afternoon
l.. lee aether *has a fucking stroke*
i wanted this to turn out a bit better, but idk 😭
Aether laid comfortably in his bed, curled up in the white blanket that was definitely too big for the mattress itself. After staying up late in Liyue doing the simplest things people could have done themselves, he was tired out. But so tired that he slept all the way to lunch? Paimon wasn't so sure..
To be fair, Paimon had only woken up around an hour before.. but that doesn't count! She was used to Aether being her personal alarm clock. She had decided that he could sleep until she got some food for a late breakfast.. But when she came back into the room, he hadn't shifted in the slightest bit.
“Traveller!” She huffed, floating over just above his figure and shook his shoulder. “Come on, up!”
Aether groaned, swatting her hand away and pulling the covers over his head. “Ugh, stop..” His floating companion unfortunately didn't give up, but took a different approach. She sat on the side of the bed, tilting her head at him.
“Paimon’s disappointed! But.. there's no other choice. Paimon’s gonna do the unthinkable!” She exclaimed, standing up on the bed proudly before screeching out her next words;
“XIAAAOOOO!!!!!–”
“Shut up, shut up!” Aether gasped, jolting awake and slapping a hand over the other's mouth. “Paimon! He's probably busy!”
“It got you up though~” She teased after Aether removed his hand, smirking smugly. “Well.. lucky, I don’t think Xiao heard Paimon anyways.”
“..Huh. I guess so. ..well, in that case–” The blonde flopped back onto the pillows, turning away from the now floating Paimon. “Hey!! Traveller! Get up, or Paimon’s gonna-”
“You called..?”
She gasped dramatically, her whole body jolting around in a panic. When she realised who it was, she sighed in relief. “Xiao! You always pop up so randomly, you know that?”
“But.. you're the one who called my name. I don't see how that's very ‘random’, Paimon..” He replied, his arms crossing over his chest in the familiar stance.
“Whatever! Just- help Paimon already! The traveller’s being lazy again!” She whined, tapping where Aether’s shoulder would be under the blanket. “He was awake just a few moments ago, Paimon doesn’t know how he does it.”
Xiao took a few steps over, peering over at the other’s sleeping state. “..Why don’t you just do it?” He asked softly, gently taking ahold of the blanket and dragging it down just so Aether’s face was visible.
“Oh believe me, Paimon’s tried.” She sighed softly, shaking her head. “Well.. This is your problem now. Tell him that Paimon’s in Mondstadt! Bye Xiaaoo~”
Before he could object, Paimon had disappeared into the hall and out the teapot. He huffed quietly, sitting on the edge of the mattress with his legs crossed. He stared for a few seconds, before gently nudging his arm. “Traveller.”
With no response, he repeated the motion. “It's late..”
“..I saw you last night, you know.” Be began, after realising that small movements weren’t doing anything. “Running around for people you don't even know. It's.. admirable, I suppose. But you shouldn’t be doing it. If mortals like yourself don't take the breaks they require, things like this happen.”
He perked up at the small breath the other huffed out, rubbing his eyes with the back of his knuckles. “..I know..” He mumbled, a soft giggle leaving his lips. “You're so poetic without realising it.”
“A-Ah.. I have little knowledge, nor talent for poetry.” Xiao spoke, his hands moving absentmindedly to sit in his own lap.
“Uhuh..” Aether mumbled in response, yawning softly before stretching his arms up. “..Hey, what are you doing here? Did- ohh..”
Seemingly just processing the events that happened, his eyes fluttered open to look up at the adeptus. “Sorry that Paimon called you. I didn’t.. I guess I was being slightly stubborn.”
The claim made Xiao huff a chuckle out, shrugging. “It's fine, I wasn’t particularly busy.”
“That's good..” He whispered, moving to lay on his back. He let out a few sleepy noises, his eyes drooping back shut. He should be getting him awake and out of bed.. but..
“Half an hour, okay?” The adeptus sighed, softening slightly at the pleased sound the other expressed.
And soon that half hour passed, causing Xiao to enter back into the warm room. He was slightly tempted to explore the house Aether resided in, but decided against it after some thought. Instead, he spent the time taking a look around the nature of the realm.
“Aether.” He called quietly, leaning on the door frame before fully welcoming himself in. “Come on, up.”
“Ugh, no..” He whined, turning around to face away from the other figure. “Later.”
