Work Text:
Art comes in many forms, Albedo knew. It could be music, like Barbara’s singing. It could be dancing, like Eula’s graceful movements. It could be drawings, like his own sketches.
It could be people. Amazing people, whom Albedo had no words to describe. Like Klee, a little sister who could brighten up any day. Or Sucrose, an excellent lab partner who was far more intelligent than most, yet so gentle and kind. Or Kaeya, a fellow captain shrouded in mystery.
Albedo enjoyed the latter’s company immensely. Similarly to sweets, Kaeya gave him a burst of energy whenever he saw him, allowing him to be far more productive for a few hours afterwards. He also found Kaeya to be one of the few people who could be patient with Klee, though it was sometimes quite troublesome to have to talk the two out of trouble.
He had even seen how he was willing to bear Bennett’s perpetual misfortune to teach the boy some sword techniques. He wished more people, including himself, would at least be tolerant of Bennett despite his curse of misfortune.
Kaeya was an amazing friend, perhaps even a brotherly figure. But Albedo, as someone who studied the cycle of life and death, always kept in mind that this relationship could never last.
~~~~~
“Greetings, Kaeya,” Albedo said without looking up from his canvas as he heard familiar footsteps.
“Hello, my chalk prince,” Kaeya replied. For a moment, Albedo’s hand faltered as he heard the more raspy voice, leaving a smudge of dark blue paint (well, that would certainly be a pain to fix…). Then he remembered that indeed, Kaeya had grown older. Actually, even Klee’s body had become older, though it was much less noticeable. …While he, on the other hand, had remained completely untouched by the hands of time.
“…Albedo?” Kaeya asked, breaking the homunculus out of his thoughts. Albedo resumed his painting, more strokes of dark blue colouring the canvas. “…What are you painting?”
“…” Albedo paused, having been painting without much thought. Letting his hands guide him, and focusing on his own thoughts until the painting was finished. He looked at the canvas. “…I…was painting you. …The younger you. …I sometimes find it difficult to remember that you’re not the same Kaeya I knew when the Traveler was on Teyvat. Sixty years have passed in the blink of an eye, at least for me.”
“…” Kaeya hummed. “…I think it’s nice that you’re able to remember the past version of me, while seeing the current me. But someday, you’ll look at this painting and say ‘Who is that guy?’”
Albedo replied, “So you hypothesise that I will someday completely forget you?”
Kaeya chuckled. “You could put it that way, I guess.”
Albedo smiled slightly. “I have a different hypothesis—no matter how long it is until we meet again, I will recognise you as my best friend from ages past.”
The two chattered for a bit before Kaeya turned to leave. “Oh, and Albedo? Show me that painting when you’re done, yeah? Thanks.”
~~~~~
Albedo finished the painting in his spare time. He felt a warm satisfaction upon comparing it with a kamera photo taken by the Traveler and finding the two to look almost the same.
It was around nine in the morning, around the time that the Knights of Favonius would usually start work. Of course, there were those who followed in Jean and Kaeya’s footsteps and clocked in far earlier, but Albedo personally didn’t pay much mind to them except the new Grandmaster.
He nodded in greeting to said Grandmaster on his way out of the headquarters. He briefly marveled how much the city had evolved in just sixty years before reaching Kaeya’s apartment. The small but cosy apartment was right beside the headquarters. Originally, this was so that Kaeya could quickly respond in case of an emergency, but now it was more so that Kaeya wouldn’t have to walk too far to visit Albedo in his lab.
He was about to knock on the door, then Klee opened it. “Ooh, Albedo! I was gonna look for you! …Kaeya isn’t awake yet, heh…” Klee had indeed aged, albeit at a rate roughly one hundred times slower than a regular human. She had, however, matured quite a bit mentally, though her English still needed a bit of work. “…Albedo…?” Albedo blinked as Klee’s hand waved in front of him.
“Oh, sorry sunshine. I was preoccupied with some thoughts,” Albedo replied as he stepped into the apartment. He went to Kaeya’s room, closing the door behind him and walking over to the bed where Kaeya lay. “…Hey, it’s time to wake up now.” He gently shook the other. No response.
“…Kaeya? Klee’s kinda worried that you aren’t waking up.” Albedo opened the curtains, letting sunlight stream into the room, hoping it would rouse Kaeya. Still nothing. Albedo was starting to think…maybe Kaeya wasn’t just sleeping. Eighty-four years is quite a long time for humans to live…
“…Kaeya…?” He slowly padded over to Kaeya’s bed and felt for a pulse.
Nothing. Just cold skin.
This was the first time Albedo truly understood the term, ‘heartbroken’. It did indeed feel as though his heart was being shattered into millions of irreparable pieces as he realised that his best friend was well and truly gone. No doubt if Zhenyu was here, he’d have some excellent book ideas, but he wasn’t.
Albedo had been so sure he was prepared for when Kaeya left, but he was not ready when the scenario became reality. Kaeya had just been…there. When the Traveler left Teyvat, when Albedo first experienced grief, when everyone else had left in one way or another, Kaeya had been there.
