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[...]

[Okay hold on he's gotta ask--]

So... you can really hear it whenever I call your name?

Well, yes - ehe.

[ He winks, because just because he could doesn't mean he's always listening. Don't ask questions you don't actually want the answer to, Aether. ]

[...]

[And then Aether never fantasized about Venti while wanking again.]

[CLEARS HIS THROAT]

A-Anyway... there's something else I needed to talk to you about, too. Before you meet Lumine.

Alright, what is it?

[ He doesn't have to know why he asked from hearing to know why Aether asked. Why else would he ask, after all? He's pretty amused by the fact that the other just had to k now.]

You can tell me anything.

["You can tell me anything"... and yet that's not entirely true, is it? Even now, there were still things he was keeping from Venti. As first, simply because there was no good time to ask about it. But now? Maybe a part of him would rather just forget it, and push it to the back of his mind.]

She's missing some of her memory. As far as she knows, we were only separated for a few minutes, but... it was a lot longer than that.

[...]

...and I want it to stay that way. Nothing good will come of her remembering Teyvat.

[Venti is sure to notice the way his tone changes. The methodical way he speaks, choosing his words carefully -- clearly trying to avoid saying or implying too much.]

I can't imagine why it would come up, but just in case... please don't mention anything to her about what happened with Dvalin and the Abyss Order.

I won't mention anything to her, Aether.

[ It's an odd request, but it's not a difficult one to honor. He's not about to bust through and do anything to give Aether a reason to distrust him. He's... just unsure about why he's going through all this effort. Well, if it's important he's sure he'll find out before too long. ]

I don't really see why it would come up either. I'll make sure not to, though, anyway. I look forward to meeting her for real, though.

[That was... easier than he thought. But then, should he have really expected anything less? Venti trusted him, after all.]

[And maybe that's why it makes his heart ache.]

...you aren't going to ask me why?

I don't need to.

[ Aether asked, he's going to do his best to honor it. This isn't some meaningless task for errand that he's sending Venti on. This isn't a scheme to make money through someone else's work. They come from a place of legitimate care for Aether, and by extension - his sister. He knows she's important to him. ]

But would you tell me?

[ Because he thinks, despite it, that the answer is no. ]

[There's a moment where he considers it.]

[He trusts Venti. He does! He has no reason not to! He's offered him nothing but kindness and friendship. Venti's seen a side of Aether that, up until that point, no one else ever had. Surely, if he asked, he could tell him something about it, right? About the role the gods played in the destruction of Khaenri'ah, and everything that played out after. Or perhaps he might confess that he doesn't know anything, and there was no need to worry about this at all!]

I...

[Venti is his best friend, after all. He trusts him.]

...I'm not ready to have that conversation with you yet.

[But maybe not as much as he thought--]

[Their bond breaks so suddenly and so unexpectedly, Aether swears he could almost hear the snap as the kizuna lashes out against his heart. It's a horribly familiar feeling by now, but no matter how many times he feels it, it gets no easier.]

[He cries out in pain as he clutches his chest, his vision nearly going dark as he curls forward. Pain surges through his heart and lungs, he can't even take a breath, his eyes starting to water as he gasps for air--]

[And just like that, it's over. And all that's left is that numbing emptiness and a stream of tears that refuses to stop running down his cheek.]

[But what of Venti--]

[ It hurts. For Venti's it's an ache that runs deep and strikes those permanent sensitive parts of him. Those spots that are used to loss and death and have found inappropriate ways to cope. Those tightly wound and neatly restrained parts that keep him from crying at any reminder of them. The boxes containing his fears of the future when the people he cares for deeply now are gone all over again.

These are the things that don't let him let go of anyone he's gotten to know and care about. It's forcing him to try and rid himself of Aether. And he doesn't recognize what it is immediately. He's never felt anything like this before.

And he bursts into surprising, immediate tears. He brings a hand to his chest, gripping it tight as he watches Aether. ]

What did you do to me?

[ Why would he think Aether would do anything to him? Aether would never. He loves Aether - a cherished, important friend. A part of his life that he's latched onto. And then there's an emptiness - and he goes numb at the realization that this is their bond breaking. ]

[Bonds were a tricky thing, especially when held together by magic as mysterious as Kizuna. Something so simple, a realization that he didn't trust Venti as much as he thought, was all it took for the fragile link connecting their hearts to snap. It hurts-- but not nearly as much as it hurts to see Venti in so much pain. He reaches up, desperate to stop the ache as the frayed edges of their bond call out to be reunited, and then--]

["What did you do to me?"]

[And with those words, something else... cracks.]

[Aether was warned countless times. Don't do anything too strenuous. Don't spend too much time alone. And most importantly: don't allow yourself to become emotionally overwhelmed. Take a step back, and calm down. Easier said than done, perhaps, but it was necessary while his soul was healing. While it was still fragile. It was the same reason his own mind was suppressing those memories of Inazuma, unconsciously aware that he can't handle them right now. Not in his current state.]

[He never expected to be experiencing a second bond breaking so soon after the first. Even if he could have handled it, those words carve out whatever pieces of their bond remained -- driving a deep crack through his already fractured soul.]

