Chapter Text
“Lumine”, as she called herself, was an interesting specimen.
Albedo had spent the whole day with Lumine and her elven friend, running tests to learn of her origins and how she was different than a human in Teyvat. So far, she was proving to be quite similar in both body and mind. He had expected that.
What he didn’t expect was her and Paimon’s constant presence. It was like having two apprentices running around in the camp, except they tended to knock things over and touch things they weren’t supposed to.
When Lumine and Paimon intended to leave a week ago, an unsavoury snowstorm had brewed outside and rendered them unable to travel. Now they were stranded in the cave with Albedo, and Archons knew where Timaeus was. Days ago, his student travelled back to Mondstadt to go fetch some supplies for him. Timaeus hadn't been back since.
“What are you doing now? Paimon wants to see!”
There she was again. The fairy was proving to be far more of a nuisance than the outlander. Albedo continued his experiment without faltering. “I am attempting to create a flower using only pure elemental energy.”
“That sounds boring... WHAAT? How did you do that?!”
Albedo could hear the childlike wonder in her voice. He smiled, only a little bit, as he set the petal down on his work table. He deemed this attempt successful. Now, if only he could create an entire flower.
He spread some more elemental dust across the desk. He used a rarer, more potent type this time, in hopes that it would be more reactive with his alchemy.
“Ah, wait… Paimon’s gonna… ACHOO!”
His precious dust was blown away by the force of her sneeze, scattering around his workspace and across the floor. He was on the ground in an instant, scooping the remainder of the dust into his hand, but it was unsalvageable now. Bits of sand and rock were now mixed in. He stared at the pile, shocked, and got up to face Paimon.
The thing was hiding behind Lumine, who now stood behind him. She looked mortified by Paimon’s actions.
“Paimon’s very sorry mister, she didn’t mean to!” The little elf cried.
Albedo took a deep breath. “That was extremely rare elemental dust. It will be weeks before I can collect any more.”
Lumine peeled Paimon off of her. “That was very important dust for his experiment, Paimon! You need to stop bothering him while he’s working.”
“P-Paimon will! She promises!” She sounded terrified.
The girl simply huffed, seeing that the pixie had learned her lesson. “Just stay out of his way, from now on.”
Paimon was quick to obey, disappearing into thin air with a puff of stardust.
Lumine turned back to Albedo, flushed. She must’ve been acting stern for Paimon. “I am so, so sorry! She’s always been nosy, but since we’ve been trapped here...”
Albedo nodded in understanding. “Elves are known to be hyperactive. It won’t be long before this storm settles down enough for you to leave.”
She still looked nervous, as if she was worried he might kick them out.
“Please do remember that, until then, you’re both welcome to stay here.”
“Thank you.” Lumine relaxed, gratitude shining in her golden eyes. “We really, really appreciate your kindness. If not for you… well, we’d probably be popsicles by now.” She laughed a little, before her expression turned more serious. “Is there any way we could repay you? I don’t have much mora, but I could gather some things for you, as soon as this storm ends.”
“I don’t expect any favours in return. A true friend would never cast you out to the cold, would they?”
Lumine seemed surprised at the use of the word friend, before her lips curved in a warm smile. “I suppose you’re right.”
Albedo placed another jar of elemental dust on his work table. It wasn’t nearly as powerful, but it would suffice for an experiment.
The silence stretched on as he prepared the dust.
“C-Can I watch?” Lumine blurted out. There was a faint blush on her cheeks.
He smiled, albeit slightly. “You should get your rest, Lumine.”
He continued when she didn’t move. “It’s getting dark out, and when the storm ends, you’ll need all your strength to get down the mountain.”
“Oh, umm... right. I guess I should do that…”
He heard her shuffle to the other side of the cave, where she and Paimon slept. There was a great deal of rustling, before it stilled and Albedo was left with nothing but the sound of flickering flames. He wondered why Lumine sounded so disappointed as she left. Like there was something left unsaid. He dismissed the thought, in favour of continuing his experiment. The night passed by with no disruptions.
