Chapter Text
Within the next few days, Aether dutifully mastered the art of avoiding Albedo in public. He didn’t mean to avoid the guy. He really didn’t. He planned a proper apology with chocolates and everything! Aether was on his way to English 102, the only class they shared, with an apology on the tip of his tongue. But once Albedo came into view, he did a 180 and turned right back to his dorm.
The next time Aether saw him was at the dining hall. He was in line for his overpriced, underseasoned pasta and noticed a familiar shade of blonde walk in. He slowly returned the food back to the shelves and inconspicuously made his way out. He did not trip. And Amber did not laugh.
The most recent occurrence was on Aether’s morning jog. He took a step out of the dorm's building and saw teal eyes. He wasn’t even sure if they belonged to Albedo but he wasn’t going to risk it. That was enough sunlight for the day anyways.
“I CAN’T EVEN FACE HIM.” Aether threw himself on the couch, face first into the cushion.
“Uhuh,” Lumine kept her eyes on her phone, throwing a chocolate chip into her mouth.
“EVERY TIME I SEE HIM ITS SO…” Aether gestures something vague with his hands, “Y’KNOW?”
“Mhm, wild.” She swiped up on the screen. The candy crush soundtrack fills the room. Aether sighs and flips his head in her direction.
“You’re not even listening.”
“That's crazy.” She jumps and her eyes widen, “oh my god.”
“Wait what, did you realize something,” Aether jerks up.
“I got a lollipop.”
“LUMINE.” She throws her head back in laughter and Aether smushes his face back into the cushions in frustration. “I don't know what to doooo.” He kicks his feet, a childish tantrum.
“Okay, okay,” she wipes a tear from under her lashes, “what exactly is the problem?” She sets her phone down and fully faces him. Aether stills for a moment before tentatively turning towards her. He sits up but keeps his eyes on the ground.
“I feel…weird.”
Lumine blinks. “...okay?”
“and … sweaty.”
Lumine squints. “What.” She rubs her eyes. “Is this about Albedo?” A moment of silence passes. He nods.
She sighs.
She inhales.
She sighs again.
“And because of Albedo… you feel sweaty ?” Confused, she furrows her eyebrows. Aether sighs before dramatically laying against the pillows.
“Not just sweaty, it's like… like I see him and I start sweat-”
“Woah. I don’t need to hear this.” She starts to get up but Aether tugs her back down by the hem of her shirt. She succumbs back to the couch.
“It's like every time I see him I get all… nervous and clammy. And I can’t even think about anything else! It's just him! Always! It's so annoy-” Aether pauses when he sees a sly smile creep onto Lumine's face. “Why. Why do you look like that?”
“Oh… no reason…” she looks off to the side dramatically, an amused look in her eye. “But do tell, dearest brother-”
“I don't like this.”
“Why you speculate-”
“Don't use big words on me.”
“That you feel this way about him.” She quickly turns her face back to him, hands clasped, as she waits for his answer.
“Uh,” he’s dumbfounded. Why does he feel like this ? “Probably cause I was an asshole to him last time we talked? I didn’t tell him about the whole…thing so-” Aether gasps. And then falls back onto the cushions. “I grossed him out. He’s disgusted. I can’t believe I ruined 4 years of friendship because I deepthroated an ice pop on camera.”
“You almost lost 18 years of siblinghood too.”
“I’m never going to recover.” Aether flips to his left. “He’s never going to forgive me.” He flips to the right. “I need to move to another country.” He flails weakly.
After a few seconds of silence, he looks up to see the most intense look of disdain on Lumines face. She blinks. She pinches the bridge of her nose and sighs.
“I highly doubt that he’s,” she uses air quotes “ ‘ grossed out’ , but sure, he’s grossed out.”
“Wait what do you mean by that.” He sits up quickly.
“ Oh my god, sometimes I think you're dumb. Really dumb.” she adjusts and faces him entirely. “You remember that call, right?”
“Yes. Too well.”
