Work Text:
boys, workin’ on empty
is that the kinda way to face the burning heat?
i just think about my baby
i’m so full of love, i could barely eat
A few weeks pass and Lyney is proven right. The Traveler once again makes headlines in the Steambird, along with Navia, for solving the case of the mysterious disappearances. According to what Freminet had heard, it was a betrayal from one of Navia’s own men, something that leaves a bitter taste in Lyney’s mouth. At the end of it all, Lord Harbinger Tartaglia is pronounced guilty for an unknown crime. Apparently, the Traveler didn’t seem too torn up about it.
Lyney had been cooking up some plots of his own. Something that will drag attention away from his new status as a Fatuus, but also will help rectify the crimes of the past. Perhaps Aether’s heroic nature had been rubbing off on him. The thought warmed his healing heart a little. Only a little, though.
Aether and him had not spoken since their tense discussion in the Opera Epiclese. Lyney had not spoken to anyone lately, outside of his family, of course. Lynette will often send him warning glances whenever she catches him thinking too much about a certain Traveler, and he will acquiesce, delving deeper into his plotting of their plan. Aether had been quite elusive since discovering the true identity of Vache, running off to Elynas and Mont Automnequi to explore the vast lands of Fontaine. Still, sometimes Lyney will catch a glance of a golden braid or a peek of sun-kissed skin in the city, and he will think about a world where he could hold those things close. Hold the person they belong to tightly. Never let him go, ensure that he is safe until Celestia itself comes to tear them apart. Even then, he would fight to keep holding a gloved hand, uncaring of the scars underneath the leather.
He wondered what Aether would think of his latest plan. Knowing the Traveler, he would have it all figured out within seconds, Lorenzo’s crimes and Jemma’s deception. He can imagine Aether turning to him and speaking in that deceptively soft voice of his, those two are definitely hooking up, as his lips curled up into one of his near-invisible smiles. Lyney knew now that beneath that chivalrous and easygoing mask, there was a deeply hurt, almost resentful, person. A person looking for a way to purge the anger in their heart. Lyney thought about what Lynette had said to him only a few weeks ago, about the Traveler’s quest to find his sister. Most often, Aether’s real goal in Teyvat tended to get lost among the many stories regaling his awesome strength. Still, as a member of the Fatui, Lyney knew that the Traveler was looking for his lost sister, his twin sister, some might add. On top of that, some of the darker intelligence he had overheard from Father’s twisted mutterings did not paint a pretty picture of what Aether’s sister had been up to as of late. As far as Lyney knew, Aether was also aware of this, and he had not taken it very well. Why Aether continued his journey after knowing the truth, why he continued to help nations that did not deserve it and people who treated him like nothing but a little soldier, was beyond Lyney. If Lynette turned her back on him, Lyney would quite possibly never recover, doomed to spend the rest of his days bereft of his other half. But Lyney thought that the answer must be glaringly obvious, that Aether’s motivations were not very complex, possibly much like Lyney’s own reasons for joining the Fatui. What Lynette said to Lyney in the hotel was damning, a confirmation of just how similar Lyney and Aether may be, he is terrified of loss, just as you are.
Lyney was pondering all of this when he heard a high-pitch voice.
“Uh… Hey, Lyney…”
Lyney sucked in a sharp breath, knowing that wherever Paimon goes, Aether was with her, leading the charge. He turned, absentmindedly noting the presence of Charlotte before his eyes landed on the person he had missed so dearly. Aether was smiling like he always did, albeit a little strained, but he looked directly at Lyney, unwavering. Lyney felt so terribly human under Aether’s gaze, something he was unused to. Aether’s eyes were like topaz, deep pools that betray nothing of what the adventurer is feeling, and Lyney cannot help but look into them. He was as radiant as ever, standing in the Fontanian light. Lyney thought to himself that the sun must be envious of Aether’s shine.
Celestia above, get it together Lyney.
