Archive of Our Own

Of the many rules in conducting an experiment, two simple, basic rules held the most importance.

One: Never turn your eyes away from an ongoing test, and thus keep it always under your closest supervision. The lone exception would be for the safety of yourself and others in the case of imminent danger such as a sudden explosion, with the hopes that the window of opportunity would be long enough to look away in the first place. Not that there should be an explosion happening, if you were observant enough.

Two: Be prepared for the known and unknown; even if the method follows a hypothesis and should be true, even the slightest change in the air could cause an experiment to go awry. This particular rule becomes more important when living test subjects are involved -- should something go wrong, the faster you act means the faster the issue can be resolved before damage can be done. Have as much at your disposal as you can for any sort of reaction.

Albedo later decides to add emphasis on a third rule: Keep as clear of a head as you can throughout the entire experiment. Do not let what you are feeling cloud your actions to the best of your ability when your focus is needed in a dire situation, even if you’re being attacked by outside influences of an experiment. Especially if that outside influence is a small, sentient, floating girl, who keeps hitting your back with her tiny fists.

His own hands are shaking as he rushes to remove a bucket of boiling water from the campfire stove, grabbing a hand towel and moving towards the back of the cave, where Timaeus has already set up the emergency cot. Paimon’s screeching is nothing more than background buzzing behind the course of his thoughts as he makes a quick detour at his desk, sparing a small, worried glance at the curled figure occupying the cot. Aether.

Something had gone wrong with studying Aether’s internal elemental flow. The results initially had seemed normal, and at first, the only thing wrong with Aether was the mild, burning nausea left by the potion. A human response. There had been enough time for Albedo to record the initial data before Aether started coughing, and he looked up in time to see the traveler pale, stumbling forward and nearly colliding with his desk.

With a fortunate stroke of luck, the cause was deduced quickly; an equally human response, in the form of an allergic reaction to one of the potion’s components. Rare, but not unusual enough that it was one of the many possible, realized outcomes. Even testing the potion on himself wouldn’t let Albedo find such reactions when allergies were suited to the individual than a whole. Fortunately, finding the glass syringe stored for such cases wasn’t such a difficult task when he had the vial stored in his emergency medical pouch -- moving Paimon so he could administer the medication and move Aether to the cot, however, had been an entirely different story.

“How could you give him something like that?!” Paimon cried behind him for perhaps the fiftieth time, smacking his back with a half-hearted but angry fist. Albedo elected to ignore her to the best of his ability, but frowned to himself as he reached for the medical potions within the first aid kit behind the desk. “If he gets seriously hurt, Paimon will -- Paimon will -- do something, and you’re going to regret this!”

“I already do,” Albedo muttered under his breath, out of her earshot as he reached under to grab one last potion, full of a liquid that was nearly clear with a light blue tint. Just because one experimental outcome was rare, it did not mean that it couldn’t happen; and just because one outcome remained in the realm of possibility, did not mean that it was wanted. Subjecting Aether to more misery than what the potion should’ve given was not an outcome he wanted to anyone whom he invited into his projects, and having seen Aether collapse induced more than just a small pain of guilt.

Leaving the bucket at the desk’s side in favor of shuffling the bottles into his arms, Albedo finally makes his way to the back of the makeshift camp, Paimon darting past him to float over to Aether’s side. The poor traveler looked beyond exhausted, nearly ready to doze off from the ordeal and the cold (how in the gods names did he even manage to keep warm?), but sleep at this point would be risky. He reaches a hand forward to pat Aether’s shoulder to wake him, and immediately, two golden eyes blink to give him full attention.

“I’m sorry to bother you, but there’s some other medications I should give-” Albedo begins to speak, reaching for three of the potions in his pocket before Paimon darts forward, waving her hands in his face.

“No! Uh-uh! You already gave him one potion and look how sick it made him!” Paimon exclaims, nearly wagging a finger in Albedo’s face while her other hand rests on her hip. “You aren’t giving him any other potions to make him sicker, I can’t allow it!”

Before she can continue her scolding, a hand reaches up and gently yanks on her foot. She yelps just a little, turning around enough for Albedo to look down at Aether. “Paimon,” he coughs out, looking clearly displeased at all of the commotion as he moves to sit up. “I trust him.”

Albedo quickly lays out a selection of the potions on the side of the cot, and pulls the cork from a tiny vial with a tea-colored potion. “This one increases lung efficiency and reduces swelling,” he explains, handing the bottle to Aether, who nods and quickly downs the bottle in one go as Albedo continues talking. “We have to wait a few minutes for it to take effect, but you should have an easier time taking the others. The next one should absorb the remainder of the potion as well as the allergens, and this one here will prevent further nausea. Finally, this last potion should keep your body from reacting like this again until it’s out of your system, but I can’t guarantee that it will work.”

“So many potions,” Paimon grumbles under her breath, her cheeks puffing out into a pout. “Why can’t you guarantee that it’ll work? How do you even know you grabbed the right potions this time, anyway?”

“Paimon,” Aether warns, but Albedo raises his hand and shakes his head.

“I told you, I was prepared for any possible situation, and that included this predicament. The potion I gave you to test your internal flow was made from a variety of ingredients that generally aren’t consumed, as food, potions, or otherwise.” Albedo pauses, giving a small cough into his fist. “Unless you take another unknown potion again, which -- now, well. I know what ingredients you need to avoid in the future, and I can assure you none of these potions have any of them.”

He feels Paimon’s piercing, angry gaze weighing him down almost immediately. If she does have any sort of magical power to her, Albedo’s suddenly afraid of finding out. The least he can do is clear his own name and prove his worth as an alchemist to avoid whatever wrath she’s capable of bringing about.

“Let’s try to take the next potion now, shall we?” Albedo offers, his hands shaking again as he pops off the top of the second bottle.

Aether surely has to be an Archon in a mortal body; there’s no other way to explain his endless patience.

To the combined relief of everyone present, the series of potions take affect immediately, as Aether begins to breathe easy, never once begrudging his condition. Albedo makes a note to personally thank the doctor who created the combination once Paimon quits hounding him for his mistake. He lets her keep a close eye on Aether just to confirm his improving condition, taking the opportunity to prepare another herbal formula to expedite the elemental flow.

