Work Text:
Albedo recalls his first Silver Eve with crystal clarity.
The bazaar was full of varying goods, from scrolls and books of infinite knowledge (or perhaps infinite for him at the time, a young, starry-eyed witchling trailing behind Rhinedottir and more often than not stepping on the backs of her pristine shoes as he feverishly flipped through the books on alchemy and science and life and death) to beautiful crafts and delicious food.
The best of it was, however, the shining of the passage stars in the sky as Rhinedottir carefully explained the history of the Silver Eve to him. The passage stars, the delightful bite of the November cold as you walk around, the vendor’s lotteries to get the best spaces in the festival, the congregation of the most powerful and influential figures in the witch realm.
It is perhaps those fondest memories that drive Albedo to take time off of work (regardless of the pile of letters addressed to him from varying sources asking for his assistance regarding certain matters within the witch’s realm) in order to give Klee that very same experience. She, too, looked up at Albedo as if he personally hung the passage stars in the sky for her, much like how he looked up at Rhinedottir the same way when he was her age.
Klee was buzzing with questions as Albedo carefully brushed her hair, and Albedo took care to answer each one with as much patience and detail as the last.
“So we’ll see stars in the night sky?”
“Mhm. The passage stars mark the beginning of the Silver Eve, there’s even a saying for it — when stars above make passage to land, the season for Silver Eve is close at hand.” Albedo hummed as he finally brushed out the final knot in her hair. It was incredible how easily children’s hair gets tangled and matted.
Klee hmmed and hummed until finally, “I need to look my very best for the stars! You have to get out big brother, it has to be a surprise for everyone. The stars only come once a year, so I need to make a good imp-resh-un.”
She pushed him (or pushed as well as a child her size could) out of her room as she went to change. It feels like it was yesterday when Albedo was asked by Rhinedottir’s friend Alice to help look after Klee in her absence — as a powerful witch, there was no shortage of trips and requests and explorations that Alice must go on. Albedo would become the stability little Klee needed to grow up happy.
Albedo fondly recalls braiding her hair so it wouldn’t matt overnight, teaching her how to read, helping her learn her first runes, and watching her finger paint alongside him as he painted and painted and painted until Klee fell asleep at his side, hands dyed in vibrant hues as he had to pick her up and wash her up before putting her to bed.
And now she’s getting ready on her own for her first Silver Eve.
However, there was no time for sentimentality as Klee bursts through the door, adorned in reds and whites as she excitedly blabbers away about what she wants to do first and then second and then third at the festival.
As she walks past Albedo, triumphant in her successful wardrobe change, Albedo smoothly twists her witch hat around to its proper position.
As the pair arrives at the festival, Albedo wonders if perhaps he should’ve redirected some of Klee’s questions and queries as she flits from tent to tent, from sight to sight as Albedo does his best to keep track of her. It takes several sequences of side-stepping and apologies to keep up with Klee, ever so small and lithe.
“Klee, hold on. Remember we have to stick together,” Albedo said as he finally caught up to Klee, kneeling down to look her properly in the eyes. “Every witch worth their salt is here. It is easy to get excited, but just as easy to get lost, or worse, hurt. Make sure you stay by my side while we’re here, yeah?”
“Okay… I’ll do my best!”
Although Klee seemed bashful at first for being scolded, she perks up just as quickly as she keeps pace with Albedo, who has redirected them to a vendor seemingly selling foreign herbs and plants. Albedo takes note of the naku weeds, ground jueyun chilies, dried qingxin, and rukkhashava mushrooms. There were so many herbs and plants, in fact, that Albedo didn’t notice little Klee wander off and away, attracted by a vivid purple tent off in the distance.
It is only when Albedo turns to ask Klee if she would like to take anything home from the booth that Albedo notices the emptiness where Klee once stood.
Albedo panics, ever so slightly, upon seeing that Klee has vanished from his side.
Hindsight is 20/20, and he knows he shouldn’t have told Klee so many stories when she’s as excitable as she is, but she’s at that age where she relentlessly asks questions until she’s satisfied.
What’s the festival about? How do you know the stars will fall? Does everyone just know to come to the same place? Can anyone come? Who gets to do the fancy stuff in the streets? Do normal witches have booths? Big brother, can we have a booth?
And on and on she went and Albedo finds himself too endeared to tell her to quiet down.
And so he indulged.
And now Klee is nowhere to be found.
Albedo takes a deep breath as his eyes flit over his surroundings, trying to logically deduce where Klee would be most excited to head off to. Thankfully, the festival had not introduced any fireworks or explosives yet, so perhaps the consequences of Klee’s meandering would be fairly minimal.
Albedo decides that of everything going on at the festival, Klee was most likely headed to the booths to scrounge something up with the allowance money she has. He trudges past swarms of witches, sighing as he pinches the bridge of his nose, as Albedo feels a migraine coming on. He hopes nobody has gotten poor Klee to cough up her meager savings for something arbitrary.