Lyney pulled himself from his musings, realizing that the trio in front of him were waiting for a response. “Why, hello, we meet again. Are you looking for me? What’s the situation?”
The conversation flows easily, with Charlotte explaining her desire to write an article about the mysterious reappearance of “The Phantom Weasel” and wanting Lyney’s opinion on it as a fellow magician. The irony of it all might have made him laugh if it would not have struck the other three as odd. It was easy to fall under the guise of his persona, the carefree magician who always had another trick up his sleeve. Charlotte was easily fooled, spouting questions like a faucet. Paimon shot him a number of nervous looks amidst the talking, her eyes flicking between himself and Aether. Aether, of course, was silent. Almost a little too silent. The Traveler, although quiet (selectively mute, Paimon had said after they first met), would usually add in a few sarcastic interjections when among people he knew. And trusted, a darker part of Lyney’s mind whispered. Now, though, Aether said nothing, his eyes firmly trained on Lyney as he watched the magician trick his audience into thinking everything was fine. It made Lyney antsy, that nervous energy once again sparking in his body, begging to be let out. The magician took one look at the Traveler and his now unsmiling face, and decided that he would make Aether speak to him whether he liked it or not.
“Allow me to demonstrate with a quick magic trick. Here I have a flower, just an ordinary flower that was picked not long ago. Watch it carefully now… Three, two, one…” Lyney’s flower seemingly vanished in his hand, of course, the magician knew where it went, but his captivated audience did not. Still, Aether’s cool, unbothered look wavered for a moment, as the adventurer smirked ever-so-slightly. It was enough to spark just a bit of hope in Lyney, that maybe things were salvageable. Finally, Aether broke his silence.
“Where’d it go?” Lyney let out a blinding grin at Aether’s response, not managing to notice the way Aether sucked in a harsh breath after. The flower was, of course, attached to Aether’s scarf, which the man somehow managed to wear in the blinding heat of summer in Fontaine. Aether, for the first time since the beginning of their conversation, took his eyes off Lyney to look down at his chest, catching a glimpse of the flower. Charlotte continued to talk, asking questions that allowed Lyney to relieve himself of some of the burdens he had carried since Cesar’s death. Magic is based in deception, and Lyney is well-versed in deception. Still, that did not make him an inherently bad person. That thought was something of an affirmation Lyney repeated to himself sometimes, especially over the past few weeks. Out of the blue, though, Charlotte switched to a different line of questioning.
“Might I assume that you are well-versed in floral symbolism? For example, magicians often use ‘Rainbow Roses’ in their flower-related performances to represent ‘passion’ and ‘romantic encounters.’ But you used a Lumidouce Bell, which, if I’m not mistaken, allude to ‘separations.’ I’m curious to know if there was any deeper meaning behind this choice?” There were very few moments where Lyney had felt so called out, caught in his tricks, and this was definitely one of them. Once again, Lyney caught Aether staring at him, but this time Aether’s eyes softened almost imperceptibly and he gave the magician a quiet smile. Floral symbolism, yes, Lyney knew a lot about that topic. It had been a special interest of Freminet’s when the boy was younger. He used to sneak into the Palais Mermonia, hide from the Garde and Iudex Neuvillette, and spend hours reading any of the books they had on it. Freminet would return home and quietly tell Lyney about the many different meanings behind all sorts of flowers while the older boy brushed his hair. Windwheel Asters, from Mondstadt, were a symbol of freedom and the winds themselves. Sumeru’s Mourning Flowers symbolized, of course, mourning, especially for the heroes of the past. Recently, Lyney had been thinking a lot about Dendrobium from Inazuma, as people say that the flowers only bloom where blood has been spilled. Back then, Lyney got caught up in the idea of being able to communicate hidden messages to others through flowers, so he taught himself the language. The magician knew very well what a Lumidouce Bell meant.
