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After all the chaos of living through the finale of Fontaine’s prophecy, returning to Liyue Harbour brought quite the relief to Aether’s heavy shoulders. He breathes a long sigh from the depths of his lungs, unafraid of any gargantuan flood to suddenly drown the nation, though… Now that he thinks about it, Liyue Harbour did almost suffer a similar fate, at the hands of Childe no less. Regardless, the sun shines brightly over the bustling city, and Aether folds his hands behind his head as he idles through familiar stalls.
A book stand is set up along the esplanade, toting wares from Inazuma’s Yae Publishing House, as well as some local books in similar styles to those popular in the nation of eternity. Curious, Aether flips through a couple of the light novels and magazine pamphlets, though they’re mostly books he’s already seen before. Miraculously, even Xingqiu’s book has wound its way all the way back to its home country, though like before, it remains entirely unsold.
One of the books, however, does catch Aether’s eye; though the font on the cover renders the Liyuen letters almost illegible, it appears to be styled more like a fan magazine, not unlike the many that populated Fontaine’s news stands. He flips open to a random page, fully expecting perhaps Lady Ningguang or Captain Beidou in its contents, only to find a… rather creatively posed painting of none other than Adeptus Xiao.
Aether chokes on his own salivation.
Hurriedly, he flicks back to the first page, examining the blurb more carefully. His Liyuen is a bit rusty, so it takes him a minute longer than usual, but he manages to eventually discern the contents.
Have you ever dreamed of having a knight in shining armour? It reads. Or perhaps, a silent warrior to guard your heart and dreams from the world’s darkness is more to your taste instead? A strong man, ready to tend to your every whim at just a single call of his name, a fearsome soul willing to plunge his spear into unsuspecting foes — there is quite a person inhabiting the lands of Liyue, and rumour has it, he is single! Within these pages may I humbly introduce to you: Adeptus Xiao, your new dream husband!
When he turns the book around to see the cover, indeed, Adeptus Xiao, your new dream husband, are the characters scrawled across it in black swirling ink. Aether almost drops the book in favour of smacking himself, his cheeks flaring a bright red as the stand owner finally takes notice of him with a teasing smile.
“Interested?” He chuckles. “It’s only 50 mora, hardly anyone gets past the cover, but those who do are always in for quite a treat~”
Without a second thought, Aether throws the money at the vendor, clutching the book in his fingers as he power walks to a more secluded part of the harbour. It… surely isn’t as bad as he thought, right? Slowly, he examines each page — there are only 24 pages, anyway, so it shouldn’t take long.
It shouldn’t, but it does, because each page is adorned with candid photos and suggestive paintings of the legendary adeptus, and Aether’s eyes glue to each one as if he were a starving man at the windows of a bakery. A couple of photo descriptions fill in the negative space of the pages, describing various scenarios with the aloof adeptus, ranging from meet-cutes to steamy wedding nights, all written in poor taste yet each sinking Aether further down on his knees, the flush on his face crawling down his stomach and spine. One such scenario reads, you take Adeptus Xiao by the hand, leading him into a private hotel room. He acts bashful but you can clearly see the heat in his eyes — he wants you. Slowly, he pushes you down to sit upon the bed, crawling on top, closing the gap between your lips as he kisses you…
Aether snaps the book shut, a hand flying up to cover his mouth. Unwittingly, he imagines the texture of Xiao’s windcut lips against his own, and internally groans.
Dumbly, he opens up to the next page, and the scenario continues into something far less chaste — horrifically, it describes Xiao as some kind of animal in heat — and topping the whole thing off is a full page painting of Xiao with a rose between his teeth wearing… well, nothing.
Aether hates how detailed it is.
He hates that he can picture it on Xiao so easily.
Though the ceremonial sash he always wears does quite neatly cover the whole region, there’s been many times where the wind slyly tugs it away, and while his pants may not fit to his form, they certainly can’t hide everything. After a few too many glances upon his lower half, Aether can ascertain the rather exaggerated painting is… not all that far off, actually.
This time, he does slap himself, with the book directly to his nose, and it hurts. He deserves it, probably.