By now, the water in the bucket had cooled down from boiling hot to a pleasant warmth that could combat the cold, thanks to the defrosted soil by his desk. The additions of the herbs (He lists them off as he adds them: a bit of dandelions, the fruit of a lamp grass, petals of a cecilia-) turn the color of the water into an orange hue, and then a pure ocean blue.

Satisfied, he lifts up the bucket, and walks back to the cot. Paimon only spares him a glare as he approaches, turning to pass Aether a kiss on the forehead before dashing away to go bother Timaeus.

“You two really are good friends, aren’t you?” Albedo murmurs as he watches her flutter from shelf to shelf, bumbling with questions aimed to his assistant. “I’m sorry. I genuinely didn’t intend for this to happen.”

“Always learning something new, right?” Aether forces a small laugh, still managing a grin somehow despite his condition. “You didn’t know this would happen, and neither did I.”

“No. I didn’t,” Albedo agrees, but he can feel himself frowning even more. “Even if I was prepared, such a reaction is rare, I didn’t expect that it actually would happen. If I did, then certainly, I would have taken a different approach for my research-”

“Your research,” Aether cuts in. His eyes are pitifully dazed as he tries his best to stare up at Albedo, trying to blink some clarity into them. “I messed it up, didn’t I?”

“Don’t concern yourself with that.” Not when they had gotten enough data to know enough that for Aether, there was no blockage in his internal flow. A promising result. Timaeus was already busying himself with compiling the data in the corner, organizing what notes Albedo could write down into something more cohesive. There was nothing else his assistant could do in this case but stay out of the way. The only in error in the data was that Albedo failed to compile every detail. Details, which held no importance compared the traveler’s condition.

“What if it isn’t accurate because of this?” Aether tries again to voice his fears, but Albedo pays him no heed. The water in the bucket is already turning from its blue hue to a tea green, and he doesn’t wait for the reaction to finish fully before dunking the hand towel into the warm water. He wrings out the towel, barely waiting for it to stop dripping as he turns.

Raising Aether’s arm just slightly, Albedo wraps the hand towel around the bare skin of the traveler’s upper arm. His fingers trace upon its surface a sigil, allowing the elements of the healing water to seep through the skin barrier. Already, the towel’s pale cream surface is growing a dark violet with the absorbed elements. He sighs, knowing it won’t be long before the towel will have to be rinsed and replaced, so he can’t sit down just yet.

Instead, his fingers trail to Aether’s forehead, brushing away his bangs from his temple and eyes. Aether is watching him closely with a newfound alertness in his eyes, that draws a breath of relief from Albedo as he finally speaks. “In short, I’ve concluded that your elemental energy is normal. We can discuss it more when you’re feeling up to it.”

“But you did get enough data... right?”

Albedo feels frustration bubble up in the back of his mind. Did Aether truly not care that much for himself, or was his carelessness stemming from another cause? “I’m not concerned about that. First and foremost, my primary concern is you.”

Unexpectedly, Aether’s eyes widen, his face flushing somewhat. “I... see,” He murmurs, fingers curling against the fabric of the cot. “Then... how long until I get better?”

“A while. If it weren’t for the cold and the side effects of that last potion, I would try to bring you down to the base camp. Right now, it’s too risky, so I would like for you to stay here tonight.” Aether’s face, oddly enough, gets even redder at the suggestion, so Albedo quickly adds, “Just in case that last potion doesn’t work, either. You should be feeling far better tomorrow morning if not tonight.”

“Back up,” Aether mutters, looking far more than just confused as he lowers his voice, presumably so Paimon doesn’t overhear. “More side effects?”

“Oh.” Albedo frowns again, glancing down at the towel at Aether’s arm. Already it’s soaked dark, so he unwinds it, and moves to rinse it out. Anything to avoid feeling the weight of Aether’s gaze, right now. “It prevents another reaction, at the risk of getting sick. Unfortunately, that’s less of an alchemy problem and more biological. If you walked out of here today, you absolutely would get a fever in the snow. But, since I would rather keep you under observation here anyway, I doubt that will happen.”

“Hmm.” He can feel Aether closely watching him as he dips the towel into the clear water, rinsing out the material before he soaks it back in the tea mixture. “You would make for a great doctor, you know.”

“I may have been told that, once or twice.” There’s a pause, as he wrings out the towel, and applies it back to Aether’s arm. “Unfortunately, my curiosity knows no bounds, and I feel a profession like that would only limit me. Besides, I... have also been told that I sometimes lack appropriate bedside manners.”

“I don’t see it. Have you considered they might have been wrong?” Aether questions, raising an eyebrow. Albedo huffs out the smallest of laughs.

“There’s some truth in it, I’m afraid,” he admits, tracing the sigil once again on the towel as the herbal formula activates. Again, the towel is already beginning to stain itself black. “Though I thank you for the vote of confidence.”

“What’s wrong with that? You should have more confidence in yourself.” Albedo feels something touch the back of his hand, the contact almost burning as he glances over to see Aether’s free hand lightly resting upon his. His face burns as he glances up, now finally meeting Aether’s unwavering gaze. Slowly, the traveler’s fingers wrap around his hand, and Aether gives him the smallest of smiles, exhausted but gentle. “Clearly you have the brains and the heart in what you do. So why not the confidence?”

“I -- well.” Albedo quickly withdraws his hand, turning his head away to cough into his fist. He doesn’t even notice Aether’s disappointed expression. “If you’re feeling talkative, then now would be a good chance to sleep. Your body has a lot to work through, and you’ll need your energy.”

“Nothing else will happen, right?” Aether’s voice comes quietly, enough for Albedo to turn to look back at him again.

“Should. But nothing else should happen,” he replies. To make a point, he turns again, finding a stool nearby. He drags it over to the side of the cot, hopping up and settling himself as he sits. “Not as long as I’m here. If anything goes wrong, I’ll notice before you even do.”

Content with the answer, Aether’s lips curl into the smallest of smiles as he closes his eyes. “I’ll be holding that to you, then,” He murmurs.

A stillness settles upon the back of the cave, Albedo watching as Aether’s breathing settles into the slow rhythm of sleep. ‘How do you manage to trust so easily?’ He thinks, frowning to himself. ‘Someone like me should not be...’

