Time and Being || Albedo

27 - Intrusion

The ear-splitting sound of glass shattering made Albedo's eyes shoot open. He sat up quickly making your hand fall from his torso.

"What's going on?" you asked, not waking up as quickly as he had. He shook his head, not knowing the answer himself.

"I'll go check. Stay here," he responded, standing up. Before he exits the room he turns around, "I mean it this time."

You're not given the chance to respond before the door shuts, leaving you in the darkroom with no way of traversing.

You were never the one to listen to instructions like that, but seeing as you couldn't walk even if you wanted to, you sighed, laying back down in the bed.

The alchemist sorted his hair out as he rushed down the stairs to the second floor. As he reached the darkened level, his eyes caught on to a figure collapsed on the floor, hardly moving.

He examined several things at once: the swung open door of his lab, hardly hanging off the wall by a singular bolt. Various puddles of water were splayed onto different ends on the ground, all of this accompanied by the fresh scent of mist grass.

He's quickly able to determine that it was a Fatui ambush. This time, quite clearly, a harbinger. Having spent time researching with you, it was easy to understand that they had used their delusion. The drops of water allowed him to zero in on the perpetrator. A hydro vision was used. Likely, the same hydro vision hooked onto Tartaglia's belt.

Despite his frustrations, Albedo navigates the dimly lit room to find the person laying on the tiled floor. The faux fur and knightly attire helped Albedo recognize Kaeya from behind. His shoulders shook and he heaved heavy breaths. He looked unhurt but the alchemist couldn't tell for sure in the darkness.

The blonde reaches out and touches the back of Kaeya's shoulder blade. The sudden touch causes the knight to twist sharply and raise a dagger to the unknown figure.

The sharp blade would have easily sliced through Albedo's throat if he had not caught the knight's wrist in time.

"Calm down," Albedo speaks, "Whoever was here is certainly gone by now."

Kaeya's body relaxes once he's able to recognize Albedo's familiar voice. A sigh leaves the knight as he lowers his weapon, "Albedo," Kaeya huffs, "You've become quite the problem for me recently, do you know that?"

"Are you hurt?" Albedo questions, dismissing Kaeya's comment.

"I'm fine," the knight, tucks his dagger into his coat and attempts to climb to his feet, "I can't say the same about your workshop though--" Kaeya then sucks in a sharp breath and his steady body wavers slightly.

Albedo reaches forward to try and catch the knight but Kaeya brushes him off, rising to his feet on his second try.

Albedo's eyes follow the knight as Kaeya walks toward the workshop, rolling his shoulders back as if they were sore. There was a slight limp to his step but Kaeya refused to show his weakness.

"Did you see who it was?" Albedo asks, trying to ignore Kaeya's unnecessary pride.

"It was too dark to see but he sure liked to talk," Kaeya leans down to pick up his sword from the glass-littered floor, "He kept going on about a duel and was most definitely looking for you."

"A duel?"

Kaeya spins his sword before sheathing it on his belt, "I'm not sure myself, he said something along the lines of 'I came to spar with the alchemist but I guess you'll do'," The knight's boots crunch against the glass shards as he walks to the broken window, checking outside before turning back, "I kept him talking for as long as I could. They're were a few things that piqued my interest."