Journey | Albedo's Descent Book 3

Chapter 26: Scheduled Meeting

Albedo woke up with a deep inhale. He slowly blinked his eyes open, puffing his chest out to get more air.
There was more weight on his chest than normal. He managed to rub at his right eye and blink a few more times.
Laying his head against Albedo's chest was Kaeya, who was sleeping peacefully. One of his hands was closed around the material of Albedo's shirt and the other was somewhere underneath the covers.
Albedo smiled a little bit. Kaeya just couldn't resist cuddling, could he? He wriggled his left arm out from under Kaeya, who only stirred a little bit. Albedo wondered what time it was and thought that he really should get a clock for his camp.
He yawned quietly as he placed his hands over Kaeya's head and started petting him absently. His mind was awake enough that he probably wouldn't be able to go back to sleep... He sighed, wondering what had woke him up.
Probably nothing. He probably just woke up on his own. It seemed he could never be asleep for more than a few hours...
Albedo began to absently braid Kaeya's hair, missing his nightly chore of braiding Klee's hair for her... He wondered if she had gotten the hang of braiding her own hair yet.
Kaeya stirred from his sleep, groaning softly as he woke up. His fist tightened and loosened. He didn't even open his eyes before he spoke, "why are we awake? It doesn't feel like morning."
Albedo chuckled, taking out the braids, "it's not morning. I just woke up. I didn't mean to wake you as well."
Kaeya yawned as he forced his eyes open, "how long have you been awake?"
"Not very long at all. Maybe a few minutes at most?"
Kaeya nodded tiredly before moving to lay beside Albedo and put his arms around him.
Albedo looked at Kaeya with a smile, "normally you don't wake up when I do. Im glad you did, though."
"Hm? Do you always wake up in the middle of the night?"
Albedo nodded, "it's a common occurrence. My body just isn't used to sleeping through the night."
"You could have just woken me up if you felt lonely," Kaeya gave him a squeeze.
Albedo smiled, "I wanted you to sleep. I know you can't handle being awake for as long as I can."
Kaeya sighed, "but I don't want you to feel lonely..."
Albedo chuckled. Then he started to feel all sorts of wrong. His stomach twisted and his throat closed. He gagged on nothing and he felt like his left eye was being ripped out of its socket. He pressed his hand harshly against it in panic, almost screaming from the pain.
Kaeya freaked out, quickly sitting Albedo up, "what's wrong?!"
Albedo wheezed as he tried to breathe and calm down, but he hurt so terribly everywhere.
"Albedo, speak to me, what's going on?!"
Albedo leaned into Kaeya, his other hand against his own chest, feeling it move in and out rapidly as he tried to get enough air. His eye hurt so incredibly awfully he would rather it just be ripped out for real then for it to feel like this for any longer.
Then it all melted away.
A confusing state of relief washed over him as a new scene unfolded before his eyes.
An all white slope, probably somewhere in Dragonspine. It was snowing softly.
"A gift," a garbled voice came as that thing, that so-called dangerous being, melded itself together into existence. "For you..." it extended a part of itself towards Albedo.
Albedo stared at it. For some reason, he was unable to speak, but he didn't know why.
"Come get it," it said as another part of itself extended in another direction, as if pointing.
Albedo looked to where it was gesturing to. It was the domain right by the peak of the mountain. It was standing right above it.
"Quickly. Hurry," it said softly and started dissolving.
Then the pain returned. Well, it hadn't returned, it had never gone away in the first place. Albedo bit down on his tongue, holding in the tears that wanted to stream out.
"Albedo!" Kaeya was still desperately trying to get him to respond.
Albedo opened his mouth only to seethe and choke on more nothing.
"What is happening?!" Kaeya was holding him steady, trying to help in any way he could think of.
"I- I'm okay now," Albedo managed a whisper as the pain in his eye faded away. He felt the knot in his stomach slowly unravel and his throat begin to relax.
Albedo loosed a heavy breath as he turned his face into Kaeya's chest.
Kaeya embraced him gently, "what was that?..."
Albedo whispered, "it's happened once before... It may be connected to... when I got some of the mystery substance in my eye..."
Albedo explained his visions to Kaeya, "the first one seemed to be something I wasn't around for, or maybe it's the future. But this one... I know this one is happening right now. I have to go-"
"No," Kaeya squeezed him, "we aren't going out there. Not after you almost died again."
"I didn't almost die," Albedo pleaded,
"I-"
"It sure seemed like you might. You were on the verge of screaming and then all of a sudden you freeze... and you're all... unresponsive and limp... You really scared me..."
"I'm sorry..." Albedo whispered helplessly. What was he to do? The thing told him to hurry, but Kaeya didn't want him to go... he hated to be pushy about it...
"I don't think it means anything, but if you're really so worried, we can go later... after you've slept for a little longer, you sound exhausted." Kaeya slowly helped Albedo lay down and laid himself beside him, taking his hand and squeezing it.
Albedo nodded slowly, closing his eyes tightly, "I just... every time I start to feel happy again... something happens..."
"Albedo," Kaeya rubbed his hand and caressed the side of Albedo's face, "no, no this-"
"I know you feel it, too..." Albedo held Kaeya's hand against his face, "you probably feel it more than I do..."
Kaeya wasn't sure what to say. How was he supposed to make this situation better?
Albedo sighed, feeling completely out of energy, "it'll all be over soon... All I need is Durin's vitality... then everything will be good again."
Albedo squeezed Kaeya's hands tightly, whispering as he lost consciousness, "we can be happy again..."
"I really hope you're right," Kaeya whispered as he kissed Albedo's forehead, "sleep well, my love..."
Albedo was already fast asleep, but the edges of his lips twitched upwards slightly.