As Albedo passes a deep purple tent, he falters, hearing a familiar giggle pierce through the air. He pivots, muttering a soft ‘Excuse me,’ as he pushes his way back to the tent, noticing a sign with delicate cursive reading ‘enchanted ice crafts’ as he parts the tent opening.
The tent was full of lamps made with stained glass, sun catchers dangling in corners, and stunning sculptures of peacocks and doves scattered across tables decorated with finely patterned cloths. At the center was a mahogany table, Klee seated in front of it, marveling over a small statue of her best friend, Dodoco.
Albedo exhaled, knowing that Klee was safe and sound as he fished for his bag of money in his white robes.
“Ah, are you perhaps the big brother this darling young lady has been telling me about?”
A smooth voice cut through the aimless chatter and music that drifted from outside the tent and Albedo pauses, finally examining the man sitting across from Klee, twirling the ends of his high ponytail. His eyebrow twitches, examining the self-assured expression on his face.
The man clearly dressed for the occasion, decorated in a fine silk shirt that was hardly buttoned at all and a shawl of navy blue, gold, and purple sitting around his neck, evidently doing so incredibly much to cover up his torso. Albedo rolls his eyes and nods his head, watching the glossy lips of the mysterious man spread into a grin, exposing sharp canines.
Before the man could say anything though, Klee bounces up to Albedo and hugs him as best she could, meaning she went on her tiptoes to wrap her arms around his legs and pretend she was smothering him. Albedo relaxes, ever so slightly, as Klee excitedly explains her recent adventures.
“Big brother big brother! I went off to look at all the pretty booths because you told me how the booths are run by witches who have really cool things and this one is run by Mister Kaeya and he makes stuff with ice that doesn’t melt so I asked him if he could Dodoco because Dodoco is my best friend and he told me he could if he could have a model! So I took Dodoco off my bag and I gave it to Mister Kaeya and he made a statue for me and I asked him how much it costed because it was so good it must cost so much but he told me it would be... uh… on… the house? If I told him who I was here with because I shouldn’t be out at a festival like this on my own so I told him all about you big brother and how you’re a super cool witch and you make so much cool stuff and you love to paint and —”
Albedo tunes out Klee’s rambles briefly as he narrows his eyes at Kaeya, who smiles brighter and wags his fingers — decorated in an absurd amount of golden rings — in greeting. Albedo loathes this man already.
He wants to leave.
“I do have to thank you very much for taking care of Klee for me. It’s her first time at the festival so she’s a bit excited to experience everything. How much is the statue? I’ll pay for her.”
Kaeya shakes his head, earrings jingling as he looks up at Albedo.
“It’s free for the pretty witch and his cute little sister. I’m a man of my word, you know,” Kaeya teases as he drawls out the word pretty.
Albedo is more than familiar with witches like these, smooth talkers who hope to gain favor through easy compliments and gifts. Albedo simply says nothing else before taking Klee’s little hand in his and leading her out of the tent.
Klee looks up at her big brother and her brows scrunch together in thought.
“Is big brother mad at me?”
“Oh — Oh no, Klee, I would never be upset with you. But please don’t wander off again without telling me, not everyone that attends these events have good hearts. We can go together. It’ll be more fun this way, no?”
Klee puffs up her cheeks as she nods her head, putting her hand over her heart.
“I promise to tell big brother if I wanna go anywhere!”
“And you promise not to leave without me accompanying you?”
“Yes!”
Albedo’s shoulders slouch as he smiles. He truly could never be mad at Klee. He opens his eyes and looks down at the sculpture of Dodoco cradled in Klee’s hands, and he has to applaud the craftsmanship. That man, Kaeya, as shady of a suck-up as he is, truly must have practiced his art for a lifetime to be able to make such marvelous things out of ice that never melts.
“But big brother, you should’ve talked to Mister Kaeya more! He’s so cool, and he has so many things in his booth. Did you see the pretty crystals? He said if you put them up by windows they make rainbows and I wanted rainbows but I only had the money for one thing and rainbows are nice but Dodoco is my best friend so I had pry-ore-it-ees,” Klee rambles, sounding out the word priorities.
Albedo laughs breathily as he asks, “Now where did you learn that one?”
“Mister Kaeya taught it to me! I told him that I liked the crystals but I wanted a statue of Dodoco more and he taught me it!”
Albedo hopes that once Klee explores more of the festival that the discussion about Kaeya would draw to a close. For some reason, thinking about him makes his heart twist, and he loathes it. Albedo isn’t one for making enemies, but perhaps today can be a new start for him.
It doesn’t matter if Kaeya’s worst crime was giving Klee an ice statue for free.
Albedo hums, before realizing that it’s almost lunchtime.
“Klee, are you hungry? Let’s go find something for you to eat, hm?”
