Is it wrong to date a guy from an enemy faction when your country doesn’t exist anymore? Asking for a friend
A kaebedo au in which kaeya lives in a spy drama and albedo in a sitcom
Note: Minor spoilers for some lore from Pernhari lore books
Given what we now know about how the crimson moon dynasty came before the eclipse dynasty and was more focused on alchemy, i would like to submit a theory that albedo is from the crimson moon faction
His master rhinedottr is famous for her alchemy after all, and he followed in her footsteps.
Not that these factions mean much to albedo, k’hanriah is long gone, and there is so much more in the world to discover
But Kaeya! Kaeya was sent as a spy by the k’hanrians who haven’t given up yet, they still have hope and cling to old traditions.
They served the dynasty of eclipse, of course the differences between crimson moon and exclipse matter to them
Especially if i go out on a limb and theorize the crimson moon had something to do with the fall of k’hanriah. Like a revolt or political infighting. Side eyes “the exclipse was swallowed by the crimson moon”
So it makes sense why neither kaeya nor albedo were aware that they’d meet another k’hanrian in mondstat, much less another captain in the knights
Kaeya spends a day in agony, fully expecting albedo to jump him and make kaeya follow some new “mission” or something
That is until albedo mentions alchemy, specifically kemia. The pride of the crimson moon’s alchemists.
Combined with albedo’s seeming lack of knowledge as to who kaeya is, this can only mean one thing.
Albedo isn’t a spy from eclipse here to get Kaeya back on track. He’s a spy from crimson moon here to do the same thing as kaeya!
Naturally kaeya can’t let an enemy spy get to close to mondstat! Especially since they might not be friendly like him!
Plus he’s grown up on stories that blame the crimson moon for k’hanriah’s fall. (Also the gods and abyss, but come on, we all know the rival political faction was the real enemy here) he does not want that to happen to mondstat
So kaeya decides to get close to albedo, feel him out and see what his intentions are, and dispose of him if he needs to.
Unfortunately for him, a wrench is thrown in his plans in the form of Klee. Sweet, loveable klee who adores her big brother albedo so much, and would definitely cry if he were to suddenly vanish, and he just couldn’t do that ot her (also there is an all powerful witch who will definitely destroy mondstat if they make her precious daughter cry)
Now kaeya must find other ways to handle mond’s latest ticking time bomb and figure out his secrets, all while trying to ignore how those eyes make his heart skip a beat (from fear, he lies to himself)
Meanwhile, albedo clocks kaeya as a k’hanrian from the eclipse faction the moment he saw him. Given how it was all over kaeya’s clothes, he thought this was intentional.
And sure, kaeya never talks about his homeland, or his people before mondstat, but given everything that went down its probably a sore spot. No one else brings it up ir comments on his heritage so albedo just assumes everyone knows and no one talks about it out of respect for kaeya, and some other illusive social cue.
So when kaeya starts getting close to albedo, with his signature flirty moves, albedo does not think this has anything to do with crimson moon vs eclipse. He thinks this is just kaeya trying to get to know the new captain
Maybe he’s curious about alchemy?
So he shows off a few cool potions to a wide eyes kaeya
Kaeya internally: is this a threat?
Albedo internally: i am winning at social interaction 😁
Albedo figured kaeya would get bored of him soon enough, when he realized that albedo’s job of alchemy is a lot more math and a lot less cool explosions.
But when kaeya sticks around, asking questions about albedo’s past, befriending klee, expressing curiousity in what exactly his potions can be used for, albedo starts to get suspicious
It’s not the alchemy itself. Albedo offered to teach kaeya some small potions and kaeya all but leapt away in his haste to refuse (those childhood stories of “touch alchemy and u die” realy stuck with him)
So he goes to sucrose and timeaus and asks them.
Sucrose is equally baffled, wonders if maybe kaeya just really likes chopping up ingredients
Albedo: hmm. He does do it everytime i ask…
Timeus: oh my archons, kaeya has a crush on you.
Albedo decides to test both theories. He stops letting kaeya cut his ingredients, but that doesn’t deter him. So he checks to see if Kaeya is attracted to him
By silently crowding close to kaeya to hear if his heart speeds up
Kaeya meanwhile, has a stone faced alchemist pushing him into a wall, is absolutely thinking he’s about to be murdered (and that it’s hot)
Albedo notices the speed up. Ahh so he does like me.
Kaeya: i have to go now! Proceeds to rush out the door.
Albedo is confused. If kaeya likes him, why is he running?
He asks timeus and sucrose. Sucrose offers to stalk him for a while to find out why. Timeus replies that albedo was “too forward” and that people like “to be chased”
Albedo, chasing kaeya: is this what u want?
Kaeya: oh god he’s gonna kill me!
The method that albedo picks to woo Kaeya is to offer him a fancy lunch he cooked, complete with a traditional khanrian delicacy: the spider sandwich.
Kaeya does not enjoy this, his mind running wild trying to figure out what albedo is trying to say to him by feeding him spiders.
Albedo decides he can’t trust Rhinedottr’s ideas of “traditional delicacies” (who knew her spider sandwich wasn’t normal?)
So he turns to sucrose, who has been stalking kaeya. She proposes a date that she has gathered from her research: take him drinking.
Now if albedo had started with this, it probably would have gonne much easier for him. But after a week of being stalked, chased, and fed spiders, kaeya’s guard is way up.
He’s convinced this is an attempt to get him drunk to get information out of him. Well good luck with that, kaeya’s no light weight, he’s certain he can drink albedo under the table, and get him talking instead
Albedo is a but hesitant when kaeya suggests a drinking competition, but goes along with it.
The result is a very drunk albedo cuddling up to kaeya and whispering the periodic table seductively in his ear.
Kaeya was not prepared for that. Not at all. He comes back home thinking that the crimson moon really trains their spies to be good at keeping secrets
Albedo comes back to his home confident at a successful first date
Things continue onward in their will they won’t they, until one day kaeya wakes up in bed with albedo, in matching pjs, klee sleeping between them, and realizes that seduction was the crimson moons game all along, and he lost.
But oh well, its not like he’s really following eclipse’s orders anyways. He thinks as he goes back to sleep
