Albedo joins the Favonius Ballet and finds himself cast as the love interest for the company's premier danseur, Kaeya Alberich. Neither of them can hide their interest in one another - but a misunderstanding tears them apart and threatens the show.
Written for the Kaebedo Gift Exchange 2025.
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Below is a small snippet from chapter 1.
Kaeya steps into the light. The door swings closed softly behind him. He’s dressed in eye-catching clothes that drape along his form, flattering in the way that they draw the eyes. Albedo envies, just for a moment, the way his broad shoulders slope outwards, eyes the low cut of his top that gives just the barest hint of his chest - and then drags his eyes away from the other man’s form.
“I wouldn’t call myself a superstar,” Albedo answers. He catches his breath - a few leaps hardly leave a seasoned dancer winded for long; his sudden breathlessness is for another reason altogether - and hurries to gather his bottle of water and the canvas bag he brought upstairs with him. They’re dumped unceremoniously in the corner of the space; he bends down now to pick them up. “I started dancing late compared to most of the company here. I doubt people outside of professional circles would know my name. But you…” He shifts, glancing over his shoulder. He cannot see the other man from the doorway like this, but through the reflection on the walls, he can tell he hasn’t moved an inch. “Your reputation precedes you, Kaeya Alberich.”
His words are nothing but fair. Kaeya Alberich is Mondstadt’s best danseur and, truthfully, one of the best danseurs of the modern age. He looks as good under stage lighting as he does on magazine covers and television. But this is not why Albedo admires him. No. This is the first time they are meeting, but this is not the first time Albedo has seen Kaeya in the flesh.
And he is impossible to forget.
Albedo slips the tote onto his shoulders and rights himself, stepping towards the doorway until he gets Kaeya into his line of sight. He offers a small, genuine smile. “It’s nice to finally meet you.”
Kaeya cracks a grin of his own at his words, lips tugging upwards at one corner. One eye is covered with a plain, black patch, but the other crinkles lightly. He finally moves, pushing away from the doorframe.
“Likewise.” He meets Albedo in the middle, blocking his path out of the studio. “I’m looking forward to sharing the stage with you this season.”