[Ah... this was all his fault, wasn't it?]

[The feeling that overwhelms him... it's so much worse than moments earlier. His whole body aches, trembling as indescribable feelings well up inside his chest. And for Venti, the first person to notice what had happened to Aether's soul up in Takamagahara -- suddenly the fractured state of Aether's soul will seem even worse than before.]

S-So... rry....

[He wraps his arms around his chest, nails digging into his upper arms as he tries to hold himself together, but-- something feels wrong. His bond with Venti was the strongest he had in Nippon, the strongest connection he's made short of the one tethering him to this world. He wants so badly to reach out to him right now, to hold him and reassure him that everything will be okay-- but he can't. What right does he have, when he's broken like this? All he'll do is break him further.]

I-I'm sorry.... V-Ven... ti...

[ The emptiness left behind where their bond was is much worse than the snap itself, Venti notices immediately. It's dizzying, and he feels...sick. Part of him wants to escape. He wants to run away from the difficult things again. He wants to hide and sleep for another hundred years or so and turn it all off. He doesn't understand what had caused the initial shatter, though he suspects he was the reason that his own words were the final snap.

And - then he just feels guilty. He tries, with every bit of effort, to stop himself from crying. It's not successful completely, though he seems at least able to catch his breath. ]

I don't understand.

[ His voice shakes. Venti latches onto his bonds so much that this is - something he doesn't fully understand the how of. Everything feels so wrong. Aether feels wrong. Not just because of the bond but because of something else - and in that moment the instinct to run away died. No.

No.

He can't leave him like this. Aether was his friend. His companion. Someone he loved like he was one of his own and beyond that. He was important. He was special. And he was seated deep in Venti's heart, and he wants it back. He wants what he had just -- not even ten minutes ago. He wants it but he also -- what if it just shatters again. What if whatever broke them this time caused it to break again. What if? What if he hurts himself again like this. What if he feels so close - loved, cared for - and then it vanishes again all over.

His eyes are red, his face is soaked with tears. How long has it been since he's cried like this? He doesn't ignore Aether's apology. He hears it so clearly - it's the most clear, loudest thing right now for him. And he reaches for him. Right now - he doesn't think it can actually get any worse, so there's nothing to lose. He takes a deep breath, pushing back a few tears for just enough to say. ]

Aether. Please.

[ Please what? He's not clear on. ]

[He doesn't know how to fix this. It's not the first time he's broken a bond. It's not the first time a broken bond led to cracks in his soul. It's not the first time he's felt like he was losing someone precious to him. And yet--]

[But why? Venti was still here. He was right here in front of him! So why did he feel so far away?]

[It's hearing his name fall from Venti's lips that finally lifts some of the fog around him. Everything felt like so much, like he couldn't even process the sound of himself crying. It all felt so far away, impossible to deal with. Like an impending avalanche of emotion that he can't possibly flee from in time.]

[But when Venti reaches for him-- Aether reaches back.]

[Because no matter how much it hurts, or how much his soul wants to recoil and run away from the situation that caused it to crack-- beyond all of that, he still loved Venti. He didn't want this rift to exist between them, nor did he want their bond to remain in limbo for even a moment longer.]

[Because Venti was his best friend. And he's never had one before.]

[It's tentative at first, the way he reaches out and rests a hand on Venti's arm. But then, all at once-- he pulls him in closer and wraps his arms around him, hugging him almost desperately, as if he might vanish in an instant. He doesn't even notice that he's been sobbing this whole time. But the moment his arms are around him, a flood of warmth spreads between them. Bonds that are once broken will always seek to become whole again. And just as quickly as it had snapped, the bond reforms, as a burst of kizuna surges between them.]

[All around them, illusions of dandelions sprout from the ground, interrupted only by the occasional windwheel aster. But Aether doesn't notice any of it, his face buried into Venti's shoulder as he continues to cry -- though perhaps now, in relief.]

[ The tears stop before anything else happens. The shaky feeling that goes all the way to his legs vanishes, and Venti doesn't feel confused or worried like he had only moments ago because he knows what he wants. He wants this warmth. That warmth he feels on his arm where Aether touches him, that warmth he feels when he's pulled into that tight, close hug. And he returns it with an eagerness he never realized he had.

He is craving that affection, that broken bond is craving repair. And he feels those cracks start to be replaced with Aether again. And he doesn't seem inclined to let go. His arms move around Aether's middle, holding the other against him with no intent to release him anytime soon. Bright gold settles in his hair and eyes. Behind him, a brief illusion of his wings he had as a wisp appear. Rather than their typical, teal color - they fade from white, to teal - to gold at the end.

But he doesn't notice anything. He just enjoys the feeling. Amazing how something like this is so straightforward to rebuild when shattered. And he's glad he stayed, he's glad he didn't run and cave to his own whims. A hand moves to the back of Aether's head, resting in his hair. His voice - is full of relief when he speaks, his name is no longer caught behind tears. ]

Aether.

