Chapter Text
epilogue
A Year Later
“What do you think?” Albedo asked Diluc softly, proudly showing him the centerpiece of his collection.
The man’s eyes thinned alongside his wide grin as he released a soft chuckle. “I think tonight is definitely going to be a success.”
He gifted his friend with a small smile and carefully repositioned the canvas frame hanging on the sleek white walls of the gallery. The frame was probably straight before, but Albedo was taking no chances. Stepping back carefully, he replaced the braided cord meant for separating the art from patrons later this evening.
“I wanted to say thank you again for coming,” he said, turning back to face his companion.
The redhead shook his head. “No thank you necessary, I wanted to see the show. I’m only sorry I had to arrive early and leave even earlier. Unfortunately, I have plans in Mondstadt tomorrow morning.”
Albedo nodded in understanding. “Of course, I’m thankful you took the time to drive here anyways.”
Diluc waved off his thanks. “When is everyone else due to arrive?”
He hummed thoughtfully. “The gallery officially opens at five but I’m told people don’t arrive on time to these affairs. Aether and Lumine are waiting on Ayaka’s flight so they probably won’t be here until closer to six. Sucrose and Klee will probably arrive around the same time, if not a bit later depending on how easy it is to get Klee ready. As for everyone else… I’m not sure.”
He nodded. “Hm, so you still have a few hours of waiting. Are you nervous?”
If Albedo didn’t know any better, he’d describe the man’s grin as absolutely mischievous. “Don’t be ridiculous.”
Of course, he knew exactly what the man was referring to. He just didn’t feel as though the teasing warranted a response.
♡ ♡ ♡
Albedo received the phone call almost two months ago while in the middle of a quiet dinner at his apartment with Aether. Since graduating with his graduate degree the previous June, he had been making a living on private commissions for his oil paintings and his work as a private art tutor. Aether was still living in the dorms while he finished up school and worked on his undergraduate thesis.
They were catching up about their day when the phone rang. To his surprise, the man introduced himself as Zhongli, a local art curator looking for artists to host in his latest gallery opening in the port city of Liyue several hours away.
A series of meetings and discussions later, and Albedo was contracted for a number of pieces for a show opening eight weeks later. It was the largest project he had even been paid for in his career thus far, and the deep excitement in his chest did not come close to the happiness in his boyfriend’s bright amber eyes when he shared the news.
“Oh my god, congratulations!” Aether had yelled, barreling forward to hug him from when they were sitting beside each other on the couch.“I’m so proud of you! I can’t wait for more people to find out just how amazing you are!”
Albedo raised his arms to hug him back, holding him tighter. “Thank you, starlight.”
He pulled back with a whole galaxy sparkling in his amber eyes. “Can I invite people?”
“People?” He raised an eyebrow.
“You know, people! Amber, Kaeya, Venti, Lumine of course… I don’t know if Ayaka will be able to make it, but maybe…” his eyes travelled up towards the ceiling thoughtfully, muttering a few more names to himself. For all Albedo considered himself a very private person, he was dating a social butterfly who thrived spending time with people for the most part.
He had been forced to come to terms with that fact early on in their relationship, during several interesting interactions… like Amber and Kaeya’s playful ribbing or his twin Lumine’s downright terrifying shovel talk—a term Sucrose gleefully explained to him later. Albedo couldn’t even bring himself to be surprised.
Aether was the sun and it only made sense that he pulled passing people into his orbit like gravity.
“You can invite whoever you want,” Albedo indulged him. “But it’s quite a drive, so don’t be too sad if they can’t make it.”
He nodded in excitement, and Albedo could tell he was already miles away planning who he would invite to the gallery. After a few moments, his wide smile faded into something softer—something meant only for him.
“I love you, Albedo,” Aether said quietly but with a certainty that never failed to knock him off his feet. A starburst erupted in his chest, just like it did the first time he heard those words.
♡ ♡ ♡
“I love you,” Aether had whispered them into his ear quietly in the darkness of his bedroom, hours after they turned off the lights.
To this day, Albedo wasn’t sure if Aether had known he was awake. It took everything inside him not to open his eyes wide in shock and turn around to face the younger man, perhaps shake him and ask if he meant it. If he was sure that Albedo was the one who was deserving of such a confession.
