I honestly feel bad attaching smut to this cause the first part just came out really wholesome to me. Feel free to read up to the smut if you want and just stop I wouldn't blame you
But this is a commission (thank you for the commission). I hope that I deliver in the way you wanted. I've been practicing my writing and think I got better
I know this'll be hated and I'm open to it lol
(…)
When Nahida first reached out to Aether, wanting to do more stuff together, he'd been happy.
Aether wasn't ignorant to Nahida's burdens. Ever since the incident with the false god and the sages, she's had to carry an almost insurmountable workload on her shoulders. He was sure that Nahida was tirelessly spending almost every day trying to sort out Sumeru's many internal issues.
She was good at it, too. Nahida was an efficient and proactive problem solver, doing her very best to ensure that Sumeru prospered and grew. The people loved her, and her good heart and will did even more to gain their adoration.
That was why he was happy to spend time with her. Aether knew that she needed a break, some time to relax and do things for herself. Tirelessly working was only going to negatively impact her health.
Nahida realized that on her own, which was why she reached out to him. The God of Wisdom never seemed to have a dull moment, always thinking rationally and considerably.
Aether met up with her again inside of the Sanctuary of Surasthana, along with Paimon. They didn't have to wait long before Nahida revealed herself to them, a bright and blinding smile on her face. It lit up the room, and Aether felt his heart skip a beat at the sight.
Her smile was something very precious to him. After everything Nahida went through, he never wanted to see her sad again.
After some brief discussion, Nahida asked if Aether would accompany her around Sumeru city for a while. He was more than happy to oblige, immediately agreeing.
Though for some reason, Paimon started to act strangely. Aether was a naturally perceptive individual after all of his travels, so he didn't miss when her brow raised and her eyes shifted confusingly between the two of them. He chose not to question it, chalking it up to Paimon's typical strangeness, but he noted that she didn't even comment on her own action.
From there, the day was spent exploring the city. To say that Nahida lacked social skills would be an understatement. When she tried to talk to someone, she fumbled her words and ended up making things awkward. Aether didn't really blame her. She was trapped for 500 years, so it wasn't like she had time to practice socializing.
Still, he found it a little funny. It was a bit surreal to think that a god, one that was older and wiser than anyone else, had trouble speaking to people.
Aether did his best to help her. He repeatedly encouraged her, ensuring her that it was okay to just be herself. She was really great, so he wanted her to know that, and he wanted her to be able to openly show that to other people.
He could tell that his words reached deep into her heart by the way she reacted. It didn't take long for her to apply his words to herself and try her best to put herself forward. It wasn't perfect, and it would take more practice for her to get fully comfortable with it, but it was a good start.
"Hey, Aether?"
Aether turned to Paimon, who addressed him. "Yeah?"
"Did you not notice that her face got all red when you said that stuff to her?"
He raised an eyebrow. "I did, but why's that important?"
She sighed, looking at him with disappointment. "I should've known. You're as dense as a brick."
Aether wasn't entirely sure of what Paimon was talking about, but he didn't let it bother him too much. Whatever it was, it probably wasn't that big of a deal. It was probably just Paimon reading too much into the situation, like she typically did sometimes.
When the day came to a close and the group returned to the Sanctuary of Surasthana, Nahida wholeheartedly thanked him for such a wonderful day. He gave her a heartfelt smile and said that he had a great time, too.
"Erm… Aether, can you stay in Sumeru for a while longer? I want to do so many more things with you!"
The question surprised him, but he was more than willing to say yes. Paimon acted a little weird again, looking between them oddly, but didn't say anything.
He agreed and told Nahida that he'd be happy to stay in Sumeru longer. He loved the way her face lit up, overjoyed by his answer.
Not too long after that, they bid farewell for the night and Aether left to find an inn. Once there, he and Paimon got ready for bed.
"You don't think Nahida is acting weird at all?"
He looked at Paimon with confusion. "No, what do you mean?"
"She's been completely focused on you all day. When she's not looking at whatever scenery's around, she's looking at you. Heck she never even said hi to Paimon!"
Aether didn't understand what Paimon was talking about. He asked, "What are you talking about? Isn't that way everyone does with me already?"