Klee lights up and begins to tug Albedo before she stops in her tracks, looking back up at Albedo who only tilts his head in question.
Klee waits a few moments more before saying, “Mister Kaeya told me there’s someone here selling food that he likes a lot. He said there’s a woman selling p… pani… panipuri? I think? He said it’s really yummy, and he liked it a lot growing up so I should go try it with you! But I forgot to ask where she is…”
Klee looks down at the floor, almost ashamed for failing to ask Kaeya for more details.
Albedo can tell that, obviously, Kaeya failed to tell her where the woman was so that they would have no excuse but to turn back and visit him again and give Kaeya a second chance to sweet talk Albedo. So Albedo resolutely decides that they will try the panipuri but they will find this woman by themselves.
Kaeya will not get the satisfaction of luring the two back to his tent.
It takes some wandering and a ton of asking, but they finally find the woman, Suhani, manning a food cart and diligently exchanging food for money. Klee looks up at Albedo and folds her hands together in front of her as she shyly asks if she can be the one to order the food because she’s a big girl and she wants to treat her big brother for being so nice to take her to the festival!
Who was Albedo to say no?
So Albedo hands off more money than Klee could possibly need as she wanders over to the cart. Albedo rests on the edge of a fountain as he watches Klee wave up at the woman and order her food. Albedo feels a wave of calm wash over him as the woman goes about prepping the panipuri for them.
It is only when Klee returns to Albedo with three servings and not two that Albedo realizes his mistake.
“Since Mister Kaeya said he liked eating these when he was a kid I thought we could get him some too!” Klee said, handing over a serving to Albedo, before immediately turning around and heading off back in the direction of Kaeya and the booths.
Albedo soared onto his feet and took a few long strides to catch up to Klee, reminding himself later to politely lecture Klee on not delegating new, mysterious strangers as her friend even when they give nice gifts to her. Klee was able to weave through the crowd with ease, and it was up to Albedo to murmur ‘pardon’ and ‘excuse me’ as he shoved his way through to keep up.
Finally, they arrive back at the purple tent and Albedo hopes they can pause outside, but Klee was never one for waiting or pausing or caution. So off she went, parting the tent opening and slipping inside and all Albedo could do was close his eyes ever so briefly to ready himself before he, too, stepped inside.
“Ah, and there’s Albedo. I was worried for a second our dear little Klee managed to separate from you again,” Kaeya teased.
Albedo hummed before saying, “No, this time, Klee happened to plan ahead to visit you again without telling me.”
Kaeya dramatically placed his hand over his heart as he cried out, saying, “Albedo, you wound me so, you weren’t planning on visiting your dear craftsmen again? I haven’t even been able to make you something yet.”
Klee laughs freely as she takes her place at the center table, folding her legs carefully as she places down the panipuri and slides Kaeya his share. Kaeya thanks her sweetly as he stands up and briefly exits the tent and all Albedo could do was stand there, wondering how the world had come to this.
“Albedo, sweetheart, what are you doing just standing around? Sit, sit, I flipped the sign outside to say I’m closed so we have all the time in the world to sit and eat together. Neither of you has had panipuri before, no? It’s incredibly popular where I’m from. You simply have to try it.”
Kaeya gently grasps Albedo’s shoulders, and he goes tense as Kaeya guides him over to the seat adjacent to his before applying more force and forcing Albedo down, down, down until he’s sat with his legs folded up like Klee.
Klee smiles up at Albedo and Albedo smiles back, perhaps tersely, and promises to himself that he’ll get through this only for Klee.
Kaeya sits back down and begins to chat with Klee about her magic. Albedo smiles warmly as Klee begins to ramble excitedly about fire and pyrotechnics and bombs. Kaeya, ever the charmer, is playing along and asking her questions at every opportunity that Klee is ever so eager to answer—what made her want to study fire magic in particular? How does she make her little explosives? What glyphs has she learned? Has she learned any other magic or is fire magic her beloved and only pursuit? Can she show anything off? Wow, your magic is super cool Klee, are you practicing anything at the moment?
Between the back and forth, Albedo drifts off—grows distracted as he eyes Kaeya. Kaeya has managed to befriend Klee faster than he possibly expected. Klee has always had a knack at befriending random people — Jean, a member of the Knights Moralis; Bennett, an adventurer whose bad luck outpaces him; Mona, a talented witch who can read the stars as intricately as her sigils; and so much more.
Klee’s reputation even exceeds his own, sometimes, not that Albedo minds.
But something about Kaeya bothers him in a way that neither Jean nor Mona nor Bennett ever had. Perhaps it's the way Kaeya grins with too many teeth or the way his eye sparkle in a way that makes it look like he’s up to something. Perhaps it’s the way Kaeya walks and talks with confidence oozing from his pores.
Maybe it’s the way Kaeya keeps sweet-talking Albedo and calling him pretty and sweetheart.