Absent-mindedly, he reads the back cover of the damn book, mumbling the words to himself in a sarcastic tone. “Are you lonely? Do you crave the gentle touch of a strong, attractive man? Do you dream of being the special someone to the vigilant protector of Liyue? Perhaps this book can awaken some new imaginations, and open your eyes to the allure of the handsome Adeptus Xiao.”
Just like that, the telltale shuttering wind arrives, bringing none other than the handsome Adeptus Xiao before him, arms crossed and chin tilted down, staring at Aether’s pathetic state.
“…You called?”
Aether has never wanted to die more than right in that moment.
“Uh… I was just reading aloud,” Aether chuckles nervously, hiding his very red face behind the book.
Xiao frowns at the heinous writing, something in his eye twitching as he inevitably makes out the character for his own name. “What… kind of book are you reading, exactly?”
As if he only wanted to dig himself into an even deeper hole, Aether, rather stupidly, hands the book directly to Xiao. But the moment it leaves his hands and Xiao opens to the first page, he regrets it, hurriedly standing up and waving his hands in front of him. “Ah it’s not like— I just… I didn’t really know what was in the book since you have to buy something before you read it… obviously,” he rambles quickly. “A-and I was just thinking how— how unrealistic the whole thing is! I know you would never act like… like that, you have more important things to be doing like donquering cemons— I mean conquering demons! I was just about to throw the book out anyway, haha… uh… Xiao? Is everything alright?”
If, by the remarkably crimson shade Xiao’s face has turned and what would surely be sheer white knuckles under those mismatched gloves for how harshly he grips the paper, Aether would assume everything is not, in fact, alright.
Xiao exhales slowly, lowering the book to look at Aether. “You were reading this?” He asks quietly, and if Aether wasn’t mistaken, his voice was rather shaky.
He was definitely about to be skewered.
“Um… yeah…”
Xiao inhales, and exhales again, shutting his eyes pointedly. “I must say… I could never before imagine the mortals of Liyue viewing me in such a light. I presumed I was merely a monster who fights monsters in their eyes. This book is, as it proclaims… eye opening.” He opens his eyes again, staring directly into Aether’s, his eyebrows furrowed. “Why do you find the need to… entertain yourself with such fanfictions?”
“I-I don’t,” Aether stammers, trying his best to give a casual smile though probably failing miserably. Celestia, please smite me. “Just the… the pictures! They capture your essence perfectly, yeah.”
Xiao frowns again, lifting the book up to examine it once more. “The pictures…?” He flips through the book, eyes darting over the photos and paintings thoughtfully. “These are rather… creative. Ah—”
Aether yanks the book from his hands in a panic, and holds it behind his back. “You don’t need to see the rest… haha…”
Xiao tilts an eyebrow up.
Aether swallows.
“You wish to hide the pornography.” The flatness of his voice was almost remarkable, if not for the sheer anxiety his words wrought upon Aether’s poor heart.
“It’s not— I wasn’t— I don’t see you that way, I promise, I really wouldn’t— Hey!” Aether shouts as Xiao suddenly reaches around him to grab for the book, both his arms circling Aether’s waist and slipping under his cape easily. Aether flusters at the unexpected intimacy, trying his best to hold the book out of Xiao’s reach— trying his best not to think about how Xiao’s practically wrapped around him even as his knees all but crumple at the touch.
Who knew he was so touch starved?
Still, he can’t exactly let Xiao look at the very explicit renderings of his own body, lest Xiao break his oath to never harm any human again in his vengeance. Xiao’s face plants into Aether’s scarf as he stretches further back, his fingertips barely brushing against the corner— Aether changes position, holding the book behind Xiao instead and trying to keep him contained against his chest with his free hand. Xiao huffs, turning quickly, his hair ruffling against Aether’s clothes as he again tries to reach for the book, but Aether again pulls it behind himself.
“Aether,” Xiao mutters, “I will not judge you for your fantasies, just… let me…” his voice muffles as he turns back into his scarf with a sigh. Aether almost melts at the sight of him dishevelled in his arms.
This time he holds the book above himself, standing on his tiptoes and trying to pushing Xiao down with his other hand, but Xiao expertly dodges his defences and stretches up towards the book.
And he can’t reach.
