Beauty /Albedo x Reader/

[6] An Old Friend

“One… two… three…”
 
Exhaling his breath from his last count, his head soon turned to find itself gazing at the sun beaming the headquarters, per usual gracing people with its light. He was no exception, but no part of his body felt cold, nor warm一he couldn’t describe the sensation temperature he’d wake up everyday to.
 
Outside of the headquarter he stood, Albedo walked in. The same as usual, except there was something he needed to get done of一his one month deal. Followed by the creaks of the door echoing through the hallway of the headquarter, a soft and gentle voice somehow came across his ears. “Good morning, Mister Albedo,” the voice said.
 
He turned his head, greeted with the sight of a green haired girl letting out a polite yet nervous smile. Her thumbs fiddling with each other, her cheeks squeezed in, the amber eyes of hers attempted to stay in contact with his azure ones but never succeeded.
 
How could he not be familiar with that stare of hers?
 
“Morning, Sucrose. Is there something I can help you with?”
 
“Uhm… well, I was wondering if you’re… done with the painting? I-I’m not trying to rush you, though! There’s just something I needed to say.”
 
Albedo subconsciously furrowed his eyebrows, glancing at the girl as his mind wondered一what was the thing she needed to tell? “I’m afraid I’ve been too busy to continue the painting, but if it’s something urgent you need to tell me, then go ahead,” he responded, still hadn’t realized his solemn face.
 
“Captain Kaeya said he’d stop the case to go on for a while until next month, I’m not sure but it’s something about you… making a decision?” Unsureness painted her curious amber gaze, she brought her fingers to her chin as if trying to confirm what she’d heard was true. Yet, she quickly shook her head, suddenly denying her words. “Ah一! I’m not sure if what I heard was true. Mister, maybe you can try confirming it with the captain?”
 
He wanted to sigh.
 
He really did.
 
Yet, all heaviness was kept in. Goodness, what is that captain planning to do with him? “It’s alright, thank you for the information, Sucrose. I’ll confirm it with the captain right away. Where is he?”
 
“Ah, he’s in Jean’s office.”
 
Albedo nodded his head, walking to the said woman’s office, leaving the girl standing there. He knocked on the door before carefully introducing himself just to make sure the people indoor wouldn’t be surprised of his presence. “Come in!”
 
Creak…
 
The sound of the door creaking filled the silent corridor, leaving it open ajar, enough to reveal his form and to show him the people crowding in one office. “Good morning to the Grandmaster, Captain, the librarian, and… the assistant,” he greeted, solemn face per usual.
 
Afterall, if one were to greet a superior, what kind of expression does one had to make?
 
His eyes scanned around the wide room, not knowing where it should land一until they found themselves, staring at the girl he’s supposed to meet whilst she stared off to something hollow behind him.
 
He wasn’t entirely sure what was she staring of about.
 
“Morning to you as well. What brings you here, Albedo? Is there something you need?” asked a blonde woman whom had her hair tied to a ponytail matched with her deep ocean eyes, glanced from her paperwork and lifted her irises to meet his.
 
“Ah, the person I’ve been deeming to meet,” said another person, Kaeya, “and, ah. Sucrose’s here too, I see. Why not invite her in?”
 
Sucrose…
 
He turned his head, almost forgetting her presence as soon as he waltzed in the office. And just as he expected, the girl still stood there waving sheepishly to the group inside the office. He had forgotten to close the door.
 
And from Sucrose, Albedo turned his head once more一subconsciously glazing his eyes on the h/c haired girl staring off into 一what he had thought of empty space一 the green haired girl. No thoughts nor opinion came across his mind, nothing but his eyes glazing themselves as if interested to see what’s happening next.
 
“M-morning!” Sucrose greeted, bowing her head before waving a sheepish smile. Still, when he waited for the response of the h/c haired girl, nothing but silence echoed from her. Instead, Y/n slightly nodded her head, closing her eyes just to express her covered smile before going off to mind her business again.
 
“Well, Albedo? What do you think about inviting her over our conversation? So she knows how the case she recommended to be brought up, going?” Kaeya voiced once again, rocking Albedo back to where the reality consciousness stood.
 
Hearing the somewhat offer, Albedo subconsciously caught a glimpse of the h/c haired girl, looking away一anywhere other than the view outside of the ajar opened door.
 
It wasn’t bashfulness.
 
It was hesitant.
 
“…No need. Sucrose’s here simply to give me her report. She has other things to attend to, and so do I,” he replied, crossing his arms with the solemn face returning after his small “sightseeing between two-possibly-friends”. “I’m only here to confirm with Kaeya for something.”
 
….
 
In the middle of the night,
 
When the wind howls passed the h/c haired lady underneath the great legend tree一one that contained the ode of the legend in Windrise, she glanced up the night sky mindlessly. Her fingers grazed each other, intertwined together. Her eyebrows furrowed一Albedo whom gazed from afar, wondered deep in his head.
 
