Chapter Text
Epilogue: Release
Albedo remembered falling—the feeling of his stomach rising into his chest. Water sounded like trumpets in his ears, the wind against his face as clarinets singing in solemn harmony.
He saw flashes of consciousness. But, in the end, all he remembered was Kaeya—blue hair slipping around his cheeks as he sunk deeper into the lake they had found themselves in. He had been knocked out from the impact as, when they were falling from a waterfall, he bore the brunt of the impact with the water on Albedo’s behalf.
Albedo was never a swimmer. His lungs ached and air was caught in his throat as he withheld the urge to gasp for the breath he didn’t have.
His fists found Kaeya’s shirt with desperation—they clung to him as if they had always belonged there, somewhere against Kaeya’s skin. Albedo pulled the deadweight up back towards the surface and felt the orchestra of geo swell around him, as if Albedo was subconsciously calling upon his affinity just to confirm he was alive and real.
For someone who had just seen the tragic allegory of his own story, he tried so much to survive—as if somewhere deep inside of him was the hope there was something more to his life—something more for both him and Kaeya. It took the strength leaving his body and his vision doubling to realize that much—that he wanted, even more than the truth of the world, to live.
By the time his lungs gave out, a face broke through the ice and retrieved them.
Albedo woke up in the church.
He laid amidst the pews, along the first bench. Seated beside his head is Eula and cast off into the church’s shadows where the window-stained light doesn’t reach is Rosaria. When Albedo opened his eyes, Eula perked up to attention.
“You. You’re finally awake,” Eula said and looked as if about to stand.
Albedo extended a hand and gestured for her to stay seated. As he raised himself, he clutched his head expecting a surge of pain, but pleasantly found nothing but a slight ache from the natural lighting.
“Where’s Kaeya?” Albedo asked; his mind was fixated on one thing only—the sight of Kaeya’s body peacefully sinking deeper and deeper into the abyssal lake depths as if being reclaimed, as if an indulgence of Albedo’s the world was never going to allow him.
“He woke up before you. He went out with Rosaria to drink.”
Albedo’s expression flattened, but there was a subtle tension in his brow. “And you allowed them?”
Eula sighed. “What was my word going to help with? Mondstadt is a free nation.”
“... I’ll go find them, then—”
“No,” Eula responded firmly. “You’re staying here and talking. You’re lucky I’m in tune with the elements, or else I would never have felt the way your bodies lit up like a beacon under the water.”
She saved us, then…? Albedo thought to himself. “Where was this authority when Kaeya was leaving?”
“Will you put that to rest, already?” Eula huffed and crossed her arms. “Whatever. I’ll let you leave—but, tell me, Albedo.”
I suppose it’s in her nature to want to know everything that is happening. I don’t blame her. “There was a… domain, per se, that allowed us to see an ancient civilization. That’s truly all there is to it with regard to the situation at face-value.”
“I see… Then, how was Kaeya?”
“Pardon?”
“You’re brilliant enough to know what I’m insinuating.”
“... Oh,” Albedo said amidst his realization.
He considered his answer deeply, despite the fact there was generally no stakes to whatever he would say.
“I… requested for Kaeya when I first woke up, didn’t I? … I suppose that embodies the matter to its fullest.”
Eula nodded. “I see,” she responded simply and took his words in.
Albedo opened his mouth to reply, but lacked the ability to find his words. Finally, he added, “I’d like to think I learned something valuable, this time around—that maybe… I’m not as alone as I need to be.”
“To find companionship with that man is almost ironic.”
“I suppose it is,” Albedo continued, fondly, “I suppose it is.”
When Eula opened the cathedral doors for him, Albedo was met with a chilling air that bit at his hot breaths. But, a constellation-swarmed sky welcomed him to a place he was finally comfortable with calling home. Seeing the depths of the abyss and a cage that was the scene for delirium and death allowed Albedo a more appreciative outlook on Mondstadt’s humble setting.
