Hello There!

It’s mid-afternoon on an otherwise standard work day when Albedo’s routine is interrupted; and not by any of the usual suspects.

No, this time It’s Miss Lisa, Librarian of the Knights of Favonius, who’s come to Albedo with a — peculiar problem.

Her vision seems to have—for lack of a better word—started leaking. Invisible to those without the blessing of elemental sight, but noteworthy otherwise. A fine purple mist with sparking particulates speckled throughout it. It’s a very interesting sight, but one most concerning.

Now, Lisa is nothing short of a genius. Brilliant in ways even Albedo can’t follow. So it’s no surprise that she’s already run some tests of her own.

She can still use her vision, with no visible defects in power nor ability. It just tends to — spark.

Nothing uncomfortable. Lisa compares it to ‘the scratch of a timid little kitten.’

All things considered, this isn’t a major problem. Lisa can still use her vision without adverse side effects, but they come to a mutual agreement that it’d be better to act preventatively, rather than wait for things to go wrong.

And since Lisa has done about all she can regarding the actual elemental flow of the vision, she figures it must be an issue of mechanics. Hence why she’s brought it to Albedo.

“Your expertise does surpass mine in matters of the physical realm,” Lisa says, placing the dark vision in Albedo’s palm.

For the moment she clasps his hand, the vision resting between, he can feel a dull buzzing across his palm.

“Of course, I’ll get right on it.”

A pat on the head from Lisa is—not uncommonly—her way of expressing thanks.

———

Though he’s putting aside other work to get started on Lisa’s vision, he can’t say it’s not an interesting side venture. He’s never thought to dissect a vision. It’s quite a precious item, to those lucky enough to gain them, and he must remain cautious in his testing.

The last thing he needs right now is a visitor.

That, of course, is the queue for said visitor’s entrance — suspect number one on Albedo’s list of lab intruders.

Kaeya doesn’t knock — Albedo isn’t sure if he ever has — but his cheery wave melts Albedo’s faux glare all too quickly.

This is a bit of a difficult situation though.

While Albedo has grown used to the persistent annoyance that is his partner in his lab, this is different. This isn’t his own work, it’s for another one of the knights. And while he has her vision, she’s been left in a somewhat compromising position, unable to direct her elemental power and defend herself if the situation came to it.

The chances of Mondstat being attacked are few and far between, but Albedo would rather be safe than sorry when it pertains to others in his care.

“What’s your excuse this time?” Albedo calls, turning back to his workbench. He’s too used to unexpected visitors to let it interrupt his work flow nowadays.

“Do I need one?” Kaeya asks. Albedo can hear him make his way over, unhurried, touching whatever new equipment Albedo’s set up since the last time he visited.

Albedo continues taking readings of the vision’s electric field.

“What, I’m not allowed to come visit my lonely partner while he’s cooped up in his workspace?” Albedo hears papers fluttering in the background.

He huffs. “Not when he’s in the middle of an important favor.”

That peaks Kaeya’s interest. Enough that the noise of him rustling through Albedo’s things comes to a halt.

Albedo removes the vision from within his sensors, gently checking to make sure everything is in place.

Then he tosses it.

There’s no doubt in his mind Kaeya will catch it. Which he does, cupping it snugly his palm before bringing it to his eye for inspection.

“Oh? An electro vision, hm?” Kaeya steps over to join Albedo, still eyeing the glass ball.

“What poor, gullible soul did you manage to swipe this from?” Albedo knocks his shoulder with his notebook.

“It’s Miss Lisa’s.” He explains.

He takes the next few minutes to describe the problem, what he’s found, and — most importantly — what he plans to do next.

“If you insist on making my workshop your personal lounge, the least you can do is make yourself useful.” Albedo finishes.

Kaeya laughs, placing the vision in Albedo’s open hand when he gestures for it.

He then spreads his arms in flourish.

“How do you want me?”

