“Aether!” Paimon exclaimed in shock as she watched as her travel companion was flung across the floating platform. Aether wouldn’t get up, couldn’t get up, his body ached all over the Unknown God was still too much for him to handle but he had to beat it, for himself..and for Lumine.

“Watch out Comrade!” yelled Childe attempting to grab Aether’s attention before he went down. Aether lifted his head just in time to watch as a ball of red blocks hit him once more, finally knocking him off the platform.

“Comrade!”
“Traveler!”
“Captain!”
“Honorary Knight!” gasped Jean as she and the others watched Aether fall off and down into the unknown.

Aether slightly opened his eyes as he watched himself fall through the sky, the view of his friends and travel companions growing smaller and smaller. His head spun and his body felt heavy as if bricks upon bricks sat and weighed down on him. He closed his eyes once more as his eyelids now started to feel heavier and heavier.

…

Aether opened his eyes to a plain white ceiling, a spinning ceiling fan being the only available noise in the silent apartment. After all the worlds he’s traveled to with Lumine none of this seems familiar to him. It was as if he had traveled to a whole new world…without Lumine.
It looked and felt strange, pausing he sat up and looked around, even getting up and trying to run to the door to check the world outside, as he tried, however his legs gave out a few steps after he got up off the bed.

Aether holds his head in his hands, “I…I was so close..” He choked his eyes tearing up, he was so close to finally getting Lumine back if only;

- The door then opened light from the front door light shining into the dimly lit apartment.
“Aether?” The figure called out turning on the light that sat in the ‘kitchens’ 

ceiling. “Aether!”
Aether looked up and saw a familiar face, “Xiao!” Getting up like a newborn giraffe, he unsteadily went to hug Xiao, “Someone familiar..” He said softly, smiling in relief, “Xiao, Where’s Lumine?” Looking into his eyes with a hopeful look, his hands gripping onto Xiao's arms.

“Aether, Whose Lumine?”

The hopeful look on Aether's face faltered, his smile gone with a blink of the eye, his voice was shaky as Aether whispered, “W-what?”

“Is there something wrong?”

“No…no, I’m..I'm fine.” He stuttered as he tried to make out three simple words that were usually easy to get out but somehow today, right now, as he spoke these three simple words, it felt like a lump of iron was stuck in his throat.

Xiao glanced at him once more before getting up to grab the bag he brought in, “Aether, are you hungry?”

“Am I hungry?”

“Mhm yes, Hungry.” He repeated, looking up at Aether, pulling out the goods from the plastic bag on the counter sat; A box of day-after pills, over the counter stomach medication and some ingredients for eggs and toast, A simple yet delicious breakfast.

Aether was finally able to get up off the floor, his legs no longer feeling like mint jelly and decided to look at the stuff on the counter, picking each one up and looking at them all once over. “I can eat, But what are we eating?”
“Your favorite.”
“My favorite?” He had never had a favorite food, and after traveling through as many as he has you could never pick a favorite food as you never knew when you might have it next after you leave.
“Mhm. I’ll be done in a bit.” Xiao says turning on the stove, taking a few eggs from the carton, he proceeds to crack them and let them fall into the pan, “Do you want them scrambled or fried?”

“Scrambled? I guess..”
“Okay.”
Aether sat on the side watching Xiao cook, “Wouldn’t you prefer almond tofu?”  

“Almond Tofu? What’s that?” Xiao inquired, “Is it a new recipe you made recently?”

A new recipe hmm? This really is a new and unknown world, But…what happened to Teyvat? And where is Lumine and the others?
Aether jumped when he felt his shoulder being tapped, grabbing Xiao’s arm and pinning it behind his back.
“Aether, Aether, It’s me. Xiao.”

Ah, Relieving the pressure he put on his back, he let go of his arm, “..Sorry, I didn’t mean to.”

“It’s fine.” Rubbing his arm, He started to wonder when his partner got so strong. Aether frowned as he held his arm as he felt increasingly bad, “This Xiao isn’t the Xiao we know. He can’t handle us like Xiao did.”
“I miss Xiao and the others..”

Xiao pulled him into a hug, “I don’t know what’s going on but, I’m here.”
Aether rubbed his face, the smell of Xiao being one of the few familiar things about this new Xiao. “Thank you.” Wrapping his arms around him he didn’t want to let go, although this person was very much different from the beloved Xiao he knew, The things that were familiar calm his anxiety about this new and unknown world.

Smiling, “Are you ready to eat, Your breakfast is done Ae.”
“Oh! Okay….”
Going to get the plate of food from the counter, Aether took a bite of the fluffy and delicious scrambled eggs. “It’s…good.” He muttered softly as he continued to eat the plate of toast and egg.

“Thank you, Xiao.”
Xiao smiled as he washed the dishes he used while cooking, “I’m glad you like it.” He looked down at the sink and the dishes he was washing. “Ae, Do you want to go later? Get some fresh air?”
Ae?
Whose Ae?
Pointing to himself he inquired, “Me, Are you talking to me?”

“Well who else would I be talking to?” He smiled, with a light chuckle. Aether nodded his head slowly, as much as he would rather stay in this space til he figures out where he is. It would be much better if he were to go outside and look around plus he could never be cooped up in a small space for long.
He started to miss his teapot, a gift given to him by Madame Ping after he saved Liyue…Liyue.

Xiao's voice snapped him out of his daydream, “Alright then, Let’s get ready.”

Aether noded, setting his plate in the sink and washing it clean, Xiao came up and set a light blue colored collar around his neck. Aether touched his neck and turned around with a surprised look on his face, “What..what is this, Xiao?”
“Your collar, now have you taken your meds?” Xiao asked, picking up his back and slinging it over his shoulder.
“No…Not yet.”
Xiao held his cheeks, “Then let’s do that before we head out, want some water?”

Aether nodded, turning to watch Xiao busy around the apartment before dropping the three pills in his hand and handing his the glass of water. “Here. Let’s take it before we go.”

Downing them quickly, he made his way to the door, “Aether, Are you really going to go outside wearing that?” Looking down at himself and at what he was currently wearing, It was all but a shirt two sizes too big.

Ah..

Turning around he grabbed some clothes that looked like they belonged together and went into the bathroom to change.

This outfit he chose felt very familiar, it had a similar color scheme as his own outfit, patting down his clothes as he stepped out of the bathroom. Anything well-known to him gave him great comfort in this new world.
Xiao looked up from his phone, “Ready?”
“As I’ll ever be.”