The stroll from the headquarters to the town square was wordless. Aether knew that his introverted friend was never good at small talk, but in the past, he had always been eager to share about his experiments and fascinating discoveries. Yet despite being so busy, the alchemist never breathed a word about what he had been working on. The thought slightly irritated Aether, but at this point he was too tired to care. He was satisfied enough that Albedo agreed to dine with him despite his embarrassing tantrum earlier.
Aether wonders to himself if he was simply being clingy. After all, he was more than just a little fond of the alchemist. During his trip to Liyue, he would often fantasize about the chief alchemist's excited face upon his return, eyes shining through his expressionless, pale face, and then, he would bombard him with his recent findings about the truth of this world and what not for hours through the day... The traveller peeked at Albedo from the corner of his eye, comparing the endearing alchemist that he had conjured in his mind with the real one before him, who had been consciously keeping himself at least one and a half arm's length away.
After a gruelling fifteen minutes of silence, the pair finally arrived at Good Hunter. Aether gestured his friend to take a seat and quickly headed to the counter before Albedo could offer him any protest about who should pay. Aether knew that his small friend disliked large portions of food, but since he was hungry, he ordered all of Albedo's favourite dishes except the spiders, which was unfortunately not on the menu.
Night time in Mondstadt was peaceful with little signs of life, and the only audible whispers were from the chilly winds and gushing sounds of the nearby fountain.
Aether was glad that Good Hunter is still open at this time of the day. He returned to the table to wait for their food, and when he sat, his elbow brushed Albedo's by accident. In an instant, he caught the alchemist stiffening at the touch. Albedo lowered his head shyly and retreated his arms beneath the table, where his elbows will be safe. Little signs like these were the very culprit of Aether's regurgitating anguish.
Fortunately, their food arrived quickly to break the awkwardness. Despite the previous grand performance from his empty stomach, Albedo eats his food with a sort of elegance that Aether could only marvel at. Lightly brushing silver strands of hair behind his ear, Albedo patiently brings a neatly cut piece of moon pie to his mouth. Watching those teal eyes smile faintly at the dessert, Aether felt his lips lengthen to a smile. It was only when Albedo lowered his utensils to give Aether a curious look that the traveller realised, he had been staring at his friend with a stupid grin across his face, cheeks rested on his hands like a maiden in love.
"You're really charming, I couldn't help myself," Aether playfully admitted, gambling excitedly on whether his friend would give him a stoic reply or a shy stutter, both of which he wouldn't mind bearing witness to.
Albedo gave no response. Instead, imaginary cogs began spinning in his head, trying to process the sudden compliment and string together broken pieces of words for a proper reply. A frozen reaction was not what Aether expected, but he was still contented with it.
Soon, Aether could see smoke emitting from the alchemist's skull due to excessive thinking, and quickly sat upright to change the topic, sharing about what he had heard from the Tea Master in Liyue with animated enthusiasm.
"I didn't find anything in that godforsaken mountain though," Aether slid back down his chair in a spiritless sigh.
Albedo hummed in reply, one hand on his chin, and the other pushing cut pieces of moon pie around his plate. Aether instantly regretted changing the topic to the dragon, seeing that his friend had now fallen into 'thinking-mode' and was playing with his food, rather than eating it.
Albedo cannot multitask...surprising, Aether stared, committing to memory another Albedo fun fact into the existing list in his head.
The alchemist jabs a piece of moon pie with his fork as a signal that he had arrived at a new hypothesis.
"I think it might actually be a dragon."
Aether leaned in, eagerly awaiting for Albedo to continue.
"During my previous research on Durin, I studied the bone structure of its corpse," Albedo began, his fork now circling the plate,
"And the bone structure of its tail matches the description of what the Tea Master witnessed."
Aether's eyes widened, terror and confusion replacing his previous excitement to know the truth. With Dvalin still recovering from his corruption and Venti practically useless, Mondstadt will not survive without suffering irretrievable losses if Durin attacks.
Albedo took a moment to label Aether's expression, before quickly assuring the paranoid traveller that Durin is dead, and its bones in Dragonspine are proof of it.
"I think, that this dragon may be Durin's offspring. It may have taken much longer to hatch because of the cold in Dragonspine."
Aether absorbed the theory like a sponge. It sounded bizarre, yet it made solid sense. Moreover, the chief alchemist is almost never inaccurate with his hypotheses.
Now that Aether pretty much knew what kind of dragon he was hunting for, the only mystery left would be the commissioner, who the traveller initially had zero clue on. However, now that Aether is convinced of the dragon to be similar to Durin, he had a strong inkling that the person he was looking for might be Venti.
Aether thinks quietly to himself, it made sense given his weakening state. Furthermore, posting a commission would alert the Adventure Guild, and consequently the Knights of Favonius, at least allowing the small city of Freedom to brace themselves for any incoming attack. The only part that wouldn't fit was...where would Venti get half a million mora to pledge as reward?
"What are you thinking?"
A soft voice interrupted Aether's chain of thought as he looked up. He chucked aside his theories for the moment and eagerly shared in a hushed voice about his suspicions on the Anemo Archon. Albedo raised his brows but did not comment - it seemed like he didn't really care who the commissioner was.
Then, Aether caught a tinge of red behind Albedo. A white feather wriggled and poked out from behind his shoulder. Aether held back a giggle, deciding to side with the red.
Albedo quickly caught the hue of devilry in the traveller's eyes, but before he could question him, little hands slowly reached out from behind.