Kaeya halted in his steps.
"Yes? What is it?" Albedo looked back as their hands separated.
Kaeya seemed unnerved, "I don't know... I just have a really bad feeling... I've only been up here a few times..."
Albedo smiled tiredly, "you can wait here if you want. You can see the hole from right here. I'll yell if anything bad happens."
Kaeya rubbed his arm nervously, "but I can't see in the hole." He really REALLY wanted to go with Albedo, but he couldn't force himself to take another step. The domain was right there. Right there. Why couldn't he just walk over?!
Albedo gave him an understanding nod, "I'll be just fine."
Kaeya took Albedo into his arms, "if you don't come back, I'll... I'll bring you back and kill you again myself."
Albedo chuckled, embracing him back, "I love you, too. I promise to come back."
"You better," Kaeya whispered before letting him go.
Albedo turned with a wave and walked towards the domain. The second he took a step downwards the winds blew harshly around the rectangular hole, creating a snowstorm in only that area.
Kaeya abruptly moved forward, but he couldn't lift his feet off the ground. Why couldn't he move?! All he could do was scream Albedo's name, and even that was in vain... the wind only carried his voice away...
He could have sworn that in that moment he heard a quiet voice murmuring, "it's for your own good..."

Albedo frowned the moment the being materialized in front of the gates to the domain.
"Gift... for you," it said quietly.
"What is it?" Albedo asked, folding his arms.
"Come," it beckoned.
Albedo paused, "but if I move, you'll disappear..."
The thing faltered, it's particles shifting and swirling in a mad way. [as in crazy/insane] Then it twisted into another form. Kaeya's form.
"Come on, it's a gift, after all. It would be rude not to," it mimicked Kaeya's voice almost perfectly. It only had a slightly different manner of speaking...
Albedo clenched his fists, "don't do that. That isn't your appearance to take."
The thing that looked like Kaeya chuckled softly, "don't hurt my feelings, now." It walked forward.
Albedo unfolded his arms and shifted backwards in shock. It could get closer?!
Albedo opened his mouth, gaping at it, at a loss for words.
It smiled down at him just like Kaeya had so many times, holding out a hand. In the hand was a small amount of the blob-like substance the thing had been secreting. But this one twitched and wiggled like it really were alive...
Albedo seethed as his left eye felt like it was on fire, but he forced it to stay open. He had to know what it looked like.
The mass was emanating a more metallic yellow-ish color than the swirling black all the others had. The thing itself, in Kaeya's form, had barely any sort of feeling coming off of it. It was a dull grey color that faded in and out of existence.
Albedo pressed his palm to his left eye, wincing, "was this another gift of yours?"
Kaeya smiled, "yes. It works quite well, doesn't it?"
"Stop... don't use his voice," Albedo became aware of how absolutely freezing he was. He was shivering and hadn't even noticed.
Kaeya met his eyes, speaking in an almost upset way, "but you like this form."
"No. I like Kaeya, not you." Albedo said a bit more angrily than he had meant to. He was just so cold, he could barely think right!
Its lips spread into a smirk that stretched much too far across its face to look like any human. It held out its hand closer to Albedo, "take it."
"Why are you giving it to me?" Albedo asked.
The form shifted and changed back to normal. Now that they were close Albedo could make out the depressions in the face were its eyes might be located, though it didn't have any other obvious features. It pushed its hand closer, "it's a gift..."
"I know, but is this... going to make me able to see more?..." Albedo didn't like the idea of putting something live in his eye... And if it hurt just as much as the previous one...
It nodded, "much more..."
Albedo hesitated, "what do you mean?..."
It was silent for a long moment, "open..."
Albedo paused, "open?..."
It nodded again, "open... please..." With its last word it weaved in some of Kaeya's voice, trying to sound more appealing to Albedo.
Albedo tried to ignore it, "but, open what?"
The thing held out the substance, "let me help..."
"Let you help what?" Albedo was trying to be patient, as this being had a hard time speaking. ... but it didn't seem to have much trouble talking in Kaeya's voice... Albedo didn't have time to think about it.
He held out his hands in a bowl shape, "what do I do with it? What am I supposed to open?"
The being dropped the substance into Albedo's hands, "open... your mind..." It's voice was quiet and more garbled than normal. It's form fizzled like a fire about to go out.
Albedo tried not to be grossed out by the thing wriggling in his hands as he tried to find something to carry it with. He didn't want it to stain his gloves. "But what does that mean?"
The being started moving backwards, little by little.
"Wait!" Albedo took a step. Once more, it was gone. How come it could move to Albedo but Albedo couldn't go to it?!
Completely unfair!