His thoughts are cut off as quickly as they had begun when he hears someone approaching behind him. “Albedo, sir, I’ve finished compiling the results of the experiment-” Timaeus begins, but the man interrupts himself with a small gasp before lowering his voice. “Excuse me.” He gingerly holds out a small stack of papers over Albedo’s shoulders, full to the brim of details. “So, how is he doing?”

“He should be fine,” Albedo replies, politely waving the other alchemist off with a wave of his hand. “Thank you for your assistance today, Timaeus. Please, put it with the rest of the data. I’ll review it later tonight. Would you mind continuing our research on that strange ice by yourself for now?”

“Not a problem, sir. I’ll leave the data on the board.” Albedo feels Timaeus bow behind him, more than he sees him, and sighs once the man has left his immediate presence.

Aether already seems so tightly held in the thrall of sleep, shades of exhaustion evident in his features that he managed to hide when he was awake. Always so bright-eyed, and energetic, but here, by the truth of sleep’s caress, was a young man burdened by something that clearly weighted on him so. By watching him, Albedo almost feels like he walked in on a secret he shouldn’t have been allowed to witness.

Albedo’s gaze drops down to Aether’s hand, still and settled. Something yearns within him to reach out, to feel his fingers against Aether’s again, and perhaps to dispel some of the other’s visible loneliness and exhaustion. He doesn’t move, though, fighting against the urge when Paimon finally floats back, hovering over his shoulder to peer down at the sleeping traveler. To his surprise, she lowers herself just enough to lean against his shoulder in an unusually friendly action. The contact makes his spine straighten, his shoulders tensing at the foreign contact.

“Paimon has decided that despite this mess being your fault, for your valiant efforts, you can be forgiven. Especially if you make lunch and dinner,” She states, like a judge reporting the verdict of an accused thief. Relief floods through Albedo like water flowing through a broken dam. Those terms are agreeable. “Although, Paimon’s never seen him this tired. You didn’t give him a sleeping potion when Paimon wasn’t looking, did you?” She asks, her gaze glued to Aether.

Albedo furrows his eyebrows, staring at her from the corners of his eyes. “That would be a bit underhanded and irresponsible of me, wouldn’t you think?”

“No,” She hums, settling down on his back with her arms resting over his shoulder. “Doesn’t he look tired? He needs to sleep more. Paimon thought if you gave him a sleeping potion, then he could finally get some rest.”

‘Perhaps his sister's fate burdens him more than he lets on,’ Albedo hums to himself as he thinks, moving his arm to rest his elbow on his knee, and his head in the palm of his hand. “Tired or not, it would be really inappropriate if I gave him something of that caliber without his permission. Quite frankly, it’s illegal.”

“Well... if you won’t do it, can you give Paimon a sleeping potion to give him when he’s really tired and doesn’t want to sleep?”

“I -- what? No, absolutely not, what part of illegal did you miss? Request denied.”

“Hmph. I guess,” She pouts, sliding off of his back to float off somewhere, much to his relief.

‘Children,’ Albedo thinks with an exasperated sigh.

Against his better judgment but with no witnesses, he reaches out, reaching for Aether’s hand, and gives a comforting squeeze.

When evening begins to fall and the last of the day’s light begins to slip away, Albedo sends Timaeus back to the base camp to sleep in warmth, as well as a request for supplies to replenish both necessary stock and the odd request for research material. He gives the man a letter to be sent to Lisa as well, if only to warn her about the potion components that lead to the Honorary Knight of Favonius’ current condition. He doesn’t feel that she would experiment with such components, given their scarcity and little-to-no use in actual potions, but wouldn’t hurt to inform others, should Aether try one of her potions.

When dusk settles to night, he sets about making dinner -- Sunshine Sprat is their meal for the second time that day, but he finds that when he’s sharing the meal with others, there’s barely any leftovers, and that alone makes it worth cooking. Paimon spares him a weary glance as she takes her plate, but she seems rather placated after the meal, settling down calmly for the first time in hours, as she sits down with a pillow at the end of Aether’s cot.

Aether, on the other hand, wakes up completely with quite the appetite while Albedo’s cooking. It’s a relief, being a promising factor for his prognosis, and winds up being rather endearing to witness. After Albedo drops off the plates to Aether and his companion, and right when he sits up on his desk with his own plate, does he notice Aether has already finished with his meal. So, he immediately slides off of the desk, calmly walks over, and pushes more than half of his own portion onto Aether’s plate with his clean fork. Not a word passes between them, but he can clearly see the flush of red on Aether’s face, and the look he shoots as he glances upwards -- “Are you sure this is alright?” -- receives no verbal response. Albedo simply smiles at him before he turns away, hopping back up to his perch on the desk as he finally eats, and watching in amusement as the embarrassed Aether eats his second portion with far less haste.

There’s a newfound silence that falls over the campsite following dinner, but Albedo finds it far from uncomfortable. Rather, a little homely, as much as a makeshift camp in the middle of a frozen mountain cave can be. Aether and Paimon are holding a conversation in hushed whispers, talking about the day’s events and other casual talk. Every so often, one of the two will draw Albedo into part of the conversation, acknowledging his presence among them. The never-ending conversation fills the room with a warm din, a much welcome background noise as Albedo floats about to settle the night tasks: creating a third torch by the back of the cave for warmth, ensuring there’s enough fuel to the torches to last for the night, drawing up curtains to keep heat inside the camp. Setting incense outside to repel hilichurls and slimes alike, planting a solar isotoma behind the curtains should a treasure hoarder come too close, and making sure the more precious materials are locked up.

Once the campsite is in agreeable condition to leave alone in favor of a few hours of sleep, Albedo passes one final glance at the cot. Paimon is curled up over the pillow, bundled under the blanket and snoring louder than anything else in the cave, dead asleep and content. Aether is turned away, but Albedo can see the gentle rise and fall of his shoulders as he breathes. It sends a wave of relief that washes over him. By tomorrow, Aether should be in prime condition again. Provided no further incidents occur overnight that is, but, Albedo highly doubts the night will wind up being eventful.

He draws up a pile of blankets as his last task for the night, spreading them down on the ground between the center-most torch and Aether’s cot. The soil below is freezing, but enough layers of the blankets are enough to make it comfortable for the night. The only stipulation is that the presence of what armor he has makes it difficult to get comfortable. Just a few minutes are spared to settle that matter, the sash and gold taking up a small pile on his desk alongside empty bottles, and finally he’s able to settle down for the night.