[ He's glad, for once, he didn't do just what he wanted out of fear of losing someone. He defied that desire for the chance to keep him. ]

[ It'd been entirely too jarring to feel that sudden jolt of agony, stinging and harsh. He didn't know where it came from, so after a moment? Xiao reasoned it had to possibly do with Venti himself, so despite how fleeting that pain was in this instance, he instantly disappeared from where he'd been working.

All with the intent shown in his action when he reappeared only a few feet away from where he could feel Venti's presence.

There was a lot of things Xiao was expecting, but to see Aether and Venti holding each other in that way? Kizuna effects in clear view which spoke of a lot of emotions going on here. It dispelled all worries and anger he'd been starting to feel, so he walked over and knelt down near them. ]

Here. I'll carry you two back to our place to rest.

[ Did he look strong enough to carry two people at the same time? No. Was he actually capable of it? Most definitely. He sensed they must be tired after whatever happened, so walking on their own was not an option. ]

You first, Aether. Come here, please.

[Meanwhile, for his part, Aether is still crying when Xiao makes his appearance. While the bond certainly reconnected and the kizuna released undid most of the new cracks in his soul created by the break, ultimately the thing he struggled with the most right now was calming down. So he's still on edge, and still clinging to Venti, even as he looks up and-- well, attempts to say Xiao's name. It's unintelligible through tears.]

[Xiao might just need to pick him up, honestly.]

Xiao.

[ Small scales creep up his arm at simply the sight of him. There's a sense of relief at hearing Xiao's voice, turning his head slightly to see his face. His eyes are still red and puffy. His cheeks clearly are still a little damp. He moves a hand over Aether's hair and he nods towards Xiao. ]

I can teleport.

[ He doesn't want Xiao to feel obligated to carry him. Although he has a hard time letting to of Aether. He looks towards the young man. ]

You're going to have to uh - let go of me for a few, Aether.

[ He can't deny that happiness he always feels when he looks at Venti, little cecilia flowers seeming to appear amongst his hair instantly. Though the cecelia flowers might be seeming to be glittering as if illuminated by tiny golden stars, though anyone could guess which one of them caused this effect.

Xiao reached a hand up to gently place atop of Aether's head in a - hopefully - reassuring and comforting gesture before shifting and placing a soft kiss to Venti's cheek. ]

I was initially worried something bad had happened to you, so I came as soon as I could.

[ He looked back to Aether now, hoping the blond would be okay since he seemed a bit worked up still. ]

It's okay. Neither me or him are going to leave you.

Edited 2021-10-07 08:07 (UTC)

[Aether lets go when prompted, sniffling and taking in a shaky breath to try and calm back down. It felt more difficult than usual, but-- he finds himself distracted from his tears when he sees the kizuna effects showing up between the two of them. He has no reason to assume either are for him, but-- when Xiao pets him on the head, the ends of his own hair tint green.]

[But then Xiao leans in and kisses Venti and... huh. Come to think of it, why did he know to come? Neither of them spoke his name, after all. And Xiao's never suddenly appeared any of the other times Aether has been in distress-- which has been rather often in Nippon lbr. Were he and Venti always this close...? Well, it makes sense, in a way. Both had lived on Teyvat for a long time. Maybe they were already acquainted?]

[In any case, he opens his mouth to respond, but wisely thinks better of it, and just nods.

[ He reaches up a hand to brush his fingers over Xiao's cheek, though his attention stills on Aether anyway. Venti is glad to see the display of the bond between the two. Aether has been a bright spot in his own life, so he has to assume the other has been a bright spot in Xiao's, too. ]

You could feel it, couldn't you?

[ There was still a lot to figure out about bonds, but he's certain that could be something. ]

Sorry for worrying you. Aether, is it alright if Xiao carries you? I'll be right behind you.

[ His face is still puffy and shows every sign of crying. But he's working to keep it together as much as possible. He has to. He can get back easily, and though he doesn't like the idea of not being right at their side - he knows how to get home. ]

[ It was subtle, the way he leant into the touch to his cheek as eyes fell closed briefly before nodding in assent. ]

I could. There was no way I was ignoring something like that.

[ He's torn between the two of them, the one who holds his heart and the one who's left an irreplaceable mark on him and his life. Both have meaning to him and to see them both in this state hurt him a little. ]

Don't apologize for that. It's alright, Venti.

[ A part of him just wants to pull his boyfriend close and tell him it would be alright, to brush his fingers along his cheeks sweetly. There's also the wish to thread his hand through Aether's hair and give him a forehead kiss, a fleeting thought he has to push aside for now. ]

...I'd carry you both if I could. You both appear to need it...

[Somehow, seeing them like this just makes him feel guiltier. It was his own weakness caused his bond with Venti to break in the first place, and now he just being an inconvenience, getting between them when it was so obvious they'd rather be with each other right now. It's not all that different from the time he and Childe were injured, and Zhongli had to focus on his wounds first. It's was frustrating, feeling so weak.]

[Which is why, rather than wait to be picked up, he pushes himself up to stand. He's visibly unsteady on his feet, but-- despite the tears in his eyes, his expression is more determined now. Surely he can at least manage this much--]

I-I... can walk. It's fine.

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