Work Text:
Two Scoops of Sunshine
It was another weekday night that Aether followed his close friend and coworker Shenhe out of the store and into the quiet street of Liyue, huffing in slight annoyance. He pulled his blue denim jacket over a white t-shirt as he felt the weather get slightly cooler.
“You know, I’m more capable than this. I don’t need your help. And really, it should be the other way around!” He shook his blonde head slightly. “I feel useless carrying only two light bags…” The man then sighed rather dramatically.
“The last time I let you do that you slipped and smashed half of the groceries that Lumine asked us to buy.” The tall silver-haired woman stated a matter of factly, her long high braided ponytail with a tint of black at the ends swished behind her effortlessly while she carried the 4 plastic bags in her hands.
She was clad in a black halterneck crop top and low-rise dark sage jeans with subtle cutouts at the sides of her hips. Shenhe’s outfit did very little to hide her fit figure as well as her curves, long legs accompanied by a luscious bottom, and a rather prominent chest. If Aether wasn’t a close friend of hers, he would probably be very much distracted by said things.
That aside, Aether almost wanted to roll his eyes at Shenhe’s response until he glanced slightly at her, meeting her reserved yet warm gaze as her opal eyes crinkled ever so slightly. Of course, she would be amused by recalling this, he wished he could delete that event from his memory.
“That was only one time though.” The amber-eyed man found himself pouting.
“And I’d rather not face Lumine’s wrath again. You broke a box of 20 eggs and spilled the flour.” Shenhe shook her head in humor, hiding her smile behind the curtain of bangs that loosely framed her face, especially the right side. “I also wanted to try that lotus flower crisp that Lumine was willing to make. You ruined the whole night for all of us and didn’t have anything to say for yourself, even I was dragged into your sister’s anger.” Shenhe said in all seriousness even if he could sense a hint of amusement within her serene voice.
“Lumine’s wrath aside, it wasn’t all that bad.” He tried to downplay the consequences of his actions.
“Well, if walking around in public covered by egg yolk and flour isn’t bad for you, then I have nothing to add.” Shenhe shrugged her shoulders, the smallest of smiles gracing her usually stoic features.
“Shenhe you promised you wouldn’t bring th—” The blonde never got to finish as he heard someone shouting from behind them.
“Oii, pretty girl, where are you going? Care for a chat with me and the guys?” A random man whistled before shouting, his voice slightly slurred.
Aether was about to whip his head around to give them a piece of his mind for daring to speak to Shenhe like that but one word from her had him falter.
“Stop.” She said in an icy tone. “We don’t have time for this, and Lumine is waiting for us to come back.” Shenhe reminded.
“Alright, since they are only drunken bastards I’ll let them off the hook tonight.” He sighed, knowing better than to argue with his friend. If anything, he knew they could handle something like that with ease, given that both of them were long-time sparring partners and workout buddies.
The two continued their walk home, but ignoring the group of men didn’t work as they could feel them not only following them but also closing in.
“Hey, blonde twink, move away, won’t ya?! We’re only interested in the beautiful lady beside you. Pretty sure we can give her a better time than you, so why not let us take care of her, eh?” The man, who seemed like the leader of the group, barked out a laugh as they finally surrounded the two of them.
Aether’s eyebrow twitched, this was the last straw for him. Two men blocked him in an effort to separate them as the other three circled around the silver-haired woman as if she was some kind of prey. She eyed them in a calculating manner, daring one of them to touch her.
“So, what do you say, baby, wanna have a good time? Think you could take all of us?” She could smell the alcohol rolling off the man’s breath as he came even closer to her. “That lush ass of yours is just asking for a spanking.” He whispered in a sleazy tone, his hand falling over her bottom and squeezed a handful of it for at least a few seconds as Shenhe curled her nose in disgust, narrowing her eyes she dropped the grocery bags on the ground and sent a strong punch directly to the said man’s nose, having him falter back slightly, not expecting her to have any fighting capabilities.
“T-that bitch just busted my nose, make sure she does not leave! I’ll be the first to have my way with her after all of this is over!” The drunken man shouted angrily, sending his friends after her as he wiped the blood away from his nose.
Dropping the two bags that he carried, Aether took that as a cue to start fighting, kicking one of the men in the stomach and sending him flying to the ground before he moved on to the man next to him. His eyes were occasionally darting back to Shenhe who was mainly dodging futile attempts of the other men trying to capture her.
The blonde got distracted for a moment that he didn’t notice the leader approaching him from behind, receiving a knock in the back of his skull. White noise filled his ears and the man circled around to quickly throw another punch to his jaw. “It’s all your fault she wouldn’t come with us, you brat!” He screamed, spit landing disgustingly on his cheeks. “All your fault, you hear me, bastard?!”
Aether felt the blood trickle down his bottom lip as yet another man pushed him to the ground and held him there by the back of his arms. Through the ringing noise, Aether could hear muffled screaming from Shenhe, whether it was because she was scared, hurt, angry, or in despair, he didn’t know.
“Aether!” She tried, desperation increasing with each repeat of his name as she dodged yet another attempt at an attack, trying her best to reach him. “ Aether! ”
“Shenhe!” The hoarseness of his straining voice made her blood run cold.
At that moment, she felt something within herself break, her world blurring as anger welled up from inside. It was like the invisible shackles of the heavy red ropes that were wrapped around her body finally snapped and she felt something released.
“Don’t you dare touch him.” The words were ice cold, enough to attract the attention of all the men as they snapped their heads toward her. It was the only warning they got.
She kicked a man beside her, not holding back anymore as the bottom of her heel dug into the side of his ribs, her eyes narrowing as she twisted it in slightly before the man fell to the floor with a scream. Then, she turned her eyes to the side, locking in to the next closest target, ignoring the leader’s speech about how a bunch of men couldn’t find it in themselves to detain a goddamn woman. No, all of that was lost on her as determination crossed her features.
She sent kicks and punches swiftly, with the grace of a cat, yet her physical attacks were almost deadly in their accuracy, speed, and strength. One would’ve thought she was no mere woman, but an assassin. The quick, continuous movements tossed her braid back and forth, strands of loose hair coming off to frame her face.
Staring wide-eyed at the scene, Aether felt the heavy weight on top of him disappearing as the man went to fight Shenhe. Sucking in a breath he shakily stood up, using his hand against the wall for support. Though it wasn’t the first time he had seen Shenhe kick someone’s ass, this time was different.
