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Soft lips woke him from light sleep. His hands instinctively reached to hug the figure in front of him and tried to usher it to sit down on his lap.
A deep yet gentle chuckle is all incentive he needed to open up his eyes. Albedo saw his boyfriend hovering over him, an expression so delicate and loving graced his face, and it made Albedo feel like falling.
Falling deeper into the soft greens and pinks that radiated with iridescence and comfort. Falling deeper into the quiet moments, the loving stares, the words shared between them as they reverently stare at the other, as if every word that fell was made from jade and precious stones. Falling deeper and being enveloped by everything the adeptus holds within, even the world that he carries on his shoulders and the centuries of misery that tortures him, clawing at his skin and nibbling on the darkness that submerges him in his worst moments.
Falling deeper into the unconditional love Xiao drowns Albedo in, giving and giving without expecting anything in return.
A poke to the chest rouses him from his musings, Xiao is now staring with a slight hint of concern swimming in amber eyes that twinkle only in Albedo's direction.
Albedo cannot help the natural ease that pulls the corner of his lips upward, so effortless and thoughtless that at times it frightens him. It frightens him how his shoulders loosen and his walls crumble, how flowers grow within his ribcage and butterflies flutter in between, how love and affection floods him so, that he feels six feet underwater.
"Something on your mind?" Xiao has settled on his lap and tucked his head in Albedo's neck with his arms wrapped securely around his waist, probably assuming Albedo does not feel energetic enough to leave the chair he has been sitting in for the last too many hours.
But he would be more than willing to do anything, as long as Xiao asked him to. He would be willing to wreck havoc on this world that hurt him, destroy the planet shred by shred, as long as Xiao asked him to. He would rebuild the universe, adjust the stars and celestial bodies, as long as Xiao asked him to.
And it was odd to him.
It was odd how Xiao had this grip on him, despite Xiao treating him with utmost adoration and softness almost as if Albedo was to break under Xiao's love. And Albedo could not help but give himself up to this love, so absolutely and completely.
And yet, Albedo was less expressive of his love to Xiao. At times, he felt greedy. At times, he felt he was taking too much. At times, he wondered what Xiao sees in his selfishness, cruelness, unwillingness to give up his pride.
It was almost as if Xiao eavesdropped on his thoughts. He hugged him tighter and whispered a gentle Albedo. And that is all it took for him to stop. Albedo was at Xiao's mercy, even when it came to halting the slithering self-hatred that immersed him in numbing venom, eroding him until he becomes fragments of stone and despair.
It took too much resolve to decide his next action. Took the resolve of the never-stopping Sun, the always-burning stars, the ever-expanding galaxy, to decide his next action.
Taking his right hand off Xiao's waist, he guided Xiao's face to be right in front of his. Xiao's eyes only depicted the affection he has for the man in front of him; no questioning or judging can be found in the bright, honeyed golds that waited for him patiently.
"I love you," And it felt like the rocks that made his throat heavier, that suffocated him, had washed away as soon as he confessed his truth.
It was the first time he uttered those words, and it surprised Xiao as much as it surprised him. Xiao's eyes glittered, pink dust danced on his face, a fond sigh was heard as he resumed his position in the crook of Albedo's neck.
"You worried me with your silence. I knew your brain was working overtime, but I never imagined it was exhausting itself over something like this. You became soft, Albedo," A hushed voice that indicated everything Albedo needed to know. A voice so enamored and sweet, a voice that only he has the honor to hear.
Xiao has assured him countless nights that he loves Albedo. Whispered it on his skin and let it bloom with alluring hues of red and purple. He never seemed to expect to hear it from Albedo, though, almost as if he knew everything Albedo wanted to say.
Albedo kissed his teeth, playfully, lightly. "No such. It merely dawned on me that I must give you the world as long as you are next to me," He pressed light kisses to Xiao's neck that was turning pinker as the moments passed by.
"You are such a handful," Xiao grumbled, but gave Albedo more access to his neck. "And I love you."