“It’s almost two in the afternoon, and figuring Paimon’s been out for a bit..” he trailed off, returning to his previous position on the mattress. “What I'm trying to say is.. would you rather wake up to me or a screaming Paimon?
“..Good point.” Aether mumbled, “But I really, really don't want to.”
“Just come on. It's not the end of Teyvat y'know.” He replied, nudging the traveller somewhere on his torso, it was hard to tell under the blanket.
To Xiao’s surprise, he felt the other jolt away from his hand huff. “Mmph, dohont.. come onn, im tired~..”
“..Are you hurt?” He asked, gently moving the blanket to his upper thighs and poking around the area he had before. Considering the crop top, it didn't provide a lot of protection.
“hah.. noho, Xiao-” Aether giggled, shifting his position on the bed. “stop it..”
“You don't seem hurt.. you're laughing, after all.” Xiao thought out loud, tilting his head to the side. “Are you just pretending?”
“Xiao, it tickles.” Aether finally whispered, his knees curling in at the thought of it. “..Oh.” The adeptus said with a now understanding tone. “Good.”
“Good?” Aether repeated with a playful scoff, “How is that good?”
“Good because you're not in pain, like I previously expected.” He corrected himself. “Now.. Up. You have your daily commissions, don't you?”
The traveller groaned, crossing his arms over his face to block the sunlight from his eyes. “ugh, don't remind me..”
“Aether.” Xiao repeated sternly, “Last chance until I have to get you up myself. It’s too late to call this just ‘sleeping in’.”
“Boooo,” He mumbled, “Do your worst..”
Aether didn't really expect Xiao to do what he did.. After all, he didn't really have a great understanding of it, he forgot what it was just a few moments ago!
..So which is why he was surprised when he felt cold fingertips skitter up his side.
He yelped, his arms immediately shooting down and reaching for the attacker's hand. Of course, he was too sleepy to remember that Xiao was a literal adepti, and stopping his hand from reaching his own was probably the easiest thing in the world. “Xiahahao-” He whined, kicking his legs out from their previously curled position. “Cohome ohon!”
“If you just sat up, you could prevent this.” Xiao mumbled, pressing the said fingers into his lower tummy. The movement resulted in a loud yelp, rapid giggles flowing from the other’s throat.
“Yohou could prevehent this too! ju- jehesus chrihist!” He gasped, his hands still on a futile attempt to push the other’s away.
“Jesus who?” He asked, a confused look on his face. “You must be delirious..”
“Ahahm nohot!” He claimed, pushing his back into the mattress like that would do anything to ease the sensations. “if ihi am, ihits yohour fahault!”
“Hm. If you say so.” Xiao shrugged it off, seemingly careless. He began to move his hand down the side of his torso, latching onto his hip and squeezing softly. “Is this convincing you?”
“Ihits nohot!” Aether exclaimed, “Ihits- ihits making… yohou..- ugh, yohour impohossible!”
“I'm impossible?” He asked sarcastically, “Well, I'm not the one who overworked himself all night.. Honestly, Traveller.. I wish to know your thought process when you decided that was a good idea.”
“Cahan yohou shuhut uhuhup?!” He bucked slightly into the other’s hand, a small gasp leaving his lips before another round of giggles.
“Can you get up?” Xiao repeated, feeling an unusual amount of playfulness in the moment. Unusual.. but, welcomed. Especially when it turned the oh-so powerful Traveller into mush.
“Buhut I dohont wahant too!” He repeated himself, his head leaning back into the pillow, digging his heels into the bed. Xiao looked up, catching a glimpse of Aether’s face.
His fingers slowed to a stop as he stared at him, taking in his expression. “Hah.. x-xiao? What's wrong?” He asked in a giggly tone, his arms moving to cross over his tingling torso.
“..Nothing.” Xiao mumbled, blinking his gaze away from his face. “Your blushing~” He smiled smugly, tilting his head down. “What happe- xihihao!”
“You seem to have forgotten your current position, Aether.” He chuckled softly, letting his hand squeeze up from his lip to his stomach.
“Have you had enough yet? I trust you’ll get up eventually.” He mumbled, using his nails to scribble just above his navel.
“Ihi wihill, ihi wihill!” He whined, small breathy giggles leaving his lips at the aftermath of Xiao stilling his fingers.
“..In a second.” He finished his sentence, feeling a genuine laugh escaping him at the look Xiao gave him.
Without a second thought, The fingertips travelled up his ribcage and gently scritched in between the bones.
"You- ugh.."
“I was kidding-!”