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TRAVAILS OF TEYVAT: PRINCEPS CRETACEUS
A Beloved Discussion
“Affection, a component of the phenomena known as love, corrodes into animosity with the slightest of acts. Morbid don’t you think, Captain Albedo?”
Lead streaked against the edge of the rumpled sheet dripping water along its edge. With a smart press at the book’s bark-binding, it snapped shut. Contents hidden from wandering eyes including the eye of Albedo’s fellow captain peering over his shoulder. He tipped his head back with a carefully constructed veneer of detachment concealing his inner turmoil at being caught. Glimmers, not unlike a knife’s edge, lit up Captain Kaeya’s uncovered eye as Albedo met his gaze unflinchingly. His cheek rounded, lips pulled to one side and eye squinted with a scrutinizing curiosity emboldened by amusement.
Questions hang over their heads in this moment of silence, distantly impeded by the knights under their employ seizing property from the home they stood in the alley across from.
“I believe the situation supports my hypothesis, don’t you?”
Aside from the painfully late hour, Albedo was grateful the two hadn’t resorted to violence when their lovers’ quarrel reached a fever pitch. However he could have done without having to restrain two adults eager to throw verbal barbs sharpened to the point. It was odd to him.
Seasons ago they were happy.
Or at least happy as one could seem on the outside. He'd paid little attention to their romantic progression but now, listening to their discontent echo off cobblestone and mortar - he had to wonder what went wrong.
Was it their affection toward one another that soured? Changing a recipe for a healthy, flourishing love to hatred?
Or perhaps discontent and affection could mutually exist. Too much of one or the other creating a negative reaction.
Maybe it wasn't real at all?
"Perhaps," Kaeya interjected lazily, seeming all too nonchalant for a man woken out of his sleep to resolve a domestic dispute. He hiked a shoulder in a half-hearted shrug, "Or perhaps your sense of romanticism is lacking."
Albedo eyed him curiously, unsure if he were answering the questions he thought or the one he voiced. Though with how his colleague was, Kaeya would try to drag a number of answers from him without giving one in exchange. At least not one that would be satisfactory. But this small interlude felt different. Perhaps it was the change in the quartermaster's attire. His usual ensemble switched for a dark-colored tunic with billowing sleeves, strings undone exposing a generous amount of skin.
If it weren't for the warm humidity this night and Kaeya's habit of leaving his chest exposed - Albedo might have been tempted to ask him if he were cold. His attention shifted down to the belt loosely buckled across slim cocked hips, where a two-winged silver Vision swung. Ah, that was another detail. The Cryo symbol, a gleaming white snowflake beset amidst a flurry of snow, glowed a subtle pastel blue. Standing out sharply against pitch black trousers concealing the curves of his figure.
At the right angle, perhaps in a little more lighting, Albedo could consider asking Kaeya to be a model.But they were on duty, and he had rules.
Those rules demanded he didn’t linger long on the waves his fellow captain’s midnight blue hair made when loosely tied over his shoulder. Or how his fingers played along his chin, thumb grazing his bottom lip's plump curve, nearly slipping past the space where it parted from the upper. Then twisted into a wry smile.
Wait.
“See something of interest, captain?”
Albedo blinked slowly, rendered immobile under Kaeya’s gaze. Eyelashes intertwined where they fell over a hooded eye, deep blue almost black but that star —
Tearing his gaze to the street before them, alight with warm amber pools cast from lantern light, Albedo tucked his book away. “Nothing that would be worth starting,” he said, hoping his slight fumble would go unnoticed.
A hope that was too much to play along with considering Kaeya's idle hum. “Agree to disagree,” he purred and the vibrations sent shivers down Albedo’s spine. He could feel his eye on him but elected to ignore it. Mind at work with what this could mean. It was a mistake to be caught staring and one quickly rectified. Cold crept up his arm and Albedo ignored it, entertaining the question of why instead. Hairs pricking along the back of his neck like frost webbing across glass.
Addressing the couple would take precedence, Albedo decided as he took one step forward.
Instructing his men would need his focus, he thought, catching the eye of a few knights keeping the still-sputtering couple at bay from one another.
But he couldn’t help his mind wandering even with all the noise.
Revising his hypothesis in a matter of seconds.
Love is potent in influencing a man’s actions, but no one considers the intensity of attraction, and how quick it is to fall if one doesn’t watch where they’re walking. So as he left the alley and the gilded opportunity offered by a man who was danger personified, Albedo was careful to watch where he placed his feet.
Even though ice seemed sturdy, one false move and he'd find himself going under.