Work Text:
“Close your eyes and stay still, okay?”
Albedo let out a simple mhm and did as asked. No hesitation whatsoever. Aether smiled as he dipped the small brush into the red pigment, watching it absorb the paint effortlessly.
He had done make-up for Lumine before, and for his friends; also for people he dared not mention by name because it'd result in a dull ache deep in his chest. It had been a couple of hundreds of years since he last did it, hadn't it? Fun.
Aether shifted closer, straddling Albedo's lap. The paint was bright against the pale skin, a striking contrast. Albedo's ashen lashes trembled ever so slightly at the contact. Aether's hand stayed steady, however; he drew the brush along his upper eyelid, careful not to press too hard. Checked for any imperfections, listening to Albedo's calm breathing. Once finished, he moved onto the other eye and tried his best to replicate what he did with the first.
After Aether was done, he leaned back a little to evaluate his work. It looked nice, he decided after a couple of moments. He sure hoped it'd stay that way even after Albedo opened his eyes.
“You can open your eyes,” he prompted softly. “It might require some correction though, so don't look in the mirror yet.”
And Albedo did, slowly. The delightful teal hue of his irises contrasted wonderfully with the bright red, bringing out the blue even more. Albedo blinked, clearly waiting for his verdict, but Aether couldn't help but be engrossed by the stunningly beautiful face before him. He supposed he should properly thank Ying'er for this one after all.
“...Does it look alright?” Albedo asked; a note of amusement in his voice was quite apparent.
He must've figured that, given the opportunity, Aether would just continue admiring him all evening. Night too, perhaps.
“It does,” Aether nodded, flushing a bit. “You look beautiful. Here,” he handed him a small mirror.
Albedo took it gratefully. He examined himself for around half a minute, then concluded:
“...That's a major improvement from what Klee usually does for me,” he chuckled. He turned his face a bit, trying a different angle. “Could you give her a couple of lessons, perhaps? I imagine she'd be thrilled.”
“Our studio would need a model, y'know,” Aether replied, his eyes narrowed in amusement.
“I volunteer,” Albedo said. “Fortunately, I have plenty of experience. And I do look forward to what you two will create together.”