Albedo couldn’t stop the roll of his eyes if he tried.

He opens to a fresh page in his notebook, filling in the date and context of the situation.

“Attach it where you’d normally put your own vision,” He says, scrawling out some of his initial readings. He can hear Kaeya fidgeting with his vision to the side.

“Now, before you say it—“ Albedo says, placing his pencil down. “I know you’re a cryo user.”

It may be obvious, but seeing Kaeya’s guilty smile tells him all he needs to know

“Still, you’re a vision wielder, so you have control over elemental particles.” Albedo eyes the vision strapped to Kaeya’s hip. The difference is almost imperceivable.

“Use this vision as you might use your own. You won’t get any cryo effects, or electro—“ Albedo waves his hand. “—but the elemental energy should still siphon through the vision. Enough to give us an idea of what we’re working with.”

Kaeya nods his understanding, though he may be just itching to do something, more accurately.

Albedo takes a step forward, runs his hand over the out of place vision. Something about this is making him anxious. He can’t place why.

He glances at Kaeya’s face — patient and only slightly bored — before getting back to his notebook.

“Okay. Go ahead.” Albedo says. “Just—“

His lips press together.

“—start slow.”

For a good minute, it seems like nothing is happening. Albedo jots down his initial observations, and then he just…taps his pencil to the paper, waiting for something noteworthy.

It’s kind of strange, that it’s taking so long. Given Albedo’s predictions, it should function — at least visually — like any other vision. Unless Kaeya has gotten stage fright and forgotten how to wield a vision, it should—

Oh, there it is.

Albedo’s pencil comes to life, noting the subtle purple glow that lights the glass. It’s so faint, he almost has to question if it’s actually there.

“Okay, now a bit more—“

Albedo can say for certain that it’s glowing when it suddenly stops.

And then Kaeya lurches to the side.

Albedo’a eyes widen, legs stepping forward immediately.

“Kaeya—!”

The captain has caught himself on the work bench, leaning heavily against it. His left hand presses over the vision. Albedo can’t see his face, with his head tilted toward the ground, but the ways his shoulders heave make Albedo feel ice cold.

Gods, Albedo should’ve thought about this. Should’ve thought about all of this before bringing another person into it. He should’ve written down possibilities. Should’ve tested on himself before he even considered asking Kaeya—

His notebook is going to be a mess with how tightly he grips onto it, but he doesn’t care. It might look very strange, with Albedo hovering so close to Kaeya, should someone come in, but he doesn’t care.

Albedo can see his hand shake when he raises it to Kaeya’s face. He takes a guess where his cheek might be, brushing his hair away—

He then smacks Kaeya with his notebook again. Hard.

“This isn’t a joke, Kaeya.”

Albedo steps — not stomps — back to his earlier spot. Bending over to grab the pencil he’d dropped in his haste.

Kaeya slowly straightens out, wiping a hand over his face to erase the last hints of a smile. A thin, tight-lipped smile that one hundred percent means he was holding back laughter.

“N-not a joke.”

Albedo scoffs. “Not at all, jokes are supposed to be funny.”

But Kaeya…doesn’t snap back, not like he usually would when joking around. He just stands quietly, tapping a foot on the floor. His hand still grips tightly to the borrowed vision.

Fine, Albedo will bite.

“Okay, you’re not joking,” Albedo mutters, placing his things back on the table. He steps over to stand in front of Kaeya, arms crossed.

“Enlighten me then.”

Kaeya’s free hand moves to scratch at his neck, a hesitant gesture. “It, ah, just—kind of—you know…”

Albedo is so caught up in the confusing way Kaeya acts, he doesn’t prepare himself for the pinch that lands on his hip.

His surprised laugh comes out muffled, arms immediately moving to push at Kaeya’s hand. He doesn’t continue—though Albedo can never be sure with Kaeya, so he keeps ahold of his hand anyways.

“Kaeya, what—?”

