Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

“This is the story of how I died.” A beat of silence passed.

Childe laughed. “Don’t worry, this is actually a very fun story. And the truth is, it isn’t even mine. This is the story of a boy named Aether, and it starts with the sun.”

Once upon a time, a single drop of sunlight fell from the sky. A magic flower grew from this small drop of sun that had the ability to heal the sick and injured.

The unknown God knew the old stories. A magical flower that could heal any injury and turn back the clock on a person’s life. The entire kingdom of Teyvat had grown around this magic flower.

The kingdom was ruled by a beloved King and Queen. The Queen was about to have children, and she got sick. Really, really sick. And when people are really sick, they tend to look for a miracle. Or perhaps, a magical flower.

The unknown God knew the Queen was sick. Still, the flower was hers. Hers alone. It kept her alive and youthful. She couldn’t share this precious gift. No, it had to stay a secret. It was what had to be done.

She began to sing.

“Flower gleam and glow, let your power shine. Make the clock reverse, bring back what once was mine.”

“What once was mine.”

She felt the magic run through her body. Every cell was awash in the flower’s magic. The unknown God felt young, and powerful. Her favorite feelings.

After she had left, the kingdom’s men stumbled upon her secret. The flower she had so carefully cultivated for its magic was gone. Gone. It had been stolen from her.

This could not stand.

The magic of the flower healed the Queen, and her children was born. A son. His name was Aether, And a daughter Lumine . To celebrate the twin’s birth, the King and Queen launched a floating lantern into the sky.

The unknown God needed that power. There was only one option.

Steal a child.

The unknown God snuck into the castle. The mood was merry and the people were celebrating, so no one looked twice at her intrusion. Gathering the child into her arms, she made her escape.

This boy, Aether , had the same glowing energy as the flower she survived on. She would have to hide this boy away. A tower, hidden deep within the forest. The unknown God would take him there, where no one could take her flower away again. Distant shouts came from the castle behind her as the prince’s absence was discovered.

She decided to raise the boy as a son. She would teach him about the dangers of the world, so he would never want to leave. After all, she was a mother now. She had to take care of him. It’s a scary world.

Aether grew up, as all young children do. He was a bright young boy. One could almost say he was… too bright. He was curious, and while most parents encouraged their children to ask questions about the world and explore, The unknown God knew she had to stamp this out. It was for her own good, and she supposed his too. What if something happened out there and she lost his power? No, that simply could not happen.

“Mother? Why can’t I go outside?” His big golden eyes stared up at her, full of curiosity.

“The outside world is a dangerous place, Aether.” She knelt down and caressed the boy’s long, dark locks. “It’s filled with horrible, selfish people. In here, you’re safe. Do you understand?”

The boy nodded, his eyes slightly dulled. “Yes, Mother.”

The walls of the tower couldn’t hide everything. Each year, on the twin’s birthday, the King, Queen and Princess released thousands of floating lanterns into the sky, hoping that one day, the prince would return.

—

Aether threw open the tower window. “Hah!” Small flower pots he had painted himself rested on the window ledge. Where was Paimon?

“Hmm. Well, I guess Paimon’s not hiding out here,” he said loudly. A flash of movement caught his eye, and he heard a sound that could almost be considered a snicker.

Aether grinned. “Gotcha!”

Paimon trudged out from behind the flower pot, his camouflage fading back to his normal white. The look on her face could almost be described as sullen.

He laughed. “That’s 22 for me. How about 23 out of 45?”

Paimon gave him a reptilian stink-eye. Aether sighed. “Okay, well, what do you want to do?” The little reptile gestured towards the outside.

Outside the tower, the one place Mother said he couldn’t go. It’s too dangerous , she would always say. Aether knew Mother had to be right, because Mother was never wrong, but still…he couldn’t shake the feeling that there was more out there.

“You know we can’t do that, Paimon. Besides, I like it in here, and so do you.” Aether offered his hand out to the grumpy reptile, who looked away. “Oh, come on Paimon. It’s really not so bad in there.” He scooped him up and sat the chameleon on his shoulder.

7 am. Time to start his daily morning routine. Every day in the tower was the same. He would sweep and mop the floors, polish the silverware, do laundry…all of his chores. He’d gotten good at them over the years; good enough to do them all in fifteen minutes.

After his chores, Aether would read a book (or two, or three). Even if he knew them forward and backward, they were such a comforting escape. He could dream about what it was like in these fantasy worlds.