Usually, she’d be afraid to use her full strength, especially in a way that could seriously hurt people, but this was the first time he saw her let go. Was it the determination he saw on her face? The deadly grace of her movements? Or simply the image of her almost beating someone senseless that made his heart flutter to the point he felt out of breath?
He didn’t know what it was, but seeing her deadly expression as the men scrambled to run away was something he’d never forget, because goddamn she looked incredible and sexy doing all of that.
Wait, did he just think that about his friend?!
As she approached him, he saw her worried expression as she cupped his face with both of her hands, messy silver hair almost obscuring his view if not for the way her iridescent eyes shone in the middle of the night. It was breathtaking.
“Are you okay? Let’s get you to the hospital, I’m worried they might’ve hurt you more than you realize.” She said before digging out her phone from the back of her jean pocket.
He grabbed her by the wrist. “I should be the one asking this.”
Shenhe swiftly turned around, a slight flush on her cheeks as she made the phone call, ignoring Aether’s words as she focused on explaining what happened.
Two Scoops of Sunshine
It wasn’t long before Aether was at the hospital, waiting for the doctor to give him one last check-up as he blankly stared into a wall. Shenhe was somewhere in the background, presumably making a call to Lumine.
The thought of her made him smile, despite all of what she had gone through, she had the time to make sure he was alright.
That made him think of a time when they were back in high school. Shenhe was chosen to work at a Mondstadt-style maid café which was part of the school’s cultural festival. She was never good at dealing with people, especially large groups, so some customers found her rather closed off and her awkward expressions didn’t help the case either.
It was by chance that Aether and Lumine noticed that when they stopped to say hi. Seeing Shenhe’s uncomfortable expression was enough for the twins to barge in and demand they also help with the café. Moments later his sister was dressed as a butler and he was clad in a maid outfit. Safe to say, the plan worked, and Shenhe also became more comfortable having Aether by her side as she served customers with a small smile on her face.
Over the years Shenhe blossomed into a wonderful woman that was to be admired, and it took him long enough to realize he was amongst the list of her admirers too.
He furiously blushed at the realization. Did he just fall in love with his best friend ?!
Two Scoops of Sunshine
It was a few days later when Aether was sitting by the breakfast table. He was rather bored, having been locked up in the house for several days already given his minor injuries. Still, there was a lot going on after he took a few days off from work. The Millelith started an investigation, trying to catch the group of men who were involved in the incident…and someone also filmed Shenhe beating everyone’s ass, quite literally.
Lumine scrolled through her social media, a cup of coffee in her other hand. “Oh look, another video of Shenhe. It’s really going viral, huh?” She then took a sip.
“Don’t remind me, I want to kill every bastard who left a comment saying ‘step on me, mommy’.” He rolled his eyes before sighing.
“Says the one who was beaten up.” His sister clicked her tongue in annoyance. “You should be more careful, you're lucky Shenhe was with you, you know.” She then sighed before placing her cup on the table.
“I’m strong enough to protect myself, I just got distracted because I was afraid something might happen to her, the majority of the group went after her first.” He argued.
“Aether, I know you two are both strong enough to protect yourselves and each other, but I’m just worried about you. I only have one best friend and a brother, dumb ginger boyfriend aside.” She smiled softly.
“Well, you aren’t wrong about your boyfriend being both dumb and ginger.” He teased as Lumine barked out a laugh at his words. Truth was, Aether didn’t know much about Ajax yet, but he knew those few facts already.
“Mhm, just don’t let him hear that, okay?” She sent him a wink.
Aether only nodded as his sister went back to her phone. With silence surrounding him, he felt his thoughts running wild. For the last few days, he felt restless. He barely had any sleep, and it was not because someone was bothering him, no, it was because his best friend occupied his mind with scenarios he’d rather not voice out loud.
It wasn’t until Shenhe literally barged through their front door and right into their kitchen that he finally saw her in the flesh again. He found himself flushing slightly, and coughed awkwardly.
“Ah, Shenhe, glad to see you!” Lumine waved as Shenhe dropped five bags of groceries onto the table.
“How is Aether doing?” She went straight to the point. “I felt bad for spoiling the groceries so I bought all the things needed and a little extra, mostly for your brother though.”
“You know you can just ask him, he’s sitting literally next to me.” The petite blonde sighed before standing up. “So, what have you brought? You want me to cook again? Unbelievable.” She rolled her eyes but proceeded to help Shenhe take out the products from the bags.
“I’m alright Shenhe, you didn’t have to go this far just to pay us a visit.” Aether then chimed into the conversation.
“Nonsense, you got hurt because of me, that’s the least I can do.” She shook her head before giving him a stern look. “You look like you haven’t slept in days, are you sure you are okay?” She walked next to him, a hand falling over his forehead.
He quickly removed her hands away from his head, her touch practically burning him. He knew she was worried about him, but all he could think about was how soft her lips looked or how gentle her touch felt. “I told you. I’m fine.” He said, though not unkindly.
“I’ll go to cook then. Shenhe, are you staying for a meal?” Lumine asked.
“No, that’s fine. I only came to drop off the groceries, I still have some errands left to run today.” The silver-haired woman shook her head slightly.
“I’ll assume you're alright then. I’ll see you after you get back to the office.” She nodded at her own words, as if stating a fact.
“Okay, see you around then.” Aether said, though his sister noticed that he sounded a little bit disappointed.
Shenhe left just as quickly as she arrived.
Lumine gave a wary look to her brother, something was off between them, but she couldn’t wrap her finger around it yet.
“Why are you guys acting so strange around each other now? Did you get into an argument?” Lumine asked then.
“No, nothing like that, stop trying to dig up problems that aren’t there.” He denied. “Still, don’t you have a ginger bastard to entertain?” Aether raised an eyebrow, hoping to change the topic quickly. His sister caught on too fast and he wasn’t about to spill the beans.
“Stop calling Ajax a bastard!” She huffed. “Fine, if you are as alright as you say you can cook lunch by yourself. Ajax happens to be free so I’ll meet up with him. So, if you’ll excuse me, I have to take a shower now.” She winked before walking past her brother.
“Ugh, disgusting.” Aether rolled his eyes before looking over at the medicine that Shenhe brought, a small smile forming on his lips.
Two Scoops of Sunshine
A few weeks passed by without anything out of the ordinary happening, especially in Aether’s love life. He sat at his desk, trying to smooth out his white office shirt while daydreaming about a certain someone, yet again.
Perhaps anyone who wasn’t Shenhe could see that he was down bad, but he himself hadn’t even realized the extent of how much he had fallen for her, the last few weeks only solidifying those feelings for him.
