it but he just feels bad she does not have any friends and if she does..it is not a lot. Hu Tao was tense in the hug but eventually pats Aether his back not giving a full hug back since she simply is not used to anybody hugging her. "Go on. Enjoy the festival"
When Aether pulls away from the hug and turns to leave he hears her call out for him one more time so he turns around to look at her. "Thank you..." Hu Tao spoke sounding more sincere then playfull as she appreciated the hug.

When Zhongli had left Childe and Aether back then he finds Xiao with easy and for a normal human it would be hard to get there so he knows Xiao wanted privacy. "You have everything set up well. A blanket to sit on, a few pillows just in case you two want to lay down, food, drinks, flowers...you outdid yourself" he spoke standing besides Xiao.

Xiao looks at what he had set up and nods feeling proud of himself "i have been distand to him...i am not proud of that so i want to make up for it...i want him to make me except that i am accually capable of love. I want him to force me to hug him for a hour or something "he jokes.

Zhongli smiles a little letting out a soft hum "perhaps something more then a hug will happen tonight"

"A kiss?" Seeing Zhongli give him a look Xiao his eyes go wide and he blushes as dark as he possible could turning away to look in a other direction so nobody could see his blush despite that already being too late "no...that will not happen. I will not allow for it to happen..."

Zhongli gives the other a smile and gives him a pat on the shoulder "in the moment anything can happen."

"But not ...that...it is inappropriate. Such a thing should only be don-..."

"Me and childe are not married yet-.."

"Gross-..."

Zhongli chuckles and looks out at the view "i am just trying to tell you to go with whatever will happen in the moment. You both love eachother a lot if you want to admit it yes or no. I should leave otherwise Childe would get the traveler to do a drinking game with him" he spoke and pats Xiao his shoulder gently before he takes his leave.

When the other left Xiao sits down on the blanket, taking a pillow and hugs it still blushing a dark red. He cannot believe Zhongli, the geo archon, his sort of father figure just implied on him having sex. He felt embarrassed beyond anything. He now just would have to wait for Aether so he waits....and waits...and waits for a very long time. When the sun was about to set that is when Aether would come. Reaching his hand out he helps the other sit down as they now are holding hands.

Taking his hand he sits down looking at the view " the spot you picked is perfect. We can see all of the harbor from here" he smiles unknowingly carressing Xiao his knuckles with thumb.

Xiao feels the other carress his knuckles as he does not mind it at all enjoying it a lot accually "i got us some food and drinks. It is not much but i am sure you ate something on the festival already." He spoke looking at the view

Seeing the adepti having put so much effort into it he feels bad for eating at the festival already but he has wanted to eat with Xiangling and a few of his other friends "i am sorry. If i knew you wo-..."

"It is fine-...the festival is there to enjoy the food and other things aswell, to spend your time with friends...i cannot keep you all to myself" Xiao spoke and lets go of Aether his hand and hands him a bottle of something. In all honesty he does not know what it is "we can eat it at home so do not worry it wont go to waste. Otherwise we have our trashbin paimon..she eats everything"

That causes Aether to chuckle and smile brightly giving Xiao a nod. "She does yes" he spoke slowly watching the sun begin to set "time flies by so fast when you have fun" he spoke wrapping his arm around the other his arm taking a sip from it but this was definitely alcohol so he made a face but that was only because he did not expect it. He just rests his head onto the adepti his shoulder letting out a soft hum just enjoying the moment, enjoying the view, enjoying being able to be so close with the other.

Xiao lets Aether touch his arm and since Aether must have done a lot today he must feel tired so he wraps his arm more around the other to let him know he can rest himself onto him. With his free hand he moves the bottle away from the other before laying him down with his head on a pillow "get some rest. It will take a while for the lanterns to go up in the air" he spoke and lays down besides him with his head resting on a pillow aswell as they could slowly see the stars start to appear in the sky. Both of their hands touched but right as Xiao was about to hold the other his hand he watches how the other sits up and then straddle him which had him shocked "Aether-..."