Xiao huffs again, shutting his eyes pointedly as Aether laughs, patting Xiao’s head teasingly. “Who knew the mighty and handsome Adeptus Xiao was even shorter than me~?” Aether grins, taking in Xiao’s completely unguarded expressions with such giddiness, it’s all he can do to just tease the vertically challenged adeptus more. “That’s why you always show up in high places, huh? Trying to make up for something?”
“Silence,” Xiao scoffs, looking up at the book with a determined frown. “I am not ashamed of my height.”
“Sure, sure… are you shorter than Ganyu?”
“I— I am not!”
Aether narrows his eyes, noticing for the first time how he looks slightly down to meet Xiao’s gaze. Though, they’ve never exactly stood this close before, either, so it’s not all that surprising he’s never noticed it before. His smile softens, admiring the pink on Xiao’s cheeks and the delicate flecks in his golden eyes — and Xiao looks at him too, pausing for a moment. It’s almost… intimate, the way Xiao’s frown relaxes the longer he stares into Aether’s eyes from barely three inches away.
Xiao’s fingers gently slide onto Aether’s shoulders, and Aether dares to slip his free hand down to Xiao’s waist— then Xiao jumps up, setting Aether very off balance before snatching the book from his hands and sending them both tumbling to the ground. Xiao has enough foresight to cushion Aether’s fall with hands clasped behind his head, even if he ends up falling on top of Aether in the process. They both have to catch their breath from the abrupt exertion, Xiao clutching the cursed book in his fist as he slowly pries himself away.
Aether can’t help but hug him properly, pulling him back down with a soft exhale.
Xiao stutters at the touch, likely not expecting to feel two arms wrapped around his waist, ever, but he relaxes into the embrace nonetheless, bringing up a hand to smoothen Aether’s hair. “Was this your ulterior motive with all your antics? To… cuddle with me?”
Aether freezes. “Uh… it wasn’t exactly what I had planned, no.”
He releases Xiao from his grasp, and they both sit up slowly. Xiao takes in his appearance properly now, eyes lingering on the deep blue shade his earring has turned with his newly acquired hydro resonance, and Aether, no longer powered by his inner-gremlin, flusters under the attention. “You have returned from Fontaine, I take it?”
Aether nods, his own eyes staring at his glowing wrists. “Everything there is resolved. Hopefully.” Hopefully, unless Celestia decides the prophecy was not enough. “Uh… how have you been?”
Xiao nods subtly. “I have been well, all things considered.” He glances down at the now crumpled book in his hand, eyebrows furrowed once again. “I was unaware my likeness featured in pornographic material.”
“It-it’s not porn,” Aether breathes out, only to have Xiao’s sharp, fearsome, not-at-all attractive eyes narrow in on him.
“Self-indulgent fanfiction, then,” he mutters. “I was unaware you enjoyed such things, though I will not judge them so long as you… retain your reasonableness.”
“I don’t! I really… I don’t know why I bought the book okay,” Aether sighs. “Maybe I just missed you.”
Red has always looked nice on Xiao, certainly his eyeliner at least remained stuck in Aether’s mind for weeks on end — but the delicate shade that colours his usually pale skin is truly stunning. Xiao looks away, his eyelashes fluttering slightly. “I supposed I missed your presence, too,” he mumbles, clearing his throat.
“We should go out sometime,” Aether blurts, and oh god now he’s also all red, again.
“You mean… romantically?” Xiao asks before Aether can stammer out any clarity, and Aether all but blue-screens. “I have heard mortals enjoy ‘dates’ together, where they visit places they like with a loved one. You already know my preferences,” Xiao smiles— smiles! “As long as there are no crowds, I do not mind attending such an event with you.”
“Wh… what?”
Xiao stands up, offering a hand out to help Aether to his feet, too, coyly looking away. “You know how to meet me, there is no need to indulge yourself in such petty literature.” He pauses, glancing down at the book in his hands. “Though… if someone should commission the author to make one such book about yourself, I suppose I will have to read it myself.”
With that, he’s gone, leaving a very stunned Aether in his wake.
Certainly not a husband, but he’s pretty sure he’s just found himself a brand new boyfriend of Adeptus Xiao.