He tugged on his low bun, trying to loosen it up slightly to reduce the incoming headache as he heard someone approach him. “You seem like you’d rather be anywhere but here.” A familiar voice of a younger coworker greeted him.
“Xingqiu, don’t you have work to do?” Aether groaned as he tried to lean into his swivel chair.
“As it happens, I do, but if you haven’t noticed, everyone is having a 5-minute donut and coffee break apart from you. Of course, being the concerned friend that I am, I decided to check up on you.” The blue-haired man with asymmetrical bangs said casually as he placed his book on top of Aether’s head.
“If I didn't know you any better, I’d really think you are concerned about me.” Amber eyes closed for a moment as Aether contemplated his colleague’s words. “What prank are you pulling again? I’m not helping you if it’s related to Chongyun, he’s Shenhe’s nephew.”
“My, my, to think you have such a low opinion of me! I’m truly wounded by my superior’s words!” The younger man feigned being hurt before he took one of the empty seats beside Aether. “No, I actually came because I have some tickets I need to get rid off.” He said, voice full of boredom.
“What tickets?” Aether didn’t even open his eyes as he said that, hoping to end the conversation as soon as possible before he could perhaps try to take a nap.
“Open the book that’s on the top of your head.”
Aether sighed before pulling the said book off of his head and shaking it a little before two pieces of paper slid out of it. “Kasumi Lodge onsen resort in Inazuma?” The blonde man read out loud, voice laced with confusion.
“Why are you giving me these?” He then added.
“Yeah, well, my brother got these from a client at work and just gave them to me, but I don’t have anyone to bring with me. Chongyun is busy and the flights are crazy expensive this time of the year, so I’ll pass,” Xingqiu said casually as he leaned back on the chair. “So, what do you say, wanna take them? It would be a shame if they went to waste.”
“I don’t have anyone to bring with me either. Lumine will be away on a business trip to Sumeru at that time.” Aether scratched the back of his head.
“Well, what about Shenhe? Aren’t you guys friends? I mean she’s Chongyun’s aunt, and looks rather intimidating if not downright terrifying sometimes, but she’s a good person, and she seems to have a soft spot for you too. I don’t see why she would decline to be honest.” Xinqgiu shrugged as he looked at Aether who was frozen for a moment, a panicked expression crossing his features for a split second.
“Fine, but if Shenhe won’t agree or if I won’t find the flights, I’ll sell them to someone and the mora’s all mine, got it?”
“Whatever you say, now let’s get back to work, everyone is coming back from their little coffee break.” Xingqiu stood up before picking up his book and waved Aether off before returning to his own desk on the opposite side of the room.
Two Scoops of Sunshine
Aether was poking at his lunch, sitting downstairs at the cafeteria as he scrolled through his phone, mind occupied with ideas of how he could invite Shenhe to the resort with him.
Little did he know that the said person popped out of nowhere and sat beside him casually, as the startled blonde man managed to say a limp hello to her.
They haven’t seen each other much after the incident, due to how much work each of them had as the holiday season was nearing. He also didn’t expect to meet her given that her department starts their break earlier than his.
“I’m glad to see you recovered well after everything that happened. I still feel so guilty about it, if I haven’t insisted on getting the groceries then...” Shenhe said, and he could see the way her plump lips thinned and her eyes filled with worry, they looked silvery grey, akin to an overcast sky reflected on a lake.
Whenever their eyes met for the briefest of moments, they’d lock gazes before continuing on with their conversation as he’d try to avoid getting caught staring for too long.
Her hair framed her face as the soft light falling from the window made her silver hair look almost white if not for the fact that the ends of her hair had a tint of black to it. The baby blue shirt was almost too distracting, especially around the chest area. Before taking another bite, she rolled up her sleeves, revealing more of her fair skin and toned arms before grabbing her fork elegantly with long, manicured nails. It didn’t help that she was also wearing a black pencil skirt adorned with tights.
She looked gorgeous and alluring, and he couldn’t understand how he didn’t notice it sooner.
“You really like worrying, don’t you?” Aether tried to lighten up the mood despite the fact that he wanted to kiss her worries away instead. “How many times are we going to have this conversation, Shenhe?” He asked before giving her a light laugh that put her at ease immediately.
“Fine, I’ll stop talking about it, I just feel bad because I haven’t had the chance to see you much during the past few weeks.” Shenhe blushed slightly before taking a bite of her food.
Aether felt his pulse spike at her words. She wanted to see him? He didn’t care if she thought of him as a friend, those words still made him hopeful that perhaps she viewed him as more.
“I know a way that could help you make up for this.” He grinned, trying to keep his excitement contained as he found an opportunity to extend his invitation to her.
“Hmm?” Shenhe looked up at him, confused.
“I have two tickets to a Kasumi Lodge onsen resort in Inazuma.” Aether cleared his throat, trying to keep calm. “Do you want to come with me, please?” He did his best at showing her puppy eyes.
“Why aren’t you taking Lumine with you?” Was the first thing that came out of her mouth as she licked her lips.
“She’s going away on a business trip to Sumeru.” Aether shrugged.
“Okay, I accept, but only because work has been busy lately, and I’m a bit overwhelmed and tired so this would be a perfect excuse to get a few days off.” She took another bite of her food. “Keep me informed about the details so we can plan our trip together.” She smiled even if she felt her heart leaping out of her chest.
Two Scoops of Sunshine
At the end of the workday, after rinsing his coffee cup, Aether returned back to his desk only to find a small gift box placed on top of it. Opening it carefully, he found a note with incomprehensible handwriting from Xingqiu as well as a box of ultra-thin condoms.
He found himself flushing as he quickly stuffed the “gift” into his bag, hoping no one saw it even if the office was already empty. His friends knew how to embarrass him.
How did Xingqiu know so much? To this day, Aether still couldn’t figure it out.
Two Scoops of Sunshine
Another few days passed before they met on an early and cold morning at the airport, both already packed for the trip.
Shenhe was there earlier, already waiting for Aether to arrive, but compared to her, her companion for the trip looked rather tired. Usually, it was the other way around as Aether tended to be more energetic.
After some small chitchat and waiting, they boarded the several-hour-long flight to Inazuma. Shenhe slept through most of it as Aether felt himself become hyperaware of every breath she took.
Thankfully, his torture was only 5 hours long before they landed. Moving quickly out of the Inazuma airport and into the cold, the couple got a taxi that could take them to the hot springs resort, making it to their destination right on time for check-in.
