Wait, what?! [ that sounds crazy, and maybe Childe has no issues with poison, but Aether does and will suffer from it. His face twists into a puzzled expression before shaking his head quickly upon realizing that he hasn't answered the other about grilling. ] I... think I'll pass. No need to trouble you, and that sound like testing fate even if under the moonlight, to be honest.
[He begins drilling the hole in the ice, and it's surprisingly easy with this new tool- cranking on it proves to require less effort than he was prepared to use, and the auger goes through the ice with ease, leaving them a nice big hole to fish out of.]
You're looking a little green there, hahaha. Don't worry, these fish are supposed to be quite healthy under the moonlight. The water itself has healing qualities as well. And, well, if I'm being honest, I could use a little pick me up right about now.
[With how much damage he'd taken in the last few weeks, he's probably looking a little worse for wear at this point.]
You mean you want to drink some? I guess it's fine since I'm here with you if something happens... You have look like you've had better times, if my memory serves me correct.
[Some have been worse than this. Some better. All of it disturbing and has delivered more than one shock to his system.]
Here. [He hands Aether an ice fishing rod, with a lure on it. He hadn't brought live bait, because he didn't know if this was even going to work or not.] I'll be the guinea pig tonight then, make sure you catch a good one. Fish as a midnight snack doesn't sound too bad.
[But before Aether gets the chance to drop the lure in the water, Childe kneels down next to the hole as he cups some of the water in his hand, looking down at it.]
Bottoms up, then.
[And he drinks it, instantly feeling better. It doesn't heal all his wounds, but it works.]
Feel better? [ Aether asks curiously after he swallows the water, waiting patiently with his fishing rod for the other to come and sit back with him. ]
... If you're going to do it, anyway, I'll eat it with you. Food should be eaten in the company of others and not alone, if possible.
In fact, I do. Much better, as if all the pain from my wounds is alleviated.
[He seems a little surprised at how well it worked, rather than the fact that it worked at all. It's not the weirdest thing he's consumed either, and at least this time it had a positive effect. He stretches his limbs, thankful for what would only be temporarily relief, because he'll get hurt many times in the days to come.]
Though I'm glad you've come around on the fish. I agree, meals are far more enjoyable when you have a comrade or family to share them with. I feel lucky that I've been able to acquire such relationships to be able to eat and drink with friends, well, since my family is back in Teyvat.
He should probably remind Childe that they aren't friends or comrades or anything like that. It just doesn't work when it's one-sided and it's going to take a while for Aether to believe he can possibly have friend status with the other again. They don't have the same connection they had to become friends back home in the first place, so there's no incentive or draw to one another that occurred back home.
Still, it's almost too much trouble to bother and would dampen the mood. Aether doesn't feel like doing it to himself more then anything. ]
I'm glad you've made those connections here. I know family is really important to you.
Haha, I must thank you for the sentiment. It's a little unfair though, isn't it? I never told you a single thing about my family, or how much they mean to me. And yet, you know about that part of me...it really is strange to think that you've lived through the same events as your sister.
[He spots a bunch of wood he can use to make a fire later, once they catch a fish or two. Good, that'll work. They'd have a nice night out here.]
[ Aether considers the question carefully. It's easy to just say yes, but that would ultimately be assuming he knows Childe well enough to see through his masks and... he knows he really doesn't. He only knows what Childe lets him see.
There's a small stretch of silence as he chews on his inner cheek thoughtfully before speaking up. ]
Maybe. Hard to say, but probably only you would know for sure if you had a chance to talk to yourself from my timeline. [ he imagines the Childe he knows would object to his answer, but, it just seems better this way. He doesn't want to put ideas into this Childe's head, either, since they would definitely not be friends in the timeline Childe comes from. ]
Pretty sure it's different than you and Lumi, though.
[Childe laughs inwardly at Aether's comment about talking to himself- that's a good answer, though he knows if Aether had truly lived through the same experiences as Lumine, he would have already called him a friend. Of course, those are just words. They don't need to be believed, especially after what he'd done in Liyue that fateful day.
But he didn't lie, and he meant what he said. And if he said it to Aether, then he would have more than likely sought Aether out, as he did with Lumine. At least, that's what he's banking on his other self to have done. And no one knows him better than himself.]
Now, why would you say that? Have you two been talking about me?
[He says slyly, though there might be a good chance of that since he and Lumine were pretty much beating each other silly every day.]
[ Aether shrugs. ] I'm pretty sure your other self wouldn't have gotten himself kidnapped by crazy zealots protecting me, for starters.