Albedo doesn’t know what to do about it, even, because his best attempts at icing Kaeya out and showing disinterest have failed miserably, no thanks to Klee’s budding friendship with him.
Should he behave oddly and hope Kaeya is turned off by it? Does he become brutally mean when Klee isn’t looking, leaving an explanation for Kaeya’s absence for another time?
Albedo is so busy strategizing on how to best deter Kaeya that he fails to notice the growing silence and the shared look between Kaeya and Klee as they realize that Albedo has completely drifted off.
Albedo surfaces as Kaeya leans in towards Albedo’s face and lightly taps his nose. Kaeya bursts into a fit of giggles with Klee as Albedo flinches backward, realizing what has happened as his face turns a soft pink. Albedo feels his heart race — their friendship is taking victims. Albedo does his best to ignore the sweet, musky scent of Kaeya’s cologne and sighs.
“Dozed off there, sleepyhead. Thinking about me?” Kaeya lilts, holding back a laugh.
“Moreso about the experiments I’m running on slimes in conjunction with different glyph combinations and how it impacts their elemental infusions,” Albedo quickly responds. He still feels the heat on his face and even though it’s a suitable answer, and an answer rooted in some truth, he knows the flush on his face gives away that he was definitely not enthralled in slime studies.
Kaeya hums and as his eye flits around the room, Albedo realizes far too late that Klee and Kaeya had finished their lunch and it was he alone who was sitting in front of a full serving of panipuri. Albedo is quick to try to launch into action, but Kaeya is faster. As Albedo reaches out towards the panipuri, Kaeya latches onto his wrist and tuts.
“Not eating your food? Albedo I’m insulted. After all the excitement and poor Klee doing her best and braving the crowds to get you a serving, you leave it to get cold. Should I be taking this personally?”
And Kaeya pouts. He pouts and his stupid glossy lips are on display and Albedo is praying to the gods above that he is able to make it through today without going into heart failure from the pure misery stewing deep in his soul. Klee is looking at him just hurt and expectedly and the two of them, pouting and sniffling is doing more than it should, and the guilt twists in his stomach as he sits up.
“My apologies, I didn’t really mean for it to happen. I get lost in thought fairly easily. I’m sure it’s just as good cold as it is warm,” Albedo says as he wriggles his wrist, hoping to reach out to the panipuri and eat. All of a sudden, the preparing and running about and worrying has hit Albedo like a heavy weight and he’s feeling positively famished.
“Well, let’s put that to the test then!”
Albedo is helpless as Kaeya continues to hold his wrist in a vice grip as he uses his other hand to reach over and grab a panipuri and hold it up to Albedo’s lips. Albedo’s best act of protest is pressing his lips into a firm line and shaking his head, but all Kaeya is doing is saying ‘ahhh’ and insistently pressing the panipuri to his lips. Albedo feels his patience running thin and finally decides to simply accept his fate.
Albedo opens his mouth and Kaeya feeds him the panipuri, and Albedo doesn’t think it’s an accident when Kaeya withdraws his hands and he feels a ghost of a touch on his bottom lip. Albedo hopes that is the end of it, but from the look on Kaeya’s face and the firm grip on his wrist, he knows that this will go on until the panipuri is gone.
But Albedo can’t even find it in himself to be mad when the food is so good. It’s rich and flavorful and after such a long day he is all but ready to scarf it down, but he will play Kaeya’s game.
Only for the panipuri.
And on and on it goes, a repeated sequence of Kaeya bringing up the panipuri to Albedo’s lips and lightly touching his lips when he withdraws his hand to grab the next. Before Albedo knows it, the panipuri is gone and the warm touch on his wrist is gone as Kaeya smiles with self-satisfaction.
“Grown-ups are weird.”
This time, it’s both Albedo and Kaeya that flinch. In the midst of it all, they had forgotten about poor Klee who had been sitting there the whole time. Albedo was utterly mortified seeing that not only had Klee witnessed it all, but she had moved to cover the eyes of Dodoco and ice Dodoco with her hands.
Albedo clears his throat and Kaeya leans away and sits up straight as they both offered apologies and excuses to Klee, who slowly removes her hands from the Dodocos’ eyes. She looks suspicious, but it quickly melts back into the Klee that Albedo loves and knows best. She shifts and plops herself down in Albedo’s lap, murmuring about feeling tired.
Albedo’s embarrassment and nerves melt away as he removes Klee’s hat and combs through her hair lightly. It has been a long day.
“Have any ideas on what you would like me to make for you?”
Albedo tilts his head, looking back at Kaeya.
“I did promise you a sculpture, no? Have any ideas on what you’d like?”
As much as Albedo has managed to grow accustomed to Kaeya’s presence, he hopes today will be the first and last day he’ll spend with him.