It was true. Almost everyone they've met did those things in some way with Aether. He was used to being the center of attention, so this was far from unusual to him. For Nahida, he thought that she just really trusted him and so would always pay more attention to him than anyone else.
"Yeah, but… she does it in a different way." Paimon said.
"What's so different about it?" Aether asked, still not understanding what Paimon was implying.
She sighed. "Paimon is just going to let you discover it for yourself." She went silent as she floated around, preparing herself for bed. "Can Paimon go out to Liyue tomorrow? Paimon wants to try some of Xiangling's food."
Aether just agreed, not seeing any reason not to. If Xiangling didn't want Paimon around, she'd just come right back, and even so he was sure that wouldn't happen. Xiangling was always looking for test subjects for her special dishes, and Paimon was the perfect person for that job.
The next day arrived quicker than Aether imagined. He woke up, had a heartfelt farewell to Paimon, and went to meet with Nahida again.
Days passed and the two continuously spent time together, and those days ended up turning into weeks. For Aether, it was nice. It wasn't often that he had the opportunity to relax and spend time with someone like this.
They would either spend their time in the city or go out and explore the forests of Sumeru. Aether had to admit, having Nahida's company was comforting. Her natural abilities also helped with clearing the withering, whenever they ran into it.
Aether was also surprised by how eager Nahida had been to engage in battle. It would usually be Hilichurls, with the occasional Eremites, but she always seemed excited to fight by his side. She packed quite a punch, too. But, in typical Nahida fashion, she never left her enemies very hurt.
Just like she learned a lot about him, he learned a lot about her too. For one, Nahida liked to knit in her free time, which he found surprising. When she wasn't working on the betterment of Sumeru, she was doing comfortable leisure activities that someone wouldn't usually consider, and Aether loved joining her.
All in all, things were fun.
He made sure to stay in touch with Paimon throughout everything, too. He asked her if she'd come back, but she only dodged the question and asked how things were going with Nahida. He was confused, but he always answered honestly.
After that, Paimon would always say that she would be staying away for longer. She said it every time, all for the same reason.
"Paimon will wait until you two have things settled. It feels way too awkward being there otherwise."
He never knew what she was talking about, but always accepted her answer. Aether considered himself a perceptive and rather smart individual, so what was he missing?
Little did he know, the answer would make itself known to him very soon.
A day later, just as he and Nahida were about to part ways for the day, she began acting a little weird. Aether, naturally a little concerned, chose to ask her about it.
"Nahida, your face is a little red. Are you alright?"
She jumped a little. "A-Ah! Yes, Aether, I'm okay! No need to worry!"
Nahida looked up at him and gave him a sweet smile, though scratched her cheek somewhat nervously. Aether smiled back, but didn't relent, "Are you sure? You just seem a little…"
"Oh, actually, there was something that I wanted to ask you," Nahida interrupted, not letting Aether finish.
He kept looking at her, seeing how shy and nervous she seemed. Her eyes threatened to break away, but she'd always power through and keep them trained on him.
Sensing the importance of this, he agreed, "Of course. You can ask me anything."
She stayed quiet for a little while, thinking to herself. "Actually… Can you come to the Sanctuary of Surasthana a little earlier tomorrow? I think it's probably best if I ask you then."
Once again, Aether agreed. Nahida's face lit up like fireworks, and he smiled at that. She wholeheartedly thanked him before bidding him farewell. As she walked away, he could tell that she was happy.
When he turned himself in for the light, he thought about how Nahida acted. It was a little strange and out of the ordinary, given how Nahida usually was. Then again, after he thought about it more, Nahida was acting a little differently with him compared to how she used to.
He kept thinking about it, but he still didn't fully understand. It stayed on his mind until he fell asleep, all while a strange feeling of loneliness made itself known to him.
He woke up the next morning and got ready. He planned to visit the Sanctuary of Surasthana early, just like he said he would. It didn't take him long to head out, but throughout his walk there, he couldn't help but wonder what Nahida wanted to ask.
Aether opened the doors and walked inside, making sure to close them behind him. He wasn't fully prepared for what awaited him, though.