They had only been dating for six months at the time, but Albedo knew he felt the same way. He had known for a very long time.
But for some reason, Albedo couldn’t force his limbs to move that night. He kept silent and allowed Aether’s steady breathing as he faded into sleep to provide comfort to him even as he lamented at his own cowardice. Why didn’t he say anything?
The question plagued him for weeks… until Aether followed through on his unspoken promise and kept surprising him.
“Ah, this is why I love you,” Aether smiled softly at him over the rim of his steaming mug of coffee. It was prepared in the fancy coffee maker that Albedo had purchased for his apartment specifically for the days that his definitely-not-a-morning-person boyfriend spends the night.
Albedo froze, but Aether just yawned and sleepily shuffled forward to nuzzle against his side, body still warm from being under the blankets. He took several long sips of his caffeine and looked up at Albedo with a bit more alertness in his eyes. “So what are we doing today?”
The conversion continued and Albedo found that he lost the opportunity to respond to his statement organically. In his defense, Albedo had never felt more dumbstruck.
Once could have been a slip of the tongue, but twice… Albedo mused to himself as he rinsed out Aether’s mug alongside his own.
After that, it started happening more.
“Thank you, love,” Aether called out when Albedo dropped by his late night library session with take-out. A term of endearment or another confession, he couldn’t be sure.
Then a few days later, Aether ended a phone call with a quick and flippant “Okay, Amber is here, I’ll talk to you later! Love you!” and hung up before Albedo could even begin to form a response.
He had tried asking Sucrose for advice, but she just looked for an oddly long amount of time before she started laughing.
“A-albedo,” she hiccuped in laughter. “This isn’t a math equation or a philosophical dilemma. All you have to do is say it back.”
It was unproductive, to say the least. Even Albedo had guessed as much… he just never seemed to find the right moment, that opening he’s been waiting for since he’d first heard Aether’s quiet whisper. Each of Aether’s last declarations were sneak attacks, and he was not suitably prepared.
Next time, Albedo would be ready. Aether would say the words and he would say them back in a clear voice without hesitation. Perhaps he can even invite Aether out on a date night and encourage the development of a romantic atmosphere.
Mind made up, he had a plan. And not only a plan! There were reservations.
The point is that he had a plan until he was reminded of the sad truth that had been haunting him for over nine months. No matter how rational of a man Albedo claimed to be, he was no match for how beautiful Aether was.
Albedo had left his stunning boyfriend asleep that morning for a meeting with a client who was commissioning a family portrait and he expected the man to still be in bed clinging to sleep with both hands when he returned. But as he entered his apartment, he was instead greeted by the smell of food and the sound of upbeat pop music coming from his kitchen. He followed the path knowing that Aether would be at the end of it, but nothing could have prepared him for the sight.
His long blonde hair was loose—Albedo’s favorite, but he had never said that aloud—tangled bed head falling over his shoulders in crashing waves. He was wearing one of his huge hooded sweatshirts that was far too large on him and fell almost halfway to his knees, with the sleeves pushed all the way to his elbows to free them for cooking. Albedo gaze drifted downwards to admire the tan line separating the sun-kissed skin of legs from the pale flashes of his thighs. Albedo could see the way Aether’s toes curled against the cold ceramic tile as he shimmied back and forth to a popular song that Albedo had never willingly listened to but probably knew all the words to nonetheless if pressed.
He must have heard Albedo breathe in sharply, because he turned quickly with a bright smile. “You’re home early!”
Albedo just stared at him for a moment, until Aether continued sheepishly. “I wanted to surprise you with breakfast for once, but I guess I didn’t get up early enough.”
He ached to kiss the pout off his boyfriend’s face.
“I love you so much,” Albedo said loudly, words escaping the tightly sealed lockbox in his heart.
He didn’t know what he was going to say when he opened his mouth, but the words didn’t startle him. They felt like coming home. He rushed forward with long paces to stand beside Aether and carefully remove the spatula from his hands to set it down on the counter. After a moment of thought, he moved the pan to the unlit burner and turned off the stove.
He turned back and found Aether looking up at him with a startled expression, but Albedo could recognize the happiness in his eyes. In fact, over the last seven months, Albedo now considered himself the foremost authority on Aether’s eyes.
