Adrenaline.
That was all Aether could feel.
Rushing into the teahouse, they all breathed out a sigh of relief. Hearing the footsteps of the doushins that had chased them throughout Inazuma City, pass by the footpath that they had just detoured from.
Ragged breaths filled with room as they all tried to catch their breaths.
"W-Wow, I don't know what to say…" Thoma spoke out as he got a bit of his breathing under control, "Thanks for coming for me, Traveler. I owe you one, big time."
Aether couldn't get his words out, and opted to wave his worries away.
"We rushed to the statue as soon as Ayaka gave us the news." Paimon replied in his place, "Thank goodness nothing worse had happened to you, Thoma."
"Yeah, you guys were right on time." Taking a hold of his Vision, he began eyeing the item with trepidation, "I don't know what I would've done had it been taken away from me."
Paimon though, had other things in her mind, "But, wh-why have we stopped here?"
"In case you've forgotten, Komore Teahouse is the safest place for me to hide." Thoma reasoned, but then gestured towards the two of them, "Unfortunately, that means I can't leave this place for a while now, and I'll have to leave the rest of the steps to the both of you."
"Alright…" Aether finally got his own lungs under control, "What do you need us to do?"
Thoma began to explain the next steps that they needed to go through. Which had included going to Tatarasuna, and finding the resistance. Describing how the resistance group operates, Thoma recommended them to find Sangonomiya Kokomi as well, the resistance leader from Watatsumi Island.
"Since you'll be passing by Shogunate territory, be on your guard at all times."
"Be sure you do the same." Aether replied.
"I will. I can be very well hidden when I want to." Thoma assured him, "I won't make it easy for them to find me."
"Right, then let's get…" Paimon was about to make a dash for the door, before she suddenly held her gaze on Aether's face, "Uuuh… Aether, are you okay? You're sweating quite a bucket there."
"Huh…" Wiping at his forehead, he hadn't even felt the coat of liquid that had begun condensing on it, "…I am?"
"Are you sure you're all okay?" Thoma asked, his eyebrows knitting together, "You did just go toe-to-toe with the Almighty Shogun of all beings."
"I'm winded alright." Aether had quickly said, "But I feel just fi-,"
All of sudden, his heart began to thump heavily onto his ribcage.
BADUMP
"Oh crap…"
A massive surge of pain began traversing in an electrifying speed across his entire body. And in a split second, he felt as if his legs had disappeared from the face of the planet.
And so did his vision.
The last thing he saw before his legs gave way and his visions turns to black, is the panicked-stricken looks that both Thoma and Paimon had before he hit the floor with a thud.
Darkness overriding his consciousness.
Suffice to say, Keqing's week had definitely been a lot better than her previously sleep-deprived ones.
A part of it due to the fact that she'd decided to move a lot of her work into her study in the teapot.
The bustling, dampening atmosphere of the courthouses and the Pavilion, just didn't hold a candle to the serenity that the teapot brought forth. Its surrounding nature and critters that came along with it, simply made her choice a complete no brainer.
Not to mention, the Pavilion did not have the tea that Aether had left for her from Inazuma. Of course, it is by no means the faults of the Liyuean market, seeing as no other region has had any kind of formal interaction from anyone hailing from the land of Eternity.
Sipping her tea, the sunlight that had shone through the window of her study showered her with the calm afternoon sun.
I could get used to this…
Going through her paperwork had never been so calming. It had pretty much sped up her efficiency in clearing out all the work that she had brought.
Unfortunately, that had also meant that she would need to get back to the harbour soon. Seeing as she had a meeting that would take the remaining time of her day.
Maybe I should just fully move my office here?
*SLAM*
The sound of a door slamming open interrupted her thoughts. It had been such a loud bang, her reflexes swiftly summoned her sword to her side, and had it pointed at her door, thinking that someone had dared barge in to her study.
It was only then did she realize, that the sound had originated from the floor below.
Slowly but sure, the floor under her began to vibrate as she hears the hurried footsteps of what seems to be multiple people. Though one set sounded as if they had been dragging their feet over the wooden panels of the estate.
An unfamiliar voice rang out through the upper halls of the house.
"Let's get him to his room first!"
With a familiar voice being the one to answer.
