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The camp in dragonspine was always warm, a little place for Albedo to do his work freely and safely away from others, but there are times when the continuous isolation can lead him to working for hours without care. There are days that he ignores his own body, his hands shake and his vision becomes blurry by each second yet he continues, completely forgetting that he too, needs a break.
Not today, that is.
He hears a soft voice behind him, he doesn’t understand whatever words were spoken so he dismisses it as Kazuha playing a tune. The wanderer wanted to explore Cape Oath, but since he had to pass through dragonspine, might as well visit his boyfriend on the way.
"-dear." The alchemist continues working, hands continuing to shake while he works but he doesn’t notice, far too focused to do so.
Next was a faint call of his name but Albedo continued again, his vision blurry except for the items that sat on his desk. He doesn’t notice that either.
"Albedo." Kazuha's voice echoes in the small camp once more, finally driving away the alchemists' focus from his work and onto the wanderer who seems to have come back from looking for supplies, a few fruits and branches for the fire rests in his arms.
That’s when Kazuha notices, he notices how the alchemists’ hands shake, the empty flask in his hands slipping and crashing into the stone, the thin layer of snow wasn’t enough to keep it from breaking into pieces. Kazuha knew it wasn’t out of clumsiness, but instead fatigue from working for hours non-stop.
Kazuha noticed how Albedo’s eyes were shining, a thin layer of his tears in them, not because he cried but once more from fatigue. Albedo stumbles, he stood for hours where his eyes stayed in a small area, the sudden movement to face Kazuha making him faint, his hands holding onto the desk yet with no strength at all causing him to nearly fall onto the broken glass.
The wanderer rushes to him, dropping the fruits and branches, his shoes keeping the glass from digging into his feet. He held Albedo in his arms, carefully walking to a tidy and warm corner of the cave, a corner of the cave they usually sleep in, Kazuha makes sure to sit Albedo comfortably on a chair while he sets up one of their sleeping bags.
Kazuha unties the braids from Albedo’s hair before tucking him into the bed, the snow beneath it and the fire next to them keeping the bed a comfortable temperature. Dragonspine was never particularly warm, if the cold and relentless winds were not enough of a warning, the ruins that sheltered hilichurls, fatui, and abyss creatures were another threat, but when the wanderer and the alchemist are together, anywhere in the universe would feel like home.
Albedo slept comfortably, Kazuha’s scarf wrapped loosely around his neck keeping him warm while the wanderer started a small meal. Though the sun wasn’t visible, the cold wind and gray skies starting to rush into a blizzard was enough of a sign that the day was coming to an end. Kazuha knew such winds could occur but tonight was one he had hoped would be calm, nature has its days as well it seems. Luckily, the campsite was deep enough to shield them from it.
By the time their meal was done, the winds grew far more reckless, the torches’ fire nearly blown out. Kazuha was quick to move them a little further inside, slipping rocks around its base to keep it from falling over, then he cleaned up the stray fruits and branches, keeping them in their respective containers before moving onto the broken flask. The glass shards were scattered, but with a little anemo, it was an easy clean-up.
“Kazuha?” Albedo mumbled softly, shifting a little before sitting up and stretching his arms.
“Good evening, my dear.” Kazuha walked over to Albedo, crouching in front of him and holding both his hands. Albedo leaned over to place a soft kiss on his lovers’ lips, the warmth lingering for a moment.
“Good evening, I must apologize for having to trouble you-” Albedo was quick to apologize, yet Kazuha interrupted him.
“Shh… it is my own decision to care for you,” he paused, standing up to grab a bowl and fill it with soup, handing it to Albedo, “Tonkotsu ramen, a native dish from Inazuma, we had enough ingredients for it, there was originally more meat but I lessened it for you.”
Albedo smiled and thanked him, he knew how much the inazuman enjoyed cooking and eating altogether, taking a spoonful and humming in delight, “You really do cook to perfection, my love. Shouldn’t you eat as well?”
“I wanted to make sure you eat well first, but if you insist.” The wanderer smiles, standing up again to grab a bowl for himself, then sitting next to his lover. "I'll be heading to Cape Oath tomorrow morning, perhaps you could join me to freshen up your mind?"
"I'd be delighted to, I do need a change of scenery, I haven't sketched in a while."
• • • ◆ • • •
By the time the blizzards' relentless winds pass, the sun peeks through the mountain side and snow falls like stars dancing in the soft wind. Birds sing their tunes and critters start hunting for food, Albedo and Kazuha sleep peacefully next to each other, the warm meal before bed and the crackling fire next to them keeping the cold at bay.
With a small stretch, Kazuha yawns, sitting up sleepily before tying his hair in a cponytail, looking over to Albedo who shifts in his bed, snuggling closer and wrapping his arms around the wanderers' waist. Kazuha couldn't help but run a hand through his lovers' hair, a soft smile on his face.
Just then, a stray leaf blows into the camp, with a bit of anemo, Kazuha picks it up and brings it to his lips, blowing a tune that welcomes the morning sun.
"Is it morning already?" Albedo clings onto his lover for a while before looking outside where snow fell gracefully.
"good morning my dear," Kazuha chuckles lightly, letting the leaf flow into the wind before running his hands through Albedo's hair, "rest more if you wish, i'll get started on our breakfast, the day is long, we can head to Cape Oath afterwards."
Albedo nods, opting to sit up and sketch in bed, each stroke capturing the wanderers' sunkissed features, the red in his hair amidst the snowy white, his eyes that looked at Albedo as if he were a long lost treasure, his hand that Albedo often holds, now working swiftly on their meal.
There was a sense of comfort from the sketch, something Kazuha always admires, the passion and feeling from it. The moment stills, etched on paper to last for years, a memory never lost in time.
"Not a day goes by where my love for you does not grow…" Albedo leaves the sketchbook down on the bed and walks over to Kazuha, placing a kiss on his lips.