“Albedo,” a voice called, sultry yet quiet as if not to disturb the slumbering city below them. “You’re alright, I assume?”
Albedo nodded and came to the man’s side subconsciously. When he looked back, Eula offered him a curt nod before walking away to her own abode. Not wanting to keep Kaeya waiting, Albedo responded, “Yes. I’m fine.”
“Good,” Kaeya said with relief showing through the subtle sigh towards the end of his response. “I’m glad—I don’t know what I would have done if all our rescue efforts were for naught.”
Albedo noticed a cigarette on his lips. Knowledgeable of Rosaria’s habits, Albedo was wondering if it was proffered by her to ease Kaeya’s residual stress—not that Albedo was sure if Kaeya had any residual stress; perhaps, it was merely for aesthetic reasons.
“... Smoking is bad for your health,” Albedo commented just as an attempt to make conversation. Normally, he wouldn’t busy himself with idle small talk, but with Kaeya, it was different—it was always different when it came to Kaeya.
Kaeya snorted but didn’t contest Albedo’s words. Silently, he lifted his boot and smothered the cigarette on its sole. “Better?” he asked. Despite the irony in having just miraculously survived the ancient civilization through pure intuition, Kaeya amused Albedo’s worry.
“Yes,” Albedo said through his exhale. He found concern for Kaeya lingering over him like a clouded sky, but he was unsure how to admit it. He wasn’t used to being open about those sorts of feelings—simply because he never needed to be.
They wordlessly started down the steps. Albedo didn’t have to ask to know that Kaeya was walking him home.
“You promised to draw me, Albedo,” Kaeya mentioned as they walked.
As Albedo gave Kaeya a curious glance, Kaeya continued staring ahead. Albedo responded, “I remember no such thing.”
Kaeya sighed and let his head fall back. “Of course.”
Albedo turned away with a smile resting upon his lips. “I’m joking. I’m a man of my word, Kaeya. You could come by any time—I think my inspiration has no time restraint when it comes to you.”
“Who knew alchemists could know such flattery?” Kaeya clutched his heart like a yearning maiden.
“It is essentially chemistry.”
Kaeya gaped at the pun and then devolved into a laugh. “Well, I guess so!”
The conversation went quiet shortly after that.
Though, they were only even more aware of each other’s company. It was a warm, intimate feeling despite the silence.
“I’m glad you’re safe,” Albedo said, blunt in execution, but it was the simplest way he thought to get his message across. If not now, he would never have another opportunity to say it.
“Thank you, Albedo. I’m glad you are as well.” Kaeya smiled softly and a deep genuity appeared through the subtle crease of his eyes.
Somewhere along the line, Albedo realized their pace had slowed since they started from the cathedral. Albedo’s place was near—and so, too, was their quiet little moment together. They couldn’t help but shorten their steps in the mere hope they could draw out the amount of time they could spend like that.
“Have you had anything to eat?” Albedo asked, a hopeful wish disguised as a question.
“Y—” Kaeya opened his mouth to respond automatically but stopped himself before the word was fully formed. “No.”
When Albedo looked up at the man, it carried a knowing gaze as he thought, You went to a tavern and didn’t eat? But, Albedo didn’t care to make that notion apparent.
“Stay over. I’ll feed you.”
Kaeya tipped his head. “Who would I be to refuse?”
A familiar warmth comforted their arrival.
And at once, they were at Albedo’s doorstep.
Though, a peculiar package rested against his door, deliberately placed for him—
Of course, this led Albedo to recall one particular unanswered question from their endeavors: after the deaths of their colleagues, after the fall of their civilization—where did the oracle go—?
What place left does a sinner have to escape to—?
A journal with invisible ink.
And, the answer was clear to the two men.
For, of course, it had been the very mercy they both existed upon and lived within.
Mondstadt, home for the descendant scions of all faiths put to rest.