"Aether! Good morning! I'm so happy you made it!"
A cheerful voice echoed throughout the room, catching his attention. He turned, a smile already on his face, "Good morning, Nahida, I hope that-"
He stopped himself from finishing his sentence as soon as his eyes landed on her. He immediately noticed that her hair was down, flowing nicely behind her and over her slightly changed outfit. There was also a pretty clover pinned in the top left of her hair.
Her outfit wasn't much different than her usual one. The colors were slightly different, as well as some of the more minuscule designs. Aether couldn't exactly put his finger on it, but it felt more ceremonial, fancier, then her normal attire. It was like she was preparing for something special.
"D-Do you like it?" she asked nervously. "I tried my best to customize it specially for today."
He nodded with a smile. "I think you look great. But what's the occasion?"
She momentarily froze up, letting out a bated breath. Aether said nothing as she closed her eyes, taking another deep breath. It looked like she was preparing herself for something, so Aether dared not interrupt her.
When her eyes opened, they were steeled. It reminded him a lot of Zhongli's stone, focused gaze, yet Nahida's was currently more gentle and passionate. She held her hands behind her back, and her expression became more determined than he'd ever seen her before.
"Aether…" she trailed off, looking at him directly in the eyes. He felt his heart skip a beat, and it surprised him. "I love you. I have for a while now. Will you… Will you go out with me?"
Aether was shell shocked. He was completely lost for words, and he was sure that his mouth hung open a bit.
Once her words settled in his head, he realized how oblivious he'd been this whole time.
They were subtle changes, but they were there. When he complimented her, her face would turn red. She'd get shy and fidgety too. Her attention was almost always on him, she wanted to do the things that he liked, she always wanted to be with him.
When it came to interacting with other people, she was her "normal self". She was the caring and wise Nahida that she'd always been. But with him? She was like a girl in love.
Paimon was right, he really was dense.
His mind centered back to what was in front of him. He looked at Nahida again, immediately realizing that he'd already messed up. She looked unsure of herself, probably wondering if she'd made a mistake, or if she did something wrong.
Aether decided to speak up. "Nahida… Are you sure?"
The suddenness of his voice surprised her, but she was quick to reply with a hand over her heart. "Am I sure about my feelings? Undoubtedly. I have never felt more sure about anything before."
"But you're an Archon… is this really something you should be doing?"
"Hm?" she hummed questionably. "I'm not sure what you mean. An Archon confessing their love might be unheard of, but I don't doubt that one has taken a lover before."
When Aether thought about it more, he knew that she was probably right. Zhongli, for example, probably had at least a few lovers over the course of his six thousand year life. Even Venti could've had someone at some point, too, and Aether had no idea about the Archons he hadn't met yet.
That aside, Aether questioned himself on whether this was even the right thing to do. He looked at Nahida closely as he thought, looking right into her eyes as she continuously looked into his.
Nahida was no child. She may be small, but she was wise, mature and knowledgeable, more so than any Archon he's met so far even. Hell, Nahida was even a mother to Scaramouche, who was now known as the Wanderer.
So that wasn't an issue for him. For Aether, the moral debate rested upon whether it was right to be in a relationship with an Archon or not.
A part of him thought that it was. Dating an Archon had to break some kind of moral code somewhere, even if said Archon technically had the authority to do whatever they pleased. It just seemed unethical.
But as he looked into her eyes, he saw a nice, loving and caring girl that wanted nothing more than to be with him. Nahida was a kind soul and he had no doubt that her feelings were genuine.
He remembered her smile and how he loved to see how happy she was. He remembered how much fun they've been having together lately and how much they mutually enjoyed each other's company. The thought of her smile, being happy at his side, made his heart soar.
When that happened, he finally considered his own feelings.
So, did he like Nahida? The answer was yes. He did.
"I'll go out with you, Nahida."
He would never forget how her face lit up, like she was the happiest girl in the world. She ran up to him and gave him a hug, which he gladly returned.
Later that day, as they walked through the city, hand in hand, Aether could tell each of Nahida's steps contained insurmountable glee. That was something that made him happy too.
