Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

The sun hid away beyond the horizon. Dusk, at last. 

You sat on the edge of Starsnatch cliff, a part of you relieved you didn't see that couple here like they usually are. You didn't like invading their privacy, regardless of if they minded it or not. You think on them for a moment, wondering if you'd ever caught their names. It seemed you didn't, nothing coming to mind as you looked at the glittering waters below you.

You were slightly tempted to somehow invite Lumine over here to sit with you, you both having decided that Mondstadt is the place you'd call home for a long while. Even so, neither of you bothered to rent a house or find anywhere else to stay. Being a nomad wasn't a bad life, at least to the both of you, given you were always quite fond of nature and finding your own places in it. You were a nomad even before Lumine arrived with their little buddy, Paimon. You'd learned sign language in their dialect just for them, always finding it intriguing. And with words you didn't understand, Paimon helped you out with it, or simply voiced what Lumine was trying to say.

With a sigh, you decide to call it a day. The sun had made its way further past the horizon, allowing it to sink in just how much your thoughts had occupied you. It was a habit of yours. You got up, then turned away from the edge of the cliff and gave yourself time to look out at Mondstadt, admiring it. Then, shortly after, you examine the snowing mountain that clogs up the view to everything else.

Dragonspine.

You always found that mountain very interesting, having caught your eye many times. But you never put it amongst yourself to actually go there. From what Lumine told you, it was freezing. Literally. If you went without a heat source for too long, the cold would overtake you, and... well, I'd assume you'd just freeze to death. You also heard something about someone housing themselves there, but Lumine didn't really touch on that. Either way, you were able to add Dragonspine to your sign language vocabulary.

You made your way back to Mondstadt, searching for your blonde friend and their floating buddy. As you arrived, your exhaustion finally caught up to you—you haven't given yourself much time to rest the past few days, too concentrated on the work the people of Mondstadt had to give you. Between commissions, requests, errands, it was a lot at once. Regardless, you never relented when it came to helping the citizens. Of course, you weren't really anyone special. Yet another citizen in the city, sort of. You saw to it that you helped Lumine out, being both their translater and simply assisting them when it came to quests or bounties. With them being the honorary night, they had a lot of duties to take care of.

You search the city for their dress that stood out—almost more than Paimon's... well, existence—missing the soft feeling it gave your eyes, as well as your chest. Lumine's presence was calming to you, being one of the few you found genuine comfort in. Turning a corner, you grin when you see Lumine. You wave at them, hoping they'll see you.

Paimon nudges Lumine, saying your name and pointing in your direction. They smile and sign your name, walking towards you as well. You greet them aloud, signing along as if to practice. Lumine wasn't deaf, unlike a few people in the city think, simply mute. You just took it upon yourself to sign along with them in conversations, aware of the warmth it provided to Lumine's heart. They found relief in knowing that someone cares enough about talking to them to learn their preferences. You have an exchange about where you're going to sleep, and the three of you decide you'd sleep near the large tree in Windrise again. It protected you from rain, after all.

As you turn to leave Mondstadt's walls, you accidentally bump into someone as you pass them by. They make a startled noise. Immediately, you call out an apology towards the person. In the corner of your eye, as you collided, you caught a glimpse of a light blonde hair. You kept your eyes forward, shortly after hearing a brief mutter of reassurance. A light, 'no no, you're alright'.

You decide not to think too hard on it, still worried about having inconvenienced the person you bumped into. You didn't disregard the reassurance, but also didn't believe it either. You hated doing that—getting in people's way. But, hey, it's probably just your head talking.

You allow Lumine to lead the way to the tree in Windrise.

You wake to the sound of ruffling and the clinking of glass. You stir, not yet fully concious, a groggy groan slipping from your throat. The movement halts, seemingly worried as to not wake you.

It's a little too late now.

Nevertheless, you roll over and pull your blanket closer to you in an attempt to settle back into slumber. You shuffle a bit into bit, breathing a light sigh through your nose. Once the source of the movements assumed you were asleep, it continued.

You slowly opened your eyes, slightly disappointed and annoyed you couldn't get more sleep. You needed it.

The sun had just risen, clearly, the morning dew still on the grass and plants. The damp air filled your senses as you sat up and let your surroundings sink in.

