Work Text:
The moon shone over the vast expanse of snow blanketing Dragonspine. Despite the time of night, it provided enough light to see perfectly well without a torch. Kaeya hugged his mug of hot tea between his cold fingers and sipped at the comforting liquid. It warmed him up as it slid down his throat, burning the whole way down.
"A Mora for your thoughts."
Albedo sat down next to Kaeya, his sketchbook under his arm, a blanket under the other. He spread the latter over their legs, shifting closer until they could feed of each other's body warmth.
"My first memory of Diluc when I was a lad, isn't the moment I met him. I think I was so scared and confused, my brain deleted most of my memories from that time," Kaeya said, sipping his tea again. "So you want to hear about it?"
"I always want to hear about you," Albedo said, sounding as matter-of-factly as he ever did, but Kaeya could still see the affection in his eyes.
"I used to have nightmares. Nights upon nights of insomnia because I was too afraid to sleep, then passing out of exhaustion and waking up screaming with more nightmares. It was troubling to say the least."
"Khaenri'ah?"
Kaeya nodded. Sometimes he still dreamt about it. About all, the promises he wasn't sure why he had to keep. Or who he had to keep them for.
"One night I snuck into Diluc's room. He was already awake. It's like he was expecting me. I knew I would love him the moment he looked at me and just opened his arms. An invitation, an offering. Whatever it was, I took it. I climbed onto his bed, I straddled his legs, burrowed my nose in his neck and... And fell asleep. I hadn't felt that safe in months. I felt like I'd found something very close to a home in his arms."
Albedo leaned into him, laying his head on Kaeya's shoulder. "You miss him."
"I do. I love that idiot more than words can tell. He's my family, whether he wants it or not. I miss my brother. I miss sitting on him and falling asleep. I miss looking for seashells by the shore. I miss climbing onto trees and disturbing bee hives. I miss my big brother. But I don't regret telling him who I am."
A gentle hand touched Kaeya's cheek, brushing away the hair from his face and tucking it behind his ear. Kaeya turned to look at Albedo, properly look at him, the eyepatch long discarded somewhere in the workshop. There were no secrets between them. Not when they were both children of the Abyss.
"Thank you for telling me," Albedo smiled, leaning closer to Kaeya and pressing his lips to his golden eye, then down his cheek, then lightly over his mouth.
They kissed for a moment, the moonlight casting their shadow over the pristine snow. When they parted, Albedo's hand sought Kaeya's and their fingers intertwined beneath the blanket.
"You know I love you, right?" Kaeya asked.
"Yes," Albedo smiled, resting his head on Kaeya's chest. "I suppose I do, too. Though the concept of love is too abstract for me to truly I understand it, I am happy with where we are in our relationship."
That made Kaeya laugh. "Who else do you kiss the way you kiss me?"
"No one. Nor do I want to. I've ever only felt this way about you," Albedo mused, his brows furrowed. "It's always been you."
"Then that is enough for me."
The moon began her descent behind the mountain, and soon they returned to the warmth of the workshop.
Maybe one day Kaeya and Diluc would find peace together, and restore their broken family bond. In the meantime, he would find comfort in the weight of Albedo's body as he slept pressed to his chest.