His looks up at Kaeya and gets met with an awfully wry expression.

Wait, is he serious?

“So…you mean to say that the vision—“

Albedo’s eyes travel down subconsciously.

The vision rests on Kaeya’s front—top left of his pelvis, very close to his hip—and Albedo knows how ticklish he is there.

Albedo can’t help it.

He laughs.

He’s already in close quarters with Kaeya, so the tilt of his head onto the captain’s chest comes all too naturally. The arms around his back finishing the picture.

“Glad to see this is so entertaining for you, dear.”

Kaeya’s hand strokes over his back in a familiar fashion. And, after that scare — Albedo can’t say it’s entirely unwanted.

Once Albedo can stop laughing at the thought of it, he looks up at Kaeya. Something just shy of mischief in his eyes.

“Let’s continue then.”

Kaeya sighs, dropping his forehead to rest against Albedo’s. He can see the smile already pulling at Kaeya’s lips

“I was afraid you’d say that.”

———

“So from what I’ve gathered—“

It’s a tad redundant to go over everything when Kaeya’s been right here to experience it all, but the recap helps Albedo get back into the swing of things. Now they know their main issue, why it had little effect on Lisa, and…a greater effect on Kaeya.

“…which—apparently—feels a bit ticklish.” Albedo concludes.

“I’d be more than happy for you to see for yourself.” Kaeya offers, head in his hand as he leans on the table beside Albedo. Albedo only smiles in response.

He’s quick to run over the procedure again. He doesn’t want to waste too much more time. Though it is a little funny to see how Kaeya squirms at certain details.

They take up the same positions as before, Albedo leaving his notebook open on the workbench, a pencil poised for anything interesting. Kaeya stands across him, foot tapping absentmindedly on the floor.

Okay, once more.

“Low power please.”

And oh, Albedo can see it so clearly now. The way Kaeya’s muscles tense. The way his shoulders lock up and his core tightens. He stands taller, straighter, stiffening like it’ll block out the feeling. Like it’ll stop the inevitable.

Albedo wipes his smile away discreetly.

“Okay, now if you could increase the power…please.”

Albedo can see when that happens too. When Kaeya starts gritting this teeth. Tapping his fingers. When the foot he’s using to tap starts jerking off the floor, like he could use it to dislodge the building feeling on his hip.

“You’re doing amazing, Kaeya.” Something in Albedo feels the need to reassure the twitchy captain. “Please continue. I just want to get a better idea of what you’re feeling right now.”

Kaeya’s inability to engage in witty banter isn’t lost on Albedo, but that’s why he’s attempting to keep the teasing to a minimum. Attempting.

“This is a new sensation I’m sure, but how would you say it compares to when—for example—I’m tickling you.”

Kaeya’s head turns suddenly, facing away from Albedo. He can hear a cough-like sound exit Kaeya’s throat. He chooses not to comment.

“Well…” Kaeya begins, voice wavering. “It’s—ah—it’s similar to w-when you use your nails v-very lightly…”

Albedo steps away from his open journal, lingering for a moment, before moving to step around Kaeya. Head tilted down towards the tabletop, he probably doesn’t notice Albedo’s sudden proximity. He leans on the counter opposite his boyfriend.

“That bad already?”

He sees the flash of one wide blue eye before Kaeya’s falling forward again; Albedo feels no fear this time. He catches himself on the counter, leaning against it with all his weight. Turning away from Albedo once more. That does nothing to stop the wave of bubbly giggles that burst free, before getting stubbornly pushed back down.

Albedo doesn’t have to hide his smile when Kaeya so staunchly refuses to look at him.

“So it’s more of a teasing touch,” Albedo continues. “Would that be correct? When I’m preparing you for what’s in store, but I haven’t started squeezing your hips yet?”

Kaeya shudders, breathes another airy laugh. He nods repetitively into his own arms, now crossed over one another on the counter.

“Interesting. Another level up, please.”

