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Albedo was a mystery to Kaeya, and had been ever since their first meeting. He could remember that day very clearly : he was in the hall of the knights of Favonius headquarters with Jean and the guy in question. The Acting Grand Master was wanting to welcome the new Chief Alchemist and Captain of the Investigation Team properly, and decided to show him around. Since Kaeya had already finished most of his work, she asked him to help her, and used that opportunity to introduce both to each other. The first thing the Cavalry Captain noticed when he got closer to him was the little star or diamond shape on his neck which he immediately recognised as the shape in his own eyes. He didn't really know what to think of this mark, but it struck him as a notable feature for him nonetheless. But the thing that threw him off most was around half and hour later, when Jean and him had left the alchemist in his office for him to get familiar with it, once he had sat down at his desk, he noticed something weird : in what he later understood to be the general direction in which was Albedo's office, there was the same star that he saw on the former's neck. When he turned his head, the shape stayed fixed in the same place, but it clearly wasn’t just like any object in the room, since when he moved around the office, it wasn't attached to furniture, and when he turned his back to it, it stayed in the corner of his eyesight. He didn’t really understand whatever that was about, but he was clever enough to guess that it was related in one way or another to the alchemist. He just had to figure out how and why.
***
Kaeya was on a mission on Dragonspine when the little star faltered for the first time. He was in a battle against a bunch of annoyingly fierce Fatuis alongside Albedo since he knew the place quite well, and while they were fighting, the blonde got injured quite badly as they were killing the last one. The wounded fell on the ground, his hand pressing on the wound right under his rib cage, the blood soon staining his white coat. Kaeya hurried to his side, providing first aid as well as possible. As he was trying to reduce the bleeding as much as possible, Albedo’s face started to relax, but not in a good way : he was on the verge of fainting. He turned back to the wound, the star popping back before his eyes, since it usually disappeared as soon as the original was within eyesight. At that moment, the Cavalry Captain saw the indicative shape start flickering and got anxious. If he was right about his assumption, he was starting to lose him.
“Albedo, Albedo stay with me. Stay awake, I can’t have you faint right now. Please try to say something, stay conscious, I need you to do this for me, okay ? You’re going to be alright, I’ll bring you back to Mondstadt as soon as possible, but for the moment I need you to stay awake,” he panicked as he was continuing tending to his wound, hoping to stabilize his state before seeking for better treatments. The other didn’t reply, but started to move his fingers regularly to show Kaeya that he was still conscious. As he finished bandaging the wound, he carried the other carefully, bridal style since it probably be the most comfortable option for the other, and started to climb down the mountain. Gladly, the paths were not too icy and he didn’t trip on the way down. Once he was back in a place with less dangerous temperatures, he started hurrying a lot more, almost running, while trying not to shake Albedo too much.
When he finally arrived back in Mondstadt, the guards took charge of the alchemist and brought him to the Cathedral to give him further treatments while he was explaining the situation. Kaeya tried to follow them into the building, but they refused to let him in, arguing that he needed rest first and that he could come see the patient later, when he would be fully rested. Resigned, he went back to his office in the Knights' Headquarters and slumped into his chair, defeated. He was so worried, and the adrenaline was still rushing through his body, so he just couldn’t relax. The only thing that was reassuring him was the little star that was slowly but surely regaining in brightness. He turned his chair slightly to allow it to be in the middle of his view, and observed it for a while, not realizing that he was drifting into sleep.
When he awakened what looked like a few hours later if the almost set sun was anything to go by. Feeling a little better than earlier and knowing that Albedo was definitely out of any kind of life-threatening state, he could finally take some time to reflect on the whole situation. He turned back to his desk and, grabbing a scrap piece of paper, started jotting down everything he knew about the alchemist and the star on his throat, hoping to understand what was going on. About fifteen minutes later, his hand was hurting because of all the furious writing he had been doing and he wasn’t any closer to piercing the secret of the little star that seemed to follow him everywhere. The only new thing that he learnt was something he had already been theorizing prior to the incident : the brightness of said star was the indicator of the wellbeing of its owner. Kaeya sighed. He wasn’t making any progress, even if curiosity was killing him. He really wanted answers.
***
Kaeya was ecstatic. He was almost unable to remain in his chair due to the sheer happiness he was feeling at the instant. He had been working at his desk at the headquarters taking care of paperwork when he noticed the familiar movements of Albedo’s star which indicated that he was nearing the bridge of Mondstadt. He wanted nothing more but to go and meet him to talk to him and catch up after a few weeks of the blonde being up in his lab on Dragonspine but he knew that he had a lot left to do. Plus, wouldn’t it be weird if it seemed like he knew that the alchemist was back without anyone telling him ? Well, he did know, but that was really not the point there, was it ? Anyway, he needed to continue working. He would go and pester him in his lab in a few hours, when it will be a little more believable. Or run into him “by chance” when he would be out doing groceries for Klee. Nevermind all of that, he had work he was supposed to do. He took a somewhat calming breath and tried to re-read the document in front of him, and ended up getting back in the flow rather quickly.
