Abyss Aether × Xiao || You can try to escape ||

Xiao's Acting Weird

(Aethers POV)

It's been about a week since Xiao and I went to Lantern Rite and since Lumine left for Fontaine, and lately Xiaos been acting a little off. He's been a little colder than usual. I don't think I did anything wrong. In fact, I've been pretty nice to him.....for the most part. Every time I try to ask him about it, he just teleports away from me.

"RUDE FUCKING YAKSHA!" I scream as he escapes from me again. I sigh and go lay down on the bed. What is his problem. Does he not want to be around me anymore.

"Y'know what. Since he wants to ignore me, I might as well leave for a while" I pout. That's eighth, I'm petty and I'm proud about it. I call for a mage and leave the Inn quickly. Time to get to work again as the Prince of the Abyss.

~ 1 Week Later ~

It's been a week since I left the Inn. Today I had just finished up everything that I had to do. I still can't believe it took me a whole week to do all of it. I thought it would only take about a day or two. Well, there really is no reason for me to go back. The whole reason I was willing to stay was because of Xiao, but it doesn't seem like he wants me around anymore.

"Whatever. I'll just go back anyway. If he wants me out, he can just kick me out personally" I boo. I have a portal opened back up to the Inn and go back to the room. The minute I step out of the portal, I feel a pair of arms wrap around me. The weight is so sudden that I fall over and onto the ground.

"What the-" I ache. I look up and see Xiao laying on my chest. "Xiao? What the hell are you doing"

He looks up at me. His eyes in panic and body trembling. I immediately become defensive and hold him close to me, sitting up.

"Xiao, what's wrong? Did something happen?" I interrogate. His breathing is unsteady and he remains silent for a moments before speaking.

"Aether....where did you go?" he questions. I cock an eyebrow at him.

"I was in the Abyss doing some work?"

"Why were you gone for so long. Without even telling me you went there. Do you know how much panic I was in" he mutters. I look at him before responding.

"Why would you be panicked. You're the one who didn't want me around, so what's the problem?"

He leans back from me. "Aether, when the hell did I say I didn't want you here?" he growls. I become puzzled.

"I mean you were ignoring me and pushing me away all the time. What the fuck was I supposed to assume?" I retort. He face-plams himself before looking me in the eyes.

"But when the fuck did I say I didn't want you around?"

It takes me a second to process the question before understanding what he meant.

"W-well..." I stutter. I'm at a lose for words. So what if you didn't say it, you acted like it?!

"Can't think of when?" he grumbles. I sigh and look at him. He stands up and lead me over to the bed. We sit down next to each other.

"Sorry, I guess" I mumble, looking away from him. He looks at me with a glare, forcing his angry aura on me, causing me to look back at him.

"I wasn't trying to push you away" he sighs, relaxing his glare slightly. I'm so confused with him. I know Xiao doesn't understand human emotions that well but it's still so annoying at times. He really doesn't understand when he's hurting someone.

"I get that, but why did you keep ignoring me. It really seemed like you didn't want me around anymore. I seriously thought I did something wrong" I yell slightly. His shoulders tense and he looks down at the ground.

"I couldn't face you at the time" he mumbles so quietly that it was almost impossible to hear.

"Why?" I question. He looks back up, but avoids all eye contact with me, his face slightly red.

"I'm ashamed..."

"And why are you ashamed?"

.........

.........

"Because I kept you here on instinct" he whispers.

"What do you mean. You didn't keep me here" I assure, "I was the one that wanted to stay here, so why are you saying it's your fault that I'm still here"

"BECAUSE!" he yells, "I couldn't watch you leave, so I when I told the traveler that it was your choice, I was hoping she would tell you to stay...".

I look at him in shock. He wanted me to here. He hoped that I would choose to stay here. He feels that it's his fault that I'm not with Lumine right now.

"Oh Xiao" I whisper. I reach over and pull him close to me. He tenses slight, which doesn't surprise me. After a few seconds he melts into my embrace, cuddling closer to me.

"It's not your fault. I wanted to stay here with you" I coo. He looks up at me shocked. His face is bright red and it's so adorable. I lightly kiss him on the forehead. He squeaks quietly, causing a laugh to come out of me.

"See Xiao. Doesn't that prove how devoted I am to you" I laugh, hinting at my feeling to him, but he seems slightly oblivious. He buries his face in my chest. I pat his head soothingly. His hair is really fluffy.

"Don't leave like that again..." he whispers. It's really quiet, but it was loud enough for me to understand.

"I won't okay Xiao" I smile, "I won't ever leave like that again. I'll stay with you forever and ever. For the rest of eternity, we'll be together".

He looks up at me, his face red, yet desperate for my words to be true.

"I promise Xiao"