[ Aether suppresses another laugh as Alhaitham's lips brush over his; he wants kisses much more than he wants to express his own amusement, but it's hard not to be amused by the scholar's line of questioning. Is he worried that someone is going to attack him in the teapot...? Really, now! ]

If I knew about them, they wouldn't be secret, now would they?

[ Oh, he's definitely playing coy. Aether's perfectly aware that more than a few of his friends might be interested in him — but if they are, then they're not the types who would profess that interest out loud, much less duel Alhaitham for his hand, and the scribe has "won the race," so to speak, by being a bit quicker than the rest to stake his claim. Plus, as previously mentioned — Aether's wanted to claim him, too. That's the more important factor here.

He settles his head on Alhaitham's shoulder, smiling a little smugly up at him, curled up quite comfortably on his lap. ]

I don't think there's anything that you need to worry about... I mean, who could be more impressive than the former Grand Sage of Sumeru?

[ Well, the Iudex of Fontaine and the Guuji of the Narukami Shrine are fairly distinguished personages... but they don't have secret crushes on Aether. At least, the traveler's pretty sure they don't. ]