“Impressive knowledge– it’s no wonder you’re such a successful journalist. But I’m afraid I don’t know the first thing about floral symbolism. I’m just in the habit of using Lumidouce Bells in my magic,” Lyney said to the pink-haired woman. He didn’t like directly lying to people and would try to avoid it whenever he could. Still, Lyney also liked to avoid public embarrassment, so he saved himself from the humiliation of being known so well by others. However, judging by the look on Aether’s face, kind and open, he had already been found out. Lyney can only thank the Archons above that Aether looks endeared by his subtle apology, not disgusted. After that, Charlotte scuttled away to go find another victim for an interview, and Paimon attempted to try and pry Lyney’s secrets from him. Aether steered the conversation away from the topic, instead asking Lyney about the Phantom Weasel. Judging by the calculative look in the Outlander’s eye, Lyney could tell that Aether already had a theory brewing.
“Well, since you’re so concerned, how would you like to serve as my temporary magician’s assistants, and help me investigate?” Please, Lyney thought to himself, please give me one more chance. Aether looked back at him, his topaz eyes boring back into his own periwinkle ones. Lyney would never know it, but the color of Lumidouce Bells never failed to remind Aether of Lyney’s eyes. Whenever he had seen the flower in Elynas or in the fields behind the Court recently, he would think of Lyney and how they had ended things. Aether found the meaning of them a little ironic now. He would much rather look at a Rainbow Rose and think of his favorite magician, rather than a flower mired by an unfortunate meaning.
“We’ll help you with your investigation.”
“Aether, Paimon, I hope you enjoy the rest of the show. There may be a lot of people watching tonight, but you alone are my true witnesses.”
“Lyney, wait. You two hid a lot from Cesar– he went to his grave without ever knowing your secrets. So what about now? Are you an open book – or are you still the same as ever? You don’t have to tell lies to end up isolated and alone. One day, you’ll end up exactly where I am today – maybe then you’ll finally understand.”
“You’re wrong. I’m nothing like you.”
“Ah, Aether,” Lyney said. The Traveler, in all of his golden glory, crested the hill the cemetery resided on. Aether looked much more relaxed than he did earlier at the Opera. If Lyney didn’t know any better, he might have thought that Aether had been barely resisting the urge to punch a certain gray-haired woman in the face, especially after her comments near the end of the conversation. The two stood in silence for a moment, seeming unbothered by the inherent awkwardness of looking into another person's eyes and not speaking. Lyney cracked a smile after a moment, “No Paimon, eh? I would have thought you two were attached at the hip.”
“No, Paimon is currently accosting your sister and your little brother, trying to find out your trade secrets as a magician. Besides she… Well, she wanted to give us a moment to talk. Alone,” Aether said, letting out a good-natured laugh. The smile on his face wavered by the end, as did Lyney’s own.
“Ah, I see. Well then, I should apologize–”
“What?” Aether barked out, speaking at a volume much louder than what was normal for the adventurer. He looked truly caught off guard by Lyney’s statement as if Lyney was being odd for expressing his apologies. Lyney hesitates, fearing that perhaps the signals he thought Aether was giving him were wrong, that he was being a fool once again. Before Lyney can say anything else, Aether cuts him off. “Sorry, I just… I was going to apologize.”
Every time Lyney thinks he is one step closer to understanding the Traveler, Aether does something so confounding that he ends up back at square one. This is one of those moments. Right now, Aether looks truly distraught, with so much emotion clouding his face that Lyney can hardly guess what the Traveler might say next. The darker part of Lyney, the same one that had been feeding his doubts, suddenly rejoices in Aether’s newfound humanity. In the time that Lyney has known Aether, the man has always kept a calm, kind mask up. The only time Aether ever sheds that mask is when he is overcome with emotion, like when Focalors revealed Lyney and Lynette’s origins. For just a split second, back in the Opera Epiclese on that day, Aether had looked mournful, almost defeated. It was an expression that Lyney had never wanted to see again. Now, though, it warmed Lyney’s heart that Aether’s sudden expressiveness did not seem to be caused by Lyney’s deception. Finally, Lyney let out a breathy, “Why?”
