Chapter Text
Finally leaving Dragonspine, I went back to Mondstadt to meet Sucrose and resume my research. All these events were a big mess. This clone thing was however really interesting. I will think more about this subject later. Reaching Mondstadt, I saw Sucrose. And... the traveler? What a funny coincidence. I went to them and after talking a little, he left. Sucrose then turned toward me:
“Mr. Albedo?
-Yes? What is it Sucrose?
-Mr. Albedo, they are waiting for you in front of the adventurer guild.
-They need me again?
After all, I might not have the time to go back to my research...
-I don’t know. I’m only transferring what a knight told me. You know, the one who keep the gate next to the mission board.”
I nodded and went toward the adventure guild. When arriving, nobody was here. I watched around me and my vision suddenly darkened.
“What?! I cried out not understanding. I felt someone against my back, almost touching. I felt a soft fur against my neck. I would recognize this person between a thousand other!
-Who is it?
This familiar voice whispering against my ear made me shiver. I turned my head and took the hands that were until now covering my eyes.
-aren’t you too old for this childish game Kaeya?
I then turned toward him. He was chuckling with an amused tone. Why was he looking so happy? Was he proud of his joke? I tilted my head a little to the side.
-Don’t make this face. It was funny, no?
Maybe? Well, if he says so.
-It’s you who made me come here, right? Why? Did something happen?
-Huh…Nothing special, I just wanted to see you and…
-...And? Stop beating around the bush. What do you have in mind?
-And I wanted to ask you to take a day off to spend the day with me.
I need to stop my experiments for this? Well, with everything the happened, I need it. I sighed and looked up to the knight.
-Alright, I’m coming with you.”
Kaeya’s face lit up from joy. Which made me smile in return.
After a while of walking, I was back in dragonspine, again. I spend so much time there that it’s almost like a second home. The only difference being Kaeya’s presence.
We were somewhere calm for this mountain who was, usually, a dangerous place. We were at the base of a mountain with a few pines tree around, isolated from everything. Alone. I then turn toward him.
“And now, what do we do?
He looked around him and went toward a small amount of snow who formed here.
-Let’s do some showman. I’m curious to see if your art expends to something else other than your drawing and painting, He chuckled.
-Alchemy can also be considered a form of art, don’t you think?
I saw him sigh. What is it? Was I wrong to thing this? I didn’t understand his reaction.
Suddenly, he touched my forehead with his index finger and enjoyed making me back up my head on repeat.
-But?!
-Let alchemy be for now. I’m not speaking of science or experiment but of more simple things. I’m not an alchemist, you know!
I shook my head to make him stop. He was right, he just wanted to spend the day with me.
-Well, then I will do a snowman who represents you. And you me.
-I hope you won’t just take a stick and draw your usual parody face in the snow” He joked. I then looked at him with a prolonged silence and spoke again.
-We said snowman, not drawing in the snow. Let’s start, let’s take advantage of the weather.”
He smiled at me and started gathering snow to create a ball for the body of his snow Albedo. We were both facing away from the other to preserve the surprise of our work of art. On my side, I knew exactly what I wanted to do. I put together three snowballs where I put one over the other to get to the right height. I then added a small rock for his left eye, a mouth with a smirk made in the snow and a leaf for his eyepatch. Without forgetting the stick for the arms. I was proud of myself. I did not exhaust myself while doing this snowman, but my goal was to do the usual ‘’Parodic face’’ like he said himself.
“I’ve finished, I said while straitening up.
-Wait a second! » He answered.
I heard him move and rubbing the snow in every way. Then it stopped.
-It’s good.
-We turn around in tree… two… one….”
At the end of the count-down, we turned around. I then saw a small snowman composed of two snowballs; two arms done with branch holding a snow flask that he probably created with his vision. It had two big eyes done in small rocks covered in frost giving it a white-blue color. A small mouth expressionless, also done with small rocks and a nose with a carrot.
Where did he find the carrot? I thought.
He also drew the star symbol on my neck in the snow, on the first snowball. He really did everything he could do build it, it’s kind of cute.
“I like it, it’s pretty.
I then turned to him. What? Why is he doing this kind of face? I was watching him frown while staring at my snowman. He turned to me with a desperate smile.
-So, you’ll never do a good representation of me, will you?” He sighed and went toward the snowman Kaeya and continue.
-If you didn’t put a leaf as an eyepatch, this snowman could have been everyone…
I didn’t know if he was joking or if he was really hurt and sad… it wasn’t my intention. I looked up to met Kaeya’s gaze and said:
-I like representing you with simple traits. I think it fit you well.
-I’m simple? He asked.
-It’s not exactly that…”
Studently, out of nowhere, we could hear a dull sound. I looked around, ready to fight. I saw nothing. Was it my imagination? The sound was heard again but this time way louder. Kaeya heard it too. It comes from behind us! We turned around startled discovering an avalanche going straight toward us. At the top of the mountain a frostarm lawachurl, probably responsible of this disaster. I didn’t have the time to react, it was already too late, and I was being taken with this powerful and thick layer of snow. Falling from the cliff we were on. The last thing I heard was my partner yelling my name.