The air in my lungs was knocked out of me as Aether and I crashed into an embrace. My body hardly registered the blunt impact, and my arms immediately wrapped around him tightly. For a brief moment, all I could feel was pure happiness. The person returning my hug felt real—solid. I no longer had to make do with memories or figments of my brother.

We didn't say anything while we hugged—not until the shock of reuniting had worn off, and our tight hold on each other began to lessen. Once I was certain he wouldn't disappear before my eyes upon letting go, I dared to take a step back and look at Aether properly.

He pulled away at the same time, and his unblinking golden eyes met mine before scanning the rest of my face. Any lingering doubt I could possibly have on whether this was a dream or not was completely erased when Aether broke into a wide smile.

"It's really you," he whispered. "Lumine, I finally have you back."

I pressed my lips together tightly, fighting off happy tears. "I think it's the other way around. We could have done this a lot sooner if you weren't skipping out on school."

"Seriously, we meet again after over ten years, and you're already taunting me?" he laughed. "You haven't changed a bit."

Now, it was my turn to laugh. "I have to make up for our time apart somehow."

Our shoulders shook as we laughed silently together, and Aether wiped at the corners of his eyes just as my own tears made their debut.

"I missed you, Aether," I said to him. "I missed you so much. You have no idea—so much has happened since the last time we…"

I trailed off, not knowing where to start. Did I bring up Madame Ping and what it was like growing up with her? Did I skip past my childhood and focus on something he could relate to—Celestia Academy? I wanted Aether to know everything about me. I wanted my twin to have that same place in my life as before, but there was so much to say.

"I know," Aether said. His gaze lingered on me before breaking away and surveying the environment around us. "We have a lot of catching up to do, but this isn't the best time or place."

I also took another look at our surroundings and noticed two things. First, the group of students that were too wary to approach the initial battle scene had abandoned their caution for curiosity. From their expressions, I could tell that none of them had expected to see a teary reunion between me and the newcomer. The crowd's numbers had diminished greatly, and I remembered that most of them were only here to witness a fight.

Second, there was the matter of Aether's opponent. Childe stood not far away with his arms crossed. Though, he didn't look upset that I had interrupted or impatient to begin fighting again. He seemed content with a small smile and eyes that lit up when I focused on him.

"I'm happy for you, girlie. There's nothing quite like the bond of family. You deserve this," he said.

Just as I was about to return his smile, Aether took a step in front of me. It wasn't the action that surprised me, it was how he seemed to position himself as a shield against Childe.

"What did you just call my sister?" Aether's voice had lowered. "Drop the act, Tartaglia. You're not worthy of familiarity with her."

Childe chuckled, not at all fazed. "An act? Dear me, our Champion has much to learn. You didn't really think that the academy would remain the same as you left it, did you? The semester of your absence and Lumine's appearance was more than enough time for us to become familiar."

"You can't seriously expect me to believe that. Lumine is smart. She'd know better than to associate with the likes of you—an arrogant, self-absorbed, and power-hungry inconvenience for everyone else."

With each jab, I was reminded of who Childe was in the past. Aether had a fair point, but he wasn't aware of how much Childe had changed since then. One semester truly did feel like such a short span of time, but I'd seen for myself the person that Childe has become now—or so I thought. After so much progress, it confused me why he reverted back to his old way of fighting anyone with enough power to challenge.

"What was going on here before I showed up?" I asked. "The two of you have torn up this whole field."

"It's an easy explanation," Childe said. "Here I was, minding my business after classes wrapped up for the day, when I suddenly remembered everything about your brother. It was almost like a switch had gone off, and my memories returned."

Aether added to the story by saying, "I'd barely taken five steps through the campus gates before this lunatic showed up, ready for a battle. A classic Tartaglia welcome."

"Not quite," Childe tsked. "Lumi, I would have gone to you immediately, but having my memories back also meant remembering the deal struck between me and your brother. Since I was banned from participating in the Grand Tournament last year, it was only natural that I fought whoever was crowned Champion. Then, it would be obvious to everyone who the true winner was."

"Lumi?" Aether frowned at me, echoing the nickname.

I coughed lightly and decided to focus on one thing at a time. "Aether, you had agreed to fight him back then?"

"Of course, he did," Childe answered. "With honor on the line, who would refuse?"

Aether scoffed. "Considering the unique circumstances, I imagined that Tartaglia would have at least waited for me to settle in before following through. My mistake for expecting common decency from the likes of him."

I didn't know whose side to lean towards. The story was believable, and I couldn't entirely fault Childe for getting excited. Tests of strength were his thing, but Aether was also my brother. Childe knew how much I wanted peace for everyone.

"A lot really has happened in my absence," Aether said with narrowed eyes that darted between me and Childe. "Lumine, he's really not a good person to stick around. Trust me. From now on, I'll make sure he doesn't bother you, so stay close."

Defending Aether felt like second nature, but that didn't mean I had to agree with everything he had to say.

"Aether, Childe isn't the same person you remember. He's someone who's been there for me when I needed him most. Sure, we've had some ups and downs in the past, but I can trust him just as much as I trust you."