“Oh no, it’s quite alright. You don’t have to make me anything,” Albedo said. “But I should be heading home. It’s rather late, Klee’s just about ready to fall asleep.”
Kaeya gets up off the floor and carefully packs the ice Dodoco in Klee’s bag before Albedo can say a word. Albedo takes that as his cue to pack and head out, and thanks every star in the sky for the relative ease of his exit among all the mishaps he has encountered today. As he cradles a sleepy Klee in his arms, Kaeya parts the entryway to the tent, and the vivid purples and pinks in the sky shock Albedo to his core. He had spent almost his whole day with Kaeya.
No wonder Klee was so tired. They had been here for hours.
Kaeya looks upset—playfully, much like when he was guilting Albedo for spacing out. Albedo does his best to wave Kaeya goodbye while keeping a secure hold on Klee, but Kaeya whispers something before Albedo could turn and leave.
“It’ll be my best work yet, I promise. Come see me again. I’ll let you know the second it’s done.”
And Kaeya sounds so utterly earnest that all Albedo could manage was a quick nod as he turned away, walking back home, reflecting on the eventful day he just had the very interesting person he has encountered.
Perhaps he was hasty, in thinking of Kaeya as an enemy. He’s an annoying charmer and an irritating sweet-talker, but he seems… sweet.
After a night full of blissful sleep and sweet dreams (and perhaps a dream of a certain artisan with pretty lips and a sparkling eye that Albedo very much wishes to forget), Albedo and Klee march onwards to another day of the Silver Eve festival, amazingly even more crowded and bustling than the day prior.
After wandering around with Klee holding tightly onto Albedo’s hand (per his request), the two finally sit down on a ledge overlooking a group of street performers. The day had been long already, and with their stomachs full of taiyaki and dango milk the two are content with watching the street performers make merry, dance, sing, and play in the plaza.
As one performer picks up and twirls another, Albedo’s vision goes dark. Albedo jolts, ever so slightly, from the sudden darkness overcoming his vision before he catches the scent of a familiar cologne.
“Guess who?”
And there it is, the sly voice of a man who doesn’t even bother attempting to disguise it in order to follow through on the ploy. Albedo hums for a moment, acting as if he is thinking ever so seriously on the answer to the mystery man’s question. “Is it perhaps the dashing performer in the plaza down there asking for my hand in helping their performance? I find the twirling to be quite alluring.”
Albedo’s vision suddenly rushed back towards him, leading him to squint as light flooded his eyes once more as he hears Kaeya guffaw behind him. Albedo’s face slides into a smug grin as Klee is laughing beside him.
“That guy down there? His job is to perform, he’s supposed to look good, it’s not natural like me! It’s performative,” Kaeya said, almost exasperated with Albedo’s comment. Albedo takes it as a win, however much he could of course. However, it’s only when Kaeya rests his head on top of Albedo’s does he recognize that he has perhaps made a mistake in adding that final detail.
“If you’d like though, I can twirl you around even better than that performer down there. I’d be honored to dance with someone as beautiful as you.”
Albedo’s heart churns and he is once again met with a feeling he can only describe as anger. Just because they are perhaps approaching being on friendly terms doesn’t mean they are this close to each other. Twirling Albedo around? How audacious is this guy! Even if being twirled around does sound nice in theory. But that is obviously a passing thought and has absolutely nothing to do with the situation at hand.
Kaeya backs away, only to slide onto Klee’s other side, prompting Klee once again to talk about her day. Klee, ever the extrovert, excitedly recounts their day to Kaeya who is just as intrigued and attentive as yesterday. Albedo is left once again to his own devices, watching the performers in the plaza as he zones in and out of the duo’s rapid-fire discussion. Albedo feels Klee rummaging through his bag, likely to find whatever purchase she finds most pertinent to show to her new friend, but Albedo is intrigued by the performers slowly inviting people to join in on their dance.
The music swells and grows more and more upbeat and soon enough the plaza is consumed by witches dancing in groups, in pairs, all alone, and Albedo offhandedly wishes that he packed his sketchbook on today’s trip.
“Would you care to dance, love?”
Albedo tilts his head to look up at Kaeya, who has his hand, adorned in different golden rings from yesterday’s it seems, out in offering. Kaeya wiggles his fingers as a grin grows on his face, perhaps trying to lure Albedo in.
“Oh no, I’d much rather watch. Really, I wish I packed my sketchbook today. It’s not often you see a spectacle like this…”
“Oh, is our dearest Albedo actually too shy to dance with the crowd? Or, perhaps…” Kaeya trails off, and Albedo knows very well by now what that look in Kaeya’s eye means. However, once again, Kaeya beats him to the punch.
Albedo needs to work on his reflexes.
“Do you not know how to dance?”
“You don’t know how to dance? Big brother Albedo, is that true?! But you know everything! You should let Kaeya teach you, you can’t not know how to dance! You have to learn!” Klee blurts out as she gapes at Albedo. Klee is small, but even she knows how to dance. Really, this is just embarrassing for Albedo.