Exhaustion hits Albedo like a carriage when he sits down on the pile of blankets with his sketchbook in his lap. The day wasn’t exactly productive by any means, so it’s a bit of a wonder for him to feel so fatigued now. Or perhaps, was it a bit of the excitement of the day (if, perhaps, it could be called that) finally taking its toll? He finds himself briefly debating if he wants to retire early or to sketch out his thoughts, but the idea of just a brief moment of relaxation before falling to sleep wins, and so he takes out his sketchbook, flipping to a new page.

Albedo barely manages to get a few lines out on the paper before something gently glides through his hair, brushing a stray, ashen strand behind his ear. “You aren’t actually planning to sleep on the ground, are you?” Aether softly inquires.

The touch is surprising, but it fails to make Albedo jolt, and he finds himself almost wanting to lean into it. Instead, he turns slightly, seeing Aether’s outstretched hand, and those sleepy, golden eyes staring at him with such intent, it’s almost burning. How interesting, he never expected the traveler to be so forward. “I am,” Albedo replies, and the surprise is in how much effort it takes to keep his voice level. But for what reason, he wonders. “Generally, I am the only one who stays in the campsite, just to make sure the area isn’t destroyed overnight. We only keep one cot here for that reason. Given your condition, I’d rather you have it.”

Aether frowns, shuffling closer to the cot’s edge to continue the conversation with a whisper. “Aren’t you cold on the ground, though?”

“I added some heating alchemy to the blankets, it should last long enough into the morning,” Albedo replies, turning his gaze back to the paper as he resumes sketching. What had caught his attention? These lines... Oh. Right. Ah... perhaps a Cecilia flower would be better if Aether’s looking over his shoulder right now... “This wouldn’t be the first time I’ve done this, I can assure you I’ll be fine-”

He’s cut off as the back of a warm -- no, practically hot hand brushes against his cheek, the stick of charcoal falling from his fingers as he jolts still. Now that was a shock.

“You’re absolutely freezing!” Aether hisses, far louder than a normal whisper, enough that Albedo quickly turns to look at Paimon to ensure she’s still asleep. Sure enough, she just mumbles something about ham and flops over, so Albedo turns to look at Aether, who is staring at him with a concerned glare. “Take the cot, you’ll be warmer up here. I can sleep on the ground.”

Albedo feels himself frowning as he sits up on his knees, turning fully to Aether. “I’m not letting you sleep on the floor in your condition, no. Please Aether, get some sleep.”

“Well, I’m not going to let you freeze on the floor either, so that leaves us with one option.” Without elaborating, Aether shifts himself on the cot, creating a free space and patting it. His gaze didn’t even break away once, still staring at the other intently.

A rush of heat floods Albedo’s face as Aether’s intentions quickly register. “Excuse me?”

“You don’t want me to sleep on the ground, I don’t want you to freeze on the ground. So this is the logical option, right?” Aether asks, once again patting the space and raising the edge of the blanket. “Or... think of it this way,” he hums. “If something happens to me overnight because of the potion, you’ll know immediately. Or, since I’m stealing your bed anyway, let me offer it in thanks for taking care of me today.”

...Aether almost had a point, but Albedo finds himself frowning again. “You’re only in this condition because of me-”

“And I knew the risks, and you took care of it and me immediately, completely prepared like you said you were. I’m not holding a grudge, I’m actually rather grateful.”

Albedo shoots a nervous glance to the pile at the end of the bed. “Paimon-”

“-could be kidnapped and ride on the back of a lawachurl while asleep, and she wouldn’t even know unless a witness told her after she woke up. She won’t actually mind if the cot’s packed if it means more warmth for her,” Aether cuts in, and then sighs. “I’m sorry. I don’t mean to press, I’m just... Well. If you don’t actually want to, then we don’t have to share, but I don’t think it’s right to risk your own well-being for my sake.”

The edge of the blanket is still raised. Albedo quickly runs through the calculations. The pros are simple and quite exactly as Aether pointed out: They’d be warmer, Albedo could know immediately if something went wrong, and perhaps the night would be a lot less lonely. The cons were more of a bright, shining beacon of warning -- if Paimon was the first to wake up, he could be privy to her undesired morning wrath. Or perhaps Aether could get too warm and could kick him out overnight. Truthfully speaking, this would be the first time in a long, long while that someone has ever offered him close contact, and having avoided physical contact for so long... He finds himself wholeheartedly drawn to the idea. That would be a worthwhile experiment, wouldn’t it?

‘Just an experiment,’ Albedo’s mind repeats with a sarcastic tone, as if there’s some ulterior motive behind such a thought being disguised under such an ugly suggestion as “an experiment”. Human contact and socialization wasn’t ever worthy of being privy to such experimentation. Psychology simply isn’t his forte. But perhaps, yes, there is a more ulterior motive; one encased in so much emotion he doesn’t have the energy to humor what it might be, and pushes the idea into the depths of his mind where he won’t have to address it for now. He looks up as Aether’s about to lower the blanket, having seemingly given up on his offer, but Albedo is quicker. The alchemist abandons his sketchbook to carefully climb into the cot, and crawls under the blanket by the traveler’s side.

Gently, the blanket falls over him once he’s settled onto his his side, and oh, is it certainly more warmer with another body than alone, it’s almost a shock. There’s still not much space on the cot -- it could barely fit one, it’s a miracle all three of them can fit -- and he’s struggling to get completely comfortable with what space he has been allowed. Then Aether’s arm falls over his shoulders, just as gently at the blanket, and encourages him forward, as if to say it was alright to take up some of his space.

For the first time in his life, Albedo feels an uncertainty he had never experienced prior. Perhaps once or twice he had hesitated in the face of an experiment that could have either brilliant results if his hypothesis was correct -- or explode in his face if even one element was slightly out of place. Still, with such an understanding, it was easier to move forward and proceed with such an experiment when he knew the possible outcomes.

Here, what negative outcomes he could think of only brought a sense of dread more intense than any other experiment could dredge up. Just the simple contact of Aether holding him close has his muscles tensing, almost paralyzed and leaving him unable to move. His side burns where Aether’s arm lays over him, but almost every nerve of his wants to ease into it, pulling against the nervous tension that keeps him from doing so.

