Work Text:
Albedo is only slightly envious of Aether.
It was only a few months prior that the Honorary Knight had figured out how to shatter the strange ice sculptures blocking multiple paths to enter and exit Dragonspine. It was an impressive feat, especially for someone of a smaller stature. Aether had even been able to coax the fabled Frostbearing Tree back into existence, all while fighting off a Frostarm Lawachurl.
Only the bravest — and sometimes the most idiotic — step foot into Dragonspine. Albedo knows well enough that Aether is brave, intelligent and strong; perfectly capable of holding his own in battle, even if he is outnumbered with opponents thrice his size.
Unfortunately, Aether solving these problems means Albedo is no longer capable of carrying out proper experiments to trace the origin of these strange phenomena. A good chunk of the reason Albedo has come to Dragonspine for his alchemy investigations is now moot.
It was only when Albedo had requested Aether’s help with the strange new sword he had embedded with alchemic powers that Aether found out about the situation of Albedo’s investigations. The golden-eyed Knight had apologized profusely, and Albedo couldn’t recall any other time he’d seen Aether that upset.
If it had been anyone else, Albedo would have refuted the apology.
Albedo had heard through the grapevine that Aether was originally tasked by an associate of the Adventurer’s Guild to solve the mystery of Dragonspine for a hefty prize; too impatient for their Kreidelprinz’s methods. Aether, much to his companion’s displeasure, turned the request down. When Albedo had asked him why, Aether shifted nervously on his feet.
I wasn’t sure if I was ready to take on Dragonspine. I’ve heard that it’s unforgiving and merciless.
It was only until he was told that there were multiple lives at stake that Aether had accepted the commission. He was — and still is — willing to risk his own life to save others.
Perhaps that’s one of the many reasons why Albedo finds Aether interesting. It’s definitely one of the reasons why Albedo can’t find it in himself to be mad at losing two prime opportunities for research. Albedo lets out a soft sigh as he speculates for a few more moments. He has little no purpose to remain on Dragonspine, unless… no.
The strange feeling of warmth that blooms in his chest whenever he thinks about Aether can wait.
Albedo reaches forward with a gloved hand to press it firmly against the base of the Frostbearing Tree. It thrums with life beneath his palm. It’s also significantly larger than the last time he saw it, just a couple of weeks prior. He vaguely recalls how Aether told him that the tree seemed to hunger for Crimson Agate, scattered throughout Dragonspine, and that he came around to feed the tree once or twice a month. Whether that's a good thing or a bad thing, Albedo doesn’t know.
He’s tempted to chip off some of the tree’s inner crystal to take it back to his campsite and examine it. The last time Aether had accidentally gotten into a fight with a Cyro Abyss Mage, the tree had flung the both of them backwards when the former had dodged the Mage’s attack, resulting in ice crystals to strike the exposed tree’s base. Albedo will have to ask Aether if he remembers anything from that.
The sudden thought of being close to the Honorary Knight has a warm feeling start to bloom within Albedo’s chest. His face, despite the biting cold of the freezing winter air, also feels warm. Albedo has yet to figure out the reason behind it; another mystery to solve where the stem of the problem appears to be the same: Aether. He wants to be irritated, mad even, that the Honorary Knight has become something akin to a thorn in his side, halting his progress with his experiments.
But, Albedo finds that it’s quite impossible to be mad at Aether. Aether is like the sun; he has everyone wrapped around his finger without realizing it. All it ever takes is that lovely smile of his, the twinkle in those pretty golden eyes and the laugh that sounds like the clearest bell chimes for someone to fall under Aether’s spell.
“Albedo!” Albedo is jolted from his thoughts when he hears the cry of his name in four different voices. There’s a roar that follows, and the ground beneath Albedo’s feet trembles. Albedo has just enough time to whirl around and summon a solar isotoma in an attempt to defend himself before something heavy and large sends him flying. There’s a searing pain that rips across his entire torso.
Albedo lands in a stunned and crumpled heap in the snow, his blurry vision just able to catch sight of a Frostarm Lawwachurl rear its head up to glare over the protective circle the tree has naturally built around itself. Albedo’s entire body throbs; he’s lost all feeling in both arms and his legs refuse to move. Pain radiates through every fiber of his being.
He hears a shriek of rage and the ground trembles. Something in the air pulses. Albedo bites back a gasp of pain as tremors tear through his body — there are definitely broken bones. He can see a soft red glow getting brighter; the tree must be defending itself. It’s more than likely that the Frostarm Lawachurl has hit it several times in its attempts to get to Albedo while fighting back against whatever’s come to save the alchemist. He hears an explosion and a second later, a tornado of Anemo appears, gathering the power of Pyro as it sweeps the Lawachurl off its feet.
Through his clouding vision, he sees a familiar — and sparsely dressed — figure skid around the tree’s protective circle, nearly slipping in their haste. Aether runs over to Albedo, dropping to his knees, those golden eyes wide with alarm and fear.
“Albedo! Are you okay?” Aether gasps, before he shakes his head at himself. “That’s a stupid question, of course you’re not okay. Oh my Archons, there’s so much blood.” Aether hovers over him, hands raised as if he isn’t sure what to do with them. “Albedo, can you hear me? Did you hit your head? Where does it hurt?” There’s a tremble to his voice, and Albedo can only blink at him slowly in response; his tongue is too heavy in his mouth to reply.
Aether looks like he’s about to cry. Albedo inhales sharply when Aether carefully lifts him up, cradling him close to his chest. Through the haze of pain, Albedo finds himself admiring Aether’s sudden display of strength.
“The others are handling the Lawachurl. I’m bringing you back to our campsite.”
Others? Albedo barely registers Aether’s words.
He lets his head rest against what he thinks is a shoulder, fighting to keep his eyes open. Aether moves swiftly, creeping around the tree to escape the Lawawchurl’s line of sight. Albedo can hear Aether’s soft breaths, the roar of the enraged Lawachurl, and the rapid beating of a heart. He isn’t sure who it belongs to.
“Albedo, I need you to stay awake.” Aether sounds panicked. Albedo stares up at him, only a handful of disembodied thoughts registering in his pain-addled brain. He wonders if it’s inappropriate to think that Aether looks beautiful in this moment. “Albedo, eyes open.” Albedo fights against the building desire to let his eyes flutter shut. His entire body is screaming at him to let go and fall asleep. The desperation in Aether’s voice builds as he calls for Albedo again.
He feels his entire body fall limp, and hears Aether curse, whispering a soft apology before Albedo hears wind whistling in his ears. Aether must be using his Anemo abilities to move faster.