"Just follow Paimon!"
The footsteps rushed past her room and into the one beside her, where muffled conversation began to take its stead.
Keqing stood tentatively, just a few steps away from her door. Her mind breaching between wanting to rush out and ask about what was happening, with just standing back and getting more context before rushing to do anything.
So, as nimbly as she could, she gingerly walked towards the wall that separates their rooms, and focused on listening.
Though the walls weren't particularly thin, the volume in which they were talking amongst each other was more than enough for her to get a clear understanding of what they had been saying.
Paimon's voice had been the first one that Keqing had caught.
"Thoma, Paimon doesn't know what's going on with him." The fairy's voice trembling. This time, however, it hadn't sounded like she had just been swivelling around as she floated mid-air.
It was genuine fear.
The young man's voice, who she presumes to be Thoma, had also shared the exact same sentiment as he frantically replies.
"I-I don't know either… I've never seen anything like this before."
In the midst of all the chaos, another familiar voice chimed in. It was Tubby's voice. Though her usually calm demeanour had been clearly shaken all the same.
"My goodness, what has happened to him?"
…Him?
What?
In reality, Keqing's brain had already connected the dots far before she had let herself recognize that notion.
But she didn't want to feel her heart drop to the floor just yet.
Unfortunately, Paimon's answer served nothing more, but to grab it by its entirety, and promptly threw it down the deepest pits of Teyvat.
"A-Aether fought with the electro Archon…"
Internally, Keqing felt her body shutdown.
"He what…?"
A vacant whisper that no one can hear but herself.
"It-It was my fault…" She heard Thoma's voice full of sorrow, "He fought her to give us time to escape after I'd been caught for having harboured a Vision."
"Ah, the vexing Vision Hunt decree, is it?" Tubby had questioned, her voice now stern and unwavering, "Then, young man. It is by no means your fault. Aether simply did what many would have done for him. What he would have done for any friend."
"B-But…"
"No buts, I refuse to hear it." The bird had vehemently kept her ground, "The best thing to do now, is to find a way to help our injured friend."
"R-Right…" Thoma replied, seemingly managing to get a hold of himself, "I will go and consult milady to see if she has any solution for this condition that he has."
"Paimon will go to!"
"Then it is settled." Tubby affirmed, her voice distancing as she moved towards the other corner of the room, "Do no fret. Nothing can reach Aether while he is here. So, focus all of your attention into finding a cure."
"Got it." Paimon answered. The door to their room opening as footsteps began to pour into the outside halls once more, "We will leave Aether in your hands, Tubby!"
As the thudding sound of the door closing resonated through the house. Keqing waited until the footsteps veered away, and the main doors of the estate finally closed out.
She wasted no time in steeling herself, made her way out of her study, and into the front steps of Aether's room.
Her heart pounded from within her.
What am I going to see when I enter this room?
Surmising that her hesitation will only lead her nowhere, she grasped the handle of the door.
Screw it.
The door had swung open with a hard clack. Her breath suddenly turning ragged as she caught sight of the man who is now lying deathly still on the bed.
Tubby, who just now remembered that she had been in her study could only look on with a mixture of surprise and regret.
"Lady Keqing…"
"I heard everything."
"I see…"
Rushing to the other side of the bed, Keqing quickly got on her knees. Getting a closer look at what had caused the man who she would've never thought to be brought down in combat, succumb to the condition that he is currently suffering through.
And in an instant, she knew exactly what had happened. The weight in her chest exacerbated her nervous breaths. Her hands frantically feeling for the pulse on his wrist.
The purple veins that had littered the surface of his skin was enough of a tell for someone of her experience especially with such particularity.
"Electrostatic catalysation."
Tubby looked at her inquisitively, "I'm sorry?"
"Electrostatic catalysation." Keqing repeated, pointing towards his defined veins that has now turned to flashing blinks of violet, "When you get a decent amount of electro elemental energy forcefully making its way through your system. It can result in massive amounts of bodily instabilities."
Looking at the bird, she could tell that her explanation had done nothing to further help her understand the situation.
"Essentially, he has electro energy trapped within him. And due to its constant interaction with his body, it will just stay there until there's a way to ground it." Keqing hastily explained, summoning a brief crackle of electricity on her hand, "Normally when us electro users discharge our element, it would always find a way to ground itself and leave the physical body."