"BIG BROTHER ALBEDOOOO!"
A pair of arms seized Albedo behind, bringing down a merciless sea of tickles with tiny wriggling fingers.
"AHH, AAHHH- Klee stop!" Albedo jolted so harshly that Aether feared the chair would topple under him, tightly cupping his mouth to keep bursts of laughter from exploding out. The traveller, on the other hand, cackled heartily, as if he was the victim of the tickles.
After a series of broken huffs from Albedo begging the girl to cease her torture, Klee finally spares her brother. While Albedo breathed heavily to compose himself, the girl plops herself onto his lap and brings herself in for a tight hug.
"Klee misses you."
As if hesitant, Albedo lightly rests his hands on the girl's tiny shoulders to return the hug, "Where did you go today? You're out late."
Hearing her favourite brother's tranquillizing voice, Klee looks up at him with large amber jewels for eyes,
"Today, Master Jean was really busy," she giggled, leaning closer and lowering her voice to a whisper,
"So Klee went fish blasting!"
Although it was supposed to be a secret, Albedo knew Klee would be in for some harsh scolding from the Acting Grand Master if she finds out. Which she will, she always does, somehow.
"Also!" Klee chirped, bringing her backpack to the front and rummaging through its contents,
"This is for you!"
Klee hands Albedo a white flower that has been slightly crumpled after its stay in her messy backpack.
Albedo parted his lips in surprise, eyes glistening with emotions that neither Aether nor Klee could understand.
"Thank you," he whispered, gently receiving the flower. He presented Klee with one of his rare smiles, earning himself a much bigger and sweeter smile in return from the tiny angel.
Ahh, much equivalent exchange, Aether sighed as he observed the siblings.
"It's getting late, should I bring you home for shower and bedtime?" Albedo asked softly, lightly stroking the girl's bangs to the side.
Klee seemed to be quizzed by the simple question. Aether noticed her looking down sadly before suddenly turning to him for the first time since her unannounced arrival.
"Klee wants big brother Aether to bring her home!" she declared loudly, hopping off her brother and skipping quickly to the traveller's side.
Aether gave Klee a puzzled look, before raising his head to see Albedo giving him an equally surprised expression. Neither of them had expected Klee to ever pick the traveller over her beloved brother. Aether hoped that the alchemist would not be too displeased by this.
"It's okay, please bring Klee home safely," Albedo finally says, his face returning to its usual inexpressive state.
Aether scoops Klee into his arms and stands, shooting Albedo a final concerned look. He was worried that the alchemist would simply up and leave without eating once Aether peels his eyes off him.
It was the rare occasion that Albedo was able to read Aether's (or anyone's) mind from just the face alone. Offering a weak smile, he promised that he would definitely finish his meal. Albedo was one to honour his promises, so Aether was assured that he would have a stuffed alchemist by the end of today. Relieved, he leaves for the Favonius headquarters.
Once they were far enough for Albedo to be out of sight, Aether felt Klee bury her head into his chest. He smiles at the slight tickle of her hair on his neck, she must be tired.
"Big brother Aether...," the girl trailed off, her voice devoid of its usual energy, yet her hands were tightly clenched on Aether's sleeve.
"Yes?"
"I think big brother Albedo hates me."
Her shaky voice echoed loudly in the traveller's ears, pulling him to a sudden stop.
Klee lefted her head only slightly, but enough for Aether to see droplets of sadness under her lashes.
"What makes you think that?" Aether tries to keep his voice steady for the girl, who was now sobbing.
"Sometimes, Klee misses big brother Albedo very much, so Klee would secretly wait outside the scary room until big brother can come out a play," the girl hiccups a sentence, desperately wiping the streaming tears from her face.
"One time, Klee heard big brother Albedo yelling and throwing things in the scary room," the girl shivers as her own tale forces her to remember details of that day.
Even Aether could not hide a bewildered look. No one on Teyvat has ever witnessed the calm prince lose his cool, let alone his temper.
"Ever since then...big brother Albedo always stays in the scary room...and he doesn't even read bedtime stories to Klee anymore...!"
Klee descends into a messy sob, hiccupping uncontrollably,
"Big brother Albedo must have known Klee was spying on him! He must be angry at Klee, so angry that he stays in the scary room to avoid Klee!"
Aether could hardly call 'waiting outside the lab' to be spying, but the poor girl must have missed her brother so much that ridiculous theories were flooding her young mind for answers.
"There's no way Albedo would hate you Klee," Aether said quietly, showering her back with rhythmic pats to console her.
"Wasn't he kind to you earlier?"
Klee's sobs quietened to a few sniffles, but her head remained buried in Aether's chest, still unconvinced by the traveller's words.
"Tell you what, tomorrow I'll talk to Albedo for you. I want him to leave the scary room as much as you do."
"Mm."
Pacified, Klee loosens her grip on Aether's sleeve. Seeing that the girl is now calmer, Aether continued up the flight of stairs.
***
Aether's placid performance for Klee had demanded all of his energy. In truth, listening to the recollection of the little spark knight had made Aether's heart race. All his muscles were tense, for he must not shake in front of the already tired and tearing girl. Striding up the stairs, his teeth gritted as he felt his face crumple.
It seemed like Albedo's icy demeanour was not exclusive to the traveller, except that poor Klee had endured it for probably weeks longer than he did. Aether now understood why Klee had chosen him to take her home, even at the expense of her treasured bedtime stories with Albedo.
She was calling for help. She wanted to tell him this.
Aether clenched his fists as his face fell into the shadows.