The Spark [Xiao x Aether]

A long forgotten friendship

Paimon had her face turned away from the Traveler to try and hide her tears. She felt very alone ever since she woke up from her coma. She and the blonde usually spent a lot of time together before he started getting romantically involved with the Yaksha. The girl had no issue with their relationship but she started to feel as if Aether wasn't paying as much attention to her as before.

The only reason she decided to stay with Nahida was because she wanted to see if her friend would go check up on her. Days passed and no word from the blonde. Paimon hoped to see him visit her the next day and all her worries would be gone but each day that passed the flying pixie got more upset with her best friend.

They were now standing awkwardly next to each other on one of the Akademiya's balconies. The traveler was speechless and unsure how to start talking. He was feeling guilty. His best friend was clearly sobbing. She tried to make it sound as if she was fine and just a little mad but failed.

"You made Paimon walk all the way here just to stay quiet...At least say something!" The white-haired girl complained.

Aether suggested they walk away from Nahida and all the others at the Zubayr Theater so he could talk things out with his friend. But for some reason, he couldn't get a word out. There were many things Paimon wasn't aware of. Since the world was changed due to messing with Irminsul, the girl had a different picture in her head of what happened to the traveler's sister.

Lumine was erased from everyone's memory except Paimon and a couple of other people who were there when the ceremony happened. The pixie had no idea why the boy decided to get rid of his sister. She was more focused on whether he would survive or not.

After thinking some more about it she had a small theory that the blonde was slowly turning into one of the bad guys of this world, but she quickly tried forgetting all about it. She couldn't blame her best friend just like that.

"...You are right Paimon. I shouldn't be keeping things from you. You were by my side since the very beginning. The least I can do is tell you what's going on." The traveler admitted while leaning onto the balcony and observing random strangers that passed by.

"So go on then. Paimon's listening."

"...I can't."

"What do you mean you can't!?"

The boy took a deep breath. It felt right to tell his best friend everything but he couldn't. Telling Xiao was dangerous enough. If one day Paimon got dragged into the wrath of the gods it wouldn't end well. Staying quiet about everything was the only choice he had.

"Some things are better left untold. I admit there's a lot you don't know. But I'm only doing it to keep you safe, Paimon. You mean a lot more to me than you think...If I ever had to choose between saving you or my sister I'd choose you without any hesitation." He started, trying to not start any kind of fight. He wanted to cheer the girl up and stop her from sobbing.

"Well now that you decide to mention your sister...Paimon kinda misses her. She would always give Paimon adorable hairstyles and we would always talk about her life as the princess of the Abyss order..."

The tears in the floating pixie's eyes were slowly draining away. She seemed to be smiling while talking about the blonde girl. Seems like the two got along really well.

"I'm sorry to say this but it's time you move on. I also had a hard time dealing with her death but after time I decided to accept it and move on with my life. You can't keep mourning something forever...She was a bad person at the end after all."

"No! That's not true! She had a heart! Paimon could feel her intention to stay with us was genuine. How could you say she was a bad person!? That's your sister, Aether!"

Tensions were slowly starting to rise again. The Traveler understood how messed up this all seemed from his companion's point of view. There was nothing he could do about it. He just stood there calmly admiring the Sumeru lights.

"A sister...Sometimes I wonder if me and her were really related at all. Memories from when we were kids can't seem to come back to me."

"She still cared for you."

"I doubt that."

Paimon wiped her tears one last time and turned away ready to go back to the Zubayr Theater. Before leaving she turned back one last time.

"...Paimon thinks it's best she stays here for a bit longer. Arguing won't get us anywhere even if we started...Paimon will trust you one last time and put a thought in her mind that everything is alright. However, if you do end up dying then she will somehow find a way to get you back and slap you once more."

With such harsh words she left, leaving the blonde alone on the balcony. The late-night Sumeru wind helped him clear his head a bit but knowing he most likely won't see Paimon for a while made his heart ache. Letting her leave without saying anything back was a risky decision but at the same time the safest one there was.

He looked up to the moon and started admiring it for some time before heading back to see what was going on with Nahida. The girl was safer with the Dendro archon than with him. He should be happy he managed to make her stay. That was his plan from the beginning. He never intended to bring her back until he figured out what that incident with Istaroth was.

"I will explain everything to you one day, Paimon. I promise..." The boy whispered to himself.