“I have been incredibly unfair to you and your sister. I know now, and I knew then, really, that you two were in an unwinnable situation, and you simply did what you had to survive. I would’ve done the same thing if it had been me in your situation–,” Aether cut himself off, taking a slow breath to calm himself, before continuing, “if I’m being honest with myself, I was a little jealous of you. I have not always been a quiet person. I used to be much more outgoing, much more… outwardly loving. People from my homeworld would say that I was the sun and that… Lumine was the moon.
“She’s my twin. We don’t really know who’s older between the two of us, so we would always do rock-paper-scissors to decide who does the chores, things like that. But a lot of the time, Lumi would just say that since I was a millisecond older, I had to do all of the chores for her,” Aether laughed. His eyes pulled away from Lyney’s figure as he spoke. Instead, he began to stare up at the stars as if they held the secrets he desperately wanted to know. Maybe they did. After a pause, Aether looked back at Lyney. “When I first met you and Lynette, I could not help but be reminded of how Lumine and I once were. Who I once was. I know it’s horrible, that I pushed my own feelings onto you, and it definitely affected the way I acted towards you at the Opera. I’m so sorry, Lyney. I do not deserve your forgiveness, but I just wanted you to know.”
With all the references to Aether’s past life and his “homeworld”, not to mention Aether’s now quite noticeable accent, Lyney felt that same desperate need to hold on tight that he had been feeling over the last month. Lyney had always been a person who needed the audience’s eyes on him, who would elevate each performance to ensure that people return to him. Now, even though Aether was standing right in front of him, the Traveler from afar felt incredibly distant. Like a star in the sky that Lyney could never hope to reach. All of these apologies suddenly made Lyney feel as though Aether was trying to pull away, but Lyney needed him to stay. He blurted out just as Aether began to turn back towards Poisson, “I know about what happened to you in Inazuma.”
Shit. He definitely could have said that better. Aether had become uncharacteristically still, stuck in the action of leaving. Lyney could not let him leave now. He could not handle seeing the Traveler’s back once more. Perhaps Lyney could have been referring to a multitude of things, from Aether’s position as a Captain in the Resistance to his brutal victory over the Raiden Shogun. However, as the two stood in the moonlight, the ghosts of the dead from near and afar hovering around them, they both knew what Lyney was talking about.
“I only learned after our argument. I am so incredibly sorry, Aether. What happened was disgusting, a careless waste of beautiful life. He was a great man, and if I could have done anything to stop what my… comrades did, I would’ve done it without hesitation, regardless of the consequences. I just wanted to be Lyney around you, no one else. Whenever I am with you, Aether, I feel like myself, a man I hardly know. But I want to know him, and I desperately wanted to know you. I wanted you to trust me, nothing would have made me happier than that. Trust is a beautiful thing, but I forgot how to trust a long time ago. It was selfish of me to wish that you could bestow a favor upon me that I am unable to return to you.
“To keep secrets is to put up walls. The longer you keep them up, the less you let people in. Then one day, you look around and realize your life is like an empty auditorium after a show– full of seats once occupied by all the people who left… I never wished to put you in a situation where you would feel obligated to trust me.”
A heavy silence echoed across the warm hills of Mont Automnequi. Lyney could not bear to look into Aether’s eyes, nervous of what they might reflect back at him. Slowly, hushed steps approached Lyney, until a hand took his own, pulling Lyney’s attention down to their interlocked fingers. Aether was not wearing his gloves, something he hardly ever did. His hands were calloused from all the fighting he had been put through, and they were scarred, too, just as Lyney had expected. There were light cuts on his fingers, along with a large one running across the top of his hand. Lyney spied a much darker scar tearing itself down Aether’s arm, a scar in the shape of lightning. The sinking feeling in his gut told Lyney who gave the Traveler that marking. Finally, Aether spoke.
