autumn catch-all

[startraveler]

WHO: Aether and you!
WHAT: Open prompts
WHEN: Throughout autumn
WHERE: Various
WARNINGS: None for now


A. Arco Lunar
[The date with Steinbeck aside, Aether is curious to explore Arco Lunar on his own. You may see him looking at the sea while leaning against the railing, trying out different dishes in the buffet and peeking inside the spa or massage studio.

It's really rare for him to be surrounded by such luxury. He's just a traveler, after all and the best he can usually get is a comfy, but modest room in an inn... or his current home.]

B. The Dulces Sueños Resort
[Obviously, Aether wouldn't be himself if he wasn't curious about the resort. Perhaps you are the one who invited him to go, perhaps the two of you just bumped into each other and now venture into the resort together.

If you use the open bath together with Aether you will pick up that beneath the optimistic demeanour, there's actually a lot of lingering loneliness and exhaustion.

If the two of you end up spending the night in the same room, you will see one of Aether's memories. Was it a good one of fun festivals? Or was a sad memory of something lost?]

C. Chocolates
[Perhaps you are minding your own business, when suddenly someone hugs you. A sheepish voice quickly says:]

Sorry! I didn't really mean that...

[The traveler laughs softly, if not a bit awkwardly and pulls away. The chocolates he received seem to cause the person who has eaten them to want to hug others. Aether wasn't aware of that, of course, so he tried one in the morning and its effect seems to linger for the time being. It's a bit awkward, but he doesn't mind too much.

He may be giving some away depending if you're fine with such an effect or not. Or maybe he'll just decide that you need all the hugs you can get and will gift you one without an explanation.]

D. Wildcard
[If you'd like your own starter, a completely different prompt, etc feel free to contact me at discord Ashka#4609 or plurk (spiritualwhisper)! Or just go for it. Also if you'd like to do something from his bingo that's also fine! :D ]

Comments

[unchainer]

[ Aether's gentleness causes a small, fond smile to appear on Vanitas' lips. It seems like he's no longer trying to resist being charmed, and he's more carefree around Aether than he used to be, given the wide range of emotions he's been able to express. There's still a part of him that feels the urge to pull away, but Vanitas simply continues to hold Aether as he leans in once more. ]

Are you? [ He grins a little wider as he leans in, and lets his lips just barely brush over Aether's as he speaks. ] I'm holding you to that, then. I'll make sure to see it all.

[ He brings them into another kiss, deep right off the bat. Now it's his turn to brush his tongue over Aether's lips, seeking permission. ]

[startraveler]

[His own smile is just as wide.]

And I'll be happy to show you.

[He hums softly into the kiss and his lips part to let the other in. He's all to happy to give his partner everything he seeks. At the same time, he presses even closer, heart only beating faster as his cheeks burn bright.]

[sluice]

What else? We'll remain good friends!

[ Keeping in touch for the indeterminate future doesn't sound so bad. The benefit of wondering aloud is the ability to stay waylaid from any further promises, but Childe's already been entrapped, anyways. ]

... Burning up with curiosity, huh. [ At the rate Aether's going, he may just turn to ash by sunrise. ] Like you, I'm no stranger to wandering around. Explains why I can make the most of things, right?

[ Three months in the Abyss did wonders to his mental state, and it's hardly anything he regrets now. ]

Tell me about the places you've been! Let's see how you match up.

[unchainer]

[ He's content to let Aether sink into him as they kiss, and he lets it go on for longer than he expected it to. He starts feeling warmer, though, as he kisses Aether deeply – he has to pull away, or it'll be too late for him.

His breathing is heavier, and he closes his eyes, ignoring how red his cheeks are. ]

It'll be bad if we continue.

[ He lifts one of his hands from Aether's back and gently places it on the other boy's cheek. He opens his eyes and looks at him. He's a bit flustered. ]

I'm not going to want to stop if we do.

[startraveler]

[The kiss is so deep that it forces a soft sound to form in the back of his throat and his body trembles ever so slightly. He breathes in and out heavily when they part.

...It feels so good. So warm... so right.

And when Vanitas' hand touches his cheek, Aether catches it and brings it close, nuzzling into it.]

Then... let's not stop.

[He doesn't want to stop either.]

[unchainer]

[ Oh. Vanitas' eyes widen, surprised by Aether's request, and he nods before he gives Aether one more kiss. Then, he reaches for his partner's hand and leads him to their bedroom.

Should Aether allow it, Vanitas will gently lay him down on the bed and position himself on top. He's attentive to any change in Aether's demeanor, but nevertheless, he can't help but stare at him for a few moments, taking in how gorgeous the traveler is.