“You remember Albedo’s reactions? His face? Maybe the fact that he didn't leave instantly? HM?” She leaves out the four prior years of obvious pining in pity for Albedo.
Aether sits for a moment. He remembers the expressions he made; surprise, confusion, embarrassment. The last one looked good on him.
“Yeah, I guess he wasn’t disgusted. But that doesn’t explain why he left so abruptly.” He fiddles with the ends of his sleeves. Lumine gives him a flat look.
“Maybe 'cause he found out it was all a plan to gross me out.” She reaches for more chocolate chips. “Maybe he felt like he completed his role and left. Or annoyed you didn’t tell him beforehand.” She glances towards Aether. She felt like instigating today. “He could be hurt.”
Aether looks up, wide-eyed. “He could feel hurt.”
“Uhuh, you should clear it up as soon as possible.” She suppresses a smile.
“I should, right?.” Aether stands up with urgency, slipping his shoes on, and grabbing his phone. He makes his way out the door.
“Don’t forget to mention the part where he makes you nervous and he's all you think about!” She shouts after him.
“Got it!” and the door closes shut.
She opens her phone and goes to her most recent calls.
“Amber, you’re not gonna BELIEVE what’s happening.”
____
Aether’s halfway down the block when he checks his phone. It's 5:35 pm. Around this time, Albedo is usually in his art studio. He speeds towards the art building, stepping into the entrance and taking the stairs by two.
Finally, he makes his way to room 314. His hand hovers over the doorknob for a few seconds. He takes a deep breath, stands up straight, and twists the knob.
“Albed-”
“Shit!” cans of paint and brushes went flying. Aether shut his eyes tight at the loud crash and winces. When he opened his eyes he found Albedo frantically covering the last corner of a canvas with a white sheet.
A moment of silence.
Albedo looks at the ground tubes and cans in a mess of colors. He rubs his face exhaustedly, pausing when he hears snickers from across the room. Albedo lifts his head to glare at him but Aether just pointed to his palm.
“Your uh… your hands.” Albedo can hear the laugh in Aether's voice.
Albedo looks at his hands. Paint. Great.
He looks at a window and catches the reflection of his face. Purple and green stain the bridge of his nose, forehead, and cheeks. Albedo sighs and sits by the wall.
Aether makes his way to Albedo, cautiously stepping over the pools of paint, a smile playing along his lips. He was so worried on his way over but now that he’s in front of Albedo, all the nerves have settled. He sits beside him.
Albedo jumps in his skin when Aether silently puts his hands around Albedo's wrists. He brings Albedo's hands to his own face. The paint stains Aether's skin.
“See, now we match.” Aether smiled something so warm, letting out a laugh that sent flutters to Albedo's stomach. The sight in front of him was one to behold; Aether's face cupped in his hands, paint adorning his skin. Mirth in his eyes that he can't find anywhere else.
Albedo's eyes trail down Aether's face and linger at his lips for a second. The same lips that were wrapped around the ice pop, staring up at Albedo through his eyelashes-
“Huh?” Aether leaned in, bringing a hand to Albedo's face. “I don't remember you getting red paint on your face.” Albedo scoots a few feet back, clearing his throat.
“So…” Albedo looks around the room, desperate for a change in topic. “What brought you here today?” He glances at Aether who looked instantly guilty.
“I came here to… apologize.” Aether kept his gaze trained on his shoes. Confusion visibly paints Albedo's face. As he opened his mouth to ask, Aether beat him to it. “I probably… overstepped a line last week with… the call . I should have at least warned you but I kinda threw it on you. You probably find it nasty and,” Aether cringed recalling it,”...yeah sorry.” He stays still for a bit, fiddling with the cuffs of his sleeves, but risking a quick glance upward.
Aether's thoughts halted to a stop when he finds Albedo with a look so fond. No trace of disgust or judgment. Almost like he found his apology endearing .
A familiar nervous flutter awakes in Aether's stomach at the sight.
“I don’t despise you Aether, or find you ‘ nasty ’,” Albedo inches closer, sincerity lacing his voice, “and I don’t think I ever could.”
