Beauty /Albedo x Reader/

[3] Gust

I’m not sure why, it feels light.
 
As if the moment when words were spoken to someone like me, to someone whom had never had the ability to befriend, it feels as if I’m slowly being drawn into.
 
Hoping that I might catch a breather, even if the chances were small.
 
Her quill scribbled, words that she wasn’t eloquent in speaking, poured into one blank paper. Her hums filled in the calm night, nothing but her loving self turning her gaze to the resplendent moon. Her chest heaved up but never exhaled down, she was much too emerged in her own thoughts to realize she’d been holding her breath. Y/n’s sickly pale color than her original one, basked underneath the moonlight.
 
As if a princess waiting in her tower, waiting to meet the love of her life as she fought for her freedom.
 
How come… someone like her whom couldn’t trust herself one bit, could feel her heart blooming after a short conversation with a man she knew she shouldn’t place her trust yet.
 
Even she herself, doubted on the existence of her feelings.
 
“Am I really this hopeless?”
 
She sighed to herself, unable to deal with the frustration that bloomed along with the feeling.
 
Was it because of loneliness did she feel something craving rather than admiration?
 
His blonde platinum hair that beamed under the moon, the eyes that resembled like the Dragonspine’s aurora, and the gentleness in his voice even if his tone was a monotone一he wasn’t an ideal type Y/n’d ask for.
 
But had she ever had an ‘original’ type in men?
 
She brought her palm underneath her chin, her fingertips brushed over her chin as she was still lost in the gaze of the moonlight. The woman should  be resting right now, but there was something that prevented her from doing so.
 
“Thank you for the snacks, and yes you are always welcome to come to me.”
 
The same words he’d spoken replayed in the back of her mind subconsciously, the same polite smile of his felt intriguing, as if there had been an intention behind his words.
 
“一yes you are always welcome to come to me.”
 
The same words replayed一something’s not right.
 
Though she might fall for the simple formal words, she mustn’t let herself trust him.
 
Afterall, wasn’t she on the run to escape?
 
“Should I… keep my eyes on him? He could be my stepmother’s people…” she muttered, almost inaudible in the quiet library.
 
Y/n’d may be fooled once, but she must let herself be fooled by another to know deeper if that someone really had been on her side.
 
She let out a sigh, stretching her body and let out a yawn signing her night as an active librarian’s assitant had come to an end. “Whatever. I’ll just figure this out tomorrow.” Afterall, didn’t she intentionally wanted to stall time before making her grand escape?
 
***
 
Morning had arrived.
 
The moment the sun seeped through the window, she’d risen earlier before. Her feet made its way to the restaurant一Good Hunter一hoping there might be a new menu she could eat for the morning. The striking blue sky that had just appeared not long ago basked her under her skin.
 
Her hand trailed to the table she meant to sit on soon after she’d ordered her meal. The sound of Mondstadtians slowly rising to start their work with a smile on their faces, paying their gratitude to Celestia as they’d been given another day to live. There might had been doubt in her heart as she heard how people graced the great Celestias, perhaps it was the innocence that still remained did she find herself still praying to the gods.
 
The scent of the upcoming meal flew up her nose, she tapped on the table, gazing at random things that might catch her interest. Which unfortunately she failed to.
 
One by one, she heard children running from one place to another, smiling and yawning as their days had just started. An atmosphere she’d never tasted of lighted the whole streets, charming yet doubts of the actual meaning of freedom一it was ineffable to depict of such.
 
For this morning, nothing came across her mind, not even the same memories replaying in her sleep. Perhaps she was much too tired to deal with such, or the day gave her a chance to experience a normal life of a Mondstadtians as how she’d spent her years yearning for one.
 
Until, a voice rang in her ears, as if it’s asking her to snap back to reality. And so, as if her whole body defied her desires, she subconsciously was brought back to reality. “一iss Y/n. Miss Y/n.”
 
She blinked a few times, before looking up at the man whom had gazed at her, his shadow casted the sunlight away. Perhaps she wanted to run, say goodbye and apologize numerous of times, but she just couldn’t provide a reason why her body decided to stay as it was.
 
No, she couldn’t move an inch nor speak if she wanted to. Even her chest was heaved up, she hadn’t felt a breath out from her nostrils. “Are you alright, Miss?”
 
The man, the same man she’d met the day before, one whom she knew she mustn’t trust, stood before her as if waiting for her for something.
 
“O-oh, Mister Alchemist? Forgive me, I was lost in thought for a second一but I didn’t mean to offend you in any way,” the moment she managed to move just a little, her words sputtered out as if she’d hold herself back. “That’s alright, I’m glad to know you’re doing fine.”
 
She sheepishly lifted a smile一awkward like the atmosphere that slowly turned into one. “Uh, thank you?” Curses, she was lost in how to respond! Y/n’s milky way like irises shifted their gazes away from having the chance of meeting eyes with his azure ones.
 
“Uhm, is there anything I can help you with..?”
“I was wondering if I could accompany you.”
 