He would also paint. The tower walls were covered in beautiful paintings. Painted stars dotted a beautiful blue night sky. Flowers grew from grass painted in different shades of green. A boy with long, blonde hair in a tower covered part of a wall. Tiny doodles of flowers, suns, and six-pointed stars were plastered all over the cold stone walls.

Not being able to leave the tower gave Aether a lot of free time on his hands. He’d tried all sorts of things. Guitar, knitting, baking, pottery, ventriloquism, ballet, sewing, darts, puzzles, chess, even candle making. Still, there was nothing quite like painting, and not even that surpassed the allure of the outside. After brushing his incredibly long hair, Aether leaned out the window and looked at the sky. Tomorrow night was his eighteenth birthday. That meant he would be an adult, right? Adults could take care of themselves.

Every night on his birthday, thousands of floating lanterns appeared in the sky. Aether had wanted to see them up close for as long as he could remember. What was it like out there? Maybe, now that he would be older, Mother would finally let him go outside. A new beginning to start a new life.

—

Childe sprinted across the city rooftops, his fellow criminals close behind. The city was truly stunning from a bird’s eye view. He stopped on the palace rooftop, his eyes drinking in the city sights.

“Wow. I could get used to a view like this.”

“Come on. We don’t have all day,” Scaramouche said, annoyed.

“Hold on.” Childe inhaled the fresh air, wind gently breezing through his hair. “Ah. Yep, I’m used to it.” He turned to the people behind him. “I want a castle.”

Scaramouche rolled his eyes. “We get this job done and you can buy a castle. Let’s go.”

The theives lowered him through a hole in the palace roof with a rope. He wouldn’t put it past them to drop him, but the allure of this job was too good. He grabbed his satchel. Nice! We got it!

The guard in front of him sneezed.

“Oh, hay fever?” he asked.

“Yeah,” the guard said, sniffling. Childe could see the moment he realized. I’m out of here.

“Hey, wait!” The guard shouted after him. How about I don’t do that?

The thieves booked it out of the city, their stolen prize secure in Childe’s satchel. “Can’t you picture me in a palace of my own?” Childe said, dreaming of the possibilities. “I certainly can. Oh, the things we’ve seen and it’s only eight in the morning.” Childe grinned at his accomplices.

“This is a very big day.”

—

“This is a very big day.” Aether hugged Paimon close to his chest and laughed. “I’m finally going to do it, Paimon. I’m finally going to ask her!”

Motherl’s voice called from the outside. “Aether! Let down your hair!”

“It’s time,” Aether whispered giddily. “Here, get in here. I don’t want Mother to see you.”

“I’m not getting any younger down here, Aether!”

“Coming, Mother!”

The boy gathered his long hair, strong enough for a person to climb up. He looped part of it around the metal hook above the window and let it fall to the ground. He felt the familiar tug on his scalp as Mother ascended to the top.

“Welcome home, Mother!”

Mother looked around the spotless tower, scrubbed and swept clean as always. “How do you always do this every single day, Aether?” She ruffled his hair. “It looks absolutely exhausting.”

“It’s nothing, really!” Aether beamed.

“Then why does it take you so long?” Mother chuckled. Seeing Aether’s face fall, she quickly rescinded her words. “I’m only kidding.”

“Mother, tomorrow’s a very big day-“ Aether started.

“I’m feeling a bit run down, Aether. Could you sing for me please?”

“Of course, Mother.” Aether sang the same melody Mother sang all those years ago, although instead of her slow chant, he sang as quickly as he could, eager to move on to what he wanted to say.

“Mother? Earlier I said tomorrow was a very big day, and uh, you didn’t really respond, so I’m just gonna say it. Tomorrow’s my birthday!”

“No, no, it can’t be. I remember your birthday was last year,” Mother teased.

“That’s the funny thing about birthdays, isn’t it? They’re kind of an annual thing.” Aether steeled himself for what he was about to say. “Mother, I’m turning eighteen, and there’s something I wanted to ask. Something I really want for this birthday. Actually, something I’ve wanted every birthday…” Aether trailed off and started mumbling.

“Aether, please stop with the mumbling. You know I don’t like the mumbling.”

“Sorry, Mother.” Aether took a deep breath.

“I want to see the floating lights.”

“Hm?” Mother asked.

“I was hoping you’d take me to see the floating lights.”

“Oh,” Mother said, smiling softly. “You mean the stars?”

“They’re not stars! I’ve charted stars and they’re always constant. But these appear every year on my birthday, Mother. It’s almost like they’re meant for me. I need to see them. And not just from my window. In person. I have to know what they are,” he pleaded.