“I have never felt obligated to trust you, Lyney. I do it naturally,” Aether said. His mask was completely gone, as his face was now occupied by an unbridled warmth, along with another emotion Lyney did not dare name for fear of getting his hopes up. “Perhaps it is stupid of me to trust so easily. Lumine always said that my bleeding heart would be my downfall. Maybe she’s right. Still, I have spent my journey in Teyvat trying to hide how much I cared about the world, scared that someone would take advantage of it and use it against me. But I have lost so much anyways, and I cannot continue to lose the people I care about without them knowing just how much I loved them. I will always be in your audience, Lyney, from now until the end of time.”
Lyney’s heart stutters in his chest, the implication of Aether’s words not lost on him. He feels the sudden urge to shout to the stars above, rejoicing that the feelings he had settled to hide away forever might be reciprocated. Instead, he says, “You really are a gentle soul, aren’t you?”
Aether smiles, big and wide, and Lyney wonders if he might die on the spot. He understands why people compared Aether to the sun, now. The sun is not jealous of Aether, Aether is the sun. Finally, Lyney understands who Aether is, the portrait coming together to form a beautiful visage. Aether was a man driven by his own love. He fought in spite of what he had lost, not because of it. Another silence settles between them, this one being calm. The two of them are simply content to look into each other's eyes. Until, Aether speaks up in a quiet voice, feeling the drain of talking so much start to weigh on him, “Could you do one last magic trick for me?”
“Of course, mon soleil,” Lyney replies with a little laugh, knowing just what trick he should do. Lyney holds out an empty palm, saying, “Watch closely, I have a flower in my hand…”
“Oh, do you, now?” Aether said, a small smile playing on his lips. Lyney gasped theatrically, staring down at the hand which clearly held no flower. He dramatically looked across the moonlit fields surrounding them, but clearly could not find his missing flower anywhere. He raised a curled finger to his lips.
“Hm, we’ll have to try something different then. Let’s count down from three. Three, two, one…”
When Aether looked down at his chest, once again a flower miraculously occupied the space on his scarf. He giggled before stopping as he noticed that Lyney had updated his little trick. Instead of a Lumidouce Bell, a shining Rainbow Rose sat there, glowing in the night. Aether let out a soft sigh. He looked up at Lyney, “A Rainbow Rose, huh? Remind me, what do those mean in the language of flowers?”
“Well, I, of course, am no expert on the topic. But if my memory serves me correctly, a Rainbow Rose symbolizes ‘passion,’ ‘romantic encounters,’ and…” Lyney took in a deep breath, staring into Aether’s pure topaz eyes, which held nothing but… “Love.”
Aether leaned in almost immediately after Lyney finished speaking, but stopped just before their lips met as if to ask, is this okay? Lyney gave no reply other than closing the distance between them. The kiss was slow and gentle, unlike anything Lyney ever thought he would receive from another person, ever be fortunate enough to receive. His arms went to wrap around Aether, holding him close, while Aether took his face in his hands. The calloused, scarred skin was nothing but soft against Lyney, and the magician felt the tension he had been holding for weeks, since that day in the Opera, vanish in a moment. Lyney pulled away, just to begin giving Aether small kisses across his face, on his cheeks, nose, eyes, anything he could touch. The golden-haired Traveler gave another blinding grin in response, along with a loud laugh, and Lyney thought that he could be content spending the rest of his life ensuring Aether never stops smiling like that. The couple stood there for what must be hours, standing in each other's space, feeding off the warmth from the other. Lyney recalled, in that moment, Cesar’s last words to him. The words that have been guiding the magician for years since then.
“Do you still remember what I told you? This world is full of lies and falsehoods. I only hope that one day, you can find your own truth.”
Lyney thinks that this must be his truth. Paimon chattering away back in the city, entertaining Lynette and making Freminet feel welcome. Aether safe in his arms, right where he belongs. The people that he cares about knowing he loves them.
That is his truth.
when my time comes around
lay me gently in the cold, dark earth
no grave could hold my body down
i’ll crawl home to her