Our Little Aether | A Dark ZhongChi Fic | COMPLETED ☑

Chapter 4 | Where's Paimon?!

Aether opened his eyes, slowly stretching his sore limbs before falling limp onto a fluffy mattress. Mattress?! He thought he was sleeping on a futon. His eyes shot open when he realized that he could not hear little snores next to him. Where did Paimon go? He jumped out of bed, making his way to the door when he tripped and face planted. 

‘CLINK’ 

Aether looked to where the sound had come from. His eyes widened when he saw a chain connecting his ankle to the bed he was previously laying on. He tried using the Geo he had resonated with the Statue of the Seven the other day to crystallize the bed. It however didn’t respond.

Childe and Zhongli burst into the room when they heard a loud ‘thud’.

“Aether? Sweetie? Are you alright?” Childe asked as he helped the blond stand up.

“WHERE’S PAIMON?! WHY AM I CHAINED?!” ‘WHY CAN’T I CONTROL THE ELEMENTS ANYMORE?!’ Aether yelled that last one in his head.

“It’s alright baby, calm down.” Childe held the child in his arms, stroking his back.

“LET GO OF ME YOU FATUI SCUM.” Aether thrashed violently in his grip, which tightened until Aether whimpered.

“Zhongli, honey. I can handle him. You’re going to be late for work if you don’t leave now.” Zhongli checked his watch, nodded, and left quickly.

“Aether. You need to listen to me.”

“WHY SHOULD I?!”

“I am your mother and you shall address me as such. Your father and I will not tolerate such rude behavior. We did not raise you to act like this.” Childe said in such a strict manner that Aether was almost convinced he was an actual mother.

“WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?! YOU’RE NOT MY MOM! YOU’RE TARTAGLIA-- THE 11TH OF THE FATUI HARBINGERS!” He continued thrashing and squirming in his grip.

…

A slap resounded off of the walls of the room. Aether held onto his bright red cheek, rubbing it in a way he hoped would soothe the pain. 

“I’m sorry baby. I didn’t want to do that, but you wouldn’t listen.” Childe took Aether’s hands on his own, rubbing them. 

Aether could feel his eyes swelling up with tears. ‘What was Childe talking about? Mommy? And Daddy?’ It was frustrating that this was the first thing Aether had to wake up to. 

Aether’s rumbling tummy brought him out of his thoughts. 

“Oh! Are you hungry? I made breakfast while you were asleep.” Childe easily removed the geo-infused chain and dragged Aether over to the kitchen table. This time, Aether did not fight back. He was still in shock. 

On the kitchen table were sunny-side up eggs and bacon. Just like the breakfast any commercial family would have. 

Aether’s only remaining family was his twin sister, Lumine. That was why he was looking for her. ‘Anywhere we’re together is home.’ She had said.

Childe stared expectantly at the blond. “Go on, try it! I tried my best.”

Aether picked up his utensils and ate breakfast in front of him. Maybe if he played along for a bit then Childe would stop acting weird, right?

He slowly ate the eggs and bacon savoring the taste of a homemade meal. Aether tried to ponder where Paimon might’ve gone. If she had not gone somewhere by herself, maybe Zhongli and Childe kicked her out? He’d have to ask.

As he let his mind wander while he ate, he noticed that his usual clothes had been changed. He now sported the traditional Liyue style clothing that little boys wore. A brown button up under a vest and shorts that reached the top of his knees. Aether’s face flared red at the thought of someone else changing him. 

“Are you okay?” Childe asked from across the table. Aether nodded in response. 

When he finished his food, Childe handed him a glass of orange juice. “Here. Orange juice.” He smiled when Aether drank it. 

Aether took this into account. 

Why were they babying him? 

Believe it or not, Lumine and him traveled through new worlds each century before his sister was ‘lost’ and now they’re stuck in Tevyat. He was responsible enough to get his own orange juice!

“Uh- Thanks for the breakfast, but erhm… Can I leave now?” Aether stood up from the table as Childe began washing the dishes.

“Leave?” Childe turned around, dropping one of the plates on the floor. The plate shattered, the ceramic pieces scattering around the kitchen tiles. 

Aether flinched when the plate fell. He looked back up to see Childe looming over him. “Were you hurt? Did any of the pieces get on you? Here, step back so I can clean this up. Okay, sweetie?”

“...Okay?” Aether backed up until his back was to the entrance. Childe was distracted with cleaning up the mess. He wouldn’t notice if Aether just- snuck out, or… 

Aether tried the front door and to his luck, it was open. He stepped out before closing it behind him. He took a deep breath of the fresh air, but he smelled something metallic. His eyes widened when he realized he smelled blood…

He went into a nervous state again, but began following the scent of blood. The scent of blood leads to a river. There was blood on the shoreline, but it was being washed up by the rising tide.

“Aether?! Did you come outside?” No response. 

“Don’t run away from me! You’re making me mad!” Childe called from the house. Aether heard footsteps make their way closer, but he was determined to figure out what creature this blood belonged to.

As he stepped closer, he saw a pink halo tossed aside and a pink and white dress. Didn’t Paimon have-?

“AETHER!” Childe had found him and started running towards him. 

Aether made a sprint and started running. Where? Just away from Childe.

As he made his way across the river, the water took the form of tendrils that slithered around Aether’s calves.

Of course. Childe has a hydro vision. 

The tendrils tightened around his calves, pulling him to Childe. “Aether, why are you trying to run away from your dear mother?”

“NO! STOP IT! I’M NOT GOING BACK. WHAT HAPPENED TO PAIMON?!” Aether dug his nails into the grass using all his might to keep from being pulled by the water. What did Childe and Zhongli want to do with him anyway? What type of sick prank was this?

The water tossed him to the other side of the river. Childe immediately ran to his side, clutching his trembling form.

“STOP IT! STOP IT!” Aether squirmed in his grip, but in terms of strength, Childe was all but stronger than Aether, so he was held down with relative ease. 

“I didn’t want to do this but you’ve given me no choice dear.”

Do what? What was he talking about?

Childe put two fingers on the side of Aether’s head. 

Aether jerked violently as electro shocks stopped his brain circuits. The shocks weren’t that strong in voltage, but they were just enough to render him unconscious. His body stopped jerking as he let out a deep breath. He was asleep.

Childe let out a breath he didn’t even know he was holding. Who knew that Aether would be such a tricky child to take care of? Childe sure didn’t!