“You want to go outside?” Mother asked, a mixture of emotions showing on her face. She sighed. “Oh, Aether, look at you. You’re as fragile as a flower. You know why we stay here, don’t you?”

“Yes, I know-“

“To keep you safe,” Mother said, almost like a reprimand. “I knew you would want to leave someday, but not yet.”

“But-“

The unknown God placed a single finger on Aether’s mouth, shushing him. “Shhh. I’m like your mother after all, and mother knows best. So listen to me; it’s a scary world out there. Something would go wrong, and I couldn’t bear it if something happened to you!” Mother hugged him tight and ran her fingers through his hair. “Ruffians and thugs! Poison ivy, quicksand, cannibals, snakes…” She gasped. “The plague!”

“No!”

“Yes!” She shook her head sadly. “Large bugs, men with pointy teeth, oh don’t make me go on, it’ll only upset me.” Aether clapped his hands to his mouth. “Don’t worry, Aether. I’ll protect you. And besides, you wouldn’t survive out there.” She studied him critically. “Look at you. Sloppy, immature, clumsy, gullible, and naïve.”

Aether looked at her, offended. “I’m only saying it because I love you,” Mother reassured him. “I’m here to help you, Aether. All I have is one request.”

“Don’t ever ask to leave this tower again.” The steely look in her eyes silenced all complaints Aether might have.

“Yes,Mother .”

“I love you very much, Aether.”

“I love you more.”

“I love you most,” she whispered.

Mother strode off towards the tower window and Aether dutifully let his hair down once again. “I’ll see you in a bit, Aether.”

“I’ll be here,” Aether sighed.

—

“Oh no, this is bad. This is very bad. This is really, really bad.”

Childe clutched a wanted poster he had ripped from a tree and sighed. “They just can’t get my hair right!” The poster showed a drawing of him with incredibly spiky hair for…some reason.

“Who cares?” Scaramouche shot back.

“Easy for you to say!” Childe groaned. “You guys look amazing!”

The sound of hoofbeats came from behind. Childe watched as the royal army rode up the crest of a hill. Uh oh.

The three of them ran for their lives, before reaching a dead end. Childe spun around. “All right, okay. Give me a boost, and I’ll pull you up.”

“Give us the satchel first.” Scaramouche extended his hand.

“What?” Childe clutched a hand to his chest in mock hurt. “I can’t believe…after all we’ve been through together, you don’t trust me.” He shook his head. “That hurts. Ouch.” Reluctantly, Childe handed over his precious cargo and climbed up his accomplices with all the agility and grace of a trained fighter.

“Now help us up, Tartaglia,” Scaramouche demanded.

“Sorry.” Childe flashed a cheeky smile and twirled the satchel strap around one finger. “My hands are full.”

“What?” Scaramouche’s eyes widened. Childe took the opportunity to run away as fast as he could. “HEY!”

The royal guard was right on his heels as Childe weaved through the forest. “Retrieve that satchel with any force necessary!” the captain shouted. That’s less than ideal.

Childe ducked and dodged the soldiers’ arrows and made a particularly tricky jump through a gnarled old tree. Most of the soldier’s horses missed the gap, but the captain and a knight leaped through

“We’ve got him, Diluc!” The captain grinned.

“Shut up, Kaeya,” the knight replied, stoic and straight-faced.

“Hey man, you don’t have to be so co-AAH!” Childe kicked the captain in the face.

The knight rushed forward and tackled him.

The satchel went flying and eventually landed on the tip of a tree branch that, unluckily for them, happened to be dangling over a chasm.

For a moment, Childe and Diluc just stared at each other in frozen silence. This did not last long.

Childe and Diluc took off towards the satchel. Childe ended up crawling along the underside of the branch, trying to avoid the swordsman’s blade. “No. No, stop it.”

The ginger thief snatched the prize from right out under the annoying guy’s nose. “Hah!”

The branch cracked.

“AAAAAAHHH!!” Both thief and knight screamed as the branch crumbled beneath them.

Childe thudded down on the chasm floor. “Ugh,” Childe moaned. He could hear the guy walking around and ducked behind a curtain of plants. After what felt like an eternity, Diluc walked away and Childe breathed a sigh of relief.

He turned around, only to behold a stone tower in the middle of the forest. Using some arrows, Childe climbed up, a slow and tedious process. Still, the royal guard would never find him here, in the middle of nowhere. With a grunt, Childe pulled himself through the open window.

“Alone at last.”

CLANG .

His unconscious body slumped to the ground, a boy with long, blonde hair clutching a frying pan standing above it.

