Archive of Our Own

Prologue

The rambunctious mood from earlier had been lulled to sleep, quietly snoring as the three slumbered. Paimon warmly curled up between Bennett Razor, nuzzling into his long gray hair. A loopy smile played on her face, her dream must be good. Aether leaned back against a rock, a sleeping bag draped over for a makeshift cushion.

He listened to the fire crackle in delight as the wind spun a bedtime story. The moon in Teyvat had always been large and stunning. There were those nights when he could afford to look at that same unchanging moon and when he did, without fail, it would look all the more beautiful. Relaxing, he stared at that moon, every thought running through his head and yet it had never been more at peace.

Venti was quiet too. Sitting beside him cross-legged on his own sleeping bag as the two appreciated the sight above them. You could barely hear the sound of their breathing, like they were afraid to disturb the water surface the scenery was undoubtedly made of.

Aether could feel the familiar creeping of fatigue. Sleep was beckoning him over like a warm embrace on a cold rainy day. He let the rock support his head while he shuffled his body down the sleeping bag below him, curling his arms around his waist. Leaning against the hard surface that felt like the most comfortable pillow, his drooping eyelids as his breathing evened itself out. Aether surrendered himself to the darkness.

A whisper, “Traveler.” Reality poked at him, reminding him of the sounds around him that have yet to fade. Aether squeezed his eyes before opening them as he turned to Venti. A prominent frown was etched upon the bard’s face, the serene atmosphere from earlier vanished, leaving nothing but a wisp of a memory. Aether followed Venti’s gaze, he didn’t hear any monsters or wild animals approaching. Squinting his eyes past a few fir trees on his left, he paused. Aether blinked once.

Slowly reaching for his sword as he sat up. His frown matched Venti’s own. On an unassuming night, his party was camping out in Monstadt’s vast wilderness. On that night, Aether and Venti spotted a crimson moth.

“That can’t be,” Aether whispered back, disbelieving. He had seen, with his own eyes, La Signora die at the hands of the Raiden Shogun. Not even ashes remained of the eighth Harbinger.

He remembered Venti had a complicated look when he broke the news, a mix of shock and regret but mainly resignation. And now, there was a fragment of the departed Crimson Witch of Flames dancing leisurely a distance away. Aether glanced at the trio still sleeping soundly together, he gave Venti a look and the two left.

Gripping his sword tighter as they tracked the moth. From a distance behind, they watched the moth slowly make its way towards a stone cleverly hidden behind some shrubs. Aether widened his eyes as he watched the fiery moth circle it a few times before landing demurely on a tombstone. Next to him, Venti’s face fell.

The fluttering wings of the moth slowed down and stopped moving completely. It might just be Aether’s imagination that the moth’s wing seemed to drop slightly, it might have been tired of flying but the form appeared grieving. A frigid feeling dug at Aether’s heart, the hand on the sword falling slack. He suddenly sees a vague image of a platinum blonde woman, hunched over this smooth gravestone weathered with time and nature. He couldn’t hear or imagine the sobs but the despair lining her figure shook his heart.

Venti looks at the grave with conflicted eyes, a vision of a bygone war flashing through them for a moment. At that point in time, a moth, a traveler and an ex-archon each mourned for something different.

The bubble broke as the moth regained its energy and flapped down hard, pushing itself off the worn stone. It flew with renewed vigor, using the last burst of its vitality to reach an unknown destination. Venti gathered the winds under Aether as the traveler jumped. With the wind propelling him forward, Aether reached the escaping fragment in two large steps.

The sword disappeared as Aether released his hand and reached out. He enclosed his fingers around the elemental insect. It was also at this moment when Aether heard a yell coming from Venti.

“Aether wai–!”

Aether closed his fist around the moth. Venti’s shout was cut off as he did so. Turning back, instead of the tall grasses and the large fir trees he remembers Venti standing by, a different landscape overtook his view.

There was snow.

White, pure and unflinchingly cold. Like the ones in Dragonspine. Except they were nowhere near that mountain. Dread, as freezing as the temperature around him was starting to feel, choked his heart.

“Venti?!” Scanning the dark blanket of white before him, his breaths coming out in short puffs fogging up his vision. There was no response, the blizzard tearing at him was not helping in many ways. Between the panic rising up his throat and the harsh flying snow eating away at his skin. Aether felt warmth.

Focusing his attention on that, Aether looked down at the squirming pyro elemental. Still held within a tight grip, not enough to dissipate the creature, strong enough to prevent its desperate escape. Breathing out through his nose, Aether sucked in a breath of ice and crisp air. Right, a blizzard.

Wrapping his scarf up to his nose to prevent it from getting too cold as he breathed. Normally, the pyro licking up his gloves would be scalding but it felt closer to the heating gadget he’d use on Dragonspine at times. Warming his palm despite the embers almost touching his skin, the moth really wanted to break free.

Aether assessed the situation, he was currently away from his party in an unknown and cold location. The only source of warmth was the burning moth in his hands. The moth was trying to go somewhere. With how bad his situation is, Aether might as well follow the flying insect to see where it wanted to go.

He checked he still had his sword on him, placing the makeshift warming seelie into his other palm to warm it as well. Aether pinched the crystal body of the moth, avoiding the vigorous flapping of its wings, he allowed the moth to lead him.

Trekking past snow that got shallower and shallower as he walked, leaving footprints in the perfect layer that would be covered from the snowstorm still beating at him. Even with the scarf, Aether could see his fogging breath. His bare stomach protested from the cold so he wrapped his free arm around it.

‘Dragonspine wasn’t this painful.’ Which surprised Aether. He’s braved through worse on Dragonspine, the cold harsh wintry wind in his face, inhibiting his vision and fighting capability. Yet, they were never this hard.

The strength of the wind was a fraction compared to that but the snowflakes. They bit at him. Each piece that landed on his warmer body and melted seemed to carry pins of its own. Prickling at his exposed skin almost painfully. Aether winced a few times when they landed near his eyes.

Aether walked for a while before something caught his attention. Further up ahead, there was the vague outline of a human. Quickening his steps, Aether approached the figure and was surprised.

In the empty expanse of this place stood a lone statue of a woman. Carved in marble, features shrouded by the hood she wore as long hair cascaded down her arms. She held a ball in between her hands.

Aether might have thought she was a Statue of The Seven if it was sitting upon a tall pillar. Instead, the archon figure was gracefully sculpted upon a chair, a robe draped on her. Hands gently holding a marble ball. Aether couldn’t help but think it inspired a sense of reverence. Breathing out slowly, Aether stepped forward.

He hesitantly placed his palm flat on the spherical marble, a cold feeling seeped into his bones as cryo powers danced around him for a short fleeting moment. The jewels in his earing and outfits changed from a deep purple to a stark light blue. The jewel almost seemed to glow white for a moment before settling into the shade of cryo.

Aether swung his sword in an arc, satisfied at seeing the cryo power imbued into his sword burst forth, slashing a cut into the pristine snow. Sheathing it, he continued on following the crimson moth.

He knew for sure now.

He was in Snezhnaya. The region ruled by the cryo archon. The only place he would be able to obtain the power of cryo.

A few more distances ahead, the blizzard naturally mellowed out. The air was still freezing but Aether could breathe a little better as he noticed the change. Keeping the fluttering moth in front of him, Aether followed its little tugs more eagerly now that he was out of the storm.

The first thing he saw within the snowy landscape wasn’t civilizations or withered trees. It was a marble pagoda. The place was big, spanning about the size of the cathedral in width and a few floors in height. The unique design had a rounded roof pinched at the top, large white heavy-looking doors and expanding sideways. An oval array of pillars supporting a connecting structure encircled the main building.

Looking around, Aether had the sudden gut feeling that this place was dangerous. A chill not from the surrounding temperature was pooling in his stomach, battle-honed senses warning Aether to leave.

Aether frowned up at the marble building, the light reflecting off it let Aether discern it was created by a master craftsman. The carving and designs of the entire layout felt purposeful. Yet, this place was setting off his instincts.

Past the large pillars and stepping on cleaned concrete ground. The walkways were barren, like the snowfall had stopped right at the perimeter of the place. Aether caught up with the flying moth that was flapping more enthusiastically towards the pagoda.

Pushing open the set of doors that were cold to the touch, it creakily closed behind him as he looked around. The interior was much more extravagant than the outside had suggested. Fancy in the way that each decoration and addition to the architecture looked and felt significant. While it was not the first time Aether had sneaked into a place illegally, the wariness never truly wore off. It always felt like the walls had eyes.

He felt a tug to the central hall, the insistent creature moving, even more, to break free. And to its delight and Aether’s horror, the moth did slip out from under. Immediately flying out of Aether’s reach and disappeared into the room behind.

