for @frostwoven, continued from here.
As far as things went by Aether's standards, today's events were turning out to be rather STARTLING at face value, but otherwise unremarkable once he came to scrutinise the figurative meat of it. He'd been - for the most part - minding his own business, going about the erratic despondency of a rather monotonous afternoon when the cobbles beneath his feet had given way. In a heartbeat, he'd found himself sat upon a rather comfortable chair, the bustle of Port Ormos giving way to a quiet isle and a horizon embroidered with clouds that seemed to stretch on to infinity.
Ah. So that explained the buzzing in his ears.
Aether regarded her with his arms crossed and his expression set somewhere between mildly unimpressed and attentive. Dealing with any member of the Hexenzirkel was akin to being dealt a WILD CARD. So far, those he'd met were often of the tendency to provide aid. However, Aether knew better than to trust so blindly, especially when the members of the organization who were acting as benefactors possessed power enough to elevate them above even the threads of fate that seemed to govern all the rest of Teyvat.
"I was busy, you know." It was a halfhearted attempt at expressing a PERFUNCTORY recalcitrance that lingered in his throat like the aftertaste of soil from rainwater - performative at best, completely unconvincing ( though the Harra Fruit he'd been eyeing had looked somewhat promising ) at worst. Aether reached over and dumped five sugar cubes and what was likely half a cream pitcher of milk into his tea.
He should've been well accustomed to Alice's whimsy by now, perhaps he only had himself to blame. This wasn't the first time she'd sought him out, and it certainly wouldn't be the last. At the very least, her present request sounded BENIGN enough.
"But fine. What do you need me to do?"