More time passed and nothing really seemed to change between them. They both interacted almost the same as before, just with the added addition of extra affection here and there.
It was mutually agreed between the both of them that their relationship should stay as a secret between them. If news ever got out that Nahida, Sumeru's God of Wisdom, was in a relationship, there would be a lot of mixed reactions from the populace.
Aether had never been in a relationship before, so he was actually thankful for that. Because of his journeys with Lumine prior to this world, it was never something that he thought about. So for the most part, he was very dense about the subject, only knowing the basics of a relationship.
That was why he could do without the prying eyes of other people while he learned to be a good significant other. He learned that Nahida felt the same way, since she was in the same boat as him.
The most they would do in public was hold hands. It was nothing unusual, since the people of Sumeru were more than accustomed to Nahida and Aether's bond. Buer and her Sage. Plus, they were also knowledgeable enough not to dig their noses too deeply into their Archon's personal relationships.
Private affections were a little different, though. Their first kiss was actually shared in Nahida's favorite flower garden. Aether could vividly remember that she smelled like the roses around her, and that her lips were sweet. Then, when they separated, her smile was as warm as the sun in the sky.
It was nice, and an unforgettable moment.
Aether began making a habit of taking Nahida into his teapot, whenever they wanted privacy or just a change of scenery. She'd started another flower garden there, and sometimes the two would just relax and look out into the distance.
Nahida developed a knack for cuddling. After having done it once, she never wanted to stop. So whenever they both wanted to just relax, Aether would make sure to just cuddle with Nahida on one of his sofas.
Aether had been sure to update Paimon on things, but not without making sure that she would keep things a secret.
"Well it's about time! It was obvious to even Paimon how she felt about you!"
Aether guiltily rubbed the back of his head. "Yeah, I got that. I've never known much about this stuff."
She pouted at him. "Obviously! After all, you never even noticed every other woman that has feelings for you either!"
He had paused for a second. Were there really that many people that had feelings for him like that? Well it didn't matter now, since he was with Nahida, and he didn't plan on being unfaithful.
After asking Paimon if she would come back, citing how he was sure this was what she meant when she left, she said no. When he asked why, she told him that she was sure there was still more to happen. Aether had no idea what that meant.
Sometime later, during one of their cuddle sessions, Nahida said something a little strange. "Aether… how do you feel about taking things to the next level?"
He wasn't sure what she meant, if he was honest. He didn't know what other level there could be. But instead of asking what it was, he chose to ask a different question.
"What brought this on?"
"Well…" she trailed off in thought. "I want to learn more about romance, so I've been reading some romance novels. The ones from Yae Publishing House have been very informative. From what they suggest, we have covered every step except for one."
Aether thought to himself. She was reading romance novels for research? Should he have done that too? Aether felt bad about not putting in as much effort as she was into this.
"Is it marriage?" he asked. "Because we're not married or anything yet."
She shook her head, turning around to look at him. "No, it's not that. Actually, I think marriage works a little differently with Archons. But for this, it's something more to do with physical affection."
Aether didn't really know what else there could be. They held hands, hugged, kissed, cuddled… what more was there?
"If it's something that you really want to try, then I'm okay with it."
She smiled at him with that same sweet smile that he always loved. He was disappointed when she stood up though. "Got it! It'll take me a little bit to get ready, so can you meet me in your room in a few minutes?"
He agreed, and she leaned over and kissed his cheek as a passionate "thank you" which made him blush.
He watched her leave, her demeanor excitable yet clearly nervous. He wasn't sure exactly what she needed to get ready for, but he couldn't help but be excited for it. In the meantime, he stayed on the sofa as he waited.
It hadn't been too long before Nahida called for him. Aether wasted no time in getting up and going to the bedroom, only to be immediately surprised when he opened the door.
His eyes were met with the full sight of Nahida wearing nothing but dark green lingerie, making his face go beet red. Nahida's face turned the same color after she realized he was only staring at her, making her embarrassed. She shifted her legs together, rubbing them against each other in nervousness.
"Do you like it? I got it just for today."