Aether almost wanted to die inside when he found out he would be sharing a room with Shenhe, thankfully, it had two beds, but that didn’t mean that he didn’t consider strangling Xingqiu at the first opportunity he’d get.
He almost thought he also saw Shenhe blush slightly after finding out about their accommodation, but perhaps, it was just the lightning.
Their room was rather fitting for the whole theme of a traditional Inazuma-style resort. The only thing different was that they had comfortable beds instead of tatami mats, but Aether knew his back would thank him for it later.
It was only afternoon when they arrived, so they figured that they’d use the rest of the day exploring the city outside of the resort.
Shenhe found it rather amusing to see Aether shivering in the cold despite the fact that he had way more layers of clothing on compared to her. Of course, he tried to play it cool, but she could see through his mask. He never lived in a cold climate before, as the weather in Liyue would usually be rather pleasant, it was never too cold unless you went to a ski resort in the mountains.
Aether observed the silver-haired woman as she casually walked around, looking at the old wooden buildings covered in fluffy snow. She wore a black and blue winter jacket with a grey high-neck halter top underneath alongside a pair of simple black leggings. The blonde man was almost terrified, seeing as she was only wearing half-gloves instead of normal ones.
How she was not cold was a mystery in and of itself.
Still, none of that spoiled their fun as they went around tasting local delicacies like Tricolor Dango or even Tonkotsu Ramen alongside many more. Aether felt stuffed with food as he followed behind Shenhe, seeing her approach yet another stall at the market.
It was full of souvenirs as the long-haired woman contemplated on what to buy. Aether, finding a cute sakura-petal charm, bought one without hesitation before giving it to her. “It suits you.” He said before realizing he was acting like they were on a date, and boy did the realization make him gulp as Shenhe gave him a whisper of a smile before grabbing the charm from his hand.
“Thank you.”
They also asked some of the locals to take photos of them in various areas they found beautiful as winter fully enveloped Inazuma. Of course, it didn’t go without an awkward conversation as they asked an older couple walking by to take a picture of them by the river where the lanterns were hanging just as the snow started falling from the sky.
“Oh my, what a cute couple you two are! I remember me and my husband strolling around these streets when we were way younger, around your age!” An older woman said with a kind smile on her face. “You guys must be in your mid-twenties, no? Well, I hope your stay at Inazuma will be pleasant nevertheless.” She nodded to herself before snapping a few photos of the flustered couple.
None of them said a thing to the lady, just going along with her words, knowing better than to try and explain themselves, because it was likely she wouldn’t listen to them anyway.
After that, Aether found himself stalling from behind as he tried to take his mind elsewhere, but when he looked at Shenhe who was walking ahead of him, his eyes quite literally zoomed on her rather prominent bottom and as he caught himself staring, he mentally wanted to slap himself in the face.
He was beyond saving, and Shenhe was his downfall.
He decided to catch up to Shenhe, just to avoid staring at places that would distract him again; however, that also didn’t end well as he slipped just before catching up with her.
The weather was rather pleasant for winter, but the snow falling from the sky was fresh, and slippery. “You really aren’t built for this climate, are you?” He heard a soft laugh from the woman who was now next to him, already extending her hand to help him stand up. Aether thought he’d die from embarrassment but also because her laugh was just so adorable. It was probably one of the only times he’d seen her in a teasing and playful mood.
“Says the one who goes skiing to a mountain resort whenever she’s bored.” He huffed, trying to make a comeback.
“Well, you can’t even walk on the snow without slipping like a toddler, what makes you think you’d be any better at a ski resort?” She continued verbally poking at him as he stood up with the help of her hand. “Unless you want me to teach you of course, then I’d perhaps consider it.”
Her words made him think about how he failed to notice her properly before. Just what was he actually thinking?
Shenhe was more than he ever deserved.
Two Scoops of Sunshine
Before coming back from the city in the evening, Aether and Shenhe had already decided that they’d have dinner at the resort. Moments later, after they’d changed into traditional yukatas provided by their accommodation, they made their way downstairs to have some warm food as their server showed them to their table.
As the two settled down, Aether still couldn’t shake off the feeling that they were having a date. The mood felt light but romantic at the same time, and he wondered if he was thinking too much into it.
However, his thoughts were once again disrupted by the pretty woman that sat in front of him. Both him and Shenhe wore a haori on top of their yukatas to keep them slightly warmer. He could see Shenhe’s cleavage slightly peeking through her grey yukata as he gulped down, mouth running dry at the sight before he let his gaze settle on her face instead.
“Ehem, so… what should we order?” He almost felt his voice crack as Shenhe tipped her head to the side, amusement dancing in her eyes. “Ladies first.” He added innocently.
“I saw there are shared sets,” She softly spoke out, a manicured finger pointing to one of the pictures in the menu. “I think we should get one of those, they have a lot of stuff to try, and most of it is traditional. It also includes drinks so that’s a plus, I suppose.”
“Alright, let’s go with that then.” Aether nodded before collecting and closing both of their menus for the waitress to pick up later.
Since it was still early evening, there weren’t a lot of people around, therefore the waitress immediately approached them after she figured that they were ready to order.
“So, what can I get for you both?” She asked, notepad already in hand as she smiled at the two of them.
“Shared set No. 3, please.” The blonde man said, not knowing the implications his words would bring out.
“My, my that’s one of the best sets you could order to share! It’s our most popular menu item for couples.” The waitress chirped as she took note of the order. “You two must be here for some special occasion, no? I could let the staff know to bring you some champagne, it’s on the house for every couple that visits the resort during this time!” The young lady continued as she beamed at the two.
Both Shenhe and Aether sat with red cheeks having been mistaken for a couple for a second time. However, this time the words caught them both off guard unintentionally.
“Yes, the champagne would be great, thank you.” Shenhe said, being the first one to break the brief silence.
“Do you want it now or should we bring it to your room later?” The waitress continued smiling.
“L-later.” Was all Aether could say as his face burned, he couldn’t believe that Shenhe was playing along.
“Great, I’ll come back with your food and drinks shortly!”
As soon as the waitress was gone Shenhe let out a chuckle, dying inside with uncontrollable laughter at Aether’s reaction as he fought his best to stay composed.
“I thought we wanted to clear the misunderstanding this time.” He said carefully.
“And say no to free champagne?” Shenhe arched an eyebrow, but there was a knowing smile on her face.
“Yeah, you're right.” Aether shook his head before laughing himself.
True to her word, the waitress was back around ten minutes later, carrying a huge tray with different kinds of food.
As she quickly settled everything down on the table, she left the couple on their own accord.