———-
The next morning, she was gone.
It was Paimon who noticed first. Apparently she wasn’t bound to Lumine, because she had no clue where her friend had gone. Her empty sleeping bag held only a note that read “I will be gone for a little while. Expect a surprise with me once I return.”. No information as to where she headed off to, when she’d be back, not a single thing.
Paimon was frantic. She’d shaken Albedo awake, babbling a string of incoherent worries, and admittedly, he panicked a little. Not enough to send him venturing out into the wild, like Paimon tried to, but enough to make him turn the whole camp upside down, and the surrounding area outside. He was unable to use elemental sight and therefore ruled that method out.
Lumine would freeze to death in the current conditions. The snowstorm showed no signs of dying down, and the only thing she took with her was her sword and coat. The grim realization that she would likely not be returning weighed on his shoulders.
Albedo tried to console Paimon through it all. The most he could offer was a few reassuring words, but even she started to lose hope as the day dragged on.
“Paimon’s… never going to see Lumine… again.” She sniffled between words.
He sighed, glancing at the cave’s entrance. Why would Lumine leave her companion so suddenly? It didn’t make sense. Did something take her? No, there were no signs of a struggle. The logical side of his mind drew blanks.
Night had fallen once again when he heard footsteps outside. They were slow and heavy, as if whoever they belonged to were injured. Did an unlucky hilichurl drag themselves over again? Usually he would have the surrounding area cleared, but lately the storm had prevented him from doing so.
A gold and white figure appeared in the entrance, dragging a weapon behind it.
Albedo’s heart skipped a beat.
“I’m.. back...” A weak voice echoed off of the cave walls, followed by a series of coughs. He knew that voice.
Paimon recognized it too, and they both rushed over to the source.
“Lumine!” Paimon cried, wrapping her arms tightly around the slumped figure. “You’re alive!”
Lumine wheezed in reply, leaning heavily on her sword. “Give me… a second...”
Albedo’s eyes widened as he took in the girl’s state. Her coat was ripped in some spots, her dress was an abstract painting of dirt and blood, her hair was frozen to her face, and her skin was about the same shade of white as the snow outside. She teetered on her feet.
“We need to get her close to the fire.” He stated, rushing to catch Lumine before she fell.
He set her down next to the fire and ordered Paimon to get some blankets. She draped the blankets over her friend’s shoulders, and they waited in a tense silence as Lumine warmed up.
She seemed to regain awareness after some time, looking confused. “Why are you all staring at me like that?”
Paimon squealed in joy, instantly attaching herself to Lumine’s leg. “You’re okay! Paimon thought you were toast out there!”
Lumine stretched her arms, letting out a groan. “I felt more like a walking icicle than toast.” She turned her gaze to Albedo, her pretty eyes big and questioning. “You look sort of… err… freaked out there."
Albedo was definitely more than freaked out. Lumine was showing every symptom on the list for severe hypothermia less than fifteen minutes ago, and now she was perfectly fine. No after effects, no signs of trauma.
"Albedo?"
Right. He could question her about that later. For now, he had to figure out why she'd just gone waltzing out into a snowstorm.
"Why did you do that?" He asked, though with his intense stare and worried expression it was more of a demand.
Paimon released Lumine's leg. "Paimon wants to know why, too! You could've… ah..." She seemed to have trouble saying the word died.
Lumine, of all things, grinned. She had the biggest smile he'd ever seen on her, as if she was about to tell them she'd found a billion mora.
"You read my note, right?" She reached inside her coat. "I said I'd be back with a surprise. Well, that surprise is right here."
She revealed a vial. In the vial was blue dust, shimmering under the light. It seemed to glow with energy, the inside surface of the glass frosted with crystal. She quickly set it on the floor.
"What is that? Paimon wants to s- AH! That's COLD!"