Beside you, Lumine was digging through their bag. They perk up, and you could tell they were alarmed that they'd woke you. They sign an apology, following that up with what they were doing. They woke up early and felt energized, so they decided they'd start their commissions early and get them done.

You smile softly. Lumine was always like this, always eager to help people. You rub your eyes, stretching to the point your limps shake. You relax, then sign back to Lumine:

'Can I come with you, Lumi?'

Lumine smiles at the nickname, as they always do. They nod, then sign: 'If you want to. I'll always appreciate your help with my commissions.'

You chuckle at Lumine's sudden sweetness, then reply: 'Just what I'm here for. Now, shall we?'

They nod once again, then get up. They offer you a kind hand, gently pulling you up from your sleeping bag contraption. You pack up your stuff, then head to Mondstadt.

'Would you like to split the commissions between the two of us, or do one at a time together?' Lumine signs, looking in your direction as you walk. Paimon was apparently already in Mondstadt, probably eating sticky honey roast.

'I say we should split them. It'll get them done faster and make it easier,' you answer, smiling at them softly. They agree, and you make the rest of the way to the city together. Not much of a conversation was held, only occasional small talk, as it wasn't that far of a walk anyway. 

You decide to speak to Katheryne for Lumine, allowing them to find Paimon. 

You tell her you're here to take two of Lumine's daily commissions, and she nods. She assigns you one in Windrise—you sigh, having just left from there—and one in... Dragonspine. The request is brief, saying that the commissioner needs a bit of Iron Ore. The location is marked not far off from the statue of the seven in Dragonspine.

You furrow your brow. You'd just been thinking about that place yesterday, and now you ended up with a commission to go there. What a pleasant coincidence. After your brief thinking to yourself, you tell Lumine their commissions and they were on their way. 

The drawing of Dragonspine, marked with the commission symbol, loomed over you. What business did someone have on a big freezing mountain, of all places? You decide to go to the one in Windrise first. To get it out of the way. It seemed like the mentally easier one anyways.

(You were just afraid of freezing to death in Dragonspine, or getting killed by some creep there.)

The sun had creeped slightly higher into the sky, warmth finally spreading throughout the fields of Mondstadt. You breathe in the clean air, sighing. Then you realize you're being dramatic again, and absent-mindedly march towards your commission. 

Absent-mindedly, you say, but your mind wandered to the other commission. You're thinking about it too much, you think. You shouldn't be thinking so much about something that isn't bad. Presumably.

But you do it anyway.

You wonder if there's a man waiting there for you, ready to snatch you up and kill you. Maybe you'll freeze on the way there and no one will be there to find you. Maybe you'll fall into freezing water. Maybe you'll get frostbite. Maybe-

Your thoughts are briefly interrupted by you finally arriving at your commission. You just had to kill a few slimes. You take out your sword, sighing. Slimes are just annoying, getting you all, well slimy. Along with cold cold, shocked, and/or burnt depending on the type of slime. You shudder at the thought of it, ready to just get this over with.

With a few swift movements, you're done with the commission. You proudly place the gems that these slimes dropped into your bag, ready to give these to Lumine. You wonder what they even do with these things anyway. Special currency for a dealer they know or something? Even then, dealer of... what? Drugs? No, they'd never do that.

You shake your head, disappointed that even crossed your mind. Are there even drugs on Teyvat? Either way, you decide to put your mind back into what you're currently doing.

That's when you remember that you have another commission. The one in Dragonspine.

Dragonspine.

Even the word gives you chills.

You sigh and depart, already having Iron Ore in your bag. All you needed was to get there. And you'll make it, you hope.

You hope even harder.

Chapter Text

After a few minutes of walking, your nerves start to get to you. You fiddle with the strap of your bag with the pads of your fingers, trying to find something to soothe your nerves.

You decide to try and rationalize this situation and see if the helps.

What are you afraid of, anyway? The boogeyman?? The rest of Mondstadt is safe, save for the hilichurls, slimes, and other things. So what do you have to worry about? You sigh, finally reaching the outside of Dragonspine. You had to walk on a path, leading to a bridge that seemed to be on its last leg. You push past your nervousness, the bridge groaning beneath the weight of each step you take.

