Eat me, guts and all: Aether x Scaramouche

Scaramouche's (POV)

     Aether is sitting down in front of the pirate while Xiao is standing still next to both of us. I wish I had the energy to throw Xiao out of the window and break his back. Aether is tensing up greatly anticipating whatever Kaeya had to say. I know I was a huge part of the fatui and if I met Aether sooner I would've never been part of a group that upsets him.
     "What did the fatui do?" Aether asks frantically. His hands are clenched to his thighs. I linger on his thighs for an inappropriate amount of time.
      "The fatui is a dangerous group of individuals as you know, they want to steal the gnosis from archons. Sometimes our goals align, other times... not so much," Kaeya explains. "However, they've gotten more into delusions. The Ameno Archon has been gone for sometime and they sent a fatui member here to take control of Mondstat."
        Aether looks upset about the fact that the Ameno Archon was gone but I'm almost positive that it happened a long time ago. He should have no reason to feel that way unless he knew him personally. 
        "Okay. I understand. Do you have any plans to get rid of the fatui that is trying to take control of the church? You're just letting him be and all of you know that you could easily beat him," I interrupted. They are fully capable of solving these problems themselves but they just watch it escalate. When it gets too big for them, they call for help. But what if help never comes? Will they just gawk at the disaster that they practically watched happen.
          "We don't want to scare the people of Mondstat. And so far, he's been harmless," Kaeya says. It's hard to notice but it looks like he's glaring at me. "We know our people better than you do and we're just trying to escort him out quietly- Is what Jean says at least. I don't agree, I believe we should nip him in the bud."
           Xiao still hasn't spoken a word, his eyes are staring at the sky- he looks stupid.
           "Okay. What do you suggest we do to help?" Aether asks. He's the biggest people pleaser I know. He isn't even from here but he's willing to risk his safety over other people's issues. He glances at me as if he's waiting for my approval, but I don't give him any message back. I want him to be fully aware that he's acting like a pushover.
            "There's a fatui domain that opened up recently. Me and the rest of the knights cleared it but we didn't find anything new. Maybe it'll be different for you."
              "We'll get right to that. Just give us the map and we'll try to figure everything out. I don't think it's just as simple as someone wanting to impersonate the Ameno Archon, there must be a bigger plan at play," he says.
               "I think so too," Kaeya replies. He hands us a map with a red circle in the middle. It's supposed to be where the domain is and I'm sure it won't be hard for us to find. I don't like the idea of helping these people but it's a good distraction for Aether.
                  Me, Xiao and Aether set out on our journey. Xiao's presence still annoys me because ever so often, he gives me the nastiest look. Like he's jealous of the connection that me and Aether had. It's too late for him though, Aether is mine. Whatever happened in the past is irrelevant to me and it won't change the fact that he was in my arms. He was the one who was screaming my name last night and Xiao is crazy if he thinks that'll ever happen to him.
Every time we approach a monster, Xiao flaunts off his powers. I watch the way his movements go with the wind and the way his Ameno slashes down his opponents. I look at my hands wondering if I'll be a match for him when the time comes. Maybe I'll have a slim chance but I'm sure that with a delusion... no matter what happens, I'll be able to protect Aether.
"I think this is the cave that leads to the dungeon," Aether says.
I walk over to the cave first, placing my hand on the wall. It cracks open a pathway into the dungeon.
"Maybe you should stay behind," I say towards Aether.
"I've been on my own long enough to walk into a dungeon. Don't forget how far I've gone without anyone's help," he says sternly. He shoves me out of the way to walk into the dungeon first. Leaving me and Xiao alone for a moment.
"Why do you hate me so much?" I ask Xiao. We've never gotten to talk by ourselves and the main reason being that I don't want to.
"You're a deformity- an abomination. Yet he cares about you. You've done horrible things and yet here you are- walking behind him. And he lets you! He lets a puppet, a doll, something that wasn't meant to have emotions... be by his side. You don't deserve him and never will, and I hate you for having the confidence to think otherwise."
"And why would you deserve him?" I argue back. His words were filled with hate and were just said to antagonize me but it's working.
"I don't but at least I'm aware of that," he says softly. I watch his back as he leaves to the dungeon. I don't deserve Aethers kindness but at least I try to change. I try to change to be better for him even though it's hard.
When I'm in the dungeon, the environment seems eery. It's empty and there isn't any monsters or fatui members in our way but it feels so wrong. The cold air is overwhelming. I turn to Aether and he looks shaken. I walk over to hold his hand but he snatches it away. He's drifting away from me, slowly but surely.
"What is this place?" Aether asks.
"A dungeon," I reply.
He gives me a deadpan stare, "Yes I know but there's nothing here."
"It's weird for a dungeon to have completely nothing even if the knights of favonius said they cleared it," Xiao says. "We should go deeper inside."
"There's probably nothing there too," I say. "Why are we wasting our time? We should just leave and go to Fountaine or even Sumeru."
"The people here need our help," Aether says. "It might have something to do with my sister."
Me and Xiao look at each other and remain quiet. No matter what Aether does, he still looks for her. He looks for her in his dreams, flowers and mirrors. He looks for her in everything he sees hoping for a hint on why he was left behind. Why she won't just answer him and come back. He's probably more desperate since Paimon has been gone.
"What happened to that pixie?" I ask.
"Her name was Piamon."
"Was?"
"It's none of your business," he says. He shuts down any mention of her. I can see his gold eyes look empty. Losing its shimmer.
"Leave it be. He can go through his grief however he wants to," Xiao interjects.
"How am I supposed to grief someone who isn't even dead?" Aether says. "Forget it. I don't want to talk about it. We're just supposed to find out about what happened in Mondstat. Figure out what the fatui's plan.."
"You keep on distracting yourself from real problems. It's almost as if you're doing these benevolent acts as a mask to hide your feelings," Xiao says. He's saying what I've been thinking out loud. He has been distracting himself and he is a pushover but he's actively looking for these new quests.
"You can't be talking, you do the same. None of you get to judge my intentions. No one gets to pick apart the reasoning behind why I do what I do except me," he says. He walks faster down the halls and goes down a path without us. Xiao tries to follow him but I bring out my arm to hold him back.
"He just needs time to himself," I say.
"He could get hurt by himself in here. Don't you care about his safety?"
"He can protect himself. He doesn't need you like at all," I say with confidence. Of course Aether took that moment and decided to scream down the hall. Xiao starts running first and I follow after him. The passages are dark and there are multiple different turns. It was hard to navigate but I can recognize the paths Aether would take. Even when blind, I'd know his eyes and even when deaf, I'd know when he's speaking. So I had no excuse for not knowing where he'd be.
                It doesn't take any longer for me to catch up to him. I see Aether staring at a statue but it's upside down. His face is pale and I see him trembling. I walk up to him to hold his hand but it feels cold. It never feels cold.
                "Are you okay?" I ask.
                "He was right. This is bigger than what it seems," Xiao says finally.