Head swimming, Albedo closes his eyes and briefly wonders if this is the feeling Sucrose often referred to as “anxiety”.

“By the gods, it’s like holding a shard of ice,” he hears Aether mutter, and his breath unintentionally hitches as Aether moves his other arm under his body to pull him even closer, leaving just centimeters between them. “I didn’t think you’d actually take up my offer after earlier, but I’m glad you did. You really would’ve frozen on the ground like that.”

There’s a retort lingering on Albedo’s tongue, but it goes unspoken as a sudden, faint drumming sound catches his attention. It’s close. Rhythmic. Comforting, beckoning... Every other word dies in his throat as he leans his head forward, chasing the sound. His temple comes into contact with Aether’s collar bones, and if he turns just slightly, he can press his ear against the other’s chest. Of course. There’s nothing else that sound could have been but a human heartbeat, couldn’t it?

He feels the gentle press of fingers running through his hair, and the touch sends an involuntary jolt down Albedo’s spine. It’s not an unwelcome feeling, but the touch is so foreign to him, so out of place and out of the ordinary, and amazingly, it calms him. Slowly, the nervous tension in his limbs begin to ebb away, and he stretches the rest of his anxiety out of his fingers. Briefly, he wonders if perhaps reaching out to Aether -- to move closer to the other’s warmth -- would be too much contact. He doesn’t get to ponder the thought for long as Aether suddenly stops.

“Oh, um, I’m sorry-” Aether is quick to move away, to provide more space between the two of them, as much as the cot will allow. Albedo’s freezing up once again, limbs paralyzed with a sudden, familiar fear as he tilts his head to stare at Aether’s red face and wide eyes -- “That was probably weird and inappropriate of me, I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have done that-”

“Why not?” The question leaves Albedo’s mouth almost immediately, before he even has the chance to parse his words. There might be worse questions to blurt out without thinking, but just the action alone has him pausing, turning over the rest of his thoughts silently. Certainly, it wasn’t an unwelcome feeling. It makes him think... He thinks of the dogs in Mondstadt, and how they seem content with the slightest scratch behind their ears, and understands now why such animals demand further attention.

‘What a weird analogy,’ He almost grimaces, but he fights the urge if not to show such a displeased face in front of Aether and make this situation worse. It’s ridiculous how much the analogy actually fits -- he already misses those warm fingers tracing his scalp, and at most, Aether had perhaps been doing it for thirty seconds.

But Aether pushed him away, even after that. Albedo feels something in his chest sink, and the mountain’s snow chill is beginning to seep back into his bones. That familiar sensation, the familiar fear -- Albedo feels paralyzed once again. Would Aether leave, grab Paimon, and run as far from the campsite as he could? Would he tell the other Knights of Favonius about the matter, leaving him to their scrutiny and rumors of his apparent inappropriate conduct, whatever it might be. What did either of them do wrong?

The silence between them is an enigma threatening to slow down time. Albedo tries again to end it, with a different approach in hopes of discovering just how he offended Aether. “As I told you, I imbued the blankets with heat so I wouldn’t freeze on the ground. I was the one who accepted your offer. If either of us is to apologize, it really should be me-”

“No!” Aether exclaims. Albedo turns his head just slightly enough in surprise, to see the other’s eyes wide, his face redder than a tomato. Ever so slightly, Paimon stirs again at the bottom of the cot, and this time Albedo feels Aether freeze. They’re silent, staring at each other as she drowsily shifts and moves to pillow her weight between her feet. There’s a little more shuffling, and Albedo barely reigns in the urge to instinctively kick out his foot when he feels something pat his ankle.

“G’night, ‘bedo,” Paimon’s voice comes drowsily. A moment later, she’s shifting again, and he can feel her weight move to settle against the side of his shin, hearing another pat against the blanket. “Aether be quiet... or Paimon will eat your hair...”

It’s only a minute later that they hear her give a soft snore. Aether sighs in relief, the tension drifting from his shoulders. “No. You don’t need to apologize,” He begins again from where they left off, his voice barely audible as a whisper as he took care not to wake up Paimon again. “I mean -- I knew it would be a tight fit when I offered so I didn’t mind, you really were cold. I didn’t mean to let my hands wander-”

Wait. Was... was that what Aether was worried about?

“Aether,” Albedo softly calls to him, and he waits until he feels the other settle. “It’s fine. You’re fine.”

“I still should have asked,” Aether repeats. “I-it’s only polite.”

“I told you, you’re fine. It’s just... something I’m not use to. But...” Something wills him to shift closer, back to where he was, curled in front of Aether.

“... Albedo?”

“It was...” Different. A revelation. Something to study. Something he wanted, and never wanted to stop wanting. “... nice.”

Albedo leans forward again, removing the distance between them as he rests his head against Aether’s chest, hearing the echos of the other’s heartbeat once more. He had to wonder, if this was the heartbeat of one made from earth... then what did the heartbeat of one made from chalk sound like? Could his own heartbeat, stable and tempered, bring such comfort like this despite being unable to fluctuate?

Carefully, he shifts his head, so Aether can hear him. “You can do that again. If you want.” He takes a moment to swallow down the forming knot in his throat. “Please?”

He doesn’t hear the laugh, so much as he feels the warm puff of air from stifled laughter brushing across the top of his head. “Yes sir,” Aether’s tone is nothing short of joking, as he pulls Albedo closer, and runs those blessed fingers through his hair again. Albedo feels like he could live the final moments of his life with only this sense of peace and comfort. “I didn’t expect you to be such a clingy heat vampire, you know that?”

Albedo opens one eye, staring upwards at Aether as he furrows his brow in confusion. “I was under the impression vampires survived on the life force of others, not... energy and heat.”

“Oh!” Aether exclaims -- quietly, this time -- and softly hums as he thinks. “My sister and I use to joke about them all the time when we were kids. Like, whenever we were cold and did things like stick our freezing cold hands on each other so we can warm up. I haven’t met a real heat vampire who actually kills people by freezing their prey.”

“Is that so?” It’s Albedo’s turn to hum as he thinks. “Then I suppose by your definition, that would make me a heat vampire, yes,” He replies, shuffling closer to hear Aether’s heartbeat once more. Just the sound alone could lull him into sleep at any moment. “However, I believe we have a more prominent heat vampire on our hands, seeping our warmth from our very feet.”