Then, he leans down for a chaste little kiss to his lips, and smiles when he pulls away. ]

[startraveler]

[He allows himself to be led to the bedroom and lays down, heart beating fast in his chest and colour spreading on his cheeks. It's obvious he's a little nervous, but there's a small smile on his face that betrays excitement.

His gazes at the other, soft and fond and he sighs a little bit when he's kissed. His arms wrap around his partner, trying to bring him closer to himself. He wants to be close, feel his warmth.

And he kisses his cheek gently, before pressing another kiss to Vanitas' jaw.]

I... I'm really so glad we're together.

[unchainer]

[ His eyes close momentarily when Aether kisses him, not once, but twice. He can't help but smile as he looks down at him, and he removes his gloves. Both of them, this time, and Aether can see that his right hand is covered in some sort of blue marking that goes past his forearm. Even so, his other hand slips under Aether's top to gently brush over his skin, right over his rib cage. ]

I hope you won't regret it.

[ He leans in to kiss his partner once more. ]

[startraveler]

You should try making some.

[He can definitely recommend.]

We'll start with cracking the eggs into a bowl... Do you know how to do that or should I demonstrate?

[It may sound like a very basic thing, but who knows, maybe He Xuan has Raiden level of skill when it comes to kitchen?!]

[startraveler]

[The touch feels nice against his skin, warm and caring. Aether sighs softly, again wanting to keep his partner close as they kiss. His lips part easily, his hands gently tangle into the other's hair, before moving to his shoulders as they part.]

...How could I ever regret it?

[He laughs, soft and pleased. Then he lets one hand to trail against those blue markings on Vanitas' skin, careful as if he was touching something fragile.]

[unchainer]

[ He frowns a little when Aether touches his markings. They're a bitter reminder that the time they have left is limited, more so than Vanitas has let on, but he looks back at Aether with half-lidded eyes. ]

If you'd like – [ He starts peppering kisses on Aether's jawline, then his neck, as his hand pushes Aether's shirt upward. ] I'll spoil you.

[startraveler]

[He gasps lightly as his neck is kissed and his shirt pushed up. There's heat raising inside him and he closes his eyes, enjoying the feeling of lips on his sensitive skin.

But he doesn't stay like this for too long.]

...How about I spoil you instead?

[There's a smile playing on his lips, both amused and pleased. Aether presses close to his partner, then tries to shift their positions, so he would be on top of Vanitas.]

[esurientabyss]

...I have. Made some, that is.

[ It sounds like he'd rather eat sand than say the sentence, but. It's out there. ]

I've done it before, with mixed results.

...Give me a demonstration.

[ He's cracked an egg in his hand by gripping it too hard once, also by smashing it up against the table too hard, and then he cracked an entire egg over a bowl and all the shells were in there...it's been a disaster, yeah. ]

[unchainer]

[ Oh? What a pleasant surprise. Vanitas grins as Aether shifts their position, and he can't help but chuckle to himself. ]

You truly are full of surprises.

[ He'll allow it, though. He wraps his arms around Aether's waist and tugs him close. There's no hiding how turned on he is, now. ]

[startraveler]

[He laughs, bumping their noses together.]

See? I told you.

[He grins, happy to be in his partner's arms. He stays close like this for a moment longer, looking lovingly at Vanitas, before he shifts to press gentle kisses to the other's neck. Nice and slow, tender. His touch is just the same, carefully trailing down the other's sides.]

[unchainer]

[ The gentleness of how Aether's handling him makes him breathe out quietly. He closes his eyes and gently runs his fingers through the traveler's hair. ]

Mm. Keep going.

[ A gentle form of encouragement. He's not sure how experienced Aether is, even though he himself only has one time under his belt. ]

[pyronic]

[Ah, right... It's not hard to imagine why a simple hug reminds Aether of home. He and Kaeya might not be related by blood, but growing up, Diluc certainly did view him as a sibling.

This sort of contact is nice, nostalgic in its own way, and he rests his hand atop Aether's head much like he would when Kaeya was much younger.]

Forgive me for the intrusion... but was your sister as warm and affectionate as you?

[startraveler]

[Maybe it's more than just a hug. He soaks in the warmth like a sponge, wondering if maybe he's acting silly. At the same time, he's missed this kind of closeness. Just exciting by someone's side, someone he trusts with his life, someone who cares for him and treats him with gentleness.]

It's fine.

[He doesn't mind the question.]