Aether stared at me in disbelief. "Childe?"

"Yeah," I smiled. "He doesn't really go by Tartaglia. Now, once people get to know him, they realize that he's not that scary guy anymore."

I couldn't blame Aether for being skeptical, but all it took was one look at Childe to confirm a lack of hostility. It was obvious that what he sought was no longer power for the sake of being stronger and better than everyone else. Though, there was an overly confident aura around Childe that worried me. Couldn't he at least try to be more convincing?

"The situation is worse than I thought," Aether murmured. "Upon arriving on campus, I was supposed to go straight to the headmaster's office for a meeting. As uneasy as I feel leaving you two alone together, it'd be a problem if I ignored my duties."

"There's no need to be uneasy," Childe said with a cheeky smile. "Lumine is in good hands with me."

Heavy doubt darkened Aether's expression, and I couldn't help but sigh. Clearly, when he learned the true nature of my relationship with Childe, that would be a headache on its own to deal with.

Aether continued to stare daggers at an unbothered Childe, and then I noticed a commotion from the audience. Except, there wasn't much of an audience left. Everyone had presumably gotten bored with our conversation, and only a few stragglers remained. What drew my attention was the entrance of two slightly winded individuals.

Diluc and Kaeya.

They must have run here after regaining their memories, arriving at the same time. Seeing both of them brightened my mood further, but Kaeya especially had my attention. A wave of relief at his healthy appearance was enough to chase off the tense atmosphere shared between Aether and Childe. Though, there was something slightly different about Kaeya that I couldn't put my finger on.

"Lumine, your brother is—" Kaeya's words stopped upon his assessment of the situation. "You already know."

Diluc had composed himself already. "Aether, long time no see."

"Diluc," Aether's eyebrows lifted. "There's someone I can rely on."

"Pardon?" Diluc frowned.

At the same time, Kaeya said, "I'm standing right here, too, you know."

"You don't honestly expect me to entrust my sister to you just because you're on the student council, Kaeya," Aether said. "You may have the rest of the student body fooled, but I know you're always up to something. Diluc, we never got to talk much before, but I hope you can do me this favor."

"Hang on, I don't need to be entrusted to anyone," I said. "You're seeing the headmaster, not going off to war. Besides, Kaeya and Childe are my—"

"It would be no problem at all," Diluc said, stepping forward. "I'll make sure they do nothing to bother her."

I was too surprised by Diluc's interruption to be upset about it. Normally, he out of everyone was patient and listened to me speak freely. The reason for his ambition was obvious when I saw amusement flicker in his eyes. Diluc thought this was funny. He may not be smiling about it, a perfect mask to trick Aether, but he was relishing in Aether's criticisms of Childe and Kaeya.

Aether nodded toward Diluc with some hesitance. "Thanks. I'm only asking you this because I can't imagine that you'd ever cross the line. Don't read into it too much—this isn't an invitation."

"Aether," I said in a warning tone.

"After my meeting with the headmaster is over, I'll come find you." Aether wrapped me in another hug. "I'm not going anywhere, Lumine. Never again."

That wasn't my biggest concern at the moment, but hearing him say those words confirmed to me that I was afraid of another disappearance. It seemed irrational to worry about Aether's whereabouts with him standing in front of me, but we'd only just reunited. I'd said it myself, he was seeing the headmaster—not going to war.

The headmaster. Dain.

"Did he adopt you?" I asked as Aether pulled away.

He jolted slightly, and the corners of his lips tugged down. "Yes, but he was never a father to me. You're my only family, Lumine. So, please…stay safe."

"She'll be safe with me." Diluc took another step forward. "Rest assured."

There was truth in his words, but I also caught an edge of smugness. Though, Aether seemed satisfied enough to finally back away and head straight for the administration building. Watching him go made my heart squeeze, but I wasn't worried.

"This has to be a joke," Childe scoffed. "He trusts Diluc, but not me."

Diluc grunted with a side chuckle. "You haven't exactly made yourself trustworthy to him."

"After everything I've done for this school," Kaeya sighed. "It baffles me how easily I was brushed off. Brothers truly are unreasonable, right Lumine?"

I shrugged. "Reasonable or not, I'm glad he's back. I'm also glad to see that you're alive, Kaeya. Where have you been?"

"About that—"

"You'll find out soon enough," Childe said with a smirk. He stretched his arms, and I thought it was to relax his muscles after fighting Aether. The causal gesture led to his arm arcing around my shoulders until Diluc tugged me aside. "Seriously?"

Now, it was Diluc's turn to smirk. "I'm simply honoring my word. Lumine, would you like to have dinner with me?"

"Right in front of us," Kaeya gawked. "He has no shame."

"None at all," Childe agreed with a sigh. "I'll have to pick my battles carefully and gain Aether's favor soon. After all, he could be my brother in the future, too."

Diluc went rigid by my side. "What are you implying?"

"Dinner sounds great," I chirped and pointed toward the dining hall. "If Aether's meeting wraps up quickly, it'll be easier for him to find me in the dining hall with everyone else."