“Thank you,” Albedo manages. He isn’t sure if Aether can hear him, but there’s the tightening of fingers against his thighs before he’s plunged into darkness.
When Albedo comes to, he finds himself laying on his back, staring up at the familiar ceiling of the Dragonspine caves. From what he can assess, his entire torso and left arm has been wrapped up tightly in bandages, and his right arm is in a sling. He’s able to move his legs, much to his relief, but he’s unable to sit up, which is irritating. Tilting his head to the side, he spots Aether across from him, leaning against the cave wall. There’s a fire flickering between them in the small space. He can see how exhausted Aether looks, there are dark circles beneath his eyes.
As if sensing Albedo’s gaze, Aether stirs, yawning before he freezes, sitting bolt upright. Panicked golden eyes sweep throughout the cave before they land on Albedo.
“You’re awake,” Aether scrambles to his feet, nearly tripping and pitching face first into the campfire. He regains his balance and hurries over to Albedo, sitting down to help Albedo sit up, keeping an arm behind him for support.
“What…” Albedo tries, but Aether hushes him.
“You’ve been unconscious for a week,” Aether says, and when Albedo turns to look at him, those golden eyes refuse to meet his gaze. “The Lawachurl nearly sliced you open. It broke three of your ribs, fractured your left arm and shattered your right wrist.” Aether gnaws on his lower lip, but it does nothing to hide the tremor in his voice. “I wasn’t sure if you would survive. I even had the others go fetch Barbara to try and come do some healing. She wasn’t able to do too much. The extent of your injuries were severe, but she was able to speed the healing process of the cuts on your torso.”
“Everything hurts,” Albedo mumbles, leaning into Aether’s warmth.
“I know,” Aether replies quietly. “You scared us all.”
“All?”
“I was with Diluc, Kaeya and Xianling. I was sent on the trail of the Fatui, and Diluc and Kaeya offered to come with me. We found Xianling trying to find some frozen meat for a new recipe, and she decided to tag along. That’s when we found you, deep in thought by the tree while a Lawachurl charged at you.” Aether carefully rests Albedo against the cave wall before he pulls away, reaching out to drag his bag closer to him.
He digs through the contents, before he takes out a small vial of some sort of glowing crystal blue liquid. Aether furrows his brow at it, as if checking to make sure he’s pulled out the right item.
“Sucrose brought a few of these up the other day. They’re numbing agents, and should get rid of the pain.” Aether offers the vial, before he realizes that Albedo’s arms are useless. “Ah.” Aether uncorks the vial, and rests the edge of the glass to Albedo’s lips. The potion is both cold and warm inside of Albedo, and the pain radiating throughout his entire body begins to fade. Aether’s fingers gently tilting his chin upwards are warm, even through the gloves.
“Thank you,” Albedo says. His chest burns with each breath, and talking sends pinpricks of pain skittering down his spine. Aether slips off a glove and reaches up to press it against Albedo’s forehead. Aether’s expression furrows.
“Your temperature is still quite high.” Aether mumbles, more to himself than to Albedo. The alchemist can only watch as Aether digs through his bag. His head is fuzzy, and he can feel himself slipping back into unconsciousness. His head drops to Aether’s shoulder and he’s out like a light.
The next time that Albedo wakes up, he finds himself laying on a soft mattress staring up at the familiar ceiling of the Mondstad Cathedral. His left arm is wrapped in soft bandages. His right arm is wrapped in what feels like a hard shell, resting on his stomach. He’s also pretty certain that he’s both shirtless and pantless — there are still bandages wrapped around his chest.
When Albedo shifts, he hears a soft gasp and the sound of heels clicking rapidly against the floor. Barbara’s face pops into view. Her normally cheerful face is somber, her blue eyes filled with worry.
“You’re finally awake. Does anything hurt in particular?”
Albedo opens his mouth to speak, but grimaces when nothing but a hoarse wheeze comes out from his throat. Barbara reaches for something out of Albedo’s vision and comes back holding a glass of water. She rests the lip of the glass against Albedo’s mouth, tilting the glass back little by little until the contents are gone. Albedo clears his throat before he tries to speak again.
“My head hurts,” Albedo murmurs. Barbara presses a palm to Albedo’s forehead, and the alchemist fights the urge to flinch back. Her hand is cold. Barbara presses her lips together.
“You’ve still got a fever,” Barbara sighs. Two palm-sized bubbles appear in Barbara’s hands, and she carefully presses them to Albedo’s forehead. Through his fluttering lashes, Albedo can see Barbara’s Hydro Vision pulse in different shades of blue. “I need to do a full body healing session before you can try sitting up.” Albedo hums, and lets his body relax.
He’s pretty sure he ends up drifting off, because the next time he opens his eyes, Barbara’s carefully patting his face with a towel. The throbbing in his head has finally subsided, and the aching of his entire body has reduced to a dull throbbing. Barbara helps him to sit up, resting against the Cathedral wall. She also helps him reposition the blanket to pool around his waist.
Albedo catches a glimpse of himself in the mirror across the room. It takes almost all of his remaining energy not to flinch back at how horrible he looks. His hair is an unkempt mess, and his complexion is pale and sallow. There’s some yellowish bruising around his cheeks. His right arm is in a sling, a strip of fabric looping around the back of his neck for support. He’s grateful that he can somewhat move the fingers to his left arm.
His eyes follow two still healing and nasty looking scars that cut cleanly across his now bare chest — they’re still puckered and red. Albedo can see a few bruises scattered across his torso. He touches his chest gingerly with his left arm, and inhales sharply when his skin prickles.
“Aether said that I had three broken ribs?” Albedo asks, voice hoarse. Barbara nods gravely.
“You do.” Barbara shuffles on her feet, “speaking of which, I need to re-wrap your torso after I apply some healing salve to your wounds.” Albedo lets himself relax into the wall he’s leaning up against as Barbara works quickly and efficiently. He briefly thinks that he should feel at least a little mortified that he’s sitting practically naked as someone tends to him. Barbara’s touch might be soft, but Albedo finds that it’s not exactly the touch he’s been craving.
“How long have I been out for?” Albedo glances outside as he asks the question. Barbara’s motions pause, and Albedo’s mind whirls. How much precious time has he lost because he was too busy thinking about a certain sunshine individual to completely forget that he was standing in one of the most dangerous and unpredictable places in all of Mondstadt?
“When Aether arrived, he said that you’d both been on Dragonspine for about nine days before your condition stabilized enough for him to carry you down. He arrived about five days ago,” Barbara finally says. “Aether also wanted to tell me to let you know that Sucrose and Timaeus have been hard at work in your absence.”
