A warming embrace

Wind flies over the fields

Hello, hello, hello - I'm back, graduated and had issues with my Ipad bc my former school is ehm well - also I was in the mental hospital and yeah...
Anygays, here we go with another part of this fic I wanted to finish months ago :)
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Warm water surrounded his chilled bones, seeped into his cold body. Aether swallowed, tongue heavy and dry.
„Are you here with me, Liebling?", gentle fingers brushed over Aether's cheek, „You remember, what happened?"
Groggily the boy openend his eyes, blinking at the candlelit room: „Hurt in Dragonspine. Kaeya n' Bedo found me."
„That's right, good job", Venti dragged a cloth across his face, patted his cheek, „You're quite warm, let's get you out of here into a nice cozy bed.
„No, please, no. Have to...leave", Aether shook his head, slumped against Venti's shoulder.
„Nonsense, even the wind rests from time to time", with a bit of his power Venti lifted Aether into his arms, carrying him to the prepared guestroom, where a lit fireplace warmed the air. Adelinde was just placing a tablet on the table, pouring tea.
„Oh dear, should I get extra blankets?", she asked, striding over to Aether.
„Don't trouble yourself, I can handle it. Rest this night", Venti layed Aether down, placing a kiss on his temple.
„If you think so, Master Venti", Adelinde smiled, left the two alone.
Now Venti crossed his arms, sighed: „What am I going to do with you? Mmh, helping you recover. Right, checking your temperature. Sorry in advance."
Searching the cupboard, Venti managed to fetch a thermometer and a jar of vaseline together with a towel.
Aether turned his head, seeing, what Venti held in his hands: „No! No! I'm fine. Please, you don't have to check my temperature!"
„Hush, my child. It's for your best, trust me", gently but firmly Venti turned Aether onto his belly, which made a protesting noise, „I know, I know. Just bear with me for a few minutes. Be a good boy and you get a reward."
Burrying his face deeper into the pillow Aether let out quiet whines. Squirming, when Venti lubed his rim and the thermometre. The cold glass intruded his puckering hole, slowly pushing deeper and deeper until it settled deep down in his ass. Aether started to sob, it felt weird and hurt a little bit. He was sore, tired and hungry. Trying to soothe his pain, Venti rubbed the bare skin of Aether's ass, petting the blonde hair: „It's over soon, you're doing so well."
Finally the thermometer beeped, Venti rotated it a bit: „39,8 degrees. Not dangerous rigth now but I hope the kathedrale can treat you tomorrow."
Aether whimpered, Venti just smiled: „You did well, my child. Let's get some water into you and then you can sleep."
After getting Aether to drink, Venti tucked him in and left him to sleep.
He himself went down to fetch a bottle of wine.
„How is he?", Diluc sat in the dining room, sipping some grape juice. Venti sighed, sat down across his beloved, laying his head on the table: „His fever is quite high. We have to watch him during the night. Taking his temperature every few hours and getting him to drink. Bringing the fever down. Otherwise he seems healed."
„How is his mental state? Why was he all alone in Dragonspine?", Diluc wanted to know.
Again Venti sighed: „He wasn't coherent enough for that conversation. However you're definitely right about worrying. I fear that our dear traveler pushes himself too far."
„What do we do?"
„I have some thoughts about Aether and his origin. This could be the cause of his problems. Of course I need more time to determine my suspicions", Venti frowned, „What happended to Kaeya and Albedo?"
„Changing the topic, are we?", Diluc shook his head, „Anyway, they are in a guest room. Albedo is taking care of Kaeya. When we feel up to it, we all need to talk. We have a lot to talk about."
„Sure we do", Venti grabbed his wine glass: „Would you do me the favor and watch Aether for a few hours before I take over."
Diluc smiled: „For you, my feeble god, I do everything. Well almost everything."
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tbc