Work Text:
In Nasha Town, Nod Krai, there is a house. A relatively normal looking one, that is until you look to the residents of the house. Kuni, Albedo, and Durin?! This is confusing because Albedo and Kuni are absolute opposites in personality. And why does Durin live with them? This is a question that most do not have as who the hell looks into residents of a random house? No like seriously, who does that?
With that being said, Kuni waked up after the sun so rudely wakes him up. Kuni wishes so bad he doesnt have to get up, but he knows Albedo is likely doing art or something nerdy like that in his lab. And Kuni also doesn't want Durin to die due to starvation. So he reluctantly gets up from the bed and changes into relaxing but not sleeping clothes and goes to the bathroom to brush his hair down. He doesnt need to brush his teeth because he isn't a human and if he does want to it's more of a formality then anything. As he is brushing his hair, he hears a "BOOM" sound from the laboratory. He abruptly stops brushing his hair and stomps to the laboratory, he opens the door and finds Albedo sitting on the floor stunned as a crystalfly somehow exploded?
"What happened?!" Kuni yelled at Albedo, clearly not fond of the idea of mercy right now (not like hes ever fond of mercy.)
"I was making a experiment, it was to create a pyro-electro crystalfly. I knew it would explode, but I didnt think it would explode before even having a particle of pyro." replied Albedo, as he stood up still a bit shaken despiting his calm tone of voice.
"You're making breakfast, Albedo, you scared me and probably woke up Durin." Kuni said clearly annoyed and probably not wanting to make breakfast.
"Fine, but you're cleaning up the mess." Albedo said as he washed his hands and left the room before Kuni could protest.
Kuni scoffed loudly and Albedo seemingly didnt care, the audacity of that man! Kuni grabbed the cleaning supplies and hesitantly started cleaning up. (hes still bitching about it tho) As he is cleaning up, Albedo finally calls "Breakfast is finished!". Durin comes out lf his room, likely just waking up.. Though how did he sleep through the crash of Albedo's "experiment"?
Kuni and Durin walk downstairs, to both of their surpises, Albedo cooked an actual.. Eatable meal? It isnt made out of rocks?! Or made out of hilichurl organs?! Though Kuni opens his mouth to make a backhanded comment, Durin eyes practically brighten up and starts eating. Now it will be wrong to make a backhanded comment.
"Its really good, Albedo!" Durin tries to say although its muffled as he is mid-chew.
"Dont speak when your mouth is full, Durin." Albedo says as he finishes chewing his food.
Kuni doesnt comment, hes sulking because he has around 182 insults unsaid, although he is also eating.
"Oh, I forgot to mention but we really need to get our act together. This house is getting dirter by the hour" Albedo said in a awfully-casual tone that annoyed Kuni even more.
"I wonder how it could be getting dirty? Not like anybody has been trying to create ruin guards mixed with electro slimes and whopper flowers." Kuni said snarkly.
"Does that mean today is gonna be cleaning day?" Durin said, both him and Albedo brushing off Kuni's snarky attitude. Albedo nodded in response, writing down a grocery list. Kuni looked over Albedo's shoulder to see what he was writing.
- Lakkaberry Madame, needs 3 lakkaberry, 6 fowl, 3 smetana
- Chicken-Mushroom Skewer, needs 6 mushroom and 6 fowls.
Albedo is about to write another meal and amount of what they need for 3 (or 6) servings. That is until Kuni complains about the lakkaberry madame.
"Really, Albedo? Lakkaberry madame?" Kuni loudly complains
"You can complain once you actually pay for groceries." Albedo replies, his anger glistening as he glares at Kuni.
Durin, everso oblivious to the building anger tension speaks up. "Can we get krumkakes?" Albedo snaps out of his anger, smiles slightly and nods writing it down.
It remains silent for a moment, its both tense yet normal for the trio.
"Ill go get groceries and you two clean up the house." Kuni says, getting Albedo's completed grocery list but is interrupted.
--- ALBEDO'S POV
"No, Ill go with Durin." Albedo says snatching his list and walks out the door, Durin nods quickly- he has no idea who to side with but is atleast aware that if he didnt go he would upset both parties.
"Albedo, you seem a bit upset. Did Kuni really make you that upset?.." Durin says after a few moments of awkward silence between them.
"Yes, hes irritating. I only tolerate him so you can have a semi-normal life." Albedo replies, its so out of character for Albedo to be upset much less admit it.
"Oh, the shopping market is right up! Ill try and get the lakkaberries." Durin says as he adds up the lakkaberries, hes adapting to social norms so perfectly he already knows when to change the topic.
"Great, we need 21." Albedo says, looking exhilarated as Durin runs up and gets 38 and then dropping 25.
Albedo gets the rest of the groceries and Durin, after 23 minutes gets 21 lakkaberries. Albedo pays for the groceries and they walk home. They talk about how to make lakkaberries by alchemy on their way.