"So, you mean to say, that within him, is remnants of the attacks left by the electro Archon?" Tubby asked. Her concern growing by the second.
"Judging by what I've heard… then yes." Keqing confirms, her hand snaking around his erratic one as her gaze became cloudy, "The Shogun's attack must've been so devastating, that even his unique physicality couldn't handle it."
"Poor Aether…"
Keqing could only look at the man as he winced and groaned with pain evident in his voice. The times where his mouth emitted small mutterings of what had leaked from within his unconscious mind, felt like an arrow that had pinpointed itself directly to her already strained heart.
She couldn't help but to caress his face. Hopelessly wishing to get rid of that tortured expression through her touch alone.
"You're going to be death of me one day, you know that right?"
Another set of groans and coughs was all the answer that she got.
"Hang in there, Aether…"
The moment she finished her sentence, his body sudden jolted aggressively. Its movement akin to an animal that's wildly attempting to break free of the trap that had managed to snap its unfortunate hind.
Tubby floated forward, her voice now wavering, "W-What is happening?"
"The energy is becoming increasingly unstable." Trying to gain control of his spasming body, Keqing held him down by the shoulders. "We need to expel the elements within him, or it would just continuously try to find a way out."
Looking back towards Tubby, both their gazes had turned serious, with Tubby understanding the implications.
"Then he would repeatedly be electrocuted from the inside."
"Precisely."
Keqing lowered her ear to his convulsing chest, feeling for how his heartbeat had grown all the more erratic from what it had been beforehand.
"If we don't do anything about it, his heart could stop."
With Tubby's gasp, Keqing could feel her own heart threatening to succumb to the stress.
But, for once, she could honestly feel grateful for the lessons that years of experimenting with her Vision had given to her.
"Do we have anything large with a good amount of geo resonance within it?"
Matching her sense of urgency, Tubby decided to ask no questions.
"If I recall correctly, Aether still has a lot of Geoculus resonance stones around." The bird tried to recall, making a move towards the door, "Would that suffice?"
"That would be perfect. Please, gather as much as you can."
With a speedy nod, Tubby wasted no time in rushing out of the room.
Leaving the ailing Aether in Keqing's lone hands.
As much as she had wanted to try and calm the raging storm within him, all she could really do is to try and calm her own tumultuous emotions.
She moved her anxious palm to his hair. Taking a nearby wipe to erase the beads of sweat that were quickly coalescing on his forehead, that was practically hot to the touch. His previously soft grip, sporadically turning into an iron hold while he attempted to ride through the pain of the frazzling energy within him.
With each time he desperately held her hand, the tighter the pain within her heart grew.
"Just a bit longer…" Her voice almost pleading, all the pain from within her accumulating in her tone, "I'll get you through this, I promise…"
She kept her hand in the tussles of his blonde hair. The momentary expression of peace on his face as the pain subsided ever-so slightly, giving her enough off a push to get her own soul through it. She laid a tentative kiss on his knuckle, making sure to keep her eyes on his.
"I'm not losing you here. Not on my watch."
The door then slammed open once more.
"I have gathered all the stones that I could find, Lady Keqing!" Tubby declared.
"Alright, that should be enough." Cobbling the stones around her, Keqing took off her gloves, "By becoming the medium, I should be able to use my own body as a passthrough. This way, we can take all the energy and ground it into the geo-infused stones, which would render it innate."
"Of course… that is one of Geo's main properties." Tubby couldn't help but let a tiny bit of her curiosity leak through, "It seems you have prior experience for such a situation, Lady Keqing?"
"Technically, too many to count." Keqing answered as she prepped herself, her following confession had been as frank as it comes, "As much as I loathed receiving a Vision, experimenting with it was an inevitability. Though, I had never suffered a form of catalysation that had been anywhere near this severe. Utilizing a passthrough towards a larger ground source is only something that I've just came up with."
Her statement caused another form of worry to grow in Tubby's mind.
"B-But, wouldn't you be putting your own self in jeopardy?"
"I don't care."
Her eyes remained focus on the task, but it did nothing to reduce the monumental value of the following words that she had said without a second thought.