After a few minutes, he heard a knock on his door. He wondered who it could be as he mindlessly told the person to come in, while keeping on reviewing a report that was given to him.
“Good morning, Kaeya. I am very sorry if I am interrupting, but I thought I would come checking on you after all these weeks,” a very familiar voice greeted him. Kaeya almost jumped out of his seat with shock as he jerked his head up, immediately smiling maybe a bit too fondly when he saw Albedo standing there, at the threshold of his office.
“Good morning Albedo ! I’m so touched that you thought of me ! Come in, come in, I would love to catch up a bit,” he said a bit dramatically, standing up and leading his friend to the couch after closing the door behind him.
What they both thought would be a quick catch-up between good friends stretched out into a full-blown conversation that lasted almost an hour. Not that Kaeya minded of course, he was absolutely loving the time he was getting to spend with Albedo. Not because he was pining or anything, though. Not at all. Those were just silly things that Rosaria and Venti said to tease him, and weren’t true at all. And if a nagging part of his mind wanted to agree with them, then so be it. He was not in love, he swears.
***
It was time for him to admit it, Kaeya was simply and utterly whipped for Albedo. Looking back at it, he had been for a few years now, he was just lying to himself. Why was that ? Because Kaeya was scared. He was scared of losing the alchemist’s friendship if he were to tell him, as he was sure that there could be no way that his feelings would be requited. Because of that, even if he had now realized it, he decided that he would never tell a soul. The little family that they were forming with the two blonde siblings was just too precious for him to simply risk. He was content with simply seeing Albedo be happy, even if the perspective of them being in a romantic relationship stung his heart a little. Could live with it, as long as they were close.
***
Kaeya’s life crumbled one day. When he woke up that morning, he checked the little star as he did everyday first thing after having woken up. He was struck with absolute horror when he realized that the star was nowhere to be found. He searched everywhere in his field of vision, even twirled around to check everywhere, but he just couldn’t find it. He knew immediately what it meant. Albedo had died. The alchemist, the one he loved, had passed away sometime during the night and Kaeya had not been able to do anything to prevent it, or even say goodbye. He let himself flop miserably on the ground as the realization struck him further. He felt a tear roll down his cheek, soon followed by a steady stream under each eye, but he just couldn’t be bothered to wipe it off, he was too shocked to care.
After a good ten minutes of silently regretting everything he didn’t do with Albedo that he should have done, he finally forced himself to get up and start his day. He completely let his muscle memory kick in as he fell into his routine mindlessly.
He was letting his own body drag himself to his office when Jean cut off his stream of thoughts by putting a hand on his shoulder. He snapped out of it and turned around, now facing the acting grand master.
“Kaeya ? Are you alright ? I have been calling you across the hall, but you didn’t answer at all !” she worriedly asked.
“Oh… Sorry Jean, I guess I wasn’t paying much attention to my surroundings today. What did you want to tell me about ?” he replied, turning the conversation away from him.
“Ah, yes. Some of the knights under your command were supposed to patrol near Dragonspine today, right ?” she said, oblivious. “I have to ask you to stop them from doing so, there is a very bad snow storm back there, it was so violent that the Adventurer’s Guild camp that is next to the foot of the mountain had to get back to Mondstadt in the middle of the night because of how dangerous it was.”
Kaeya suddenly regretted asking what Jean had to say. He had to physically repress a flinch hearing of the situation. He slowly nodded in agreement and went to his office after telling the new orders to his subordinates.
Kaeya did not have a productive day in the slightest. He acted as if everything was fine because he didn’t want anyone to worry for him, and the thought of notifying someone of Albedo’s death did not even cross his usually sharp mind. He spent his day pacing in his office, lying down on the couch, sitting at his desk and having a staring contest with the wood or even simply spacing out in front of his window, watching Dragonspine while thinking about the fact that Albedo’s body will never be found with all this snow.
When the final work hours of the day rolled around and that it was finally socially acceptable for him to leave the headquarters, he went straight for Angel’s Share, hoping to find at least a bit of comfort in his glass of Death After Noon. Gladly for him, Venti and Rosaria were both nowhere to be found, so he could drown his sadness in peace, and Diluc seemed to at least decide to tolerate him a little more than usual, even if he was very much adamant that Kaeya had to have a full meal before drinking anything that night, which resulted in him getting his hands on some alcohol a lot later than he would have liked, but also that he couldn’t get drunk as easily than usual.
