Our Little Aether | A Dark ZhongChi Fic | COMPLETED ☑

Chapter 5 | Ground Rules

When Aether finally woke up again, he was alone. Once again, he was stuck on the bed, his ankle shackled in a geo-infused chain.

But that was not the first thing Aether noticed.

The first thing Aether noticed when he woke up was that he had a splitting migraine. He put his hands on either side of his head, trying to massage the pain out. But it wasn't working.

In frustration, Aether yelled and banged his against the bed frame.

"AAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH"

A flurry of footsteps came from outside the door and two figures loomed over Aether's thrashing form. Two pairs of strong hands latched onto Aether.

"NO! NO! GET AWAY FROM ME! IT HURTS! PLEASE!" Aether pushed at the hands trying to console him.

It was then that his body jerked down. His entire body was being pulled down the bed.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHH" Aether let out a blood-curdling scream and started crying, his hands rushing to the geo-infused shackle on his ankle. "HURTS. HURTS. IT HURTS. PLEASE! I'M SORRY"

Zhongli kept pulling on the shackle until Aether was at the edge of the bed before pulling the sobbing child into his arms. Zhongli began rocking the unconsolable child.

"Shhhhh. My little sunflower. It's okay." Zhongli whispered to the boy.

"What do we do?!" Childe whisper-yelled, "I didn't think the side-effects would be that bad!"

Not stopping his rocking, Zhongli turned his head towards Childe. "How powerful was the volt you used, doll?"

"I-- I just used 1000 volts! I thought our child would be able to handle it Xiansheng!"

"Don't use that nickname when I'm mad, Childe."

"Oh, you're calling me Childe now, Zhongli?"

"Look, honey, I'm sorry. But our baby is hurt."

"Our child is weak. We need to fix that."

"Aren't we supposed to be protecting him, Xuehua?"

"I thought we weren't using the nicknames?"

"We are now." Zhongli smiled.

Aether's heartrate had slowed by now. He wasn't screaming anymore, but he was still breathing heavily and tears still flowed down his pretty face.

"Shhhhh, Aether. Mommy and daddy are-"

"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH" Aether started thrashing around again.

"NO! MOMMY AND DADDY ARE BAD! AETHER NO LIKE! DON'T LIKE! DON'T-"

Childe joined Zhongli's hug around the golden child. "But Aether... Daddy and I love you very much." Childe gave Zhongli a peck on the lips.

Aether paused for a second 'love me?'

Aether's breathing started heavily again. "I DON'T LOVE YOU GUYS! YOU ARE BOTH DELUSIONAL! LET ME GO! LET ME GO!"

Aether thrashed around their arms again and was able to get out. The geo shackle around his ankle crumbling into dust. When he finally got out he went straight for the door.

His long, slender fingers wrapped around the doorknob.

"Aether. I wouldn't do that if I were you." A dark voice sounded behind him.

The hairs on the back on Aether's neck flared. 'DANGER' Aether thought before beginning to twist the doorknob and swinging the door open. He started to sprint out of the room, now full of tension before his entire body went limp and he crumbled to the floor.

'Huh?' Aether thought, not being able to move at all.

Powerful footsteps began walking towards him before a hand reached for the back of his neck.

"We warned you Aether. Don't behave like this to your parents." Zhongli's voice sounded as Aether was lifted up by the back of his neck.

A silent scream was heard from Aether's throat as he was lifted to face the two men behind him.

"Aether. I think we're going to have to set some rules for you. We don't want to do this, but you made your mother and I very disappointed. We expected better from you."

Zhongli placed Aether on the couch in their spacious living room. Childe clung onto Zhongli, his head tucked into Zhongli's neck.

All of a sudden, Aether felt very small and weak again. He had never been disciplined or talked to like this before. Plus, the way he acted wasn't even his fault. It was theirs! They were the ones being crazy! Not him! Right?

Childe's head rose from where it was placed.

"Aether, we have some rules for you."

Aether could see how red his eyes were and how upset he sounded. It made Aether want to curl up into a ball.

"1. Do not disrespect your parents."

"What parents?" Aether asked innocently.

"Ah, we are your parents." Zhongli added.

Aether looked up at Childe and Zhongli. They were his parents? Really? Aether could not believe it.

"Really?" Aether looked confused.

Zhongli wrapped an arm around Childe, "Yes, of course we are your parents." They smiled.

Aether stared at them, before wrapping his hands around his head again. Trying to remember. Are these two people really his parents? Wasn't he just yelling earlier of how they weren't his parents? Doesn't he have a twin sister?

"Aether. We know you're confused, but we are your parents."

Having no choice to believe them, Aether replied. "Okay, mother and father. I believe you are my parents. I will not disrespect my parents." Aether smiled hesitantly.

"Oh my! My baby is back!" Childe leaped from the couch he was sitting on and hugged Aether tightly.

Aether sighed, "Mom?"

"Yes, Aether?"

Aether looked at his dad, then his mom. "Don't I have a twin sister?"

Childe stared at Zhongli. Zhongli's eyes widened but he said nothing before nodding. Childe started, "You had a sister in the womb... But she--"

Childe's eyes watered before she clutched Aether tighter to her. Zhongli joined the hug. "She didn't make it."

Aether's eyes widened.

She... didn't make it?

Aether's clutched his head again. "Mom, Dad, my head hurts."

"Shhhhh. It's okay sweetie." Zhongli rubbed the side of his head.

"Just get some rest."

So Aether did. He closed his eyes and, again, he was out like a light.

...

"Xuehua, you're such a good actor."

"Hehe, I try." Childe picked up Aether with ease. "He's finally ours. Our baby! He finally understands." Childe stared at their baby lovingly.

"Careful, you'll wake him!"

"He won't."

"We didn't get to tell him the rest of the rules, Xuehua."

"He'll listen to us. Don't worry, Xiansheng. He will listen to us."

"Of course he will. My sweet Aether"

"Our sweet Aether."

"Our Little Aether"