"No matter how insignificant it may be, but if doing so means helping the person that is worth the universe and stars to me…"
Unflinching as she utilized her stiletto to form a small cut on her hand.
"Then I'll do whatever it takes."
The intensity in her sparkling amethyst eyes, the passion with which she had put forth her reasonings to, was enough for Tubby to feel her determination.
And thus, the adeptus had no quarrels with such a confident stance.
"I see…" The bird said as she took a step back, "I have the utmost confidence that you will succeed."
"Thanks, Tubby." Her grin was momentary, but certainly not insincere, "It might be best for you to vacate the room, since the release will most definitely be volatile."
"Understood." Tubby headed straight for the door, sparing a final glance at the young woman, "Good luck, Lady Keqing."
Keqing only nodded, her gaze latching right back at Aether's agonized expressions as soon as the door closed. Her hands carefully taking hold of one his own, her stiletto at the ready.
"Sorry, this might hurt a bit." Positioning the tip of the stiletto at the palm of his hand, she flashed him an apologetic squeeze of his hand. Though the mere thought of involuntarily contributing to the suffering he's going through had pained her immensely, she knew that it was a choice that she most definitely couldn't avoid, "But, my heart can't take any of this much longer."
Making sure that the stones are by her side, her focus increased exponentially as she finally set her mind.
With a quick slice of her stiletto, she dematerialized the tool and linked her own hand with his now crackling palm. Electro energy practically gushing out of the small cut she had made, erratic as it found its way to her own body. The electrifying intensity unlike anything that she had experience, even from her own use of her Vision. His body jerking uncontrollably as it unleashed the foreign energy that had held it captive from the inside.
It vexed her even more, when she realized that this is virtually what he had been enduring the entire time.
Not wanting to idle at that thought, she clasped the stones that had been readily waiting for her voltaic touch. The flow of energy immediately evident as the stones began resonating radiantly as Keqing grounded the wild electro elements towards the cores of the inert rocks.
Please… let this work.
The stinging pain that she had felt initially now subsiding, all while the stones grew brighter and brighter. Trying its best to contain the enormous amount of elemental energy that is constantly trying to find a way to break out of the confines of its physical barriers.
She could feel it all the same way, with the pain fading away, so is the amount of energy left within his body.
Her worries would've also faded away, had it not been for one of the stones, suddenly cracking. The snap causing her to avert her gaze towards the sound.
"Oh, crap."
Then, another crack formed on a different stone.
And another.
Each of them adding to the list of her reasons to be cursing the elements as she sat there, praying that it would at least last long enough to get everything out of his system.
"Come on...!" Opening her palm to further spread the energy to each stone, her grip on Aether's hand tightening unbearably, her mind wandering towards the Archon of her land, "Please, don't you break on me the one time I want your element to work properly!"
It's so close, she just knew it.
"Just a little more…"
The more cracks that made its way towards the stones, the more her heart raced against the flow of the energy.
"A little more…"
Aether's groans of pain gradually subsided, while the cracking rocks reverberated through the room. Its sound and the whips and cracks of lightning the only thing that Keqing could really hear.
It was until a little whisper of relief from Aether's lips, did Keqing finally nodded.
"NOW!"
The moment the last of the electro traces left his body, she disconnected their physical link. Channelling the rest of the energy through her body, she gave it all to the stones that were now leaking resonance through the cracks that the energy had caused them to endure. Its blinding light giving ample time for Keqing to recognize that it wasn't going to hold.
Her reflex only told her one thing.
Protect him.
She jumped to hold his head in her hands. Burying it in the crook of her neck to provide him with ample protection from the oncoming sparks.
Just as she got him secured within her hold, the stones couldn't keep their form for a second longer.
A loud thunderclap echoed through the room. The stone's explosion following suit, as it turns into pieces of shrapnel that began to litter itself across the room, and showering the two people huddled on the bed.
Luckily, the energy had been so great, that it practically minced the resonant rocks into tiny little pieces. None of them enough to cause any sort of pain Keqing's protective body shield.
Acknowledging that the chaos had finally passed through. She breathed out a sigh of relief. Letting a few more seconds pass before opening her eyes as she lifted her head upright.