Albedo glances down at his arms, brow furrowing. Frustration wells up inside of him. He has no idea how long it will be before he can go back to living a normal life.
“I hate to break it to you, but you won’t be able to get back to work for at least another couple weeks. I cannot heal broken bones.” Barbara’s tone is surprisingly firm. “I know that you’re used to working long and busy hours, but your body has suffered a lot of trauma. After your bones heal, you’ll likely need some physical therapy in order to properly function again.” Albedo keeps his expression flat, despite the inner turmoil building up inside of him. There’s so much precious time being lost.
“Is Aether around?” Albedo asks instead. Barbara sighs softly, drawing back from carefully pressing medicinal salve to his skin. She reaches for a roll of bandages and gestures to Albedo to lift his back from the wall carefully.
“Aether is around,” Barbara says as she wraps up Albedo’s torso. “But Master Jean has ordered him to stay in his living quarters since he arrived so he can rest and recover. I don’t think he’s been sleeping well, though.” At Albedo’s furrowed brow, she elaborates, “Aether looked like he was on the brink of collapse when he brought you here to the Cathedral. I don’t know why he didn’t have someone else stay with the two of you when you were staying in that little cave in Dragonspine. It was extremely dangerous of him to travel down that dangerous mountain carrying an injured person while half dead on his feet.”
“Wasn’t Paimon with him?” Albedo frowns. Barbara shakes her head.
“Paimon stayed here. She hates the cold, and since Aether was out with Diluc and Kaeya, she felt comfortable with him going without her. Paimon helped me out with duties here at the Cathedral. I haven’t seen her since Aether’s return.” Barbara explains. “I’m pretty sure I’ve still seen Aether around running errands, even though Master Jean has told him to rest. You know how he is,” Barbara glances up with a meaningful look. “The two of you are more alike than you probably think.”
Albedo sighs, and doesn’t respond. He feels guilty; he jeopardized Aether’s health by being careless with his own.
“In a couple of days, you should be clear to go, if you can stay awake for another hour.” Barbara says as she tucks in the tail end of the bandages. “But for now, I want to keep an eye on you and your vitals. Do you need anything for pain?” When Albedo shakes his head, Barbara steps back with a content hum. “I’m going to go call for someone to get you something to eat.” Before Albedo can protest, Barbara’s already hurried off.
He sits slumped against the Cathedral wall, eyes roaming over the room he’s resting in. He catches sight of his coat, hung up on the wall. There are a few tears in it, which is fine. He has several copies in his closet back in his tiny studio apartment. Albedo can also see what he thinks is a new set of clothes folded neatly on a table across the room, and his boots rest against the wall.
Albedo isn’t sure how much time has passed before he hears Barbara’s voice, followed by a familiar high-pitched voice. Seconds later, Paimon comes zipping into the room, clutching a bag in her hands. She gasps when she sees Albedo’s awake and sitting up.
“You’re awake! Paimon can finally tell Aether to stop worrying and to go to sleep now,” Paimon claps her hands excitedly. Albedo feels himself frown at the latter half of Paimon’s exclamation. She doesn’t seem to notice what she’s said. “How are you feeling? Paimon brought you some Teyvat Fried Eggs and Chicken-Mushroom Skewers! Aether also made you some Mint Jelly, if you want something lighter.”
Paimon places the bag down next to Albedo, hovering about a meter away from the alchemist’s battered body.
“Oh! Aether also told Paimon to tell you that once you’re awake, don’t worry about your work. Sucrose and Timaeus are super busy with everything, and Aether’s helping too!” Paimon waggles her pointer finger at Albedo.
“I thought Master Jean confined Aether to his room so he can rest?” Albedo asks, arching a brow. Paimon seems to freeze in midair, and slaps a hand to her mouth.
“Paimon didn’t say anything!” Paimon shouts, flailing her arms. “But Sucrose has been visiting Aether to ask him questions about the mysterious ice and tree on Dragonspine because they both know you want to know why they exist, or something like that. Sucrose has been taking a loooot of notes for you to work with!” Paimon twirls in the air. “Hmm, Paimon doesn’t think she’s missed anything.”
“Thank you, Paimon.” Albedo tilts his head. “Tell Aether to take it easy. I heard from Barbara that he hasn’t been sleeping well.” Paimon shuffles in the air, hands tucking behind her back.
“Aether’s been having nightmares. He won’t tell Paimon what they’re about. But he wakes up about an hour or so after falling asleep and he’ll just sit by the window until morning comes.”
“Tell him to try tea made with Sweet Flowers and Glaze Lillies. I’m sure he has plenty of those,” Albedo advises. “They should help him relax.” Paimon lights up at that.
“Paimon will! Paimon will also tell Aether that Albedo’s awake.” Before Albedo can say anything else, Paimon’s twirled out of sight. Barbara walks in a few minutes later with a soft rap on the door. She holds a fork and a spoon wrapped up neatly in a napkin.
“It’s best to eat a little something,” Barbara nods at the bag that Paimon left. “I was able to keep your blood sugars and other vitals stable with vitamins and minerals thanks to Sucrose, but having actual food in your stomach might help you feel better. I hope you don’t mind if I assist you?”
At this point, any pride that Albedo has left is non-existent, so he shakes his head and lets Barbara feed him. His stomach protests against the food after not having eaten for a while. He’s only able to take a few bites before he feels like he might throw up. When he tells Barbara this, she quickly sets the food aside and hurries across the room to bring over a small basket of different vials.
Each one is labelled carefully, and she explains that Sucrose dropped them off the other day; tested and working serums to help with multiple things such as headaches, stomach aches, painkillers, and digestion. Albedo accepts the serums that Barbara picks out for him, and once his stomach has settled, decides to lay back down and count down the number of seconds until he can leave.
Albedo’s at twenty-one thousand, nine hundred and seventy two when there’s a soft rapping at the window a few steps away from his bed. Albedo manages to lift his head just enough to see Aether waving at him through the glass. Albedo blinks, bewildered, and Aether makes a gesture with his thumb. Albedo isn’t sure what Aether wants.
He gets his answer soon enough when Aether starts to climb the wall next to the window, and Albedo’s eyes flicker up to see that there’s a window cracked open to let in some fresh air. Albedo watches, partially in admiration and partially in horror as Aether slips through the crack to leap down onto the floor.
“What are you doing?” Albedo hisses as Aether comes to his bedside.
“Paimon said that you’d woken up, and I wanted to come check on you.” Aether replies simply, golden eyes trailing over Albedo’s prone form laying on the medical bed. Although Albedo has a blanket tucked up to his chest, he feels naked. “You really scared me, Albedo. I thought you were going to die.” Albedo feels Aether take his hand, thumb rubbing gentle circles against his bandaged palm.