Aether didn't know what to say, and the thought of Nahida somehow buying this outfit for herself, on her own, without being questioned made itself known in his mind. He had to wonder how she managed to do that. He still found his words though.
"I- I think it looks good on you," he said.
She gave him a small smile, still clearly very nervous. "Thank you!"
Aether still found himself confused, so he asked, "Why did you… buy this?"
"Well… I thought you would like it," she said honestly. "Plus I think it fits well with what we're going to do."
It wasn't until just then that Aether realized Nahida had meant sex… She wanted to have sex with him.
In his defense, he never thought about that type of thing. There was never a time where he found himself romantically attracted to a person, not to mention sexually. His relationship with Nahida had opened a lot of new doors romantically, and this just seemed to be one of them.
He then noticed how his pants suddenly felt tighter around his crotch. It felt foreign and he could feel an unexplainable desire start to grow within him. It was weird, but not totally unpleasant. If anything he felt… pent up, or frustrated, in a way he never felt before.
Nahida approached him with a knowing and understanding look on her face. When she reached him, she reached out her hands and gently felt around the bulge of his pants. She looked up at him, "May I?"
Aether only nodded at her, and that was all she needed to act. She carefully undid his pants and lowered them to the floor. He stepped out of them before Nahida gently slid them to the side and out of the way.
After that she couldn't take her eyes off of him. At first he felt the gentle, loving touch of her hand caress his thigh. Then it moved inward, closer to what poked out from between his legs. Her hands gently slid up from the base, almost tickling him as they made their way to the tip. It was an amazing sensation.
Nahida looked on with clear fascination. Her hands played with his length all the while, grabbing it with a firm gentleness, stroking it back and forth, that succeeded in making Aether's heart and mind soar.
"I'm sorry if I'm a little rough, or not doing it right," she said softly while her hands continued to move up and down his length. "The novels weren't always very descriptive."
Aether didn't really know what to say, since he was feeling rather blissful. Given that he was already feeling amazing, he had no advice to give her. "It's okay, you're doing great. Just do what you think is right."
She replied by continuing what she was doing. The feeling of her hands moving back and forth on his cock felt too surreal and good, especially when she caressed them along the bottom.
Nahida leaned her head forward, wonderment and curiosity plastered on her face. Then without so much as a second thought, she opened her mouth and gave his tip a small and gentle lick.
He felt a pleasuring chill flow through his body. Nahida seemed to sense it too, which made her do it again, and then again. She hummed, like she was satisfied with herself.
Then without warning, her lips parted and her whole mouth overlapped his length. Aether's breath bated as the feeling overwhelmed him. He wasn't sure what exactly to think.
He could feel Nahida's tongue swirl around him, tasting every last part of his cock while it was in her mouth. Her expression showed her satisfaction, clearly enjoying what she was doing.
She moved her head back and forth a little, but not too much. It was more than enough to make Aether feel immense ecstasy though, and his mind and heart both nearly jumped out of his chest at the incredible sensation.
Her mouth removed itself from him after a little while though, leaving his length covered in her spit. Even like that, it felt so incredibly good. Nahida looked up at him as she swallowed, all while smiling. Then she licked her lips like she'd just tasted something delicious.
Aether didn't know what came over him after that, but it led him to taking his shirt off, leaving him fully naked. He limply dropped it to the floor as his body continued to move on its own, leaning down to her level.
His hand gently groped at one of her flat breasts through the top part of her lingerie. She continued to smile at him, though her face was red with embarrassment. "You can take it off. Feel free to touch as much as you want."
Those words activated a switch in his brain, one that he didn't even know was there. He slid up her lingerie, fully exposing her perked nipples to him. They were small, but they were undoubtedly very cute.
Nahida was a very petite girl, but that fact never bothered him. Even now as he looked at her breasts, he found himself loving her more and more.
He used his fingers to gently rub them, causing Nahida's breath to stutter. He used his thumb and index finger to give them a little pinch, which made Nahida let out a cute sound. He kept going, alternating between the two actions for both of her breasts.
In addition to that he made sure to gently caress her torso with his other hand, which she seemed to really enjoy. Her skin felt soft and smooth, warm and welcoming. For her, his touch felt nice, loving and caring. Neither couldn't get enough of it.
