"What are your excuses now? That Lumine told you to pick me up?" Scaramouche put his both hands on his waist, as he fiercely looked at Aether who got out of his car.

Scaramouche wasn't the type to assume something. Even though his instincts were telling him that Aether was here because he was waiting for him to finish the job earlier, with that thought, he can't even swallow it.

So he never assumed anything. He doesn't expect anything. However, right now, his instincts prove to be right. Because Aether was fucking here all day because he was waiting for him.

And that made Scaramouche nervous and annoyed.

Aether didn't answer.

"It's already getting late." It was the only thing he ever said, while Scaramouche was here, fuming mad.

Scaramouche was speechless. What the actual fuck is this? Is Aether toying with him? And thought it was funny?

"My home was just walking distance."

"And? You want to be sick again today?" The tone becomes rough, he looks at Scaramouche sharply as if Scaramouche had done something he didn't like. That made Scaramouche shallow because he is for sure, Aether was using his dominant side to Scaramouche who he knew, can't defy it.

"Fuck you." Is the only thing that Scaramouche can reply to. Aether just shook his head and opened the other door of the front seat where Scaramouche just stared.

"What?" Aether asked, realizing that Scaramouche was just staring and not moving.

"... You're a playboy," Scaramouche muttered as he opened the door of the backseat and closed it with a bang. Not caring that it will leave a scratch in the car. Aether was wealthy enough to fix it or buy another one. Scaramouche doesn't care, he was fucking annoyed.

How can he not be annoyed? If he was Aether's lover, and Aether made someone sit on his supposed seat as a lover, he will probably feel and think that Aether didn't care about his feelings because he let someone sit on his rightful seat as a partner and will feel jealous.

"Such an asshole," Scaramouche whispered, it was not a whisper because Aether heard it correctly.

Scaramouche glared at Aether who was puzzled by his action. And to think because of his words, he made Aether freeze on his feet while staring at him, looking like he was asking what's the problem now. Scaramouche wanted to laugh.

"You said it was already late, so what are you waiting for?" Scaramouche titled his head, looking impatient.

"I'm amused by how fast your mood changes," Aether commented as he goes inside and close the door. Scaramouche didn't reply and watched him start the engine of the car.

Aether glanced at Scaramouche.

"Don't have the plan to sleep?" He asked.

"And let me wonder what the fuck happened when I'm asleep? No way." Scaramouche learned his lesson now. Especially when his moms didn't want to say what happened.

"Nothing happened."

"Tell my mom about that." And his moms will probably laugh.

"I should be the one asking you. Why are you working when you just recovered from an illness?"

"I just lacked sleep that's why. Who said I wasn't allowed to work? It was temporary work because Kazuha had some business to do."

"About his marriage?"

"Someone had been gossiping I see." Scaramouche sarcastically muttered. He wasn't surprised at all. Lumine's family had many connections throughout the world. It's not surprising that Aether knows about this.

"I'm acquainted with his supposed fiance," Aether replied.

"What? What?! Who?" Scaramouche abruptly looks at Aether. He couldn't stop himself from doing that, after all, he was curious.

Scaramouche can see a grin appear in Aether's eyes as if his goal was finally achieved.

"He's from another nation."

"Just tell me his name! I don't care about his nation or language!" Scaramouche doesn't want to hear useless information, he wants specific information.

"Impatient are we?"

"Do you take me to a type of patience person?" Scaramouche wanted to smack Aether's head, he should be thankful because he was driving. Why was he asking that when he knows how short his patience is?

"No, not really." Aether chuckled while shaking his head.

"Then just proceed with his name." Scaramouche calmed himself down.

And thankfully, Aether didn't bite around the bush this time.

"It's Heizou Shikanoin, he's from Inazuma."

Scaramouche becomes curious about Kazuha's fiance. He's originally from Inazuma but due to Teyvat University being in Liyue, they had to move to Liyue. He met a lot of Inazuma like him at the university, however, thinking that Kazuha's fiance was from Inazuma and not Liyue, where his parents' business was odd.

"How's his personality? Don't sugarcoat it."

Aether might make this Heizou an angel because he was his friend.

"Well... He's nice and quite playful. But not in a bad way, he just likes to warm people up."

"You don't sugarcoat anything?" Scaramouche raised an eyebrow.

Aether glanced at him.

"Of course not."

Scaramouche hummed.

"How did you know him? How did the two of you become acquainted?" Scaramouche squinted his eyes. He was gathering information about this supposedly Kazuha's fiancé for some purpose. He might tell Kazuha about this information he just learned.

"Why?" Aether's voice suddenly became indifferent. Scaramouche was annoyed again.

"Why? Of course, I want to know how he treated the people he met for the first time!" Assuming that Kazuha and this Heizou still didn't know each other's faces.

"...Ah, he's quite annoying and cocky. He likes to brag about his achievements, so he will probably create a bad expression for your friend."

An x.

"Though, I can assure you that Heizou was a reliable person. He will not let your friend be hurt or something."

"What about his status?"

"He's flirty so he has a lot of exes, but don't worry, he was still not mated. That guy doesn't want to be tied up with things like that."

"He should be a beta then." A flirt, another x why Scaramouche didn't like Heizou based on Aether's description, it might change if he met Heizou personally.

Kazuha was a very sensitive type of guy. Very omega. Someone like Heizou who was said to be a flirt was someone who will make Kazuha cry in the future.

Scaramouche sighed. To think he was stressing over his friend's love life and not his. What a shitty and lonely life he had.

"I will probably grow single," Scaramouche muttered under his breath. Some of his friends already found a partner themselves, it feels so lonely.

'Do I need to find someone to?'

