Journey | Albedo's Descent Book 3

Chapter 14: Just Stop Working For One Night!

Albedo stared at the wall, but wasn't really staring at it. His eyes were there but his mind was elsewhere.
Kaeya had fallen asleep beside him some time ago even though he said that he would stay up with Albedo.
The alchemist knew Kaeya wasn't capable of staying awake for days on end, but he felt oddly disappointed that Kaeya had fallen asleep anyways.
Albedo heaved a sigh, he still had no leads on what that *thing* was made of. He questioned if maybe everything he had done and seen since arriving at Dragonspine was all an illusion. Just a part of this elaborate and unforgiving hallucination.
Why was he even having these problems? He stopped using the candles... but maybe this *thing* had only appeared when he had the candles by coincidence... It wasn't likely...
But what if that were true? What would that mean? If this were a real, sentient being, what did it want? No matter what, it probably wouldn't appreciate Albedo experimenting on discarded pieces of its body...
Albedo started anxiously running his nails together as he thought. What was this "other half" it was searching for? And why did it want Albedo to find it? Maybe it was incapable of retrieving its "other half".
But why ask Albedo specifically? Was no one else able to get to what it wanted? If so, why was it so difficult to get? Was this "other half" sealed away or taken from its owner because it was dangerous? Or perhaps it had been done as an act of anger or abuse?
Albedo just didn't know. If only that thing would stop being so vague! Albedo realized his hands were balled into fists, his nails digging into his palms.
He let it go with a sigh, relaxing into Kaeya's arms. There had to be some way to get answers, right?
Albedo carefully pulled himself out of Kaeya's grip and quietly went to searching his books and notes once again. It couldn't hurt to double check, right?
There was a practical solution to everything that had been happening, right?
Albedo wasn't just going crazy, right?
Albedo stared down at the book in his cold, bare hands, "right?"

"Oh, you're awake," Albedo smiled tiredly over at Kaeya. Then he immediately looked away, doing some kind of experiment under a microscope.
Kaeya sighed quietly as he sat up, "why are you awake?"
"What do you mean, the suns out."
Kaeya shook his head, "you didn't sleep at all, did you?"
He didn't respond.
"Albedo?" Kaeya called to him.
The alchemist looked up from his work, "yes?"
"Why did you get up?..." Kaeya couldn't help that a hurt tone seeped into his voice.
"I have a lot on my mind..." Albedo wrote something down nervously.
"You... aren't going to tell me?..."
Albedo bit his lip for a second, "the, uh, the nightmares. The *thing*. The thing I saw..."
Kaeya stood up.
"It-it's nothing. Probably nothing." Albedo quickly closed his notebook and looked back into the microscope.
Kaeya put his hand on Albedo's back, "I know you don't want to sleep... but I think you really need it..."
Albedo let out a long sigh, "I wish I could...
"Do you think I'm crazy?"
Kaeya stared down at him, "what? With the way you're acting right now, it makes me worry..."
Albedo shook his head, pressing his hands against both his temples. "Now you're worrying, too."
"'Too'?"
Albedo ran his hands down his face, "Lisa... she, she is worrying, as well." He suddenly remembered that he was doing an experiment and got back to studying the weird mass.
Kaeya didn't know what to do. He had only planned on staying for a day before going back to watch Klee... but it seemed Albedo needed him more than Klee did.
Kaeya slipped his arms under Albedo's shoulders and lifted him up from behind.
Albedo squeaked as he was raised off the floor, "what- Kaeya-"
"M-m. I want to hear no complaining out of you. This is for your own good." Kaeya carried him over to the couch again and forced him to lay down.
Albedo immediately tried to sit up, "but-"
"No 'but's. You need to sleep. And you are going to. Now, be a good boy and close your eyes while I make us some food."
"But I thought you wanted me to sleep-"
"I am not sending you to bed on an empty stomach. I know that, without a doubt, you have not eaten in at least a day."
Albedo closed his mouth tight. He couldn't argue with that. But he couldn't afford to sleep now! Not when he was so close! And what if that thing tried to communicate with Albedo again? What would he do? He couldn't get Kaeya involved. Absolutely not. He was already involved enough.
Again. That feeling.
"Just tell Kaeya what's going on."
Albedo was struggling again. What was he supposed to do in this situation? He sighed. This couldn't be fair.
But it didn't matter what was "fair". It was happening and there was nothing Albedo could do to change it.
Kaeya looked over his shoulder with a smile, "I promise that if you do have another nightmare... I'll be right here when you wake up."
Albedo looked over at where Kaeya was cooking. Whatever it was, it smelled really good...
"I just wish you wouldn't let it get so bad... It makes me worried that something bad is going to happen again..."
Anyone could hear that Kaeya was holding back his emotions as he spoke.
Albedo hadn't even thought about that. What if another horrible, life-threatening event was going to happen?
Albedo had had enough of those... but he felt obligated to help this thing. Plus, this felt different form the last few times.
Albedo had a strangely positive feeling towards getting this being its other half. Maybe when he helped it, it would give him something in return. The thought was motivating and interest-piquing.
But that still left so many questions...
What did it want? Why Albedo? Maybe not just Albedo... maybe it would reveal itself to Kaeya while he was here.
"Alright. All done," Kaeya pulled over a small table and set two bowls on it, "hurry and eat so we can go back to bed."
"You're tired?" Albedo sat up slowly.
Kaeya shrugged, "not really. But I would never pass an opportunity to have cuddle time."
Albedo smiled a little bit, "maybe I'll eat extra slow..."
"What? No... Albedo..." Kaeya looked hurt.
Albedo chuckled, taking the warm bowl in his hands, "I'm kidding..."
After filling his belly, Albedo felt very sleepy... He hated to leave a project unfinished like that... but he couldn't keep his eyes open...