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albedo has been spending more time in dragonspine than usual—and that's saying something, considering how long he's typically there in the first place. usually, despite spending most of his time in the cold, mountainous land, albedo pays quick visits to collect or return equipment and see his colleagues and family. however, it's been just under two years since the city of mondstadt last saw the face of its chief alchemist, and for one cavalry captain and one spark knight, the occasional visit to dragonspine just isn't cutting it anymore.
so kaeya sets off to dragonspine with one goal in mind: persuade albedo to cut this particular expedition short and come to mondstadt for an extended period of time, if only slightly longer than usual. he makes sure to stock up on hot food and warming bottles both for himself and his lover, though he's sure the blond has his own share of sources of warmth. klee had wanted to accompany him, but jean kept an especially watchful eye on the two of them as the little girl had yet again landed herself in solitary confinement. as a compromise, since a bail-out wasn't on the table, kaeya promised to return with not only albedo in tow but also a brand-new supply of paper and drawing materials for the little girl to work with. he thinks, with great fondness and certainty, that perhaps she can be as wonderful an artist as her brother one day if she manages to hone her seemingly endless creativity and passion.
perhaps it is ironic, considering the fact that he has a cryo vision, but kaeya isn't too big a fan of the cold despite his increased tolerance to it; he can appreciate its beauty and its wonders but there is something so distinctly comforting about warmer weather that the cold will never have.
also, the cold worsening and his clothes getting all soaked when he has particularly rough battles with dragonspine's monsters is far from preferable and doesn't do much to increase his love of the snow. he swears silently to himself as he uses a warming bottle to dry himself off, thankful to know that he is close to albedo's camp.
—
it's dark when kaeya finally reaches his destination, and he is cold and exhausted but all of that seems to melt away (no pun intended) as soon as he catches a glimpse of his boyfriend, who currently has his back turned and seems to be hard at work on a new sketch.
"is that another hilichurl drawing or did another specimen catch your eye this time?" kaeya asks with a fond grin as he enters the small encampment and sets his bag of supplies on the ground, relishing the warmth.
"actually, i'm drawing a cryo cicin this time. they certainly are strange creatures, it's hard to figure out where they come from…" albedo mumbles in response, back still facing kaeya. he could practically hear the blond's brows furrowing in confusion and a kind of gentle frustration.
kaeya chuckles at the alchemist's sheer lack of awareness and walks over to him to embrace him from behind.
"hello to you, too, my love."
a small gasp sounds in reply. there it is.
"kaeya," albedo says simply as he brings his hands up to grip the taller's arms gently.
"'bedo," kaeya replies, smiling and kissing the tops of his head. "i miss you, you know. klee does, too."
"i know, i…" albedo sighs, so faint that kaeya barely catches it. "i apologize. i truly haven't meant to be away for this long—how long has it been…?"
"you sure you want to know?"
albedo winces, ever so slightly, in his lover's hold. "that response concerns me a bit, but… yes."
"almost two years, 'bedo," kaeya says softly. "why have you been away so long?"
"it's difficult to explain…" albedo sighs again, this one sounding almost defeated. he taps kaeya's forearm lightly and the cavalry captain drops his arm in response so the blond can turn to face him. "recently, i've begun to feel more isolated from others… well, more than is typical. it's easier to be here, alone. i feel so much more comfortable. is that strange?"
there is silence for a few moments as kaeya takes time to process albedo's words.
it's true that it's hard to feel like you belong somewhere when you're not like everyone around you—kaeya understands that all too well, living in a nation he was originally meant to spy on and betray. sure, he's found people he loves, people he cares about and a city he'd do anything to protect. but would that desire even mean anything if they discovered his origins? discovered he was from a land destroyed by the gods, including mondstadt's own? would it matter that he was willing to die for this nation if they knew the truth? it's terrifying to know that he could lose everything—every one —he loves within mere seconds. it's frustrating that he can't just be like everyone else in mondstadt; it's frustrating that he'll never truly fit in, not really, no matter how comfortable he might seem as he manages to strike up a conversation with just about anyone in the city. this secret—this burden—is his to bear alone, and even the one person who knows doesn't understand the full weight of it.
"it's not strange," kaeya says softly, convincing himself that the harsh wind is the reason for his misty eye. "not at all. in all honesty, i understand you completely."
albedo smiles, a small, incredulous laugh leaving his lips. "you do?"
"yes," kaeya breathes, certainty flooding his tone. he drags a nearby crate over and sits on it so that he can meet albedo's gaze more easily. he reaches over and takes one of the alchemist's gloved hands into his own. "i don't know if you could tell, but," kaeya uses his free hand to tap at the corner of his exposed eye, drawing attention to the star-shaped pupil, "i'm not exactly a local, either. i know what it's like to feel like you don't fit in with other people, or like you don't belong there. i've known what that's like since i was a kid, growing up with a family that wasn't biologically mine. it's not really the best feeling in the world, but also…"
he smiles, a small thing, and squeezes albedo's hand gently. "it doesn't always have to be a bad thing. you and i can… not fit in together. just come back with me. please."
albedo is quiet, then, but he tugs his hand free to wrap his arms around kaeya's neck and rest their foreheads together.
"i would like that very much," he whispers.
"good," kaeya says, smile widening. "because i promised klee i'd bring you back and get her a whole bunch of new drawing supplies."
this pulls a rare but oh so beautiful laugh from albedo, who leans back in his mirth and looks at kaeya with crinkled eyes. "she drives a hard bargain, doesn't she?"
"i don't know, darling," kaeya responds playfully. he brings one of his lover's hands to his lips and presses them gently to gloved knuckles. "i think her requests were pretty reasonable."
kaeya knows the loneliness and discomfort of being an outsider better than most, but right now, he doesn’t think he's ever felt more at home; there was no one he'd rather not belong with than his beloved.