Albedo carefully let Kaeya back into the cave. The trek back was a bit tiresome but they had made it back just in time. Klee, who had been fidgeting the whole time they had been out, immediately jumped up and hugged the Captain's leg. He was very wet and had developed frost all over but the little girl didn't care.
Her eyes were puffy from crying the entire time, she had been so worried. "Mister Kaeya, I'm sorry I went out for fish again," her voice shaky and uneven. He shook his head vigorously but didn't pick her up. "It's okay little puffball," the nickname made her giggle a little which seemed to cheer her up just a bit, "Your brother here found me, and that's all that matters."
Albedo just looks at him, he's been looking at him this entire time but just seeing him like this... it saddens him a little. He's always been adamant about keeping his emotions as stable as possible. This feeling of sadness and empathy is strong, he hasn't felt like this since his master had passed away.
"I'm sorry.." the blonde whispers. Kaeya shifts his attention back at him, confused as ever. "Why?" His eye piercing right through him, trying to see him.
"I shouldn't have left you like that. I was so focused on saving Klee that I didn't notice you were gone. Not until she pointed it out to me." He looks away, this statement making him feel shame but it was needed to be said. Kaeya deserved that much.
And with that Kaeya chuckles a little. "I said it was okay, you saved me remember? I think I owe you."
The Alchemist, still looking away, shakes his head. Kaeya doesn't owe him anything. Seeing as Albedo didn't respond, Kaeya goes quiet. He instead goes over to the little fire that Klee had cooked the fish. The fish is burnt, supposedly the nerves got the best of her. Kaeya smiles but it's small and faint. The nightmare still so vivid in his mind but he shakes it away. He takes the fish out and takes a bite, cringing at the taste but handing it over to Albedo.
"Eat some."
Albedo frankly doesn't want burnt fish but looks over at Klee who eagerly awaits him to try her "wonderful" cooking. He might teach her when they are under better circumstances but now is definitely not the time. He takes a little bite and swallowing it down as best he can smiles at her, "It's good Klee."
She grins and claps her hands together, "It'll keep you warm tonight."
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The little girl is fast asleep. Albedo is stroking her hair and is reading a book while staying close to the fire. It's late now and both of the men have been awake. Kaeya hasn't said a word since having a bite out of the fish. Albedo trying to distract himself because he doesn't want to pry what may be bothering the Captain.
Kaeya moves his hand to remove his ponytail. It's a normal action, people do it when they need to sleep but seeing the Cavalry Captain with his hair down is something else.
Albedo immediately wants to shrivel up and shield his eyes because it feels vulnerable for Kaeya. No one has seen him without his ponytail, though thinking about it now he doesn't even wear a high pony tail. But even so Albedo can't help but look at him.
His blue hair falling onto his face and the way he moves it out of the way of his eye. Don't even mention his eye, it's such a wonderful shade of blue and his skin is so fair, perfect.
"Like what you see?~"
And just like that Albedo is shot back into reality. The Archons are seriously testing him, he can't be acting this unruly and disrespectful. It's so unlike him.
"I've never seen you with your hair down," He blurts out.
He's unbelievably stupid. Of course he hasn't seen him with his hair down, he'd rarely seen him at all. But Kaeya indulges his stupid question, to save Albedo some grace and dignity to his pride.
"No one really does, but I thought it would be best to let it dry properly." His voice is quiet, probably avoiding waking up Klee. Fortunately, Albedo knows his little arsenic sister sleeps like a log.
"I'm sorry for staring." Albedo let's out, this day has been incredibly embarrassing for him. He doesn't even get embarrassed most of the time, everything has just been weird. Maybe it's the sheer cold getting to him.
"You apologize a lot." Kaeya states, matter of factly.
The blonde Alchemist really doesn't know how to respond to that. Kaeya notices but doesn't dwell on it further, he's good at that, maybe annoyingly so.
He changes the subject, "You sketch and paint isn't that right?"
Albedo nods, shifting towards the fire. Kaeya crooks his head toward the fire too. "Do you draw portraits?" He asks.
The Alchemist can feel where this conversation is going. "Do you want me to sketch you?" His voice flat as he's been asked this question so many times. Though he would have sketched the blue-haired Captain eventually, the question is always incredibly tiresome.
Kaeya laughs, probably at the flat tone of voice Albedo used that contrasted with his wavering voice earlier. He gets up suddenly, walking over to the blonde and sitting very close to him. Dangerously so.
He sticks his hand out to the fire and then looks at Albedo. "Someday, yes." And Kaeya smiles, it seems real. It's a little too real for Albedo's taste, he flushes and looks away.
"I'll see to it when I have the time."
"Great, then can you make the fire bigger? I'm still really cold~" his tone is light, teasing in a way.
"Unless you want to wake Klee, the fire is going to have to stay this way. But..." his voice trails off.
Kaeya looks at him expectantly. "But?" He leans in close to the blonde's face, looking into his turquoise eyes.
Albedo shakes his head and looks down. "Never mind it, I'll make the fire larger." He goes to get up but the Captain grabs his arm.
Kaeya whines, "Did you want to huddle up again?" A smirk seen on his face and it makes Albedo want to run away, "You could've just asked~"
Albedo sucks up his embarrassment, "You're the one who's cold and wet, it doesn't matter what I want. It matters what's convenient for you." He is looking away, not wanting to see the smug look on the Captain's face. But he is forced down by Kaeya pulling him towards the ground.
Albedo let's out a yelp but doesn't hit the ground because Kaeya catches him. Albedo cant breathe, too much close contact for him. It's like he's dying.
"Huddling up with you is what's convenient for me." Kaeya says it with a straight face as if this was something he wouldn't even question.
Albedo sighs and takes the blanket on the ground and wraps it around the both of them. "I only gave in because this was convenient for you." He is tired and so red from embarrassment, this mysterious individual is so unnervingly good at making him flush the deepest crimson. This is all new to him and he wants it to stop. "Mhm." Kaeya makes a noise of acknowledgment before wrapping his arms around Albedo's waist.
He pulled him into his lap and now they were huddled up together near the fire to keep them warm. "Now I'm warmer." Kaeya closes his eye, completely disarmed from being vigilant. Albedo however is suffering from the intimacy that he has been put in. He's holding his breath and hearing the heartbeats of the Cavalry Captain, his blue hair falling on top of his own shoulders, his breaths slow and steady against the back of his neck. It's destroying him.
'Archons please save me from this beast'
He couldn't sleep.
(AN- So I don't sleep, anyways! Holy MF moly I wasn't expecting anyone to read this tbh. This was made to like write fics again but it's really fun seeing comments or feeling like someone is actually reading. I appreciate it a lot, here's some fluff for making up for almost drowning Kaeya :P LMAO)