...She was. She would always hold my hand whenever I needed it. She was always by my side.

[And now... she's no longer there. She's even further away from him, separated by a world.]

[startraveler]

[The truth is - he has no experience at all, but a lot of heart to give. He wants nothing more but to show his affection with every little touch and kiss. Vanitas deserves that.

And so the traveler continues, nodding with a smile to the soft encouragement. His hands carefully trace patterns into the other's sides while his lips travel all the way down Vanitas' neck, shifting to the collar bone. Slow and careful. It's easy to see how much thought and heart Aether is putting into this, attentive to every reaction. He wants to make sure his partner is enjoying their time together and this is why he'll pay special attention to every spot that Vanitas will react well to.]

[startraveler]

[Aw. Well, at least he's doing better than Aether thought.]

I'm glad to hear that.

[He gives him a brilliant smile.]

As for cracking an egg... It may be a bit tricky and require some practice, but don't worry.

[He Aether grabs an egg and then breaks its shell against the table, just enough to form cracks, but not strong enough to make it fall apart right away.]

The key is controlling your strength.

[He shows the egg to He Xuan, before gently splitting the eggshell over the bowl. That's a perfectly cracked egg here.]

[unchainer]

[ He seems to be enjoying himself overall, but the kisses near the base of his neck are what seem to elicit the strongest reactions. His breath hitches and he lets out a pleased sigh when Aether kisses around it, and as soon as he feels his partner move lower, Vanitas unbuttons his collar and undoes the bow in front of it. He also opens the first set of buttons beneath that to give Aether more access.

There's already a hint of one of his scars peeking out from the little exposure of his chest. ]

[esurientabyss]

[ Simpler to do anywhere else but preparing food, it seems...then again, there is even less applied force for other daily activities.

But he's had enough mistakes that it should be easier to follow by now. Should be is the key word (lmao) ]

A simple matter.

[ He'll grab a hold of another egg, and then follow suit. Two egg shells rudely fall in.

He glares at the offending little pieces. Fishing those out are going to be a pain. ]

...How many eggs are we supposed to be adding to this?

[startraveler]

[He smiles against the other's skin, pleased with those little sounds and reactions. His lips brush tenderly over the sensitive spot near the base of the neck, before he shifts lower. There's a small hum from him, because he's enjoying it. Vanitas feels so warm underneath him, he wants to spoil him as much as possible.

When the buttons are undone, there's a spark of excitement in him. Aether trails his own fingers near the buttons that are still left untouched, wanting to accept the invitation and shower the newly exposed skin with as much affection as possible. But then he notices the scar peeking out and his gaze softens again.

He remembers the scars, how could he forget? He saw them when he and Vanitas took the bath together, back in the resort.

Gently, Aether unbuttons a bit more of his partner's shirt, before carefully pushing the fabric away, revealing more of the scarred area. And he leans down, lips caressing the marks with utmost care as if anything else could hurt. He slowly goes from mark to mark and each brush of soft lips is like a promise that everything will be okay now.]

[unchainer]

[ Oh.

Vanitas goes on alert he feels Aether kissing his skin, right over his scars, over all the memories of being in that lab and all the pain that entailed. He was once treated as less than human, a disposable child that endured what he could so no one else would have to go through what he did. The pain seems to be less prominent, though, in the face of his partner treating him so delicately. Vanitas remembers Luna's words very distinctly -- that they had wished for him to find someone who would keep him warm, just as they did all those years ago -- and he can't help but find comfort in the gentle way Aether's handling him.

The most poignant feeling, however, is one that makes him feel like he's not so hollow anymore. Every kiss is a reminder of that. Love is such a novel concept to him still, one that he thought he could go the entirety of his life without needing, but Aether makes him feel like companionship is worth something.

Vanitas glances down and watches the traveler continue to shower him in affection. He slowly, wordlessly raises a hand and gently runs it through his partner's hair, lightly loosening some of his braid. ]

[pyronic]

[If Aether's being silly right now, then he's in good company. The truth is simple: the effect of the chocolate has already worn off, but Diluc doesn't feel inclined to let Aether go. Seeing as the feeling is mutual, why should he?

Of the commonalities they share, it's disheartening to know that loneliness is chief among them. At the same time, there's value in having yet one more tie that binds them, something they can relate to one another with and help each other through. Hearing Aether speak of his sister, Diluc's arms wind just a little tighter around him.]

You've heard it many times, no doubt, but I'm sorry you've been separated from your sister. Being without what little family you have is painful, even if it's only distance and time that separates you.

[Diluc would know, having lost both parents.]