"Don't… nevermind. I think you'll like this, Albedo." She handed the vial to him, pinching it with two fingers. "Just try not to hold it for too long."
The alchemist took it, struck by how cold the glass was. Just touching it made his fingers feel icy and numb. He brought the vial up for closer inspection, gaping at the contents inside.
It was pure Cryo elemental dust. Not just generic dust, either. It was a higher quality version of the dust Paimon blew away.
"You managed to find such pure Cryo dust… how?" He rushed over to his work space. "Very few creatures produce this type, and so little of it as well..."
Lumine shuddered. "Let's just say I had a tough time getting it. Oh, you're using it already?"
Albedo didn't bother replying. He was hard at work already, spreading the dust across the table carefully. He didn't waste a grain of it. This type was so potent, so precious, it had to work. Everything was falling into place.
Lumine and Paimon watched from a distance as he raised a hand above the dust. In one fluid motion, a tiny stem sprouted from his palm. It grew larger by the second, until a gorgeous blue flower sparkling with Cryo energy stood there. It drew their eyes in with its beauty, and a full minute passed by in awe.
Albedo expected the flower to wither away in seconds. Yet it remained, alive as ever, past the one minute mark. He gently placed it on his desk and waited.
The flower did not die.
"That is SO COOL!" Paimon gushed, snapping everyone out of their trances.
Lumine leaned in closer. "It's beautiful. Even looking at it gives me chills."
"That might be the Cryo energy." Albedo remarked. He picked up the flower again, scrutinizing it.
"What are you gonna do with it?" Paimon queried. "Paimon doesn't think you can plant that."
"I'm not exactly sure." He answered. "I might keep it to take notes, and to see how long my alchemy will last."
"That sounds boring. Why don't you give it to Paimon? She'll keep good care of it, hehe~"
"It's up to Albedo what he wants to do with it." Lumine reminded her. "Why don't we let him do his research? You remember what happened last time we interfered."
"Oh, that… okay! Paimon wants to have dinner! Let's cook something up!"
She guided Lumine towards the pot and left Albedo to do his work.
———-
Lumine tossed and turned in her sleeping bag. After she cooked dinner for everyone (including Albedo, though he was too busy researching to notice the plate), the night just seemed… uneventful. She expected that after a near-death experience, having gone missing a whole day, fighting so many things in that damned domain, she'd get a bigger reaction. Paimon was happy she'd returned, sure, but Albedo just took her hard-earned vial and bolted. She felt sort of irritated, and disappointed. Not by Albedo, but herself. She failed her task.
It was more than just repaying him for his hospitality during this snowstorm. It was her trying to make him happy. To possibly see him smile. She knew she was developing a crush on him, that was undeniable, but just how did he feel about her? Were her feelings reciprocated?
A friend.
They'd only met week ago. What was she thinking, risking her life to impress a stranger (Even if she didn't consider him so)? Aether always said she was too selfless. She needed to toughen up, to stop overthinking things, to stop caring so much.
Lumine held her face in her hands, shaking her head. Archons, she was so stupid.
Maybe sleeping on it would hel-
"Lumine, are you awake?"
Albedo's soft voice called out from his side of the cave, instantly rendering her frozen. Don't move, don't move. Pretend you're asleep. He'll just go back to working.
"I can see you shivering... are you cold? Do you need more blankets?"
Shoot. She wasn't getting out of this one. The girl sat up and slowly turned to face him.
He gazed at her, concern evident in those lovely blue eyes of his. "Err, not really, but thanks. I'm just having trouble falling asleep."
"You are? Why would that be?"
She looked away. Why was she suddenly so nervous now that Paimon was asleep? "No particular reason, to be honest."
"I see. Would you mind coming outside with me? The storm's starting to calm down."
"S-Sure." Lumine stammered. Great, now she couldn't even speak properly.