He was about to down his fourth glass, only being slightly tipsy to his disappointment, when something in a brown but almost golden color flashed in the corner of his vision. He turned his head towards whatever made that small flash, and gasped. The star. It was right there, in all its bright glory, hovering in that telltale motion that meant that Albedo was nearing the bridge that linked the island city to the mainland. Kaeya sprung up and out of his seat, slamming a few mora on the table, probably a bit too much for what he had, but he didn’t care, and abandoning his drink, he bolted out of the tavern, ignoring the confused looks that were thrown his way.
He all but sprinted to the entrance of the city, only pausing at the gates when he saw the man he loved with his own two eyes. He was positively stunned. He couldn’t move, talk, heck, he could barely breathe ! He was just staring wide-eyed at Albedo, tears starting to cascade down his face. When the alchemist spotted him, he first grinned, happy to see him, before his expression contorted into a more concerned and confused one when he realized the state Kaeya was in. He ran up to him and cupped the cavalry captain’s cheek with one of his hands while the other wiped the tears off of his face.
“Kaeya ? What is happening ? Why are you crying ? Are you alright ?” he asked, concerned.
“Shouldn’t I be the one asking you that ?” he retorted, repressing a sob and earning an even more confused look from the blonde.
“Whatever do you mean ? I am completely fine and I don’t see why I wouldn’t be,” he stated, trying to make sense of the situation. Finally, he must have understood that the blue-haired man would not say much more at the moment. His arm was grabbed by a gentle hand that had left his face just a few seconds prior and he was slowly led to his chambers at the headquarters.
Once they arrived, Albedo gently asked for his keys, to which Kaeya merely responded by fishing them out of his pocket and handing them to him. They walked into the place and the alchemist sat him down on one of the chairs of the kitchen, then took out a chair for himself and sat down as well.
“Kaeya, dear, what is happening ? Can you tell me ?” he asked impossibly softly.
“I- I thought you were dead Albedo ! The star, it- it was not there this morning, and there was a storm, and I had not even had the chance to tell you that I love you and, and-” he cut himself before sobbing a bit harder.
“What star ? Whatever are you talking about ? I am completely fine, there is nothing to be worried about. The storm had subsided enough for me to evacuate Dragonspine so I came back, but what is this about me dying ?” he questioned him, as gentle and soft as ever, not registering the second part of the man’s rambling.
“Well, the star you know ! The one that shines where you are ! It was gone !” the cavalry captain exclaimed, agitated from all the emotions going through him at once.
“The- oh, wait, you can see it ? It didn’t think that you would… It does make a bit more sense now… Kaeya, dear, that star that you see is something that my master used to locate me at the time. I thought that seeing it was reserved to my master, but it seems that it affects all people from Khaenri'ah. I believe that the reason you stopped seeing it today was because of the sheer strength of the storm that was interfering, but I promise you that I am alright,” he explained to the sobbing man, who slowly processed the information. It took him a few minutes to calm down, before he just dove right into Albedo’s arms, burying his face in the crook of the homunculus’ neck.
“I thought that I would never see you again… That I wouldn’t be able to say goodbye… That I would need to keep everything for myself… That I would have to live with the regret of never telling you how much I love you…” he ended up saying, not really thinking twice about it. He felt the shorter man freeze at the last sentence, and realized what he had said. He wanted to react, to backtrack, to tell him that he misspoke, but he was just way too exhausted for any of that, so he just closed his eyes and braced himself for rejection. He might as well enjoy the hug while it lasted. Just as he had predicted, the blonde tore out of the hug after a few seconds, shock painted on his face.
“Kaeya… Do you mean it ? What you just said ?” he simply asked. The taller man averted his eyes.
“I… I do,” he said in a small voice.
At that moment, something that he was not expecting in the least happened. He felt Albedo’s hand come back to cup his cheek, just like earlier, and he made him turn his head so that they made eye contact. And what Kaeya saw made his heart pound so hard. Albedo was looking at him, face flushed, a tender smile on his lips and in his eyes there was nothing else than sheer happiness and tears. They looked at each other for a little while, time seemed to be frozen between them, until…
“Can I kiss you ?” whispered the alchemist.
Instead of a proper answer, Kaeya leaned in and brushed his lips with his, before they properly kissed. It was tender and full of love, of years of yearning for each other in secret, and it said everything that needed to be said at the moment. As they broke off, Albedo had the sappiest smile on his face, and Kaeya just knew that their expressions were matching.
Maybe at the moment they just needed to bask in each other’s presence, and they could leave all the other and more complicated stuff for later.