After passing, you look down at your map. You seemed to be halfway there, spotting a trail that led to where you were headed. It was hard to see, in reality, the snow clogging your view. As you step into the snow that had already landed, it gently crunched. You start to realize how hold it really his, breathing a sigh. Instantly, you're able to see your breath. 

"Gods, what is up with this place?" You cross your arms in attempt to conceal your body heat. How is it possible for it to get so cold at the drop of a hat?

You press on, passing by a very large tree. It seems to flourish, even in this cold. There were a few sleeping hilichurls by it, one of them using a cryo slime as a pillow.

You shudder, your nose feeling particularly cold. They weren't kidding when they said the cold practically kills you, eats away at you. You spot a little fire... thing. You pull out a match and ignite it, the fire soon enveloping the wood. You sigh, the warmth soothing against your face. You normally wouldn't stand this close to a fire, but you kinda needed it.

Feeling energized and warm, you continue your journey. You begin to notice the wind getting stronger, blowing in random directions. You ignore it, determined to finish this commission. You're about 3/4 of the way there, you predict, that statue of the seven coming into view. You smile, your cheeks stiff from the cold. This startles you, your smile faltering. You speed up your walking, hurrying to reach the statue of the seven.

You reach it, sighing in relief. You definitely weren't expecting this. How does the commissioner even bear this cold? Obviously, they've got to have some sort of house or cave with warmth. But how could someone pass through here with such ease? ...Or, maybe you were just much more sensitive to the cold then they are and it isn't that hard. 

Either way, you groan and continue towards your destination. After a minute or two, you reach a broken bridge. You blink, staring down at the ground below you. It's quite the height, you'd definitely get hurt if you fell. You jump, gliding over to the other side. 

You can feel the cold getting to you once again, your fingers stiffening up. Apparently that left you a lot more vulnerable to the cold.

As you walk on, you see a cave. You glanced at your map, confirming you got there. Sure enough, it's your destination.

You made it. 

..Perhaps you're being a bit dramatic. Either way, you look into the cave. In there, you see two people. One, a brunette man, leaning over a table and examining papers. Across the cave, near an easel, stands a blonde man. You clear your throat, catching both of their attention.

"Oh, you must be here to take my commission!" The brunette looks over. As you see his face, you realize it's Timaeus. 

You're relieved to see a familiar face. "Yes, it's good to see you Timaeus. If I knew it was you, I wouldn't have been so worried."

You walk into the cave, towards Timaeus. It's pleasantly warm in here, the effects of the cold wearing away.

"Yeah, I was in a hurry so i couldn't put much of a decription. So, did you get the iron I asked for?" He asked. You share a passing glance with the other on in the room, curiously watching the two of you.

"Duh, I wouldn't have came here if I didn't have it," You pull some from your bag, then hand it to him.

"Thank you," he smiles, placing it on the desk. "Here's your reward. And a bonus."

He hands you those iridescent gems, ten of them in total. Afterwards, he hands you a crystalfly. 

"The commission called for those gems. But I don't suppose you need them?" He questioned as you put everything in your bag.

"No, they're for Lumine," you smile, thinking back on them. The other standing in the room seems to be intrigued by this, but doesn't say a word. Your back is turned to him. "I'm not sure what they need them for."

He shrugs. After a moment, he takes a bit of the iron and presents it to the other standing in the room. "Albedo, do these look okay to you?"

Your brow furrows.

"Yes, thank you for commissioning it for me, Tomaeus. I've been consumed by my work lately," he nods, looking at Timaeus.

"Wait... Albedo as in Chief Alchemist?" You speak up, looking at Albedo. You were being genuine.

"Yes, you are correct. I don't believe we've met before," Albedo says, diverting his attention to you. "You happen to know the traveller as well?"

"Yes, we're best friends," you smile. "I'd figure you knew them, though, being part of the knights of favonious."

"Yes. Although, we happened to meet on this mountain a long while ago," he says. "Rather than meeting at the headquarters. It's not often I go there, after all."

"Ah, I see."

"What do you happen to be to Mondstadt? As in, do you hold any title?" He asks. His face is nearly completely nonchalant, a slightly curious look in his eye.

"No, I just like helping out. Lumine always enjoys the help," you answer. You watch Timaeus smile slightly, content with your interaction. He silently returns to the table he was at, allowing the two of you to conversate. "Say, do you sign their language as well?"