Having lost the moth, Aether began to explore the place in earnest, trying to find the entrance. There was a tapestry he had never seen before. Flowers and paintings arranged methodically across the various walkways he’d stumbled into.

He hadn’t heard anyone since he entered the pagoda. After a short walk, Aether found himself at the front door once again. Sighing, Aether was about to head to the central hall when he stiffened. A power was swirling on the doors, spreading outwards as Aether watched with bated breath.

His instincts flared up. Aether jumped backwards just as a large shard of cryo emerged from the ground below. A similar scene was recreated all around him as ice crept up the walls like vines, the once carpeted floor turned slippery from the frosted layer. In the span of seconds, the entire place from ceiling to floor was preserved in elemental ice. Unless they were a pyro vision wielder, there was no chance of removing the ice.

Every single part of the place was encased in thick ice before he knew it. After gaining the power of cryo, he was now a little more immune to the cold. Yet. The air became even bleaker. A chill went down his spine as Aether widened his eyes disbelievingly at the sight around him. Looking up at the building, he could see the marble walls now had a layer of translucent ice covering them.

Aether’s breath came up shaky as his mind raced. If Paimon was here, she would gasp and squeak at the display before them. Wondering who could do something like this.

The sudden thought about his traveling companion, remembering Venti’s outcry for him as grabbed the moth, imagining how worried Razor and Bennett will surely be once they woke up. Feeling for the undercurrent of cryo now sitting dormant below his skin, Aether clenched his fist against the minute trembling as he resolved to himself to get out of here.

Thinking through his options, he wasn’t able to teleport at the moment and in this foreign land, he only knew a handful of people originating from Snezhnaya. All of them he had met in Liyue or Mondstadt. There’s a low chance Viktor, the Fatui from the cathedral, was posted back to his homeland. Not to mention that he might not necessarily help. Who could he…

Teucer. Childe.

Aether couldn’t help but wonder how the ginger was doing. Last they saw each other, Childe had left the Mystic Onmyou Chamber on a melancholic note.

La Signora's death and Scaramouche’s defect from the Fatui must have caused quite the stir. Two of the eleven Fatui Harbingers, one lost contact with the electro gnosis. The other died at the hands of the country’s archon.

Within the confines of the place that had tall ceilings and ice-covered walls, any sound would be amplified. So when his reminiscing was interrupted by a thud coming from the room at the back, the only room he hadn't explored.

His shoulders tensed.

Hide

Aether ordered himself. The thought blared quietly inside his head, all his senses sharpened to that single point. He held his breath, afraid of breathing too loud but the rapid thundering of his anxious heart made the action feel unnecessary. The blood rushing past his ears allowed him to hear everything too well and nothing at all. In the next second, movement accompanied the sound.

The rumbling came from what sounds to be an old heavy drag of a door. As the deep noise echoed throughout the chambers in the pagoda, following it were footsteps. Multiple of them, exiting the room together, heavy boots on iced floorings muffled the lighter steps of the other persons.

Shrinking himself into one of the entrances leading to the other sections, Aether plastered himself closer to the wall as sweat dripped down his brow. Soon, they were close enough that Aether could hear conversations.

A dainty voice asked curiously, “...prime of his life then?”

The doctor, Aether presumed, answered with a much deeper voice that strongly contrasted with the young girl’s. “Heh, he’s busy with… a little experiment in “blasphemy”,” there was something dangerous hinted in that almost teasing tone of his.

Enduring the cold walls his back and arms were leaning back to, Aether strained his ears to hear more. He didn’t know who they were or what they were talking about, but curiosity won victoriously.

Another voice entered their conversation, “And you are sure of the results this time, right Dottore?” Similar, but not the same. The speaker spoke calmly, his voice was monotone but smooth when spoken out loud.

A scoff, the doctor Aether thinks, “I am sure that’s none of your concern. Pantalone, should I remind you again that business shouldn’t meddle with science?”

Despite the harsh statement, “Pantalone” didn’t speak any differently, “Business or not. Should your “science” fail us again, we would have quite the problem on our hands. And by then, it would be up to us “business” harbingers to solve it, wouldn’t it?”

‘Harbingers? The eleven Fatui Harbingers?!’

Aether considered taking a peek at the possible Harbingers just past the wall, however, he soon had no need to do so.

“I can’t believe I have to repeat myself. This is neither the time nor place to be fighting. Do it back at headquarters.”

Aether hasn’t heard that voice in months but he could still recognize it like it was yesterday.

Childe

The male sounded more serious compared to his usual teasing and excitable remarks about fighting strong opponents. Aether froze in place, too terrified to move in case Childe or anyone spots him. But, hearing someone familiar in this land that he’s been unwillingly transported to, Aether restrained himself from running out to Tartaglia in relief.

The girl giggled and skipped away, humming an eerie tune under her breath.

Aether waited for the footsteps to leave, everyone seemed to have left the four behind and it didn’t take long for silence to return. Aether finally let out the breath he’s been holding, cold sweat in his palms as he pushed himself off the cold wall.

Before he could even get another breath in, the air was knocked out of him.

“Ack!” His head shook from slamming against the wall, his hands summoned his sword. Cryo flowed out as he squinted one eye open at the ambush culprit. Thrusting the sword in the direction of the assailant's neck. He felt the metal reverberate from the impact with a hard object, bouncing off as it vibrated.

His hand was twisted and after another slam against his temple, Aether dropped his sword with a pained grunt. “Well, this is a surprise. I didn’t think anyone would dare to eavesdrop on us. And while we’re all in mourning as well.”

Deep blue eyes smiled threateningly as it was said with a chuckle, like he found the situation hilarious. ‘Tartaglia…you–’ Aether glared at the owner of the hand that was holding him up by the throat like a doll.

When burning gold met cerulean blue, Aether saw emotions flit through the ginger’s eyes. Shock, confusion, suspicion, guilt and finally, amusement.

“This is indeed,” Childe’s smile took on a different edge as he stared at Aether's struggle, he took the liberty to tighten the fingers, “a surprise.”

“Tartaglia, a little slow in disposing of the enemy, are you?”

Two pairs of eyes stared at the newcomers while another couple of pairs of eyes observed them back.

Frowning in contempt, “My enemy, my fight. Don’t meddle Pantalone.” Childe spat out, his face twisted in annoyance.

Taking this chance, Aether swung his legs out from under, almost catching Childe in the jaw. Childe had dodged in time. Instead, a kick to the chest had Childe releasing his chokehold, as Aether fell to the ground, he used the momentum to roll towards his sword. When it came within reach, a cryo spike shot up from the ground. Any slower and Aether would have lost his wrist.

A hydro whip wrapped itself around Aether's neck and pulled him away from the sword. “Gah!” Choking him in the process as his air supply was cut off again.

The ice right next to his face was cracked from the hydro dagger Childe produced, sticking past his bleeding left cheek into the ice wall behind.

“Comrade, it’s been a while.” Childe greets sweetly, his smile didn’t reach his eyes this time. Instead, the ecstatic look he gets when Aether agrees to spar was visible in the dark walkway they were in. Gritting his teeth and panting, Aether spoke carefully, “Childe.”

The smile on Childe widened.

“Aw, did you miss me that much? You know you could have always sent me a letter, comrade. I’d be glad to show you around my home. Not to mention, Teucer would be excited to see you again after so long.” Childe started chatting amiably, disregarding the fact that he had Aether pinned between a hydro blade and his arm.

“So this is the rumoured Traveler?”

Childe’s next words about Snezhnayan cuisine trailed off as they both turned. Wavy black hair framing his sharp face, a perfunctory symmetrical smile directed at Aether. His eyes remained in crescents behind the silver frame glasses with an attached chain, like his handsome face was permanently drawn by an artist to smile. Cloaked head to toe in black and blue jewels, fur as dark as night sitting on his shoulder. Aether felt unsettled by that gaze.

‘Pantalone’, Aether remembered, ‘the name sounds familiar.'

Digging at a passing memory within his mind. Aether didn’t see the intrigued expression on the Harbinger as eyes raked over his slumped form, his eyes sharpened at his bare waist, looking appreciatively.

As if sensing his intent, Childe formed another blade on his left hand, keeping the other hand on the handle of the one embedded in ice. A glare was sent to Regrator coupled with the gathering hydro power in Childe’s hand. He replied with an unrepentant smile but backed off nonetheless.

Dissipating the hydro, Childe was interrupted again trying to talk to Aether.

“The traveler? Ah, the outlander you’ve become so fond of Tartaglia. A multiple elemental wielder. A first of his kind, how interesting…”

To Childe’s right was a masked gentleman in a white coat and metal claspings with a blue scarf tucked in. His hair glowed blue in the dark corridor with an undertone of green. The first thing that caught Aether’s eye was the test tube earring filled with green liquid on his right ear. It caught the light and glinted coldly. A sharp mask covered his eyes and nose, exposing the curious pursing of his lips.

