Work Text:
Albedo lay in bed awake late at night in his university dorm. The thin rectangle room was equipped with only the bare necessities: a closet, desk, and dresser at the foot of the bed. The too-small desk overflowed with notes and textbooks. Above the desk hung Albedo’s sketches and paintings that Lumine had tacked to the wall. A kendo shinai leaned against the wall by the window. Albedo had promised Aether that he would pick the sport up again, but the shinai lay covered in dust.
Albedo wrote by the light of a bedside lamp. Squinting, Albedo reviewed his notes. An art museum, a five-star restaurant, hiking to Starsnatch Cliff, or exploring the ruins of Stormterror’s Lair… Hmm, what about the beach? Lumine’s always enjoyed going. Could acquire sparklers or even arrange for fireworks. Frowning, Albedo chewed the end of his pen. But beaches are quite cliché… What am I going to do?
Exhaling, Albedo looked at the photos covering the wall. He smiled at one in particular—his kindergarten class photo. On the first day, Aether was the only one to approach the shy Albedo, and they became best of friends. Though from the start, it was Lumine who caught Albedo’s eye. Yellow was Albedo’s favorite color, and Lumine had the brightest blonde hair in the class. Only years later in high school did he work up the courage to confess to his childhood crush. They dated ever since.
Albedo’s phone buzzed. “I know it’s past midnight, but are you up?” texted Lumine. “Can I call?”
Frowning, Albedo sat up more in bed. He called her and asked, “Are you all right?”
“I’m fine!” Lumine’s chipper voice spoke in his ear. “I’m not keeping you from working on Professor Rhinedottir’s personal research, am I? I do not trust that woman.”
“Lumine, what’s wrong?”
She took a shaky breath. “S-sorry, it’s just… I’m halfway through my social work masters, but… I just love interior designing so much. But then I’d have to transfer colleges. All that mora wasted! Maybe I should get a second job.”
Albedo glanced at the papers in his lap. “Perhaps… perhaps a vacation could clear your mind?”
“Vacation? Since when do you, workaholic Albedo, suggest going on vacation?”
“And yet you’re considering getting a second job.”
“Yeah, but that’s because I like mora. You love work for the sake of work.” Lumine shuddered.
“Mm…” Albedo’s eyes ached. Exhaling, Albedo rubbed his eyes with his thumb and forefinger.
“Hey, you okay?”
“Yeah, I’m fine. I’m just distracted with…” Albedo ran a finger down the list. Muffled ruckus of drunks on the quad outside sounded through the window. The smell of fast-food burger wrappers in the trash wafted through the air. Taking a deep breath, he gripped the papers tight. “Actually… why don’t we go to a Barbatos’ Wings gas station? We can talk easier in person.”
“What?! At this time of night? Even if we met up halfway, that's still an hour trip! I have morning classes and work.”
“This is an important enough matter to warrant missing a class or two. And you could nap or sleep in before work. In all the years I’ve known you, you’ve never had trouble napping.” Albedo couldn’t count the number of times Lumine would sleep on Albedo’s or Aether’s shoulders in the car on joint family vacations.
“I guess…” A grunt sounded followed by Lumine’s bed creaking. “Okay, if we’re doing this, then we better get moving. I’ll text you an address. Love you.”
“Love you, too. Drive safe.”
Grimacing, Albedo held his head. What was I thinking? This isn’t what I… Albedo sighed. Setting aside the papers, Albedo grabbed a small box off a bedside table and rose out of bed. She’s waiting for me.
Albedo arrived first. Stepping out of the car, he shivered in his overcoat and slacks. Head down, Albedo headed towards the store. One wing of the Barbatos’ Winds sign flickered. Died out. A peeling yellow flier clung to the storefront. Grime caked the windowsill. Albedo ducked into the store, perused the racks before grabbing ice cream, some utensils, and sprinkles. By the time Albedo had paid and left, Lumine was pulling into the station with her dad’s pickup truck.
Smiling, Albedo approached the driver’s window. Lumine wore a baseball cap, sweatshirt, and yoga pants. “Don’t judge me for wearing a hat. I’ve got terrible bedhead.”
“You don’t have enough hair for that.”
“Ugh! Every day you become more like Ae.”
Albedo raised his shopping bag. “Would Aether get you ice cream?”
“Ooh! And you got jimmies!”
“They’re sprinkles.”
“Yeah, but ‘jimmies’ is more fun to say.”
Chuckling, Albedo leaned in to peck her lips. They climbed into the cargo bed and sat criss-cross applesauce beside each other. They shared the chocolate and vanilla tub—Lumine chocolate and Albedo vanilla.
For a long beat, they ate in silence, too tired to speak. Only one other person was pumping gas. Cars zoomed down the highway. A thick layer of clouds blocked out any stars. Neon store signs glowed on either side of the road. Tucked between hills shone the glow of developments on Cider Lake’s shore.
Lumine squinted in the bright canopy light. She swallowed a spoonful of ice cream. “So. How’s Mrs. Kreideprinz and Klee? They haven’t busted another water main or used poison ivy as a home remedy again, have they?”
“No, thankfully. They’re fine. I would say they’ve mostly been out of trouble except Klee modified her science lab’s burners the other day, causing a small fire.”
Chuckling, Lumine shook her head. “Her second fire in three months; that’s a new record.”
“A record yes, noted in her school record. Not that would deter Klee.” Albedo scooped a spoonful of Lumine’s chocolate ice cream.