"Of course. It didn't take me long to pick up on it. I wanted them to be comfortable with speaking to me," Albedo says, taking a few steps towards you. "There were some... troubles with their floating companion, but once I picked up on enough it was a lot easier."

You take a second to just relax in this situation. You're not one for talking to strangers, but this felt natural. This felt okay. You're mostly just relieved some creep hasn't snatched you up yet. And you don't worry much about it either, as Timaeus seems to really trust Albedo. 

"Oh, thats awesome! I love people who can also sign!" You smile. "I'm also practicing-"

You hesitate for a second, briefly worried that you were being too informal. Albedo seemed to be very formal when he spoke, contrary to the way you speak most of the time. You fiddle a bit, trying to figure out what to say. "Uh, sorry. I didn't mean to.."

"It's no worries," Albedo says as you trail off. He seemed content. "I don't mind informality. My little sister hasn't a clue what that is and I pay no mind to it."

Yes, because she's your sister. 

"..My point is, speak how you like," he says, slightly tipping his head to you. "This just happens to be how I normally speak."

You are relieved, but still feel the sting of embarrassment.

"Ah, alright," you smile. "Well, I'd better get back to Lumine."

You wave to Albedo, a slight smile on your face. His expression softens, raising his hand to wave back. "Farewell.."

You quickly skedaddle, basically, rushing to get out of the cave as fast as you could. You were content with that interaction at first, but you had yet to get over that embarrassing experience. Whether he minded or not, that was still an outburst and you were not proud of it.

As you run out of the cave, Albedo's eyebrows slightly furrow.

He didn't catch your name.

..Cliché, much?

After a long way of running, you make it out of Dragonspine. Even with the piercing cold, you could still feel your face hot with embarrassment. You take a break, catching your breath and adjusting to the warmth.

Regardless, you still feel that rush of adrenaline, that urge to run off the embarrassment. After about five minutes of break time, you run the rest of the way to Mondstadt.

You spot Lumine at the bridge. You continue running, stopping right in front of her.

"Lumine!" You say aloud, panting. "You.. hah.. we- can we sit down?"

You look at Lumine, and they chuckle. They nod, then lead you to the side of the bridge.

'What happened? You look exhausted,' Lumine signs, being sarcastic with the last statement. You playfully roll your eyes.

'No shit,' you sign back, then chuckle. 'seriously, though, I met the Chief Alchemist.'

Lumine raises a brow at you and smirks. You punch them. They sign, 'And what does that have to do with the way you're out of breath?'

'I ran the entire way here.'

They give you a confused expression. They slowly sign, as if to emphasize the message, '..why?'

'I made a fool of myself,' it's only now that you start realizing how you overreacted. 'But I may have been dramatic. I just used very casual language with him, only having known him for two minutes and I panicked so I-'

They snort, clearly trying to hold in a laugh.

'Don't laugh! I was embarrassed!'

They laugh, earning a flushed face from you. After a few seconds, they regained their composure. 'I understand that, but I can just imagine you running out of there like a headless chicken.'

'You're begging for a punch in the face right now,' you joke. 

'I digress,' They sign with a Satisfied With Themself expression. 'And, don't lie. It was 100% because you thought he was cute.'

'Hey, it's nothing like that! I just met him!' You sign frantically, your brow furrowed. 

'You can find someone cute after having just met them.'

'That doesn't prove anything! I'm just nervous around new people,' you retaliate. They shrug in response.

'I'm just saying... he's quite the looker, so no one is blaming you.'

'..Alright, enough! Where's Paimon?' You ask, and they chuckle. They decide to just let you change the subject. 

'With Amber. They're going to all different places in Mondstadt, doing some bit,' They answer. 'I decided to come and hang out here.'

'Oh, by the way!' You sign, suddenly remembering the gems you were supposed to give Lumine. You pull all 20 from your bag, handing the pile to them.

'Thanks,' Lumine grins, then snatches the grms and pockets them. 'Though, I believe you've found a reward for helping as well.'

You tilt your head at them, expecting them to elaborate.

'Someone new in your life, of course!' They sign, smiling. 'Romance aside, you made a new friend. And I'm happy for you,'

You smile softly at them, then pull them in for a hug. After a few more minutes of chatting, you decide to part ways for a bit. You wanted to take a walk to gather your thoughts. 

