Discovery | Albedo's Descent Book 1

Chapter 5: Slow Progress

When Lisa and Kaeya went back to Albedo, he was almost finished with the "i" pile and was reading the beginning of a book. He hadn't seemed to notice the others yet.
Lisa nudged Kaeya silently, wiggling her eyebrows at him.
Kaeya shook his head, turning pale. It were as if he would die.
Lisa held in a laugh, whispering, "you'll be fine. Where'd your confidence go?"
"It ran away," Kaeya whispered back.
Albedo finally noticed their approach. He closed the book and greeted them, "welcome back. I trust you resolved your issue?"
Lisa nodded, "yup! Crisis averted!"
Albedo smiled, "that's good." He placed the book on top of one of the piles.
Lisa forced Kaeya to sit down near-ish Albedo while she sat at Albedo's other side. "Was it interesting?"
Albedo shrugged, "interesting? Yes... Entertaining?... Not particularly."
"Mmm," Lisa hummed as she picked up a book, "shame..."
Albedo agreed as he continued sorting.
"What was it about?" Kaeya asked, gathering himself together again. There really was no reason for him to act differently around Albedo, was there?... His worry was all in his head and that shouldn't stop him. He silently thanked Lisa for her wisdom earlier. Maybe she put a spell on him or something, he thought.
"It was a log of where the best places to find different grasses are, but it only told of places in Mondstat." Albedo sighed, closing his eyes, "I'd love to hear about Sumeru and their Archon."
Kaeya lifted a book and read over the title, "have you ever been outside of Mondstat?"
Albedo paused, "... maybe... I'm not sure. I've been all over Dragonspine, so I may have strayed into Liyue a few times."
Kaeya nodded as he set the book on top of a small stack to his left.
Albedo sighed quietly as he organized. "Oh, Lisa, I keep forgetting to ask. I would like to paint a portrait of Jean to go in her office, since it seems she'll be Acting Grand Master for a while."
Lisa smiled, "I think she'd love that! But, she doesn't have much time for getting a portrait done..."
Albedo smiled, "that's fine. I can work from my mind."
Lisa chuckled, "it'll be a nice surprise for her. I'm glad you want to paint her."
Albedo nodded, "I've wanted to for some time, actually. I just haven't been in town for a while."
Lisa sighed in content, "I'm sure it'll make her smile."
Albedo paused before nodding.
"Oh, have you wanted to paint anyone else while you're here?" Lisa inquired.
Albedo nodded, "I've started sketching a few people, though I don't think I'll paint them."
"Like who?" Lisa asked.
"Huffman, Chloris, and a few others," Albedo's eyes drifted around the room as he thought. "Oh, and you too," he turned to Kaeya.
"Me?" He blinked.
Albedo nodded, "I have a few complaints."
"Complaints? About my appearance?" Kaeya started to feel a little nervous on the inside. He blew air out of his nose, "like what?"
"Your outfit," Albedo stated, "why is it so complicated? Why are there so many layers? What even is it?"
Kaeya laughed, "that's it?"
"Yes..." Albedo was a little confused as to why he was laughing.
Kaeya stood up, "hold on," he ran across the room and retrieved his boa and cape, along with its layers.
(These are just my head canons on how I think it works??????????? I dunno-)
Kaeya sat back down next to Albedo, showing him how to put it on. "It's quite simple, normally I don't even secure it in any way at all. It's weighted evenly so it's can't really fall off anyways."
Albedo watched him carefully, "but what is the point in all of it..."
"Well, I think it makes me look nicer," Kaeya smiled, "but it has practical uses as well. Sometimes if I use my vision too often, I get cold."
"Hmm," the gears in Albedo's brain were turning rapidly, "may I?" He reached out his arm.
Kaeya nodded and handed Albedo the boa and cape.
Albedo turned it around a few times, studying it.
Lisa watched, glad that Kaeya had gotten over himself. She could see how much better Kaeya felt when he was engaging with the alchemist.
Albedo slipped the boa over his own shoulders, "oh... it's heavier than I thought..." it didn't fit very well on his slender shoulders and was much too long for his height.
Kaeya laughed as he lifted it over Albedo's head and took it back, "it's been tailored to fit me perfectly."
"That must have been awfully expensive," Albedo noted.
Kaeya nodded, "I'd rather not share the exact price."
