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Aether @goldenoutlander
streaming in 25 mins on twitch, it’s been an… odd day today so we’re gonna play something chill today.
Alice | she/they @notwonderland
i know streamers always say the grind doesn’t stop or whatever but you know we’re not gonna hate you if you need to cancel a stream here and there for yourself, right?
Aether @goldenoutlander
lmao, i appreciate the concern but i'm good really. not feeling great today but streaming actually usually makes me feel better
When Aether started his stream his chat was immediately filled with lovely comments to make him smile. Which did cheer him up a pretty good amount. He was just having a really shitty mental day. He’d woken up this morning from a dream about the abyss and the thoughts about the abyss and all the problems they had caused in his last life had continued all day long. Which caused him a ridiculous amount of anxiety for something that happened several centuries ago. Maybe even longer. Like, really, the abyss and Khaenri’ah was the root of almost every single one of Aether's problems on his journey through Teyvat.
In Mondstadt they were there, messing with Dvalin, causing problems, when all he wanted to do was find his sister. And yeah, his sister was already in Mondstadt, but he didn’t know that at the time. He also didn’t know she was leading the abyss. In Liyue he did find her, but he also found a lot more problems that involved the abyss. The defiled statue, watching his sister run off with her abyss friends and then watching his brother run off after her and leaving him to get out of a crumbling domain by himself, which he almost died in.
And he doesn’t even want to think about all the shit that happened in the chasm with the abyss. Where he found traces of his sister and then almost immediately after had to save his brother who was doubled over in excruciating pain on the floor of the chasm. Not to mention the chasm almost took Xiao from him too.
Sumeru where he had learned of Caribert and Chlothar and the founding of the abyss. Where he’d learned about descenders and how he was one but his twin sister, who he’d definitely arrived on Teyvat with, wasn't. And then where he got to see and hug his sister again in a dream, but didn’t even remember it until this lifetime thanks to the loom of fate or something. And Fontain and Inazuma didn’t have a lot to do with the abyss, but they did have a lot to do with the Fatui which was an equally big headache and anxiety inducer. Enkanomiya had a lot to do with the abyss too. But he’d try to steer clear of that thought, because his roommate was Enjou and he did not want to open that can of worms for the second time.
Natlan and Snezhnaya had probably the most to do with the abyss. Considering Natlan was at war with the abyss and the Fatui and the abyss had similar goals. Those two nations in particular were really hard on Aether. He’d been so close to the end of his journey, but he still had so far to go.
Teyvat Informant @emergencyfood
Not to alarm anyone but can one of the two people in aethers house rn pls go check on him? @arsonandabyss @guardianyaksha
The Thing Calling Itself “Enjou” @arsonandabyss
omw
Several seconds later, the door to Aether's streaming room opened and Xiao was in the room and reaching over from behind Aether's chair to click the button on his stream deck that changed his scene to his starting soon screen. He then pulled Aether’s chair back and spun it around so he was facing him before he crouched down in front of his boyfriend.
“What’s wrong?” Xiao asked, his tone calm but inside he was very concerned at the tears falling down the blondes cheeks.
“I had a dream about the abyss last night and now I can’t stop thinking about them. All day today. About how they ruined so much for me.” Aether answered quietly. There was a wobble in his voice, like he was trying not to cry.
“Why’s our little flying fairy asking us to come check on you?” Enjou asked as he walked in the door and then stopped when he saw the tears. “Oh, guess that answers that.” He stepped further into the room and glanced at the chat on one of Aethers screens to see comments of lots of hearts and worried messages flying by. So, he took it upon himself to calm down Aethers chat while Xiao calmed down Aether and leaned over the desk to type on his keyboard.
goldenoutlander: chat aethers fine, he just needs a minute, all is good. -Enjou
He knew Aether wouldn’t want them to worry about him. That’s how he’s always been. He never wanted anyone to worry about him ever. Enjou knew that was true even back on Teyvat despite the relatively short amount of time they spent together there.
“You wanna take a minute and go calm down in another room while I entertain your chat?” Enjou recommended. Aether nodded after a moment and sniffled as he stood up with Xiao who led him to the door. Enjou took Aether's seat and spun around to face his set up, waited to hear the door click shut behind him, and then pressed the starting soon screen button again so the game and facecam would come back up and the microphone would unmute. “Alright, stream takeover for the next few minutes. Hi, chat.” He waved at the camera and glanced at chat to see what they were saying.