The hairs on Aether’s neck stood up, it felt akin to being dissected apart like an experimental subject. He looked away and ended up facing a disgruntled Tartaglia.

The orange-haired Harbinger sighed and got up, no longer crowding Aether into the wall. “I have quite a number of questions, comrade. Before that, I gotta help out the rookie. First time in Snezhnaya weather, are we?”

It was then Aether noticed he had been shivering, the muscles twitching involuntarily no matter how much Aether tried to will it to stop. Backing up slightly, Childe flashed Aether his most award-winning smile, “Hey, here’s an idea. Why don’t you join us, comrade?”

Aether didn’t answer, only blinked owlishly at the request. Continuing, “You look like you’re cold. If you agree, I can lend you this Harbinger coat.” Aether then noticed Childe was much more wrapped up than before, a red scarf over an expensive leather suit. A white coat with thick black fur not unlike the one masked man was wearing.

Breathing in slowly, Aether met Childe’s teasing gaze defiantly. A chuckle came from behind Childe while the ginger shrugged. He still draped the coat over Aether. The large clothing hung over his body loosely. Making Aether look smaller than he was. Deft gloved hands hooked the clasps together with a click. Securing Aether in a coat warmed by Tartaglia’s body heat.

Aether almost wanted to bury himself in this warmth, he tried to thank Childe but snapped his mouth shut.

The three Harbingers before him were staring at him, each gaze was as deep as the abyss. The smile they were wearing from before now looked threatening, Aether gulped. Even though Childe was no longer pushing him into the wall, with three Harbingers boring into him, Aether felt like backing up to it.

“Sorry about attacking you earlier. I truly would have used my entire strength instead of an ambush if I had known it was you, comrade.” Childe apologized. Scooping the Traveler into his arms, Aether floundered at his action. “You–put me down Childe!”

Aether’s demand was ignored as the three Harbingers walked away. “Aether, you can’t think that after being discovered in The Fair Lady’s tomb, you would be able to just walk away, would you? Things have to be done properly. Don’t worry though, I’ll let you see Teucer once we’re done with you.”

This was a resting place? Aether considered escaping Tartaglia’s hold but the presence of the other two Harbingers beside Childe made him second-think the option. He looked warily at Childe’s usual smile, the situation wasn’t favorable from the start but Aether began to think he'd stumbled upon the tiger’s den.

“Mr nice guy! Look at this new toy my brother got me!”

The 10 year-old excitedly showed off the newest addition to his collection. In his hands, 4 small mechanical cubes surround a yellow ball. Teucer twisted and folded the toy in different ways, showing Aether how to play with the miniaturized perpetual mechanical array.

In Aether’s hand was a similarly designed ruin hunter. Four arms sticking out from the main body. Even in his situation, he admits the details and accuracy of these toys to their original counterparts were well done.

He let Teucer run around his room with the toy, jumping on the bed he was sitting in an attempt to let his Mr Cube fly to the highest point in his room.

Unbidden, a genuine smile grew on his face, Teucer has been good company even if his visitor doesn’t know they’re hanging out with a prisoner.

After depositing him in the extensively furnished guest room, Childe locked the door behind him. Leaving Aether to his own devices. There were no windows for ventilation but true to Snezhnayan weather, there was no need. Aether only required the heating device implanted in various corners of the room.

Aether would have tried to break the door if he hadn’t heard the voices from the other end. It seems like Childe didn’t truly leave. Why he was standing guard was beyond Aether.

His little brother who chatted and bounced energetically around Aether lifted his mood; if he tried hard enough, he might be able to ignore the new brand on his leg. The device sitting innocently on his ankle reminded Aether constantly of the situation he was in.

“Tonia did that?” Aether asked, laughing a little.

“See! You understand, right?” Teucer puffed up his cheeks, “I kept telling her not to. But she just won’t listen. It’s always ‘Teucer, you have to go to bed now’ or ‘Teucer, brush your teeth' Hmph, I’m not a baby!”

Listening to Teucer was probably the only thing Aether could look forward to for the unforeseen future. He knew the boy was unaware of his real predicament and his beloved brother was involved, would Teucer even believe Aether? The little kid kicked his leg out as he depleted his never-ending supply of questions and conversations.

Alas, all things have to come to an end.

This came in the form of Childe. The door opened to reveal the older, wearing his Harbinger coat. He had helpfully provided Aether with more suitable clothing. However, each time Aether thought about the inconvenience he was imposing on Tartaglia and wanted to apologize, the metal on his ankle effectively silenced all thoughts about it.

“Brother! You’re back!” Teucer yelled, hopping off the bed and running to the door. Childe caught Teucer and swung him up and around, much to Teucer’s enjoyment from his snickers. “Teucer, my little brother. Did you enjoy yourself?”

“Yep! Mr nice guy is super fun to play with! You should join us next time brother!” Teucer waved his arms up and down whilst still being carried by Childe.

“I would love to, Teucer, you know I would. Next time, if I’m not too busy making new toys, I’ll come play with you and the traveler, alright?” Childe placed his brother back down and patted his head, adjusting his headwear that had gotten messed up from earlier.

“Come on now, time to say goodbye.”

Teucer turned back, waving the hand holding Mr Cube slowly. Even though he’s had to do this before, Teucer still can’t seem to get used to the disappointment of leaving the playdate.

Aether gave him a soft smile and waved back. He heard the tell-tale sign of the door locking once they left and the expression slipped from his face.

His sword had been confiscated so he couldn’t even train while in solitary confinement.

Letting out an exhausted breath, Aether lay back down and closed his eyes. He couldn’t really sleep, no. He’s been doing that too much lately, in fact, his body is brimming with excess energy.

Childe has been handling his meals and needs for the past week. The only other person he’s seen was the scientist from the first day. He and Childe came in together one afternoon to interrogate.

They both – well mostly Childe – seemed surprised when Aether said La Signora’s Crimson Moth had teleported him here. Aether didn’t remember much of what they asked but he blacked out afterwards and woke up alone.

Aether could feel a headache approaching, it’s been thrumming in the back of his for a few days. He figures his body had been accustomed to the adventuring lifestyle, so too much sleep ended up having a negative effect on his body.

Sitting up, Aether looked around the room. He’s explored every part of the room but all its drawers and cabinets were barren. Even the study table was lacking pen and paper. Childe didn’t want to risk anything being turned into a weapon so he probably had everything emptied out.

Just as Aether was about to subject himself to hours of boredom, the door clicked.

Straightening up, he watched the door warily.

He instinctively prepared elemental powers in his hands but the pain that shot through his leg broke his focus instantly.

“Ugh!” The elements dissipated with a pained grunt, his hand grabbed his leg as the pain came in waves.

“Still haven’t learned, Aether?” Childe said disappointingly.

Not looking up at the man, Aether breathed out, “What do you want?”

Approaching the bed, “Teucer forgot his ruin hunter.” picking up the toy next to Aether.

Aether closed his eyes, regulating his airflow. The fact that he had allowed Childe to put this on him leaves a sour note in his mouth. Teucer was no longer here, he didn’t have to pretend to get along with his brother.

“Come on, let me see,” Childe tried to pull up the hem of his pants to see the device when Aether slapped his hand away. “Just go.”

Aether would afford him this much, but he still had too much pride to be asking Childe for help. The pain would leave soon, he just had to endure it.

Another sigh, “Comrade, you’re just making things difficult. I promise, I’ll just disable the pain. It will last for another hour if you don’t let me.”

Aether wanted to say he’s well aware of that. Having tried to use his powers at night only to suffer the consequences of it with no one around to help him.

Without waiting for an answer, Childe grabbed his right leg. Aether’s own hands latched onto his arm but were too weak to push the Harbinger away. Pulling the hem up to expose a complicated gear wrapped around a thin ankle. Childe fiddled with a few parts and Aether gasped out loud in relief.

Slumping backwards as the pain subsided. Aether was going to–had to figure out how that device worked no matter what.

Catching his breath, Aether let his leg fall. A firm grip prevented his leg from relaxing onto the bed. Glancing down, Aether noticed Tartaglia was looking at the exposed ankle intently.

He tried to retrieve his leg a few more times without success. Snapping, “Childe, just what do you wan–”

The ginger brought the ankle up and bit down. His leg was still sensitive from the earlier pain so Aether jolted. His words failed him when Childe licked the bite mark he left, staring at him with deep blue eyes as he did so.

“C-Childe…what…”

The hand holding under his knee tightened while gloved fingers snaked up his calf from under the pants. Kneading and caressing, Aether was too shocked to move.

