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“Kaeya.” Albedo stares up at the clear blue sky as the canoe drifts through the lake, circling what seems to be the same small island for the third time. “Do you have any idea where we are?”
“I absolutely do.” Kaeya’s laugh bounces across the lake, echoing against the moss laden pine trees. “We are...definitely going in the right direction.”
“We’ve passed the same log four times.” Albedo comments idly as they drift past a familiar alligator-shaped log sticking out from the leaf studded bank. “I know because I’ve drawn it four times.”
“Is that why we aren’t moving well? Because you aren't paddling?” Kaeya turns back, making the small boat precariously slosh side to side, and indeed, Albedo is there, paddle in and sketchbook out. “Did you at least draw my handsome back?”
“I did, actually.” Albedo flips through a few pages, presenting a rectangle with several lines drawn haphazardly through and around it. Beside it is an almost photographic sketch of a bird’s nest. “There was a lovely nest perched on a bare branch, I couldn’t help but draw it.”
Kaeya stares for a moment, just dumbfounded. “God, I love you.” He whispers under his breath. When Albedo arches a questioning eyebrow, he says louder, fondly, “That’s just like you. Will you ever draw me properly?”
“Maybe if you can find that ‘amazing picnic spot’ that you kept going on about, we can arrange something.” Albedo overtly avoids Kaeya’s stink-eyed glare.
“I’m telling you, it’s supposed to be here.” Kaeya glances at his phone in his lap, all safely zipped up in a plastic bag. “Probably.” The GPS was trying to tell him that he was going in the opposite direction but he was sure it was wrong. And he’ll be damned if his first date with Albedo went wrong.
“I think your phone is upside down.” Albedo’s breath tickles in Kaeya’s ear, oh so close. Kaeya jerks to the side, startled, and his movement sends him over the side of the canoe; plunging him into the icy brackish water even as he grabs for the edge. Maybe canoeing in early spring was a bad idea. Coughing and sputtering as he surfaces, Kaeya clings to the canoe, shivering. How’d he manage to make a fool of himself so easily?
“Kaeya, are you alright?” As Kaeya heaves himself up along the side of the canoe, trying to clamber back in, Albedo leans over and reaches a hand out over the edge, his voice colored with concern.
“Albedo, wait!” But before he can say any more, Albedo’s weight shifts the canoe and flips it over with a splash, sending both of them into the water. The chill bites at Kaeya’s skin as he reaches for Albedo in the frigid, cloudy water. With one hand on the underside of the upside-down canoe to balance himself and one hand grabbing onto Albedo’s, Kaeya pulls him up frantically. Despite kicking his legs in the water, Albedo was sinking like a rock. Heaving him over the side, Kaeya grasps him tightly, his fingers numb with cold as they grip Albedo’s jacket.
“You should have said you couldn’t swim.” Kaeya gasps out, once he’s sure Albedo isn’t about to drown. “I wouldn’t have suggested a canoeing date.”
“I didn’t think I’d be so bad at it.” Albedo responds, a little out of breath. His knuckles areturning white against the plastic shell of a boat holding him up. Letting go, Kaeya pulls his jacket off, tossing the heavy weight over the canoe, and grabs the mooring rope, swimming towards the lakeshore.
“Are you alright?” Albedo calls out again.
“More alright than you will be if we leave you here.” Kaeya is just infinitely grateful he had the foresight to attach his phone bag to his jacket, a small blessing in a small disaster. When his feet touch the bank, he steps carefully, praying his already-soaked shoes don’t get sucked into the mud, still pulling the canoe along. Once Albedo is able to reach the ground, he clambers off and comes around to help hoist the canoe up, and together they carefully flip it right side up. Most of their belongings were where they left them in the storage compartment , except for one thing.
“I’m really sorry about your sketchbook.” Kaeya says despondently as his eye drifts over to the soggy lump of paper tucked under Albedo’s arm. Albedo follows his gaze down to his ruined sketchbook.
“It’s fine, I can redraw them,” He smiles an oh-so-small smile. “It won’t be hard.” Kaeya carefully helps him out of his jacket, peeling the sodden fabric off of Albedo’s thin frame.
“But what about the ones you did today?” Gloves hit the ground as Kaeya carelessly tosses them off before he retrieves his jacket from the moored canoe, also tossing it onto the grass to dry.
“You just need to bring me back then. The rest I can do on my own time.” Albedo’s voice is light, not a hint of sarcasm or disdain to be found.
“But really, how can I make this up to you?” Hands in his soaked hair, Kaeya desperately tries to wring out some of the water dribbling down to his arms.
“Take me out to a nice dinner after we dry- ACHOO! “ Albedo’s words are cut off by a violent sneeze, shockingly loud to have come from his smaller stature. The tips of his fingers are still chilled white, and Kaeya takes them, pressing his lips to his knuckles.
“Sorry again about this mess.” He mumbles, rubbing circles around the palms of Albedo’s hands. Despite being slimmer and more delicate than his own, he can feel the bumps and calluses from where his pencils rest, where his fingertips hit the keyboard when he works on his lab reports. Their color gradually turns rosy as they begin to warm up under his care, as does the color of Albedo’s cheeks.
“It’s really no problem.” There it was, that little mirthful smile Kaeya loves so much. The one that sends butterflies down his throat and electricity to his fingers. He helplessly smiles back. “It was a fun experience. But you’re not allowed to handle directions anymore.”
“Hey!” Kaeya’s dramatic gasp turns to another fond smile as he watches Albedo chuckle. He’s definitely made a fool of himself today but it was absolutely worth it.