Eventually he stopped, locking both of his hands around the sides of her waist. They both looked deeply into one another before their faces slowly leaned closer, their lips touching with a gentle passion and love.
When they separated, Nahida looked more determined than ever. She grabbed him by the wrists and started to guide him closer to the bed. She was surprisingly strong.
While they moved over to the bed, Aether finally realized what he was about to do. Was this okay? He failed to think about it before, likely because his mind was too caught up in the moment, but he made sure to properly think things through now.
As Nahida leaned up against the bed, he asked her, "Are you sure about doing this?"
With unwavering certainty she said, "I am."
As if to further solidify that, she slipped her fingers underneath the bottom part of the lingerie, which was seeping wet in the middle. She then slid it down her legs, taking it off, and stepped out of it, leaving it right there on the floor.
She pressed her butt straight up against the bed, leaning her back and arms back against it for support as she spread her legs open for him. Aether could only stare with a red face as she did it.
He couldn't help but look at her bare skin, as well as her tight, wet folds. He really admired how beautiful she was. Of course, to Aether, she was always beautiful though.
She kept smiling at him, even as he came up to her. She watched as she used his hands to lightly grab her left thigh, slightly lifting her leg up into the air and gently turning her onto her side. She leaned on her right arm for support now, her left leg held in the air by Aether as he began to press his tip against her folds.
He began to push a little, letting his tip spread her folds apart and enter her. It slid in easily enough because of their mutual wetness, causing the two of them to let out staggered breaths. Nahida grit her teeth, light gasps consistently escaping her mouth, her toes spreading themselves as she felt him push deeper inside of her.
He eventually stopped, reaching the limit for as far as he could go. He took bated breaths, overwhelmed by the feeling of her insides engulfing him. It was incredibly tight, but incredibly blissful.
Nahida took deep breaths, slightly fidgeting under his gaze. Aether could tell that she looked uncomfortable, or even in pain, and his worry took over quickly. It overrode every other feeling that he had, looking down at her with unwavering concern.
"Are you okay? Let's stop, you're clearly in-"
"No!" She yelled at him, making his stop. She wasn't angry, he noticed, just passionate and more determined than anything. Her expression reflected that. "I cherish being so close to you. It hurts a little now, but I'm sure that it'll get better. I love you and want to keep going, so please don't stop."
Aether gave her a hard look, meeting her eyes. It was clear to him that she was completely serious about this. He didn't want to disappoint her or make her upset, so he relented to continue like she wanted. However, he told himself that if she was ever in anymore noticeable pain, he would stop immediately.
That being said, Aether wasn't entirely sure of what to do from there. Sex wasn't something he really knew about, so everything up to now had been done purely on instinct and feelings from his heart and mind.
He let that continue to drive him, finding his body moving on its own. His hands kept a light grip around her, his left hand around her waist and the other around her leg to keep it in place. His waist began to move back and forth very slowly, his length sliding in and out of her in blissful motions.
Nahida covered her mouth with her hand as cute noises threatened to come out. Her breath was stuttered and her toes curled in on themselves as he moved. She felt an unending fullness with him inside of her, and a part of her never wanted that feeling to go away.
Aether couldn't help but let out little, light moans. The feeling of moving back and forth inside of Nahida's wet and tight insides was getting too much for him. Eventually, Nahida grew confident enough to remove her hand from her mouth, joining him with her own pleasured moans.
His body moved on its own again. His hands moved away from where they previously were, sliding down her back and straight to her butt. Her cheeks were notably small and soft as he grabbed hold of them, and the suddenness of the action made Nahida let out a light "eep".
He hoisted her up, holding her securely in his arms by her butt, never taking his length out of her. They both let out a pleasured breath as they moved into the new position, with Nahida's legs instinctively wrapping themselves around his waist and pressing against his back.
Aether loved the closeness and wanted more. He moved one of his hands to the middle of her butt, keeping her secure in his embrace so that he could slide his other hand up her back again.
Using that hand, he pulled her closer to him. It surprised her, but she wasted no time in pressing herself against him, and wrapping her arms tightly around his back. Aether could feel Nahida's chest press against his own. It was a feeling that he loved.