The hands reached deep enough to brush the underside of his knee and Aether kicked away in reflex. His leg was freed from Childe who looked at the leg and at Aether who met his eyes with bewilderment.

Tartaglia stood there for a while longer before smiling and leaving with the toy.

It wasn’t until Aether heard the lock that he let out the breath he was holding. Childe was weird today, it wasn’t a normal custom to bite someone’s ankle, right?

The room was brightly lit, two people within stood on opposite ends of the large mat. One held a sword in their right while the other twirled duo hydro blades.

“When the mora lands, we start,” Childe announced. Aether nodded his head in understanding.

The golden coin was flicked into the air, and two pairs of eyes followed it up before spinning downwards quickly. The two rushed forward with their respective weapons, the forgotten mora bouncing off the mat.

They parried and attacked, each movement one made, the other matched it before the weapon could land a hit. Sparks flew and elements danced around the arena.

“Hah! As expected, you’ve gotten stronger!” Childe laughed before going in again. Aether blocked the path of his blades with the edge, twisting the grip on his sword to drive the pommel into Childe. It was dodged as another hydro blade stabbed towards him.

“I’ll be much stronger if you let me use all my elements.”

Creating an ice plate that shattered as it blocked Childe’s attack. Aether was only allowed to use his newly acquired cryo powers to fight the Harbinger. While it wasn’t Tartaglia’s style to fight with restrictions, he reasoned that his training room would be destroyed if both of them went all out.

Out of nowhere, Childe barged in as Aether was preparing for bed. He dragged(carried) Aether out his room and deposited them in a room full of targets and equipment. Childe confessed he was itching for a good fight, “And so you decided to fight your prisoner?” Aether had answered with a raised eyebrow.

He didn’t really want to humor Childe’s thirst for action but he had been worried about getting dull from the lack of his sword.

And now there were bruises blooming throughout his body. A new one forming where he’d taken a kick to the ribs. Childe was just as roughed up, a nick on his cheek from where the sword had gotten past his defenses. An ugly bruise was bound to form where Aether had dug the hilt into his stomach.

The two separated to catch their breaths, leaning on their respective weapons heavily.

“Not bad…Not bad at all, comrade,” Childe heaved.

“Are we done yet?” Aether asked tiredly. He wanted to sleep. Fighting with Childe using only one element was more draining than he had expected. Especially since he’s never fought with it before until now.

Childe laughed heartily, his hydro blades disappearing as he stood up. As Childe walked over, presumably to adjust the element inhibitor back, Aether threw his sword out. Using the last of his energy, he sent out a blast of cryo power.

Taking the chance when Tartaglia stumbled back, Aether dashed for the door. He reached it to find it locked, cursing under his breath. A large hand slammed on the door from behind him. Aether couldn’t turn around, he could feel labored breathing on his neck.

“Aether, a sneak attack isn’t very nice. I had expected more from you,” Childe started languidly, “Well, given your circumstances, I can’t really blame you.” Aether almost felt relieved for a second, until he heard, “But I’ll need to punish you.”

In this breath and the next, Aether found himself pinned down on the ground with Childe leaning over him. Aether placed his hands on his shoulder to push the taller man away when out of nowhere, a scream was forced out of him.

“Aghh!” His leg, his entire body felt pain coursing through. The pain all converged on one point on his right ankle but that barely mattered when his nerves were crying out. Tears formed quickly as his grip on Childe’s shoulder increased.

He didn’t know how long he felt like pins were attacking him from inside. It never felt this bad before, similar to when he was affected by electro but his sensitivity was turned up to a 10.

Thankfully, the pain left as quickly as it came. Childe pushed a button on the device and Aether gasped, slumping on the ground as the last of his energy left him. His vision blurry and his throat sore.

“Comrade,” Childe gently swept his fringe away from sweat-slicked skin. A gesture of mock tenderness. “You’ve learnt your lesson this time, right?”

Too out of it to talk, Aether could only shallowly nod.

Satisfied, Childe moved to get up but stopped.

The Harbinger realized he was kneeling between Aether’s spread legs. The blonde lay under him, panting with teary eyes. The sight made his gaze darken and his cock stirred in interest.

Cupping Aether’s cheek in a hand to tilt the face towards him, Childe's smile deepened dangerously. Aether lay there unaware, his muscles still shaking slightly from the lingering phantom pain.

Suddenly, he felt Childe push his hips flush against his own. Blinking away the tears, Aether found himself facing a sharp smirk. Aether’s breath hitched as he could now feel a bulge pressing insistently against him.

“H-Hey, Childe, you can’t be–” Aether got his answer in the form of a kiss.

Childe captured his lips harshly, he kissed as upfront and persistent as he fought. A squeeze on Aether’s leg and he gasped. Ever the opportunist, Childe entered his mouth and caressed Aether’s tongue with his.

“Mmphf!” Childe smiled into the deep kiss, not giving Aether any time to adjust. The hands that were pushing him away started to grip into his shirt instead.

Large hands explored and moved up his body, squeezing around his thighs, waist, throat and ass. Childe was just touching but Aether felt everything too much. Sensitive beyond compare.

When Childe rutted his hard-on into his ass, a muffled squeak leaked out of Aether. His own growing pleasure made everything hazy as saliva trailed out their joint mouths, still moving together. His tears came back anew from lack of air as Childe tried to consume him.

“Aa!” Childe released his tongue with a wet sound, “No, no more…” Kissed out with a beautiful flush over his face, Aether’s words came out sloppily, his tongue heavy in his mouth. Childe’s canines showed from his smirk, going back in for another heated kiss.

“Comrade,” Childe whispered against his neck, mouthing along his thumping artery. He had somehow managed to drag Aether’s waistband from under him, leaving his lower half bare around his clothed erection. “I..wait, Childe…Ah, ahh!”

Two fingers entered him. They were coated in some kind of liquid, making wet sounds as Childe drilled them in and out of Aether. Sometimes he’d stretch the digits around. Sometimes he’d pull out to circle the edge of the muscle. And this time, he brushed a spot that had Aether clenching down hard on his long fingers.

“Ah! Aah…that!” Aether felt teeth grazing his collarbone as Childe grinned into his skin.

Another finger entered and Aether clamped a hand over his mouth. His moans still spilled past his fingers as his prostate was attacked. Like an opening in his defenses that he couldn’t block.

Aether’s nails were digging into Tartaglia’s back, stretching the shirt. “C-Childe, sto–ahh! Nnn.” He bit down on his lips to stifle a loud cry.

“Aether.” Childe said. Fingers left his hole.

Aether winced as Childe nipped at the array of bite marks dotted across his shoulders and neck. He sat up, pushing his tousled ginger hair back as he eyed Aether deliciously. Pulling off his shirt and unzipping his pants. Aether’s eyes widened from the firm scarred torso and arms that bracketed him. The sight of his cock had Aether shuffling backwards, stopped by a strong hold on his waist.

That was going to leave bruises.

Childe leaned down, hovering over Aether’s red face, “When I watch you fight, in the heat of battle, you’re very very spectacular. Like the brightest star in the abyss of the world.” Aether’s breath hitched. He felt the head of a dick press insistently at his ass, a devious smirk growing on Childe’s features, blue eyes glowing in ecstasy.

“Comrade, you agreed to this, the fight isn’t over yet.”

His dick entered in one smooth motion, hitting the deepest part of Aether. “Ah! Deep–It’s too, Nhn–no…”

Golden eyes dilated behind a new wave of tears. Moans and cries pouring out of him, hands grasping at Childe’s arm as he was fucked relentlessly. The thick intrusion buried itself fully with each movement of his hips, the burn, the stretch, the pleasure. It was overwhelming.

“Nnh-no gentler! Childe–Ah! it’s too much too much… Ahh,” Aether drowned in Childe’s lust, head tipped back as he felt himself get closer and closer.

“You’re strong enough, comrade.” Childe groaned as a particular thrust had Aether clenching down on his dick. “I…” Gasping out between short breaths, “Childe…ah! Childe!”

Feeling the drag of his walls trying to keep his member inside the tight warmth, “Hah, you feel amazing, it’s twitching around me every time I move.” Childe said, his voice deep next to Aether’s ear. “Aether, you can take it. You’ve been undefeated since we met, ah,” He grunted out, “Let’s come together.”

Childe’s name tumbled out in between his moans as both climaxed. Childe releasing warm come into Aether, tight around the pulsing dick.

As Aether regained clarity, a startled yelp slipped out. Swallowing, Aether chanced a glance at Childe who was looking at him expectantly.

“Childe, y-you’re getting hard again…”

Aether stiffened as the thickened cock brushed his sore inner walls intimately. Horror dawned on his face.

Rocking into him, an obscene squelch as he moved. “Are you tapping out now, comrade?” Childe asked teasingly.