As you walk down a path, the one south of Mondstadt, you look down at your hands. You did make a new friend. And, hopefully, you'll see him once more.

You then freeze in your tracks.

That person living in Dragonspine was the chief alchemist?

Chapter Text

It's a few days since you first met Albedo.

At first, he decides not to let it bother him; the fact he didn't know your name. He continues his studies, doing his best to put it out of his mind.

Yet, every so often, it crosses his mind once again. You seem kind, so he believes it rude not to know your name. Especially since you knew his. He had honestly no memory of what you'd call an incident. A simple exchange on each other's speaking preferences wasn't any trouble to him. Of course, even more so now that he's close with the traveller. They made him believe that social interaction was worth it. Only if the person seems worth it as well. 

In other words, if they were friends with the traveller.

After those three days, he decides to give fate a little nudge. He put everything away for the day in his campsite, tucking away documents and potions, then went back into Mondstadt.

He heads to the favonious headquarters, having a small amount of things he needs to do before going around town and doing a few things. He kept quiet, not really greeting anyone there in particular because he wanted to be in and out of there anyway. As he left, it was then he began greeting the people he was familiar with.

Hoping that he'd bump into you. Not in a yearning type of way, but he does want to learn your name. Besides, he hadn't been in the city itself for about a week now. He needed to visit.

"Albedo!" Klee runs towards Albedo as he was standing near the Alchemy table with Timaeus.

He turns just as Klee wasn't to far away from him. She spreads her arms as if about to throw herself into Albedo she approaches him. 

"Ah, Klee. I was just going to come find you." Albedo smiles. He spreads his arms slightly as well, turning his palms upward and lifting them slightly. A simple movement, but a welcoming one. 

Klee hugs Albedo—or rather, his legs. He places his hands on her head and pats it.

"Master Jean let me out of confinement early this time because she heard you were here!" She cheers, pulling back from Albedo. "She's the best!"

"That was sweet of her, wasn't it?" He says, rhetorically. "Come, let's get a bite to eat."

Klee jumps with joy then runs past Albedo, towards Good Hunter. He chuckles, and follows calmly behind her. Klee orders a few things, Albedo making a comment on how she seems hungry. She gives a cheeky grin and lets Albedo order his food as well.

As they wait for their food to get done, they sit down at a table. He's busy listening to Klee ramble on about bombs and fish, not really paying attention to his surroundings.

Meanwhile, you're all the way on Starsnatch again. This time, with Lumine and Paimon. You're all watching the water, occasionally throwing dirt and rocks into the water and counting how many seconds it takes to fall.

'We haven't been in the city in a few days,' Lumine observes, looking at you and Paimon.

'That's true,' you agree. 'We should probably go back and maybe take a few commissions. I think our break has dragged on for long enough.'

'Yeah, let's get something to eat while we're at it!' Paimon signs, a big smile on her face. She was always hungry. 

'Of course you'd say that,' you joke, a teasing grin on your face. She says "Heyy!" Aloud, before switching back to signing.

'Speak for yourself! You eat just as much as Paimon does,' she lightheartedly bickers with you, following that up with a cross of her arms.

You swat her away, chuckling, then stand up. You offer a hand to Lumine, smiling at them slightly. They take your hand and stand up, then grab Paimon by the hand as well. You assume you're using the weird method that only Lumine can do for some odd reason. They look at you with a determined expression, and you nod. You weren't excited, but weren't nervous either.

In the blink of an eye, you were outside of Mondstadt. You stood beside a teleport waypoint, which is how Lumine even does this in the first place. How? You have no idea.

You release their hand then make your way into Mondstadt. They follow behind you, having a small exchange of signing before finally getting into the city itself.

Paimon lets out an, 'mmmm!' Before signing, 'Paimon can smell food!'

'Me too,' you say, but then make your way to Good Hunter.

As you approach, you see a certain Alchemist (you cringe at the thought of referring to him like that.) and Klee. So you've met Klee but not him? Nonsense.

Lumine is the first to approach him, giving him a tap on the shoulder. He smiles, then signs:

'Hello, Lumine,' he glances at you, seemingly slightly startled by the sight of you. 'I see you've brought Paimon and-'

Klee jumps out of her seat and calls your name, as if finishing his nonverbal sentence, running over to you.

