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The island was quiet tonight. Her nine inhabitants were scattered along the sandy coast- each one gently breathing in their last night of salty air.. Listening to their last lullaby of foamy waves against nearby rock. Taking their final gazes upon the vast expanse of the cosmos above, the stars so much brighter & more colorful in the Archipelago's solitude than in Mondstadt’s bright skies.
Aether stretched drowsily, head pressing back against the crimson hammock he had been swaying in for the majority of the evening. He grasped the edge of the Dodo-King printed material, pulling a fold back to reveal Paimon slumbering on a pillow a few meters away, drooling helplessly- a crusty wooden skewer clutched in the sprite's tight fist. Her cherub belly was distended from gorging on grilled fish all afternoon. The traveler’s fingers itched to retrieve the Kamera in his lower pocket, an invisible force compelling him to see this sudden urgent mission through.. until a noise rattled him out of his thoughts.
He stilled, ears perking. Bare feet swung out of the hanging cloth, landing in the warm, soft sands below him. The sound pierced through the air again. It was soft & sudden.. seemingly contained, as if its source was trying to go undetected.
Aether moved forward- his feet slapping messily through the damp sediment of the coast- inching towards the direction of the anomaly. Could it be a slime? ..No, a hydro mimic? They had thoroughly scouted the island upon arrival.. could one have respawned that quickly? His hand twitched beside his thigh- primed to summon his weapon if necessary.
The wanderer took in his surroundings as he crept towards the unknown location. Barbara & Jean sat reclined together on a waterside lounge chair off to his right. The younger's head was nestled against the Acting Grand Master's side, with Jean's arm wrapped securely around her. The other arm drooped over the armrest, a half-read book held limply in her hand. They were blissfully asleep. Aether smiled gently at the sight, relieved to see the siblings spending time together.
He continued on, turning his head to the west to see Razor curled on a patch of soft, wild grown grass. He snuffled in his sleep, kicking out sporadically & chuffing out drowsy snarls as his dreams carried him into the night.
That sound again .
Aether quickened his pace, unease growing in his chest. Further down the coast, Aether could make out two shadowed silhouettes. One sitting on a large rock, head upturned towards the stars, while the other stood stoically a few feet beside him- their attention seemingly honed on the sea before them.
'That accounts for Kaeya & Diluc,' Aether mused, rounding a few misshapen rocks.
Behind the large deposits laid the extravagant Dodo-King foyer. A multitude of beige awnings covered several shelves of plushy Dodoco pillows & crystal blue conch shells. Only the middle tent stood apart from the others, the grand expanse softly illuminated with several warmly lit lanterns. Aether softened his steps, noting the two figures huddled closely together in the middle.
Sat on the burgundy-rugged floor was Albedo. His legs crossed in a position many would deem too casual for the well known Chalk Prince. His white lab coat had been discarded- the collared blue undershirt opened a tad lower at his neck than usual. Pale blonde hair was a bit askew after a long day of serving shots in the Kaboom Ball chamber- with a few wandering strays ruffling messily in the sea breeze. The alchemist’s eyes were closed, long lashes pressed together serenely.
Resting on one of his crossed legs was Klee. The small child having curled against her brother’s side, chubby cheek pressed firmly against his leg. Her blonde pigtails draped against his dark pants, & a tiny fist held the material in a vice grip. The traveler stood still, entranced by the scene. The only movement from the two being the soft puffing of Klee's sleep-induced breaths, & Albedo's outstretched hand resting on his sister's back, patting it gently- rhythmically. An innate motion born only to those tied to a younger sibling.
It was incredibly domestic. A sight Aether couldn't have imagined after his many encounters with the nonchalant, chilly man known as Albedo. A part of him wanted to inch back, away from the quiet moment. To leave them undisturbed & content as he searched elsewhere for the peculiar noise. Yet..
Yet, there was something so tragically familiar about the picture. A longing he so desperately had.. a person he missed so deeply, that he wished was alongside him to share this unexpected journey with. To share his gaze at the vast ocean ahead, like they were.
He shook his head roughly, sucking in a quick sniff as his emotions took him on a brief joyride. He was fine.
He took one last glance at the pair.. eyes drifting towards Albedo as he noticed the young man hesitate slightly- the hand patting Klee's back stilling. His once closed eyes fluttered open, squinting against the breeze. & In a swift & smooth motion, the alchemist turned to his left side- smothering his.. very flushed nose, Aether noted, against the inside of a bent elbow.
His head bobbed sharply.
The traveler stood still, dumbfounded. The noise that had roused him from his hammock.. that had him traversing the small island- that nearly made him summon his dull sword.. was a sneeze.
Aether couldn't help the relieved & slightly bashful "Oh.. " that escaped his breath.
Apparently, it carried with the breeze.
Albedo stiffened from his still elbow-nestled spot. Aether watched his shoulders hike a bit as he sucked in two stunted-sounding sniffles before lowering his arm & directing his now watery gaze to a spot off shoulder. Acknowledging someone's presence.