“You—” he began, but stopped himself.
“I.” He agreed cheekily, reveling in the lightness he felt in his chest. Aether huffed in annoyance and he couldn’t help but pull him into a tight embrace. “I love you,” he repeated himself.
Aether’s cheeks flushed a beautiful shade of pink and Albedo couldn’t stop himself from showering them with soft kisses. “You are so beautiful and I am so in love with you,” he repeated himself again. It felt good to say.
It was the first time in his life that Albedo had taken such solace in speaking his mind; he had spent so long communicating with his art that his words seemed to matter so much less in comparison for most of his life. None of Albedo’s value was derived from what he could say, but what he could produce. And now suddenly, his words mattered because it was another way to share his heart with the person who meant the most to him.
“The first time I saw you, I knew I wanted to paint you. The first time I spoke to you, I knew I wanted to know you—to really know you. And for a long time now, I’ve known I’ve wanted to love you for as long as you’ll let me.”
“Albedo,” he complained in that Aether way that wasn’t really complaining. “I was trying to be all romantic and you totally stole my thunder.”
He huffed out a laugh and Aether pulled away to smile up at him with a teasing look in his eye. “Finally going to say it back, huh?”
Despite his efforts, he could feel his cheeks warm in response. “Aether.”
His laughter bounced around the walls of his small kitchen like birds singing during the summer. “I love you too, Albedo. But you know that already.”
Albedo could feel his eyes narrow in delight at the affectionate look on his face. Seven months of dating Aether and he still couldn’t believe it sometimes. He was dating a boy who was sociable and funny and kind—all of the things that Albedo thought himself lacking were right there in Aether like they were waiting for him all along.
Albedo could fill mountains of sketchbooks with the ways in which he had fallen for Aether—snapshots of his adoration. He loved Aether huddled on the sofa with Klee during their Sunday movie nights, and Aether being a sore loser and an even sorer winner at the Cat’s Tail monthly trivia night with his friends, and Aether at his internship presentation that Albedo had sat in the front row for even as his fingers itched to recreate the way he looked in a suit and tie.
He… he loved Aether in the early morning, sharing soft kisses under almost transparent bedsheets in a feeble attempt to block out the light as Aether stirs a little more with each eager press of his lips. He loved Aether during the late nights, padding barefoot into his studio to find Albedo working on a painting until the daylight hours—his arms wrapping around his midsection with a stubborn tug.
“Come to bed, Mr. Albedo,” he whispered, voice rough around the edges from sleep. Albedo followed him—helplessly drawn into his orbit—even as the creative energy still thrums just under his skin. Then again, he had never struggled to find an outlet for his creativity around Aether.
Aether was the sun and his kisses always burned with a particular sweetness to them. Maybe it was the way that he smiled against his lips, or laughed breathlessly against his throat in between feverish kisses. His tattoo became a familiar path to follow with his tongue, a shortcut to all of his weak spots that Aether knew like the back of his hand.
In turn, the artist traced his features the way he would in a sketchbook; he appreciated every detail of the boy in front of him the way he appreciated fine art. Instead of a pencil or paintbrush, he’d use his fingertips and soft presses of his lips. And as they fell against each other breathless and gasping, Albedo could already picture what he would recreate the next time he had a spare second alone. Perhaps one for the private sketchbook that only Aether was allowed to see.
♡ ♡ ♡
“You’re looking for a two-bedroom?” Sucrose confirmed, peering at the pages of ads on the table in front of her.
Albedo hummed in agreement. “Maybe even a two-bedroom with a small studio space like a loft if it’s within budget. I’d like to have a room setup for Klee if I have the space. Or at least find an apartment near Alice’s place.”
“Got it. So…” Sucrose trailed off. “Your budget would probably be a bit higher if you had a roommate… or a partner sharing the rent and also your lives,” she finished quickly in one breathe.
Albedo let out a startled laugh at his friend’s boldness. “No need to draw conclusions when the answer is very simple. I want a bigger place because having a studio with a door would be nice, and I am now able to afford it with the advance from the gallery.”