“I’m stronger than that, you know.” Albedo says.
“I know you’re strong,” Aether insists. “But taking a blow like that is likely to be fatal.” Aether’s golden eyes trail over Albedo’s face. “Barbara mentioned that if you didn’t react as quickly as you did, you might’ve had worse injuries.”
“Help me sit up,” Albedo says instead.
“Is it a good idea to do that?” Aether frets, and Albedo huffs, already trying to lift himself up with only his upper body. Aether slips a hand behind his back to help him sit up with a soft sigh. “Don’t strain yourself.”
“Paimon told me that you’re not sleeping well.” Aether freezes at that, cursing softly beneath his breath.
“There’s no need to worry about me,” Aether shoots him a bright grin, but Albedo refuses to be swayed. “Really, I’m fine,” Aether insists, “I don’t want to worry you. I took a nap earlier when I tried that tea Paimon suggested. Thanks for that, by the way.” Albedo hums, fingers twitching in Aether’s grip. Aether squeezes gently, and sighs, reaching out with his free hand to brush stray hairs from Albedo’s face. His touch is gentle and soft.
Albedo sighs and leans into it, eyes fluttering closed. Aether’s hand pauses, before those fingers brush up against his cheeks, over the bridge of his nose, before it stops at Albedo’s lips, dropping back down to his side. Albedo feels his features tug down into a slight frown, and hears Aether’s breath hitch. When Albedo opens his eyes, Aether looks slightly flushed, and he’s staring at Albedo with wide eyes. The moonlight filtering in through the windows behind Aether outlines him in silver. There’s that familiar warm feeling in Albedo’s chest again.
You’re beautiful, Aether.
“Do you still have a fever?” Aether asks, lifting a bare hand to press the back of it to Albedo’s cheek. “You feel warm,” Aether frowns, making a move to pull away. “I know Barbara has some serums for fevers.” He pauses when Albedo just manages to snag his wrist, tugging lightly.
“I’m fine,” Albedo insists. Aether looks like he wants to argue, but he sighs and leans back against the bed. “I heard that you were helping Sucrose with taking notes about the Dragonspine ice and Frostbearing Tree?” Aether nods.
“I know that you were trying to figure out how they all started… and then I came along and found everything out by accident. I’m guessing you were trying to do some research before the Lawachurl flung you into the air.” Aether explains. “I still feel really guilty about it… so I want to help in any way I can.”
I already feel better with you next to me.
Aether’s rambling about something that Albedo can’t follow, and when he blinks up at Aether sleepily, the Honorary Knight cuts himself off, looking awkward.
“Sorry, I’m probably boring you.” Aether shuffles, playing with Albedo’s fingers. The alchemist is pretty sure that Aether himself isn’t aware of it.
“It’s okay,” Albedo murmurs. “I wasn’t able to sleep anyways. Hearing your voice is soothing.” Aether seems to flush at that, and rubs the back of his neck with his free hand.
“Er… thanks, I suppose.” Aether reaches out to tuck the blanket higher, covering Albedo up to his chin. “You looked a little cold,” Aether explains when Albedo tilts his head at him questioningly.
Come lay beside me, then.
Ah.
Albedo’s pretty certain what these emotions are that he holds for Aether. He reaches up to gently brush the fingers of his casted right arm against Aether’s cheeks. Aether jumps, cheeks turning a little more red.
“You appear to be quite warm as well,” Albedo says. Aether scowls at him.
“It’s because you’re touching me,” Aether mutters, so softly that Albedo barely catches it. Albedo feels his heart stutter a few beats.
“Aether,” Albedo calls. The Honorary Knight turns to look at him, golden eyes wide. “Will you rest next to me?” Aether’s eyes seem to widen further. He hesitates, before he nods. Aether carefully releases Albedo’s hand, and bends down to take off his boots, taking off his scarf to fold it carefully and leave it on a table. Albedo finds his eyes drawn down to Aether’s exposed midriff, skin smooth with a defined abdomen.
Aether carefully crawls in next to Albedo, keeping the alchemist between the wall and his body. Aether is warm. Albedo watches the way that Aether’s eyes flutter as soon as he relaxes into the mattress.
“I shouldn’t stay long,” Aether mumbles. “If I get caught, it won’t go down well with Jean.”
“Does Paimon know you’re here?” Albedo asks. Aether shakes his head, golden eyes blinking at him sleepily. He’s laying atop of the blanket, which Albedo feels both relieved and guilty about. He’s not certain how his body would react with Aether, someone whose the object of his affections, to be so close to him while Albedo himself is sparsely dressed. At the same time, he’s guilty that Aether’s likely to feel cold while Albedo is covered in a warm blanket.
“It’ll be fine.” Aether yawns. “I’ll probably wake up from another nightmare in about an hour.” Aether says, reaching up to take Albedo’s hand that’s lying by his head. Aether carefully laces their fingers together, and Albedo feels his heart jump again. “I want to feel your pulse,” Aether explains, tapping a finger against Albedo’s palm.
Albedo doesn’t bother telling Aether that to feel his pulse, holding his hand isn’t the best method. It’s comfortable like this.
He watches through heavy eyelids as Aether’s eyes flutter shut, and his breathing becomes slow and even. Albedo hesitates for only a few seconds before he shifts forward carefully to press a gentle kiss to the back of Aether’s hand. A tiny smile tugs at Aether’s sleeping lips, and Albedo allows himself to drift off into a land of slumber.
Albedo wakes to find Aether still by his side, fast asleep. He looks incredibly peaceful, chest rising and falling softly with each breath. Albedo lets his eyes trail over Aether’s pretty features, resisting the voice in his head telling him to press his lips to the Honorary Knight’s forehead. Their fingers are still laced together. Albedo feels a smile tug at the corner of his lips.
When he hears a pair of voices approaching from down the hall, Albedo closes his eyes and relaxes back into the bed, easily evening out his breathing to make it appear as if he was still asleep. As the voices get closer, he recognizes them as Paimon and Jean. He hopes that Aether won’t get into too much trouble.
There’s a twinkling noise, an indication that Paimon has appeared in the room, and there’s a soft gasp before Albedo hears a coo.
“Aether’s here!” Paimon whispers. Albedo can feel Jean’s presence in the room a few moments later. “He looks so peaceful. I think this is the first time I’ve seen him asleep without a frown since getting back.”
“Although I am a little disappointed that our Honorary Knight snuck out when he was supposed to be resting, as long as he hasn’t strained himself, I suppose it’s fine.” There’s a few moments of silence before Jean speaks again. “They both look content and peaceful. Let’s check on them later, Paimon.”