“Hey, that’s mine!” Grinning, Lumine warded off Albedo’s spoon with her own like a mini sword fight. “You and your sweet tooth. Always eating my desserts. Like the time you ate my birthday cake slice. Do you know how devastating it is to a seven-year-old to have their birthday cake slice stolen?”
Albedo leaned back against the wall of the cargo bed. He shrugged. “If I had known it was yours, I wouldn’t have eaten it. I would have taken Aether’s.”
Lumine laughed. Her peals echoed through the nearly vacant gas station before petering out. She heaved a sigh. Idly ran her spoon along the carton’s edge.
Leaning forward, Albedo evenly gazed at Lumine. Raised a brow and waited. He breathed in the exhaust filled air. Cars roared past. The wet asphalt shimmered in the canopy light.
Biting her lip, Lumine set down her spoon. “Being a social worker means a lot to me. I want to help others. Be the change you want to see in the world! And yet… I love interior design so much.”
Albedo nodded. Lumine had loved decorating ever since high school. When Itto barricaded the two of them in a bedroom during Ningguang’s party, the thought of engaging in any intimate behavior never crossed Lumine’s mind. When Itto checked on them later, Lumine was snapping a million photos of the décor while Albedo sketched a rug’s pattern.
Humming, Albedo held his chin. “Would you be satisfied if for the rest of your life you could only decorate your living quarters?”
“No. No, I wouldn’t. I’m not satisfied with it just being a hobby. Plus the mora would be so much better.” Groaning, Lumine held her head in her hands. “But I know that if I switch majors that the guilt of not helping others is going to haunt me. Not to mention how difficult it is to make it as an interior designer.”
“Sometimes you have to take a calculated risk.”
Sighing, Lumine looked away, her gaze becoming a thousand-yard stare. “Yeah, but… it’s safer to stay in the ski lodge all trip than ‘throw yourself down a mountain’ and risk getting hurt.”
“Lumine…” Albedo shook his head at Lumine’s reference to their senior class trip. Having never skied before, Albedo panicked. So he and Lumine pretended they were sick and spent the whole trip together in the ski lodge. Brows furrowed, Albedo crossed his arms. “Skiing is a hobby, not a career. Well, not my chosen profession at least. But I can relate to your struggle.”
Inhaling, Albedo wrapped his overcoat around himself tighter. Settled back into the cargo bed. Lumine looked up at him as he spoke. “There are days I question my decision of choosing biochemistry over art. But there are too many unanswered questions about the universe; I can’t live without pursuing that knowledge. Even so, art will forever be a passion of mine. I won’t stop endeavoring to be a top contender in art shows. To have paintings hanging in museums that are worthy of being sold at high profit.”
Eyes downcast, Lumine tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “Chemist by day, artist by night… You’ll be pretty busy.”
“Yes, but for me both have value and are worth pursuing. And you…” Albedo lifted Lumine’s chin, so their gazes met. “You’ll have to come to a similar decision. You have a social work internship soon, correct? What if over break you worked as an assistant to an interior designer? Then you’d be able to compare careers and see which one you’re more passionate about, which one is more meaningful to you.”
Lumine blinked. “That’s…” Eyes wide, she looked away, processing the idea. Her face slowly lit up like a sunrise. “That’s a great idea. Wow…” Smiling, Lumine exhaled. “That feels like a huge weight off my chest.”
Nodding, Albedo scooped a spoonful of ice cream. “No matter what you choose, I have no doubt you’ll become a leading expert in the field.” Yes, she’ll be busy as a designer or social worker, while I’ll have my research and art shows and… Without eating the ice cream, Albedo lowered his spoon. We’ll get so wrapped up in our careers we won’t make time for each other. We’ll just… drift apart.
Lumine brushed her arm against Albedo’s. “But we’re not here to just talk about me. I know you; I could tell something was bothering you when we called. What’s wrong?”
Albedo chuckled. “Know me, huh?”
“Yes, after dating you for five years I think I would.”
Exhaling, Albedo gazed off into the distance. “Five years. That’s a long time to be together…”
Lumine blinked. Raised her eyebrows. “Yes…? It is…”
Heart pounding, Albedo mused, “And yet not enough. Not nearly enough.” The noise of other patrons refueling at the gas station, the cars going past, the crickets faded away. All Albedo heard was the sound of his heart roaring in his ears. This isn’t the elaborate museum or beach plans I’ve been writing out the past few weeks, but…!
“Albedo, what are you talking about—?”
Albedo seized Lumine’s hands. Gripping them tight, Albedo drew them close to his chest, his eyes boring into Lumine. “No matter what direction our lives take, no matter how busy we are, I want to be with you! Keep on making memories for the rest of our lives together. So, Lumine…” Albedo pulled out a small box from his pants pocket. Opened it to reveal a ring. “Will you marry me?”
Gasping, Lumine clamped a hand over her mouth. Her eyes pooled with tears. Shoulders shook. Closing her eyes, Lumine nodded yes.
Albedo squeezed Lumine in a hug. She buried her face in Albedo’s shoulder, gasping for breath between sobs. Holding her head, Albedo breathed in the smell of Lumine’s shampoo. Soaked in her warmth. Running a hand up and down back, Albedo whispered, “It’s okay, it’s okay. We’ll work it out. From now on, we’ll always be together…”
Once Lumine collected herself, they snapped a selfie. Albedo had ice cream on his cheek, and Lumine’s eyes were still puffy. They were at a gas station at 2 a.m., but both smiled broadly.
It was another picture for the photo wall.