Shenhe took a sip of her sake before taking her chopsticks and picking up a slice of grilled salmon before extending it to Aether who looked at her with wild eyes.
“It’s a shared set, there’s different stuff on my side of the table.” Her eyes crinkled as he carefully leaned in, taking the food into his mouth before quickly chewing it and chugging some sake down as well.
“There’s different stuff to try on my side of the table as well.” He immediately picked up his chopsticks before finding a piece of grilled unagi. “Have some too.” His face was burning by that point, but he thought Shenhe would correlate that to the fact that they were both drinking.
When she leaned in closer to him, opening her pink lips Aether’s hand almost started shaking before she slowly took a bite of the unagi. “Delicious.” She said, her voice an octave lower as she gave him a smile. Long silver hair with a tint of black reminded him of moonlight as she sat down enjoying her bite of food before giving him yet another dish to try.
He never wanted to kiss a woman so badly in his life.
Two Scoops of Sunshine
After the dinner Aether decided that he needed to cool off, however, his way of cooling of was just jumping into the hot water at one of the outdoor pools that were empty.
His hair was way shorter compared to when he was younger, right now it was just long enough to be put into a bun, which was comfortable when one was soaking in an onsen outside. He was fully naked, a white towel discarded somewhere next to him on the floor.
Hot water soothed his tense and lean muscles as he looked up to the sky, enjoying the clear view of stars and milkyway as well as gazing at the tops of Aralia trees covered in a blanket of white snow. A few lone snowflakes fell from the sky here and there before dissipating within the steam that rolled off the onsen.
He almost felt himself dozing off before a soft voice called him back to life. “Can I join?” Shenhe said, her legs already dipping in the hot water as she sat on the wooden floor slightly above him.
He whipped his head over his shoulder before immediately turning it back.
“Of course!” He said, almost too fast as his heartbeat picked up slightly. Behind him, Shenhe swiftly removed her towel before pretty much jumping into the water as she settled next to him.
Aether’s gaze was wandering, he could barely keep his eyes off of her as he admired her toned body that was now submerged in the water up to her chest. She chose to wear her long hair loose as it reflected the moonlight amidst the winter night.
He felt himself throbbing already, and the heat of the water did little to cool him off right now. The coldest woman he knew was warming him up to the point of fainting. Quite ironic if he might’ve said so himself, and if anyone would’ve told him that a month ago, he would’ve called them insane.
He knew he had to control himself somehow but his gaze was hungry, and it showed. She noticed, but she didn’t mind. “It’s okay if you stare, but don’t make it so obvious next time.” She joked, and Aether sat beet-red as he thanked the god the steam was covering pretty much everything around them.
“Was I that obvious?” He tried to lighten up the mood, yet his voice came out as a crack amidst the moment.
She only smiled in return as she gave him a slight nod. A moment of silence passed before she spoke again. “You know, having nothing to worry about right now makes me feel at ease, it’s been a long time since I felt like this.” She said. “After losing my family, I rarely found a moment of peace.” She added, her gaze floating somewhere in the water.
“You know that no matter what, I’ll always be there for you, right?” Aether’s expression became concerned as he looked at her. “Whatever it is, you can tell me, I’m just as concerned about you as you are about me.”
“I know that, but you also know that I prefer to handle things alone most of the time.” She reminded him then.
“Even when it comes to something like our friendship?” He then pushed.
“Are you implying something, Aether?” She answered with a question of her own. “You have been acting strange for the last few weeks, especially after the attack. Is there a reason for that?”
He was caught off by her words, not thinking she’d be this perceptive. “I—” he started before changing his mind quickly. “You were distant.” He then told her.
“I told you, I was actually busy, I wasn’t avoiding you, Aether.” Her eyes narrowed as she looked him in the eyes.
“Do you really mean it?” His voice sounded near desperate.
“I wouldn’t lie to you. It’s you who doesn’t share the truth behind your actions.” Her words sliced him like a hot knife. “Given how you were tonight, any other woman would have assumed you like them. So tell me, what is it that you see in me? Just a friend? Or is it something more?” She pressed on, wanting to find out the truth behind his conflicting behavior.
It was like time stopped between them and he forgot how to breathe as he found himself cornered. “You are too perceptive for your own good.” He started. “Was it that obvious that I fell head over heels for you? You plagued my thoughts for the last month after the fight, it was like a switch turned on after all that happened and I couldn’t stop anything that came afterward. I suppose this might ruin our friendship, but I don’t know how long I could’ve proceeded to hide my feelings, it was almost unbearable as it is and you...” He trailed off before noticing her look away, a smile on her lips, a blush tinting the tops of her cheeks as if she’d just heard the best news of her life.
She then turned to face him again, “I love you.” She said, feeling a stone roll off her chest having finally voiced how she felt. “I’ve loved you since college, and it only took you this long to notice.” Her smile turned even larger as Aether stared at her wide-eyed, completely in disbelief at what he had just heard. “I can’t believe that all I needed to do was to beat up a bunch of men for you to see me in a different light. You remind me of your sister’s boyfriend, it seems both of you share the same type.” She teased.
“Well, I can’t believe you liked me while I was in college, I mean have you seen me? I was quite shorter than you, and looked nothing like I do right now! I was half the man I am now.” He laughed before giving her a bright smile.
“We both matured over the years, you maybe more so than me, and maybe that’s also why I haven’t lost interest. I mean, at least you are my height now.” She shook her head in humor. “The only thing that hasn’t changed is your smile, it’s something that I really like about you.”
Unknowingly the two leaned into each other before Shenhe gently grabbed Aether’s hand underwater. He was swimming in her deep gaze as moonlight fell over them and steam hid them from the rest of the world in their own little corner.
He stroked her cheek with his thumb before finally leaning close enough to kiss her, he pressed his lips on hers almost feverishly as her hands came to settle around his neck. A few frosty snowflakes danced around them.
When their kiss finally came to an end, Shenhe was breathless, eyes still closed as she inhaled sharply before exhaling in relief.
“You taste exactly as I imagined, pure mint.” She continued smiling, her head falling over his shoulder as hot breath ghosted over his neck. His hand stroked her back as he pretty much dragged her onto his lap by now, having found the courage to act a little more daring. “And you taste divine, like a vanilla dessert, the best thing I’ve ever had, Archons.” He whispered into her ear as Shenhe bit down a whimper in response before stealing another shy kiss from Aether as he happily obliged and smiled into the kiss.
