Chapter Text
Aether awoke gasping for air. His back was slick with sweat and he felt the cold air stick against it.
It was a quiet night, Aether looked out the window of his abode to take in the view of his teapot realm. The only sound occupying his mind is the loud thumping of his heart slowly calming down as he took deep breaths.
He didn't even notice his fingers were clenching the sheets so tightly they trembled.
"It's just a bad dream…" He told himself, the same thing he repeated to himself every night.
Aether wore his heart on his sleeve, the sweet traveler with a heart of gold is always so caring to the people around him, always giving and never receiving. His smile is as bright as the sun, so blinding that it could easily hide the cracks underneath it.
Aether was slowly breaking at his seams, it has been years with no clue of his only family, years of travelling between nations and facing perilous dangers. Yet the requests never seem to die down, it's as if trouble keeps getting attracted to him. He's always roped into political conflicts, abyssal attacks, wars between nations. All things that should never have been the concerns of a traveler.
Aether wants no more, he wants to go home. Yet he can't stop himself from helping, his heart too easily swayed by the troubles of teyvat's residents. Yet he himself does not want to trouble others, does not show his weariness, does not complain.
What remains of his celestial power wavers. Aether might not care about himself as much, but his power certainly will not allow him to succumb. So it takes over and chooses the best course of action.
–-----
"Traveler, you're back. The soldiers have briefed me about what happened. " Kokomi and a few shrine maidens were there to receive Aether when he emerged from the pool in the center of Watatsumi island.
He was handed a towel to dry himself by one of the shrine maidens.
"Thanks to you, the darkness in Enkanomiya has been removed. The whole of watatsumi island thanks you for your help." Kokomi recited her gratitude. It was always the same line, Aether had long lost sense of any emotion behind the thanks he received. But he smiles back anyway.
"Please, have a rest. I have prepared a room for you and I will tend to any injuries you have."
"Thank you Kokomi, but I'm not injured, just a little tired."
It was half a lie. Aether did sustain injuries but it was quickly healed by his celestial powers. Perhaps always coming out unscathed may have played a part in building his reputation as a flawless hero.
Aether was not hurt, but there was unmistakably a wrenching pain in his core. His body was fine and perfectly healthy, but he couldn't explain why he was feeling this strange pain. It had started off as just a small sting that pricked him everytime he fought. It started around the time when he boarded Beidou's ship to Inazuma. But slowly, it had started growing. From a small prick, it had progressed to a slow ache, then a pounding pain. Now it was at its worst.
The pain is merciless and it seizes his muscles everytime it returns. It spreads to his arms and legs and threatens to drop him to his knees. Yet Aether could take it, he never allows it to change his unwavering smile and firm posture.
But it was definitely concerning. Aether had tried receiving all sorts of healing from different elements, studied books in search of what may have caused it. But when he couldn't find anything, he concludes that it may just be a side effect of being without his old power. So he keeps quiet about it.
"Alright then! Paimon will save your portion for you. Come join us after you're done! "
And the little guide floated off together with Gorou and a shrine maiden. Aether had wanted to take a warm bath before joining them for a celebratory feast so he told Paimon to go first. The little fairy must have been so hungry after spending weeks in Enkanomiya eating only dried rations.
Aether shed his wet clothes and made his way into the bathroom, he smiled when he noticed the warm water had already been drawn.
Aether slowly dips his body into the tub, sighing when he feels the relaxation wash over his body. The warm water hugged his sore muscles so well, Aether could almost just fall asleep like this. But he stayed awake, he had to attend a feast later after all.
Aether let his hair out of its braid and it floated on the water like a fountain of gold, by habit, he started combing through his long strands, removing any dirt and blood from it.
Suddenly, the sharp pain that has been plaguing him returns.
Aether flinches, but he takes a deep breath and tries to ignore it. The pain is usually something that he can tough through, but Aether realizes that it's different today. It isn't going away, and it's excruciating. The pain grows and bubbles even more the longer he tries to ignore it. It tears at his vision and sends sparks of white hot pain through hIs body. Aether soon found himself gasping out a choked scream as he gripped the edge of the tub so tight his knuckles turn white. Sweat gathered at his brow and he feels his muscles seizing. It terrifies him.
Panicked, Aether tries to get out of the tub and call for help. He claws at the edge of the tub but his arms are too weak to lift him out. His legs would not move and the pain forces his muscles to tighten painfully again. He was slowly wearing himself out just trying to stand.
"Help-..agh- Paimon…" Aether managed to choke out but his voice was so soft that he doubted anyone could have heard it. He feels his arms weaken and he slides under the water for a split second before he forced himself back to the surface, gasping for air. Was the water always so deep? Aether could feel his consciousness wavering, the warm water beckoning him to sleep in its warm embrace.
If this keeps up he's going to end up drowning himself. Aether fumbles for the plug, praying that inazuman bathtubs had one. Fortunately he did find something similar and he mustered the last of his strength to pull it out.
Aether could vaguely make out the feeling of his body sinking into the water, his face swallowed in its warm embrace before the painful feeling of water entering his nose assaulted him. But Aether could not do anything as his eyes slowly shut and he falls into a deep sleep.
–----
"Aetheeer! What's taking you so long? Everyone is waiting for their guest of honor! ." Paimon enters the room without knocking, she scans her surroundings but finds no sign of Aether.
