it had been a couple of decades since last they had run into one another, by now, the monotony of meeting new people paled in comparison to someone xiao knew but was always changing : someone who both stayed the same and dared to learn more. the curiosity of this world had not been lost on albedo in the same way xiao had become disenchanted ( part of them was envious, part of them was enthralled. )
albedo had been in the middle of explaining the complex symbiosis between two different sets of plants, the both of them scaling the sides of the tall mountains this side of jueyun karst. the rock here was unstable, even for the sturdiest of climbers. walking behind the alchemist xiao kept eyes on the curly wisps of his ashen ponytail before gilded eyes would fall to his boots, hand darting out for a slim waist just as the side of the perilous path gave way.
xiao looked over albedo's shoulder in order to make sure the path was stable, lose rubble falling away, before becoming aware of how close they held him to their own lithe form. chest to chest, just more than a hairsbreadth between their faces. bright eyes widened, the adeptus stepping back as if having been burned, rose floretting over cheekbones as they looked away, flustered. " my apologies ... " they mumbled, unbefitting of a proud adeptus, now unable to shake the scent of parchment and cecilia flower. // @ninesense
ㅤㅤㅤ𝐝𝐞𝐬𝐩𝐢𝐭𝐞 𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐞𝐜𝐜𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐬 - 𝐚𝐥𝐛𝐞𝐝𝐨 𝐢𝐬 not so adept at opening up with others - far more reserved and reticent than he'd care to admit. indeed, the homunculus remained distant from the citizens of his homeland for the most part - a polite and graceful shell of calm platitudes and easy leadership. it was not the same with xiao though. perhaps it was simply because their friendship had been so long lasting, the conqueror of demons taking the alchemist's strangeness in stride and albedo in turn caring for them in a way that he did for few others. hundreds of healing vials swapped over the years, fireside stories, little trinkets, and even banter: things with xiao were easy, and albedo was not a talkative soul - but with the adeptus, he often found himself filling their silence at random, ever so animated about his newest finding.
ㅤㅤㅤhe was particularly excited about the relationship between the pyro and cryo regisvine clippings he'd found back at his lab, long since devolved into an extremely detailed depiction of their elemental properties and at a molecular level, how pairing them together might help rebalance their aggravations. albedo is animated when he speaks about the topic, occasionally glancing over his shoulder at the conqueror of demons, nary a thought being paid to the narrow cliff wall and the dangers of the perilous drop below. no - he simply must explain to xiao how the cryo regisvine had actually started craving the interaction of pyro and-
ㅤㅤㅤthe alchemist blinks, luminous eyes wide as one second the path where his foot was is there - and the next it is gone. yet he has no time to register the echoing tumble of the rocks below - not when xiao pulls him close, strong but lithe embrace a firm grip about his waist. on reflex, albedo's hands raise - resting lightly at the other's strong shoulders, gloves curling into muscle while the clash of teal and gold fills his head. the artistic part of albedo's brain once more registers xiao as heartbreakingly beautiful, and yet the other part... the strangely human part, is waylaid by the sudden stuttering in his chest, the glow of gold from his throat as the homunculus swallows thickly and simply stares. albedo doesn't need previous life experience to tell him what he wants to do next. tilt head, lean forward, and -
ㅤㅤㅤhe resolves to let xiao slip away - stepping back from their embrace with his usual weightless grace. yet albedo does not actually let them, a hand curling into their tunic to yank them back to him, chest to chest once more and somehow, even closer. behind them, there is the sound of tumbling rocks, but albedo pays that no mind, too focused on the way their noses are pressed together, the centimeters between their lips... oh how strange it is to want something aside from knowledge, aside from rhine's approval. albedo finds in this moment, he desperately needs that kiss but...
ㅤㅤㅤit's a guise. a silly one. but he takes it, letting his eyes drift shut a moment - and their foreheads drop together. albedo exhales, still so impossibly close to those soft lips, but instead just drinking in xiao's proximity a moment longer. certainly - the yaksha can see through his feint, but albedo does not mind. ❝ oh. ❞ he murmurs so softly, eyes remaining closed to the world around them, and voice so quiet it rings like chimes between them, ❝ you gave me a fright, xiao. ❞ and if albedo's hand takes it's time coasting down the adeptus' side, he chalks it up to 'nerves' from a near fall.