Sucrose smiled in a funny way that he couldn’t tell if it was supportive or sarcastic. “Of course. And I’m also certain that Aether graduating in two months and needing to find a place to stay plays a role in this sudden need for ‘space’ for the first time in your 25 years of life.”
“That… is quite a fair representation of the facts,” he begrudgingly agreed. “I want to ask him to move in with me.”
“That’s amazing! Congratulations, Albedo!”
“I don’t believe congratulations are warranted when I haven’t even asked him yet. He will possibly say no… and then possibly break up with me. I’m still considering the probable outcomes.”
Unbelievable, Albedo thought to himself as Sucrose rolled her eyes at his dilemma.
“Now that’s irrational,” Sucrose insisted. “He’s given you zero reason to question your relationship and you’ve been together for a year. Even if he says it’s too soon, he’ll still spend half of his nights at your new place.”
“I hope you’re right,” he replied warily.
“Have I been wrong so far?” Sucrose questioned frankly.
Well. She’s got him there.
♡ ♡ ♡
“Hurry up, Aether!” Lumine shouted at him from outside of the bathroom door. “We’re going to be late! I have a beautiful girlfriend flying in and I am not going to make her wait for me, a mere mortal.”
“I’m coming, I’m coming,” he shouted back, fixing his hair carefully. He had decided on a form fitting burgundy button down shirt and slim black slacks with subtle hints of a floral pattern ghosting the fabric. His hair was in a braid as usual, but he had opted for a more complex looking fishtail braid with artfully messy strands framing his face. The plait rested over his shoulders, tied off at the end with a silky black scarf. While looking at his reflection in the mirror, he carefully dusted a bit of copper eyeshadow along the lid of his eyes.
“Are you sure we’re good to head straight to the show from the airport?” he worried as they got into their rental car. Lumine nodded her head quickly, shifting the car into gear and pulling out of the parking space much more quickly than Aether would have dared.
“Yes, baby brother,” she emphasized. “Don’t fret so much. You won’t be late to your boyfriend’s big night.”
“You were the one who was rushing me like five minutes ago,” Aether grumbled under his breath, sinking further into his seat. Lumine laughed brightly from beside him. She was wearing a sky blue dress with white detailing along the top—short hair free and decorated with her favorite floral clip.
His sister was back in Mondstadt attending her own senior year while doing long-distance with her girlfriend Ayaka. Aether was glad to have her back only an hour away again, but he could see how difficult it was for her to leave Inazuma. He would almost say she was like a different person, but that would be a lie. She was still Lumine, but she brought home more than souvenirs from Inazuma. And she left behind even more.
She smiled and laughed even brighter than before she left, usually when telling stories about Ayaka and her new friends, but she also had fits of melancholy that were completely new and sometimes Aether didn’t know how to handle them. For someone who had spent his entire life knowing his sister like the back of his hand, he struggled with not knowing what to say to her for once.
The first time it happened, Lumine had only been home for a few months. Aether had taken the bus to visit her and they were watching a movie. Since she had an on-campus apartment with two roommates, she actually had a living room and a couch. His sister had seemed… off since he arrived, and they were only half-way through when Aether noticed she wasn’t paying attention at all.
It may have been subtle, but he could see the way she was staring at the wall above the TV instead of the movie. The lights were dimmed but Aether could tell her eyes were a million miles away, jaw clenched. He reached for the remote and she jumped in surprise.
As he pressed pause, he turned to face her fully. “What’s up, Lumi?”
“What do you mean? You just paused the movie.”
“You’re not paying attention,” he insisted. “Tell me what’s on your mind.”
She stared back at him for a long few moments in silence. Her features were illuminated from the static light from the TV, casting shadows across her expression. “I’m fine.”
“I…” he began, before stopping himself. Even in the darkness, she looked scared. If Lumine didn’t want to tell him what was bothering her, he didn’t want to force her. “Okay.”
“Okay?”
She didn’t look like she believed him, which was… fair, he supposed. “Yeah, okay. But I’m here if you change your mind.”
Lumine’s mouth dropped open like she wanted to say something, but she snapped it shut as if she reconsidered. Turning back to stubbornly face the TV screen, she shuffled closer to Aether’s side and forced him to follow suit. She grabbed the remote and pressed play again, never taking her eyes off of the screen.