With that, Albedo knows his fate is sealed. He knows that with Kaeya’s confident grin and Klee’s wide-eyed, horror-struck look, he has no choice. Stuck between a rock and a hard place. Albedo begrudgingly stands up, half-heartedly muttering that he does know how to dance, thank you.
Kaeya slides off the ledge down into the plaza, taking Albedo’s hand as Albedo follows suit.
“Klee, I expect to find you where I leave you. Do not wander off. Remember our promise.”
It is only when Klee gives a little salute that Albedo heaves a sigh of relief before deciding that he’s going to show Kaeya how it’s done. Albedo charges ahead of Kaeya, maintaining a grip on his hand as he forges a path towards the center of the plaza.
“If we’re dancing, I will be the one taking the lead,” Albedo declares. “Don’t get the wrong idea, Kaeya. You will be the one who follows this evening.”
Albedo finally stops once he is satisfied with their position in the plaza, closer to the lively music and with a little bit of space around them. If Albedo were less focused on his mission to have the best position, he would perhaps notice Kaeya’s face has gone slack with shock, and the look of adoration in Kaeya’s eye.
But Albedo had a mission, so by the time he turns back around to Kaeya to take their positions Kaeya had recovered smoothly, returning to the familiar suave confidence that Albedo knows very well by now.
“Shall we?” asked Albedo.
“We shall.”
And so off they went, twirling and dancing amidst the crowd of witches. The plaza was growing increasingly crowded and whatever space Albedo has managed to find for them was rapidly deteriorating. Albedo twirls Kaeya, who laughs freely as he shrugs his shoulder to keep his shawl on. His blue hair, still in its high ponytail, shines a vibrant blue as the sun’s rays pass through thick, lustrous strands.
‘Ah. He’s pretty. This would be good for a painting…’
What was he thinking? The crowd must be getting to him, surely that’s all it is of course. It’s quite crowded now, the room he had to twirl Kaeya now reduced even further as the two are almost right up against each other. Kaeya looks down at Albedo and grins.
Albedo spots Klee twirling her Dodoco in the corner. He hardly has it in him to seek her out and scold her for abandoning her spot.
“Are you having fun?” Kaeya whispers in Albedo’s ear. Albedo hardly recalls Kaeya leaning down at all. Albedo is still working through the decisively intrusive thought that has no deeper meaning that came to him earlier.
Albedo manages to nod slightly, continuing to lead Kaeya through their dance.
How long had they even been dancing? It simultaneously felt that only mere seconds and also several centuries has passed since they first took up their dance. Albedo feels sweat build up at the back of his neck, and as he cranes his head upwards he is shocked that, much like the day before, the sky was dyed in vibrant reds and pinks and yellows. It’s sunset. Again. How does he lose track of time like this? Was it because of…
No. Absolutely not.
Albedo squeezes Kaeya’s hand twice, hoping this alerts Kaeya — and it does.
“The sun is setting, we should go and find Klee. She’s probably tired, I believe I spotted her dancing over there,” Albedo nods his head towards the direction he saw Klee last. His heart is racing, but it is surely the physical exertion and nothing else.
Kaeya squints, looking as if he’s processing his words before finally nodding his head in agreeance. The two squeeze through the crowd, trying to find a tall red hat through the crowd before finally emerging on the other side, seeing Klee sitting on the floor with her legs folded, Dodoco placed carefully in her lap as she looks to be almost half asleep.
Albedo charges forward to get closer, only to realize with a start that he had never let go of Kaeya’s hand as he finds himself lagging due to unexpected weight. He awkwardly lets go of Kaeya’s hand as he races to Klee, picking her up carefully as she sleepily blinks up at Albedo.
“I’m tired…”
“I know, Klee. Let’s get you home, yeah? There will be plenty to do tomorrow as well. Today has been enough of an adventure.”
Klee nods slowly as she reclines in Albedo’s arms, quickly falling asleep. Albedo looks down at her fondly, thinking of what he will show her tomorrow.
“I finally know what to sculpt for you know, by the way. It’s going to be my best yet.”
Albedo hums. “Have you now? I do recall telling you a sculpture wasn’t necessary. What you made for Klee is already more than enough.”
“Ah, but that’s where you’re wrong. I need to make sure I’ve dedicated something to you. Otherwise, I’ll never be satisfied.” Kaeya says, unexpectedly serious.
Albedo furrows his brows at Kaeya.
“Consider it a gift from me to you, if it helps you sleep at night. For treating me to lunch yesterday.”
“Lunch is hardly payment for an ice sculpture that you’re clearly putting in far too much time and effort into,” Albedo retorts.
“Ah, but the satisfaction of making something new and exciting is unmatched. Let me do this for you,” Kaeya replied. Kaeya tilted his head towards Albedo, almost challenging him to keep up their back and forth.