Chapter Text

Aether gently prodded the unconscious man with his frying pan. Thank goodness he’s still breathing.

Aether glanced at Paimon, who just shrugged and tried to appear threatening. Considering the fact that she was a small and cuddly chameleon, it didn’t really work.

He used the handle to turn the man’s face to the side so he could get a better look at this guy. He had short ginger hair and a delicate, pretty face. Aether found himself staring at this random stranger who had broken into his tower and then was hit with a frying pan.

His eyes cracked open. They were a beautiful shade of cobalt.

“Huh?”

Aether startled. “Aah!”

CLANG.

—

Getting an unconscious body into your closet was a lot harder than one might think. Aether always thought he was pretty strong, but a limp and unwieldy guy was proving to be a challenge. An incredibly infuriating challenge. He would think he was safe and secure in the closet, but then he’d notice his hair caught in the door or the stranger would come spilling out. Finally, finally, the guy was in, and the guy stayed.

Aether breathed a sigh of relief. “Okay. Okay! I have a person in my closet!” He dusted his hands off, a self-satisfied smile on his face. “I’m not too weak to handle myself out there, Mother! Not when I’m armed with a trusty frying pan!”

His attention turned to the man’s satchel, laying abandoned on the ground. He pulled out a metal circlet, beautifully crafted and delicate. Gems sparkled in the rays of sunshine that came in through the tower window, shining in so many different shades.

Aether slung it around his wrist, but it was much too big. Paimon gave him a disapproving look. He laughed and pretended to use it as a magnifying glass, before resting it on his head. It fit perfectly, almost as if it were made for him. The crown nestled within his hair made him look like royalty.

“Aether!” Aether jumped. “Let down your hair!” Aether scurried to hide the satchel, with a quick “One moment, Mother!”

“I have a surprise for you!” Mother said, grinning.

“I do too!” Aether replied.

“I bet mine is bigger!”

“I really don’t think so,” Aether mumbled.

“I found some parsnips,” Mother called. “I can make jewelry soup for dinner tonight! I know it’s your favorite.” She laughed. “Surprise!”

“Mother, there’s, uh, there’s something I want to tell you.”

“You know I hate leaving after we’ve had a fight, Mother. Especially since I haven’t done anything wrong.”

“I…I’ve been thinking. A lot. About what you said earlier. And, uh…”

“I hope you’re not talking about the stars still, Aether. You know you can’t go outside.”

“Floating lights,” he mumbled. “Before you answer, yes I’m leading up to that. But-“

“I really thought we dropped the issue.”

“But Mother, I’m just saying, I know you think I can’t handle myself out there-“

“Aether, I know you can’t handle yourself out there. The world is more cruel and complicated than you think.”

“But if you just-“ Aether tried.

“We’re done talking about this,” Mother snapped.

“Trust me, I-“

“Aether.”

“I know I can-“

“AETHER!” Mother yelled. She walked towards him, still holding the knife from when she was cutting up the parsnips. “You are not leaving this tower. EVER.”

Aether took a shaky breath, still trembling a bit. Mother sighed.

“Ah, look at me. Now I’m the bad guy.” She shook her head.

“All I was gonna say was that I know what I want for my birthday now,” Aether said, quiet and subdued. “New paint. Like the red from those thorns you found one time.”

“That’s a long trip, Aether,” she said softly. “Almost three days. Will you be okay?”

“I’ll be fine. I’m safe as long as I’m in this tower,” Aether said, almost like a mantra. The words he’s lived by for practically 18 years now.

After jewelry soup for dinner, Aether let his hair out the window again for The unknown God to climb down once again.

“I’ll be back in three days,” she called. “I love you!”

“I love you more!”

“I love you most.”

—

“Okay,” Aether muttered. “Okay.”

Ever so carefully, he threw his hair forward and threw the closet doors open.

The man, still unconscious, fell out and landed flat on the floor.

Grabbing a chair, Aether dragged the guy into a sitting position and wrapped his hair around him. He sincerely doubted his ability to hit the guy with the frying pan again if he decided to actually come for him.

Paimon, perched on the mystery guy’s shoulder, took the opportunity to simultaneously attempt to wake him up for ‘questioning’ and mess with him. First, the nefarious reptile nudged him with her head. Then she proceeded to slap him with his tail. Aether could have sworn Paimon was grinning when the reptile leaned in and stuck her tongue into his ear.

“Ugh!” The guy startled awake. Aether couldn’t blame him, having a chameleon lick your ear would do that to you.

“What…what is this? Is this hair?” The guy sounded very confused and disoriented. Again, Aether couldn’t blame him.