“…”

Aether wanted to lie, to finally get some rest. But they were both very aware of his sticky stomach and his already hard cock. Instead of responding, Aether let Childe push his arms over his head, securing his wrists together with a larger hand.

Placing one chaste kiss on his own lips, Childe hummed, “Hah, then I’ll happily partake.”

“How are you feeling?”

Aether frowned. Dottore or The Doctor – as he’s come to know him to be – never asked him questions pertaining to his well-being. He came in the first week with Childe to interrogate how he came to be in their homeland. This was his third visit, the last one, Aether couldn’t remember much other than he had woken up alone once again.

Why did he keep blacking out?

It’s been hard keeping track of the days without a calendar in the room. The antique clock sitting on the wall was the only indication of time passing. It was Dottore’s and Teucer’s visit that kept track of the weeks for him. A tether to a reality he wasn’t privy to when stuck inside a locked room.

Sitting on the plush comforter, the heat in the room dialed up to just right. Dottore sat on an intricate chair across from him. His usual clipboard in his hands, an indiscernible smile dancing on his face. “So you haven’t been feeling well?”

Aether realized he’d never answered the question. Keeping his guard up, Aether shook his head. Dottore’s smile widened a little like a satisfied doctor knowing his patient followed his prescriptions. It was unsettling.

“Have you been in pain recently?”

Why was he trying to act like a doctor now when Aether knew he wasn’t what his title claimed him to be? He shook his head again.

This time, the smile curled up on one side, so it looked like a smirk. Dottore’s eyes were still hidden behind the mask but Aether got the feeling that he was laughing at him.

Narrowing his eyes, he dared Dottore to speak his mind. Naturally, Dottore did.

“You do know that anyone’s bound to be concerned if they saw you walking with a limp. Doctor or not.”

Past the mask, Dottore raised an eyebrow at the Traveler’s reaction. A bright red coloured their faces instantly. Like they recalled something. Interesting.

“So I take it you are in pain. Would you like some painkillers?” Even from the reminder of what Childe and he did, Aether wasn’t buying the doctor act. He still refused to speak, shaking his head firmly, his braid swinging behind him

Dottore seemed satisfied with the reaction, moving his pen along the paper without looking down. Aether shifted on the bed sheets, his waist was hurting but nothing he couldn't endure. He even tried to hide the limping, it was ineffective as demonstrated.

‘The room’s getting a little warm now, or maybe it’s just me.’

Aether brushed the thought aside as Dottore asked another question. He didn’t know how many questions were thrown his way before he started to feel his clothes stick to his skin.

His eyes darted to the heating lamps sitting innocuously. The last time he tried to adjust the heating by himself, he turned it off instead. Having ended up waiting in the cold for Childe to return and turn it back on for him. He can still hear Childe’s laughter at finding him wrapped securely within every blanket and cloth he could get his hands on. So now, Aether didn’t dare to touch the device.

He contemplated asking Dottore to turn it down but the thought was drowned as quickly as it surfaced the water of his mind. Aether decided to endure it, Childe usually came back when Dottore left. Settling back into the bed, Aether looked up as Dottore asked another, “How have your sleeping habits been?”

The blonde shrugged indifferently. Golden eyes suddenly narrowed as they noticed. Dottore wasn’t sweating like he was. In fact, he looked like he did at the start. Harbingers must have some rule about staying in uniform so the scientist always wore more layers than him. If the room’s temperature changed so drastically, they were the first to be aware.

Aether then came to the conclusion, that his body temperature was increasing, not the room.

But why so suddenly? Is he getting a fever? His brain felt a little fuzzy, was it a cold? But he wasn’t sniffling. Just what…

“Are you feeling alright?”

Aether’s head snapped up at the question. The blue-haired male crossed his legs as he watched Aether. Aether nodded his head, dismissing his worry, if it even was worry. Even a simple action as that made Aether’s head pound, an ache forming just behind his eyes.

“Your face looks a little sick, however.” Dottore moved and touched his gloved hand to Aether’s burning forehead–what, what. Dottore would never do that. Aether didn’t know where he assumed that trait from, but he just knew Dottore wouldn’t do that.

Aether wanted to twist his head away from his hand but could not find the energy to execute that action. He was panting now, his body started to burn up noticeably, the hand on his head was more comfortable than he’d expected.

Dottore trailed his hand down, from the forehead, brushing his cheekbones, to his chin. He tipped Aether’s head up to face him. Aether couldn’t stop him, if he could get his arms to move, perhaps, but looking at the current situation, unlikely.

Squinting up at Dottore, Aether saw that casual smile spread into a dark smirk. Like he expected this…

Aether realized too late. It was far too late. He should have had his guard up with Dottore–no, the Fatui from the very beginning. The first interrogation, he remembers passing out. On the second visit, Dottore was in his memory but he woke up alone hours after. And now, his body was out of his own control and there was a scientist who goes by The Doctor in front of him. Relaxed despite his “patient’s” obvious medical abnormality.

“You..drugged me.” Aether forced his tongue to form the words he was thinking. Wide eyes stared at a sharp mask. A breathy chuckle. “Did you just realize? How cute. Here’s the next question: What do you think you were fed?”

A thumb stroked his lower lip, pressing the leather into soft pink. A shaky exhale came from Aether, his mind going into overdrive to derive a proper answer. “A-Aphrodisiac…”

Dottore tilted his head as continued tracing Aether’s jaw with his fingers. “Good boy. There’s one more, better guess correctly. I might present a reward if you do.”

There was more? Aether’s limbs were shaking, his face flushed as he leaned his face into Dottore’s hand. Allowing him to touch his face, Aether’s pretty sure he’d be face down in the bed now if it weren’t for his hand. Short hot breaths came out, breathing over sleek leather gloves cupping his chin.

“Para-ahh…” Dottore slipped a finger in, his face still shadowed with the mask. The thumb pushed against an unmoving tongue. The leather texture dragging across his sensitive muscle caused a convulsion to wrack his body. “It seems the drug is still not fully in effect yet,” Dottore observed.

With the finger in his mouth, his tongue couldn’t budge. He ended up making desperate sounds that had Dottore releasing his tongue. Not before he lifted the tongue up and pulled it out of Aether’s mouth with his index and middle finger.

Aether had stopped twitching by now, even though the inside of his body burned, there was not a single muscle in his body that listened to him. “Pa,raly…sis,” Aether stammered out. It’s hard when your tongue isn’t listening to you.

Dottore finally showed a smile with teeth, his grin seemed almost maniac. “That’s right. I controlled the dosage from previous tests so you should be able to still blink and breathe.”

He was right, despite Aether’s entire body going pliant, he was still able to take in air and close in eyes. Previous tests, were the earlier visits to test his immunity to drugs?

Using the hand holding a cute panting face, he brought the lax Traveler to lean against the headboard. Putting a pillow in between for comfort. He sat on the edge of the bed and stripped Aether. Spreading relaxed legs wide apart.

“Time for the real examination.”

Dottore’s movements weren’t wasted at all. Unbuttoning his top and pulled his pants off quickly. The aphrodisiac messed his insides, if he could move, Aether would be squirming helplessly on the bed, trying to get any sort of relief. But at the moment, he could only endure the pleasure that had no outlet.

The muscle relaxant meant Aether couldn’t get hard. It also meant Aether’s hole was very pliable. His ass softened up considerably that when Dottore produced a thick toy from archons-know-where, he pushed it inside Aether without facing resistance. “Look at that, your ass took that so easily. Even without lubrication.”

Aether’s ears burned with shame, his skin still retaining colour even if his facial muscles stopped complying. Dottore moved the toy in and out of Aether, letting him feel the girth and depth it could achieve but none of the stretch and all of the blinding pleasure when it hit his prostate. “Ah-nah…Aah!”

Dottore gauged his face. Facial expressions-wise, Aether’s one was a blank slate except for the occasional twitch of an eyebrow or trembling of his eyelid. A pretty blush painted over his cheeks to his ears as tears flowed down. A minute hitch in his shallow breaths. All these little signs told Dottore everything he needed to know.

“Nnha! Ah ah ahh…” Aether couldn’t stop the keening sounds escaping his throat. All he could do was lay there and take it.

The sounds became more frequent, crying out with his eyes shut around the tears spilling past. The toy was driven so deeply, that Aether could feel it past the paralysis drug meant to numb his senses. As he approached his climax, Dottore leaned in, tilted Aether’s hanging head up. His lips barely an inch away, he ordered, “Come.”

Against the effects of the drug, Aether’s whole body tensed as his eyes closed. White come now dribbling out of his soft cock. He lay there, unmoving as he tried to get air into his lungs. He couldn’t even clench down properly on the dildo, it just sat snugly inside a soft but stretched hole.

“Next experiment.”