“Okay! Paimon will go see if Barbara needs help again.”
Jean’s soft voice and Paimon’s aimless chatter soon fade, and Albedo allows himself to open his eyes. Aether’s still fast asleep, curled atop the blankets. Most of his hair has fallen out of it’s braid. Albedo reaches out to brush the curled fingers of his right arm against Aether’s cheek.
He feels his breath catch when Aether’s eyes flutter open, those beautiful golden eyes staring back at him. Albedo doesn’t let his hand drop. Aether offers the alchemist a shy smile, and Albedo feels his heart leap into his throat as Aether nuzzles into his bandaged palm. Albedo suddenly wants to be able to feel what Aether’s skin feels like against his bare palm. When Aether props himself up onto an elbow, he doesn’t let go of Albedo’s hand.
“Morning,” Aether rasps. Albedo lets his thumb stroke against Aether’s cheek in response. The Honorary Knight’s cheeks darken. “I think I nearly had a heart attack,” Aether admits quietly. Albedo isn’t sure what Aether’s referring to.
“Why?” Albedo settles on.
“Master Jean,” Aether explains. “Paimon’s not exactly quiet… and I think that my body has a built-in alarm for whenever she’s nearby. I was about to get up when I heard Jean’s voice.”
“She didn’t seem mad,” Albedo reasons softly. Aether hums, golden eyes tracing over Albedo’s face. They linger, and Albedo wills his face not to flush.
“No, she didn’t,” Aether agrees, settling back on his side. He reaches out once again, thumb pressing gently against Albedo’s cheek. “The bruising has cleared up nicely.” Aether hums. “You’re still as handsome as ever.” Albedo feels his traitorous heart skip a beat, and tries to stamp it down.
“And you’re still beautiful even with these,” Albedo brushes against the circles beneath Aether’s eyes. Aether flushes.
“Albedo…” Aether looks hesitant, rolling onto his stomach to tilt his head at Albedo. The alchemist simply blinks in response. He watches as Aether slowly lifts their intertwined hands to his lips, pressing a kiss to the back of Albedo’s hand. When Albedo doesn’t flinch or pull away, Aether squeezes his hand. Albedo squeezes back.
“Aether.” Aether seems to jump at the sound of his voice. “Will you kiss me?” Albedo waits with bated breath as Aether stares at him with wide eyes. There’s a lovely flush riding high on his cheeks, and Albedo’s pretty sure that he’s also blushing.
“Yeah,” Aether breathes. He bends his head down as Albedo tilts his own up. Aether’s lips are soft and warm as they press against Albedo’s. It’s a fleeting touch, and Aether pulls back after a few moments. “I want to properly kiss you once we’re both refreshed… and fully dressed.” Aether scratches the back of his neck awkwardly, and Albedo lets out a strained chuckle.
“I can wait,” Albedo tells him. Aether beams and presses a kiss to Albedo’s cheek, bringing their intertwined hands to press it to his own cheek.
“Get better soon, okay?” Aether asks. Albedo nods.
“I’ll do my best.”
When Albedo is finally discharged from the Cathedral infirmary, Aether and Paimon are there to help him carry the couple satchels of extra bandages, salves and serums. Aether had offered a place in his own apartment; he said he had a comfortable couch he was more than willing to sleep on, but Albedo declined. He didn’t want to force Aether to sleep on the couch in his own home, and he wasn’t sure where their relationship stood.
It was probably much too early to share a bed on a regular basis, even if they had already slept next to each other in the infirmary for the past few nights.
Sleeping together with Aether in Aether’s apartment feels too intimate.
The past few nights, Aether had snuck into the Cathedral to settle down next to Albedo on the medical bed, running gentle fingers through his hair before they laced their fingers together to sleep. Aether was usually gone before Albedo woke, but he was glad when Paimon relayed to him that Aether didn’t seem to be having nightmares anymore.
“Remember to tell us immediately if you need any help with anything,” Paimon starts the lecture as soon as they leave the infirmary. “Are you sure that you don’t want to stay with us? What if you fall over and can’t get back up? How will you call for help? How do you get dressed? How’re you going to-”
“Paimon,” Aether interjects with a heavy sigh. “Let Albedo breathe, will you?” He reaches out with an arm to hover around Albedo’s waist as they start to descend the stairs from the Cathedral. Albedo keeps his right arm tucked close to his chest, left arm resting on his hip.
The fabric of his coat brushes against the bare skin of his waist, and he resists the urge to shiver. He had been unable to slip his arms through the sleeves of his normal button up shirt, so Aether had to help him pull his coat on, clasping it at the front to help the alchemist retain some sense of decency in public. It was a bit of an awkward experience for the both of them. It also felt weird to be wearing his shorts without the black stockings. Those are in the bag slung over Aether’s shoulder.
“You know that you’re more than welcome to stay with us, right?” Aether asks, worrying his lower lip between his teeth.
“I know, but I wouldn’t want to intrude.” Albedo replies. Aether rolls his eyes.
“I wouldn’t have offered a place with us if you would be intruding. It’s probably safer if you stayed with us, right?” Aether asks, turning to look at Albedo with a wide grin. His complexion looks a lot healthier, which Albedo is relieved about.
Before Albedo can respond, he spots Sucrose hurrying towards them.
“Mr. Albedo! You’re out of the infirmary1” Sucrose nearly trips as she reaches them, her ears pricking up from her hair in relief. “A-are you going to be staying with our H-Honorary Knight?”
“We told him that he’s very welcome in our apartment, but he’s a stubborn, stubborn man and said no.” Paimon interjects before either Albedo or Aether can say anything. Albedo sees Aether breathe out a sigh of annoyance, pinching the bridge of his nose.
“W-well, it is up to Mr. Albedo to make his own decisions,” Sucrose frowns slightly. “But Mr. Albedo, wouldn’t it be safer to stay with someone else? I-I don’t mean to be rude or doubt your abilities, but I think th-that since you don’t have two working arms, y-you’re going to need some assistance.” Sucrose gnaws on her lower lip.
“I understand your concern, Sucrose.” Albedo finally says. Sucrose visibly relaxes. “I’ll mull it over.”
“O-okay,” Sucrose nods rapidly, before she jerks upright, as if forgetting something. “Oh! I brought you this,” Sucrose offers out a vial. Albedo hadn’t noticed that she was clutching something to her chest. Aether takes it in his stead and holds it up for them to take a look at. “It’s one of the serums you developed for appetite, Mr. Albedo. I thought it would be a good way to reintroduce some food into your system.” Sucrose adjusts her glasses nervously.