Albedo sighs and relents. This is clearly going nowhere.
“Fine. But make sure you’re taking care of your booth first. You closed for a while yesterday while we ate and it seems you skipped out on selling today in order to hang out with us and dance. Don’t go out of business just because you want to make something for me.”
“Alrighty, my love! See you tomorrow!” Kaeya blows a kiss to Albedo, whose face scrunches up in retaliation. Kaeya dramatically turns away, mimicking pain before lazily waving goodbye and disappearing in the crowd, back in the direction of the booth.
Albedo feels tired as he walks back home with Klee in his arms, even though his heart is still racing at the thought that invaded his mind earlier and the picture of a carefree Kaeya dancing in the plaza with him ingrained in his memories.
Albedo can only wonder what tomorrow will hold.
Albedo did not have to wonder for long.
Upon arriving at the festival with Klee in tow, Kaeya was waiting for him right where the bazaar begins. Kaeya was trying to play it cool, looking down at his carefully manicured fingers in feigned nonchalance but Albedo knew better than that — especially when he saw Kaeya’s eye periodically flit around before they finally locked eyes, Kaeya’s face lighting up.
Were those dark circles?
But Albedo had no time to ask questions or think because just as soon as they locked eyes. Kaeya met the duo in quick, long strides, the click-click of his heels alerting the two of them of his approach.
“Albedo my love! I finished the ice sculpture. You must come to see it! I worked hard on it, you know? Even stayed up just a bit to make sure it was positively perfect for you. Come, come, you too, little spark! Keep up, keep up! Wouldn’t want the crowd to sweep you away!”
Kaeya swiftly turned and walked back to his booth and Albedo couldn’t help but be intrigued at his eagerness. Klee skipped beside him, giggling away and whispering things to Dodoco that Albedo couldn’t decipher among the crowd.
Finally, Albedo and Klee arrive at the familiar purple tent in the bazaar as they carefully part the entrance to find Kaeya already there, pacing back and forth, as if anxiously awaiting their arrival.
“There you are! I was beginning to think the crowd swept the two of you away, being so small and all. Here, sit down, drink some tea while you’re here,” Kaeya said as he turned back towards his bag, carefully sifting through it before a quiet ‘aha’ sounded through the tent.
Was this really that important to Kaeya? Surely it couldn’t be that important. They had hardly met.
But Albedo felt almost… giddy, about the gift. Or perhaps giddy about how anxious Kaeya seemed about the gift. Or perhaps it’s because it looks like Kaeya spent hours after their departure yesterday to carve and perfect an ice sculpture for him specifically.
A light thunk was what alerted Albedo to the shockingly large sculpture sitting on the table in front of him, covered in thick, white cloth. What happened to the daintiness of the Dodoco sculpture Kaeya had gifted Klee? What possessed him to make something so massive?
“What are you waiting for? Go ahead and unwrap the sculpture,” Kaeya said, his arms folded across his chest, fingers tapping lightly on his arm. The anxiety was cute. If Albedo forgot it was Kaeya. (Or it’s because it’s Kaeya, said a traitorous voice inside of him).
Albedo undid the wrapping, taking care of the slopes and delicate pieces he was able to feel beyond the cloth.
Albedo registers Klee’s awed gasp before he recognizes the site before him.
It was the the two of them dancing in the plaza, Albedo twirling Kaeya around, the memory frozen in enchanted ice. Albedo’s mouth dropped open as he shakily exhaled, slowly navigating his head around the sculpture to get different angles. The decorations surrounding the plaza, the calla lilies and cecilias blooming beautifully around the edges. The minute details of their outfits, the delicate carving of each wisp of Albedo’s hair.
His heart stuttered. He felt warm. All he could do was gape as he absorbed each and every detail of the sculpture before him.
Kaeya was a master of his craft. The sculpture was gorgeous.
“Do you like it?”
Albedo finally tore his eyes away from the sculpture and turned up at Kaeya. Kaeya seemed flustered, looking into Albedo’s eyes.
“It’s beautiful. How do you do it?”
“Ah it’s… it’s nothing much. Just takes some patience and a few glyphs, really it’s nothing too special,” Kaeya tries to laugh it off but ends up coughing a little, his cheeks seemingly growing just a tad bit darker. Albedo shakes his head as he observes the sculpture further.
“No, no, it’s obvious that there’s much care that was put into this piece. It’s gorgeous. Look how much detail you put into the two of… us… and the flowers on the edges. Even the delicate leaves have detail. This must have taken you ages to complete” Albedo trailed off in the middle, suddenly growing bashful at his realization.
Ah.
Perhaps that incessant feeling, the wrenching of his gut, wasn’t annoyance after all.