“S-struggling is pointless,” Aether said, trying (and honestly kinda failing) to sound authoritative and dignified. “I know why you’re here and I am not afraid of you.”

The guy stared at him. “What?”

“Who are you, and how did you find me?” Aether asked, his voice low. He held his trusty frying pan out in front of him threateningly.

“Again, what?”

“Who are you, and how did you find me?”

“I know not who you are,” the guy said, with all the dramatic air of how Aether had always imagined an actor, “nor how I came to find you. But may I just say…”

The guy raised an eyebrow and flashed a cocky, self-assured smile. “Hey.”

Now Aether was the one doing the staring.

“How‘s it going?” The guy winked, charm oozing from every bit of him. “The name’s Childe.”

Aether, of course, was not fooled by this, because Mother had told him people would go after his hair, and it certainly did not matter that this Childe person appeared to be quite attractive. Nope! Did not matter at all!

“How’s it going, huh?” Aether lifted Childe’s chin up with the frying pan. “Who else knows where this place is, Childe ?”

Childe sighed. “Alright, comrade, here’s the thing.”

“It’s Aether.”

“Same difference. Here’s the thing. I was gallivanting through the forest and came across your tower and-“ Childe broke off. “Wait wait wait wait. Where’s my satchel?”

“I hid it,” Aether announced, triumphant. “You’ll never find it.”

Childe looked at him, and then over to the pot that totally didn’t have the satchel in it . “It’s in that pot, isn’t it.”

CLANG.

—

“Okay, can we stop with the pan and the licking, please?” Childe said, understandably disgruntled about being hit with a pan for the third time in one day.

“Now it’s hidden where’ll you never find it. So, what do you want with my hair?” Aether stalked around the chair Childe was tied up in. “To cut it?”

“What?”

“To sell it?”

“No! Look, the only thing I want to do with your hair is get out of it.”

Aether cocked his head, confused. “Wait, you don’t want my hair?”

“Why on earth would I want your hair? Look, I was being chased, saw a tower, and climbed it. End of story.”

“You’re telling the truth?”

“Yes!”

“Hm.” Aether hurried away and engaged in a hurried, whispered conversation with Paimon. “I know, but he’s someone that can take me.”

“I think he’s telling the truth.”

“What choice do I have?”

Aether stepped back into Childe’s view. “Okay, Childe, I’m prepared to offer you a deal.”

“Deal?”

“Look this way.” Aether tugged on his hair and spun the chair around, almost causing Childe to fall over.

“Ugh.”

“Do you know what these are?” Aether pointed to his painting of the floating lights.

“Isn’t that the lantern thing they do for the prince?”

“I knew they weren’t stars,” Aether mumbled. “Well, tomorrow evening, they will light up the night sky. And you-“ he poked Childe in the chest, “-will act as my guide and take me to these lanterns and return me home safely. Then, and only then, will I return your satchel to you. That is my deal.”

“No can do,” Childe sighed. “Unfortunately, the kingdom and I are not exactly simpático at the moment. So I won’t be taking you anywhere.”

“Something brought you here, Childe. Call it what you will..fate, destiny…”

“A knight.”

“So I,” Aether continued, “have made the decision to trust you.”

“A horrible decision, really.”

“But trust me when I tell you this.” Aether pulled the chair towards him so he and Childe were face to face. “You can tear this tower apart brick by brick, but without my help, you will never find your precious satchel,” he hissed.

“Okay, let me get this straight. I take you to see the lanterns, bring you back home, and then you give me my satchel?”

“I promise. And when I promise something, I never break that promise. Mother taught me if I ever broke a promise, the world would come crashing down on me.”

“Fine,” Childe groaned. “I’ll take you to see the lanterns.”

Aether gasped. “Really?!” He unwound his hair from around Childe’s body, who immediately jumped up and strode to the window. Pulling two arrows out, he began his descent downward.

“Coming, comrade?”

Aether hesitantly stepped towards the window and looked out at the sky. “I’m halfway to the outside,” he mumbled to himself. “Look at it. Can I do this? Do I even dare?”

Yes.

“Here I go!” Aether slid down his hair, whooping all the way down. “Woohoo!”

His bare feet touched the grass, damp with dew. A gust of wind blew dandelion fuzz into the sky. Flowers, real, alive flowers, bloomed from rich, brown soil. Aether plucked a few blades of grass, and after a moment’s hesitation, ate it. He spat it out immediately, but it was exactly what he had always thought it would be.

“I’m free.” He let that sink in. “I’m completely free!”