Aether wandered into the Realm Within feeling like a dead man. He hadn't slept much since the Natlan Wars if he ever slept at all. Today, he just wanted to lie down on his bed and forget everything. He passed the porch where Tubby sat napping, and found he didn't have the energy to say hello.
Open went the doors and before he could blink they were on him. Shenhe and Ei picked him up, carrying him to the dinner table. There, Xiangling presented him with sweet madame. Noelle cut it up into pieces and then held out a bite-sized portion on a fork.
"Girls," he began.
"Shush," said a voice from behind him. Wonderful, warm hands massaged his shoulder blades and spine. Knots of worry came undone as Lisa tackled his every ache. "We know you're not in the mood today. After all you've been through, we don't blame you. But, let us at least do this. Please."
He opened his mouth and let Noelle feed him. The warm food restored his vitality and the flavors were a welcome reminder of Mondstadt.
Someone picked up his legs, propping his feet on the ottoman. There, Hu Tao unlaced his boots and took them to his room. Navia took over Noelle's feeding job while the maid turned her attention to his feet. She massaged them thoroughly, paying special attention to the balls of his feet. Shinobu gave him a head massage. That horrendous throb in his forehead abated slowly.
Ganyu removed his gloves and scarf, taking them to the back for washing. Keqing and Ayaka took up his hands and rubbed down his sores. Their eyes brimmed with concern for him. It touched him to see how much they cared. He sat back and let them do as they pleased.
Once he'd finished the food, Shenhe and Ei brought him outside to the hot springs. Aether started pulling his shirt up and over his head when his shoulder muscle cramped. He winced, surprised by how much it still stung. Yoimiya and Amber helped him. Before he could protest, they took off his pants, and underwear, and then they lowered him into the springs.
The girls all slipped in beside him. Ayaka untied his braid to let his hair all fall out. Together, she and Keqing shampooed his head. Furina and Nilou combed out his ponytail, getting out all those snags. He wanted to tell them he could clean himself, but Emilie poured bath salts into the springs. The vanilla fragrance that filled the waters made his eyes droopy.
Not helping, Lisa and Yae Miko were scrubbing down his arms. They did it by lathering up their breasts with soap suds and engulfing his arms in their cleavage. All the while, they whispered sweet little nothings in his ears.
"It's okay, cutie, you're home now."
"Oh, little one, you've been through so much. Haven't you? Well, sit back. We're going to make it all better."
As they spoke, every woman crowded him, cleaning any part that looked sore or dirty. They planted light kisses upon his skin. All the while, they whispered in those sweet voices.
"There, there, isn't that nice, Honorary Knight?"
"Take it easy, partner. I'm here."
"Shh, this is simply destiny.
"We're all glad yer home, sugar."
He melted into the warm waters, and into those tender, loving hands.
Sometime during this, Paimon and Little One hopped into the hot springs. Paimon floated in a cute little innertube, reclining in the warm bath. Little One let out a little "rawr" and patted its belly. The Tepetlisaurus was just happy to be included.
Noelle got busy washing down Little One. The Wundermaid singlehandedly scrubbed the Saurian completely clean in a minute. It let out another "rawr" and patted its chubby tummy.
The girls finished cleaning him up. Aether yawned, arching his hands over his head in a long stretch. He got up, grabbed a towel, and went to the bathhouse. Inside the shack, he found a bathrobe waiting for him. A smile crossed his face.
Aether put it on and stepped back out into the fresh air where the girls waited.
"Thanks," he said. "I feel a lot better. I should probably take care of those commissions…"
"Aether, you just got back," said Lisa. "Relax a little."
"Sorry. I've got jobs to do. I have to treat you all to something special."
Keqing sighed. "You've clearly made up your mind about this. Well, we're sorry but you made us do this."
Shenhe, Ei, and Arlecchino grabbed him, dragging him away from the springs, and into the mansion. Ignoring his protests, they plopped him onto a fluffy mattress. The polearm trio rolled up the mattress and trapped him inside. Then, the girls lifted both ends, suspending him in the air. Noelle tied chains firmly around the mattress.
"Sorry," she said before she sealed the padlock.
They dropped him, sealed in the snuggle burrito, onto the bed.
"We'll handle your commissions," said Amber. "Try to relax."
"How can I relax when you tied me up in a sushi roll?"
"It's for your own good," said Arlecchino. "We'll come back later to let you go."
They filed out of the mansion.
Aether hadn't been locked up too tightly but wriggling against the mattress did nothing. These chains must've been repurposed from his dull blades because they were unbreakable.
The door cracked open. Little One waddled inside. It stared at him with those yellow eyes and cocked its head.
"Hey," he said, "Good timing. Listen, I need you to break these locks."
Little One stretched its little hands over the mattress. The stubby little arms couldn't reach. It hopped, getting its big head on the bed, only to roll back over onto its back. Little One cocked its head. It waddled to Aether's desk. It took the leg of a chair in its mouth and dragged it over.
Little One hopped up onto the chair. Its tail waggled in preparation and then it leaped over onto the bed.
"Good boy! Now, break this lock!"
Little One curled up beside his head, yawned, and fell asleep. No matter what he did, the Little One would not stir. Then, Paimon floated inside and fell asleep on his other side.
"Traitors," he grumbled.
Well, they made it abundantly clear that he wouldn't be going anywhere today. So, Aether made himself as comfortable as he could and fell asleep.