Albedo either didn't notice her change in demeanor, or chose not to comment. She put on her coat and followed him outside. The cool, crisp air filled her lungs and sent chills up her spine. It was nice to be enjoying fresh air for once. Albedo was right- the violent winds had ceased to a chilly breeze. Snow fell around her, drifting in tiny flakes.
"Sit down with me." Albedo had sat down on the edge of the cliff, patting the ground beside him. Was it safe?
"It's safe, don't worry."
What? Did just read her mind? She cautiously sat down next to him, wincing at the cold stone underneath her. Could he have not chosen a warmer spot?
"I wanted to thank you for gathering that dust for me, Lumine. I didn't have a chance to earlier, and I apologize for that, but I'm deeply grateful for your hard work."
She couldn't help the burst of joy that followed, her heart doing flips in her chest. Those words alone were starting to make her journey worth it.
"So, in return, I thought I'd give you this." Her jaw dropped as Albedo pulled out the Cryo flower from behind him. It was as spectacular as it was before, but the cold it emitted was… greatly reduced.
"I've modified the flower so it won't harm you. You can hold it now." He took her hand and placed the flower in her palm, closing her fingers around it. She felt her cheeks heat up at the contact, and tried to hold back the stuttering jumble that followed.
"T-This is… just… amazing. Are you sure you w-want to give this to me..?"
Albedo nodded. "Considering how much elemental dust you gave me, I could always make another one. Please, take it as a token of my gratitude."
"Y-Yes, of course." She was glad it was dark out. If it was any lighter, he would definitely see what an embarrassed mess she was. "I think I know where I'll put this."
Lumine took the white lilies out of her hair, and placed them on the ground. This flower would fit perfectly where they were. She picked up the Cryo flower, but Albedo stopped her.
"Allow me." He breathed. She went rigid as he took the flower and gently placed it in her hair. The simple gesture was enough to make her heart pound, all blood rushing to her face. He wasn't pulling back, either, his face was literally inches away from hers, oh Archons, she was going to die on the spot, yep, her mission was definitely worth it.
"Does it look good?" She whispered, barely audible.
"It does." He replied, gazing into her eyes. Lumine suddenly seemed very interested in a rock behind him.
A while passed like that, their faces almost touching, a pregnant pause in the air, a question waiting to be asked. Up until this point, Lumine was sure Albedo was disinterested in her.
She did not expect what happened next.
"We should get back inside now. It's getting colder." Albedo stated, pulling away. His usual stoic expression was back.
She gawked at him. Was he seriously going to end it at that? It seemed like he was going to go in and kiss her, but apparently, she was wrong. Her heart dropped like a stone.
"Um… okay…" Lumine said, awkwardly.
He led her back inside, a thoughtful expression on his face.
"Are you two going to be leaving tomorrow?"
"Well… If this weather keeps up, then yes, we are."
"Ah." He turned to face her, and she saw genuine disappointment swirling in those blue depths. "It's a shame you couldn't stay longer."
Lumine was puzzled. Was he saying he wanted her to stay longer? "Yeah, it is. Maybe next time the weather will be better."
"Next time." He echoed, lips curving in a smile. "Of course. Why don't you go rest? The journey will take a lot of energy."
Lumine laughed a little, recalling those same words from two nights ago. "That's a good idea.”
She was tucked in her sleeping bag when the last surprise of the night came. It was Albedo, who quietly said “Good night.”
He was probably just being courteous, but nevertheless, it made her blush.
“Good night.”
——-
“Hey, Lumi, you’ve got to see this!”
Her eyes fluttered open to see Paimon shaking her awake. The little fairy was trembling with excitement.
“Paimon… good lord… what is it? Is anything on fire?”
“No?” She replied, confused. “Just get up! The storm’s all gone!”
Lumine feigned surprise. “Really? It is?”
“Yep! We can leave now! So get up, Paimon wants to get going!”
“Alright, alright, could you stop shaking me?”