Aether softly laughs, and it’s almost infectious, bright as music. “You’re right. Here I am, providing for the two greatest heat vampires of Mondsta--no, Teyvat. What a fitting end for being sick on a snowy mountain, I couldn’t ask for anything better.”

‘You’ve perhaps resurrected one of those heat vampires from the brink of death in reminding them the necessity of human contact in just one night,’ Albedo’s mind immediately supplies. However, he doesn’t think the words aloud, humoring the sudden desire to duck further into the warm blankets out of embarrassment.

Instead, he tries to scoff. “Aha. Well, whether it be fortunate or unfortunate, I must be far more selective in my prey. I don’t think there’s anybody else I could draw such heat from.”

“Good,” Aether’s reply comes, surprisingly and uncharacteristically sharp. Albedo doesn’t get to ponder that change of tone for long, as much as he really wants to, before Aether’s fingers gently brush against his scalp. Each brush dragging away his thoughts, while exhaustion eats away at the edges of his consciousness. “With that settled... let’s get some sleep before it gets too late.”

“That would be wonderful... and Aether?”

“... Yes?”

“Thank you.” Curled up in Aether’s arms, with Paimon’s warm weight on his legs -- surrounded by human contact, by dear friends, Albedo feels like he can truly sleep well for once. “Good night.”

He sleeps soundly enough that he wakes only when morning comes, bringing a biting cold with her.

“Why is it so cold?” is the only thing Albedo can think as he slowly awakens from sleep’s hold, drowsily reaching a hand forward. When all he feels is the cool, scratchy mattress, his hand rapidly darts about, patting the space and trying to find something. He finds nothing though, and blearily opens one eye with a frown to see that he is alone in the cot.

Not for long, however. Light laughter echos behind him as he feels footsteps approach, a hand curling over the back of his outstretched hand, fingers slotting easily between his. Albedo turns, blinking the last of sleep out of his gaze as he sees Aether leaning over him, smiling warmly and with a sunlight glimmer in his eyes.

“Good morning,” Aether grins. “I made pancakes for breakfast. I hope that’s alright.”

... Pancakes.

Albedo immediately shoots up, back straightening and nearly knocking his head against Aether’s. He gives a tentative sniff of the air, and sure enough, he can smell the sweetness of tea pancakes. Just the scent alone is enough to nearly make his stomach growl in approval.

“Wow, that woke him up quickly!” Paimon giggles from afar, floating about the campfire stove. “Who knew that the Chief Alchemist had such a sweet tooth?”

“They smell divine,” Albedo mutters under his breath, sniffing the air once more and turning to the cave entrance. Based on the light flooding into the cave, Aether had most likely already brushed aside one of the curtains, which explains both the morning light and cold air flow into the room. From here, he can see Paimon floating about the stove, cheerily chowing down on a plate of fresh pancakes. “How are you feeling this morning? No further reactions?”

“Perfectly fine! I haven’t breathed this easy since before I started climbing the mountains,” Aether replies, beaming at him. “Whatever you gave me yesterday really helped. I feel like I can take on those oceanids!”

“You’re making great progress then, that’s a relief. Actually, we give one of those potions to the more inexperienced knights in climbing up the mountains. It helps them adjust to the change in atmospheric pressure, so it’s no surprise it would help you beyond your allergic reaction,” Albedo explains, gently pulling his hand away from Aether’s to stretch his arms above his head. “If you feel up to it, then once Timaeus returns, we conduct the final round of experiments. For now, please feel free to do what you want. I’m going to clean up a little.” Feeling the sleep leave his limbs, he soon moves to swing his legs over the edge of the cot. Curiously enough, Aether immediately side-steps to block his immediate line of vision once he attempts to peer past the other’s body.

“Oh! If we aren’t going to continue for a bit, then don’t worry about getting up just yet! I’ll bring a plate to you!” That’s the kind of overly enthusiastic response that causes suspicion, and Albedo glances up just in time to see the nervous glint in Aether’s eyes. “You did a lot for me yesterday, and you seemed really exhausted. At least let me help you out in return! I-I can help with the clean up, too!”

Oh, something was definitely wrong. “No, not when you aren’t out of the woods yet. I did say that last potion wasn’t guaranteed to work, did I not? You could have another reaction, you might not. We just won’t know until the end of the day.” From this angle, he could see Aether gulp, and he can’t help but give a sly smile. “So, what trouble did you get into, dear Traveler?”

“A few slimes caused some kind of explosion at the entrance,” Aether squeaks in embarrassment, burying his face in his hands. Albedo shakes his head with a fond laugh.

Standing up, he places his hands on Aether’s shoulders, carefully maneuvering them in a circle until his back is to the cave entrance, and he can push Aether to sit back down on the cot. Albedo takes a moment to survey Aether’s condition -- just a few scratches and bruises, nothing that a little ointment can’t fix -- and once he is satisfied, he pats the traveler’s cheek affectionately. “Well, I’m certain you should be the one resting. You already made the batter, yes? Don’t worry, I’ll take over from here. I insist.”

“Didn’t you just say I’m free to do what I want?”

“Within limits. And I’m limiting you to resting in the cot.”

The only reaction Aether gives him is a pout he finds endearing, and nothing more.

There’s no sign of the solar isotoma he laid out the night before. The only evidence of its fate left in the slightest dent on the ground and the frozen slime condensation splattered around its indent. Enough power behind it to startle whatever had the misfortune to walk upon it for sure, and perhaps to wake one light-sleeping traveler, which would explain the explosion that Aether mentioned.

No matter. Albedo sweeps an arm along the ceiling with the help of a second isotoma, drawing away the second curtain to properly allow a flood of sunlight into the cavern, and drops down to join Paimon in finishing the task of cooking pancakes.

Once again, Aether finishes his meal with an unholy speed to fit his voracious appetite, much to Albedo’s amusement. As much as there is, he knows he won’t finish his portion, and opts for a small, shorter experiment. Stabbing a bite of the pancake, he holds up his fork to Aether, who still looks just a bit disgruntled at being limited to rest. He’s lost enough in his thoughts that he leans forward, takes the bite of pancake, and blinks. His face is turning quite the shade of crimson as he slowly turns to look at Albedo, realization lighting up his eyes.

