Against The Cold ~ Alberose

Chapter 7

The sound of singing outside -- probably a local bard -- roused Sucrose and Albedo from their thoughts, still sitting side by side in their lab.

Hastily, their faces flushed, they both stood up. Albedo loosened his grip on Sucrose's hand, but she still held on, twining their fingers together and giving Albedo's hand a reassuring squeeze.

"It's going to be alright," she said, her amber eyes glittering, locking eyes with Albedo.

Albedo managed a smile. "I know, but everything just . . . it worries me."

Sucrose looked away, tracing every detail about the lab -- the stains on the walls from experiments gone awry, bottles and flasks littered on the counters from tests uncleaned, and notes scattered throughout the room.

"Albedo, whatever happens next," Sucrose began, running her thumb across the back of his palm. "Everything will be okay in the end. It always is. No matter what you face in the mountains or what I do here, we'll always be together. Not even the fall of Celestia could change that, much less war with the Fatui or Abyss Order." She sounded so unnaturally confident, so sure of every word she spoke, that Albedo wanted nothing more than to believe her, to know that everything would be alright.

Albedo gazed into Sucrose's eyes, finding warmth, comfort and . . . another feeling, something desperate, controlling, amazing, in their amber depths. He pulled her closer and wrapped his arms around her.

Sucrose blushed, but shoved down her anxiety and hugged Albedo back with everything she had. "Thank you, Sucrose," Albedo whispered, squeezing his eyes shut. Sucrose gently stroked his hair, remembering how less than a fortnight ago neither of them would've dared to hold each other like this.

"Archons! Can you believe Sara's new prices?"

Blushing furiously, Sucrose shoved Albedo away, breaking their hug, and saw Timaeus barging his way into the lab.

"Nearly eight hundred Mora for just three meals!" Timaeus frustratedly placed the parcels of food down on a countertop and turned to Albedo and Sucrose, whose faces were a dangerously deep shade of red. He titled his head in confusion, but then shrugged. "Who's hungry?"

☆: *᯽* :☆

Downstairs, Sucrose could hear the serious tones of Kaeya, Albedo, and Timaeus as she made her way upstairs. She adjusted her glasses and pushed open her door. Both she and Albedo had apartments above their laboratory, and Timaeus lived in Springvale with his family.

In a sense, ever since Sucrose's father left on Grand Master Varka's expedition nearly a year ago, Sucrose and Albedo had become a family of their own, sharing a small home, cooking and cleaning with one another. Of course, Timaeus made their home his home, setting up a bed for himself in Albedo's room.

Sighing, Sucrose sat on the edge of her bed. Her stomach growled, even though she'd just finished eating thirty minutes ago. Kaeya had come over to help the boys with their packing for the expedition into Dragonspine, and Sucrose had found it the perfect opportunity to slip away for the night.

She pulled off her shoes and slipped into a warm nightgown. She lay down in bed and took up a book. Heather and the Great Dragon. One of her many favorite reads, a book that was given to her by her mother before she passed.

Sucrose skimmed through the pages until she got to the very last chapter.

Please, O Great Dragon, you mustn't take him as your prisoner! I give myself to you willingly," Princess Heather cried out with strong courage. The jewels on her crown attracted the fearful gaze of the winged beast, and he turned to her with Sir Regan in his wretched claws.