He tried his best not to examine her face and focus on the movie. As dialogue faded and the soft music of the soundtrack filled the room, she leaned in closer and rested her cheek on his shoulder.
“I miss her. We talk every day but it isn’t the same. It’s like sadness made its home in my chest and I’m never without it anymore. I know it had to be this way and that she’s worth it, but I’m just sad and I don’t know how to make it go away.”
The words were muffled, but Aether heard her. He threw an arm around her shoulder and pulled her in closer.
“I don’t think that’s one of the options, Lumi. You’re allowed to feel sad about it. But… you’ll adjust to the shock and find new ways to be in each other’s lives. And eventually you’ll see each other again.”
Lumine grumbled under her breath.
“I know. I just… it’s been getting to me lately.”
Aether nudged her.
“That’s understandable. I wish there was something I could say to make it better, anything I could do. We’re at the age where it’s not some middle schooler trying to bully me, or saving you from a boy who wouldn’t leave you alone. We can’t just fix everything for each other… and I miss being able to do that for each other,” Aether released a deep sigh. “I know it’s hard to be away from Ayaka. Just talk to me about it, okay? You’re not an ocean away anymore.”
She huffed in a way that almost resembled laughter and nodded—a vulnerable expression on her face. “I’ll try.”
They put on another movie and didn’t talk about it for the rest of the night. Excluding Lumine throwing a snarky comment his way when she reached for the bowl of popcorn. Their third batch. “You know… you never had to save me from a boy in high school. I was a great communicator. Really effective at saying no.”
Aether snorted into his drink. “Oh yeah. You communicated with Childe so effectively that you broke his nose.”
Her eyes lit up, laughing loudly and looking so much more like herself. “Oh, Childe. I miss him, I hope he’s doing alright. I’m glad his nose set straight or he never would have let me live it down.”
They laughed so loudly that her roommate came into the living room and asked them to keep it down. Aether hadn’t even realized it was almost midnight.
After that, Lumine did everything she could to stay connected with Ayaka. She flew back to Inazuma for a long weekend a few months into the new semester, and even invited Ayaka to spend part of her holiday break in Mondstadt and stay with them. Aether had the chance to spend several days getting to know Ayaka and seeing her together with Lumine, but it never failed to take him by surprise. The way his sister’s sharp edges seemed to soften around her, and the way Ayaka—who was shy around Aether at first—seemed to light up around Lumine like bioluminescent algae under the moonlight. It was reassuring to see his sister so deeply attached to another person who appeared just as smitten in return.
When Aether had first told Lumine about the gallery opening, she had jumped at the opportunity to invite Ayaka. She insisted immediately that her girlfriend had impeccable taste and an appreciation for the arts—as if Aether had not already been planning to invite her.
The next hour was a blur of airport traffic and quick hellos rushed by eagle eyed airport security guards. Before he knew it, they were finally on their way to the gallery with Ayaka in tow.
“Are you excited, Aether?” Ayaka asked from the front seat. Lumine had seen fit to demote him from the shotgun seat immediately after picking up her girlfriend.
He couldn’t have stopped the grin if he tried. “I’m so excited. Albedo has worked hard for this and I’m unbelievably proud of him.”
Her blue-grey eyes sparkled back at him. “This is such an amazing achievement. Have you been able to look at his pieces for the gallery yet?”
“No, he refused to show me!” Aether yelled indignantly. “I asked nicely and everything.”
“We don’t want to hear about your sex life, Aether,” his sister responded dryly, eyes never leaving the road.
“Lumine! That’s not what I meant!” Aether protested but Lumine only snorted in response.
Ayaka brought a hand to her mouth to hide her giggles, but Aether could see her shoulders shake from his place in the backseat. She was looking at Lumine with a wonderstruck expression, like she was amazed she was real. He pointedly looked away when he saw Lumine reach for her hand. They hardly got to see each other in person, and Aether didn’t want to steal even a fraction of one of their moments together.
On the other hand… he couldn’t wait to get back at her by being just as gross with Albedo later.
♡ ♡ ♡
By the time they arrived at the gallery, the crowd had already flowed in through the doors and started milling through the exhibit. Aether was practically shaking with excitement at seeing Albedo and his work on display, and he forced himself to take a deep breath at the doors before entering.