“Thank you, Sucrose. I’ll try it.” Albedo smiles, and Sucrose bows.
“I wish you a swift recovery! T-Timaeus and I will be waiting.” With that, Sucrose darts off, nearly bumping into a couple of people by accident. She apologizes profusely before she runs down the remaining stairs.
“Let’s get you home,” Aether says.
The walk to Albedo’s apartment is silent, and when they arrive, Albedo realizes that he’ll need to spend the rest of his recovery in own apartment, likely alone, as he’s unable to move his arms enough to unlock the door. The idea of spending his recovery alone doesn’t bother him too much, but he knows that he’s grown accustomed to having someone else’s presence — Aether’s — with him. Aether seems to sense Albedo’s internal conflict and nudges him lightly with a hip.
“There’s always our place,” Aether sing-songs. Albedo sighs, and lets his head drop atop of Aether’s.
“You just want me to stay with you, don’t you?” He hears Aether giggle, and a warm hand laces together with his own.
“It’s up to you,” Aether hums. Paimon floats close enough so she’s in Albedo’s peripheral vision, nodding vigorously. Albedo squeezes Aether’s hand gently in response.
“Okay.” Albedo gives in. Aether shifts, tilting his head to press a kiss to Albedo’s temple, sending the alchemist’s heart leaping into his throat.
“Do you want to grab some things of yours now, or later?” Aether asks.
“Now, if that’s alright,” Albedo says. “I still feel a little drowsy. I believe I have a few bags in the apartment. The keys are in the pocket of my trousers, if you can reach them.” Aether’s cheeks take on a light dusting of pink as he slips a slim hand into Albedo’s pocket. Albedo resists the urge to shiver. Aether comes back with the keys triumphantly and unlocks the door, turning the handle to push it open.
Albedo’s glad that he had the foresight to clean his apartment before he left for Dragonspine. Paimon gasps and flits around the apartment, staring at the different jars Albedo has scattered throughout his shelves in awe. Aether follows Albedo to his bedroom, where the alchemist directs Aether to pack his necessities.
“There’s a bath in our apartment,” Aether speaks up, eyes flickering to Albedo.
“Is this your way of telling me I need a bath?” Albedo teases. He already knows the answer; he feels filthy. Although he knows that Barbara likely used her Hydro Vision to clean off his skin, he wants to be able to soak in hot and soapy water for a few hours.
“Yes,” Aether says, so solemnly that Albedo’s lips quirk up into a grin.
They finish packing up Albedo’s clothes and necessities, and Aether slings the bag over his shoulder as they head back into the main room. Paimon’s waiting by the door, and eagerly zips ahead while Aether locks up the apartment.
“Our place is a little messy at the moment,” Aether confesses as they walk down the street.
“Mostly because Aether’s been worried sick about you so he hasn’t been taking care of the apartment or himself.” Paimon adds, and yelps when Aether jabs her in the stomach.
“Paimon!” Aether hisses, scandalized. Paimon titters and flies on ahead.
“I do hope that you’ll start to take better care of yourself, now that I’m out of the infirmary,” Albedo says, bumping his hip against Aether’s gently.
“I will,” Aether promises with a soft smile.
Paimon has already unlocked the door to the apartment when they arrive, and Albedo’s immediately met with the smell of Bamboo Shoot Soup. Although Albedo doesn’t enjoy meat, the smell of it is enough to make his mouth water and his stomach grumble. Aether shoots him a knowing look.
“I’ll set your bag down in my room. If you want, feel free to use the bathroom. Just make sure to lock the door behind you, Paimon will barge in without realizing it’s being used unless it’s locked. If you do use the bathroom, I can leave a change of clothes for you on the bathroom counter. The soup won’t be done for another couple hours, since it still needs to develop the flavors, but if you’re hungry now, I can whip something up for you.” Aether shuts his mouth, fidgeting on his feet. It’s cute that Aether rambles when he’s nervous.
“Aether, how’s Albedo going to bathe if he can’t use his hands? Didn’t Barbara say not to get the bandages wet?” Paimon hollers from somewhere in the apartment. Aether pauses, and Albedo can see the cogs turning in Aether’s head before he blushes.
“I can figure something out.” Albedo says.
“Er… I can assist you,” Aether offers. “I have some swim trunks you can put on, if you’d like. Or you can just bathe in undergarments.”
“Either would be fine,” Albedo inclines his head. The back of his neck is warm. “We are of a similar stature.” Aether ushers Albedo to the bathroom before he goes to drop of Albedo’s bag. Aether returns with a pair of dark blue swimming trunks and a change of clothes that he sets down on the counter.
Albedo shifts on his feet as Aether helps him to slip his arms out of his coat, which gets hung up on the door. Albedo holds his breath as Aether works on the fastenings of his shorts, skin tingling when Aether’s knuckles brush against his skin.
Even though he’s still wearing undergarments, Albedo feels incredibly exposed. Aether’s cheeks are pink, and when Albedo glances at his reflection in the mirror, his own cheeks are flushed.
“If I leave these on the floor so you can just step into them, can you pull them up yourself?” Aether asks, holding up the trunks.
“I think so,” Albedo nods. Aether crouches to carefully place the swim trunk on the floor so all Albedo needs to do is step into the legs of the shorts and pull them up. Aether turns around so his back is to Albedo and the mirror, and the alchemist awkwardly wriggles out of his undergarments and steps into the swimming trunks.
It takes a little bit of time and struggling but Albedo soon has the swim trunks tugged up comfortably past his hips.
“I’ve finished,” Albedo clears his throat. Aether turns around with a sheepish smile.
“I’ll get the bath started, then.” Aether slips past Albedo, stepping into the tiled section of the bathroom to reach over the lip of the tub to start the water.
Once he checks the temperature, he sets the plug into the drain and grabs a bottle of bubble bath. When Aether’s content, he turns around to face Albedo, gesturing for the alchemist to come closer.
“We’ll need to be careful about the scars,” Aether says softly. “Barbara said that it’s bad for them to be exposed to water for too long, and can prolong the healing process.” Aether’s hands are gentle as they undo the bandages around Albedo’s torso. There’s only the sound of their soft breathing and the tub filling up as the bandages fall to the floor. Albedo watches Aether’s expression as the still healing wounds are revealed. Aether hasn’t seen them yet, he’d only seen Albedo’s chest wrapped up.
Aether’s expression is hard to read, but Albedo’s quite certain that he sees something akin to sadness and frustration in his eyes. When Aether glances up at Albedo, one hand raised in question, Albedo nods. Aether turns to look over his shoulder, as if checking the water level in the bath, before he turns back around to brush his fingers lightly against Albedo’s chest.