Aether flinched at the next thing Dottore presented. In his hands was another dildo. A much bigger one at that. Aether would shiver if he could.

Once again, without lube, he plugged Aether’s ass with the other toy. A half-scream tore itself out of Aether. The drug was strong so he couldn’t feel the pain but Aether thinks it might have been better with it. The unfeeling sensation of being filled to the fullest. The best way to describe it…an expanding dildo inside him.

Suddenly, he heard a humming and movement from within. The dildo was vibrating. Aether didn’t have time to think about what Dottore was trying to do when the smaller –of the two– dildos was pulled out. He gasped out a moan as the masked man shoved it back in.

Aether could feel himself opening for the toy as it entered, his insides dragging along it as it moved within, like it didn’t want to let the large toy go. Even gaping for it when it left his body. The end result was the thrusting dildo pushing the moving one into his prostate.

Aether whites out for a moment, wailing.

When he came to, Dottore was smiling up at his lust-stricken face.

“The second experiment was a success. Good.” Dottore praised, fingers sliding over the red on his face like an artist’s brush stroke. Aether’s bad feeling came through, a third toy showed up. He was on the verge of begging, his ass couldn’t take anymore. Even if it was of a similar size to the first two, Aether’s sure the human body wasn’t meant to take so much.

Dottore, despite being able to read his reluctance, ignored it and pressed the dildo into his ass which accepted it pitifully. Somehow managing to keep them all inside at the same time.

The last thing Aether saw as he lost consciousness was a peek of Dottore’s blood-red crescent eyes behind that mask he wore. He woke up a few hours later, clean, dry and alone.

Aether was going to escape. He should have attempted this long ago but he wanted to bide his time for a higher guaranteed chance. But finding out that Dottore had been using him to test his experimental drugs, the unsettling feeling Aether got when he first saw him was now justified.

He just needed a reason to go forward with the plan. And now he has. There’s no saying he might survive the next test run. He has to leave. Now.

Today, Teucer was visiting again. Aether would be sure to apologize if they ever met again after today but his safety took priority. Childe cares for his brother too much to let him take any blame for allowing the prisoner to escape. Teucer will be just fine.

With that consolation, Aether resolved to himself to leave.

The door opened, two gingers walked in. The smaller one bounded over to the blonde traveler sitting by the bed, waiting for his arrival.

“Mr nice guy! I’m back with more toys!” Teucer exclaimed as he did a running jump into Aether’s waiting arms. “Look! It’s Mr snake!” In his hands, a very well-crafted ruin serpent was dangling in mid-air. It was a sad comparison to the snake Aether had to fight before.

“Alright now Teucer. You promise to behave, right? I won’t be able to bring lunch later so finish the food properly, okay?” Childe bent down to his brother’s height to pat him on the head. Teucer nodded, understanding. “Don’t worry, brother. I will eat all my vegetables today!”

Childe smiled lovingly at his brother. He then directed that gaze to Aether who returned it coldly, giving Teucer his full attention. He heard Childe lock the door on his way out. He counted in his head as he played with the child, ten minutes, twenty minutes. After what seemed to be half an hour and no signs or sounds of Childe in the house, Aether looked to Teucer who was doing a lively re-telling of a story about how his other brother caught a really big fish the other day.

Aether casually shifted his sitting position, folding his legs in front of him as he sat cross-legged. He made sure to stretch his pants as he bent his legs, exposing them past the hem of his pants. Luckily, Teucer’s eye caught it right away.

“Mr nice guy, what’s that on your leg?” He pointed out curiously.

Aether pretended to feign ignorance even though he really wanted to tell Teucer everything. But he needed to do this to draw out Teucer’s curiosity, “Hm? Oh, it’s just…hey, want to have lunch?”

As expected, Teucer didn’t take the bait. “Hey! That’s what Tonia always does when she’s trying to keep something from me. Come on, tell me tell me.”

Aether showed a reluctant face but kept darting his eyes back to Teucer, giving the child the impression that they were close to getting what they wanted. Teucer pulled on Aether’s sleeve, “Please, Mr nice guy. Please please tell me.”

Aether sighed, rolling up the edge to show the ankle device. Teucer eyed it, small fingers skimming over the metal ridges. “What is this? I’ve never seen it before.”

Aether smiled helplessly, “It’s a puzzle.”

“A puzzle? What kind? How do you solve it?” Teucer interjected with his own questions. Looking up at Traveler with sparkling eyes.

Aether stayed silent and looked like he was thinking deeply before answering, “Okay, but you can’t tell anyone what I’m about to tell you. Promise?”

The idea of keeping a secret excited the ten-year-old. Nodding vigorously, he hooked his small fingers with Aether’s thin pinky. “I promise! Now tell me!”

Shaking his head fondly, “Your brother gave me this Snezhnayan puzzle when I first arrived. He told me that in order to get a very special reward, I needed to solve it. I’ve been trying for a while now and haven’t gotten anywhere close.” Aether sighed for dramatic effect. Making him seem like a very hopeless person who’s stuck on a life-threatening problem.

Teucer looked at the device with renewed focus, small finger turning it this way and that. He lit up, “Mr nice guy! Don’t worry, I know how to solve it!”

Aether brightened up, and this time, it was genuine. “Really? You can help me, Teucer?”

“Yep! Just leave it to me Mr nice guy!” Teucer proclaimed proudly, immediately fiddling with the device's many small and delicate parts.

Aether waited with bated breath, keeping one eye on the device so it didn’t accidentally hurt Teucer and the other on the door that could jeopardize his whole plan.

There was a soft unbuckle of gears, Aether breathed in sharply as Teucer easily pried open what’s been chaining him to this place. Teucer faced Aether with a smug expression, “See? It wasn’t so hard for me.”

Aether let his awe show on his face, “Yes, it wasn’t difficult for you at all Teucer. That’s amazing. You’re really amazing.”

Showered in praise, Teucer's mood lifted exponentially as he quickly forgot about the puzzle and continued playing with his new toys. Aether swept the puzzle out his sight and unraveled the rolled edge, covering his ankle and the missing elemental inhibitor underneath.

Aether could do this playdate with a lighter heart than before. Since this was the last playdate with Teucer for a long while, Aether let him play to his heart's content.

Time flowed by quickly, and soon, Childe returned. He opened the door, looking wearier than before. Still smiling towards Teucer who ran to him and jumped. “Bye bye Mr nice guy!”

“Goodbye Teucer.” Aether returned the gesture.

The moment the door closed, Aether rushed forward to press his ears to it. Listening to the muffled sounds of Teucer sharing all about his day to his big brother. Looking over the room, Teucer didn’t leave anything behind, the elemental inhibitor was in his pocket. The room looked just as lived as it did when he first came.

Steeling himself, gathering the familiar geo elemental energy in his palm, Aether produced a sharp dagger. Stabbing it into the metal lock, he heard the metal give under the sturdy geo. Pulling on the handle, Aether wriggled the door until it gave way, opening to reveal the hallway Aether remembered catching glimpses of.

He left, not closing the door behind him. Aether navigated the unfamiliar maze of the place, he was somewhat sure this was Childe’s personal quarters among the Fatui. Him being a Harbinger should come with such benefits.

Checking the empty hallways before darting into a new one, Aether tried to make his way up. If he could find an opening, especially a window, his escape would be much easier.

Of course, it couldn’t have been that easy.

As he rounded a corner, he saw shadows and voices coming from the other end. Immediately retracing his steps as he hid. He recognized the people approaching. One of them sounded like Dottore, while the other…sounded like Dottore?

What’s going on? Aether would have liked to find out more information while in enemy territory but his life was at stake. When it became clear the two were heading in his direction, not wasting any time, Aether looked around and spotted a pair of exquisite doors. He closed the doors behind him silently just as the voices rounded the wall he was hiding behind. Waiting for them to disappear down the corridor he came from, he let out a breath.

Of course, things weren’t so easy.

“We meet again.” The low timbre of his voice tickled Aether’s ears. Stiffened, Aether focused electro elements into his fist, ready to strike the person behind him.

“If you cause a ruckus, everyone will be alerted to your presence.”

His hand still cracked with lightning but Aether paused, not daring to move but also a hair’s breadth away from exploding the entire room, stealth be damned. He chanced a glance behind him, the smiling gentleman with silver glasses from before stood behind him. Face next to Aether’s, causing him to narrow his eyes at the lack of distance.

Pantalone straightened up, hands hidden under that midnight black cloak as his face remained the same. “Trying to escape, are we?”

Aether tightened his fist, now fully facing the Harbinger, ready to slam the gathered energy at a target. Pantalone didn’t seem perturbed. Towering over Aether’s smaller form, his presence itself was domineering.

Aether didn’t answer, “Well I can’t really stop you, can I? You’re a multi-element wielder, I own no vision. If you were to concentrate all your power on escaping, I am saddened to admit that I alone would not suffice in stopping you.”