“I think that was part of your pancake,” Aether mutters after releasing the fork, nudging him lightly with his elbow. “I think it was on your fork, even.”

“Maybe it was.” Albedo smiles as he knocks his knee into Aether’s, lifting up another bite of pancake to the other. Aether has no shame in immediately accepting the offering, and it makes his heart skip a beat. “I have too much, so what else am I to do with it but share? I couldn’t let it go to waste.”

Aether looks contemplative as he thoughtfully chews, before shrugging. “I can’t actually disagree with that.”

“I didn’t think you would,” Albedo replies as he settles his plate between the two of them, holding up another bite of pancake that Aether happily accepts.

Paimon, behind Aether’s shoulder, also turns to shoot him a look that he can’t fully decipher as disgust or betrayal. When he simply smiles and shrugs at her, he realizes a little too late that the look is complete and utter betrayal. A look of, “How dare you don't share with Paimon”, when she takes her revenge by diving for a piece of shared pancake with her fork.

The results are disastrous, and only Paimon reigns victorious among the three of them as she triumphantly holds up a whole, fluffy pancake on her fork. The scene feels like something straight out of Klee’s picture books: Her momentum was enough for Albedo to lose his grip on the plate, sending it forward and towards the ground. Aether, ever the sweet hero, abandons his own plate to the mercy of gravity to lunge forward and catch the falling plate at the same time Albedo tries to regain his grip. Inevitably, they collide together, fumbling out of the cot and knocking into the extinguished torch, sending ash flying everywhere and the plates shattering to the frozen ground underneath them.

His coat will be stained until he returns to the base camp to wash out the ash, and he’ll have to eat from the pan directly until he receives new food-grade plates. Albedo’s disgruntled by the thoughts as he pushes himself up by his elbows, wondering how he’ll be able to explain the ashen mess and destroyed supplies to Timaeus, until he hears a snort to his side.

“I don’t think I’ve ever seen you look so disheveled.” Next to him, Aether is stretched out on his back, staring at Albedo. His face is powdered in ash and charcoal, but it does nothing to taint his warmth or his mischievous look. He reaches out a hand, cupping Albedo’s cheek and brushing his thumb against the surface. Just the touch sends another flare down the alchemist’s spine, and he closes his eyes, leaning into the palm of Aether’s hand. “You’ve got quite a bit of dirt there... Sorry for the mess. I can’t believe Paimon did that-”

Aether cuts off with an undignified yelp as Paimon shoots down, landing straight on his back and knocking him back into the ground in a not-subtle reminder to them both that, once again, she’s still here and listening. “You’re the one who dropped the plates, you Pancake Waster!” she scolds as she pats his head, the look on her face showing her teasing intent where Aether can’t see it. “Albedo, Paimon has some extra snacks that Aether cooked up earlier! You can have those since he wasted your breakfast.”

There’s an unintelligible sound from where Aether’s face meets the ground. Albedo tries to hold back a laugh.

“The thought is appreciated, but truly, I had enough to eat.”

Paimon shrugs. “You can have them. Paimon’s been thinking that Aether’s worried that you’re forgetting to eat or something when you’re alone up here. This way, Aether will worry less!”

“I... see.” Albedo’s gaze turns from Paimon, down to Aether, who seems to have given up on getting back up. Slowly, his gaze returns to Paimon, who looks more than pleased with herself for some reason. “I am capable of taking care of myself... I don’t know what might have given such an impression.”

“Well, you see!” Paimon looks even more gleeful as she raises a finger, “This whole morning, Aether was going on and on about how cold you were last night, and how little you ate. Honestly, it almost sounded like he wanted to stay here for-”

Aether once again makes an unintelligible sound to the dirt that drowns out Paimon’s voice, but judging by the redness of his face trailing from his ears down to his neck, it’s an embarrassed scream.

Albedo decides to grant him some dignity, reaching out a hand to pat his shoulder, and never brings up that particular note again for the remainder of the day.

“Will you come back soon?”

Albedo hates the hint of desperation in his voice, but if Aether or Paimon notice it, they politely don’t mention it.

The mountain peak has already cast a shadow on their side of the mountain, and dusk will soon arrive to herald the coming of night, ushering the need for his guests to return to the base camp. With some effort, Albedo had managed to finish his series of experiments after Timaeus arrived, Aether eagerly following along the whole way, without any more adverse events occurring. The conclusions had been simple: Aether was as human as the others, but Albedo had still been able procure the means to breathe life into the seed, from beginning to end.

It was beautiful, and fleeting... Compared to his own life...

“Of course we’ll come back soon!” Paimon looks offended at the suggestion that Albedo had to even ask, pouting and placing her hands over her hips. “Albedo is Paimon and Aether’s friend! You can’t get rid of us, even if you wanted to!”

“I suppose I couldn’t, couldn’t I?” Albedo feels his lips curl into the smallest of smiles. “Your friendship... this time, and this journey. It’s invaluable to me, as are you.”

“As friends, I would hope,” Aether jokes, letting out a light laugh. “I don’t mind being a research assistant, but sometime I would like to be here as your friend. Like, a friend-friend, not even a fellow-knight-friend.”

“Oh, yeah...” Paimon interjects, humming thoughtfully. “They were pretty tiring, but it was really fun when we relaxed! You should relax more, instead of working all of the time! Maybe that’s what Paimon and Aether can do for you, Albedo. Or... hmm, maybe just Aether?”

Albedo blinks.

“Ignore her,” Aether says, playfully pushing her away with the palm of his hand. “If we do that then she’ll get mad that I’m not sharing my cooking with her.”

“Wait a moment, you wouldn’t dare-!”

The traveler heeds his own advice, ignoring Paimon’s yelling behind him as he steps forward, and with little caution, reaches out to pull Albedo into a gentle hug. He leans into the touch, recalling the warmth from the previous night, and suddenly feels far too reluctant to let Aether go just yet. Reality, as it is, loves to play such a cruel hand, doesn’t she?

“‘A life well-lived is one unburdened by loneliness’, you said, right?” Aether whispers, hugging Albedo just a little more closely. “So... if you ever feel burdened, just send a message to the Knights of Favonius. They’ll know where to find me, and I’ll know where to find you. I’m at your beck and call.”

