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"How are you asking me about something I've never done?"
"Because! Well... it wasn't Paimon's idea! It was all the Traveler!"
Finally taking a break from their endless wandering, Traveler and Paimon decided to take a visit to the chalk
prince's abode. His camp, rather.
Conversation topics at hand continued to waver, from talks about his recent experiments to what
Paimon wanted him to draw for dinner next. Her hunger never seems to cease.
Somehow, Paimon was complaining about how much shivering she experienced due to the
cold, and how she wanted Traveler to hold her close and give her warmth.
Thus, the topic of romance has bloomed.
"Hey, it was just a question.. you don't have to answer if you don't want to."
Albedo, once stroking his paint brush across the canvas finishing up the drawing of Paimon he
promised, averted his blue ocean eyes to the Traveler.
"Something as complex as love has always been in my research plans. A feeling shared
amongst every human that I've encountered here in Dragonspine; it truly is something I must
find the answers for. Love is nothing but chemical imbalances, but they seem to vary amongst
every single person..." Albedo dipped his chin in deep thought, tapping the end of his paintbrush
against his chilled, yet smooth lips.
He then glances at the Traveler, "Have you ever been in love?"
Traveler's cheeks rose into a crimson red at such a straightforward question from the alchemist.
It didn't help that Albedo had his own charm, unbeknownst to him... his blue eyes, his short
beige colored hair with a perfect braid and bangs that shaped his face perfectly, his curiosity that
only seemed to peak even more with every topic...
Composing themselves, the Traveler then shook their head, waving their hands in the air, "No,
no. I've been asleep for far too long, and this world of Teyvat is still new...
the only thing pressing on my mind is the desire to find my sibling. I haven't thought of love or
anything like that..."
"Hmm, I see..."
The prince then walked over to his crafting table, putting down his painting utensils.
"I am sure you will find your sibling soon. Your determination is strong enough to keep pushing
ahead."
Paimon floats over to said portrait of her, eyes beaming with a wide smile on her face.
"I can't believe this is me!! Thank you so much Albedo! It's WAY better than what the Traveler
drew of me," she said as she pouts at the Traveler, crossing her arms over her chest.
"Ahaha, I told you I'm no artist. Now come on, we promised to meet Xiao at Wangshu Inn for
dinner, remember?"
Paimon's face then turns into shock, followed by pure sadness. "That's right! Sorry Albedo, you
can destroy that picture of food you were drawing earlier. I forgot we promised Xiao we would
go and have dinner with him instead... Well, surprise him.
We're gonna drag him to relax if it's the last thing we do!" Paimon then floats next to the Traveler
as they stand up, preparing their things and getting ready to set off to Liyue.
"He's the Adeptus that protects Liyue, correct? I'd like to see him sometime. I've always wanted
to study an Adeptus up close... if he'll even allow an interview with me, that is."
"He may be stubborn sometimes, but he's a nice guy underneath that rocky exterior he has!
We've really got to get going, see you later Albedo!"
Paimon waved enthusiastically as she and the Traveler began to walk out of camp onwards to
Liyue. Albedo simply blinked and stared at the ground, his thoughts beginning to wander.
Xiao, the Anemo Adeptus from Liyue that continues to watch over the city, rules under the Geo
Archon that he still follows till this day. The prince can only begin to wonder about his
appearance, only knowing about him from the books picked up along the way from the time he
visited Liyue.
He isn't someone that shows himself, often away from the crowds and looking out from afar,
having a keen eye for danger to spawn whenever and wherever. The legends in the books say
with just a whisper of his name, he will be there when you call.
"Adeptus Xiao..."
In an instant, Albedo noticed something green in his peripheral vision. The sudden gust of wind
caused some of Albedo's research papers to fly off the table, soon landing on the snow-covered
floor.
There stands Xiao, the Adeptus that has conquered the prince's thoughts since the Traveler's
absence. Albedo looked up in shock while taking in his appearance. The navy blue hair, added
with slight teal highlights, matched his complexion perfectly, he thought.
Xiao, on high alert, began looking around frantically for expected danger. His expression
softened, his spear then disappearing when he confirmed there was no danger in sight. He
quickly takes in his surroundings, realizing he is in the middle of Dragonspine, just south of
Mondstadt.
He folds his arms and looks at the shocked, yet composed prince.
"You called?"
Albedo, blinked once. Then twice. He sighs, the frosty air solidifying his breath. He simply stood
there and took in the Adeptus' appearance. His intricate outfit, the spear that just disappeared
but is still sharp in the prince's mind, the purple diamond that sits on his delicate looking
forehead.
This is him. Adeptus Xiao.
Clearing his throat, Albedo begins to speak, "My apologies. I did not mean to summon you."
"You called my name, did you not?"
Albedo then stutters on his upcoming words. Trying to stay as calm as possible, he continues,
"Y-yes. I did. It was only a whisper, yet you appeared. Fascinating..."
He then grabs his clipboard and pen, along with other books and materials. Xiao gives him a
puzzled look; why does everyone perceive him as some Archon that has dropped down
suddenly?
Narrowing his eyebrows, he huffs, "If you don't need me, then I will leave-"
"Ah, please wait a moment!"