Albedo actually chuckled, "back to what I was saying,"
It wasn't much of anything, but that little chuckle made Kaeya feel so much. After everything, just to see Albedo smiling like that was amazing to him.
"Your outfit is so incredibly difficult to draw," Albedo nodded to himself, "it really seems unnecessary."
Lisa agreed, "incredibly unnecessary. But I guess it's just a part of Kaeya's personality."
"Yes... I guess it would be quite different if Kaeya dressed normally," he looked Kaeya up and down once more, "though, then I wouldn't have wanted to sketch him in the first place."
"Really?," Lisa smiled wider, "becuase of his clothes?"
"Sort of," Albedo tilted his head from side to side, "mostly because I just find him interesting."
Lisa threw her gaze over at Kaeya, meaning to tease him but he didn't look at her. His eyes were trained on Albedo in surprise as his face grew pink. She was surprised at how open Kaeya was being. Then again, he was probably off fantasizing and hadn't noticed he wasn't alone.
Albedo stretched out his fingers and cracked his knuckles as he sighed and leaned against a bookshelf. He closed his eyes as he pulled off his gloves and set them to the side.
"Don't go to sleep," Lisa chided.
Albedo shook his head, "I'm only resting my eyes for a moment..."
Kaeya snapped out of his head, but kept staring at Albedo.
Lisa mouthed, "say something."
Kaeya cocked his head to the side mouthing back, "like what?"
Lisa shrugged and gestured to Albedo, "go get yourself a man,"
Kaeya blinked, then his face got more red and he mumbled to himself, "you don't have to say it like that..." Nevertheless, Kaeya did walk over to where Albedo was and sat next to him rather closely.
Albedo opened one of his eyes to watch him with a curious gaze.
"Tired?" Kaeya smiled as he rested his arm against his knee.
Albedo shook his head, "not really,"
"Do your eyes hurt, then?" He asked.
Albedo nodded slowly, leaning back and closing his eyes again, "if I am reading for too long it gets a little blurry..."
Kaeya chuckled as he teased, "just how many books did you read while waiting for us to come back?"
Albedo smiled just a little bit, "only a third of one."
Kaeya found himself reaching out towards Albedo. He chose not to stop himself, there wasn't any reason to. It wasn't like he was doing anything wrong or weird! He needed to train his brain to stop filtering everything when he was with Albedo. There was no reason to act so differed at around him.
Kaeya brushed a bit of Albedo's hair away from his face.
Albedo opened his eyes, staring back at him with a almost minty color.
Kaeya opened his mouth to speak but Albedo beat him to it. Well, he didn't talk, but he certainly stopped Kaeya from talking.
Albedo reached towards Kaeya, placing his hand around Kaeya's earring and examining it as he leaned closer.
Kaeya faltered. Then, he chuckled again, "you are so..."
Albedo's eyes flickered up to meet Kaeya's.
"Curious," he finished as he moved his hand down, but left it floating nearby.
Albedo hummed in interest, "yes I suppose I am..." he went back to messing with Kaeya's earring.
"Must you thoroughly examine everything?" Kaeya asked softly.
Albedo nodded, "if I am to draw it, I need to understand how it really is..."
"But something as obscure as an earring?" He raised a brow.
Albedo nodded again, "of course. Details are important to me."
"Then," Kaeya smiled as he took Albedo's wrist, "why not examine something more interesting?"
Albedo slowly made eye contact, unsure where Kaeya was leading the conversation.
"Like my face, for instance?" The Cavalry Captain pressed Albedo's hand against his cheek, leaning into it. He ignored the chill creeping down his spine at how cold Albedo's hand was.
Albedo tilted his head to the side slightly. He looked like he wanted to say something.
"I'm sure my face is the center piece of your sketch, considering it's all my best features," Kaeya smirked.
Albedo paused, "but I've already studied your face..."
"When?" Kaeya leaned farther into Albedo's hand while still holding it against his face. It was limp in his hand and he was trying to pressure Albedo into not being a rag doll.
Albedo caught his words. Sucrose had been repeatedly telling him not to say things like that because it was weird. He held back his explanation, trying to think of a way out. He didn't want Kaeya to think he was creepy... he much preferred it when Kaeya called him "interesting" or "curious"... Now that he thought about it, the way Kaeya had said so was a little...
"Well?" Kaeya smiled, "don't hold back on me, now."
