whatsthehurry | albaedo

albaedo

(x)

[ kaeya sits forward. so far, so good. ]

'Course I can..

[ pocketing his phone, kaeya pushes himself up and out of the chair.. and immediately stumbles, though to his credit, he doesn't fall. he instead catches himself on the nearby wall, and.. slides down it, a little. ]

Oops.. heh. S'fine.

[ hoo boy, it's been awhile since he's been quite so smashed, but it feels nice, his head is full of cotton and his body feels warm and heavy. with one hand against the wall, he straightens up again, attempting some semblance of dignity. it's not really working. ]

Could of you to gum. Um. Good of you.. to come.

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[ no albedo.. no that wasn't a snore.. ]

Well said.

[ this is absolutely more intimate than normal acquaintances might allow, but neither of them are completely normal people, and speaking for himself, kaeya enjoys it. he's easy to get along with in general, laid back and comfortable as a person, absolutely the sort to allow a coworker to comb his hair. especially when said coworker is cute. and if he's honest, kaeya's wanted an excuse to get to know albedo better. ]

She's lucky to have you, and you're lucky to have her. I've no doubt that she'll grow to overshadow each and every one of us.

[ with a pang to his heart, kaeya smiles. he can't help but be reminded of the families he once had. two of them, now both lost. ]

[ There's genuine fondness in Kaeya's voice, and while Albedo more or less trusted Klee's estimation of others, it's nice to hear for himself that this man genuinely cares for the girl that Albedo has come to see as his younger sister. If anything happened to her, it wouldn't just be for Alice's sake that he would worry.

She is the closest thing he has to family himself now, after all, and in many ways...their connection is more simple and straightforward than the one he had shared with his Master.

But this isn't the time for such thoughts. He continues to work through the lingering snarls in Kaeya's hair, fingers carding through to ensure the brush has done its job. It doesn't even strike him that it might be an intimate gesture; he doesn't have a great frame of reference for such things. ]

She's lucky to have you, too. I may or may not have used seeing you as a means to motivate her to behave in the past, so I owe you my thanks for that.

[ Klee is always thrilled to see Unkie Kaeya! ]

[ kaeya's smile is thin, but genuine; a shame that albedo can't see it properly, standing behind him as he is, but perhaps that is for the better. kaeya doesn't particularly like to bear his soft parts openly. ]

Now you're just flattering me.

[ a soft laugh, his eye still closed. ]

But for what it's worth, use me as you wish, if it means keeping her out of trouble. Well. Too much trouble.

[ she can have a little trouble, kaeya thinks. the threads of his hair tickle the back of his neck as albedo brushes, bringing kaeya to shiver against the cushion, and when those fingers slip into his hair again, he presses against them. ]

That feels too good.

[ Klee will have a little trouble whether they like it or not...Albedo doesn't laugh in return, but his smile remains gentle and fond.

Kaeya's reaction to his touch, however, is unexpected, and puzzling. Is he perhaps invading Kaeya's personal space? And yet the other man isn't shivering away. It's perplexing, heat blooming just beneath Albedo's collar that he swiftly ignores. ]

Is your head sensitive, perhaps? Or do you simply enjoy physical contact with another person?

[ An astute observation, and one given very matter-of-factly, no judgment or leading in his voice. ]

[ kaeya rests his head back a little further against the cushion, mostly so he can flick his eye up toward albedo. he's such a curious little thing, asking such a question in that tone. he's absolutely not like anyone else that kaeya's ever met, that much is certain. ]

Both.

[ he's mildly surprised that albedo hasn't surmised as much on his own; after all, kaeya's rumored promiscuity is well known, but then, albedo spends so much time up on that mountain, and he also doesn't seem the sort to pay much mind to rumor. admirable, really. kaeya thrives on whispered information. ]

It's nice, don't you think? Though I suppose you don't have much contact, when you're holed up in icy caves. A shame.

[ Albedo is also the sort that likes to discover things for himself; judgment is always reserved until he has the chance to observe and interact. Before tonight, he didn't have much of an impressions of Kaeya, aside from his tendency to spend a considerable amount of time with his boots up on his desk, but that's hardly a crime.