He entered the building with Lumine and Ayaka following closely behind and took a moment to appreciate his surroundings. The pristine white gallery walls were full of canvas prints and a collection of sculptures and models decorated the middle of the room for people to circle around. Before he even attempted to determine which pieces belonged to Albedo, he could feel the weight of someone’s gaze heavy from across the room.
His eyes rose to scan the crowd quickly, until he found a pair of gemstone teal eyes staring back at him.
Aether’s breath caught in his throat at the sight of Albedo—dressed in a sleek black suit and tie—a few meters away. He heard Lumine say something to him, but he couldn’t begin to understand the words when his boyfriend was over there looking like that.
His feet carried him towards Albedo as if on autopilot, and the man met him in the middle. Like always.
“Hey there, handsome. New rule. You cannot be let out of the house in that suit. It’s hazardous to society as a whole. You could cause traffic accidents,” he whispered cheekily when they came to stand in front of each other. Albedo’s eyes warmed along with his cheeks and he pulled Aether into his arms for a tight hug.
“Aether. I’m so glad you’re here,” he pulled back to look at him in awe. “You look absolutely stunning. The most beautiful sight I’ve beheld all night.”
His cheeks warmed; no matter how long they’ve been together, he always flushed at compliments. The sound of Albedo’s soft and raspy voice wrapped around his shoulders like a child’s blanket and any of his leftover anxious energy drained from his muscles with a sigh of relief.
“I wouldn’t be anywhere else,” he responded just as softly, as if they were stealing a quiet moment alone in the middle of a room full of people.
An obvious throat clearing behind him broke through their reverie and brought their attention away from each other. Lumine and Ayaka were standing behind him with twin indulgent smiles. The light blue of his sister’s simple sundress complimented the darker blues and purples of Ayaka’s blouse and skirt, painting a lovely picture. They definitely planned on matching.
“Hey Albedo. Congratulations, this is amazing!”
“Hello Lumine, Ayaka,” Albedo greeted with a small smile. They beamed back at him in amusement and Lumine moved forward to give him a hug. “Thank you so much for making the trip. You especially, Ayaka. It’s nice to see you again.”
As Lumine pulled away from the hug, Ayaka stepped forward to mirror the gesture. “Congratulations! I’m excited to see your work. Where are your pieces?”
Aether watched Albedo’s cheeks warm in response and he gestured vaguely to the back of the exhibit.
“My work is over there, but please take your time to walk through the rest of the gallery in the meantime. There is some great talent around us and… I-I would like to show Aether something.”
Aether’s brows furrowed in confusion, but he couldn’t stop the steady beat of his heart rate from kicking into overdrive at the shy expression on his boyfriend’s face. He had always known that Albedo was incredibly beautiful and sinfully attractive without trying, but it still took him by surprise how cute he was sometimes. It made Aether want to eat him up in one bite.
He rushed forward to take Albedo’s hand, not sparing a glance back at his sister and her girlfriend, who must have taken the hint because he vaguely registered them walking away from the pair.
“Show me something then, Mr. Albedo,” he called out with a cheeky smile, rubbing his thumb along the palms of Albedo’s warm hands. Aether was still cold from the evening chill when he entered the room, but not anymore.
His teal eyes sparkled with an emotion that Aether was no longer scared to name. He wordlessly tightened his grip on his hand and tugged him towards the back of the gallery.
“I know you were upset that I didn’t show you my gallery pieces in advance,” he started but pulled himself up to a stop at the sound of Aether’s amused laughter.
“Just a little,” Aether giggled as he let himself be led along. “You’re allowed to keep things to yourself sometimes.”
He shook his head quickly, ashen blonde hair falling over his shoulders. “No need. As is the case with everything I’ve created in the last year, this belongs to you.”
Aether looked up at him in a silent question—Albedo only gently grasped his arm and turned him to face the large canvas hanging on the wall near the edge of the gallery. The way it was facing hid it from sight for those who only peer into the room.
It was… him. Aether could recognize the golden pins in his hair and the black sweater with gold detailing from the first time that he ever sat for the young artist, weeks before they started dating. He must have started the painting over a year ago. But despite its age, Aether could see Albedo’s care for him in every brush stroke, carving out his soft features with a loving patience and an almost reverent touch.