What was inside her head?
 
The coldness of the drink started to eat away his fingers, but his attention never landed itself on it. Just the peculiar girl, and for once, the bashfulness or confidence during the night slowly vanished from her extravagant eyes一the void of something more difficult to explain, carved her eyes instead.
 
He’d been holding the cold drinks一just two juices, though he wasn’t sure if he’d drink one. Albedo inhaled一somehow inhaled, never realized he’d been holding his tensed oxygen inside him一he walked.
 
Careful enough not to scare her away. Not when there was no glint of serenity hinting her eyes.
 
“Y/n,” he called, subconsciously being gentle with his tone. He didn’t have the intention of being one, but here he was, careful enough just for a girl he soon about to bring her back to her mother’s house. “I brought you a drink you wanted.”  He freed her intertwined fingers and helped it grip the cup, hoping she’d respond to his presence.
 
However, she wasn’t the slightest bit fazed. Even if she’d noticed his presence and waited during his absence. “…Do you think she’d remember me?” was the only words rolling down Y/n’s tongue.
 
“Who?”
 
“Sucrose.”
 
Albedo heaved a sigh, sitting next to her whilst he joined in in whatever she was staring at. “Yes, she does. I don’t know what’s your relationship with her, but judging from the way you stared at her just this morning, I could tell she must be precious to you.”
 
Y/n’s head tilted to the side a little, the pressure on her eyebrows, wrinkles on the eyes一and the resplendent night itself shone the glint in her irises, as if sooner or later she might cry. As one whom worked for the Favonius, he’d seen and heard thousand of cries and frustrations from victims sometimes barging in the headquarters.
 
Even he’d seen a soulless eyes the moment he gazed into the victim.
 
But this, instead of knowing her emotions, he was messed up in trying to figure out and understood her. Even if it had only been a few days upon meeting her, he never once felt this questioning with her presence.
 
“Sucrose still remembers me? Even if it had been.. ah, I lost count. Perhaps six years?”
 
“Six years since you last disappeared from your house.”
 
“Right.”
 
Albedo remained silent for the next few seconds. Though, he may not be able to recognize nor understood her, a budding desire grew, wanting to have her within his arms一as if shielding her from her tired self. But he knew it wouldn’t be necessary for Y/n whom stood up alone for years.
 
“She was my friend. My first one. Though, we met on accident, we talked to each other every night until something happened.” Something…  happened?  What could have happened in the peaceful place? And had she been outside and was able to stand on her own during the night unlike what her stepmother confessed to Albedo?
 
“She showed me the outside world, it was fascinating. So to see her suddenly today, makes me question myself of the past. So, Mister Albedo… please, please, don’t bring me back and just dismiss the case. Even if it hurts her, it might be best for us.”
 
Instead of anything, Albedo wondered deep into his thoughts. No, he couldn’t sense the problem within her voice一in the case Albedo needed to investigate, there was no such thing as the victim and the villain. They were all just victims of the situation, no one that should’ve been blamed.
 
So why was she blaming herself? Another emotion he couldn’t quite depict of.
 
Still, he remained silent, causing the girl to sigh and worried. “Forget what I said, it’s nothing. I’m sorry I ruined一”
 
“You don’t have to apologize for things you didn’t do. No one should be responsible until the truth speaks for itself. If you beat yourself up too much, you’d be drowned in guilt and only burden yourself. And right now, you don’t have to apologize just to ask someone for an ear to listen to,” Albedo’s voice finally sounded, “If you can’t do it, just say it. If you don’t want to, tell them. And if you want something, no need to apologize.”
 
He didn’t know why, but as soon as his words came to an end, the wind howled passed by again, the cold shiver should’ve run down Y/n, but when he faced her, nothing but mesmerized expression on her face, another he couldn’t describe.  Truly questionable creature she was.
 
There was nothing but silence, only the breeze to accompany his ears, he couldn’t hear anything as if the world shut his ears. His azure eyes still glanced into the e/c space of her irises, the eyelashes lifted itself to reveal to the world of her grace. Though, her eyes may not be visible from afar, when seen close anyone could tell she was the one whom ran away from her house, that she was Lora’s missing step daughter.
 
As if tied by her gaze, he was reluctant to move away, falling for the comfort of her warmth, his chest burning hot like an expression he’d never felt before. Something he hadn’t been able to truly discover, a saying came across his head asking for something he didn’t realize he wanted.
 
And from there, something clicked in him.
 
Yearning.
 
“So this is what yearning feels like,” he mumbled.
 
“Pfft一” a laugh outburst, he questioned her. Her laugh echoed in his ears, something he’d never heard of. He wondered, what kind of emotions based of for someone to laugh?
 
“Forgive me, but you caught me off guard with your words, Mister. If anything, I should be thankful you know一…wait.”
 
“?”
 
He stared at her, questioning her sudden pause in word一did she forget something? Did she need to go一
 
“I think I forgot to run an errand…”