Aether meeting with Headmaster Dain made sense from an outsider's perspective. He was the returning Champion, after all. Except, there was far more to their meeting than the topic of enrollment. When I saw Aether again, I hoped he was prepared for a barrage of questions. Everything from the moment he left the orphanage up until now—I wanted to know about it all. More importantly, there's a good chance that he could help in our dilemma with the Abyss Order.

A chorus of gasps sounded around the table when I revealed the news.

"What? Your brother is here?" Amber began to bounce in her seat. "That's so amazing, Lumine. I have to meet him. Where is he?"

Bennett gave me a hearty thumbs up. "What luck! I can't imagine what it's like to have such a cool opportunity."

"The more the merrier! I'll have to cook up something really tasty to welcome him. Do you know what foods your brother prefers? You know what, I'll just make a little bit of everything." Xiangling's brows furrowed as she brainstormed.

The energy from my friends brought a new wave of joy. It was warming to see that I wasn't the only one excited about Aether's return. Of course, Childe, Diluc, and Kaeya were happy for me, too. They just couldn't seem to get over how Aether was also a new obstacle for them. The whole ordeal felt slightly ridiculous.

"He's in a meeting with the headmaster right now, but you can meet him soon," I said with a smile. "I'd be worried that there isn't enough room at the table for everyone, but the dining hall got an upgrade."

The tables here were undeniably larger than before winter break. Only one seat had opened up at our table with Thoma in the infirmary, but there were several open spots even with the addition of Diluc and Kaeya sitting here. Right now, my sights were set on Kaeya, in particular.

"You're still wearing your coat," I said to him. "I didn't think you were one to get cold easily."

His eye widened. "That's right, I was so enthralled by the conversation that I forgot I was wearing one at all."

I highly doubted that. The indoor heating was set to a temperature that made wearing a winter coat uncomfortable. Besides, Kaeya didn't even bother with a jacket in the fall. It was unusual to see him overly dressed. The oddity held my attention on Kaeya as he shrugged off the coat. Then, the table was met with the most unexpected sight.

"What are you wearing?" I gasped. "Is that a…"

"Turtleneck," Kaeya said and cleared his throat. "I thought I might try a new style."

"An oversized turtleneck?" I continued to gape. "What brought on this change?"

He waved a hand. "Oh, you know."

There was no elaboration, but a quick look at Diluc and Childe revealed that none was necessary. While Diluc made some attempt at hiding his delight, Childe outwardly snickered at Kaeya's newest fashion choice. The Kaeya I knew preferred to expose as much skin as possible. Now, I noticed that even his gloves were no longer fingerless.

For Kaeya, this was a punishment.

"That looks like wool," Diluc said casually. "It's a good material."

Childe hummed lightly. "Are turtlenecks even approved to be worn as a uniform? Student council member or not, you have to follow the same rules as everyone else, Kaeya."

"Naturally, I've already considered that. My wardrobe change may have been on the spur of the moment, but I had a meeting with several of the staff and gained their approval." Kaeya pulled at the fabric surrounding his neck. Was the wool scratchy? "Negotiating these things are right up my alley. I was the one to petition for larger tables, after all."

"That was you?" Bennett asked. "Thanks, Kaeya! Now I never have to worry about losing my seat to someone else."

"We wouldn't let anyone steal your seat, Bennett." Amber shook her head. "If you ask me, larger tables benefit Kaeya the most."

Kaeya chuckled. "You see right through me. Of course, if I want to make a place for myself in Lumine's life, more space at the table is a must."

The table upgrades were because of me? I didn't think Kaeya would have gone so far as to have new tables brought in. The academy could definitely afford them, but I couldn't imagine what sort of reasoning Kaeya pitched. Now, there were more seats than students.

"That was very thoughtful of you," I said to him.

"I can buy more tables," Diluc grumbled. "Better chairs, too. We can do without these wooden seats and opt for something a little more comfortable. How do plush velvet cushions sound?"

"The best seat for Lumi would be on my lap, of course," Childe added. "Sometimes, the simplest solutions are the best solutions. No mora required."

Diluc scoffed. "Absolutely not."

The turn of conversation stunned me into embarrassed silence. Their open affection was increasing by the day, and a subtle kick from Amber under the table told me that she'd noticed, too. My friends had gotten used to it, but somehow I still needed to adjust. I had to tame my blush before Aether got here. By now, I knew overprotective brother mode would derail any serious conversation.

I kept an eye on the dining hall's entrance, preparing for when Aether would walk through the doors. Except, everyone finished eating before that moment could ever happen. Refusing to let any disappointment take control, I set my jaw with determination and excused myself from the table.

Aether said he'd come to find me, but there was nothing stopping me from finding him. If it was the meeting that dragged out his return, then I hoped Headmaster Dain was prepared for an additional guest. At a brisk pace, I cut down the hallway and crossed the snowy paths outside.

I had yet to say a word about my intentions, but I already had three supporters following at my side. The banter continued between Diluc, Childe, and Kaeya, but there was no denying their unity for my cause.

Make that four additional guests.

good luck to everyone pulling for alhaitham and xiao in a couple of days! the weapons are tempting, but i will only give in if i win my alhaitham 50/50 :]