“If you don’t know me, I’m Enjou, Aether’s roommate and editor… Yes, the same Enjou that kept asking Aether to marry me on twitter.” He said with a laugh at the end when he read a comment about it. “It was all a joke in good fun, and I’m glad he has some people willing to stand up for him, because he has a hard time saying no to people sometimes. But on a real note, please stop threatening to dox people just because you’re pretty sure they’re breaking your streamers boundaries. It is not a punishment that fits the crime. Like, it could literally result in someone's death because there are insane people on the internet that think sending a swat team on a wild goose chase is an okay thing to do. I’ve seen it happen way too many times, other streamers getting swatted and they have like, their kid or their really young siblings in the house or something. It’s a genuinely terrifying situation to be in.” Enjou was rarely serious, but this was an important topic that definitely justified him being serious for once.
“Is Aether okay, like for real? Yeah, guys, he’s fine. He just needs a minute to calm down. I know he tweeted earlier that he's been having a kind of rough day. He’s just had a hard time today… getting out of his own head, I guess. It’s nothing for you guys to worry about though, I promise he’s fine. Everyone has bad days. He'll be back at 100% by tomorrow, knowing him.” Enjou shrugged. “How about I spoil Aether’s upcoming youtube video ideas while we wait for him to get back?” He laughed, easily slipping back into his normal joking manner.
Aether @goldenoutlander
@officialkaeya respectfully (to you only), fuck your entire bloodline.
can’t handle the cold? @officialkaeya
i mean true, but that’s pretty random, what brought this on?
Aether @goldenoutlander
absolutely nothing.
Batman kinnie @darknightdiluc
What did we do?
Aether @goldenoutlander
not you. also, fuck chlothar specifically.
Batman kinnie @darknightdiluc
Oh, them. Agreed.
Venti @bardbatos
same
“The only cool boomer” @morax
Agreed.
Ei @raidenei
Yes, agreed.
Furina @divinefocalor
Same.
Auntie Nahida @lordkusanali
They did cause quite the headache for Teyvat.
Mavuika @ladyofwar
True.
can’t handle the cold? @officialkaeya
what the fuck
can’t handle the cold? @officialkaeya
did all of you know?
Venti @bardbatos
lol yeah. all seven knew.
can’t handle the cold? @officialkaeya
and no one did anything… why?
Auntie Nahida @lordkusanali
You were an innocent child, Kaeya. One with a kind heart.
can’t handle the cold? @officialkaeya
oh… for once in my life i think i'm at a loss for words.
Batman kinnie @darknightdiluc
Finally. I didn’t think I’d ever hear you shut up.
Dis-dain @theboughkeeper
lmao, Kaeya… innocent. in any other context those two words would not go together. but in this context, i agree.
can’t handle the cold? @officialkaeya
have i ever mentioned that i hate both of you?
Dis-dain @theboughkeeper
yes
Batman kinnie @darknightdiluc
Multiple times.
When Aether finally got back to his computer and was much calmer, as soon as he put his headphones on, he heard the very familiar noise of someone joining a voice chat on discord. He often sat in one on their server everyone from Teyvat was in when he was streaming. It was titled ‘streaming’ so whoever joined knew not to say some absolutely wild shit the second that they joined, just in case.
“Hello?” Aether asked, confused.
“Hi Aether!” He heard Collei’s voice.
“Oh, hi Collei. I’m assuming the other two then are Tighnari and Cyno. I don’t have discord pulled up right now.” Aether said.
“Aether.” Cyno said before Collei could answer his question.
“Oh no.” Collei said as Aether heard what he assumed was her dropping her head into her hands.
Aether sighed, because he knew a joke was coming. “Yes, Cyno?”
“What did the sushi say to the bee?” Cyno asked. He heard a very exhausted sigh from Tighnari, who had probably heard this joke a million times between their two lifetimes together.
“What?” Aether asked, just to appease him.
“Wasabi.”
“Cyno it’s been several centuries, how in the world have your jokes not gotten any better?” Aether asked with a sigh.
“Really? I thought that one was pretty good.”
“It wasn’t.” Tighnari said.
“My chat loves it. They’re calling him the pun king. Chat your sense of humor sucks.” Aether said the last bit directly into his microphone.
“Of course they are.” Tighnari sighed. “They’re feeding his ego.”
“Maybe your sense of humor sucks.” Cyno said.
“No, my sense of humor just doesn’t consist of horrid jokes and puns on people's names mr. ‘at lisa that’s as far as cyno’.”
“When did I make that joke?”
“Windblume festival. It was so horrid that I still remember it to this day.”
“That’s genius, I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Cyno said and Aether rolled his eyes with a smile. Cyno was just too ridiculous not to laugh at sometimes.
Aether knows that someone probably said something online about him being upset and that’s probably why Cyno, Collei and Tighnari showed up, but he’s glad they did. The three of them, plus Cyno’s abysmal jokes make for a really good distraction. He's thankful for all of his friends, really.