You've begun to feel like home. Xiao x Aether.

He has to know.

It was almost midnight, but the light in the city were bright and the people were still on the streets, cheering and congratulating each other on the Lantern Rite. The special events organized by the Qixing already finished, but the crowd did not calm down – everyone was too excited to set their lanterns in the beautiful azure sky, as they carry their most secret wishes up to the moon.

Two boys were still casually sitting in their private spot on the mountain, completely forgetting about the world around them. Aether lost a track of how many different stories he already told, but he did not stop to catch a single breath, swiftly switching from discussing one adventure to the other. Xiao, on the other hand, was silently listening to him with his eyes closed – he couldn't remember when was the last moment he felt at such peace, listening to the blonde's soft voice mixed with the foliage noise in the background. For a moment he decided to let himself be oblivious and forget about the Karmic Debt, the duty, and every unresolved issue he had to face every day. On the contrary – right now his mind was blank, there were no corrupting thoughts or overwhelming feelings. Xiao couldn't help but question whether that was something usual for the mortals – to feel at such ease. The peacefulness felt so fragile, so easy breakable, that the Yaksha wanted to have it for a bit longer, at least until his heart will slow down and not ready about to jump from his chest every second he heard the other laugh during his talks.

Xiao was ready to stay like this for the whole night, no, for the eternity, and listen to the numerous stories about anything in this world. However, the boy noticed how Aether suddenly stopped talking, not even finishing his sentence. As Xiao was about to open his eyes to figure out the matter, he felt a slight touch on his head. Surprised by the sensation, Yaksha's reflexes immediately commanded him to open the eyes, which he did, only to find Aether's face in front of his, being so close, that he could clearly trace glare in his eyes, shining like the countless stars in the night sky, or feel his breath on the pale skin. Aether's hand was brought up close to his cheek, touching the light blue bangs of the dark-haired boy so lightly, as if they were gusts of the wind. Peace, which Xiao was so grateful for, was gone instantly, as he heard his heart pound frantically, as if he was feeling unwell. He tried to cut it off, but the eyes before him were so mesmerizing to the point that the boy was ready to forget his own name, no, forget the whole world surrounding them. There it was – the feeling of uneasiness, of the unknown emotions absorbing his mind in such speed, that it was getting difficult to breath evenly. The chaotic thoughts were basically urging him to do something, that Xiao knew was not right. So he stayed like this – with the surprised expression on his face, staring for god knows for how long into Aether's deep eyes and being unable to move a single muscle in the body.

- S-sorry, there was a leaf in your hair, I didn't want to disturb you like that. – the second Aether noticed how the Yaksha opened his eyes, he backed away, suddenly feeling guilt from his own actions, especially after seeing how shocked the other looked at him. Trying to prove his intentions, the blond showed the leaf in his hand and smiled awkwardly, to which the Yaksha did not reply anything. Traveler started blaming himself, acknowledging that he just ruined his own plan on distracting the other and letting him relax for the evening – right now the dark-haired looked even more tensed than before, only the sky knowing what was going on in his mind.

Awkward silence arose between them, which was disturbing for both boys, however, none of them did not know what they should say next. Xiao's eyes were still locked on Aether, as if he froze the moment the boy approached him, which started to feel uncomfortable for the blond himself. He could most certainly feel how his face started getting warmer with each second they sat like this in silence – he started to feel like the other was inside his mind, reading all his thoughts about Xiao. The reason for his shocked expression now appeared to be nature of the blonde's thoughts that were exposed the second they met each other's eyes. Any more second could be fatal for the poor heart of the traveler, so, after gaining some courage, he decided to look away from the shrewd amber eyes and face the view of the city. He blinked in surprise after realizing that people down in Liyue Harbor were already preparing the lanterns to set them up in the sky.

Everything that happened before didn't matter now, as the blond grew excited for the upcoming scene he waited for the whole year. Among the many spectacular views and sceneries he was so lucky to see, the Lantern Right's final celebration still remained one of the most breathtaking and magical ones. It was difficult to express how thankful Aether felt that moment for suddenly remembering about the event.

- Xiao, look, people are preparing for the setting the lanterns in the sky! – Aether exclaimed happily, making the other to finally turn his face to the city. Not wasting any more time, Aether shoved his hand inside the bush, where he previously hid the important gift for the Yaksha, and, after taking some time to grope the objects, got the folded lanterns out of there. All this time Xiao was curiously observing the blonde's actions, completely unaware of what he was intending to do next. – Here, I thought it would be nice to light the lanterns together. We've never done that before. – the genuine smile appeared on Aether's face, which drove Xiao crazy, filling his head with the hurricane of sudden emotions. Why did he have to look so angelic? His long blond hair, which Xiao was so desperate to suddenly touch, his happy smile, which could break his heart into a thousand pieces by just looking at it, his wonderous eyes, which the Yaksha admired more than anything in this world, his glass skin, so delicate and smooth, - everything about Aether seemed so perfect, so magical, that it left the dark-haired speechless, frozen, confused of his own sanity.

The yaksha looked at the lanterns, snapping out of his own dreams, his mind, however, thinking about something completely disconnected to them with the sudden stern and serious expression on his face. The way Aether's presence was affecting him was scary, dangerous, for both him and the traveler, and at that point Xiao realized that there was one thing he ought to do before anything could ever happen, changing their relationship completely, before he loses his mind, causing the unreversible consequences to their friendship. The only thing he knew right now was that the sudden disturbing thoughts, the constant distractions, the strange feelings in his heart – it all didn't disappear, only grew larger and larger, which made him fear that someday it will completely corrupt his consciousness. And the painful memories of madness torturing the minds of his old friends were enough for the terror to seize the Yaksha every time he was near Aether. The last thing he would want to see was his friend suffering from his own presence, his own burden – long ago the dark-haired promised to himself that he would do anything in his power to protect Aether from any causes, even if the cause was Xiao himself. He already failed to protect traveler in Inazuma, he failed to recognize the pain the blond was in after he returned to Liyue, he failed to help him when Aether possibly needed a friend the most, and, only Archon knows, what Xiao would do to himself if he would hurt the blond in any way imaginable. He said it – even if it meant staying away from Aether, he must protect the one he cares about most in the world, he said it and still dared to be beside him regardless the Karmic Debt only to satisfy his own wills. It was unacceptable. No matter what happens next, Xiao thought to himself, Aether must know.

Xiao gently put his hand over the lanterns, rejecting the offer of the blond, and stared into his eyes.

- Aether, I need to talk to you.