Best friends forever, what a lie. Nothing truly lasts forever, except a homunculus like Albedo. Unless…
Albedo banished the thought immediately. It would be outright cruel to leave Klee alone in a time like this. She had just lost one ‘big brother’, it was up to the other one to be her shoulder to cry on, even if he himself needed support-
Klee came in. She looked at Albedo tenderly holding Kaeya’s hand and Albedo saw understanding. “…Kaeya’s not gonna wake up, is he.” It wasn’t a question, more a statement. Albedo just nodded, a lump in his throat. He must not cry in front of Klee, she needs someone to be strong for her-
“…Big brother Albedo…come here.” She beckoned him to the cushioned armchair in the corner of the room, inviting him to sit down. He complied. She slowly clambered into his lap and…hugged him.
Albedo couldn’t hold his tears. He pulled Klee into a tight embrace as he cried softly into her golden hair. “It’s okay big brother, you don’t have to hide your feelings…” Klee said, also crying, as she stroked his hair with those tiny hands. Albedo was struck by just how much Klee had matured from that bouncy little girl Alice had entrusted into his care so long ago.
After what felt like an eternity, Albedo had calmed down sufficiently to gently lift Klee up and place her back down on the ground. “…Klee, I’m going to have to carry Kaeya to the Favonius Cathedral, okay?” He gently picked Kaeya up—the man was still so much taller than him—and started walking. Klee trailed behind him wordlessly, but he saw no reason to ask her to go, so a little red figure shadowed him all the way.
At least, even after the last of his friends had left, Klee remained.
~~~~~
Albedo hums a tune as he makes the finishing touches on his painting. And…it’s done.
Blue hair in an asymmetrical cut, golden eyes, a hint of a smirk hidden in a polite smile, a book held in perfectly manicured hands. A near-perfect portrayal of ‘Zhenyu’, now known as a long-gone author whose novels have now become bestsellers everywhere despite having been written in a bygone era. Not that anyone would know that’s how Zhenyu looked like, since no one else—save for the few immortals present in this modern day and age—is from the time when Zhenyu was alive.
“Albedo!” Klee knocks on Albedo’s door just as he’s cleaning up. “I’m back from school!”
Albedo opens the door, smiling at Klee. She’s quite big now, a teenager, compared to when Alice first entrusted her to him. She also knows a lot of things—both book smarts and street smarts. Albedo certainly approves of that, though he can’t say that he’s adept in social matters himself. “Hey Klee. You got back your report card, didn’t you?”
Klee nods, looking a bit ashamed. She hands over the report card. “…Sorry, big brother…” she murmurs. Albedo doesn’t see what there is to be sorry about. Mostly A’s, a few B’s…oh. C for art. Klee sighs. “…I know you’re an artist and all but like. It’s just not that easy for me.”
Albedo hugs Klee. “It’s fine. You tried, and that’s what’s important to me. Besides, you didn’t do too badly.” He’s become more like a father to Klee over the centuries. In fact, he’s her legal guardian. It leaves a bitter taste in his mouth whenever he has to say that he’s Klee’s only living relative while knowing that Alice is alive and well, but lying is sometimes a necessity. Especially because the child protective services, upon hearing the truth, would probably deem him unfit as a caretaker and put Klee in an orphanage. He can’t blame them, since real magic is nothing more than a myth these days.
“Albedo? Hello?” Klee gently hits him on the arm, successfully rousing Albedo out of his thoughts. “…Bruh, you don’t even wanna listen to your lil’ sis? Not pog,” she says in a slightly whiny voice. Albedo unintentionally lets out a snort. He’ll take a while to used to modern vocabulary.
“Sorry, sunshine, I was thinking about stuff,” he replies with a calm tone.
“…Anyways…” She takes a deep breath. “…I think I might have found Kaeya.” Albedo inhales sharply, signaling her to go on. “…Umm…so in this timeline, he’s a teen. Around sixteen to eighteen. He’s a new employee at the cafe we always go to. …Think you can pass yourself off as young-ish?”
Albedo pauses. Just how well can he play the part of a modern youth? …Well, he could probably pass as…an English major, maybe? Proper grammar is simply part of his mannerisms at this point, but he knows quite a bit about culture and the modern world. So he simply nods and gets ready to go out.
Around half an hour later, they’re walking into the cafe. Albedo subtly checks the staff as he waits in line, but not really anyone familiar. He sits down in the corner seat with Klee and waits.
He doesn’t order anything yet. Klee uses the cafe’s free wifi and finishes her online homework, while Albedo makes a quick sketch of the cafe’s interior. Then, the shift changes. The man who always takes orders at this time leaves, but instead of the usual girl, it’s…
Dark blue hair. Eyes the colour of periwinkles. Tanned skin. A teasing smirk. An air of confidence in his stride as he walk up to Albedo and Klee. “Hey there, pretty boy.” Kaeya, or at least a reincarnation of him, winks. Albedo glances at the nametag, ‘Kay’. Well, close enough. Then his brain registers what Kaeya- Kay just said, and he blushes. “…Haha, relax, I was just teasing. Anyways, what would you like to order?”
“…Umm…one earl grey with milk and sugar for me, and a hot chocolate for my sister,” Albedo replies. “…I always order that, so I guess it might be useful for you to remember that to save time… It’s fine if you can’t, of course…”
Kay laughs. “Sure. I don’t even know your name, but I like you already.”
“Oh, umm… The name’s Albedo. Weird name, I know.” Albedo chuckles, but inside he’s actually quite nervous. What if Kay really does think he’s weird?
“Nah, I think it’s a pretty cool name, actually. …Wanna be friends?” Kay asks. Albedo nods, smiling.
And thus, Albedo disproves Kaeya’s hypothesis from so long ago. He remembers Kaeya, and he always will.
~~~~~