Journey | Albedo's Descent Book 3

Chapter 18: Listen.

"Rosaria, I really-"
She sighed over him, "I promise not to make rude comments when you guys are cuddling, okay?!"
"That- that isn't-"
"Hey, I don't know what you guys do. I've only seen you guys in the same room a handful of times," she waved her arm. "And why is this dang bridge always broken?!"
Kaeya shrugged, "I guess someone really doesn't like it?"
"Whatever, let's just get there quickly. The storm is getting closer than I like."
Kaeya nodded and they both glided over the crumbling bridge.
"Looks like he's found a way to keep the wind out," Rosaria observed the entrance.
"Okay, so," Kaeya turned to her, "I don't know how Albedo is going to respond to-"
"We're friends," she folded her arms, communicating that the conversation was over.
Kaeya pursed his lips as he pushed through the tapestries, "Albedo, I'm back."
Albedo looked up with a weary smile. There was a blanket over his shoulders and he stood up from one of his desks. He seemed to be working on that weird substance again.
Albedo stood, leaning on the table. Then he saw Rosaria walk in, and his expression faltered.
Kaeya walked over, "she's here to help." He pulled Albedo's blanket farther over his shoulders, "are you cold?"
Albedo nodded, closing his eyes. There were deep bags under his eyes and his cheeks were red.
"Albedo, did something happen?..." he pressed the back of his knuckles to Albedo's cheek. Then he pulled his hand back abruptly, "you're a lot colder than normal."
Albedo shifted uncomfortably, nodding again. He leaned onto Kaeya, whispering, "I'm sorry... I went outside..."
Kaeya sighed, "Albedo..."
"I- I know you asked me not to, but... I saw it again..."
Kaeya pulled Albedo out from behind his desk and forced him to sit down by the fire, "Albedo, you can't keep getting involved with this. What if it's dangerous?"
Rosaria was leaning against the wall by the entrance with her arms folded, staring at them and listening intently.
"It... I don't think it's going to hurt anyone," Albedo stood up, "I made sure. If I give it it's other half, it won't hurt anyone."
Kaeya stood up quickly, reaching for his arm, about to speak.
Albedo briskly walked over to a cork board where several papers were tacked in, avoiding Kaeya's clutch. "It hasn't been aggressive at all, actually. It always repeats the same sentences, as if it can't say anything else."
"Albedo," Kaeya rushed over to him, "what are you saying? You, you made a deal with it? You aren't making any sense."
"Eh, roughly," Albedo shrugged, sniffing. "It never really said yes, but it didn't seem against the idea. Besides-" Albedo was interrupted by a terrible bout of shivering. He pulled the blanket tighter over himself, "besides, we don't know why it was split apart in the first place. My best theory right now is that whoever did it was just afraid of what they didn't understand."
"Albedo!" Kaeya stood in front of him, taking his arms.
Albedo stared up at him, "yes?..."
"What... are you talking about? Look at it! That thing screams dangerous! We should just leave it be..."
"But if it found me in Mondstadt, I must be the only one who can help." Albedo had a guilty look on his face, "I can't just ignore this... If this is what I'm made for, then-"
Kaeya looked down at him in disbelief.
"Then... then I have to. Not- not just for me, but for Durin, too."
"Last time I checked," Rosaria butted in, "Durin was causing a lot of problems."
"No, his poison is gone," Albedo looked over his shoulder, "I-"
"Is it really? Are you sure? What if this 'thing'," she used her fingers for quotations, "you keep seeing is just something he's contaminated in another attempt to get rid of you?"
"No. I know it isn't. It's older than him," Albedo shook his head, "and I've made peace with Durin..."
Rosaria looked down, resisting the urge to roll her eyes, "no matter who the favorite is, she isn't going to come back..."
"I know that..." Albedo turned to face Rosaria, "but if this is what my purpose is-"
"Albedo," Kaeya spoke quietly as he wrapped his arms around him, "you don't have to do this just because it's what you were made for..."
"But-"
Kaeya shook his head, "I've abandoned my purpose a long time ago..."
Albedo tried to turn around, but Kaeya was holding him tightly.
Rosaria stared Albedo down for a minute. Then she turned and walked outside. She'd already had this conversation once. And that was enough.
"I was their 'last hope'," Kaeya laughed, though it sounded like he was about to cry. "But why would I owe them anything? I chose my own people... Albedo, you have to choose who's more important to you..."
"I don't want to..." Albedo whispered.
"It wasn't easy," Kaeya chuckled, "but I know I made the right decision... When I chose, I let Diluc know everything... Where I was from and how I'm supposed to somehow save my people... I smiled at him as I said it. I wanted him to kill me.
"I thought to myself, 'how could I choose to be on the side of the people who abandoned a child without a second thought? Why would I choose to be against the people who love me?'"
Albedo didn't want to make a choice. He really, really didn't. It wasn't like this thing or Rinedottir where causing real problems, right? Why should he have to take a side?
"Just think about it, Albedo," Kaeya's grip loosened, "but, right now, I need you to go to sleep."
Albedo sighed, "I don't want to do that, either..."
"Too bad," Kaeya picked him up, "you're going to sleep and stop being sick."
"I'm not-"
"Albedo, you've been shivering and sniffling. You're sick."
Albedo sighed, "I hate it when you're right..."
"I love youuuuu~"
"Stop it..." Albedo sank into his blanket.