Albedo looked up at Kaeya with admiration and fondness slowly growing in his heart, and perhaps Kaeya could recognize that look all the same. (Of course Kaeya could recognize that look. It had been the very same one he had been tossing at Albedo since the two had met).
Klee looked between them, her eyebrows furrowed in concentration as she rested her eyes on the sculpture every so often, before she finally blurted out, “Are you guys getting married?”
Kaeya and Albedo alike both whipped their heads around at Klee, Albedo’s face rushing with blood and a pink hue overtaking his pale skin and Kaeya rushed to explain that the sculpture was not, in fact, a proposal.
“We’re not even dating yet Klee, don’t be so silly and jump to such conclusions!”
“Yet?” Albedo responded, softly, probing.
Kaeya turned around to Albedo and it felt like the suave facade was all gone as he finally covered his face with his hand before murmuring something softly.
Albedo hummed, inching towards a smile. “I didn’t quite catch that, Kaeya. Would you mind speaking up?”
Kaeya took a deep breath.
“We’re not dating yet, unless you would want to change that.”
Albedo felt his heart do something funny in his chest and all he could muster was a soft, “Well, Klee wanted to go out onto the hill and watch the passage stars tonight. She said she thinks she could identify more constellations and stars than I could since she’s been studying with Mona.”
“Which I can big brother! Just watch tonight, I’m going to be the bestest at knowing the stars.”
Kaeya tilted his head.
“You could join us, if you’d like to, Kaeya.”
Kaeya fell silent, and Albedo grew nervous. Did he read this wrong? Was Kaeya just being friendly after all? Is he really that bad at identifying emotions?
Before Albedo could spiral any further, Kaeya mumbled a quiet, “I’d love to if you’ll have me.”
“Of course we will, Kaeya. We’ll leave you to it, but meet the two of us after sunset right by that big willow tree leading up to Starsnatch Cliff. Just a bit past the Thousand Winds Temple.”
Kaeya nodded with growing confidence.
“I’ll meet you both there, then. I’ll bring some snacks for the three of us as well, my treat. It’ll be a surprise.”
Klee, who had at this point retired to the floor watching the adults engage in a convoluted discussion that she didn’t quite get, did understand food. She stood up and exclaimed “Can you get some more of that food you like from when you were a kid Kaeya! The food we had with you was really yummy and I want more!”
“I’ll get you something even more special, Klee. Panipuri is really popular, but I want to get you something a little less common.”
Albedo nodded as he carefully wrapped the ice sculpture back up, holding it in his left hand. He put his right hand on the back of Klee’s head, patting her to signify their departure and the end of their conversation as he slowly turned them around back to the entrance of the tent.
“I’ll be waiting for you. Until then,” Albedo said.
As Klee exited the tent ahead of Albedo, Albedo decided he’d get one last laugh. He turned around towards Kaeya and blew a kiss, winking as he quickly turned away and left the tent.
Who knows what the heavy thump of something falling to the floor in the tent was afterward?
“Ah, there you are.”
Albedo spotted Kaeya from the corner of his eye, climbing up the steep hill towards the willow tree. Klee rushes down to meet him, chattering away about what Kaeya brought for them to eat.
“You know when we got home big brother Albedo put the big sculpture you gave him on the little table on his bed!”
Albedo realized in an instant that karma was real, because the look Kaeya gave him could be best described as predatory.
“Did he now? Aw, Albedo did you miss me so much you needed a reminder of our most romantic moments to greet you when you first wake up in the morning? Why I’m most honored. Perhaps if you gift me a painting of yourself, I’ll put it on my bedside so your pretty face can greet me each morning.”
Albedo huffed. “Anyhow, let's get up to the cliff side. It’ll have the best view.”
“Big brother, your face is red!”
“Aw… Albedo, are you embarrassed?”
“No, I am not. You are both imagining things. Let’s hurry.”
“But big brother, the stars won’t go anywhere, you told me yourself!”
“Don’t break a leg hurrying up the cliff side my love!”
Despite it all, Albedo coudn’t help but smile. Kaeya was endearing even if he could be a snot sometimes and he was cute. It helps that he gets along swimmingly with Klee.
The trio finally arrive at the cliff side and set up their soft blankets and the picnic basket full of local and foreign cuisine and snacks, the three sit down and and watch the stars announce their presence in the night sky.
As the stars twinkle and glitter across the sky, Albedo looks toward Kaeya and finds himself enamored. He won’t say so quite yet. It’s much too soon. But with Klee cuddled between them, pointing out the passage stars and only occasionally growing distracted by the constellations (the few she can recognize through Mona’s tutelage, of course, because she decisively does not know more constellations than either him or even Kaeya), Albedo is exceedingly content sitting together with Kaeya and watching the passage stars go by.
And if Albedo rests his hand on top of Kaeya’s, well, that is between him and the stars.
Though after that suave and confident attitude from the past few days, the shy look on Kaeya’s face is incredibly gratifying.