“Oh! That reminds me,” Aether chirps up. Albedo tilts his head with the same soft smile. The words die on Aether's tongue and he breaks eye contact. “She- Lumine said I should- uh, mention something else.”
“What is it?” Albedo’s voice is low and calm. It does something to his head because Aether can’t even hold eye contact anymore. He tries to collect his thoughts.
“I don't really get it myself but recently it’s been hard to talk to you.” Aether opens and closes his hands, trying to help gesture it. He sees Albedo's face fall.
“What do you mean?” He steps forward. “Did I do something to make you uncomfortable?” His voice is latent with concern. Aether motions his hands like he’s weighing something.
“Yeah and no? It's not what you did but I am uncomfortable I think.” Aether furrows his brows, confused as well. He looks up at the ceiling, thinking about how to phrase it. “Like when I think about you I get all tingly. I’m worried about what to say around you, and I can't stop thinking about you, and my hands get sweaty. I thought apologizing would help but I still feel the same!” Albedo's eyebrows raise and his jaw goes slack. Unaware, Aether continues. “I can never think straight or focus on anything anymore. Also, my heart starts going really fast. Like really fast. The closer you get, the faster it goes.”
“Like even now,” Aether grabs Albedo's hand and places it on his neck. A rapid pulse. Albedo brings his other hand to his mouth, in disbelief. “ Holy shit ,” Albedo utters.
“Right? It's so fast.” Aether rests his head on Albedo's shoulder, looking up at him confused and lost. “I don't know why you make me feel like this. Stop it.”
Albedo closes his eyes and takes a deep inhale. The edges of his mouth are pulling. “Aether,” breathless.
“Hm?”
“Have you heard of oxytocin?” Albedo looks down at Aether's eyes. He shakes his head, lost. “Well, it's a chemical in our brains. It aids in bringing certain emotions to life, especially in relationships. For instance, child-parent relations, or couples, or friends.” After Albedo's explanation, Aether slowly lifts a finger and points to himself.
“Do I have a lot of oxymoron?” Aether questions. Albedo closes his eyes and focuses on not laughing.
“Yes Aether, you have a lot of oxymoron when I'm here.”
“Is it bad?” Aether pinches his eyebrows together, confused and concerned. Albedo shakes his head in response and stands up.
He walks away from Aether and towards the center of the studio. With the rush Aether was in upon entering, he didn't have a good chance to take in the room. There were canvases everywhere, but they were all covered in white sheets. Albedo stands next to the one he covered upon Aether's entrance.
“Oxytocin can come from numerous sources. But my main source,” Albedo pauses, hand gripping the end of the sheets and pulling it off, “is you.” Aether stands with a start as the sheet reveals a painting of golden hues. Each stroke, each color, all of it speaking volumes of time, effort, care. It was him. Aether. A moment capturing a bright smile in the sunset.
“It’s been you for years. You littered my thoughts so often... that I was ashamed.” Albedo walks to another canvas, pulling off the sheet. It was a painting of Aether in the winter, fallen snowflakes amongst disheveled bangs.
“I valued you so much, I couldn’t afford to ruin our friendship. So instead…” He pulled another sheet. "I painted." The time he and Aether were lying in the park on their backs. Flowers and blades of grass adorn Aether's frame.
“Oxytocin has another, informal name.” Albedo walks to the far wall, shielded by curtains. “It’s also known as the love drug.” His hand finds the curtain string. His hand stills, feeling warmth rising to his face at the vulnerability. He inhales. “At first it was nerves, then my heart increased, then you were all I could think about. Aether,” he finds Aether's wide eyes across the room, “...you are my main source of oxytocin.” He pulls on the string. "You are my love drug."
It's a mural. A mural of the first day they met. It was the first day of high school, early morning when the sun had just risen. The peaks of sunlight illuminated the only person in the room. Blinding beauty. Aether.
Albedo looked up to find Aether staring at the painting.
