Frost-bound Hearts (Diluc x Aether AU)

Chapter 9

"Ugh. I know they're here somewhere!" Childe mumbled under his breath as he walked around the snowy path. "Oh shonen..Where are you and your friend.."

Eventually Childe stumbled upon a campfire from a distance. He smirked and headed there. Upon reaching the area, he indeed found Aether and Diluc sleeping peacefully.

Childe took out a syringe with and injected it into an unknown bottle before sucking it out. He then slowly approached Aether but Aether was woken by the sound of footsteps approaching him.

Being half awake, he looked up and saw a tall figure with orange hair looking at him with something in his hand.

Before he could make out what he was seeing, he felt sharp sting from his neck. Aether shouted in pain as he felt the force of something injecting his neck.

Luckily Diluc was a light sleeper and woke up to his screams. Childe panicked, picked up a brick nearby and bashed Aether's head. Blood and tears went down Aether's cheeks as he moaned in pain.

Diluc couldn't believe what he was witnessing. In a fit of rage, Diluc got up and punched Childe in the face. Childe took a step back as he was stunned for a few seconds.

"Oh? You dare to fight a Fatui eh?" Childe looked up at Diluc while blood came out from his mouth.

"GET AWAY FATUI. GET LOST!" Diluc shouted at Childe without hesitation.

Childe maniacally laughed back at Diluc before putting on his mask and activating his Foul Legacy Transformation.

Aether was on the ground in pain with blood streaming down his forehead. All he could see was just a blurry view of Diluc and Childe fighting before slowly getting up.

"Please..s-stop..mmh..." Aether whispered but it was no use. No one heard him and Diluc and Childe continued fighting each other.

"Aether! Stay away! You're injured!" Diluc demanded Aether whilst concentrating on the fight.

Aether knew that he needed to remove Childe's mask to stop him from attacking any further.
"D-Diluc..argh..." Aether said weakly as he slowly approached them.

As Diluc and Childe lunged at each other for an attack, Aether used his remaining strength to use his anemo powers in hopes to blow off Childes mask.

Miraculously, it worked and Childe snapped back to his normal self. Aether sighed heavily, fell down onto the ground.

Diluc dropped what he was doing and ran to Aether. "Aether? Hey! Aether! No..No..Get up!"

Childe got up from his fall and laughed at Diluc.

"What the hell is wrong with you! GET LOST." Diluc shouted at Childe.

"I must warn you, the effects of what I injected him with will have an effect on his health...See you later shonen.." Childe replied before he ran away from the area.

Aether had trouble breathing as if he was having an asthma attack. "D-Diluc..huff..Please..don't leave me..huff" Aether managed to speak despite having trouble.

Diluc's eyes became watery and started dripping down from his cheeks. Diluc did everything he could do. He placed his coat over Aether so that he felt warm.

He took out a piece of cloth and covered Aether's wound so prevent more blood loss. He did everything in his power to ensure Aether was going to be alright.

Suddenly, there was sounds of a crowd emerging from behind. Diluc lifted up Aether into a bridal carrying position.

"Help! Over here!" Diluc cried out to the sound emerging.

"Master Jean! They're here!" Someone spoke from the crowd. It turns out that it was one of the Knights Of Favonious guards. Alas, they were found.