𝚂𝚘𝚛𝚛𝚢 𝙰𝚋𝚘𝚞𝚝 𝚃𝚑𝚊𝚝 [𝚐.𝚒 𝚟𝚊𝚛𝚒𝚘𝚞𝚜 𝚡 𝚐𝚗!𝚛𝚎𝚊𝚍𝚎𝚛]

XLII

"I'M BAAAAAAACK!!" I called throughout the house as I slammed open the wooden door. The groceries swung in my hands and Venti ambled in behind me.

Immediately I heard four pairs of footsteps coming towards me, some more frantic than others.

"If you all try to hug me while I'm in the doorway holding groceries, none of you are getting hugs!" You huffed with amusement as you heard all footfalls come to a halt. "Take your shoes off Venti."

"Why?" He whined playfully. "They aren't dirty!"

"We just walked across the country, they're dirty. Take them off."

Venti groaned as you both shucked off your shoes and made it to the kitchen to put the food down, and then to the living room where everyone was waiting patiently. Kaeya and Diluc were sharing a couch while Aether and Ariel sat on the floor near the coffee table.

You sighed, catching their attention. "Alright, go ahead."

With no time to waste, Aether shot up from his spot on the floor and leaped at you. You had just a moment to catch the legs that wrapped around your waist, the arms around your neck, and the head buried in the crook of your neck. You tilted back for a moment before righting yourself, your own arms going around Aether's back to keep him steady as he clung to you like a koala.

"Damn, you got some power in your legs."

"Been saving up these past few days so I could do this." Aether's warm breath hit your neck as petulantly murmured, making you chuckle.

Ariel had come up beside the both of you, leaning his head against yours and putting a hand to Aether's head so the traveler would know he's there. You leaned into Ariel's gentle warmth, comforted in his presence after being cold for so long. The aches in your body seemed to soothe simply by being close.

You pressed a soft kiss to Aether's forehead and set him down. Looking over to Diluc and Kaeya, who both sat tensely on the couch, you waved them over. They stood up and you rolled your eyes at their stiffness before hooking an arm around each of their necks and pulling them into an embrace. Kaeya is the first to let his arm wrap around your waist, Diluc following soon after. The three of you stood there for a moment, a silent comfort. When they pulled back, you noticed the relieved smile on Kaeya's face, the glint of amusement in his eyes, and you see the pink high on Diluc's cheeks and his soft eyes.

Diluc cleared his throat, shaking his head slightly as if to bat something away. "If you've been alright, where did you land when you went through the portal?"

"Oh!" You let out a reassuring smile. "I fell into Sumeru, but there's no need to worry. I got picked up and healed by a good doctor for a few days of unconsciousness, then went to Liyue, then to Mond. So everything worked out just fine."

When Aether, who hadn't let go of your waist, his head on your shoulder, tightened his arms you sighed. "Okay, now that I'm here and fine, why don't I make some dinner and we can all relax, hm?"

You hand went to pat Aether's head, pausing when you felt his hair undone and riddled with tangles. "Kaeya, Diluc, Venti, Paimon go sit on the couch. Aether and Ariel, you're helping me in the kitchen."

"Why don't we get to help?" The little fairy whined. "How long is dinner going to take anyway? Paimon's hungry." She groaned, holding her stomach pitifully.

"You don't get to help because I'm 99% sure you'd mess it up somehow," ignoring the indigent 'hey!' you turned to the other three. "And six people in our small kitchen is too much. Entertain yourselves."