After they ran out of breath, Shenhe settled her head back onto his shoulder as they continued enjoying the nature and night sky of the Inazuma.
Two Scoops of Sunshine
By the time midnight clocked, they were already settled in their, unfortunately, separate beds.
Aether couldn’t fall asleep, and he noticed that Shenhe was feeling rather restless too as she was turning back and forth in her bed.
“Are you alright?” Aether was the first one to break the silence.
“Yes… it’s just hard to fall asleep after everything that happened, I guess.” Shenhe said, her voice hiding the excitement she felt inside.
“Well, that makes two of us then.”
“You mean…?” She asked, confusion seeping into her melodic voice.
“Yes, I’m just as excited as you I suppose, it’s a lot to take in, isn’t it?” He smiled, even if she couldn’t see it.
“It is.” She replied before falling silent.
She then turned over to face him, “Can I sleep beside you?”
He didn’t think twice before replying. “Of course.” He nodded as his heart sped up at the thought of having her in his bed.
Shenhe was quick to slip under his covers, both of them were still wearing their yukatas and underwear, but something about finally being able to sleep in one bed made the moment really special.
“Let’s try to get some sleep, okay?” He whispered, and the opal-eyed woman only nodded in return.
She laid so close to him he felt like he was sweating under the covers, and not because of the layers on him, but because of the woman next to him, she scorched him like fire.
He knew it was going to be a long night, and there was no chance he’d get some rest, however, he hoped that at least Shenhe could get some sleep. But as time passed, Shenhe only moved closer to him until finally finding the courage to voice what she wanted.
“Do you want to have sex with me?” She asked, as straightforward as always, still, her words took him by surprise.
“What?” Was all that came out of his mouth as Shenhe’s face was burning at this very point.
“I-I found a box of condoms and some lube in your bag earlier by complete accident! Remember when you asked me to help you find your hairbrush before the onsen?” She bit her bottom lip while trying to explain herself. “I just assumed you might’ve wanted to do it, this trip feels like a couples getaway so… And don’t get me wrong! I had an inkling that you might’ve liked me before all of this, but seeing this just made me slightly happy, okay?” She was starting to blabber, trying to diffuse the situation.
“Shenhe it’s okay, I’m not mad or anything, it was actually Xingqiu’s little ‘gift’ for me after he got me these tickets to the resort, so I only brought it out of precaution. I guess he was planning for it from the start because Chongyun was suspiciously too busy to go to a resort with him.” Aether gave her a laugh now that he added the two and two together.
“With that being said, are you sure you want to do this? I don’t want to pressure you just because of what you saw. I know you haven’t slept with anyone, and the same goes for me too. So think about it, okay?” He reassured while trying to explain his position as he really didn’t mind waiting.
Shenhe’s hand fell on his cheek as she looked him in the eyes, pulling his face closer to hers. “I am certain .” She whispered, her lips almost touching his as her eyes became hooded, and seductive, making Aether shiver as he felt himself throbbing already. “Do you know how many times I’ve touched myself thinking of you?” Her hot breath fell over his face as Aether bit down a groan.
Fuck, he wanted to devour her.
“Let me show you just how determined I am to share this night with you, Aether.” She slowly sat up in the bed, fingers ghosting over her curvacious body shyly before she let her yukata slip, revealing some of the delicious cleavage as well as giving him a peek at her bra.
Aether sucked in a breath as he felt his length straining against the band of his underwear. Shenhe looked like a goddess, long hair sprawled all around her lithe figure, falling around her like a veil as it hid some of her face, making the scene even more sensual.
She stared at him, eyes glazed as her fingertips touched his chin, her hand descending lower and towards his chest. She knew Aether had a slender body with lean, defined muscles as well as some defined abs but now that she finally touched him, she felt like her own skin was on fire.
It wasn’t until her hand stopped at the bulge, which was visible through his yukata, that she gripped his cock in her hand, giving it a light squeeze. “Please fuck me, Aether.” Her voice dropped an octave lower, coming out almost like a moan, making Aether groan in response as he felt any control he had over himself slipping away.
"Do you have any idea just how much I've wanted this?” His voice was laced with arousal.
Aether slid one hand to the back of her neck. His fingers tangled in her soft hair, urgently pulling her in for a heated kiss as he sat up in the bed as well. Shenhe took that as a cue as she moved to straddle him, deepening the kiss as she used her hands to cup his face. He impatiently loosened her yukata, letting it pool at her waist and she did the same, hands pushing the fabric away from his shoulders. She felt his fingers roaming over every bit of her exposed flesh before she gave him a small moan in return.
Shenhe grew bolder with each move as her lips descended down his jaw before she reached his adam’s apple, giving it a quick lick with her tongue as he leaned back, stifling a moan in his chest as the silver-haired vixen rolled her hips against his straining erection, her moves effortless and natural, her soft breasts pressing into his chest, near the collarbone.
"Fuck, Shenhe—" He said as he nuzzled his face between her breasts, his tone almost husky, a bit deeper than before, his fingertips pressing into her voluptuous hips as he gasped.
Then, Shenhe moved back slightly, snaking her hand under Aether’s yukata before pulling down his underwear, right at the ankles. “I need this off, right now .” Her voice sent chills down his spine as he helped her to remove his yukata.
Now that he was stark naked before her, she could finally see his hardened cock, already leaking with precum. It took her sheer power of will not to gasp as she felt an instant surge of pleasure, a small ting that ran through her body because she knew it was her who made him like this.
“You’re looking at me as if you want to eat me.” Despite trying to wrangle some authority into his words, his voice came out low and breathy.
“That’s the plan.” She said with a smile as she tilted her head to the side.
Tucking her hair back as much as she could, she lowered her head slowly before giving him a few teasing licks on the frenulum and the shaft before she moved to suck on his head.
Aether moaned immediately, her touch, though inexperienced, still felt amazing, and the view he had of her almost made him cum on the spot, if not for the fact that he was holding on by the last thread of his sanity.
She caught him staring, face all flushed, expression dark and hungry for her. She released his cock with a pop of her lips, and a thin string of saliva followed from her mouth to his cock as she asked, “Like what you see?” There was a ghost of a smirk on her lips.
And he throbbed at her words, “S-so beautiful,” He groaned, his voice almost breaking.
The words warmed Shenhe’s heart like the sight of his cock warmed the spot between her thighs.
Content with his answer, Shenhe went back to sucking him off, this time experimenting a little further as she tried to take him in all the way to the hilt as Aether threw his head back, both hands gripping the bedsheets.
She continued licking and sucking his length before deciding to give herself a little break as she wanted to try something different.