Only to notice that she had been way too close to Aether's face.
Internally, she had wanted to jolt away the second she noticed. But, for some reason, she kept her place.
She'd never seen his face from that close, anyways.
Who's to blame her for wanting to indulge herself every now and then?
Especially after the rollercoaster that he had just, though unwillingly as it may have been, put her through.
Seeing the lack of knitted eyebrows, contorted eyes, and mangled grumbles of words from his lips, is enough to bring a world of reprieve for her anxious mind.
"Seriously…" she heaved another sigh of relief, unconsciously finding his hand once again, "You're really going to be the death of me one day."
Though slumbering. The slight shift of his head as he finally made himself comfortable on the bed and the thin smile that his features now adorn, served as a form of gratitude in her eyes.
Or maybe, she just really wanted to see a reaction out of him, and she'd gladly take an idle sleepy shift, rather than what he had been presenting her the entire time.
Giggling to herself, she huffed affectionately.
"You're welcome, you idiot."
A brief thought flashed through her mind. Her hands idly finding its way to his cheeks. Her heartbeat simultaneously slowing down to the beat of his own. Her breathing following suit, as her vision focused on the lower part of his face.
That brief thought steadily pushing its way to the forefront of her thoughts.
I wonder…
Her thumb brushed the edges of his lips, her mind unresponsive as her instincts shouted at her emotions.
Closer…
Time seemingly became non-existent the closer the distance between them became.
Only for it to jumpstart back into existence as the door to the room, once again, slammed open.
Keqing jerked herself clear of Aether's peaceful face. Averting her whole head down in order to hide her steaming red face as Tubby bounded back into the room, her voice in a panic at the cost of hearing all the racket that the explosion had made.
"Lady Keqing, is everything alright?!"
The adeptus' concern merely elevated as she saw the Yuheng breathing heavily, a good distance away from the bed.
Though as well-placed as her concerns may have been. Tubby wouldn't have been able to tell that the cause for her concern might not have been what she thought it to be.
Because Keqing was most definitely not breathing heavily through the results of mere physical exertion alone.
Before Tubby could get a better look at her, Keqing managed to alleviate most of the heat off of her face. Taking control of her breathing as she stood upright.
"I-I'm fine…" She took the opportunity to gesture to their surroundings, where the stones have scattered its fragment across the room, "The stones exploded. But it thankfully got shredded to bits, so it didn't do any damage to us."
Tubby exhaled her worries away, "That's good to hear…" Her gaze scanning over Keqing's own body as she watched her take a nearby bandage that had been brought by Thoma and Paimon. Accepting the explanation as the bird couldn't see any notable injuries.
Neatly wrapping both his and her own hand. Keqing quickly tied the knots and promptly rose to her feet. Pausing midway to pat his idle hands, before making her way to the door.
"I'd love to stay, but I have meetings that I can't cancel." Looking back towards the bed, a beat passed by while her expressions grew with undiscernible fondness, "I trust that you can look after him in the meantime?"
"Most definitely." Tubby answered without hesitation.
Keqing nodded, and was about to leave before she turned back once more.
"Oh, and one more thing…"
She placed a finger on her lips. Her features begging for reasons unknown.
"Please, keep this a secret from everyone." Her voice unwavering as she nodded towards Aether, "Especially from him."
A beat of silence passed between them.
Even Tubby couldn't help but be surprised by the request.
"A secret…?" The bird questioned, trying to form a coherent explanation in her own head, "But, surely you realize that he would want to know…"
"In due time, I'll tell him myself." Keqing assured, a forlorn sigh escaping her lips, "But as of now, he's got a lot on his plate already. If he found out that I'd lent him a hand, he won't let his conscience rest before he returns the favour."
Keqing leant on the doorframe, her heart heavy as her eyes lay tenderly stuck on the sleeping blonde.
"Even when I've still yet to fully repay for him, for what he has done for me."
The lilac steeled herself, her gaze now filled with confidence.
"So, for now, just tell him that you've performed some sort of adeptal treatment on him." Keqing shrugged, chuckling to herself, "Knowing him, he wouldn't question you any further with that sort of reasoning in hand."
Once again, Tubby felt the overwhelming sincerity of her words.
Naturally, she had no other choice but to concede.