He began to move his waist up and down in that position, and it felt exhilarating. Nahida rested her head on his shoulder, letting him feel her hot, bated breaths every time he moved.
It was exhilarating for the both of them. The two of them felt immense pleasure in their own ways, and neither wanted it to end.
But as they say, all good things must come to an end. Both of them were reaching their limits, and Nahida was the first to act on it. She picked up her head from his shoulder, moving it in front of Aether's. She rested a palm on his cheek and looked at him right in the eye.
"Kiss me."
He didn't need to be told twice, moving his head toward to meet hers halfway. Her arms slid up behind his neck, pulling him closer to her. As they kissed, Aether could feel every last bit of her body against his own, as did she for his.
When their tongue's met, Nahida felt herself overheating. She felt her insides clamp up even more around him as she reached her climax, moaning into his mouth.
Nahida's climax directly resulted in Aether's. Her tightness was just too much to bear, making him release all of his seed directly into her. His hold on her instinctively tightened as it happened, not wanting to let her go. Both of their breaths hitched in the kiss, and it felt amazing, for them both.
They broke away from the kiss as Aether's climax began to reach its end, taking deep breaths. Their faces were red, as they had been the entire time, and they could only stare at one another with pure and undying love and affection.
A sudden wave of relaxation came over them, compelling them to retreat to the bed. Aether helped Nahida off of him before they laid down together, a sudden coldness greeting them as they cuddled up to one another. Along with feeling relaxed, they both felt sleepier than they had before.
Nahida gently rested a hand over her stomach, which Aether noticed. "Does it hurt?" He asked.
She smiled, shaking her head. "It doesn't. It actually feels really nice and warm on the inside. And I still feel a little full too, which I like!"
Aether blushed more because of her words. He really didn't expect her to say stuff like that.
She noticed his reaction and giggled. "Thank you, Aether. I had a wonderful time. I hope we can have the opportunity to do this again."
He looked at her, seeing her smile and smiled too. "I'd love that too.."
They cuddled in silence for a while, relaxing and enjoying the closeness of each other. Just as they were both about to fall asleep, Aether's eyes shot open with a sudden realization.
"Wait Nahida, I just realized that I…"
"Hm?" She hummed curiously, opening her eyes to look at him. It was like she read his mind. "If you're worried about finishing inside of me, you don't have to worry. I'm well aware of how everything regarding all of that works."
Aether's worries vanished fairly quickly. "So you're not going to get pregnant?" He supposed that it might not even be possible for Archons to have children like that.
"No, I will," came her immediate and nonchalant reply, making his worries skyrocket again. "But you will be a great father."
He didn't seem entirely convinced by her words, only looking at her with unsurity. "You really think so?"
Fatherhood was never something he'd even considered before now. Sure, people like Jean always told him that he was good with children, given how he was with handling Klee, but this was different. This would be his kid, and he wasn't sure if he was even cut out for it.
She giggle and smiled at him. "I know so. You're a great person, and an even better partner. I have no doubts that you will be a wonderful father as well."
"Thank you," he returned her smile. "Are you sure about even wanting something like that right now? You just got settled with managing Sumeru and getting it back on track, so are you sure this is something you're ready to just.. jump into?"
"Of course," she said. "It's with you, so there is nothing to regret. I know that you won't let me down. Plus, I think Scara- I mean, Wanderer, could use a sibling. I think it would help him a lot."
It didn't dawn on Aether until now that he was about to become the Wanderer's surrogate, or rather step, father. He really hoped that wouldn't hurt things too badly when he eventually finds out about his and Nahida's relationship.
Speaking of, he hoped that not many things would change when the news of the relationship eventually broke worldwide too.
Aether accepted Nahida's words and chose to cuddle her more closely, much to her joy. The relaxation and sleepiness took hold of them again quickly.
As he and Nahida began to fall asleep, side by side, he had a feeling he'd never be lonely again. After all of his travels, settling down finally seemed like something nice. He was really lucky to have Nahida by his side.
(…)
I might make another chapter of this. Idk