Work Text:
The rustling of leaves could be heard from the large oak tree as the wind gently swept across the land. The alchemist's hand glided across the canvas, deft and graceful. A stroke of teal and a dash of white, some details here and some shading there. A crystal fly took form atop the otherwise clear canvas.
With a wave of his hand and the chanting of words, the crystal fly came to life before his eyes, glistening in the gentle sunlight, landing on his finger for a split second, before flapping its crystalline wings and departing.
"You can quit spying on me," The alchemist said out of the blue, his saccharine voice ringing in the air. "I know you're there." His voice was calm, but what he said made the Traveler flinch. How did he...?
"Right, sorry." The golden-blond-haired boy emerged from the bushes, brushing a couple of leaves off of himself, embarrassed. "I just didn't want to disturb you.."
"As much as I prefer painting alone, company isn't a bother." He states, setting his paintbrush and palette down on his easel before turning to face his unexpected guest. "You're... Aether, correct? I've heard quite a lot about you."
"Yeah, that's right." Aether smiles awkwardly, still trying to get the few remaining leaves that had gotten stuck in his braid in his horrid attempt of trying to watch the alchemist paint in silence. "Really? You have?"
"You've got the whole city talking," Albedo stared as Aether struggled to remove the leaves from his long braid, expression unreadable. "I also heard a thing or two about your courageous deed in fending off Stormterror from the city."
"Oh, yeah." Aether offers Albedo his signature smile as he gets the last leaf out of his braid. "I'm really not that great, I just did what anyone would've done."
"Your heroic deed prevented a potential catastrophe, that's rather impressive, don't you think?" Albedo's gaze falls on a single leaf in Aether's hair.
"Well... yes, but—" Aether pauses when Albedo comes closer, he didn't know why, but he could feel his heart skip a beat at the close proximity. "Wha..." He muttered, stunned in a daze.
"You have a leaf in your hair." Albedo stated before reaching a hand out to pick that leaf out of Aether's hair, before letting it drift gently to the ground.
"R-Right." Aether mutters as Albedo backs away. For some reason, he feels his cheeks heat up despite it being rather breezy out. He has this sudden urge to just make a run for it, and he doesn't know why.
"Right, I should get going." Albedo changes the subject, before turning to pack up. "I have a meeting with my students later."
"O..Okay." Aether watches as Albedo packs his paintbrush and palette into his satchel embellished with pointed star designs, before hauling up his canvas and easel. The canvas' colour was as pure as snow, as if it was brand new.
"Farewell, it was a pleasure meeting you," Albedo stops in his tracks to bid Aether farewell. "Traveler." Aether smiles, waving as Albedo's figure disappears into the distance. The moment he's gone, however, Aether buries his face in his palms, before letting out a muffled groan. What in the world was that? It wasn't anything worth getting flustered over, so why did he get so tense? Whatever, perhaps it was just the fact that this was their first meeting. It wouldn't happen again, surely?