He had forgotten all about the session and never thought to ask Albedo to see the final product after they started dating. Aether was treated to Albedo’s drawings on a near weekly basis now—like sketches of him sleeping left on his pillowcase when Albedo had an early morning or one of the two of them together on the inside cover of his notebook for class to look at when he needed a reminder—but never ones like this. Not full canvas pieces of Aether facing an incoming beam of sunshine with his eyes closed, a peaceful expression on his face.
A picture may be worth a thousand words, but Aether was suddenly very certain that this painting meant only three.
“I love you,” Albedo whispered into the soft skin of his neck, coming up from behind him to brace his hands on his waist. “I knew I loved you from back then. I’m sorry it took me so long.”
A brightly colored sun rose in his chest and the light leaked out of his very pores. He could never hope to repay Albedo for all of the beauty and art he’s brought into his life over the last year; all he could do was love him just as fiercely in return and hope it was enough.
Vision blurred by unshed tears, Aether leaned back into his embrace with a contented sigh. “I love you too, Albedo. I can’t believe you’ve been hiding this from me all this time.”
“Not hiding,” he disagreed.
He hummed for a moment like he was looking for the right words to say. “I was… just waiting for the right time to show you.”
Aether leaned his head backwards so he could make eye contact with him. He could feel Albedo’s hands tighten their hold as he continued on.
“When the opportunity arose for this gallery, Mr. Zhongli told me that there was no set theme for the emerging artists series and that I should pick the pieces that I am most proud of to display. This painting… you… it’s truly my best work.”
His cheeks flushed at the praise. Being the older man’s muse was an intoxicating experience—yet also a role that Aether slipped into with an almost frightening familiarity. He thrived under Albedo’s undivided attention and the way each stroke of his pencil was proof of his adoration as he sketched Aether lounging in bed on a lazy Sunday morning.
Uncaring for his already flushed face, Albedo continued. “Every time I draw you again, it’s my new best work. This one is just a little more special.”
Aether turned to face him fully, eyes sparkling with tears and so much else.
“You know, you don’t have to apologize for taking so long to say you love me,” Aether called out to him with an overly casual tone.
“Oh?” He raised a single blonde eyebrow in question, peaking over the top of his black wire frames.
“You’ve been showing me how much you love me for a long time. I’m just glad I learned how to start seeing it.”
♡ ♡ ♡
Albedo’s heart was racing so fast that he began to mentally list the health implications of extended palpitations.
It never ceased to amaze him how Aether never judged him for the things in which he lacked—like all the missed social cues and the growing pains from learning to be someone’s partner for the first time—and instead celebrated all that he was. Loudly and enthusiastically. Aether never failed to make it known how much he adored Albedo, and this certainty became a staple of the man’s existence.
The Earth would turn, the sun would rise in the east, and Aether would make him feel loved. It was both reassuring and terrifying to have his life so wrapped around the fingers of another person, but Aether had never given him cause to regret his belief.
Many things had changed in the last year—or even in the last six months. The Albedo of today was alright with being considered a weak artist dependent on a muse for inspiration; if that muse was a creature like Aether, he was powerless to do anything but hope it never ended.
He leaned in to press a chaste kiss against Aether’s lips before Sucrose and Klee arrived, and the rest of their friends joined them.
Before he could talk himself out of it, Albedo pulled a small package out of his suit jacket’s inner pocket. “Aether, can I ask you a question?”
Aether’s gorgeous amber eyes widened noticeably and he managed a nod. Albedo slipped the small package into Aether’s hand, letting him feel the dimensions. Noticing it was a small cardstock envelope, Aether’s brows furrowed in confusion and he lifted it upside down over his palm.
A small silver key fell out. It wasn’t a key to Albedo’s apartment—Aether already had a spare on his keyring.
Albedo took his silence as an opportunity to continue. “I found a bigger place for us, and I would love for you to move in with me. Officially.”
The silence persisted and Aether couldn’t tear his eyes away from the shiny key on his palm. “You found us a new place?”