It seems to fit that he would enjoy contact so much, though. He's a warm, engaging kind of person, his disposition so unlike Albedo's own muted tendencies. He's fascinating. ]

I do not, aside from the occasional visitor. However, the seclusion suits me. I've yet to find a better place to focus and conduct my research in relative peace, the odd intruding hilichurl notwithstanding.

[ And there was. That whole business with his doppelganger. But that guy hasn't showed up for awhile! OR HAS HE.... ]

[ what a good little guy, honestly. kaeya doesn't necessarily always believe rumor, but rumors do have a way of being true often enough, so he certainly doesn't write them off. not to mention, he simply enjoys gossip for gossip's sake. ]

You don't get.. lonely?

[ kaeya wouldn't know what that's like. he's lonely all the time. he's lonely when he's surrounded by people. no matter how problematic others can be, he can't imagine living in such isolation; honestly, he'd rather pitch himself off of a cliff. ]

[ It's not the first time he's been asked such a question, though for a long time, Albedo didn't know why people were so surprised. He's a little more sensitive to it, now, but maybe he's just used to being alone, after Gold vanished all those years ago. ]

It would be more accurate to say that I don't perceive my own loneliness. I get so caught up in my work, it leaves room for little else. Sometimes I do wish for a companion with which to share my discoveries, however.

[ With Kaeya's hair now nice and brushed, Albedo's hands drop away from his head, as he sets the brush aside. That was strangely soothing, even to himself. ]

[ albedo's hands draw away from his hair, and kaeya grunts his displeasure. the gravy train has reached the station, it would seem. ]

Mm..

[ that still sounds sad to kaeya, but then, at the very least albedo isn't actively hurting. he's quiet for a moment, contemplative, imagining what it must be like living on that frigid peak, alone, with only research for company. kaeya sighs, sinking further into the cushions, his eyelid flickering low. the booze is catching up with him again, his lucidity gained from the bath beginning to fade, and kaeya yawns. ]

Well.. maybe I'll need to come visit you up there someday, in that case. Though I can't pretend to care too much about alchemy.

[ Sorry, Kaeya, no more free touchy-feelies for now!! Better find other ways to make a mess of yourself.

With his task accomplished, Albedo moves around to the other side of the couch and perches on the seat next to Kaeya, a soft smile on his lips. It isn't often that he gets called on to help someone like this, and it's nice to feel as though he's accomplished the task well, despite his lack of experience. He can only hope Kaeya gets the rest he's looking for tonight. So long as Klee doesn't come over in the morning, it should be very quiet and relaxing... ]

You're welcome to visit anytime you like. Even if alchemy isn't your passion, there's still plenty to do and see. There are few vistas as breathtaking. Once you take in the whole of Mondstadt from Dragonspine's peaks, few things compare.

[ Maybe he could even get Kaeya to sit for a painting up there. It would suit him, Albedo thinks. ]

Mmm..

[ kaeya is growing quite sleepy by now, between the alcohol, the general atmosphere, and albedo's expert hair brushing. his hooded eye flicks toward albedo as he sits, but then soon closes. ]

Well, I'll keep that in mind.

[ it might not be so bad, visiting him up there, seeing what he's up to. if it's one thing he's learned tonight, it's that being around albedo is pleasant and warm, a feeling kaeya gets around very few people. even though dragonspine doesn't seem welcoming in the slightest, it's certainly beautiful, and -- oh, well, he's asleep now. ]

[ Ah, well. So much for insisting Kaeya takes the bed. He needs it far more than Albedo tonight, he thinks, but while Albedo might be strong enough to help Kaeya here, he doubts he could straight up carry him to his bedroom.

Alright, fine, he can rest on the couch, then.

With a small, warm smile, Albedo sighs and rises to his feet before standing before Kaeya and resting both hands on his shoulders to guide him back down against the sofa, adjusting the pillow beneath his head so it hopefully won't be too uncomfortable.

A man so full of life and personality...he looks so peaceful like this. ]

Sleep well, Captain.

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