Discovery | Albedo's Descent Book 1

Chapter 17: Getting Somewhere

Albedo woke up again. This time he was encased in a cozy cocoon. It was bright? Had he slept until the next afternoon?
He slowly wiggled his head out, trying to find out the time. The library was completely dark, except for a warm yellow light close by. But there were no lamps or candles?
Albedo tuned around, but it wasn't behind him as it had seemed. Then he gasped quietly, lifting his hand to his throat. As he pressed his fingers to his skin, the light was covered up.
Was the symbol on his throat glowing?... It wasn't as bright as a lamp, but it was bright enough that he could see a few feet around him. He could see Kaeya sprawled out, breathing deeply as he slept. Conversely, Lisa was curled up in a cocoon of her own.
Albedo didn't feel as heavy as earlier, so he made his way to sit closer to them both. What was odd was that he felt warmer than usual. Maybe that was because he had been wrapped in all those blankets but... this felt different. He gazed around absently, he didn't think he could produce his own light... Then again, he didn't make a habit of waking up in the middle of the night. Normally he was awake all night anyways... but this had never happened...
He would have to ask Lisa what exactly her spell did. Albedo sighed as he laid down near Kaeya.
The alchemist wondered what Lisa and the Captain were dreaming about. Albedo, himself, didn't dream often at all. Although, every once in a while he would... whenever he did, it was the same.
Someone staring at him darkly in the distance. It's snowing heavily. They grip a sword in their hand tightly. Albedo finds a sword in his own hand, his hand numb from holding it so tightly. That person is just staring... He can feel their hatred from what seems like 200 meters away. Albedo wonders if he had done something to them, though he knows he had never met them... He had no idea who it was...
Albedo shook his head. He didn't like thinking about it.
He closed his eyes and pulled a blanket over himself, smothering the light from his neck. He waited for sleep to reclaim him.

Lisa sat up from having her face shoved in the blankets, which she had done to herself. She looked around, seeing that both Kaeya and Albedo were still asleep.
Albedo was closer to Kaeya than Lisa remembered. She was glad that Albedo wasn't uncomfortable around him. She smiled to herself as she closed her eyes and checked the time.
5:00 AM.
Lisa sighed as she laid back down. It was way too early to be up.
She paused before pushing Kaeya closer to Albedo so they were almost touching, but not quite. Lisa giggled to herself as she buried herself again.

Albedo's eyes flickered open. He felt someone stroking his face, but everything was blurry. He opened and closed his eyes a few times before he could actually see.
Kaeya lay next to him, smiling at him with the most genuine expression he had ever seen on the Captain's face.
Albedo was surprised, his eyes widening.
Kaeya smiled as he brushed some of Albedo's hair out of his face and behind his ear. "Did I wake you?"
Albedo didn't honestly know, "uhm..."
Kaeya chuckled, "Lisa hasn't woken up yet... I think it's been at least a full 24 hours since you've been healed."
Albedo still couldn't understand Kaeya's motive... Why was he being so nice?... Then again, Albedo was the one who had moved near him.
There was morning light flooding through the high windows, glaring off of some of the glossier books.
The alchemist gazed around, the gears slowly grinding in his head.
Kaeya chuckled as he laid his head in his hand, "what are you trying to figure out?"
Albedo paused, "I feel like there was something important I needed to do..."
Kaeya remembered something, "Klee's probably worried sick!"
Albedo's eyes snapped back in his direction, "you're right..."
Kaeya sighed, "she can wait a few more hours, can't she?..."
Albedo nodded slowly as he closed his eyes, "yeah... I still feel so exhausted..."
Kaeya smiled, "you know, Albedo... I was pretty sure you were over there when I put you down last night." He gestures to the spot where he had, indeed, set Albedo down, "how'd you get over here? Did you miss me?" The Captain poked Albedo's nose, but he asked the question seriously.
"Not... necessarily..." Albedo stopped to think, "it was more... I felt secluded over there..." He cracked a smile, "and I'm certain you were not so close to me. Maybe it was you who missed me?"
Kaeya's face grew warm. How was he supposed to know that?! He puffed out his cheeks, pouting, "I probably just moved in my sleep or something..."
Albedo laughed tiredly, "I don't really care, but... you're always so close to me and... I cant help but wonder why? I know we've already decided you communicate better through touch... but I feel like there is something else..."
"Mmm, I dunno, is there?" Kaeya raised one of his brows.
Albedo smiled, "who knows?"
Kaeya felt his heart melting. He knew he must be blushing but he honestly didn't care. He sank into the comfort of the bean bag bed, smiling at the alchemist. Albedo was playing along with his little teasings... that was so cute, he thought.
Albedo laughed a little to himself as he closed his eyes again. He was pretty sure he knew now. Why Kaeya was being so nice to him. And why he was always being so touchy with him. And why he would get so embarrassed. Kaeya was in love with him, wasn't he? Well, maybe not love... that seemed too strong of a description.
As he thought, his smile slowly melted away. Yes, it felt nice to know that someone felt that way about him but... He was made of chalk... he couldn't be in a relationship. He didn't even know if he could feel that way. He certainly never tried... Plus, he had so many responsibilities and other things... did he even have time to consider being...