"Traveler.." he began, expectantly.
"I presumed you were asleep."
The Chalk Prince cleared his throat softly, a raspy tinge painting his words.
Aether pushed past nearby shrubbery, shuffling towards the tent. His hand scratched the nape of his neck with embarrassment.
"Ah.. sorry, Albedo. I, uh.. I thought I had heard something, is all."
Aether responded in a hushed voice, wary of the slumbering child between them. He continued.
"Please go back to resting. I didn't mean to disturb you."
Aether watched as the young alchemist opened his mouth to respond. Before he could inquire further, his face contorted into the same, quizzical expression he had taken before. His pale lashes fluttering closed once again, breaths hitching frantically.
"..E-excuse me.. Could yh'h -you.."
The alchemist once again raised his hand off of Klee's back, squinting a tearful eye at Aether. He gestured towards the little girl with a calm yet insistent air of urgency. Aether stared at him with a puzzled expression before the unspoken request registered. He stepped closer, gently prying Klee’s fingers from the material of his pants & scooping the still slumbering child into his arms. Albedo took quick action once free from his sister. He uncrossed his legs, shakily bringing himself to a standing position while fumbling about in his pocket. He walked a few feet away.. a plain white handkerchief was retrieved & pressed against his reddened nose with urgency.
An uncharacteristically loud sneezing fit burst out of him- an intensity that implied he'd been suppressing them for a while. Aether watched as he sniffed miserably into the folded cloth, smothering a few hoarse sounding coughs in the aftermath. When the alchemist looked up after composing himself, the traveler couldn't help but frown.
Upon closer inspection, the older brother didn't look well. His crystal blue eyes seemed overly glassy.. & a ruddy flush was plastered against both of his pale cheeks. Aether watched as the other swallowed thickly, an unmistakable grimace following the action. Albedo met his eyes.
"Excuse me.. thank you." He spoke lowly, congestion coating his words.
"Klee's a sound sleeper.. but I didn't wish to jostle her."
Sure enough, the typically rambunctious child in his arms remained asleep despite the outburst. Her head was pressed against Aether's neck, snoring softly. The long & exciting day seemed to have finally caught up to her. Her brother as well, evidently.
Albedo's gaze became unfocused.. bleary, as his body shook him into a tremble-inducing yawn. He turned away from the traveler, releasing the exhausted breath into a loosely curled fist. A mumbled, sleepy pardon followed. Aether took a breath, diving head in.
"..You're not sounding too well.. To be honest, I think I was able to hear you from the hammocks."
The traveler began, perhaps overly blunt.. but he knew the alchemist preferred their conversations to be straight to the point.
"I don't mind watching over Klee for the night while you get some rest."
Albedo regarded Aether cooly, arms crossed in his usual aloof pattern. Soul-piercing eyes analyzing his every breath.. calculating his next moves. It would have been slightly intimidating if his irritated, cherry nose wasn't scrunching with quiet snuffles. Not to mention the barely suppressed shivers that were quaking through him- made more obvious without his coat. The warm sea breeze was apparently chilling the young man. Albedo closed his eyes for a moment, seemingly contemplative, before responding in a light tone.
"Mh.. I appreciate the thought, Aether. Contrary to your beliefs, I'm feeling fine."
He held his arms out, beckoning the other to transfer the child back to him. Aether squinted, hiking Klee higher on his hip in defiance.
"Right.. so all of this .. is nothing." He gestured vaguely around his face with a free hand for emphasis, eyebrows raised.
Albedo cleared his throat roughly, cupping both hands to his mouth a moment later as raucous coughs- which sounded anything but healthy- worked their way through him.
"This.. *cough! cough!!* ..is a somewhat adverse reaction to higher concentrations of salt in the air."
He replied raspily, in a matter-of-fact tone. Aether sighed, knowing this was going to be difficult. Rustling grass beside him caught the traveler's attention. He turned, tightening his grip on Klee before his eyes widened in recognition of the figures before him. A teasing voice rang out, light & airy.
"Hmm.. how interesting. Mondstadt must have experienced quite the salt-storm the other day, then. I noticed the Chief Alchemist was very.. sensitive just before our departure." Kaeya drawled, his sapphire eye glittering with challenge.
"Isn't that right, Diluc?"
The Cavalry Captain craned his head towards the Ragnvindr beside him. Diluc grunted in affirmation. He crossed his arms, locking his steely eyes with Albedo's.
"Hn. We could hear you coughing in the Kaboom pit this afternoon." He supplied, casually.
The alchemist returned Diluc’s gaze, unwaveringly. He sucked in a desperate sniffle, clearing his throat once more to retort.
".. Resonance chambers can be quite deceptive. The slightest energy source is capable of producing a grandiose acoustic wave- *cough! cough!! ..unlike the original.. s-stimuli.."
Albedo's voice wavered flimsily, his body seeming to rebel against the blatant lies. He unfurled the white handkerchief still clutched in his hand, turning on his heel to face away from the gathered group. A desperate gasp preceded a loud, sickly coughing fit.