Scanning his figure, Aether didn’t spot a vision on him, but a delusion would still be formidable against him. Without his sword, Aether was already at a massive disadvantage despite what this Harbinger claims.

“How about I put it this way,” Pantalone continued, “If you attack me now, I can guarantee your chances of escaping are null with or without fighting me.” His perfunctory smile looked all the sharper in the dimly lit room he’s chosen to hide in.

“As a businessman, our words are very important tools of the trade. I assure you, as long as you put down your guard, I won’t stop you from fleeing.”

Stuck between a rock and a hard place, Aether lowered his hand. The electro fizzled away but he didn’t relax his fist. Pantalone seemed content with his action and turned around, “This way.”

Frowning, Aether followed behind at a safe distance. He observed his surroundings. There were shelves filled with old books as candles in glass lit up their path. At the end of the room sat an expensively carved table with books stacked on one side. Why was everything in the Fatui worth so much money?

“Well, naturally it’s because I’m the one managing the funds.”

Aether snapped his head to the front. Did he say that out loud? Pantalone smiled–well the edge of the smile just widened slightly–at Aether’s alarmed expression. His thoughts on full-display for this merchant.

“You must have heard of me, I presume?” Pantalone continued walking toward the table with steady steps.

Aether nodded his head before realizing he couldn’t see it and spoke, “Just a little.”

Pantalone hummed like it was within expectations. “You and your friend in Liyue caused me no small amounts of trouble.” At that mention, Aether remembered Yelan mentioning the wealthiest Fatui Harbinger after they had thwarted a plan to assassinate one of the Liyue Qixings. “Regrator.”

“Well done.” Pantalone stopped by the desk and faced Aether with the same smile he wore permanently. Aether stayed a few metres away from Regrator. “Why did you lead me here?”

Pantalone’s eyes crinkled in slight amusement at Aether’s wariness and pointed behind him.

Aether’s eyes couldn’t help but widen at the sight of an open window just behind Pantalone. The large glass pane covered almost the entire wall and Aether let out a breath as he saw the sky past them. “You need an opening to leave, don’t you?”

Aether righted his face and analyzed Pantalone, “Why are you helping me?”

He laughed breathily, “This is of course in my own self-interest as well. You need not worry about that.”

Pantalone brushed him off, Aether almost accepted his answer. Until, “I do want you to pay me back.”

Teucer jumped up and down in his brother’s arms, shouting every single detail he could remember about his playdate with Mr Nice guy. “And then, he played hide and seek with me! The room was very small, so there were not many places we could hide. He still could not find me! Aren’t I just super good at hide and seek brother?”

Teucer beamed when his brother laughed along with him, agreeing, “Yes, you’re the best hide and seek player ever known Teucer. I’m sure even I would have trouble finding you.”

Teucer vehemently denied, “Nu-uh! Brother is the most amazing, he can definitely find me!”

His beloved older brother chuckled in good humor, patting Teucer’s head. Not about to be placated, Teucer exclaimed.

“It’s true! You’re definitely better at hide and seek than Mr nice guy. You even created a puzzle Mr nice guy couldn’t solve. There’s no way you would lose to him.” Teucer was so caught up in praising Ajax, that he hadn’t noticed the arms carrying him stiffened.

Childe stopped walking, they were right outside his family’s door.

With a forced smile, his eldest brother asked Teucer calmly, “Wow, you helped him solve a puzzle, good job Teucer. What kind of a puzzle did he have trouble with?”

Teucer pouted, “Brother, did you forget? He might have taken a while to crack but that doesn’t mean you can just forget about the puzzle around his ankle. Oh! He even said you had a reward for him if he solved it. What’s the reward, brother?”

The ten-year-old conveniently forgot that a certain gold-haired traveler had also told him not to tell anyone.

Aether’s heart dropped and he glared back at Pantalone who ignored his threat. “Nothing in the world is free. Transactions are the basics of everything. If you want to escape, you have to give me something in return.”

Before Aether had a chance to come up with a countermeasure an explosion sounded somewhere in the building. Pantalone’s expression dropped minutely, calmly pulling Aether towards him. Within the next few seconds, a volatile Tartaglia bursts into the room.

Pantalone didn’t even look up from the book he was flipping through. Childe’s face was deadly as he stomped over to the single man sitting in a room of books, his aura exuding all signs of violence.

“Pantalone, he’s missing,” Childe said, venom dripping down his voice. He dropped Teucer off and left, saying he had an urgent matter to deal with. Using his vision, Childe arrived back at the building in record time.

“I see,” Pantalone continued reading off the pages. Not giving Childe the time of day. Childe slammed the book shut from his hands, keeping one hand over it as he glowered at the Harbinger.

“Where.Is.He?” Childe gritted out.

Pantalone regarded his behaviour with nonchalance, “I wouldn’t know. The only ones who have been allowed to visit that boy were you and The Doctor. Why don’t you ask him?”

“I haven’t been able to find him.” He snarled, the leather of his gloves tightening with a sound as he closed his fist. “You haven’t seen him?”

“The Doctor or the boy?”

“Both.”

Pantalone sighed, like a parent dealing with an unruly child, “No.”

The eleventh Harbinger narrowed his bloodthirsty eyes at the businessman before leaving with a click of his tongue. The door closed loudly behind him, heavy footsteps in his wake.

A moment or two passed where Pantalone stared after the door, a hand slipped under the table, cupping a trembling jaw.

“Now do you see the worth in this trade?” Golden eyes fixed shakily on him, his long braid cascading down his back, tail ends brushing the carpeted floor. Aether knelt between Pantalone’s legs, hidden under the table.

Pantalone took a moment to appreciate the image of Aether on his knees. Silky black gloves touched his face gently, looking at Aether with the same smile but anticipation glittered his features.

Aether bit his lips, and he relented, nuzzling into Pantalone’s palm. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Pantalone’s smile twitch, holding back a smirk. The hand holding his cheek moved to his hair, scratching his scalp a little.

“Unbraid it.” Aether nervously took the clip on his hair off, letting the Harbinger comb his way through beautiful gold threads. “Your hair and eyes, they really do remind me of the colour of Mora.”

“Place your hands on my thighs.” He still spoke the same way he was handling Aether at the moment, almost endearingly. Aether didn’t put up a fight when Pantalone pushed his face into his crotch, his cock already half hard in his black slacks.

“Stay there,” he said, carding his finger through Aether’s locks. The Traveler made sure to keep his head where Pantalone left him, not daring to move.

Another hand came up to his face and moved him away in order to unzip his pants. A fully erect cock pulled out in front of Aether’s face. “Pleasure me.” Pantalone ordered.

Looking up at those crescent eyes that kept secrets behind bolted locks, Aether leaned forward.

Still keeping his hands where they were on his thighs for support, Aether let his breath fan the large dick before giving an experimental lick. He heard a breathy chuckle from above, like he was amused at Aether’s inexperience with this.

Getting used to the kitten licks, Aether tried to lick a longer strip from the head of the throbbing dick to the base. He did this a few more times when he heard a quiet exhale from Pantalone.

When he tried to swallow the dick down, he couldn’t get past the head of the dick. Releasing the dick before he could get it too deep, panting with a flushed face. Pantalone placed a hand on his chin to stop him, “I’ll teach you once, learn it well.”

Pushing a finger into his mouth to open it wider, he kept a hand on the back of Aether’s head as he slowly sheathed his cock into a warm mouth. He let Aether get to half his length before giving him respite. “Let’s try that again.” He smiled.

Aether controlled his breathing and tried to swallow down the dick. When it felt too much as he reached the half of Pantalone, the hand on his head shoved the rest of it down his throat.

Deepthroating the large member, Aether gripped at the pants in his hands but endured it with teary eyes, restraining himself from pushing the cock out. Pantalone groaned lowly and found Aether’s struggle to be entertaining.

Pantalone’s eyes flickered upwards, his hand released Aether with a soft command, “Don’t move.”

Childe kicked open the door, hydro blades in his hand. “Dottore tracked the device to this room.” Striding towards Pantalone, “I’ll ask again. Where.Is.He?”

Not all looking like he was being threatened by the most unrestrained Harbinger within their ranks, Pantalone pushed an open clasp towards Childe. Aether had hurriedly given it to Pantalone upon seeing his waiting palm. “I found it, yes. I still did not see him.”

There was a loud sound as Childe stepped on the edge of the table, a sharp edge inches away from Regrator’s throat. “You must take me for a fool. Answer the question.”

Looking at the hydro blade with blatant disgust, Pantalone placed a finger on it and stared back at the ginger. “I found it outside the room when I was about to leave, thinking he may have hidden here so I searched the room. He's not here if that’s what you still haven’t figured out.”