Xiao suddenly stopped in his tracks, following with Albedo's incoming footsteps to face the
turning Adeptus. With his eagerness and clipboard in hand, he almost believes he picked up
Sucrose's habits, rushing to others and bombarding them with questions to gain as much
information as possible. "While it was my mistake to summon you, I would like to know more
about you. I know that you are an Adeptus, and with that fact known, I would like to study you
and ask some questions. Is that alright?"
Xiao blinked once. Then twice, following a heavy, annoyed sigh.
"You want... to study me? I don't have time for this."
Albedo hesitates. This is an Adeptus he is talking to. Surely he cannot rush into such things like
this. However, this is the first time he has laid eyes on him. It could be the first and only time
he can gather some information from him. He can learn about his background, his combat skills,
his real form... he could have everything in this moment.
He pushes further, "Only a few questions. If you would allow me.”
Suddenly, the alchemist stops himself. He quickly stands up straight, dropping his clipboard to
his side while holding his hand to his chest. With a soft hum, he composes himself in front of the
impatient Adeptus.
“My apologies, I was so engrossed in my work that I forgot to introduce myself. My name is
Albedo Kreideprinz, Chief Alchemist based here in Mondstadt. It’s a pleasure to make your
acquaintance.”
Xiao glares at him. Despite his icy demeanor and the cold in Dragonspine, Albedo holds his
ground and looks back. Noticing his strong grip on the clipboard his own question is answered;
this person is a researcher.
Xiao has come across curious people about him before, but this one... this man that stood
before him... Made him hesitate, oddly enough. Letting out another sigh, he then looks back up
at the Alchemist.
At the back of his mind even he is curious; where did that spark diamond-like crescent on his
neck come from? Surely no human has a smooth scar like that in such an obscure place...
"Fine. I'll indulge you."
-----
The delicate researcher and Conqueror of Demons sat in silence, the only sounds being the
crackling of firewood and Albedo's scribbling on his clipboard. More questions began to spark
more curiosity, thus revealing unknown secrets that only the Traveler knows.
"... how can a human like yourself carry such a scar on your neck? It's nothing I've ever seen on
any other human. It looks so... smooth."
Albedo then looks up from his clipboard, his hand wandering over said crescent on his neck. He
was slightly taken aback by the sudden question towards himself. Even Adepti have curiosity
too, he thinks.
"This is no scar, but a crescent. Much like a birthmark to humans."
Xiao then stares in wonder. Why is he talking as if he is not human himself? Soon, his answers
are revealed.
"I am not a human, Adeptus. I was created, crafted delicately by chalk. It is also one of the
reasons why I am so interested in you. We both are not humans, void of most emotions that
they feel on a daily basis. One pressing topic in my research is what emotions are, what
humans go through when they feel them, and how that shapes them into being. A topic I
recently had with the Traveler was quickly discarded but still hangs in my mind; love..."
All while Albedo was talking, Xiao only gave occasional hums. Leaning on the crafting table,
Xiao took in his appearance. His gloves, the lone braid in his hair, the detail of alchemy on his
coat, his thigh high boots, the chain sitting on his side as he rests in the chair he has crafted.
Tuning him in and out, he notices how calm and lulling his silken voice seems to be. He was
drawn to it, slowly but surely tuning back into the conversation. He could listen to him all day.
"I've seen couples in Liyue that always seem to be together... They do something called 'kissing'
very often. I've never understood it; Adepti have no interest in human relationships and what
they partake in."
"What about non-humans?"
Xiao blinked and turned his head towards the alchemist. He straightens himself up and looks at
him with curious eyes. The prince then put his clipboard down and began walking towards Xiao
slowly.
"Are Adepti capable of love, I wonder?" As he inches closer and closer, Xiao felt...
tense? His breathing became more frigid; more conscious of everything around him. Yet... his
eyes stayed on the alchemist.
Keeping his guard up, he huffs again, "What are you trying to do? Experiment on me? You have
no respect for the Adepti."
"You agreed with questions and experiments following after, yes? This is something for both of
us to experience; for both of us to finally feel what humans have been feeling their entire lives.
This does leave you curious, no?"
Albedo, inches away from Xiao's face, tilts his head slightly to the left, his long beige colored
eyelashes fluttering, landing on the Adeptus' lips that were slightly parted.
Xiao then blinks rapidly, his face slightly darkened with pink. He then notices a cold touch to his
rosy cheeks; Albedo lifts his hand to cup his cheek. His eyes glance at his hand, and up at his
eyes once more.
His eyes suddenly widened as he noticed two blue colored orbs already looking at him.
"This is only for research purposes. You can opt out, if you wish. I do not want to make you
uncomfortable."
Xiao then returns his cold glare to the bold researcher . Surely, this alchemist could not have
been more rude. This “Albedo”, making an Adeptus like himself uncomfortable? He's never
heard of such a thing.
"This so-called 'kissing'... just what is it?"
"Let's find out together, shall we?"
And for a quick moment, Xiao had forgotten how cold it was in Dragonspine. Suddenly, this
immense warmth swallowed him whole, as if he curled up in blankets against a campfire.
Maybe that's what the alchemist was going for, after all. Research complete.