The Spark [Xiao x Aether]

Calm times

"See? I told you it wasn't so bad! Actually, it's way better than I have imagined."

"The water is strangely refreshing..."

"Clears out the mind, doesn't it?" The blonde smiled as he laid there on the water letting it hold him.

"It's true. But our clothes are wet. It will take hours to dry, especially in the early winter sun..." Added the other as he also let the waves take control of him. He decided to completely let his guard down and enjoy the moment exactly like he wanted to in the first place.

"You're forgetting about my visit to the land of Pyro. Manipulating it with Anemo will create a warm wind hot enough to dry everything in a while."

The Yaksha glanced over at the golden eyes that were admiring the moon and grinned warmly.

"Only now am I starting to understand how smart you've gotten ever since I first met you." He admitted.

"Eh? I don't believe I'm that smart. Stuff like that eventually comes to you after adventuring for so long."

"I'm serious. You're a genius."

Aether was quite flattered to receive such a compliment. Sure, everyone thought he had a great IQ but hearing it from somebody he knew doesn't lie made his heart jump up and down a little. He never considered himself smart. Back in his homeland, most people were just as smart, it was nothing special to him and he never intended to be special in any kind of way.

In Teyvat he noticed how many people also had great thinking, but he always felt as if they lacked something. Of course, he didn't feel like he was any better than them, instead, he felt strange. And for that, he hated being called that, but heading it come out of the Adeptuses mouth made him rethink his opinion on that.

"There are a ton of those who have insanely strong powers but waste them on stupid desires. That's because they never care enough to think. Unlike them, I feel like you deserve what you have. Being able to manipulate all elements of Teyvat while also using powers from afar is something many would like to get their hands on."

"I don't have any intentions to use these powers to hurt anyone that doesn't deserve it. I want Teyvat to stay as it is currently."

At that, the Yaksha closed his eyes and let himself rest a little. He felt safe around the traveler. Some deep water wouldn't give him any anxiety with someone like him around, no matter how many gods or creatures may hide underneath. He didn't have a single problem in the world when he was with him.

"...Say, if you ever had the chance to destroy Teyvat, would you do it? I'm curious, you don't have to answer." Questioned Xiao. It was rare of him to ask something like that. He did trust the blonde, he just wanted to hear his opinion on that and learn a bit more about his perspective on the world.

The sudden question made the boy lose the control he had of laying on the waves. He turned so fast to look at his lover to see if he was joking or not he was so surprised by the question that he almost drowned by choking on water.

A few seconds later, after he noticed what was going on and that he had been underwater for a short time, he swam up and swam toward a small rock near them to gasp up for air. He was coughing and desperately breathing for air. It wasn't anything serious he was just sort of shocked.

The Yaksha was still resting on the water unbothered.

"Are you serious?" The blonde asked him with a dumbfounded look. "I never expected you to ask something like that..."

He opened one eye to check if his partner was okay. He saw him sitting on the rock slowly catching his breath, meaning everything was fine.

"Are you okay? Do you need me to give you mouth-to-mouth?" The Adeptus asked innocently, while unknowingly teasing the other.

In response, the traveler just gave him an annoyed look and stared into the distance. "I can breathe perfectly fine...though, I wouldn't mind it."

"If you want to kiss then I wouldn't mind it either."

For a second Aether genuinely started wondering if his lover knew what he was saying sometimes. Did he really understand it or was he just unknowingly dropping all these hints? The boy had no clue.

"You don't deserve one after almost drowning me."

"I wasn't trying to drown you. The question may have come off a bit strange but I never intended to hurt you. There was also no way in a million years that you'd die like that." Stated Xiao while taking a seat next to the blonde on that strange rock.

"...Why do you think I would ever try destroying the world?"

"It crossed my mind a while ago. I'm starting to notice how powerful you're becoming." He turned his head and looked his partner deep into his beautiful golden eyes. "Again, you don't have to answer."

The traveler leaned in and slowly started getting his boyfriend's hair out of his face gently with his fingers. The Yaksha's face was completely covered by his hair. It was hard for Aether not to laugh when he saw his lover like that.

"I would've done it a long time ago if I wanted to. But I didn't. I have no reason for that. " He reassured him. He was happy to answer his question even though he didn't want to at first. Seeing how his partner asked with no hesitation made him happy.

Slowly but surely, Xiao was getting more and more comfortable with the boy. He was fine with asking sudden personal questions and that made the traveler quite happy.

Without waiting for a response, he stood up and tried using his elemental vision to locate the land. They had been in the water for long enough already.

"Let's go to the surface, shall we? I don't think either of us wants to get sick right now..."