Kaeya spoke, "Albedo? What are you thinking about?"
"Work," Albedo responded. It actually wasn't really a lie... he had remembered what he was supposed to do. He sighed, "I'll have to get up soon."
"No you don't," Kaeya smiled as Albedo opened his eyes again. "You could just stay here... with me..."
Albedo blinked at him. Did Kaeya really not care that he wasn't human?... Lisa made it seem so before but was it true?...
Kaeya's eyes drifted away in embarrassment because Albedo hadn't answered immediately.
"Oh-" Albedo realized he hadn't spoken, "uh, I don't particularly like the idea of getting up..."
Kaeya smiled a little bit.
"Uh- you have questions, right?..." Albedo felt nervous. 1: because he was afraid that Kaeya wouldn't like his answers... 2: because Kaeya might like him... he didn't know how to deal with someone who liked him...
Kaeya nodded, "where should I start... Since you are made of chalk, does that mean when you get scraped that you get, uh, shaved down?"
Albedo blinked twice. Then he laughed, "no, Kaeya. My body was made to behave like a human's,"
Kaeya's face got incredibly red as he kept his eyes off of Albedo, "right... uh, so you can eat and stuff?..."
Albedo nodded, "I'm pretty sure I have all the same organs as everyone else."
"So you..." Kaeya stopped himself, then moved on, "uh, if you aren't human, then why are you so concerned about something controlling your mind?..."
Albedo hesitated. He was hoping this question wouldn't come up until later... He sighed quietly, "becuase I'm not human, my mind is rather... weak in comparison. Take yourself as an example, you're very strong willed and very solid in your morals. I... I'm not as secure... I don't really have the *will* to drive back something if it were to try... That probably doesn't make much sense to you, but..."
"No, I think I understand..." Kaeya said slowly. Then he decided to ask a question he'd been thinking about, "Albedo... you said you weren't interested in being in a relationship because you have responsibilities... is that really true?..."
Albedo paused for a long moment, "it's only a half truth... I just..." He'd never really talked to anyone about how he felt about certain things... this was certainly very new to him... "I'm... afraid that I wouldn't be... a good partner because-"
"Because you aren't human?" Kaeya smiled, "I think you're overthinking. It really doesn't take much to be a 'good partner'. Well, it depends on the person. For me, I don't really care about most things. I guess I just wouldn't want my partner to be easily angered," he laughed, "Rosaria says I have a very aggravating personality."
Albedo smiled a little bit.
"Don't worry, I'm not that hard to please," Kaeya chuckled, "I'm a simple man, all I require are cuddles and kisses."
Albedo held his smile in place as he closed his eyes in thought. Now that Albedo was suspicious of Kaeya, everything the Captain had done towards Albedo seemed very... romantic, in a lack of better words. Was Kaeya really... or did he act like that around everyone?... Well, it wasn't like Kaeya had tried to kiss him... that would have been an obvious way to tell.
Kaeya reached his hand out, resting it against Albedo's arm and rubbing him gently, "tired?"
Albedo nodded, "very. Do you have any other questions?"
"Since, we are on the topic," his cheeks grew pink, "what would your ideal partner be like?"
Albedo blinked, staring at him, "I... don't know... I've never really thought about it... I honestly can't really see myself being in a relationship..."
Kaeya smiled, "I'm sure the right person is out there somewhere, waiting for you."
Albedo paused, "but if I'm made of chalk and if I were to be with that person, it could throw everything out of balance. From my research, nothing in nature responds to me the same as they would a person... It's like I'm wearing a very bad disguise."
Kaeya tilted his head, "what do you mean?..."
"I mean... the world doesn't see me as a human, so if I were to be with someone, then that would be inhibiting that person from being with their... true and destined significant other."
Kaeya looked at him with a worried expression, "Albedo... you shouldn't care. It doesn't matter if you aren't human or how the world sees you, it shouldn't be their choice what you do. If you like someone and they make you happy, Teyvat shouldn't have a say whether or not you are with them."
Albedo hesitated. He didn't know how to explain this, "but it could shatter the balance of Teyvat..."
Kaeya shook his head. He poked Albedo in the forehead, "it doesn't matter. So what if the world decides to throw a fit and fall apart? At least, you'd be with the person you love..."
Albedo really didn't like how high this was on Kaeya's 'important' list. It was rather worrisome...
Kaeya sighed, "trust me, being sad and lonely isn't fun."
Albedo nodded, "I... I know, but..."
"You don't value yourself enough," Kaeya took his hand back slowly, "wouldn't Klee want you to be happy? Do you think she'd care if the apocalypse started becuase of it?"
Albedo smiled, seeing how silly he must seem from Kaeya's perspective, "no, she wouldn't care at all..."
Kaeya chuckled, "then don't think too hard about it."
Albedo nodded, closing his eyes again. "Can I ask you a question, now?"
Kaeya smiled, "of course."
Albedo debated for a moment, "... why are you-"
Lisa gasped loudly as she emerged from her cocoon, "ah! I made it!"
Albedo sent her a confused look.