“I did. It has a lot of windows the way you like it, and then I bought black out curtains for the bedroom… for when you start to resent all of the windows in the mornings. I picked it for us. I hope you don’t mind me being presumptuous,” Albedo spoke in a rush.
Aether laughed—god, that’s a beautiful sound—and finally looked up to meet his gaze, eyes shining with unshed tears. “I would absolutely love that. I love you being presumptuous. I love you.”
“I love you too,” Albedo responded automatically, before the rest of his words caught up to him. “Wait, you would love that. That being moving in with me? You’re saying yes?”
Aether just laughed again—still beautiful but this time a little distressing.
“Aether,” he admonished.
♡ ♡ ♡
He rushed forward to pull Albedo into a hug, the much more public appropriate version of what he wanted to do to him at that moment.
“Of course that’s me saying yes,” Aether whispered, pulling away to smile up at him. “I can’t believe you’re using your big night to ask me to move in with you.”
“I have been researching grand gestures and this seemed like an excellent opportunity,” his talented, brilliant boyfriend protested, sounding defensive of his plan. Aether laughed again, side almost aching.
“It was lovely,” he soothed with a sweet smile. “I'm just in awe over how lucky I am to have you.”
“Well, luck has nothing to do with it,” he felt the need to argue.
“Oh?” He raised an eyebrow.
Albedo nodded in that headstrong way that left no room for argument. And he said Aether was the stubborn one!
“Yes. I am yours because I want to be, and because you are mine. No luck involved.”
Heart bursting with affection for the older man, he felt close to tears again. To prevent the waterworks, Aether turned his attention back to the centerpiece of Albedo’s work on display. Leaning back into his embrace and keeping his eyes trained forward on the Aether of a year ago, he sighed happily.
If only that kid knew how the cards would play out in his favor in the weeks that followed.
“I’m glad we figured everything out.”
“I am too,” he agreed. “My life is better with you in it, starlight.”
He flushed a bright pink color. Even after a year, he continued to test him like that. “Albedo!”
“What?” he asked innocently even when he knew exactly the response he was hoping to get from his boyfriend.
Shaking his head at how cheeky the man was being, Aether resolutely kept looking forward. He finally took notice of the name card under the piece, listing the date that Albedo finished the painting and information about the subject and technique.
It also listed the title of the painting in a fancy curved script.
Where Starlight Meets Sunbeams
♡ ♡ ♡
That painting ends up hanging in their new apartment, in his studio space—Aether had objected to having a large portrait of just himself up in the living room amongst Albedo’s landscape pieces and family portraits.
“Honestly, Albedo, I don’t think anybody wants to see my face around quite as much as you do.”
He was sure that some people may feel that way, but those people would be wrong.
Albedo knew he still loved the painting though. He’d sometimes find Aether staring at it with a soft smile when he arrived to drag him out of his latest bout of creativity, to remind him about things he needed outside of the studio: like food and water and kissing Aether.
All of the important things.
“C’mon, love,” Aether would always say when he entered. “Time for a break.”
“B—“ the excuses dropped from his lips easily, but his boyfriend knew him much better than he knew himself nowadays.
“Nope. It’s time for lunch, and I am fading away from lack of attention. I’m like a beta fish; look away for two seconds and I’m a goner.”
He tossed him an indulgent smile and moved to wash his hands. “Oh well, we can’t have that.”
After drying them on the hand towel, he turned to find Aether standing in front of his portrait at its place of honor at the center of the main wall. He hurried to stand behind him, a picture-perfect image of that day in the gallery months ago.
Except this time, it’s a show just for them: Albedo clad in paint-stained clothes and Aether in one of his favorite baggy t-shirts. Aether turned around and wrapped his arms around Albedo’s shoulders with a wide grin.
He longed to kiss the smile off his lips to see if it was as sweet as it looked. So he did. No pesky gallery viewers to bother this time.
Aether laughed into the kiss and tightened his grip. Lingering against his mouth a few more soft kisses, Albedo finally pulled back to rest their foreheads against one another.
“I’m over the moon and in the stars for you, Aether,” he whispered, a sweet memory of their first night together. After chasing Aether down in the pouring rain and never once looking back.
His golden eyes were bright with happiness. “Me too, Albedo. Always.”