If you mean do I think of you as friend and are you important to me back home, though, then... yeah. You're someone I care about there. I get worried about you, and exasperated with you... and I miss you, even though you're right here.
[Ah, he knew it. He sought him out as well...how typical of himself. He's almost sad that it felt like clockwork to him, or perhaps, that's a good thing.
And he definitely loves hearing that Aether cares about him, inflating his ego, but there's something about how he says that he misses him that creates a pang in his heart. Like he'd been living without a friend of his for so long now, only to find them a year later since he'd left Teyvat in a world that wasn't their own.
Maybe it's the time that he's been away from home, maybe it's because he looks like Lumine, maybe it's because of how the Sleepers he's been with have affected his heart over time. His expression still stays in that same cocky grin, but just...]
Hey, I wasn't trying to get kidnapped. One of them got the jump on me, was all.
[It did, came up right behind him.]
Anyway, I figured there was a pretty high chance I would find you in your timeline. It's not like me to ignore those I deem worthy enough to be called a friend. And since that's the case...
[He smiles at Aether- he means what he says now, too.]
I hate to ask you to start over with our friendship, but I want to face off with you. A fight between two souls laying it all down on the battlefield. That is how it really all started to begin with, right? So I want to start there.
[Plus he just really wants to fight him anyway, details details.]
[ Aether can't help but laugh. ] Find me? That sounds almost romantic. Who knew you had some smooth words to offer in those statements just now?
[ obviously he's teasing the other in terms of romantic as in romance, but romantic in a different sense, he means whole-heartedly. It's not for him to help Childe catch both meanings and see the one that matters, though.
Aether does admittedly look perplexed a bit at the request for a fight. ] I ... suppose. It's the only time I feel like I can see the real you, but...
[ Aether shifts, bringing one of his legs up to rest the side of his boot against his opposite knee as he muses thoughtfully. ] To be honest, you've already fought "the Traveler." I don't know if you'll feel anything from fighting "them" again. I think another spark won't ignite for you.
[ of course Childe is always eager to fight the Traveler, as the both of them aim to evolve every encounter. But, while Aether is sure he and his sister fight differently and they're unique, he's not sure that Childe will be able to feel anything from it beyond he's basically fighting Lumine because it's the same power, which will do zero for the two of them. ]
If that's what you really want, though, I'll do my best to be entertaining, at the very least. Besides, maybe I'm wrong.
[His hand goes up behind his head. He knows he's being teased, and he's got a feeling he knows what Aether is trying to say here...
But as he listens, he considers what this traveler is saying, and he's not sure if he necessarily agrees.]
You may surprise me. With the knowledge that so many different realities exist, I don't want to assume I know the outcome of every single one of them. Yours could have shaped you differently, for all I know.
[Even subtle differences would make a difference. And how could he pass up the opportunity to see if Aether's reality contained such differences?]
I have no doubt you'll meet my expectations. Perhaps even more so.
[ Aether hums, and while he seems to accept Childe's words, he knows the one thing the other can't do is lie to him in a fight. So, all will be laid bare then, but for now, he'll just be agreeable while not getting his hopes up.
Besides, his attention is pulled away just in time because he thinks maybe he feels a bite? ] —!
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[ some things are just not meant to be eaten. ]
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You're looking a little green there, hahaha. Don't worry, these fish are supposed to be quite healthy under the moonlight. The water itself has healing qualities as well. And, well, if I'm being honest, I could use a little pick me up right about now.
[With how much damage he'd taken in the last few weeks, he's probably looking a little worse for wear at this point.]
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[Some have been worse than this. Some better. All of it disturbing and has delivered more than one shock to his system.]
Here. [He hands Aether an ice fishing rod, with a lure on it. He hadn't brought live bait, because he didn't know if this was even going to work or not.] I'll be the guinea pig tonight then, make sure you catch a good one. Fish as a midnight snack doesn't sound too bad.
[But before Aether gets the chance to drop the lure in the water, Childe kneels down next to the hole as he cups some of the water in his hand, looking down at it.]
Bottoms up, then.
[And he drinks it, instantly feeling better. It doesn't heal all his wounds, but it works.]
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... If you're going to do it, anyway, I'll eat it with you. Food should be eaten in the company of others and not alone, if possible.
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[He seems a little surprised at how well it worked, rather than the fact that it worked at all. It's not the weirdest thing he's consumed either, and at least this time it had a positive effect. He stretches his limbs, thankful for what would only be temporarily relief, because he'll get hurt many times in the days to come.]