Using her breasts, she tried her best to line her chest with his length, however, given their position on the bed, it was a struggle as she had a hard time reaching him. It didn’t take long for Aether to figure out what she was doing though. “Let’s move to the edge of the bed, that should do the trick.” He told her and she nodded as she saw him change positions.
Aether turned on the nightstand lamp before grabbing the lube that he borrowed from Lumine’s room, and a condom from the small pouch bag. Then, he sat at the edge of the bed as Shenhe teased him slightly more, having him watch her yukata slip away off her shoulders and off to the ground. Then, she slowly took off her bra, making a show of throwing it away to the other side of the room as she kneeled before him, eyes hungry.
Taking the bottle of lube away from his hands, she made quick work of stroking him slightly more as she pressed her breasts up until they cradled his length. He groaned quietly as he looked down at her, seeing her face flushed.
Then, she started moving gently before eventually getting more comfortable, doing her best to give his cock a lick here and there as she spared him heated looks, making it hard for Aether to keep cool as he felt himself being close to coming.
“I’m close,” He panted, looking at her with dark eyes.
“Good.” She replied with a smirk as she started working faster.
Her words drove him to the edge as he came all over her breasts, a few drops landing on her face as she cheekily wiped them off before pulling a finger out of her mouth. “Delicious.” She said with a pop, her voice low and teasing.
“Fuck.” He moaned.
His body was still jerking slightly as he felt out of breath, and Shenhe used that as an opportunity to clean up as she picked up some tissues off the nightstand and wiped both of them off.
“Your turn, vixen.” He whispered in her ear as he now stood right behind her, hands smoothing over her shoulders gently.
“Then let’s move over to the edge of the bed.” She instructed and he followed.
As Shenhe settled at the edge of the mattress, she made a show of spreading her legs open. “Kneel.” She ordered, her voice slightly colder.
He didn’t even hesitate as he dropped to his knees, right in front of her legs. Shenhe smirked before slowly pulling her panties down, letting them hang on one of her ankles.
Aether sucked in another breath, amber eyes dark and hungry, filled with possessiveness.
“Lick me.” Was all she said with a deep breath.
With a hungry growl, he lowered his head, inhaling her sweet scent as he took notice of the small trail of pubic hair that was neatly trimmed. She was glistening, all wet, and waiting for him to do something.
Aether’s hands circled her thighs, his lips tilted into a sinful smirk; he released one of her thighs to lay on his shoulder. “Look at you, so wet for me, so ready... My good girl.” He said.
Firmly holding her, he finally took a good taste of her, his chest rumbling as a purr escaped his lips. After that, he grew more ravenous, as his tongue continued its assault on the most intimidating part of her body.
A startled scream left her lips, and her hands were suddenly in his blonde hair. She keened under his soft lips and wicked tongue as he flicked it across her clit before licking her from top to bottom. She hooked her other leg around his shoulders, desperate to bring him even closer.
He took notice of her reactions, but still stopped himself to make sure she was alright, and not overwhelmed as he lightly nibbled on her thighs instead. “I hope I’m not going overboard. Tell me if it’s too much, okay?” He said, hot breath fanning across her thigh.
“Please, don’t stop—” She moaned instead, and it gave him all the encouragement he needed to continue.
“Be patient, pretty girl.” He whispered against her navel and she held her breath when his lips were on her clit seconds later. She wanted to scream his name as he sucked ever so lightly on her little bud, his finger now dipping into her drenched opening. “So wet for me. So good…” his tongue was relentless as he took his time circling her clit and licking along her seam. All Shenhe could muster in her bliss were incoherent whispers as he brought her closer to ecstasy. She felt the warmth spreading and overwhelming her lower abdomen before she felt herself finally exploding.
“If you could see yourself right now… So beautiful when you came on my tongue,” He whispered as he climbed back up her body, his lips glistening with her release. He looked feral as he slanted his lips down on hers again. “So goddamn delicious.” He moaned as he let her taste herself on his tongue. She loved the sensation, the bittersweet taste of her pleasure.
After their kiss was finally broken, he decided to make sure she was alright. “Want to continue? We can stop here for tonight if it’s too much.” His expression had a tint of concern to it.
“We are not stopping until I feel your cock inside of me, Aether.” Her words were final as he smiled at her.
“So relentless.” He teased as he picked up some more tissues to clean up Shenhe and himself a little bit, his member already throbbing and waiting to continue after the first round.
Then he retrieved the condom before slipping it on his hardened member. Shenhe made work by pushing off the sheets of the bed to make more room for them as Aether turned around.
She got on all fours, arching her back before giving him a good look at her luscious bottom.
“Are you sure about this?” He asked one more time.
She used her hand to bring his face closer to her as she gave him a kiss as a means of shutting him up. She didn’t have the words to go back and forth with him, not now. Right now she needed him inside of her.
After a short kiss, she went back to kneeling on all fours before Aether lined his cock to her entrance. He pushed the tip of his cock against her wet core, gripping either side of her waist before shoving into her fully. They both gasped as he filled her, and she involuntarily clenched around him.
He stilled, letting her adjust to him. “Are you okay? Does it hurt?”
“It feels good, now, move faster.” She demanded, voice hoarse.
Aether pulled out slowly before slamming back into her, her warmth enveloping him.
“Fuck, Shenhe” Aether breathed, "You feel so fucking good." He said as he picked up the pace, his touch becoming rougher and less controlled.
Her body felt boneless as she trembled at the glorious feeling of him moving inside her. She cried out as he hit that sweet spot again and again. He pulled her closer against him, arms wrapping around her before settling on her breasts, giving them a light squeeze.
Due to proximity, he could smell her hair as he nuzzled his face into her neck, her back arched against him. Then he started trailing some sloppy kisses against her throat, sucking some marks into her skin to mark her as his before his fingers pinched her hard nipples.
The man nearly pulled out and then stopped for a moment as he whispered in her ear, “Fuck, look at you. Naughty girl."
He groaned as she pushed back against him, trying to impale herself back on him, "You’re gonna make me cum, just from the sight of you on my cock, Shenhe,” and slammed into her fully.
“Aether, please.” She pleaded.
Shenhe turned her head as much as she could, giving him a messy kiss as he pounded into her.
Wet sounds of squelching and skin slapping echoed across the room for a moment longer. “Can we switch positions now?” She then suddenly asked, and Aether yielded, intrigued to see what the vixen would do next.
She pushed him down onto the bed before quickly climbing on top of him. He took a good look at her soft features, moonlight illuminating her body, plump lips swollen, hair clinging to her face in messy strands.