He feels his breath hitch. Aether’s touch is featherlight as he brushes his fingers across the puckered skin of the scars and Albedo winces when his touch skims over the bruising of his ribs.
“Did I hurt you?” Aether asks, retracting his hand. Albedo shakes his head.
“It’s just tender,” Albedo explains.
Aether nods, but he doesn’t make a move to lift his hand again. He turns around to shut off the water, before he turns gestures for Albedo to step into the tub. The water is hot, but it feels good against his skin.
With a little bit of awkward shuffling, Aether helps Albedo sit down. The water reaches up to his lower ribs, which means that some of his scars remain submerged underwater.
“It’s fine,” Albedo reassures Aether when the Honorary Knight shuffles nervously, as if waiting for permission to lower the water level. “I don’t mind if the scars take longer to heal. I’m more worried about my arms,” Albedo lifts them up, before resting them awkwardly against the lip of the tub. Aether nods, and shifts, dragging a stool over to sit on as he carefully runs his hands through Albedo’s hair.
“I’m so used to seeing you with your hair up,” Aether murmurs. “It’s pretty when it’s down.”
They’re mostly quiet as Aether works his fingers through Albedo’s hair, wetting it before scrubbing through it with a floral scented shampoo. It feels nice having Aether’s fingernails scraping against his scalp, soaking in hot and bubbly water after Archons know how long he went without properly bathing.
Albedo doesn’t even realize that he’s fallen asleep until Aether’s nudging him. Albedo blinks his eyes open. Aether’s draining the current bath water, and Albedo does his best not to appear too embarrassed at the slightly murky water swirling down the drain. Aether helps rinse Albedo down before he starts to fill the tub up with cleaner water.
“Take all the time you need,” Aether murmurs, tilting his head down to press a gentle kiss to Albedo’s forehead.
“Thank you,” Albedo reaches up to brush his fingers against Aether’s chin. Aether beams at him.
“Just call when you’re ready to get dried off,” Aether says as he turns the faucet off. “I’m going to go check to make sure Paimon hasn’t eaten all the soup.” Aether lingers, as if hesitant to leave.
“Go ahead.” Albedo nods. “I’ll call you when I need help getting out.” Aether flashes him a grin before he slips out of the bathroom. Albedo relaxes back into the tub and lets his eyes flutter shut.
The next couple of weeks are quite peaceful. Aether and Paimon are often out for the majority of the day, running errands and completing commissions around Mondstadt, leaving Albedo to sketch aimlessly in his sketchbooks. Albedo is glad that he’s ambidextrous, and that his left hand can move enough to draw without feeling pain.
Aether still helps Albedo to bathe, and after a certain incident, helps him get dried off and dressed. Albedo still teases Aether lightly for being so flustered at seeing one’s naked body. Fortunately, Albedo’s confident enough in his own physical appearance and prowess that it isn’t too embarrassing to be naked while Aether helps to wash his hair. He’s gotten used to it by now.
He’s more than willing to wear those swim trunks if it makes Aether more comfortable, but lately, the Honorary Knight has been shyly admitting that he’s okay if Albedo doesn’t want to wear the swim trunks anymore when he bathes.
Paimon’s the one who started this sudden development. She had barged in on Albedo stepping out of the bathtub one evening, startling him enough to make him slip and fall backwards, nearly hitting his head. That resulted in Paimon hollering for Aether, who had to run in and help pull Albedo out of the tub before he could drown.
It hadn’t registered to Aether that Albedo was buck naked until Aether had started to help the alchemist dry off, and the shade of red that took over the Honorary’s Knight was quite impressive. Aether had shoved the towel into Albedo’s chest and whirled around to lecture Paimon about not knocking on doors, threatening to take away her dessert and extra servings privileges if she kept barging through bathroom doors without checking to see if there was already someone inside.
Aether had only turned around when Albedo told him that he’d wrapped a towel around his waist.
Albedo supposes that he can thank Paimon for the progression of their relationship since then, and he’s no longer hesitant to curl an arm around Aether’s waist to draw him into a kiss. Aether’s no longer embarrassed to tug Albedo in by the collar to smack a kiss to his lips or cheek when they go out for a walk. Aether now sleeps curled up next to Albedo on the bed, legs tangled together with an arm thrown around the alchemist’s waist.
“Aether?” Albedo whispers, just barely able to see Aether’s outline in the dark room. Aether shuffles, and then Albedo sees those pretty golden eyes.
“Yeah?”
“You know that I really like you, right?” Albedo asks. Aether nods, eyes wide. “I’m a little afraid that once I heal I’ll be extremely busy…” Albedo furrows his brow. “I don’t want you to think that I’m neglecting you, but having missed nearly two months of time for research and experiments has been making me rather anxious.”
“I understand.” Aether smiles, reaching out to cup Albedo’s face. “I’ll still like you, even if you’re hard at work. Just be sure to take care of yourself, and remember to take breaks.” Aether leans forward to peck him on the lips. “Speaking of, I don’t think I ever asked… what where you doing standing there before the tree on Dragonspine before the Lawachurl got you?”
“I was thinking of you,” Albedo admits honestly. Aether’s cheeks flush.
“Me?”
“Yes,” Albedo says simply. He lets an arm rest over Aether’s hip, resting his chin on Aether’s head. He feels Aether’s soft huff of breath against his collarbone and can practically see him rolling his eyes. Albedo squeezes Aether gently, and Aether presses a kiss to his shoulder in response.
“Good night, Albedo.” Aether murmurs. Albedo kisses the crown of his head in response.
When Barbara comes to visit them the next day, she uses her Hydro Vision to do a deep body healing. Albedo ends up falling asleep during the process, and when he wakes, Barbara tells him that his ribs and left arm have healed completely.
“There’s still going to be a lot of bruising around your ribs,” Barbara warns. “Take it easy, and don’t do anything physically taxing.”
Albedo nods, sitting up slowly on the couch, wincing as he takes his first deep breath in without the bandages. There’s a twinge of soreness, but other than that, the pain is bearable.
“What about his right arm?” Aether asks from where he’s sat on the arm chair across from Albedo.
“It’s nearly healed,” Barbara explains. “I think that Sir Albedo’s Geo Vision has somehow helped speed up the healing process of his bones. But his right arm suffered much more trauma than the rest of his body.” Albedo flexes the fingers to both of his hands, grimacing at the stiffness in the joints. “I can give you a new brace for your right arm, if you want.”
Albedo nods gratefully, and Barbara gets to work replacing the hard shell supporting his arm. His right arm instantly feels lighter, almost off kilter as soon as Barbara sets the brace aside. That strange feeling is gone soon enough as Barbara replaces the brace, careful not to apply too much pressure.
