Pushover | Aether x Reader

Six

"Aether! We heard about what happened, are you sure you're okay?" A brunette wearing a red bow called out, Mona and Fischl trailing behind her.

"I- uh..." Aether looked at them, perplexed at their appearance. He had only known them as Lumine's friend group, but they had never actually exclusively talked to him before. "I'm fine... Really." He gave them a reassuring smile.

"My goodness, if you think you're deceiving anyone by saying you're fine while looking like that." Mona gestures toward his battered-up appearance. "Then you, sir, are terribly wrong."

"Tis I, Fischl, giving her noblest of retainers her greatest concern. What brings you here at such a terrible place on such a wondrous day? Shan't you be at a medical ward? Why have you decided to settle at the school clinic, noble retainer?" Fischl said.

"She means to say, why are you settling with a visit to the school clinic when you should've already been hospitalized." Amber crossed her arms. "Was this by choice or simply the school's negligence?"

Aether looked at his hands, fiddling around with his blanket nervously. "It was by choice, don't worry. My injuries aren't that bad, really. I didn't get hit by the explosion, just the debris."

"An injury is an injury! Do not undermine such trials you have faced, dear retainer!" Fischl said, flashing him a look of offense. "Now, if that sister of yours hears of such an event, how so would she react?!"

"She would freak out for sure." Mona snorted, hand on her hip. "She'd barge into the school office demanding they'd take responsibility for the damage done."

"Please no, don't remind me of Lumine..." Aether held out his hand in a pleading manner. "I already get enough of an earful whenever we have our daily video call!"

A familiar (h/c)-haired girl entered the room, a box of cookies 'n' cream Pepero in her hands. For some reason, Aether felt relieved to see her— maybe even happy to know that he had been on her mind enough that she'd pay him a visit.

However, the look of sheer disappointment on her face made him wonder whether or not he should be glad.

"Aether," (Y/n) started.

"H-Hello, (Y/n)..." Aether greeted nervously.

"So you're acquainted!" Amber beamed. "I've been wondering why you never sat with us Aether, then I saw you with Hu and (Y/n) and was assured you were in good hands."

Aether was a little confused. Did she just imply that they saw him as a friend all along? Was he wrong to think that they only spoke to him because Lumine was his twin?

"Yes, yes." (Y/n) cracked a small smile. "I'm glad I made a good impression on you, Amber." She turns to the blond. "Now, let's rewind... How could this situation have been avoided?"

"I'm sorry! I really am!" Aether said almost immediately. "I-It's just... I still haven't grown fully accustomed to the magic word—"

"What thee is this magic word my retainer speaks of?" Fischl inquired.

"The word no." (Y/n) answered.

"Y-yes... And as a result, I was simply at the wrong place at the wrong time..." He lowered his head in shame. "Once again, I truly am sorry..."

"It's fine." (Y/n) sighed, ruffling his hair before placing the box of Pepero on his lap, "Just be careful next time, okay?"

"What an endearing scene," Mona teased, earning a flustered look from the blond boy.

Aether was about to try and clear up the misunderstanding when a meek voice joined their conversation.

"(Y/n)?" Ayaka called out, standing by the doorframe with her hands behind her back. "The principal wants to speak to you... It's very important."

"I see." (Y/n) nodded, she turned to her classmates and waved them goodbye before taking her to leave.

__________

"(Y/n), I assume you're aware of the severity of the situation we have at hand, right?" Principal Varka said, palms clasped together as he looked at the model student in front of him seriously.

"Yes, sir." (Y/n) nodded. "It really is a terrible thing that such a thing happened at Teyvat High... Though I am unsure of how this involves me, sir."

Principal Varka sighed, leaning back in his chair as he thought about how to go about this situation without hurting any feelings. The hurting of feelings, however, was inevitable.

"(Y/n), you are the prime suspect regarding the incident."

(Y/n) looked at her principal, stunned by the words that came out of his mouth. She was certain she had nothing to do with the incident, so what was this about her being the prime suspect?

"Pardon, sir?"

"Your lighter was found amidst the crime scene," Principal Varka said. "And your fingerprints were found on them, making you the only reasonable perpetrator for the bombing."

"But sir! I would never do such a thing, I swear!" (Y/n) couldn't help but raise her voice, slowly losing her composure as her heart rate sped up.

Principal Varka flashed her a disapproving look as if telling her to sit back down.

(Y/n) took a deep breath and calmed herself down. "Sir... Please, there must be a mistake." She said desperately.

"(Y/n)," Principal Varka said firmly. "What is your relationship with Kunikuzushi Rai?"

All of a sudden, it was as if it all made sense. The locker in which the supposed bomb was placed was Kunikuzushi's, and the fact that her lighter was used to entice the first fire meant that all trails left at the crime scene led to her. No matter how good of a reputation she had built for herself beforehand, no one would be able to think it wasn't her doing.

(Y/n) heaves a huge sigh, not knowing how she would be able to clear out the understanding. "Terrible... Sir. I hate him and he hates me," she said bitterly. "But if I may, I would never resort to such schemes—"

"That's enough, (Y/n)." Principal Varka held his hand up to stop her mid-sentence. "As much as I'd hate to lose a respectable student such as you, I cannot neglect my job as this prestigious school's principal," he said strictly. "We will be investigating this manner more for a week. If your name is not cleared up by then, you're at risk of expulsion."

Oh, the sheer horror on the (h/c)-haired girl's face. She opened her mouth to say more but was interrupted by her higher-up not wanting to hear another word slip through her mouth.

"You are excused."