#aether drabble

With a deep breath, you screw your eyes shut and plant a kiss on his forehead. Like you've always wanted to.

At least, where his forehead was supposed to be.

Your eyes fly open when you belatedly notice that what your lips are pressed against isn’t the warmth of his forehead. Aether’s eyes are wide open, gazing back at you.

Then it takes you about two seconds to realize you’re kissing him, and he's fully awake, bearing witness to it. Not to mention you’re kissing him a couple of inches down from his forehead.

You jump back, your heart leaping out of your throat, yet you’re unable to move when Aether has an arm snaked around your waist.

“Oh, you’re—I’m so sorry, I didn’t think—No, I mean, I didn’t mean to kiss you!”

This is horrifying. Double the horrifying. You intended to kiss him on the forehead and then return to sleep with only this secret shared between your heart and the quiet of the forest. But he woke up, moved, and your lips ended up square on his.

“That wasn’t fair,” he rasps, heavy with sleep. He keeps his arm firm while you’re trying to shuffle away. “Our first kiss could’ve been more romantic than that.”

“Nothing romantic about that!”

“Plenty romantic in waking up to an angel kissing me,” he remarks, then grins lazily, as much as his weary facial muscles can handle. And looks stupidly attractive doing it.

“Aether,” you whine, your arm flying up to cover your eyes in a lame attempt to hide your humiliation. “You know I didn’t mean to. It was—it was supposed to be—”

“It’s okay,” Aether laughs. “I know. Though, I would’ve preferred it if you meant to. You could wake me up a lot faster if you meant to do that.”

He cups your chin with his thumb and index, his eyes zeroed in on your lips. “So, if you’re going to kiss me, aim right next time.” He grins at you, his gaze melting any trace of embarrassment away. “Okay?”

•Diluc•

You and Diluc were sitting in front of the fire place after a long day. In fact, you were the only one sitting. Diluc's head rested on your lap, as you gently brushed away some strands of hair off his face.

You smiled softly, noticing how calm his expression is. His eyes closed, lips slightly apart as he was already long asleep, feeling at ease under your touch.

You wrapped one of the hair strands around your finger, humming at how soft his locks were. Your hand wandered to the hairband, taking it off carefully, not to wake up your lover.

Sometimes you asked yourself if being as beautiful as him is even possible and how it happened that someone like him noticed you. Every part of him was perfect. In your eyes, there were no mistakes in his appearance and personality.

Your smile widened slightly, your gaze wandering off of his face as you concentrated on the flames in front of you.

"I really love you, Luc.." You whispered, your hand stroking his hair, as you felt the pleasing warmth of flames against your skin. "I really do.."

"I'd be upset if you didn't."

You widened your eyes and looked down at your partner. Even though his eyes still sleepy, were looking at you now, with love and respect.

"D-did I wake you up..? I'm really sorry.." You took your hand off his head only for him to grab your wrist carefully, not using any force.

"You can continue." He whispered, calm smile appearing on his lips as a light blush, that you wished he'd mistake for fire from the fireplace reflecting all over your cheeks, painted over your face. "I love you too."

You smiled widely and closed your eyes, leaning in to place a soft kiss against his forehead.

"I'd be upset if you didn't.."

•Aether•

You leaned against the tree, your hands wandering through Aether's hair, trying to give him a proper braid. Both of you decided to take a break from the daily travelling by just sitting near the Windrise and relaxing for a while, accompanied by the light breeze of wind and quiet melodies of the nature.

His blonde locks felt soft under your touch as you brushed them with your fingers.

"My sister used to braid my hair all the time." He said quietly, looking down at the grass. His expression saddened slightly, as he remembered his sibling. "I'm sure both of you would get along so well."

"I'm sure one day you'll introduce us to each other.." You smiled softly and looking up at the sky, you finished forming a messy braid out of his hair.

Aether smiled back, feeling as you mess with his hair a little more before finally letting go of it and kissing the back of his head.

"Though.. I'm not giving her back my privilege.."

Your partner turned towards you and blinked a few times, tilting his head to the side. Quiet chuckle left your mouth as you leaned in to place a kiss against one of his cheeks.

"I'm the one to mess with your hair now, alright?" You wrapped your arms around his neck, tangling your hands in those light locks, as you purposely destroyed the braid to have the occasion to make it again. "It's the best thing ever! Mark my words, I will fight for it if I have to-"

He blushed lightly and cupped your cheeks, stopping you from talking by pressing his forehead against yours.

"I love you."

Now was your turn to blush, trying to turn your head away from embarassment, but his hands on your cheeks made it impossible. Soft sigh left your mouth as you gave up on hiding, returning his smile while your cheeks turned even redder.

"I love you more!"

"Alright," you sighed. "What time?"

Well, if Amber was asking you, you couldn't refuse. After all, you'd worked hard to become friends, and you didn't want to lose that. What was meeting some guy going to do? Really, nothing. He just had everything; you were the same, yet he had all the things you didn't. Celestia must've spoiled him.

"6pm! Don't be late! I'm going to show him around the city, I'll meet you there at Good Hunters!" Amber set off with a smile.

You sighed again, waving goodbye to the outrider. There was really nothing to hate him for, but how could he be loved by everyone instantly? Because Amber brought him here with such a smile? What was so different about him that they showed such a difference in attitude? Why were you greeted with suspicion and glancing eyes, while he was greeted with kindness and warm smiles? You saw too many similarities, yet the outcome was so different... 

Later that night, you headed off to Good Hunters. You were early as usual, getting Sara first and taking a seat at one of the empty tables. 

“Oh, hey, (Y/N)! Sorry we’re late! This is Aether, he arrived earlier this morning,” Amber introduced her new friend, and you waved back, putting a fake smile on your face. 

“Hey, I’m (Y/N),” you introduced yourself, then turning to Sara to order the usual. 

“Oh, and a sticky honey roast! We can’t forget that, Aether here has to try it!” Amber added to the order, and Sara wrote that down for the kitchen. Amber never ordered that for you, when you arrived. In fact, she brought you some food from the general goods and set them in your sack before she went on her way to clear out some hilichurl camps. 

Your mouth watered as the food began to make its way to the table, and you listened as Amber rambled on about Mondstat to this strange new traveler. 

Just one look at him, and you could tell he wasn’t from around anywhere near here, maybe even anywhere on Teyvat. Perhaps he had come from somewhere else, like Alice... Was that what everyone else was thinking? No one had mentioned Alice in years though; it was unlikely they’d be thinking about her because of him. Though, somehow, those golden locks of his reminded you of Alice’s, a soft you couldn’t get in Teyvat, unless you were, perhaps, the Chief Alchemist Albedo himself. 

There was something about him that kept you locked in your thoughts, an aura which glowed calmed your mind. Perhaps it was his soft voice, his way of speaking too. 

“Uhm, is there a reason you’ve arrived in Mondstat?” You asked, taking a bite of the sticky honey roast for yourself. 

“I’m... looking for my sister,” he replied, looking down. His eyes seemed to be filled with loneliness, something you knew too well at this point.

Perhaps, just maybe, after that dinner, you seemed to understand why everyone adored him in such a way.

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