She caught her breath, "I was fighting for my life down there!"
Kaeya giggled quietly to himself.
Lisa narrowed her eyes at him. Then, her eyes widened very dramatically, "Kaeya! You're cuddling with Albedo?!"
"No!" Kaeya's face got very red, "we obviously aren't!"
"I don't know," Lisa glared at him, "if you just had your arms out, you-"
"Be quiet," Kaeya threw a pillow that hit Lisa square in the face. He sighed, "I'm sorry about her... she doesn't know when to stop talking."
Albedo chuckled, "it's not a big deal. I can see that we aren't, so I don't really care."
"Humph! You guys are no fun!" Lisa slowly made her way off of the bean bag bed.
"Right," Kaeya seemed embarrassed.
Albedo raised his eyebrows, "Kaeya?"
Kaeya felt a shiver go down his spine from Albedo's teasing tone. His stomach fluttered as he met his eyes, seeing his cheeky smile. "Yes?" He managed to utter quietly.
"You're awfully red," his smile grew as he pulled his arms out from under the covers, "would you really mind that much if we were cuddling?"
Kaeya couldn't hold his gaze and he quickly averted his eyes. "It's- it's not that I would mind... I just... that isn't something I do with everyone..."
"Really? I thought that you-"
"I only... I only do that with someone I really like..."
"Then is that the same to you as when you were holding me?"
Kaeya held in his screaming. Albedo had to know now, right?! There was no way he didn't! "That's..."
"Because I..." Albedo sat up, his cheeks getting a little pink, "I didn't really mind that..."
Kaeya felt his face getting warm. He opened his mouth to speak.
Albedo made his way towards the edge of the bean bag bed.
"Ah- wait!" Kaeya grabbed his arm.
Albedo wouldn't look back at him. He didn't even know why he said something so unnecessary...
"You cant- you cant just say something like that and walk away..." Kaeya held his arm very lightly, worried he might start shaking and Albedo would notice...
Albedo took a breath before looking over his shoulder, his cheeks slightly pink, "why not?"
"Because..." Kaeya's eyes wandered, "you... you just can't..."
"Why?" Albedo asked quietly, he didn't even know why he felt so embarrassed of himself...
"Because it-" Kaeya sounded exasperated and his face was incredibly red and he couldn't even look at Albedo anymore. "It sends mixed signals... I cant tell what you mean by that..."
"I mean exactly what I said..." Albedo turned his face away. "I... didn't mind... being held by you..."
Kaeya's hand fell, his heart aching. He couldn't even think anymore. All his brain processed was Albedo's eyes that wouldn't look at him and Albedo's pink cheeks and his embarrassed expression.
Albedo added an explanation, "I... you're very warm, Kaeya... it feels nice..." it sounded like there was more to that sentence but he didn't continue.
"Ah..." Kaeya didn't know what to say... What was he supposed to do with that statement?!
Albedo stood, straightening his clothes. He cleared his throat, "I... I have some work to catch up on. And Klee probably thinks I'm dead..." he quickly left the library.
Kaeya shoved his face into the blankets, screaming. Quite literally.
Lisa raised her brows from where she had been watching the whole time, "seriously? You're acting like a baby."
Kaeya suddenly looked up at her, "how long have you been-"
"I've never left!" She exclaimed. "You were supposed to smirk at him and take him in your arms and say, 'like this?' And his face was supposed to get all red and you were supposed to lovingly stare into each others' eyes and-"
Kaeya started screaming again, muffling himself with pillows as he rolled around like a madman.
Lisa also started screaming, "GET UP AND LISTEN! YOU MISSED A PERFECT OPPORTUNITY!!!!!"
Kaeya refused to move as Lisa tugged at his shirt.
"Seriously!" Lisa sat next to him, "totally missed opportunity!"
Kaeya whined, "Lisaaaaaa...."
Lisa rolled her eyes as she looked at his incredibly red face, "what, Kaeya?"
Kaeya looked like he was about to cry, "what am I supposed to do?..."
"Uhm, I just gave you an example!"
Kaeya looked away, "I cant do that..."
"Of course you can! It isn't that hard!"
"No, I mean... not to Albedo..." Kaeya sighed quietly, "I... I think he knows now..."
"Good for him," she nodded.
"But what if he hates it..."
Lisa sighed angrily as she fell backwards onto the pillows, "if he hated it I think he wouldn't have said that to you!"
Kaeya blinked, "you really think so?..."
"Duh! Are you blind?!"
Kaeya paused, "partially..."
Lisa felt annoyed and exasperated, "that's it! You are resolving this today! I don't care how cute your pining over each other is! You are going to confess to him today whether you like it or not!"
".... You're not my mom..."
"I am now!" She smacked the back of his head harshly.
Kaeya frowned, "you don't have to hit me... If he already knows then what's the point in confessing?..."
"Because you know Albedo! He'll look at it from every angle and find a way to think you don't like him! Honestly, he seriously cannot accept it when people actually care."
Kaeya nodded, "yeah, okay..."
"Good. Now you need to get thinking," she snapped and the bean bag bed disappeared.
Kaeya fell to the floor barely managing to catch himself before he face-planted.