Chapter Text
Heart palpitations
Flushing of face and ears
Sudden sharpness during, mild dissociation afterwards
desire to kiss him ag repeat trigger event
Effects have persisted for approximately 3 hours.
I stared down at the paper. What… was this?
It was simply unexplainable.
As far as I was aware, anyways. It doesn’t appear to be within my range of knowledge. My mind brings me back to it, again and again, dissecting every second. It was a simple example - I had asked just how he managed to, in Jeans words “seduce” the Angel’s share.
“Albedo,” he said, practically drunk from the night before, “I don't think you'd need to apply my…” he thinks, “methods to whatever romantic pursuits-“
“Why would they be romantic?” I interjected, I reasoned there was some formula for it. It would likely vary with factors, but had a formula nonetheless.
Kaeya snorted, “it’s different for everybody, but there's one thing it shares. You mind?”
I nodded, assuming id be the second body in a demonstration - some things were better performed - as to whatever it was he did for the intel. Perhaps a nice drink or an exchange of goods and then he kissed me.
I was taken off guard, since I wasn't aware as to just how close somebody's face got, yet after the initial shock, I stared at him .The bronze skin and that eye as blue as ice and the small bit of gold on his eye patch. The streak of lighter blue in his hair that added quite the highlight and the lovelock everybody had made some joke about cutting off seemed to add to the mysterious sensation. It was as if I was seeing him for the first time. I knew I had seen him many times before, yet this was different, as if some time and different lighting had given way to new features on a familiar face.
Yet the visual sensations wasn’t what surprised me the most. In fact, as the heat rose up to my face and I put my hands behind his shoulders, leaned in and everything was warm - How could he be so warm with that Vision? , I was intrigued. I wanted to see how long I could stay in this state, how long we could lock our eyes before this blossomed into - I had no idea what would happen next but there was a peculiar urge to keep going. But then he stopped.
While the symptoms had managed to subside enough for me to have sense, I had to restrain myself from locking back onto him - I hardly had any experience, what would even be achieved? He continued speaking, some idle chatter about this needing written down and how he needed to follow up with Rosaria about something he couldn’t pronounce, eventually passing out on the table. I had to ask Noelle to help me take him back to his quarters, yet the symptoms continued, as I followed Noelle - It appeared my assistance would only make him harder to manuever, I was attempting to asses the stat of what happened. What was it? I had returned to my study, yet they stayed. The only thing that made them subdue to manageable levels was by a small note - an invitation for another demonstration, and a promise to fill him in if he didn't remember because judging by the taste of alcohol still on my lips, I'd be surprised if he remember any of the “intel” he supposedly gathered.
That was when I returned to my study and began writing these peculiarities down.
I closed the notebook. Maybe Lisa knew something. Her field of knowledge was far more broad, and since it involved, in Kaeya’s words, “romantic pursuit” she would certainly have no problem with finding relevant information with her personal experience and those novels from Inazuma.
Clutching the notebook, I walked down from my upstairs study, past the vision hooks - Klee got hers taken away again - and into the library of Favonius, where Lisa sat reading a book.
“Lisa, I have a question for you.”
“Yes, little sun?” I brace at the petname - I never minded it before, but the seriousness of whatever this was didn’t call for it.
“Last night, after Kaeya came back from the Angel’s Share, he kissed me to show how he manages to… seduce the tavern.” I gently place the notebook on the table, an attempt at casualty. “And I’ve experienced these symptoms ever since.” I open to the page, hoping i managed to cross out the unnecessary info enough Lisa couldn’t see it.
Lisa glances over, and, as if this was something, humorous, laughs.
“I- what’s funny?”
She takes a second, a laugh that felt ever so condescending, and sighs. “You sweet, sweet summer child. You’re falling in love.”
I blink, reasoning it all. I’ve read a few storybooks to Klee about ‘true love’ and while they didn't go into detail, the common symptoms did match. In fact, I was suprised I didn’t think of this earlier.
Now that I was diagnosed - it was a matter of what would happen next. It was obvious those books were a best case scenario - Jean and Lisa had been together years, yet they werent married like those prince and princesses were so quick to do, something more mundane would likely be more optimal - asking him out? The chances were slim. There had to be some inbetween step.
“I think I’d have to ask him out, yes?”
“Mhmm.” Lisa nodded, obviously amused.
“Yet I feel as if there is something before that.
“Sure is,”
“What would be the next step?” I ask.
“First you see if he feels anything back,” Lisa chuckles, “And if he got drunk enough to kiss you under some silly pretense, I think it’s a waiting game.”
I nod. “Speaking of - somebody should go take him some water. I’m sure the headache will be plenty.” I had never gotten hungover, or even drunk, and I wasn’t even sure if I could - but I’d been to enough Knightly parties I had an idea of how to handle them.”
Lisa chuckles, “There’s some tea for headaches that might work better over there, help yourself.”
I nodded, “I’ll make sure he gets it.”
As I prepared the tea and exited the library, i could faintly hear Lisa sighing to herself.
“My poor little sun, he has no idea what to do.”
According to Sucrose, who I met in passing, the tips of my ears were red and I appeared distracted. I gently added a note to the “symptoms” of this love. As I entered Kaeya’s room, I placed down the tea next to the note, looked at Kaeya sleeping, and made myself out.
I had to recreate this feeling of love. I had to.