The Chalk Prince (Kaebedo)

Chapter XI: Outside

"You know a small bit of alchemy? Did Rhinedottir teach you?" Jean asked, surprised.

Albedo nodded. "Show?" He asked quietly, fidgeting with his hands. He looked at Kaeya for support.

"Yes. You may." Jean said and leaned back into her chair. Lisa also stood up, looking curious.

The blond took a deep breath and grabbed an orange seed from the tray. He clasped his hands around it and closed his eyes.

There was a bright flash of light a moment later and Albedo opened his hands to reveal the seed. But it had sprouted and had a small orange growing.

Jean looked shocked. Not a lot of people in Mondstadt could practice alchemy without a crafting table. Even the traveler needed one, and they were the most experienced person the knights knew.

Albedo though, looked kind of disappointed. "...Not... good." The boy said and placed the seed down on the table. He hugged Kaeya, seeking comfort in he cryo vision user. Kaeya hugged back him tightly.

"No! That was amazing! You can do alchemy without a crafting table. That's just... astonishing!" Lisa exclaimed, walking over to Albedo and petting his hair. He just sighed in response, tucking his head into Kaeya's chest, leaning out of her grasp.

"Hey, you alright?" Kaeya asked in a whisper. Albedo huffed. "Master... Think about... When do it..." he answered, sounding tired and sad.

It was silent for a moment, everyone watching Albedo. "Miss her..." is voice broke slightly and tears welled up in his big, teal colored eyes.

He brought his head up from Kaeya's chest and stuffed his head into the cryo vision user's neck. The man squeezed him and let Albedo get his tears out.

"You're okay. I know... I've been there." Kaeya said, relating to his pain. His father and stepfather both died early.

And even if his stepdad had died at the hands of this boy in front of him, it was not his fault. Kaeya knew now that it was not Albedo's fault.

He calmed down after a while of teary eyes and hiccups. He ate more of the food on the tray, changing his favorite food from cookies to sunsettia fruit in the short time he had eaten both of them.

Jean offered to go outside and take a look around Mondstadt, see people and be in the sunlight. Kaeya agreed and lifted Albedo up. The smaller of the two was still kind of down. Kaeya knew he would be fine in a little bit once he was outside.

Albedo didn't want to let go of the cryo vision user when he asked, so he stayed off the ground and in Kaeya's arms where he loved to be.

Jean and Lisa lead them out through the front door, the two going to walk around the city as well.

Once through the front doors, Albedo peeked his head up from Kaeya's neck. He felt the change in temperature and a gust of wind blow past him. He was in awe at the beauty of the outdoors.

"Feeling better?" Kaeya asked, looking at the precious boy. He nodded and the cryo vision user kissed his forehead. Albedo giggled and did the same to Kaeya's cheek.

"You you want to try walking again?"

"Yeah!" Albedo exclaimed and swung his legs. Kaeya put him down gently as they walked on the stone path.

"I'm going to let you go now. Let's see if you can stand?" Kaeya aksed and the blond nodded.

He smiled when the man took a step back, being able to stand on his own. "Try to walk forward."

"He... Help?" Albedo asked quietly after a moment, to nervous to take a step. Kaeya was by his side in a heartbeat, holding his hand to support him.

"I've got you. Try and take a step forward."

"No, no. Kaya please no!" Albedo's eyes filled with tears as he pleaded. He was too scared. What if he fell and hurt himself? From the continuous beatings he received from Varka and his people, Albedo could confirm that he did not like pain. It terrified him to no end. So with the chance of getting hurt, he did not want to take a step, even if Kaeya wanted him to.

"Hey now, none of that." Kaeya said, bringing Albedo's body to his. "Didn't I say I've got you? You won't fall, my love. You're alright. No more tears please. We're outside! Don't you want to run around and go do things on your own?"

Albedo shook his head. He did not want to be away from Kaeya. "No?"

"Stay with Kaya. No leave."

"Ah, of course. I should have known. Okay then, I won't leave you. I would never even dream of it, lovely. Now, no more tears."

The blond did he best to stop the flow of tears, only sniffling a few minutes later.

"See? All better. Let's try to walk again, yeah?" Kaeya asked, still holding onto Albedo.

"M-mhm." The boy sniffled and wiped his eyes.

"That's my boy. I've got you, it's okay." Kaeya smiled and kissed his forehead. Albedo pulled away slightly after nuzzling into the man' chest.

After a while, the blond boy got the hang of it. He began taking steps forward and started standing up on his own. He always got nervous when Kaeya stepped away for too long or when out of eyesight.

Albedo could walk pretty well on his own, but he wanted to be close to Kaeya and wanted to be held. Kaeya obliged of course when he asked to be picked up.

They walked to Windrise, meeting some knights on the way. Albedo stared at the big tree in awe, amazed at its giant stump and even bigger branches.

They sat down near the statue, Kaeya knowing no hilichurl would dare come close to it. Albedo cuddled into his side, feeling tired. He refused the offer to go back to the headquarters though.

He liked being outside. There were no walls around him to feel caged in, and it wasn't cold or dark.

But then he heard an unfamiliar sound. Kaeya froze and looked up. A small group of hilichurls had walked towards them and hissed when at them when they got close enough.

Kaeya immediately got up and shielded Albedo from them. What were they doing here? At this hour? It wasn't even dark yet.

He materialized his sword and fought them off. Until he heard Albedo scream. Kaeya turned around quickly to see that the boy had been surrounded by hilichurls and was caged against the tree.

The mobs began to close in on him, and on Kaeya.

Suddenly there was a bright flash of light that blew both the hilichurls and Kaeya back. It was coming from Albedo. The cryo vision user panicked slightly. What was wrong?

The hilichurls disappeared and Kaeya rushed to Albedo when the light calmed down.

The blond stood still, seeming to be holding something. "Albedo? Albedo what happened?" Kaeya asked frantically.

The boy blinked and then looked down at his hand.

There, he held a yellowish-orange sphere.

It was a vision!?

-

Sorry this is so late again, I'm kind of going through an identity crisis rn?? I'm trying to figure out if I'm non-binary or something like that?

Also late happy new year!

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Remember you are loved!! ❤️