Paimon beamed, and flew off to do Archon knows what. Lumine sat up, shielding her eyes from the golden light. It really was sunny outside.
Lumine put her coat on and slung her bag over her shoulder, and was ready to leave within minutes. She wanted to at least say bye to Albedo before they left.
“Where’d Albedo go?” She asked Paimon, trying to hide the eagerness in her tone.
“Him? Paimon doesn’t know. He was gone when she woke up."
“Oh...” Lumine trailed off, crushed.
So he left her without a word, as if last night never happened. She knew that nothing could become of their relationship, after all, she was an outlander here to find her brother, and he was the Chief Alchemist of the Knights of Favonius, but it still stung.
“You look kind of sad, Lumi.” Paimon murmured.
Lumine shook her head, coming back to reality. Her feelings probably weren't even requited. “No, it’s nothing. Let’s go.”
They gathered the last of their things, and set out for the long trek down the mountain. It was peacefully quiet, except for the crunch of snow beneath her feet. It was like they were in a different world. A few hilichurls would pop up every once in a while, but she defeated them with ease, and the lonely feeling resumed.
They reached the broken bridge after an hour of walking. Lumine took a second to warm up by the lit braziers, sighing heavily.
“Finally! Paimon’s freezing!” Her companion huffed, clearly excited to leave Dragonspine.
Lumine glanced at her, doing a double take as a shadowy figure appeared behind Paimon. It crept up, reaching for her friend, and Lumine opened her mouth to yell in alarm.
“Hold still. There’s a Crimson leaf on your shoulder.”
The figure stepped out of the darkness, revealing itself to be a certain alchemist.
“Albedo?!” Lumine gasped, watching in disbelief as he carefully plucked a red leaf off of Paimon. He analyzed the leaf, before putting it in his bag.
Paimon screamed a little. “Why’d you sneak up on Paimon like that?!”
Albedo blinked in surprise, as if he’d just realized they were there. “I didn’t sneak up on you.”
“Yes you did! And why’d you take that leaf just now?”
“That was a Crimson agate leaf, from the rare Frostbearing tree. It's highly sought after, especially when it comes to alchemy purposes.”
“You could’ve let Paimon know it was there!” She narrowed her eyes, skeptical. “Were you following us?”
“Yes, but not for that reason. I also wanted to say goodbye before we parted ways.”
"You did?" Lumine thought he wanted nothing to do with them now.
"Indeed. You may think our time was limited, but I will value this friendship for the rest of my lifetime. You've inspired me to create life. That, I indefinitely owe you for."
"Erm… Paimon's sorry to interrupt, but she's going to leave before she freezes her butt off. Bye, mister!"
She flew across the bridge, leaving Lumine alone with Albedo. That little-
Albedo's mouth curved into a slight smile, eyes glimmering with amusement. "Well then. I suppose I'll have a word with you, while I have the chance."
Lumine avoided his gaze. "O-Okay."
His expression softened. "Lumine, you may think that I abandoned you this morning, but I must say that is not the case. I was only preparing this for you."
He took out a sketch from his bag, and handed it to Lumine. Her hand flew to her mouth as she saw what was drawn on the paper.
It was a portrait of her, not fully finished, but still breathtaking nonetheless. He captured every detail of her face flawlessly. Her expression (a warm smile), the unfinished colouring, the vivid blue flower in her hair… it was all perfect.
"You seem to like it." Albedo mused.
"Like it?" She repeated, in disbelief. Nonono, she absolutely adored the drawing, but she needed a better way to show it. A way like...
Feeling courageous, she leaned forward and kissed him. Right on the lips. It was brief, over in a heartbeat, but that was enough.
Internally screaming, she pulled away, and whispered "I-I love it."
Cheeks on fire, regretting her actions, and very aware she just kissed her crush, Lumine speed-walked away towards Paimon. She did glance over her shoulder, waving a tentative goodbye, until the mist swallowed Albedo's silhouette.
She could've sworn she saw him blush.