The two exchanged lethal threats with their eyes, Childe looked at the device on the table. Deciding against wasting time here, he left the room with a flurry of his cloak and red scarf.

Pantalone let him continue his unfruitful wild chase, satisfaction curling within him at the thought that he had in his hands what Childe was searching so desperately for.

Turning his attention back to Aether who was half-choking half-gasping around his cock. Nails digging into his thighs, Aether stayed there, cock warming for Pantalone as he dealt with Childe. Pantalone’s lips stretched to a devilish smirk, enjoying the view of Aether, teary and red-faced around his dick.

He brushed his fingers over Aether’s ear, causing the younger to jerk and shiver. “How behaved,” Pantalone commented.

Hands going through Aether’s locks again, he pulled him off halfway and thrust himself back in. Muffled sobs came out of Aether as he allowed his mouth and throat to be used. In a deep voice, Pantalone declared, “Suck.”

As Aether tried his best to, the dick pulsed and warm come shot down his throat. Aether’s eyes went wide as he scrambled at Pantalone's legs. The hand kept his head lowered on the dick until Pantalone was done.

His face was slowly lifted off, the dick slipping out. Some trails of come dripping out of his swollen lips. His whole body shook, sucking in a huge breath as Aether choked on the come in the throat. “Swallow.”

Gritting his teeth, Aether moved his throat, forcing that bitter liquid down. Through teary eyes, he glowered at Pantalone whose face was back to that facade he liked to wear.

“Can I leave now?” His voice was raw and raspy.

Pantalone tucked himself in and stood up, only watching from the side as Aether crawled out from under the table. Snatching the gear with him and launching himself out the window.

He was about prepared to land in the snow, even if it were five storeys up. What he was not prepared for was for something green in the snow to catch his eye.

Landing, the thick knee-deep snow breaking his fall so barely any sound was made. Aether slowly shuffled his way past the snow seeping into his clothes to the spot of green. It looked kind of familiar.

As he got closer, he suddenly lunged for it. It was a mask. A design that wouldn’t appear in this foreign land. The person it belonged to, he was very familiar with.

“Xiao.”

There was a point in time after he uttered those words where the snow stopped falling. The wind ceased to howl. And Aether stopped breathing. Descending before him was the final Yaksha.

Without even another second wasted, Xiao dashed to him, lifting him into his arms. Aether looped his arms around the strong shoulder and hugged him tightly. In a flash of green and black, the two were nowhere to be seen.

It was quite late once Ajax returned back. The kids should be asleep by now. Snezhnaya at night treated no one well. He had spent hours trying to find Aether. The broken lock with a geo shard inside. The missing elemental inhibitor. Childe’s pretty sure Pantalone had a hand in it but he had no evidence.

In the end, the search turned up empty. Aether just disappeared into thin air.

He chalked it up to him being careless and letting Aether too much freedom. Who would’ve thought he’d manage to convince Teucer to unlock the device. The fact that Teucer could also understand and open a Fatui device says something about his potential.

Shaking his head, the door to his family came into sight as he twisted the door knob.

“Brother, you’re back.” Childe looked up, Tonia was smiling at him. Already coming close to remove his scarf and cloak. “I’m back.”

“Yay! Brother is home!” A bubbling Teucer ran over, hugging his brother’s cold leg because that's the most he could reach. “Teucer, don’t crowd big brother.”

Anthon greeted, “Welcome back.”

Childe nodded and smiled at them. Anthon bent down and carried Teucer into the house.

“Were you all waiting for me? You didn’t have to” Tonia laughed, “Trust me, I wanted to send them all to sleep. But they were so excited.”

Childe raised an eyebrow, he usually came home quite late so it wasn’t a rare sight. What were they excited about?

“We were thinking about sending a message over if you weren’t coming back soon,” Tonia said. Childe became even more confused, was there something happening tonight that he had forgotten about? It wasn’t their birthdays, nor the day of their parents’ passing.

Childe got his answer in the form of an ex-archon sitting beside his eager siblings, sipping hot water.

His brothers perked up, “Look, we told you he’s here!” The brown-haired man nodded with a patient smile, very much like a grandfather. “Indeed he is. Hello, Childe.”

Amber eyes met blue. Sparks unbeknownst to his siblings flashed between the second of eye contact.

“Mr Zhongli. This was unexpected,” Childe plastered on a smile and returned the greeting.

Nodding slowly, “I apologize for showing up unannounced and empty-handed. You were not around when I came so Ms Tonia offered to let me stay inside as I waited for you.”

“You’ve mentioned him in a letter before, so I remember,” Tonia poured another cup of water for her eldest brother. “Then Teucer and Anthon got curious.”

“He’s from Liyue, brother! That place I went to before!” Teucer provided. Tonia giggled at the youngest. “As you can see.” Childe shook his head fondly, ruffling Teucer’s hair affectionately, “Alright, alright. Thank you for keeping my guest company.”

Anthon nodded while Teucer flashed him a bright smile. Tonia scooped Teucer into her arms, “It’s still past your bedtime, Teucer. Take your time brother. Goodnight, Mr Zhongli.”

“Goodnight, Ms Tonia.”

Anthon trailed after Tonia upstairs into the bedroom. Childe waited for the door to shut before addressing the man before him. “I don’t remember telling you where I live, Mr Zhongli.”

Hydro blades already materializing in his hands. He’ll hold back because it’s his house but it doesn't mean he won’t resort to violence at all. The retired archon sat there, warming the cup of water Tonia gave him. He started, “A few weeks ago, an old friend of mine approached me for help.”

Childe frowned, “Mr Zhongli, no offence but I don’t care about how you got to be here or what you came here for. I just need you to leave.”

Zhongli watched Childe, unconcerned. All traces of that grandfatherly persona gone. “Your siblings are here. Will you still choose to fight?”

Childe scoffed, “It is because my family is here, that I need to fight.”

Zhongli put down the cup he’d been holding, Childe thought he was finally going to make a move when the next words took him completely off guard.

“Aether has escaped, hasn't he?”

Childe froze, and he rushed forward. Hydro met a sturdy brown golden staff. Zhongli was holding him off with one arm, “So you were the one who took him? I gotta say, I didn’t expect you to meddle in my affairs, Mr Zhongli.”

The gentleman who Childe remembered seeing in brown and silver accents was wrapped in more layers of brown. Said gentleman leveled Childe with a look. “If the ex-archon of Mondstadt came to me for help rescuing a mutual of ours, there are plenty of perks to being a civilian and not a nation’s leader.”

A swing of the staff and Zhongli pushed Childe back easily. Still trying to keep the noise to a minimum, Childe retracted his blades to prevent anything from breaking.

Zhongli stepped past Childe towards the door. As he got close, he left a message.

“Step foot into Liyue Harbour again and I will swiftly deal with you, Fatui or not.”

In a few long strides, the Liyuean man exited the house, “Thank Ms Tonia for the wonderful hospitality for me.”

The cold winter air outside barely affected the consultant. Turning into an alleyway, he walked a few steps and stopped. A figure landed behind him, head lowered.

“Is he safe?”

“Yes, he called for me after seeing the mask. Just as you had expected, my lord, he escaped through the window.”

Zhongli nodded, glancing behind, “You’ve worked hard. It’s time to return.”

Lush green leaves overhead, vines hanging down the branches. A large institute stood tall, the very symbol of Sumeru: The Academia.

There’s a saying within Sumeru: “Not every scholar that graduated from The Academia will become exceptional. But every exceptional scholar came from The Academia.”

Dottore didn’t graduate, he only stayed there for the environment. It was easier to obtain certain resources back then if you claimed you used them for research as an excuse. After all, in the land of knowledge, who would deny another the ability to gain wisdom.

He looked over the place with disdain, the only good thing that came out of this was his recruitment into the Fatui. Forgoing his research in the puny academy and went on to achieve larger goals.

Getting sick of the sight, the prime segment walked off, heading in the direction where his current research lab was located. The sun was high up, shining its rays on the civilians below.

Perhaps it was the gold that reflected light especially well but Dottore couldn’t help his eyes from wandering to a golden-haired human.

Pausing in his steps, he narrowed his eyes at the stranger from behind his beak-like mask. They were too far away to notice him but his memory was nagging at him from the back of his head.

‘Based on his outfit, not belonging to any of the seven regions…a traveler?’

Dottore suddenly recalled, a week ago he received a secret parcel from his other segment. Inside it had a letter, experiment papers and a few doses of drugs. The golden-haired traveler, the multiple element wielder without a vision, the subject of his experiments.

A sharp smile grew on Dottore’s face, watching the unguarded traveler from afar. A plan brewing within his genius mind.

Oh. I understand now. Fascinating. I will be sure to return to Snezhnaya with favourable results now.