Chapter Text
“I-It’s okay to feel something.”
Five nervous words. That’s all it took to make Albedo look down at his feet and reflect. The traveler standing in front of him. Ever since Aether had tracked him down that fateful day on Dragonspine. Things have been odd, but informative to say the least.
It wasn’t like Albedo was completely foreign to how people reacted, felt and talked to each other. He had worked with many during his tenure with the Knights of Favonious. He’s grown warm to a fair share of many of them. Klee, who he saw as his younger sibling, Sucrose who he saw as an amazing student (Though he didn’t quite like the way she constantly addressed him so formally as an elder teacher. They were the same age.) Rambling aside, Albedo knew about feelings. He just felt that some of these feelings would make it hard for him to continue his research.
For the first time, Albedo and Aether were alone, in the library that Lisa had maintained so well. Albedo had finally returned from his camp in the mountains after he had completed his research. He hadn’t intended on staying here for long, but he needed a book that he knew only the Favonius Librarian had. Paimon had gone off with Lisa and Jean who had promised to show the little floating sprite sweets.
It was a chance encounter, really. Albedo had expected Aether to join the other two after they greeted each other briefly. No, Instead he stayed behind. They were bathed in orange standing besides the large window that overlooked the sunset. And with that, the question still remained.
“S-sorry! That was a weird statement.” Aether said after Albedo’s silence probably scared him. He turned his head towards the window, those golden eyes blinking off into the view. It was such a contrast to how Albedo was used to seeing him. The mountain had been cold, with the sun always behind the clouds.
But..Now that Aether was bathed in the evening sunlight...He was the sun.
“No. It’s okay. I understand what you’re saying. I know I mentioned to you before that emotions often got in the way of my research at times.” A small smile finally crossed Albedo’s lips. Making Aether turn his head back to him and rose dusted his cheeks in flush.
“Can I...Can I ask you something?” Aether spoked out, moving a little closer to the alchemist as though their alone time was on a timer.
“Of course.” Albedo said, quickly and professionally recovering himself, looking down to the book in his hand. His chest felt odd, and his cheeks felt hot.
“Do you want to go on a date with me?” Aether cast his eyes down as he asked his question. “When you’re not busy of course.”
“A date?” In all honesty, Albedo had teased the idea of being closer to Aether. Going beyond the research, the data, the potions. The tightness in his chest continued, he wasn’t sure if he liked it or not.
“Yes, I’d understand if not. We’re both busy...Just Paimon and Kaeya suggested.” The other blonde let out a short laugh, pushing his hair out of his eyes as he did.
“Aether.” Albedo interrupted, holding his free hand up. “Joining you on a date would be nice, so yes.”
The traveler’s face lit up, honey-pool eyes lit up as the cogs spun in his head. Just watching the reaction was enough for Albedo to fill out six pages in his journal. But, out of respect for the other Albedo wouldn’t dare, specially when their curiosity was finally being expanded upon.
“Great! Uhm…” Aether trailed off, It seems as if he didn’t think he’d get this far.
“Why don’t we go for a walk? To start.” Albedo moved a little closer to the other. He was only a little bit taller than Aether, but he wanted to get a better look at his eyes behind those golden locks. Albedo hesitantly pushed the hair out of his eyes, repeating the action that Aether had done earlier but with his own gloved fingers.
Luckily, his gesture wasn’t revoked and Aether would immediately move his fingers to the mark upon Albedo’s neck.
“Yeah...I really want to get to know you more, Albedo.” He said in a soft tone. “It was hard when you were throwing slimes at me.”
“I’m afraid I might disappoint you. There’s not a lot to know. I have a purpose for knowledge and that was paved for me from my first memory.”
“I don’t mind.” Aether replied firmly, as they moved apart.
A blink and Albedo smiled once more. “Interesting.”
The two of them turned and began to move towards the exit of the library. Albedo made sure he checked the book out at Lisa’s desk before he left. As punctual he could be, he didn’t want to risk the Librarian seeking him out during his research.
Albedo liked going for walks, especially when looking for new things to sketch, new memories to capture. He fought his instinct to draw Aether again, who he had already done a few times already since the two had started their research on the mountain.
This feeling in his chest wasn’t platonic, it was something different and again, Albedo wasn’t sure about it. Especially when he wasn’t sure about himself, who he was…
“You know, Paimon really liked that dish we made the first time we met. I suppose alchemy helps in being a good cook. It has similar principles.” Aether pondered as the two of them moved across Mondstadt city.
“True. Like a potion, you can easily ruin a dish by adding too much of one thing.” Albedo replied. He continued to revel in this prolonged closeness the two of them had as they finally found a secluded corner of the city, the sun finally setting across the horizon.
Aether sighed, leaning back somewhat on the brick wall that they had chosen to be their resting spot. “I was scared...when you left the mountain and concluded your research...I wouldn’t see you again.”
Albedo lowered his head somewhat. There was some truth in that. He had fully intended to distance himself at first for fear of the creeping darkness that revolved around the sword he had given to Aether and the mystery of Albedo’s own origins.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to conclude our work together so suddenly. But you did an amazing job with all the data you collected. I’ve made so many conclusions. The research would take months for me to fully draft into a paper that my peers and students could understand.”
Aether wasn’t the most emotional person he had met, but he carried a warmness about him that comforted Albedo somehow. The traveler stayed silent as Albedo talked, a vague look that seemed to be juggling some deep debate within.
“Can I hold your hand?” The blonde asked, raising his gloved hand before removing it.
A flood of confusing emotions filled Albedo’s head, but he didn’t reject the question. “Yes.” Likewise, he removed his glove and offered his hand over to Aether, who took it. Aether’s hands were warm, much warmer than his own, his fingers soft and, surprisingly unscarred, like his face.
The two of them sat in silence, silently enjoying this simple, but intimate notion of holding each other's hands. It was like the research never ended, Albedo was now experiencing something he never had before. Holding the hand of someone who elicited such odd feelings in his chest.
“I think I fell in love with you, Albedo. From that first time I saw you sketching those Hilichurls...Rosaria even joked about it.” Aether leaned into him, squeezing his fingers warmly.
“I think I love you too, Aether.” Albedo wanted to ramble on about what he actually felt, his fears, his predictions...but, He couldn’t do it.
He didn’t want to ruin this moment. That nun was right about a few things, but the alchemist wanted this just as much as Aether did.