A rush of heat flows into Albedo’s face, more so when Aether turns just enough to place a chaste kiss on his cheek, just centimeters away from his lips. The traveler pulls away with a hop and a step, beaming as though he hadn’t parted with so much affection in just a short second of time, enough to leave Albedo breathless.

“Remember to eat and stay warm, Albedo! Don’t travel too far from your campsite by yourself, now!” Paimon exclaims, leaving Aether and Timaeus to pick up the necessary bags for their trek back to the base camp. “If we don’t come back soon, then we’ll send you a letter!”

“I’ll be back tomorrow with the supplies you requested as well, sir,” Timaeus calls from the mouth of the cave, hoisting the backpack over his shoulders as he gives a wave.

“Do be careful on your way down,” Albedo calls after them, returning the wave as he watches. He smiles fondly as Aether turns around once, even twice to give a wave, before Paimon pulls at his scarf to make sure he watches the road ahead.

Once the trio round the corner of the pathway leading to the campsite, Albedo sits down at his desk. He leans forward, folding his arms together as he lays his head down, staring at the cave entrance. Staring at where Aether stood before he left.

The sun. Bright, the source of energy for living life on this world, spreading its life to all around it. Even when it leaves, it’s only inevitable that it will eventually return. Albedo reaches out for the bottle, containing only sediment from that damned experiment that would’ve accidentally killed Aether if he hadn’t been prepared. That would have killed the only warm sun this campsite -- that Albedo -- had ever truly known.

He stares at the strange, pink sediment gathered at the bottom of the bottle, thinking. The moon shows only when the sun has left. What light it emits is only stolen from the sun, reflecting on its surface just a fraction of what it has been given. The moon can try its best, but it will never be the same as the sun, casting its effect on others while trying its best to guide where the sun cannot.

Rolling the spout of the potion bottle between his fingers, Albedo wonders if his own gravitational pull is strong enough to bring Aether back before the end.

Before he could lose control of himself. Before he tried to destroy everything.

He closes his eyes, feeling the cold breeze seep into his skin, beckoning him for a brief nap. The cold transcending to his bones, reminding him what he lost for now, what he hold that he could not keep forever.

But damn it all, would he try to hold onto this as long as he could.

To his fortune and joy, it's only a week later when Aether finally returns, breathing life into the research campsite that had been dying without the traveler's light.

Paimon is the one who calls to him before he even had a chance to notice his guests. Still, hearing her voice is enough that Albedo drops literally everything he is working on to turn to address the duo.

“Aether, Paimon, hello,” He greets, feeling a smile bloom on his face as he dusts off the cryo powder from his gloves. The distance between the alchemy table and the cave entrance is crossed in just a few long, easy strides as he reaches the duo. He first reaches out a hand, patting Paimon’s head in a greeting as he does with Klee, and she gives a small laugh, returning his greeting as he turns to Aether.

Those warm, golden eyes. Burning and bright, a binary star system of their own, Albedo briefly thinks, and to see those eyes makes him feel as though he’s floating in the air without a glider. “Hi,” Aether chirps in greeting, his cheeks dusted in such a pink that couldn’t possibly be from the cold alone. “We’re back.”

Albedo returns his smile, though he knows he’s only reflecting a margin of the light that Aether shines, just like the moon. He steps forward, gently placing his hands on the traveler’s shoulders. Hesitantly, but with the feeling that it was also the most natural thing in the world to do, he leans forward to return a favor long overdue. He presses his lips to Aether’s briefly, as gentle as the wispy touch of a passing seelie. It sends a surge through him, one that burns in its wake with the feeling of being alive when Aether returns the kiss.

“Welcome back,” He whispers over Aether’s lips as he pulls away, his hands sliding off of the other’s shoulders to seek his hands instead. Much to his surprise, even through the gloves, he can feel the chill in the palm of Aether’s hands. It’s a stark contrast to the heat in Aether’s cheeks, pink from more than the cold air, and Albedo finds himself wanting to fix this predicament. “Come further inside and warm up. I can prepare a pot of tea if you would like. I was able to procure a fresh shipment of leaves from Liyue just yesterday.”

“Fresh tea! That sounds amazing.” Just the idea has Aether’s eyes brightening even more, and Albedo had no idea that was even possible. It’s mesmerizing. The traveler squeezes his hands comfortingly, and excited by the idea, begins to lead the way further into the campsite. “What are you working on this morning? If you want, I can make breakfast. I think I still owe you some pancakes after last week.”

“Hm?” Albedo raises an eyebrow as he, the side of his mouth curling up in a smirk. “Are you still worried I’m not eating properly?”

“No! I just -- I wanted to-” Aether sputters, his face turning just a few shades redder than the crimson agate Albedo had seen scattered throughout the mountain. “-Just shut up and let me make you breakfast while you work!”

“Whatever you want. As long as we don’t have too much to feed the floor this time,” Albedo teases, reluctantly releasing Aether’s hand as he walks to the crafting table to finish putting materials away. Now that Aether’s here, they can work on something else more important. Behind him, he can hear the lively noise as Aether goes searching for the cooking utensils, chattering with his companion. Oh, how he missed having these two here at the campsite, and he had only met them just a week ago...

“We’ve got the eggs, and the jam we prepared before climbing should be ready...” Aether’s muttering to himself, but his voice quickly trails off. “Uh... Paimon, what’s that smug look for?”

“Aw, Aether! You’re growing up so quickly, Paimon’s so proud!” She sounds rather tearfully proud, even going as far as to sniff a little. “You’ve been making so many good friends, and now you even have a boyfriend!”

Aether sounds like he’s choking on air, as pots clang against each other. “Paimon! Not so loudly! I mean -- I don’t even know if we’re boyfriends yet? It’s still early, we haven’t even talked about it, what if he minds-”

Unhelpfully, Albedo decides to take the bait, unable to pass up a chance to tease Aether (and clarify the obvious) as he looks over his shoulder to chime in. “I see it as a valid possibility sometime in the near future, just for the record.”

“See!” Paimon goads. “Ooooh, but wait, if you two are going to be together-together, then... Oh no. Oh, Aether, as your dutiful guardian and friend, perhaps it’s time we have that talk. You see, when two guys love each other very, very much-”

A vial of electro hypostasis powder involuntarily slips from Albedo’s fingers as Aether begins to scream.

“Paimon, so help me gods-!”