Though I'm glad you've come around on the fish. I agree, meals are far more enjoyable when you have a comrade or family to share them with. I feel lucky that I've been able to acquire such relationships to be able to eat and drink with friends, well, since my family is back in Teyvat.
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He should probably remind Childe that they aren't friends or comrades or anything like that. It just doesn't work when it's one-sided and it's going to take a while for Aether to believe he can possibly have friend status with the other again. They don't have the same connection they had to become friends back home in the first place, so there's no incentive or draw to one another that occurred back home.
Still, it's almost too much trouble to bother and would dampen the mood. Aether doesn't feel like doing it to himself more then anything. ]
I'm glad you've made those connections here. I know family is really important to you.
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[He spots a bunch of wood he can use to make a fire later, once they catch a fish or two. Good, that'll work. They'd have a nice night out here.]
Are you and I friends as well, in your timeline?
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There's a small stretch of silence as he chews on his inner cheek thoughtfully before speaking up. ]
Maybe. Hard to say, but probably only you would know for sure if you had a chance to talk to yourself from my timeline. [ he imagines the Childe he knows would object to his answer, but, it just seems better this way. He doesn't want to put ideas into this Childe's head, either, since they would definitely not be friends in the timeline Childe comes from. ]
Pretty sure it's different than you and Lumi, though.
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But he didn't lie, and he meant what he said. And if he said it to Aether, then he would have more than likely sought Aether out, as he did with Lumine. At least, that's what he's banking on his other self to have done. And no one knows him better than himself.]
Now, why would you say that? Have you two been talking about me?
[He says slyly, though there might be a good chance of that since he and Lumine were pretty much beating each other silly every day.]
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If you mean do I think of you as friend and are you important to me back home, though, then... yeah. You're someone I care about there. I get worried about you, and exasperated with you... and I miss you, even though you're right here.
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And he definitely loves hearing that Aether cares about him, inflating his ego, but there's something about how he says that he misses him that creates a pang in his heart. Like he'd been living without a friend of his for so long now, only to find them a year later since he'd left Teyvat in a world that wasn't their own.
Maybe it's the time that he's been away from home, maybe it's because he looks like Lumine, maybe it's because of how the Sleepers he's been with have affected his heart over time. His expression still stays in that same cocky grin, but just...]
Hey, I wasn't trying to get kidnapped. One of them got the jump on me, was all.
[It did, came up right behind him.]
Anyway, I figured there was a pretty high chance I would find you in your timeline. It's not like me to ignore those I deem worthy enough to be called a friend. And since that's the case...
[He smiles at Aether- he means what he says now, too.]
I hate to ask you to start over with our friendship, but I want to face off with you. A fight between two souls laying it all down on the battlefield. That is how it really all started to begin with, right? So I want to start there.
[Plus he just really wants to fight him anyway, details details.]
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[ obviously he's teasing the other in terms of romantic as in romance, but romantic in a different sense, he means whole-heartedly. It's not for him to help Childe catch both meanings and see the one that matters, though.
Aether does admittedly look perplexed a bit at the request for a fight. ] I ... suppose. It's the only time I feel like I can see the real you, but...
[ Aether shifts, bringing one of his legs up to rest the side of his boot against his opposite knee as he muses thoughtfully. ] To be honest, you've already fought "the Traveler." I don't know if you'll feel anything from fighting "them" again. I think another spark won't ignite for you.
[ of course Childe is always eager to fight the Traveler, as the both of them aim to evolve every encounter. But, while Aether is sure he and his sister fight differently and they're unique, he's not sure that Childe will be able to feel anything from it beyond he's basically fighting Lumine because it's the same power, which will do zero for the two of them. ]
If that's what you really want, though, I'll do my best to be entertaining, at the very least. Besides, maybe I'm wrong.
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[His hand goes up behind his head. He knows he's being teased, and he's got a feeling he knows what Aether is trying to say here...
But as he listens, he considers what this traveler is saying, and he's not sure if he necessarily agrees.]
You may surprise me. With the knowledge that so many different realities exist, I don't want to assume I know the outcome of every single one of them. Yours could have shaped you differently, for all I know.
[Even subtle differences would make a difference. And how could he pass up the opportunity to see if Aether's reality contained such differences?]
I have no doubt you'll meet my expectations. Perhaps even more so.
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[ Aether hums, and while he seems to accept Childe's words, he knows the one thing the other can't do is lie to him in a fight. So, all will be laid bare then, but for now, he'll just be agreeable while not getting his hopes up.
Besides, his attention is pulled away just in time because he thinks maybe he feels a bite? ] —!
[ Wow, lucky! ]