Albedo catches the end of a clipped-off whine before it’s lost to laughter. There goes Kaeya’s apparent limit.

“Ack, wahahait! Alb-ehe!-Albedoho!”

“I’m not doing anything, dear.” The ironic honesty of it all has Albedo biting back a laugh of his own. Not that Kaeya can see, of course.

Kaeya curls more into his arms, though it does nothing to muffle the sweet giggles that’ve finally made their way out. “I don’t thihink—mph—I dohon’t thihink I can k-keep this uhuhuhup!”

“Just a bit longer, Sir Kaeya. I’m sure you can do it.”

A groan cuts through Kaeya’s laughter. Albedo takes his hand.

To be completely honest, there’s little more Albedo can gather from this particular ‘experiment.’ He’s got enough information to make a relatively sound hypothesis. But maybe—

“Okay, just—one more level up.” Albedo requests. “The finale, if you will.”

Kaeya’s laughter takes on a whining quality. It reminds Albedo of when they’re doing this on their own time. When he has his hands hovering over Kaeya’s thighs, maybe the pockets of his hips. When he’s been tickled to a squirming, squealing mess — and then he’s reminded of just how much worse it can get.

Albedo squeezes his hand.

He feels a returned squeeze. Kaeya breathes; and then he drops.

His laughter—immediately—rises to a fever pitch. All bubbling and frantic, interrupted by an influx of desperate, strung out squeals. He’s lost his footing completely, a semi-crouch on the floor as his instincts kick in; making him pull his leg in, shake his hips, anything to try and displace the unbearable feeling.

His words come out rushed, a plea shrouded in hysterical laughter.

“Plehehease! NohoHOHOHO! I cahahan’t! A-Albehedo, I cahaHAHAHAN’T!”

Albedo blinks away his wide-eyed stare, crouching down to meet Kaeya on the floor. He strokes a hand through his hair, speaking loud enough for him to hear.

“Okay, okay. You’re done. You can stop.”

Even with the go ahead, it takes Kaeya several minutes to calm down.

The sporadic twitching of his legs, of his hips dies down. He curls into Albedo’s side to smother the last of his fading laughter. And then it’s just the two of them, cuddled up on Albedo’s lab floor.

What an afternoon.

“Are you alright?” Albedo asks, speaking into Kaeya’s bicep. His hand trails through the mess of blue strands, tossed around on Kaeya’s head.

“Peachy,” Kaeya breathes.

That kind of smart answer is just asking for a jab to the ribs—Albedo is certainly itching to get his turn, after today’s events. But considering the slight rasp to Kaeya voice, Albedo figures he can get away with it for now.

“I’m honestly surprised. I don’t know how you managed to keep going for as long as you did.”

Kaeya laughs. It sounds so quiet now. “What can I say? My stamina is the stuff of legends.”

Albedo hums, hand slowing to a stop.

“Enough for a second trial?”

Albedo can feel the way Kaeya jolts beside him; he has to laugh.

“Not right now,” Albedo cautions. He turns his face, leaning to rest against Kaeya’s arm. “I was thinking when we get home.”

Albedo’s hand slips from Kaeya’s hair, lands gently around his hip. He feels Kaeya shy away from the touch instinctually, pressing more firmly against his side.

“I’ve never seen you so high strung from just tickling your hips—“ Albedo speaks quietly, though it’s only the two of them in the lab. “—and it wasn’t even me.”

Albedo isn’t one for jealousy. How could he be? With a partner so prone to casual flirting? But he must admit, he does feel…some type of way, despite how ridiculous it seems.

Kaeya is silent. For such a period that Albedo finds himself looking up to catch his eye. He finds him, for one second, with a dreamy, far-off look in his eye. Flush seemingly deeper than when he was at the mercy of the vision.

He rights himself quickly. Licks his lips. Clears his throat. Leaning over, he speaks softly into Albedo’s hair.