"Hello, Klee. I see you're eating with Albedo?" You observe, glancing at Albedo. He blinks, then returns to his conversation with Lumine.

"Yeah, big brother is the best! He let me eat a whole bunch of food," she grins, rocking on her feet.

"I was just about to get something to eat as well," you say, looking towards Good Hunter. "I wasn't expecting to see the two of you here."

A smile creeps across your face, then you playfully scoop Klee up and spin her around, saying 'but I'm glad I did!!'. She laughs, squirming a bit as if to escape your grasp.

"Put Klee down!" She laughed, her eyes closed from both laughing an in an effort to get down. You oblige, setting her down on the ground.

Albedo just watched. You seemed very charming, he thought, and very good with Klee. Lumine was at the stand of Good Hunter. 

"Mind if we sit here, Albedo?" You turn to Albedo, a slight smile on your face. He smiles lightly back, then nods.

"Of course," he gestured towards the two empty seats. "You're more than welcome."

Klee cheers at this, then sits back in her original spot. You sit down, across from the other empty one. Albedo looks at you, as if he wants to say something. Awkwardly, you lightly wave at him.

(Really? Waving? You just spoke, dumbass.)

Your face burns with embarrassment, looking down at the table and not bothering to see Albedo's reaction. He says your name, half testing how it would feel to say, and half wanting to get your attention.

"What a nice name. It has a ring to it," Albedo compliments. He seems to feel the slight awkwardness as well, but tries to ease the tension a little. "You didn't tell me your name when we first met, so I'm relieved I know it now."

You look at him, surprised. "You're telling me I just forgot to tell you my name?"

He nods, looking unfazed by it. It happens, and he understands that. 

"... Well, at least you know it now, I suppose," you say, giving him a half smile.

"Of course."

Lumine comes back with their food, as well as yours and Paimon's. Lumine and Paimon already knew your usual order, so there was no trouble there.

Klee finished up, wiping her face with her sleeve. "Okay, Klee's done! Now, I'm gonna go find Master Jean. I feel like coloring in one of her notebooks~"

"Have fun, Klee," Albedo smiles softly, waving at Klee. She waved back then skipped away. 

You just kinda stared in awe. Careful not to make it obvious, though. That soft expression was a good look for him. It made you feel slightly more relaxed with this situation.

You snap out of it as you realize Albedo was staring back with a confused look on his face. You began digging in to your food, Lumine and Paimon following. Paimon had taken the place that Klee had sat previously.

"So, Albedo," Paimon said, half of her mouth full. She swallowed, then continued. "How's your painting going?"

"Oh, I finished it," Albedo answered, returning to his normal expression. He sat his fork down, the silver clinking on his plate. "Would you like to stop by and see?"

"Yes, Paimon would love to!" Paimon said, doing a little kick thing in the air. "Would you guys like to tag along?"

'Yes, I was wondering how the painting was going,' They answer. Albedo nods, smiling slightly.

"And you?" He turned to you. Much to your surprise, he tried to get an answer out of you when your mouth was... particularly full. You freeze, just staring at him.

He chuckles nervously. "My apologies. Please, finish eating that."

Paimon and Lumine share a giggle at your interaction, and the way your cheeks were nearly stuffed full like a chipmunk. You finish chewing, and regain your composure.

"Uh, yes. I'd like to see it too," You finally answer, then wipe your mouth with a napkin. "I think I saw you painting it when I was uo there last."

"Yes, I believe you did," he said, nodding. "I don't suppose you saw my progress, did you?"

"Heh, no. I was too focused on speaking to you and Timaeus," you answer. "Better surprise then, right?"

Albedo smiles and nods once again. You all finish up eating, tip Sara, and decide it's time to go.

"Uhh, do we have to walk all the way there?" You ask pretty much everyone, nervous. You didn't want to freeze like you almost did last time.

'We can use the waypoints,' Lumine offers, then tilts her head.

'Great idea,' you sign back, smiling. Lumine smiles as well.

'Okay, you guys know what to do,' Lumine then takes Paimon's hand, Albedo's, and looks at you. You take Paimon's hand, and Albedo takes his hand in yours. He's very gentle with it, as if your hand would crumble if he squeezed too hard. You brush it off, then look at Lumine.