"…I understand." Smiling with a sense of reprieve, Tubby gave her a firm nod. "I shall think of something to tell him when he wakes up."
"Thanks, Tubby." Clasping her hands together, Keqing bowed apologetically, "I owe you one."
"Nonsense, Lady Keqing." The adeptus immediately waved her apology away, "Without your presence, who knows what would have happened to the Traveler."
Keqing grinned at the bird's forthrightness, before her eyes widened as she noticed the time on the clock, "Oh, I'm going to be late! Take care, Tubby!"
"You too, Lady Keqing."
Flashing a quick smile in reply, Keqing shot one final gaze at Aether, before materializing away out of the teapot.
The door closed shut, and Tubby simply giggled as she refreshed the wet cloth on Aether's forehead.
"You're quite the lucky one, dear Aether…"
In the end, Keqing really couldn't resist to sneak in one last peek.
Her mind simply wouldn't allow itself to sleep shut without knowing whether or not did her act of triage actually helped him.
The meetings had taken the rest of her day, yet it did nothing to deter her from immediately materializing herself into the teapot, as soon as she got to her quarters, dead at midnight.
Which is how she found herself halfway through the door to Aether's room.
As she slowly inched the door shut, an acute sense of realization finally dawned on her.
Archons, I'm all alone in HIS room.
Though the man in question was still sound asleep, it did nothing to calm the nervous drumbeats of her heart.
Nimbly tip-toeing across the room, she made her way to his bedside. The table next to him littered with the same tea that he had given to her from Inazuma.
She wasted no time and swiftly observed the bandage that she had quickly applied on his hand. Relieved to see that someone had already replaced it with a much more resilient one. The smell ointment further gave her assurance that the small cut wouldn't cause him any issues in the future.
"Thank goodness…"
Finally, she felt all the weight that had hid itself within her body flutter away, as she knew that he would definitely be okay.
Her hand clasped his wrist, making sure that his pulse had been calm and stable. All while her other hand checked the temperature on his forehead.
"Still slightly warm…" She remarked, taking the wet cloth and dousing it with a fresh spray of cold water before putting it back on, "But a massive improvement from the flames of the crimson witch herself."
Making sure that it had been situated comfortably, her hand snaked its way to his cheek. Her thumb slowly caressing his slumbering features.
Keqing giggled to herself. A miniscule bit of frustration making its way out alongside the relieved bouts of spasms.
"Not even a month, Aether." She squeezed his hand with her tiny bit of bewilderment, "And you've only gone and picked a fight with an Archon of all beings."
She got nothing but soft, sleepy breathing in reply.
"Just when I thought you couldn't surprise me anymore." She got on her knees, bringing her eyes level on to his own, laying her head on her forearm as her gaze softened, "You really are something else, Aether."
Her hand began idly caressing his hair. His breathing still the only reply that she has.
"But please…" Keqing almost pleaded, knowing that he wouldn't be able to hear it anyways, "Let this be the last one… okay?"
Again, his breathing the only conversing medium in the atmosphere.
Until he lightly tilted his head towards her.
His features now fully facing her.
And once again, Keqing couldn't help but wonder as she eyed his slightly gaping lips.
I wonder how it would feel like…
Inching closer to his face, she whispered ever so tenderly.
"Because… I don't think I'd be able to handle much more."
Her hand supported his chin, her eyes slowly closing as she felt the distance between them disappear by the second.
"Hopefully… one day, I can properly tell you. How much I need you…"
Her eyes shut completely, as her lips touched the soft skin of his own.
What started as a short, and hesitant peck, grew into one kiss that was confident and whole.
She kept the touch at just the right depth. Not enough to fully electrify his conscience, but enough for her to get a feel for how he had felt in a level of intimacy that she would never thought to have considered getting to in her life.
It was a new wave of emotions for her heart.
The hope of that foreign feeling within her. Growing to something that she can only hope to be able to properly express, when the right time comes.
But this touch.
Is one that she had sorely needed for her own soul.
Parting away from the warmth of his kiss, she leant her forehead onto his. Her hands caressing his cheeks once more.
"Because that, right there… dear Aether."
Their nose touched as she nuzzled it with affection.
"Is what you are to me…"