---KUNI'S POV
Kuni grabs the cleaning supplies and is cleaning up the house, the silence is something he has adjusted to and something he has recently started to yearn for.
"Finally, I dont have to deal with stupid Albedo." he speaks in a normal loudness, he doesnt whisper nor yell this.
One by one, the rooms seem cleaner. Although hes on the last room to clean when Albedo and Durin return, he doesnt greet them, when has he ever greeted them? He nor Durin and not even Albedo can remember, its possible he has never greeted them before. Though alas, he has finally finished cleaning up the whole house and returns downstairs. He can see Durin and Albedo packing up the groceries.
"Hey, Kuni!" Durin says in a happy tone.
"Hi, Durin." Kuni responds, he doesnt acknowledge Albedo and Albedo doesnt acknowledge him.
Eventually the "cleaning" part of the day is done, and Durin, no longer unaware of the uneasy tension walks up to Kuni.
--- DURIN'S POV
"Kuni, I want to tell you something." Durin said in a unnervingly calm tone considering he was about to say a major lie to Kuni.
"What is it it, Durin?" Kuni asked, his voice in a nicer and a bit calmer tone then when he spoke to Albedo earlier today.
"When me and Albedo were getting groceries, he said that he was sorry that he snapped a bit and wants to make it up to you. And he said that he does care about you and all- but hes bad at expressing it. That he feels bad that he cant say sorry to you because of his lack of social skills. Knowing Albedo, I doubt he will actually tell it to you directly which is why Im telling you this and not Albedo." Durin said, his tone sincere and kind if you werent told you probably would've thought he was saying the truth.
... Stunned silence from Kuni for a moment and another moment and a few more moments.
"Fine, go and tell him I forgive him and I care for him too and that Im sorry for snapping at him in the morning and annoying him." Kuni said, and just like that Durin went fo Albedo.
Durin was lying, Albedo didnt even say a word of that. But does that really matter when what he has as family is about to disappear? The family he has grown used to? To him, it doesnt matter. And he will lie if it means to preserve the family for even a hour longer.
"Albedo, I really need to tell you something, urgent" Durin said.
"Yes, Durin?" Albedo asked.
"So, Kuni told me a minute ago he wants to say sorry. That he really does care for you and all, that he feels guilty for snapping at you in the morning and disturbing- or as he puts it "annoying" you while you were writing the grocery list. Hes stubborn and all, so I knew for a fact he wouldnt tell you directly. Which is why I put it in my hands to tell you." Durin said.
".. Tell him that Im sorry too."
Durin nodded and went to his room, where Kuni was standing by (he was watering a plant at the window near Durin's room.) Durin sat at his bed, feeling pretty proud that he was able to convince the two of them. He was just a tad bit worried if they were to learn about the truth if they were to learn Durin lied to them, but then again, it would be hard to connect the dots. As he spends the day trying to learn alchemy and math (of which he is struggling.) he got called for dinner by Kuni. He smiles and walks downstairs.
The meal for today was Lakkaberry Madame, Durin sat down with Kuni sitting down last.
"Its nice for the house to be clean." Kuni starts the conversion as he looks around the house, Albedo and Durin following his line of sight.
"Yeah, its usually really dirty. You cleaned really well, Kuni." Albedo responds, seeing time to unease the tension which is lighter then usual, Durin speaks.
"Albedo's right, you did so good! The house hasnt seen better days." Durin says enthusiastically, his genuine tone aswell as his smile easing the tension down further.
"Thanks, how was grocery shopping? Im assuming it went well?" Kuni asks them. This is the first time in months they're having a decent conversion.
"It was pretty good, if we're excluding Durin's struggle of gathering the lakkaberries." Albedo says glancing at Durin as he says the last part.
'Its not my fault they were so slippery today! They're usually not that slippery, but today was so different." Durin replies to Albedo with a slight pout, it makes both Albedo and Kuni smile slightly.
Silence, and it isnt a bad unresolved tension silence. Its a normal silence.
"Albedo, I want to tell you directly. Im sorry for how Ive been treating you while we've met. I dont know how to put my apology into words, but I hope you can forgive me." Kuni says, both Albedo and Durin shocked that he apologized directly first.
"Im sorry too, Kuni, Ive realized how immature my annoyance was and how I shouldnt have got upset earlier today. Seeing as you apologized, I think you forgive me?" Albedo quickly replies in a sincerer voice then he tends to speak with, Kuni nodded at Albedo's question.
A faint smile, and Durin, feels like a weight has been lifted off this semi-dysfunctional family. But, sadly, you cant keep secrets away from geniuses. Durin knows pretty well that Albedo or Kuni will find out later or sooner their apologies would be caused by a lie from him.
That's a consquences for later though.
Today will be the last day of this tension, because due to lying and understanding aswell as accepting one is wrong they've made up. And today, will finally be the last day of shared hatred (though maybe not slight annoyance.)