What Are The Top Fanfiction Tropes In Xiao X Aether Stories?

Alright, so this is a pairing I've sunk a pretty embarrassing amount of time into, scrolling through ao3 late into the night. The tropes tend to swirl around a few core dynamics, mostly because Venti's whole chaotic, ancient god-meets-messy bard thing creates a really fun contrast with Aether's traveler stability. You see a LOT of 'bard and his muse' setups, where Aether is the grounded, sometimes exasperated source of Venti's inspiration, leading to soft, artsy fluff. Then there's the opposite—'Celestia's Watch' or 'Archon's Duty' sort of fics that lean hard into Venti's godhood. Those get into angst about the burdens of immortality, with Aether as the mortal anchor who reminds him how to feel alive again. Found family with the Traveler, Paimon, and Venti just being weird roommates is also a huge, comfy niche. The one I'm a bit tired of is the 'drunken confession' trope; feels a bit overdone. More interesting are the rare ones that play with Aether's own mysterious, potentially ancient origins, making their connection one of equals lost in time.

You can practically map out the arcs before you even open the fic sometimes, and it's not necessarily a bad thing. A lot of the most-read stuff revolves around Aether's endless search for his sister clashing with his deepening connection to Xiao, that whole 'do I stay or do I go' tension. The yaksha's duty versus personal desire is another huge one—him believing his karmic debt makes him too dangerous to be close to anyone, especially someone as 'pure' as the traveler. Then there's the miscommunication trope, where one of them overhears something out of context or assumes the worst because they're both kinda terrible at talking about feelings. I've seen a few interesting ones where the conflict is external, like another adeptus or even a member of the Liyue Qixing disapproving of their bond. It's all about pitting devotion against some form of duty or perceived impossibility. Honestly, what keeps me coming back isn't the conflict itself but how it's resolved. Does Xiao finally accept that he deserves something good? Does Aether choose to make a home in Teyvat, even temporarily? The best fics make the angst feel earned, not just repetitive cycles of the same argument. I do wish there was more variety though, maybe exploring conflicts stemming from their vastly different lifespans or Aether's encounters in other nations creating distance.

I'm deep in the Diluc/Aether tag on AO3 and honestly, the amount of hurt/comfort is staggering. The whole 'Aether gets injured on a commission, Diluc patches him up at the winery' setup is basically the fandom's comfort food. It lets Diluc show that repressed care under the grumpy exterior, and Aether gets to be vulnerable in a way he usually can't as the Traveler. I've seen some writers nail the tension where Diluc is trying so hard to be clinical but his hands are shaking. There's also a weirdly popular modern AU where Diluc owns a high-end bar and Aether's a struggling artist or barista. It feels like an excuse to put them in suits and have Diluc be all possessive across a crowded room. The power dynamics shift completely outside of Teyvat's hierarchy, which is fun. One trope I've cooled on is the 'soulmate marks' variant where Diluc gets the mark after Aether loses his powers. It started feeling repetitive, like the emotional climax was always the reveal scene and then the story fizzles. I'd rather see them grapple with the actual canon implications—Aether searching for his sister, Diluc's vigilante double life—without a magical tattoo forcing them together. My absolute favorites are the rare post-Archon-quest fics where they're both just tired veterans, sharing a quiet drink without needing to say much. The silence between them says everything.

Xiao and Aether’s dynamic in fanfiction often expands on their canon interactions by diving deeper into their emotional connection. Many stories explore Xiao’s stoic exterior cracking as Aether’s persistent kindness slowly breaks through his walls. I’ve read fics where Xiao becomes Aether’s protector in a more personal sense, not just as a guardian of Liyue but as someone who genuinely cares for his well-being. These narratives often highlight their shared loneliness—Aether as a traveler from another world and Xiao as a yaksha burdened by centuries of battle. Some fics even reimagine their relationship as a slow-burn romance, with Xiao learning to trust and open up in ways the game only hints at. I particularly enjoy stories where Aether helps Xiao confront his past, offering him a sense of peace he’s never known. The way writers balance Xiao’s aloofness with Aether’s warmth creates a compelling dynamic that feels true to their characters while adding layers of depth. Another common theme is the exploration of their shared battles. Fanfics often depict them fighting side by side, with Xiao teaching Aether the intricacies of Liyue’s history and Aether offering Xiao a fresh perspective on life. These stories sometimes include moments of vulnerability, like Xiao admitting his fears of losing Aether to the dangers of Teyvat. I’ve also seen fics where Aether’s presence helps Xiao reconnect with the world, encouraging him to step out of his self-imposed isolation. The blend of action and emotional growth in these stories makes them stand out, offering a richer take on their canon interactions.

I keep circling back to the 'Guili Assembly AU' idea. You know, the one where Keqing's the overworked Yuheng and Aether's the wandering foreign envoy? It writes itself. It’s not even about the romance at first, it’s about the paperwork. He brings her weird pressed flowers from Dragonspine and she grumbles about them cluttering her reports, but the vase never stays empty. There’s something so right about them navigating that formal distance—the official meetings, the diplomatic courtesy—until it frays at the edges because they both work too hard and care too much. It’s a different flavor than the usual adventure partners. I’ve seen a few that play with the idea of a memory loss arc, but reversed. What if Aether was the one who forgot everything post-Khaenri'ah, and Keqing is left holding all these shared memories? That dynamic where she’s trying to rebuild a connection he doesn’t know is missing, while wrestling with her own pride about it, feels ripe for angst with a hopeful core. It leans into her meticulous, record-keeping nature in a really painful way. Honestly, I sometimes skip the high-stakes plots for the quieter ones where they’re just two people exhausted after a long day, sharing a meal at Wanmin Restaurant and bickering about the best way to mine ore. The trope isn’t a grand event; it’s the domesticity sneaking in between world-saving.

the Aether/Albedo ship has this very specific vibe that attracts certain tropes. A lot of it seems to center around the whole 'art and the artist' concept, which makes sense given Albedo's whole thing. You'll see a ton of fics where Aether becomes his muse, either literally for paintings or just as the emotional inspiration Albedo needs to break through some creative block. That one often gets paired with the 'emotionally constipated genius learns to feel' arc, which... honestly, feels a bit overdone sometimes. The 'pining while looking at sketches' trope is everywhere. Also, there's a weird amount of angst involving Albedo's chalk nature and him worrying he's not real or will turn to dust—lots of hurt/comfort there with Aether assuring him he's real. Another huge one is the 'found family' but with dragons. Because of Albedo's connection to Durin and his own creation, you get these long, slow-burn fics where Aether helps him navigate his inhuman side, sometimes even bonding over their shared 'outsider' status in Teyvat. The 'experiment gone wrong' trope pops up too, where Albedo's alchemy or a hilichurl experiment backfires and Aether has to nurse him back to health. It's a solid setup for forced proximity. The tropes aren't always unique to them, but the way they lean into Albedo's aesthetic—quiet labs, chalk dust, philosophical talks under the stars—gives them a distinct flavor compared to other Genshin ships.