It Must be Love

Library

"Because I have a brother, I'll always have a friend." —Unknown
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Albedo turns around to see young Kaeya. "So. You ended back up here huh? I understand the knights are busy but isn't this a bit irresponsible..." Albedo whispers the last sentence. "To be honest I don't think I can help much in the love department, maybe I'll take his as an opportunity to run some experi-"

Kaeya sighs. He came to Albedo because the man seemed chill and wouldn't mind what he was about to do. Kaeya was going to run away. The people of Mindstadt were so loving. He didn't feel right being here especially because of his past. 'No one can love you if you're alone, right?' Kaeya thinks.

"...Is that too heartless?" Albedo asks himself.

A tiny, pale child dressed in red enters.

"Oh," Albedo says.

Keaya's eyes widened. 'It's the girl from earlier. The dangerous one. What was her name? Key or something? I shouldn't do anything to make her angry.' Kaeya thinks.

"Big bro Albedo, I accidentally exploded something...again. I'm sorry."

"Exploded?" Keaya repeated the word.

"Yes, Klee makes bombs."

'So, that's her name. Klee,' Keaya notes down in his brain. 'Wait! She makes BOMBS!?'

Keaya takes a step away from the girl, who just smiles innocently.

"She's famous for it in that she blows up things she shouldn't," Albedo explains. "Like fish."

"Sorry..." Klee says looking down.

"Oh, Klee," he said, shaking his blonde locks. "What am I going to do with you?"

Kaeya looks at them. The apparent big brother and little sister. Klee looked guilty before but just seconds later she is smiling. Albedo is smiling too.

'He isn't angry. Why?' Keaya thinks. 'Klee did something bad. But he forgave her. According to Jean she does this once or twice a week. Wouldn't that make him more angry the longer she does this?'

A thought comes to Albedo's mind and looks to his little sister. "Klee, do you have a minute? You see, I was practicing some Khaenri'ah alchemy..."

'Khaenri'ah. That's where I'm from! Is Albedo also a Khaenri'ahan?' Keaya thinks to himself.

"...Now he will be a child until he is loved, and he only has a week to undo the spell or he will stay at his current age. Maybe you can show him a good time, yeah?" he suggests.

The little girl's face brightens by the idea "Yeah!! Hehe, today I'm big sis Klee!"

Klee grabs Keaya's hand and drags him behind her. He doesn't dare reject her hand.He doesn't want to be bombed. That would only make him stay there longer.

"C'mon Keaya, let's go." This reminds him of a memory.

***

"C'mon Keaya, let's go on an adventure!" Diluc said, as he dragged young Keaya through the grape vineyard. They did this a lot. The two of them were studying to be knights. This was before...

***

"Keaya?" Klee says. She was looking up at the tan boy. "Are you okay?"

"Yes, I'm fine," Keaya says. "I was just thinking..."

"Well, Klee was thinking about what book we should read!" Klee says, a smile on her face.

Keaya looks around. He was so into thought that he didn't realize that they were in the Knights' headquarters.

"Lisa always gives Klee the best story book," she explains. "So don't worry. I get the good book every time I come here."

The two children enter Lisa's library. It's filled with the brim with books of all sizes, colors, and genres. The books flood off of the shelf and into the floor. In the corner sits Lisa's desks. It too is bombarded with books of many sizes and colors. They don't see Lisa there, which is old since the purple witch looking Character is always in her library sitting with a book or ten waiting to be re-read.

"Hello?" Klee whispers. "Miss Lisa, it's Klee and Keaya. We want to borrow the fairy tale book."

Lisa pops up from behind the pile of books. "Sorry cuties, I was checking the checked-out library. It seems that some people have forgotten to return theirs, but that's an issue for another day. What can I do for you?"

"We want to borrow the fairy tale book," Klee repeats.

"Oh, I'll lead you to it. I'm surprised you don't already know where it is by now." Lisa brings them past the door they entered and around the balcony which is blocked off by shelves and books alike. They reach the wooden staircase looking to the other side to see its twin. Keaya doesn't ask why they didn't use that staircase and just walks down the stairs with Lisa and Klee.

The library is an elegant sight. Varnished wood with golden details and an eight light golden calandra chandelier as it's main light source. Truly a side to see.

The librarian walks past the four study tables. Each rectangle table has eight chairs, a candelabrum, an ink pot with a feather pen waiting in the jet black liquid, a few wrapped scrolls, and many books. Some stacked others just stand alones.

"Over here," Lisa says, mentioning the children to come to her. They trot across the black and white checkered tiles and go down a few steps to where Lisa was.

The library is mostly quiet and secluded. Only one other person is in the library. A little girl which they passed, she has her brunette hair tied into two braids. She was a commoner if her simple, faded rose colored dress had anything to say about it. She babbles something that Keaya doesn't understand. "Gusha biat."

"Here it is." Lisa grabs the book. It doesn't look like a fairytale book. The cover is like the girl's dress, but duller and darker. On the cover is an offset white bird flying out of what looks to be a window of darkness. "Wind, Courage, and Wings." Lisa says reading the title. "A book of fables."

Klee grabs the book from Lisa's hands and races to one of the study tables. She pushes the scrolls and moves the books to the other side of the table. Keaya slowly makes his way to the study table passing the weird talking girl. She doesn't seem to notice him.

Lisa walks to the staircases, but stops and turns around. "After you're done, please put the book away. I'm talking to you too Ella."

"Nye mita!" The girl said. "Oh, it's just you Lisa. I know."

Keaya felt a tug on his sleeve. "Keaya, listen to big sis Klee."

"Sorry..."

"I forgive you," Klee says. 'She wouldn't if she knew. That's why you need to leave,' Keaya told his brain.

"Now let's read." Klee flipped open the book letting the yellow tinted paper to be the light of fire. She flipped the pages quietly commenting on the stories she already read or didn't like. She dropped the book on the table, startling Keaya and Ella.

"Gusha mosi!" she said. "Opps, sorry. I thought I was alone."

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Question for my Spring Seedlings: do you guys know Ella Musk? If not, go talk to her. She's in the library as depicted, but I don't know if she is a good artist. Gotta love creative liberty!

Another question (you can write this in the comments). If you play Genshin Impact, Who is your favorite commoner or kid and why? (They don't have to be from Mondstadt.)