Chapter Text
The Chief Alchemist isn’t typically one to seek out relationships. It’s something that’s too complicated and too difficult for him to bother trying to understand. After all, he’s always had trouble with just keeping coworkers around while still being able to communicate properly with them. But there’s just one person Albedo can’t stop thinking about.
This person, or rather man, is Kaeya. Kaeya Alberich .
Kaeya’s the type of guy that Albedo would, under normal conditions, be completely unable to stand. But, for some reason, he’s different than the others.
Is it his ability to keep Albedo speaking to him even when the topic isn’t intriguing?
No, that couldn’t be it.
Is it his confidence that almost rubs off on anyone who comes near him?
No, it’s not that either.
Perhaps it’s his. . . strange choice of fashion?
Well, that seems to be getting somewhat closer.
After an excruciatingly large amount of time has passed, Albedo decided to give up on trying to name the difference between Kaeya and your average overly flirty fool. It’s not what he should be focusing on right now. What he should be focusing on right now is the loud, yet muffled, boom coming from the room over.
Hearing the boom, Albedo rushes over to see what caused the sound. To no surprise, he sees Sucrose, his assistant, trying to quickly shuffle her way in front of a very noticeable mess.
“O-oh, Mr. Albedo. . . u-uhm funny seeing you here?”
“Sucrose,” the blonde sighs, “I can see the mess behind you, just standing in front of it doesn’t hide it very well.”
“I-I’m, uhm, very sorry, Mr. Albedo! I’ll clean it up right away!”
Before she even finishes her sentence, the embarrassed girl has a dustpan in one hand and a brush in the other.
“What caused this mess, if I may ask?”
Seemingly startled by her mentor, Sucrose stammers out “w-well, you see, I was trying to put this concoction into a bigger bottle when it. . . slipped out of my hands. . . I was distracted by Mr. Kaeya over there,” after finishing her hardly audible explanation, she points to the doorway.
“Hey there ‘bedo, I didn’t mean to intrude. I just wanted to see what you were up to.”
By the time the bluenette had finished his sentence, Albedo had noticed something different than when he was talking to Sucrose. As soon as “Mr. Kaeya” spoke, Albedo’s heart began to beat ever so slightly faster than its regular speed.
Hm. I should note that for later, the alchemist thought to himself.
“Well, as you can see, I’m currently helping my assistant clean up the mess you caused her to make,” he pouted.
“Awww, sorry for causing so much trouble,” the man in the doorway said with a mocking grin.
“Anyways, is there anything that you wanted specifically? Or are you just here to mess around with me and my assistant?”
“Ah, yes, about that. . . could we perhaps. . . go somewhere quieter? I have something important to discuss with you.”
Something important? No, no, Albedo, keep yourself together this has to just be something related to the Knights of Favonius. I’m sure he’s just asking for a weekly report. Wait, but it’s Thursday, they don’t normally ask about those until Sundays. Alberich’s not even the one they normally send. Oh no. Did Klee do something? Oh, Archons let that not be the case.
“Uhm, sure. How about we go to the meeting grounds? I’m sure we could ask Ellin to give us some privacy.”
“Sounds perfect, shall we walk together?”
“Uh, sure. Sucrose, I’ll be back in a bit. If you need something urgent you know where I’ll be.”
“Y-yes, sir.”
With that, the blonde Chief Alchemist and the bluenette Calvary Captain make their way to the training grounds.
The short walk outside to the training grounds feels like hours to the dense alchemist. Kaeya attempts to make small talk, but Albedo is too focused on figuring out what emotions he is having to notice whatever flirty and/or witty comments the resident flirt is making.
Why am I so concerned about a quick meeting? It isn’t like this is out of the ordinary. Alberich and I speak one on one all of the time, what makes this any different?
“Say,” Kaeya began, finally getting Albedo’s attention, “you’ve been awfully quiet since we left the room, is something wrong?”
Oh, now you’ve done it, Albedo, now you’ve done it. You’ve made him concerned. Why have you been staying silent this entire time? You know he’s chatty, if you don’t at least act like you’re listening he’s going to know that something is up. What is up, by the way? Why are you acting like this?
Cutting off his thoughts, Albedo begins, “oh, uh, it’s nothing. I’m just getting a little worried for Sucrose, is all. She seems to be having a rough day with her experiments today.”
A quiet, almost inaudible sigh comes out of Kaeya’s mouth.
“Well, we’re here. So. . . let me start,” he pulls out a slip of paper from his pocket and hands it to Albedo. It reads:
“Words cannot describe the way I feel,
But there is something I can no longer conceal.
I know you may not feel the same,
And you are not the one to blame,
But I must be the first to take the aim,
In this long, confusing game.
So allow me to say it plain and simple,
I believe I may love you, my dearest Albedo. ”
“So, uh, yeah. That’s all I wanted to discuss. Ugh, Archons , it’s never felt this complicated,” finishing his sentence, Kaeya begins to scratch his neck, “I really don’t know what else to say.”
Albedo is taken aback. Out of all of the things he could have expected, this was one of the outcomes lower on the list. There’s a part of him that knew that this was coming but another part that refused to be so selfish as to think that such a captivating man would ever aim for someone like himself. On top of that, seeing Kaeya this out of character was almost… charming to Albedo.
“Alberich I-”
“Yeah, yeah, I know. You don’t feel the same, huh? I could’ve figured. Sorry for wasting your time,” the taller figure began to take his leave.
“I-it’s not that. I-”
You what, alchemist? Love him? But I thought you tried avoiding relationships, huh? What happened to that?
Once again cutting off his thoughts, “I never said that. Look, I think we both know that I’m not too well versed in relationships, but, if you don’t mind, I think we could perhaps try to discover more about it together?"
Stopping in his tracks with tears, of anxiety or shock no one knows, Kaeya turns back. “You’re,” he clears his throat, “sure you want to do this?” Quickly trying to pick up the facade he always hides behind he adds, “I mean, you hardly know what you’re getting yourself into.~”
Albedo, as he always does when Kaeya gets like this, rolls his eyes. “Of course, you had to have noticed how anxious I’ve been, right?” Right as he finishes his sentence, he pulls Kaeya by the buckle around his neck and gives him a peck on the lips. “How about we go for dinner tomorrow night, does that sound like a plan?”
Albedo’s never seen Kaeya like this before. His flirty and confident facade seems to have been completely and utterly destroyed. Kaeya’s looking back at Albedo as if he’s an abyss mage whose shield has been broken, almost entirely unable to give a response.
About 30 seconds later, he snaps back into character and acts as if nothing had happened in those last seconds. “Of course, I’ll see you tomorrow at 8!” He shuffles off after giving a quick peck back.
Hm. Well, it seems like the two of us may be more similar than I thought at first glance. Even more than that, it seems Alberich isn’t as smooth as he makes himself out to be. That’s yet another thing I wish to. . . document further about him. Perhaps I’ll be able to investigate that further on our -- our date tomorrow. Heh, a date.