The Chalk Prince stilled after the display, his thick breaths puffing raspily against the folds of the crushed linen. The flush draping his cheeks & nose deepened, making the stark contrast between his pale skin all the more evident. The trio watched with sympathetic grimaces as the alchemist pinched his nose roughly with the cloth, clearing his throat repeatedly in recovery. He slowly turned back around, his watering eyes drifting off towards his right, expectantly. Another crunch of grass sounded in the same direction.
"Archons above, Albedo. I thought you were looking off earlier.." Jean's concerned voice interjected.
She stepped between the group, one hand resting on her hip with an air of authority. A strong sea breeze whisked through the tent, ruffling her ponytail in its winds. Albedo shivered violently, hands making a move to grasp his upper arms for warmth before he caught himself- returning them to his sides. Jean softened.
"Albedo. This.. present. It couldn't possibly have been made solely by Alice. That much is clear." She cocked her head to the side, knowingly.
"The attention to detail.. the artistic flair.. your lack of surprise upon discovering this particular isle.. I wouldn't be surprised if you've been traversing between the frigid winds of Dragonspine & the blistering heat here on what little time you've had off this week.. It's no wonder you've taken so ill."
Albedo coughed lightly, eyes diverting to the side as Jean scrutinized him with the intensity of a training Grand Master. She inched forward, a warm hand patting his upper arm briefly in comfort.
"You did well." She praised him, smiling gently.
Kaeya brought a loose fist to his lips, chucking softly from behind the pair while Diluc turned away, uninterested in the sappy display. Aether looked down as Klee nuzzled sleepily against his chest. Words from not long ago ringing in his head once more.
'I.. occasionally have to look after a child. Another lengthy explanation I'm afraid. I suppose it's one of the few non-alchemy-related disciplines I'm any good at.'
He sighed, eyes returning to Albedo's rheumy gaze. In retrospect, the Chief Alchemist really didn't have much time outside of his research duties to do much of anything. Klee was always being watched by an available knight, or wandering Barbatos knows where.
This present.. this celebration.. It was one of the few chances that Albedo had to show how much he cared for his sister. His reluctance to break this atmosphere of peace, to disrupt the overflowing joy that Klee felt- despite his waning health- was something he was trying so desperately to avoid.
& from the looks of the knights around him, they all knew that.
Another thick cough rumbled from the depths of Albedo's chest- the young man turning away from Jean to smother the sickly hack into his crumpled handkerchief. The Gunnhildr sighed, pulling away.
"I don't like to do this, Albedo, but you've given me little choice. As Acting Grand Master I hereby order you to rest tonight & for the remainder of the week. No alchemical duties shall be performed upon our return to Mondstadt until you've had time to recover. Timaeus will pick up the slack in Dragonspine until then." Her words rang, resolutely.
Albedo shuddered miserably, the sickness he'd been struggling to hide appearing to wash over him in waves of unbidden malaise upon such bold detection from Jean. His pale eyelashes fluttered once more & his red nose twitched helplessly. He hitched- a broken sound..hoarse & teasing. Before a volley of sneezes erupted from him.
& in its conclusion left a thoroughly spent alchemist. Sapped of energy. The only response given was a mere:
“..U-understood, Acting Grand Master.. ”
The defeated voice no louder than a whisper.
The group winced at the unspoken confession, yet were relieved that the admission finally paved a way for the overworked knight to get some desperately needed rest. Kaeya clapped his hands twice to call attention.
"Alright then, everyone! I believe a good night's sleep is in order for all of us. This way Albedo.. there's a hammock simply screaming your name."
The Cavalry Captain ushered the swaying blonde to a nearby tent, an arm wrapped securely around his shoulders. The pair were followed closely behind by Diluc. Meanwhile, Jean caught Aether's eye, giving him a brief nod of communication before gently taking the still-sleeping Klee from his arms.
"I'll put her down with the other kids." She sighed before continuing.
"I hope Albedo will feel better in the morning.. I can't help but feel responsible in a way. Overseeing the knights means more to me than just their diplomatic roles.."
She trailed off, lost in thought before giving a brief shake of her head.
"Well.. goodnight then, Traveler." & with that she departed.
Aether stood quietly in the now abandoned foyer. Staring into the dark waves of the sea in front of him, his mind began to wander. That feeling Albedo seemed to have.. of needing to push himself to uphold the small line tethering his connection to his sister.. even as that line furrowed over time from distance & differing journeys.. Aether knew it too well. His desperation was palpable. Shared.
He glanced a ways off towards his left. Diluc & Kaeya sat on the edge of another burgundy tent. The winery owner setting a good-sized blaze among a pile of dry sticks to warm the site. Deeper into the tent, Aether could just barely make out a small tuft of pale blonde hair sticking out of an occupied Dodoco hammock- the strands ruffling softly in the breeze.
Aether smiled. Finally, he was resting.
& with one last parting glance, Aether started his return to his own hammock. A prayer to the Archons for many more shared Golden Archipelago’s to come, on his lips.