★彡『ꜱᴛᴀʀᴄʀᴏꜱꜱᴇᴅ ʟᴏᴠᴇʀꜱ』

✩2★

Destruction. Darkness.

The Mondstadt that she knew was cheerful and carefree.

Now the city was corrupted. Consumed in smoke. Citizens gagged as they ran towards the entrance.

Coruption?

"I fear something will corupt me at some point," Albedo had said to her weeks before. "I'm not sure when but I do know I yield power that I cannot control. I fear this power will kill me one day, I cannot escape my fate."

"Albedo...!" Mona yelled at a moment of panic. It can't be true. It's not true, right?

He said he feared it but what if it was paranoia? That must be it. There's no other possible reason.

She ran towards the smoke, refusing to think anymore of it. (Refusing to think it's possible Albedo is dying right now.)

She breathed the smoke into her lungs and it spurt into a coughing spasm. Her legs kept moving.

Mona eventually found him near the Statue of the Seven.  Albedo laid there. Unmoving.

She rushed to his side. Questions buzzing in her mind. What happened to you? Who corrupted you?  Are you going to be okay? Will you stay by my side?

Tears welled up in her eyes, Mona couldn't voice any of her thoughts. Instead she shifted his head on to her lap and held his hand, cold and unfeeling. "Albedo... Albedo."

"Mona..." the alchemist's eyes flickered open, the once ocean blue eyes turned pitch black, his voice still warm and sincere. 

"Oh, what am I thinking? Come I'll carry you, we can get you to the church and they can heal you-"

"Corruption cannot be healed," Albedo sighed, he tightened his grip on her hand. "I thought you knew this."

"Still!" Mona had difficulty breathing, tears rolling down her cheek. "There has to be something that can be done. You won't die here-"

Albedo chuckled softly, usually that laugh would make her feel blessed for hearing it... right now it made her feel worse.

"You told me the work of an astrologer was to show what fate had in store for people," he smiled so genuine that she held back a choked sob. "But you once told me, some were unable to accept it, and yet... why are you the one not accepting it this time?"

"Don't bullshit me!" A great sob escaped her, and she covered her face with shaking hands. "Why are you like this? Why did you get me to care about you so darn much? You can't die on me now, you owe me!"

"You will accept it one day, I know you will. You are very strong Mona," Albedo's smile held the last drop of light in his soul. "Though there is no afterlife for the unhuman, hm? I still don't want to leave earth as bachelor."

"This is no time for your stupid jokes..."

"I'm not joking around," the alchemist grinned, his hand reached for her cheek and she let herself lean into his palm. "Mona Megistus, will you be my girlfriend? At least then I won't die a lonesome ghost."

"Still fooling around till the end..?" Mona wanted to sound angry but all she felt was despair. The nod she gave was more than enough.

"Well... I am happy," Albedo closed his eyes.

And he never opened them again.

✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*

"'Find the truth and meaning of the world', was my final assignment from my old master," Albedo had said. "I seek to get hold of an answer for her return. I merely wanted to see her again, as it would be that simple."

"That is your desire?" Mona whispered to the fire crackling in front of them.

"I suppose so, yes,"  he shook his head. "Honestly I thought I was void of all feelings like lonliness. That changed when I met Miss Alice and Klee. The emptiness I feel for my master... that was lonliness."

"You're not alone anymore," Mona firmly places her hand on top of his. "You don't have to be alone."

Albedo smiled. "Neither do you."

......

Liar.