? For what?
 
She blankly stared at his figure, the same hostility rose up to her neck as how it did the moment she met him the first time. Perhaps it was the distance between them, even if they weren’t much too close, a few radius away from her own shadow brought nothing but threats.
 
The peculiar blooming feelings died the moment her eyes met with his own, similar to discovering something new, and that new thing she spoke of wasn’t an exciting one. Her fingers tapped on the table一stiff, but fast. “Well?” Albedo voiced out once more, waiting for her attention.
 
If she really wished to build allegiance, she should let him do what he wished, right? Hoping to know what was hidden under his azure ones.
 
“Of course… Forgive me for spacing out,” she ended with a nervous chuckle. Her fingers traced to her nape, stifling a small smile. Albedo nodded his head and sat down across where she sat. “Did I make you uncomfortable?”
 
Hell yea he did, added with the fact hardly anyone came by Good Hunter soon as the moment the sun rose up to the ‘gracious’ country.
 
But could she really say that?
 
Hell no.
 
“Of course not… Sir. It’s a surprise someone would sit next to me.”
 
Afterall, hadn’t she been eating on her own the moment her father left her in the hands of a ruthless step-mother? The moment those memories played like an old recorder一the same emptiness in her heart followed with her solemn stares on the table as she still tapped on it.
 
With all faces she’d shown, her weakness and strength to others, left her wondering, what kind of face should she show to the man before him?
 
“Is there something in your mind?”
 
“Hm?”
 
Her head lifted for another time, the same blank solemn face hadn’t dispersed yet. “Oh, nothing. I was wondering if there’s anything I could do today, since Master left and she hadn’t assigned me with anything一oh一ah, there I went again, rambling.” The moment she ended her unconscious ramble, her cheeks lifted to an apologetic smile.
 
 The man before her remained silent, his eyes that landed on hers pulled away, having his attention drawn to whatever caught his interest. The sky slowly turned to bright blue, fading its dark colour and replaced with something new一fresh, as if telling everyone underneath this day would be better than before. She was lucky enough she was graced by the light, but she wasn’t lucky enough to have the courage to break the odd silence Y/n’d accidently created.
 
“Do you have any hobbies you enjoy? If yes, perhaps you could spend your time on them,” he suggested, unlike his words tha he spoket, his stares weren’t proving of any interests in her. Calmly, she nodded her head, still hadn’t decided which face would she put up with for the day.
 
Soon after the silence was casted upon them once again, the scent of her order finally caught up to her nostrils, even if her face was covered in veil, she couldn’t contain her enthusiasm, letting it sparked her eyes. The moment her food was served, she was greeted with an apologetic chef behind the counter, apologizing for the delay.
 
“It’s alright, after all I’m not in rush. Thank you for the food, Sarah.”
 
Sarah nodded her head, smiling one more time before she turned her heels and left the two acquaintances (?) minding their own business.
 
“Are you not going to eat, Sir?”
 
“No, not yet. Help yourself,” Albedo replied, paying no mind to the scrumptious looking food placed in front of him. Instead, his eyes were much more interested to see what’s underneath the veil一Y/n  lifted her eyelashes from the food, showing him the wonders of her unique irises.
 
How should she eat this without revealing her face…
 
“Ah, alright... Uh, do you mind一ah一!”
 
The wind came blowing in, seeping the world with its gentle yet cold breeze, even if it had been gentle to others, it wasn’t too gentle for her. Her h/c locks flew to where the wind blew, as well as her veil…
 
Even if her hair had been messy, her veil almost blew her cover, she obeyed her body to move, to cover her veil and fix her hair from the wind一yet, none of her body obeyed her command. Instead, Y/n couldn’t help but let herself gaze at the blonde man, his locks blew to where it was blown too.
 
But that wasn’t about it.
 
She caught his gaze.
 
Even if it had been a few seconds…
 
Why did she feel drawn to him?
 
When the wind seemed to calm down, Albedo stood from his seat and bowed in a polite manners. “I’ll be heading off and you should too. You might blow your cover.”
 
Those were the last words he spoke before disappearing into the crowds of people once again一still, her eyes still landed on his back until there wasn’t anything left to be seen.
 
Was it love in recent sights she experienced?
 
But most important thing, he knew.
 
Of course he did.

****

First written: 27 June 2021
Edited: 29 September 2022

I changed a lot, and it's a brand new chapter. Let's all pray I won't strain much from the original concept ^^;.

To anyone who commented about how their eyes are black, blue, brown or anything, I want to say...

I describe the readers' eyes to be milky way like for the key to the plot (originally) and let me tell you, milky ways don't have to be blue or any other colours. The black ones are like the starry night, like what people imagine to see from a telescope. The brown ones are just fascinating, something like a new discovery somewhere outside Earth. And so on for other colours, they're all beautiful the way they are.

I'm sorry I've only spoken now and disappeared for so long. I hope you all enjoyed the newly written chapter, see you in the next one!♡