Albedo wasn't sure what to say. He was having an internal conflict that he didn't know how to resolve. He made a note to apologize to Sucrose later. There was no way out he could see. "Every time I see you,"
Kaeya seemed startled, "every... time...?"
Albedo nodded, "as with everyone..."
Kaeya's eyes softened as he blew air out of his nose, "how are you so observant? Did you teach yourself or does it come naturally?"
"Naturally, I guess," Albedo said slowly. "It's just simple-" His sentence got stuck in his throat as Kaeya closed his eyes. He hummed to let Albedo know he was still listening and pressed Albedo's hand gently into his face.
Albedo stared. He didn't think he'd been this close to a person without them backing away before. He remembered that someone had said to him that when he was focused he'd forget what personal space was. He had the thought to move away first but... The Captain didn't mind at all. In fact, he seemed to be enjoying the closeness.
To Lisa, who was watching from an awkward angle, it looked like a mess. She rolled her eyes, wishing Kaeya would just kiss him already. That would actually be kind of funny, she thought. She wondered how Albedo would react to something like that.
"Simple what?" Kaeya asked him to continue.
"Simple observation..." Albedo finished quietly.
Kaeya chuckled, his eyes still closed, "if you asked me to describe even one part of Rosaria's outfit I probably wouldn't be able to. I don't even know what color her eyes are."
"Really?" Albedo's hand came to life as he slid his thumb downwards, feeling the texture of Kaeya's face.
Kaeya nodded, finally opening his eyes with a smile, "do you see why I think you're so remarkable, now?"
Albedo's lips moved to copy the word "remarkable" as if it were in a completely different language.
Kaeya rubbed the back of Albedo's hand, "I'll have you know that I think very highly of you."
Albedo's eyes shifted downwards. He thought hard about what he should say back. He felt a little embarrassed by the compliment, actually. He couldn't meet Kaeya's eyes anymore.
Kaeya turned his head and spoke into Albedo's hand, making his breath colder, "you don't get complimented often, do you?" He chuckled at his own comment and opened his eyes.
Albedo kept his eyes focused on his hand, unable to respond to that question. He resisted the urge to shiver at the cold. He felt like reacting to anything Kaeya did would be... not good...
Kaeya had a look on his face that Albedo hadn't seen before, "hmf, you're cute like this,"
Albedo opened his mouth to protest, though he didn't know exactly why. He just wanted Kaeya to stop making fun of him.
Kaeya let go of Albedo's hand and it fell back at his side. Then, he took Albedo's face in both his hands, smiling.
Albedo stared up at him, what was Kaeya trying to do? Was he really so adamant to tease him?
"Albedo," Kaeya's brows knit together, "why are you always so cold? Has Dragonspine altered your temperature that much?"
Albedo blinked, "it hasn't..."
Kaeya shivered, "but you're always so cold." Then he chuckled, "what? Are you trying to find someone to keep you warm~"
"No," Albedo responded doubtfully. "I'm sure my temperature is just lower than yours..."
Kaeya chuckled, drawing closer, "because you're so short~"
Albedo sighed, closing his eyes, "I don't appreciate being the object of your teasing..."
"Well it's only fun when they don't appreciate it," Kaeya taunted.
Albedo was tempted to move away and go back to alphabetizing books, but something compelled him to stay put. He opened his eyes again, taking in the sight of Kaeya's features so close to him. He forgot whatever witty comeback he had made up. He noticed that the Captain's eyelashes were longer than he thought, and his eyes were especially shiny up close.
Albedo leaned nearer to see more clearly.
Kaeya seemed surprised by his approach, but didn't move away. He didn't show any signs of displeasure, for that fact.
Albedo was slightly disappointed that Kaeya hadn't backed away. That would have been a convenient way out. "What are you hiding under your eyepatch?"
Kaeya laughed, "I have nothing to hide."
Albedo narrowed his eyes, "we both know that isn't true. Lisa knows that isn't true."
Kaeya chuckled, "why do you want to know?"
"Why wouldn't I? It's an important part of your... look?"
Kaeya shook his head with a smile as he sat back, removing his hands from Albedo's face. "I don't think it's all that interesting or important."
It was obvious that Kaeya didn't want to have this conversation. Albedo pulled his gloves back on and turned to the books again.
Kaeya watched him quizzically. He was just going to move on? Like nothing happened? He really was oblivious...