He inhaled sharply at the suddenness of her moves, his eyes closing briefly at the sweet impact when she rubbed her clit against his cock, back and forth, spreading her juices.
Aether’s hands went back up to touch her breasts, giving them a squeeze here and there as her breath hitched, eyes closing.
“Eyes on me, Shenhe,” he demanded, voice huskier than normal.
She looked at him, gaze full of passion and love. “Yes, just like that.” He praised before he brought her face closer, giving her another prolonged kiss as she continued rocking against him, angling herself to rub her clit harder against his rock-hard cock as they intertwined their fingers on one hand.
She increased her pace even more, slightly bouncing on him as she wanted the taste of the sweet relief. Using the opportunity, Aether grabbed her ass before thrusting himself back into her again, his tongue flicking across her nipple as her breasts were right in front of his face.
“Please, don’t stop,” She cried out, her moan a pitch higher, her melodic sounds making him go faster as he became rough, pounding into her from the bottom.
“Yes, yes Aether—oh gods.” She mewled.
She was so close, so painfully close it almost hurt. She fluttered around him, clenching as she reached closer to the precipice.
“Just like that, Shenhe. Arched so pretty for me. Take it,—fuck—it’s yours.”
And Shenhe listened.
Mouth falling open in a silent scream, she shook above him. Her vision blackened around the edges as she tried to hold his amber gaze through her orgasm. His jaw clenched and relaxed in rapid succession. She heard him mutter a string of curses, and a few final deep thrusts before he spilled into her.
Shenhe dropped onto Aether’s chest, content and satiated before nuzzling her face in his neck and slyly leaving him a mark with her lips and tongue.
He didn’t mind, instead, his hand was playing with her hair, as he ran his fingers through it. Her hair was almost like a soft blanket of snow, covering the two of them.
As they caught their breath, they relaxed into each other’s touch before deciding that it was time to clean up a little bit. Aether stood up first, cleaning himself before getting back to Shenhe and wiping her gently.
After that, he went back to bed, bringing the comforter back from the floor to tuck both of them in as they were now basking in a warm embrace, Aether’s head against Shenhe’s chest as he nuzzled his face against it, her long fingers running through his messy hair.
“Archons, I love you, Shenhe,” He breathed against her skin. “I still can’t believe all of this happened.” He said, voice hoarse and tired.
“Me neither, we should do this more often.” She jokingly mused though her face was red from hearing Aether’s confirmation of feelings.
Aether smiled in response. “I think that could be arranged.”
“Also, how are we going to tell Lumine? She’s my best friend but she knows nothing of this.” Shenhe suddenly realized, her expression morphing into that of concern.
“No need to worry about that, we will just tell her when you feel ready, it’s not like she’ll get mad.” He chuckled, reassuring her.
“Alright, I guess you are right.” Shenhe nodded.
The two cuddled for a bit longer before Shenhe broke the silence again. “Do you have any condoms left? I might want to go for another round if I’m being honest.” Her cheeks were slightly red as she said that.
Aether felt slightly exhausted but the thought of having Shenhe again was enough to make his tiredness go away. “Mhm, so eager already? What If I’m too tired?” He teased with a grin.
“What if I’ll let you stay on top longer this time around? Won’t you agree then?” She returned his grin, and was surprised when he sprung back to life.
“Then I’ll think about it.” He said before kissing her again, his hands already tracing a path down her body.
This vacation was sure to leave many lovely memories behind as it marked the beginning of a new relationship between the two of them.
Two Scoops of Sunshine
It was a week later when Lumine was stuck in an uber, having just come back from the business trip she had in Sumeru. She made a call to Ajax while she was still in the airport, and figured she’d give a call to her brother too just let him know she was on her way home.
She called without realizing that she accidentally pushed the speaker button, however, it was already too late as Aether picked up.
“Hah, H-hello?” He sounded out of breath, trying to say a few words as he panted.
“Are you alright?” Lumine asked, brows pinched in confusion.
“Y-yeah, uhm, w-why are you asking?” Just as he said that she heard a moan in the background, a familiar voice begging for something as faint and wet sounds of skin slapping followed.
“Is this not a good time? I can call you later?” She then said, more confusion seeping into her voice before she added the two and two together. “W-wait a minute!” Immediate realization hit her as she scrambled to lower the speaker’s volume, however, she could already see the driver’s reaction as he was struggling to hold in his laugh. “Aether, I can’t believe you!” She huffed, her tone pitching an octave higher before she managed to lower the speaker’s volume.
It was so embarrassing she wanted to die on the spot and take her brother with her to the grave.
“Fuck, Aether I’m going to ki—” She never got to finish. She couldn’t believe her brother was having sex with someone while on the call. Her face was beet-red.
It wasn’t until someone else picked up the phone from Aether’s hand that she heard a familiar voice on the other side of the speaker. “Hi Lumine, listen, it’s a long story but your brother and I are now in a relationship. I know this is sudden, but don’t freak out, alright?”
“Wha— How did this?! Argh! I-I don’t even know what to say!” Was all that came out of Lumine’s mouth as she stuttered continuously. She couldn’t believe her best friend and her brother were now a couple.
“We’ll explain the full story later, so see you at home, alright?” Shenhe hung up just as Aether cried out of pleasure somewhere in the background, not letting Lumine say another word.
Those two rabbits!
Deep inside Lumine couldn’t help but feel happy seeing two of her closest and dearest people find happiness in each other. Still, she was both conflicted and impressed at the same time, having just found out that her brother fucked her best friend out of all people. She noticed that Shenhe became bolder and way more confident than she used to be, at least a week ago.
Well, that surely was progress in some type of way, but Lumine didn’t want to know any more details about how it might’ve occurred.
The scenario felt rather familiar when she thought about Ajax, but she quickly pushed the thought away as she realized that she was no better than her brother, having accepted a call while Ajax was having his way with her too.
Perhaps Aether was out for revenge, because even if she did that to him too, it wasn’t even nearly as bad as those two. At least at the time when she picked up the call, she was worried that something might’ve happened to him! It wasn’t her fault Ajax couldn’t take the hint and shut up for once.
“You know, I’ve had crazier things happen in this car.” The driver who previously held his laughter together said with a knowing grin on his face.
“I’d rather delete this from my memory, can you please take me to Third Round Knockout instead? I might need a drink or two before coming home.” She sighed, fingers already rubbing her temples to prevent an incoming headache.
This was going to be a long night filled with alcohol.