"We're both having the same problem huh." Aether suddenly said, in a mocking tone. Scaramouche just realized he accidentally let out his thoughts unconsciously.

Scaramouche's eyebrow twitched.

"You dating Ayaka." Did Lumine fail to teach her brother what's the concept of a couple? Scaramouche was feeling pity for Ayaka. Her partner just denied her without hesitation.

Suddenly, the car stopped.

Scaramouche looks at Aether confusedly. They were still not in their house.

"How can you come to that conclusion?" Aether's voice sounds so surprised, he was speechless. Scaramouche sees his eyebrows twitch in annoyance.

Scaramouche crossed his arms. Ready to explain everything.

"It's now my fault that I came to that conclusion when I just heard from Kazuha that you showed up with Ayaka last night. That even Lumine screamed that you're playboy? And I even see you in the cafe together with Ayaka for hours?"

Aether stiffens in his seat.

"That's ----" Scaramouche didn't let Aether finish.

"There's a rumor about the two of you being in a secret relationship. So, can you blame me for thinking the same?"

This time, the one who rolled his eyes was Aether.

"I'm busy, you think I have time for that?" Aether asked. Starting the engine of the car.

"I know someone busy but had time for their partner."

"Well, I'm different from them. I don't have time for that."

'Yet you still can pick me up late at night?' Scaramouche wanted to say that, however, he stop himself. He doesn't want Aether to think he was that assuming.

None of them speak again after that.

When they finally reach the gate of Scaramouche's house, Aether spoke.

"Is that why you called me an asshole when I open the front seat for you?"

"Who wouldn't?" Since Scaramouche assumed the two are dating.

Aether sighed. He brushed his fingers to his hair. Scaramouche thought he looks so cool at the stunt but shake his head. What the hell?

"I don't have a partner, so, feel free to sit beside me when I am driving. No one is stopping you." Aether says.

"You know that seat should be for your partner right?" Scaramouche wasn't implying that to sit there, he should become Aether's lover. He is just feeling sentimental for whoever this Aether becomes a partner in the future.

"That can be arranged."

Scaramouche muttered 'Huh?' What does that mean?

He watched Aether open the door of the back seat and goes outside.

"A simple problem can be solved with a simple solution." Aether's indifferent voice returned.

"And what is that?"

"You don't want to sit in the front seat because it should be for my lover right?"

Scaramouche absent-mindedly nodded. What is Aether planning at this time?

"Then, be my lover."

Scaramouche thought the world stop.

What? What he did just hear just now?

Is Aether asking him to become his lover?

This must be a dream.

It has to be a dream.

It's too unrealistic to become true.

Scaramouche slapped himself and uttered an ouch. It wasn't a dream.

"Are you toying with me?" Scaramouche asked after calming down. They hate each other right? Why would Aether be with someone he hates? Not like Scaramouche will agree.

Aether was someone that got on his nerves, and even though this time he didn't, he was still the person that Scaramouche can't stand. The fact it applies to Aether should be enough to not ask him this question.

"No. I'm serious."

"I'm serious too. What is Lumine going to say at this? If this is a prank, stop it."

Scaramouche will be that other woman? Aether just showed up with Ayaka last night and that issue was already known around their acquaintance. What would they think about them suddenly becoming a couple after what happened yesterday? They thought Scaramouche was the other woman.

Scaramouche was more worried about his friend's reaction too.

Looking at Aether, Scaramouche realized Aether wasn't joking and was serious. That made him feel nervous and angry. He didn't expect something like this will happen. He's not ready for this.

"I hold grudges. I still have not forgotten that you say I'm blind and insulted my hairstyle." Scaramouche replied.

"I know. But I'm just saying the truth though, your hairstyle makes you blind so, you should change it or maybe, look at your surroundings so you wouldn't bump into someone. You're also insincere most of the time."

"You should be thankful I said sorry that time! Do you think I will forget about it? And, you also think I will agree with this ridiculous idea of yours because I'm also lonely like you?"

Aether sighed. "You're stubborn, aren't you? Thankfully, I have a lot of patience."

"Fuck you."

"You're just annoyed right now. Think about my offer if you calm down."

"No, why would I agree to be with you?"

"Because I am someone who could tolerate you?" Aether titled his head.

"Fuck you. I'm going."

The audacity to say that.

"Think about the benefits of us pretending. I will not only have an advantage here, you have many advantages over me."

Scaramouche shook his head. This guy literally lost his mind.

"It's already late, goodbye. Thanks for the ri----" Scaramouche cold voice becomes vain.

"This has to be that guy!"

"He made us wait for some hours, he should be here right now."

Bang!

The gate opened in aggressive manners. It reveals Albedo, Mona, Signora, Lumine, Tighnari, and Childe.

Scaramouche was frozen in his feet.

The others as well were frozen in sight.

'I completely forgot about them!' Scaramouche screamed in his mind. He forgot that Kazuha told him they will visit him later!

Aether was here with him. It is enough to cause a shock.

"...Is that you Aether?" Lumine was the first one to speak in a long silence. Looking back and forth between Aether and Scaramouche.

"Yes."

Scaramouche wanted to curse Aether. Fuck him!

Scaramouche knows this will go somewhere else and had to stop this.

"I think it's too late for this chitchat don't you think?" Scaramouche looks at Aether, with a look saying 'leave now' with a smile.

"Right, I should be going now." Thankfully, Aether wasn't dense. Aether looks at Lumine. "Call me if you want me to pick you up later."

Scaramouche and others watch Aether open his car and start the engine until the car finally moves to leave.

And then, Scaramouche looks at the quiet people.

"What's that?!"

Scaramouche knew he had to explain. Or else they will think something about it.