Wednesday, September 1
Aether's POV
The sun begins to rise as our alarm goes off; its 7:00am. Xiao's arms are around my waist as i try to wake him. He makes a groaning noise and tries to hold tight to me.
"Xiao we NEED to wake up!"
"Noooo don't leave me~"
Xiao does this thing where he always tries to guilt trip me into staying in the bed when he's clearly tired. I'm more of a morning person and i dont want to make Xiao become a morning person, but at this point i have to.
Our first class begins at 8:00am. Xiao isn't thrilled, as he isn't a morning person at all. He finally lets me go and i go downstairs to prepare a breakfast for both of us. I open our windows to let in that signature breeze thats unique to this neighborhood. I am happy, so happy, that i was given a second chance to live here, with the love of my life.
I made eggs, pancakes, and coffee for both of us. He originally hated coffee until I introduced the best coffee I've ever tasted, from Sumeru Cardamom Coffeeshop, it was a latte made with a mix of Arabic coffee and saffron-spiced oatmilk. I learned how to make it at home, as one of my good friends from Sumeru told me the recipe. Xiao came downstairs in his scholarly looking outfit.
"You might sweat! bring deodorant Xiao, i don't want you smelling bad on your first day." I said, teasingly
"What do you mean..?"
"Xiao the school is on the top of the mountain behind us, we will definitely sweat."
"Not if i teleport!" A new waypoint was installed in the school's courtyard earlier this year, but i wanted him to hike up the mountain with me because i thought it could be a fun bonding thing between us.
"Let's just hike today, it sounds fun!"
"Urgh, alright...."
We went over our schedules again, Xiao and I both at the table noting our teachers and the times of our classes.
Xiao:
8am-9:30am Comprehensive History of Teyvat
9:50am-11:20am Elemental Bursts and how to Perfect them
11:40am-1:10pm Vision Enhancing
1:30pm-3pm Theory of Ley Line Summoning
Aether:
8am-9:30am Comprehensive History of Teyvat
9:50am-11:20am Elemental Bursts and how to perfect them
11:40am-1:10pm Study Period
1:30pm-3pm Defense against Dark Elemental Magic Honors
Two classes together! That's better than nothing but still, our afternoons were spent apart. Time apart is good for relationships anyway, so i really don't mind, but Xiao seems to be a little upset about it. He's pretty clingy, so i understand where he's coming from, but i try to explain to him that time apart is healthy, so that we can cool off from each other and then end up missing each other. It's only four hours maximum per day anyway. We have twenty minute passing periods, so we can eat lunch together, or walk each other to different classes. The campus is huge, we have 9 separate buildings, all of which pertain to specific classes that we are supposed to attend.
We begin the walk up the mountain, and Xiao is enjoying it, while i am too. We're having bonding time, this is the time that is sentimental to me. He understands that and thats why he cooperates with me, so that i can get my relationship needs.
"Are you...anxious about your classes?" Xiao asks,
"Not really, just a little nerves coming off about them is all."
"Okay. I'm a little nervous. I'm...not the social type."
"Xiao, you'll be fine. In college you can just keep to yourself, and not worry about others invading your space."
This isn't high school after all.
We walk in to the History building and it's beautiful. The architecture is amazing. The large doors open up to a wide array of windows, resembling the cathedral back in Mondstadt, and the walls are made of brick, extending to the top. Murals and paintings litter the walls, of paintings that were created in the early 1600s to late 1980s. History here is very prevalent, there is art that resembles the war of Khaenri'ah, and also some of the more minor wars. The doors to each classroom were large, wooden doors that resembled a sort of castle-like finish. The building itself was historic.
We walk to our classroom, H-139, and meet the teacher, Zhongli's second cousin, Menogias II, but his name is just Professor M. We sit in seats that are behind, in the back of the classroom, and take out our notebooks. The windows are open, overlooking the beaches and ocean below. That signature breeze comes in.
We enter our second class together in building E, and then walk to our class E-239, and sit down. This teacher's name is Professor Ian. He is a master of using Elemental bursts, and we all show what ours are, but Xiao resists. He explains that for years he abstains from it because it hurts him. Professor Ian knows what the trick is to not hiurt him. He brings out this small device, sort of resembling an Akashi terminal, and tells Xiao to strap it to his vision. He does so, tries his burst by donning the mask, and surprisingly, nothing happens to him. He still has the quick running and jumping abilities as before, but nothing happens to him. He is elated, and sits back down to tell me.
"Aether, i didn't get hurt! This is monumental!"
I look at him and hug him, because this is one of the first times he has actually made a major change to his abilities. He is strong, but never uses them because of his newfound fear of not being able to be with me anymore.
We enjoyed the rest of that class, then ate lunch during the 20-minute passing period.
Xiao goes off to find his own class, a look of desperation in his eyes for me to come with, as i cannot, because i have my own classes to go to. The day finishes, and i return to the front courtyard. I feel super relaxed, as I went to the yoga studio for my study period. Our tuition gave us free memberships to the yoga studio and recreation centers on campus, so i will for sure be using them to my advantage.
Xiao's POV
The day was so long after Aether left. I went to my classes as i felt the teachers droning on. But i guess...he's right. The fact that we need space, its essential. I don't want to scare him away, it scares me to even think about that.
Third Person
The couple walk down the steep hill to get to their house on the base. The sun begins to set, and the two go out to eat at the West Liyue Farm, a renowned café that both of them enjoy going to. Xiao ate Almond Tofu and a Satisfying Salad, while Aether ordered a Club Sandwich and ate a Satisfying Salad as well. The two head home, hand in hand, as the sun begins to caress the horizon and eventually set.
YOU ARE READING
Order of Unity (A Xiaother Story)
FanfictionXiao meets Aether in an unsuspected way, Aether must sleep in his bed with him when all of the rooms are full. The twins and Dainslief departed for Liyue for what was originally going to be a two-week trip, but ended up more as the results of the ne...