"Aether? Are you still in the bath? It's bad to be in the bath for too long! " Paimon floats over the the bathroom door and he pushes an ear to the door, she hears no reply other than the sound of running water. She puts all her weight onto the doorknob but it refuses to budge. Locked.
"Aether? Are you in there?" She knocks, but once again there is no reply. Something is wrong, very very wrong. Only now does Paimon grow even more concerned.
Aether tries to hide it but, for someone who has been traveling with him for years, it's hard for Paimon not to notice Aether flinching every now and then for no reason, as if he had stepped on a thorn. But there were never any injuries to show for it.
Paimon dismisses it too when the traveler waves it off as just her imagination. But now it starts to worry Paimon endlessly.
"Aether! This isn't funny! Please open the door!" Another minute of silence and that was enough to send Paimon darting out the room and calling for help.
The crowded dining hall was thrown into silence when Paimon barged in crying and grabbing at the collar of the nearest soldier she could find. "Help! Please! hic* Aether isn't answering- he's- he's still in the bath-!"
Gorou's ears twitched when he heard that and before the soldier could even open his mouth to reply , Gorou was pushing past his men and rushing out the hall towards Aether's room.
–----
"Aether answer me!" Gorou pounded on the door and when he received no reply, he wrenched his hand tightly on the handle. He commanded his geo into his hand with a grunt and the metal knob soon bent under his force.
He forced the door open with brute force and he almost slipped on the wet bathroom floor. Water was pooling ankle deep on the floor, and the source of it is from the small hole in the tub, the water now mostly drained flowed in a small trickle out of the hole and pooling outside the tub.
"Aether? Are you here?" He carefully walks through the water but he sees no sign of the blonde traveler. The tub looks empty but when Gorou finally makes his way closer, his eyes widen at what he finds at the bottom of the tub.
There was a child- laying unconscious at the bottom. He looks very similar to- no wait, this is unmistakably Aether. Gorou could tell from the familiar scent. He laid so deathly still and his expression was so peaceful… as if…
" Aether? Hey wake up. Aether? Aether!"
Gorou immediately lifts him out of the tub. Aether was soaked, his hair still wet and his body so light. Gorou laid him on the floor and he paled when he realized Aether wasn't breathing.
"Nonononono Aether hey! You can't do this. Come back!" Gorou immediately placed both hands on his chest, pumping it desperately. He failed to notice when several footsteps arrived outside the door — a few resistance soldiers, her excellency and Paimon.
"No! Wha- Aether-" Paimon gasped out between her sobs as she flew over and hovered over Aether worriedly. Gorou didn't have time to comfort her, not yet. He was getting desperate now when Aether still showed no signs of life. He pinched his nose and breathed into Aether's mouth before going back to the chest compressions. He prayed and begged for Aether to open his eyes.
Kokomi was by his side before he realized. She did her best to perform her hydro healing too but it was pointless to heal a dead man.
Gorou was sure he had broken at least a few of Aether's ribs now with long he had been performing CPR. He was almost about to let the tears he had been holding back loose when suddenly, he heard an erratic gasp from Aether.
Aether's coughed sounded too loud and painful for his small frame. But to everyone's relief, he turned to his side and coughed out the water in his lungs. Colour slowly returned to his skin.
"Take it slow, you're safe." Kokomi placed a hand on his back and let her healing flow into his frail body. Aether cringed at the strange sensation of his ribs reattaching themselves but when the feeling ceased, he stared blearily up at everyone.
"Huh?" Aether managed to blurt out but he was surprised by how high pitched his voice sounded. He managed to seat up with some help so he could breathe properly but it made him dizzier. Was he always this short? Were his fingers always this short and dainty?
"Aether! Paimon was so worried- what happened to you Aether?" Paimon launched herself into Aether's arms and hugged him as tight as she could, sobbing over his shoulder. Aether froze from the surprise.
Did Paimon double in size? Something is weird here. Aether looked around dazed and confused, unable to answer Paimon's questions.
A dry towel is draped over him and it feels so big, almost like a warm blanket. It soothes him.
Gorou is shielding Aether from the prying gazes of the other soldiers outside. Aether hadn't even notice he was still naked. " Go back to your positions. Tell everyone the banquet is called off!"
Gorou ordered and he was replied with a simultaneous "Yes sir!" From all his men.
Nothing is making sense to Aether, why was he wet, and undressed? Why is Paimon so worried? Why did they make such a big fuss over him?
"Aether…Are you still feeling pain anywhere?"
Kokomi asked with a worried tone.
"No, but I'm…feeling dizzy…sleepy."
The dizziness soon returned to Aether. He vaguely remembers a bit of what happened now. He was sinking under warm water, it embraced him, it was so calming. Aether swayed as his eyelids flickered. Gorou caught him before he could fall though.
"Let him rest. I'll consult a doctor to do a checkup on him. As for his current form- It could be a result of his exposure to the miasma of Enkanomiya… I'll do some research."
Aether is carefully carried to the bed still wrapped in a towel. Gorou tried his best to dry his hair and fit him into the oversized bath robe.
When he was done, Aether was peacefully asleep with Paimon keeping watch by his side.
His already small figure curled into himself, making him look even smaller.
For a long time Gorou saw the traveler as someone powerful and respectable. But he never thought that Aether had such a vulnerable side to him as well. Was this how Aether really felt behind his tireless smile?
No matter how strong Aether is, in the end he's so small, just a lost boy looking for his sister.