crescentview | autumn catch-all

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 ]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[He knows by now that Childe doesn't have that many information. The Harbingers are hardly on friendly terms and don't seem to be interested in what others are doing either. They all have their own goals, while doing whatever missions they are assigned to.

Come to think of it, in Inazuma Signora wasn't aware of Scaramouche's presence either.]

Does my sister's name matter? Perhaps she wouldn't want me to give it out... so I won't.

[Aether rolls to lie on his back, his gaze fixed on the dim-lit ceiling.]

I'm not saying you're hiding anything... I'm saying that the Harbingers likely have more information regarding my sister.

[It's just a fact, nothing more. If Childe knows nothing about it, then Aether will believe him, because why wouldn't he? Childe may be hiding things, manipulating the circumstances in his favour, but what would he achieve by lying here?]

You can't really blame me for following any clue that I get, can you?

Rooting out info on someone I can't recount by name is no simple task.

[ Vague physical descriptors are hardly enough. How's he supposed to win anyone over if he wasn't trusted with that much? None of those posters mentioned even an alias and that was evidently an intentional choice, but Childe isn't attributing malice to stupidity or anything so ridiculous as that. What's painfully apparent here are the things that they'll keep from each other, like this impasse between them will exist forever.

Resignation is just another word for that overlong sigh in Childe's throat. ]

Once our time in this place is spent, come find me. That's what I would say, were it the only thing standing between us. [ It obviously isn't. Maybe Aether will never accompany him to Snezhnaya. ] Who's to say I'm not lying to you as we speak? Think it over.

[ Abhorring deceit doesn't mean he isn't reluctantly wielding it by trade. Sometimes, Childe commits deeds that he despises more so than any other. ]

Don't you think I'd tell you if I knew anything that would prove useful in your search?

[Aether tilts his head slightly to the side.]

So which one is it? Are you saying you're lying? Or that I should trust you that you have no information to share?

[Aether sighs too.]

...Actually, I don't think you would lie. You have no reason to, because what would be your goal? There is no Tsaritsa here, no Fatui. We don't know how long we'll be staying here either... and who knows. Maybe my sister will show up here eventually.

[There really is not much Childe could gain with lies.]

Only one who can decide that is you. Not like I can prove it, one way or the other. Pretty sure it all comes down to what's in your heart.

[ Bogus logic or not, Childe sits up on an elbow, glancing down on him from where he's perched above on the bed. ]

Make the call, comrade. Can you trust me? Or were these feelings misplaced?

[Aether is silent for a moment, before letting a heavy sigh and turning to lie on his side. He looks at Childe.]

I'll trust you if you make a promise to not betray that trust.

[He knows ll too well that Childe takes his promises very seriously.]

[ Principles just govern him too strongly. Gone still where he's lying on his side, Childe's voice comes out gouged, oddly raw-sounding. ]

Is my word that important? You know how I am. [ Kind of horrible to put him in this position, given where his loyalties lie, but no way around it. ] ... I promise. In return, you had better not betray mine. Trust shouldn't be taken lightly, comrade.

[ Cross him even once and that's the day this faith in him ends. ]

I know.

[He isn't trying to change Childe or convince him to betray his Tsaritsa. He knows that it's not possible. Not with how devoted Childe is.]

And I thought you knew that I'm not the kind to betray someone.

[Hasn't he proven that much already?]

...It's a promise.

Ahaha, how could I forget? You were that way from the moment we met. [ So compassionate and yet so deadly; it's quite a dichotomy, and Childe can't help straying close, trying to figure out what makes him tick. ] That's why... some things are better left unsaid. I have no taste for deception.

[ So it's better if Childe doesn't reveal too much, not about his family or his allegiances or what'll become of them both at the end. When he eventually rushes for the Traveler's jugular, like he can conquer Aether like he means to conquer the world, there won't be any room for kindness. ]

If I catch you out in a lie, we'll have a reason to fight again. When that time comes, I want you at your strongest.

Don't worry. I'm not planning to pry information out of you. Like I said... I just want to understand you better.

[He doesn't feel he's made much progress so far though. If anything, he's only confirmed what he already knew.]

...As always, you only think about fighting, huh? [He laughs a little.] And what if you never catch me in a lie?

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.

I figured that's the case. You get sent to all kinds of places for your missions, don't you?

[He thinks about the times he's run into Childe in Inazuma.]

As for me, I travelled through Mondstadt, Liyue and Inazuma... and recently I also journeyed through Sumeru. The region is far bigger than I thought, but most of it seems to be the desert.

Yeah, lots to see, plenty to do. I get sent all over the place.

[ A huge flourish, talking very vaguely of the delights and the horrors he's witnessed. Getting up to all these shenanigans, Childe just gets more and more foolish. His chin tips just a little, when he drops back on the bed. ]

Gone that far already? [ Nonchantly, he mulls over it. ] Haven't been to Sumeru yet. Sand ever get in your boots? Seems like it'd be hard to avoid when trekking through the dunes.

autumn catch-all

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