Once again, you're at your destination in the blink of an eye.

"I'll never get over that.." You whisper to yourself, still holding Paimon and Albedo's hands. Lumine releases, then runs to glide across the cliff towards the campsite. Paimon's next, simply flying over.

Albedo just watches them, seemingly amused at how eager they were. You pull your hand from his, immediately running to follow the other two. Albedo follows shortly after, simply making sure you all got across safely.

You sigh as the warmth of the campsite hits your face once again. You look around; this time, the room is slightly more cluttered. The room is relying on the fires scattered around the room, the sun having hid behind the clouds today. You lean on a table, waiting for everyone to sort of settle in. Lumine and Paimon are near the table across the room from you, examining some potions. 

Albedo walks past everyone, and digs through a crate that was on the floor next to his easel. He mutters an 'Ah, here it is.' and pulls out a large canvas.

"Come, you three," he calls for you and the other two. You quickly scurry over there, watching as Albedo sets the canvas up on the easel. Your jaw slightly drops at the sight of it.

It's a landscape painting, particularly of the large tree in Windrise and its surroundings.

"It's beautiful, Albedo," you say, smiling at him.

"It sure is!" Paimon says, grinning from ear to eat. "He did a painting of Paimon last year too and it was awesome!"

Albedo chuckles. "It's true. And Lumine did one too, but it was... a bit more creative."

'I drew her in a pot,' Lumine signs, that Proud of Themself expression returning once again. You laugh a bit, just imagining that.

"It's true," Albedo confirms, smiling back on the memories. "Speaking of which, I did say that perhaps I could paint you next time, Lumine."

'It'd be an honor,' Lumine signs.

'Very well, then,' he decides to sign back. 'Please, sit on that stool over there. Take whatever pose you'd like.'

Lumine nods in response, sitting on the chair as Albedo had requested. He pulls out a fresh new canvas, squirting a few different paints onto his palette. He silently began to work, glancing between Lumine and the canvas. You watch as his brush glides across the canvas. He seems to very gentle, and... precise wouldn't be the word. He seems to be so sure of what he's doing, even with mistakes. When he makes one, he just works with it. He must have been doing this for a long time now. 

"Albedo, do you mind if I speak to you while you work?" You ask, being sure he was alright with it before you say what you were previously going to.

"Yes, I don't mind. Go on, speak away," Albedo said, keeping his eyes on his work.

"How long have you been painting for?" 

"Hmm... well, I'd say a year or two. I began painting because I realized that it helped describe my studies better than any notes could," he said, seemingly content with that fact. Though... he seemed content with any fact. At least from what you've seen. "And now, I do it for the entertainment of myself and others as well as my studies. It's proved to be great help with both of those things."

You smile, quite enjoying Albedo's small backstory. It was a lot easier to talk to him, with his back turned to you. That might sound odd, but it was true. It also gave you a chance to really observe Albedo's features, and the way he moves when he does certain things.

His hair was fluffy, seemingly the line between unkempt and simply voluminous. This may be because it's tied back in braids. You wonder how long it took him to master doing that on his own. You can barely do it yourself. You look at his clothes, fascinated by all the colors and shapes. There's not too many, but from what you see, it's very unique. You also like the touch of chains on his sides. 

You also notice how particularly tall his boots are. You nod; that's something you'd never have the courage to do lately. You respect it. 

Before you can even realize it, Albedo is done painting Lumine.

'Alright, you can come look now,' Albedo signed, then gestured for Lumine to come over. They grinned and walked over to see the painting.

It was gorgeous; you can only imagine what the painting of Paimon looks like. It's probably just as beautiful.

'I love it! You made me look so pretty,' Lumine grins, looking at Albedo.

'I just drew you like you are, traveller,' Albedo signs, smiling slightly at Lumine. They smile proudly—Albedo was basically saying they were pretty.

You all hang out there for a little while longer. From time to time, you inevitably feel awkward or unwelcome, but you quickly get over it every time. Especially with Lumine there with you. After a bit, you all decide it's time to go. Albedo comes with, simply to get to Mondstadt, and then you'd part ways outside of it.

He waved all of you goodbye—well, more like stiffly raised his hand and called it waving. You did the same, simply wanting to match his energy. After you separate, you're back to business as usual.

Presumably.