#kinni needs to stop stifling and pinching his nose

[mochindayo]

It's Yellow Outside

Platonic; really; i swear; though i guess it could be romantic too? short little 1k fic

From the scene where, Aether’s goes to, boop, Kinich’s nose

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Aether stretched as he walked outside from the housing that he and Paimon were staying in, ready to start the day. Paimon urged Aether to take a slow day, after the rough commissions he encountered yesterday. Even Kinich was ganging up on him.

He finally relented, and Kinich compromised, saying that he would take them on a little hike, just so Aether wouldn’t feel cooped up the whole time. For that, Aether was very grateful. 

“Wow! Paimon can see all the little yellow particles today! Pollen must be really high,” Paimon mused, floating just beside him.

Aether hummed in agreement, absent-mindedly rubbing at his own nose. Tickly. Paimon giggled and blessed him. 

He turned to his left as he heard footsteps approaching him. Kinich!

He seemed unfazed by the thick air, though Aether noticed the slight tension in his jaw, the way his nostrils flared minutely when the wind shifted.

“Are you okay?” Aether asked with a light tone.

Kinich huffed, clearly in denial over something, “Yes, I can handle a little pollen, Aether.”

Aether held back a grin, knowing denial when he saw it. He didn’t push, but he didn’t miss the way that Kinich’s breath wavered ever so slightly as they made their way to a trail. He filed that thought away, waiting.

They were halfway up a gentle incline when the first real crack in Kinich’s composure appeared. A strong breeze rustled through the plants, sending a visible wave of golden pollen swirling around them–

“ihH’Kshiew’shiew!” Aether sniffled, blushing as he lost control of his own nose. He expected a blessing from Kinich, but when he looked over at him, he seemed a little preoccupied. 

His steps faltered as a sharp, yet barely audible inhale was taken. Aether watched in anticipation. Kinich’s brows furrowed, nose twitching as he breath hitched once–twice—

‘Hh’ngkt!-ngtch!-h’kgt!-gt-gt!” The stifles were nearly soundless, barely more than a sharp exhale through his nose. It was so contained, that Aether wouldn’t have noticed had they not been the only three out in the wilderness. 

Kinich sniffled quietly, urgently scrubbing his nose before his chest shuddered with another inhale–

“hH’tchh! Hh’ngktch! H’ngkt! H’ngkt! Hh…” Kinich barely contained the first one, but was able to wrangle the rest in. 

Aether winced. Those had to have hurt. 

“B-bless you,” the blonde whispered out, almost hesitantly. Kinich barely acknowledged it, only giving Aether a short nod and rubbing the underside of his nose with a knuckle. 

They continued on, Paimon was questioning Kinich about various local dishes and restaurants, trying to figure out where to start when they got back into the town. The longer they walked, the denser the pollen seemed to become. There was a hazy layer of dust that came with hiking through the mountainous areas as well. Kinich, despite his best efforts, was not holding up well against the pollen. 

He sniffled wetly every few minutes, rubbing his nose as subtly as possible. However, Aether could see that the longer they were out here, the more irritated Kinich’s nose became. He saw the way his breath hitched ever so slightly before being squashed away by pinching his nose. 

Paimon, for once, was watching quietly, darting glances of concern over at Aether. 

It wasn’t long before Kinich’s control really began to slip. His nose is getting the better of him. 

“Kinich, a-are you sure that–”

“hH’Ngkxt! hH’tchnk! hH’gkt’gktch’gktchh! I-I’m fihh’gktch! h’Ngkxtch! Fine.” A desperate barrage of 7 sneezes overtook Kinich, not really helping his ‘I’m fine’ case. 

“Kinich, really, we can go back….” Aether sighed with concern. Kinich opened his mouth to, more than likely, refuse, but his nose had other plans.

“hH’Tchh’uh! hHh’e’Gtchh! nngh–hH’TSChhuh! ehHeh’gnt!-gnt-gntch’uhh!” He was really beginning to struggle with silencing the sneezes. He let out a slow, controlled exhale afterwards. Breath still a little uneven, but the sneezes seemed to relent for now.

Aether took a step forward, Kinich took one step back.

“Kinich…”

“I’m fine,” Kinich sounded horribly congested now. He avoided Aether’s gaze. 

“You’re really n-”

“hHE’TSChuhh! heH’ATSChhh! hehh’hhh–hehhh!....hhehH…eh…hHh…” Kinich was stuck. All that holding back must’ve messed with him. Kinich’s face and nose were stuck in pre-sneeze misery. An endless hitching cycle. Aether watched endearingly, before giving a small tap to the tip of Kinich’s nose. That seemed to release him from his itchy, stuck misery. 

“A’TSCh’UHh!! heHG’TSChuhh!! H’ATSChhhieww!! HE’TSCHHhoo! hHG’SHOOo!!! hehHn…nnHHeHE’TGSHIeww!...hh…hehH’tschh! eH’Tschuhh!” Aether had never heard Kinich sneeze so loudly before. (not that he’d really seen him sneeze much in general except maybe random single or double, but–). His last two sneezes sounded of his normal volume. 

“Please, let me help you.” Aether gently grabbed Kinich’s forearm, leading him back to the village while Paimon shoved one of Aether’s handkerchiefs at Kinich’s face. He reluctantly accepted the handkerchief, softly blowing into it. His nose twitched again, another breath snagging in his chest, and this time, he didn’t try to stifle it into non-existence.

‘HhH’tSCHh’uhh! …hHt’choo!-hT’Tchhoo!” Kinich scrubbed at his nose with the handkerchief this time, blushing a deep red. 

As Aether led the three back, Kinich continued to sniffle and let out occasional sneezes here and there, though they came softer now. The pollen finally being released from his nose. 

“Paimon now thinks that you should also take the day off,” she said bluntly, “No offense, but you look awful.” Paimon truly meant it in a caring way, they could tell. 

Kinich shot her an unimpressed glare, but the effect was short lived as his breath hitched again.

“Hh’Tschh!! ehhiHHT’--hhHT….HH’GKSHHhuhh!!!” He groaned softly afterward, pinching away a growing headache between his eyes. 

Aether smiled, nudging him slightly, “she’s not wrong, y’know…”

Kinich grumbled, voice thick with congestion,”....fine.” 

“Just, let me take care of you, okay? Our friendship is not transactional. It’s okay to be cared for every once in a while, yeah?” Aether spoke gently, looking up at Kinich with his big, irresistible, amber eyes.

Paimon snorted, “heh, Aether, you should take your own advice sometimes.” Aether shot her a glare, but knew she was right. Kinich smirked, but said nothing. 

This was progress at least. 

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It’s on ao3 too if that’s your thing :)…

https://archiveofourown.org/works/63971227