When Barbara finishes, she stands up, dusting off her skirt and tosses all of the used bandages and trash into a plastic bag before she tucks away all of the medical salves in a small briefcase.
“Let me know if anything feels off, or if anything hurts.” Barbara smiles, and Albedo nods. “Take it easy, Sir Albedo.” Barbara curtsies politely before she bids them a good day.
Albedo flexes his fingers again; it feels strange to not have bandages wrapped around his left arm or chest. Aether watches him carefully as Albedo tilts his head back to stare up at the ceiling.
“Soon,” Aether says, as if he can read Albedo’s mind. “You’ll be able to get back to work soon.” The cushion Albedo’s sitting on shifts as Aether leans over him, pressing a soft kiss to his lips. “I invited Sucrose over tomorrow, by the way. She’s going to bring you some notes and other materials for your research. She also said that she’d be taking notes for you until your arms get better.”
A surge of affection wells up inside of Albedo, and he hooks his newly freed left hand behind Aether’s neck to draw him closer.
“Thank you,” Albedo murmurs, swiping his tongue against Aether’s lower lip until he parts them. Aether moans softly as Albedo strokes their tongues together, deepening their kiss. An arm wraps around Albedo’s waist, and a startled gasp escapes the alchemist’s throat as Aether drags him into his lap. He shivers when he feels Aether’s thumbs rubbing circles into his bare skin.
They only part when their lungs are burning, their foreheads resting against each other before they’re diving back in to devour each other. Albedo's finally able to properly feel the soft skin of Aether’s cheeks against his palm, his left arm tingling with sensitivity. Heat shoots straight to his core when Aether trails kisses down to his neck, suckling softly.
“Aether,” Albedo breathes, threading his fingers through Aether’s soft hair. Aether hums, licking a stripe up Albedo’s neck to recapture his lips. Albedo presses forward, trapping Aether between his body and the couch, sliding a hand up Aether’s perpetually exposed midriff. Aether inhales sharply, a whine escaping his throat as his hips jerk.
Albedo pulls back slightly, and Aether’s golden eyes slowly blink open. His pupils are blown wide, and his lips are swollen. A pink tongue swipes against his lower lip before a hand is sliding behind Albedo’s neck, pulling him in again. Albedo’s head feels fuzzy, and all he can think of is Aether, Aether, Aether.
“Archons,” Aether curses against Albedo’s lips. Albedo feels a needy noise bubbling up in his throat as Aether pulls back, placing a hand flat against Albedo’s chest. Aether’s cheeks are flushed red as he slides his hands up to cup Albedo’s face. “I… let’s take things slower, at least until you’re healed.” Aether breathes.
Albedo lets his head drop to Aether’s shoulder as he inhales sharply, trying to calm his thundering heart and cool the heat racing through his veins. Aether’s palms are warm as they stroke down the length of Albedo’s spine, and the alchemist lets out a gasp as Aether suddenly lifts him up bridal style. Aether shoots Albedo a cheeky grin, pressing a kiss to his cheek.
“I’m tired. Come take a nap with me.” Aether says as he drops Albedo onto the mattress of his bed, crawling in next to him to wrap a leg around Albedo’s waist and an arm around his torso. Albedo chuckles and drops a kiss to Aether’s forehead. He feels his heart stutter as Aether presses a gentle kiss above it before.
“Aether?” Aether hums softly in response, shifting to prop his chin up on Albedo’s chest. “I think I love you.” He feels Aether still, before his head whips around to stare at Albedo, pretty golden eyes wide. Albedo’s heart is hammering against his chest almost painfully. Aether’s eyes grow watery, and Albedo immediately sits up, prompting Aether to sit up as well, reaching forward to brush away the tears. “Too soon?” Albedo asks, hating the way that his voice catches in his throat.
Aether shakes his head, rubbing at his eyes before he offers Albedo a shaky smile.
“I love you too. I’ve loved you for a while now.” Aether admits, reaching forward to lace their fingers together. Aether presses a kiss to the back of Albedo’s hand, and he can feel a couple of tears drop onto his skin.
“Come here,” Albedo murmurs, opening his arms.
Aether immediately snuggles into Albedo’s bare chest, pressing a kiss to Albedo’s heart, arms wrapping around his waist. Albedo unties the ribbon at the end of Aether’s braid to run his fingers through the soft blonde locks.
“Hey, Aether?”
“Yes?” Aether wriggles, rolling over to lay atop of Albedo, tucking his arms beneath the alchemist.
“Would you be alright if I conducted a few experiments with you?”
“With me helping, or with me as me being a test subject?” Aether drawls, lips quirking up into a grin. Albedo rolls his eyes, gently pushing at his lover’s forehead with his left arm.
“I find you to be many things, Aether. You’re a bit of an enigma, but I adore you all the same.” Albedo murmurs, brushing his newly healed fingers against Aether’s cheeks, tracing the slope of his nose before his lips. Albedo hisses when Aether nips them with a cheeky grin. “Back on Dragonspine, I was a little worried that I had nothing else to really research; you solved the problem with the ice and the Frostbearing Tree.”
“I apologized for-” Aether starts to protest but Albedo cuts him off with a kiss. Aether pouts.
“I was thinking about trying to research you, but I had no time with my current experiment underway.” Albedo continues. “But then… well,” he offers a wry smile.
“You got whacked by the Lawachurl,” Aether says, slipping a hand out from beneath Albedo to brush his cheekbone.
“But, I believe I have plenty of time to research you now,” Albedo adds, with a small smirk tugging at his lips. Aether blushes as Albedo’s fingers dance down his spine. “I want to know more about you, Aether. You’ll indulge this poor, broken man, won’t you?”
Aether scowls at him, cheeks pink, and buries his face in Albedo’s neck. The alchemist chuckles, pressing a kiss to the crown of his head.
“You’re not as broken as you were before,” Aether grumbles. Albedo squeezes his waist, and Aether’s expression softens. “I’ll indulge you this time.” Aether rolls his eyes, leaning down to press their lips together in a gentle kiss. Albedo hums, tilting his chin up to reciprocate.
When Aether pulls back, he shifts to lay back down beside Albedo, curling up to him and drawing the covers up to their shoulders.
“Stay with me?” Aether asks quietly.
“For however long you want me to.” Albedo promises.
Aether reaches up to trace Albedo’s features with his finger. When Aether traces over Albedo’s lips, Albedo cups the back of Aether’s hand, lifting it up to press a kiss to the palm. Aether’s breath hitches.
“What if I said forever?” Aether whispers.
“Then forever it is.”