“You paint me so…” He looks from corner to corner, dazed. Albedo shakes his head.
“It’s simply how I see you.” He lets go of the string and makes his way to Aether. Aether finally removes his eyes from the mural to Albedos.
“I…” dumbstruck, he searches Albedo's face, “I don't know- I’m…I- ” Aether felt so much happening inside of him but he couldn't identify anything.
“Maybe start with, ‘I like you too?’ “ Albedo reaches his hand for Aether's, thumb grazing a knuckle with paint. Aether scoffs, looking to the side with warmth high on his cheeks.
“You knew I liked you before I did,” Aether mutters. Albedo laughs at that. “Somehow that doesn't feel fair to me.”
“Can I still hear you say it?” Albedo's voice grew small, almost shy. Aether rolls his eyes.
"Fine, I suppose. Albedo," Aether looks up at Albedo to find his eyebrows raised and eyes glinting with amusement, his lips pulling into an almost smile.
"Even though I just found out," Aether sighs but smiles and leans forward, "I like you too." He places a peck on Albedo's cheek.
Albedo blinks with surprise and brings a hand to his cheek. He keeps his gaze on Aether who's looking down, abashed but satisfied.
Albedo brings a hand to Aether's jaw and gently guides him upwards. Aether rocks onto his toes and they meet in the middle. Their lips met, in what's best described as melting. They fell apart at each other's fingertips, years of longing finally pulling at the strings. Albedo brought his hands to Aether's waist as Aether brings his hands to the back of Albedo's neck. They took a second for air. Albedo muttered onto his lips.
"I could paint a million pictures but it'd be in vain. None of them would be able to capture your essence now" Albedo whispers, so genuine, so close. He tucks a strand of Aethers bangs behind his ear. "Nothing would come close."
He watches as Aether's eyes go wide for a moment before looking away to the floor. He rests his head on Albedo's collarbone, hiding his face in his chest.
" You can't just say things like that ," Aether whines, muffled. Albedo laughs under his breath. He finds Aether's ears tinged red.
"At least let me see your expression, I worked hard to get you to look like that." Albedo’s laughter smothers his words, trying to remove Aether's face from his chest. Aether was hugging him with a grip he couldn't budge.
"Mm-mm," Aether shook his head no.
Albedo leans in close to his ear, "Then should I work hard to make some sounds come out of you?" Aether's face shot upwards, face fully flushed, mouth agape in disbelief.
"You can't keep saying these things!" Aether grips the back of Albedo's shirt, stressing his words.
"Hm? Getting shy? You were doing much worse a week ago," Albedo teases, wearing a playful smile. Albedo's eyes fall on Aether's pout, with his bottom lip jutting out.
He leans down to kiss it and Aether gasps in surprise. Albedo takes the opportunity to deepen the kiss and Aether hums instantly, eyes fluttering shut. Heat goes down his stomach like lava. Aether's hands reach for Albedo's hair and nails scrape at his scalp.
"Mr. Albedo!" The door shoots open and Aether violently shoves Albedo a few feet away. "Mr. Albedo, the results of our experiments came in and- huh?" Sucrose looks up from her miscellaneous papers to find Albedo walking off conspicuously and Aether facing the chalkboard in what appears to be shame.
There's a moment of silence.
"Ill- I'll be heading out!" Aether grabs his bag, "Bye!" He stumbles out the door, flustered beyond belief, and rushes past Sucrose.
Albedo's still facing away from her but Sucrose manages to put the pieces together.
"Oh," her nose scrunches in disdain, "so that's what was happening."
"Just-" Albedo's voice cracks and he pauses. He can feel Sucrose's judgment on the back of his neck. "Leave the papers by the door… Please."
"Right…" She sets it down in awkward silence. "Congrats on your new sex life-"
"SUCROSE, PLEASE."
He hears her stifle a giggle as the door clicks closed, leaving Albedo alone with his thoughts.
Albedo begins to mentally register the past few minutes.
Oh.
Oh my god.
He brings his fingers to his lips.
Oh my god.