It's nice to have her back. Considering it seems impossible to leave this place on our own, it's a comforting feeling that she's here and not somewhere I can no longer reach.
[ Aether considers Albedo's words, taking note of the truth that rings through them. Already he's grateful for the other being here, his impartialness and clear thinking a blessing in a place such as this. ] You're right... but, is this case different at all? They are from a different version of Teyvat. Does that mean it would still be unfair to want them to know me...?
[ what a thing to discuss with someone like albedo. ]
It depends on the method and how you decide to react to the mercurial nature of the given results. What you once had with someone, for example, may take a longer or shorter duration to establish again. Even then, it may not return to you in the form it once possessed.
[ albedo takes more than just a sip of the given hot chocolate now, his face saying it all: he's wholly satisfied with it. ]
So long as you exercise patience and allow yourself and the various possibilities enough room for flexibility, no outcome should be too dissatisfying. However, if you mean to imply that you wish to be known as the traveler you've always been...
[ then again, what did he know. human relationships are an inconvenience at best. ]
[ Aether nods slowly, drinking his own hot chocolate. Albedo will never realize it, but it's wholly comforting to be able to talk to him like this. He feels like he can truly confide in the other and that he's not simply being placated with words. ] No, as much as I miss them, I don't want to take that away from my sister. She deserves to be remembered for who she is as much as I do.
[ There is a short pause, unsure if he should mention it. ] What if... in that timeline... I'm... no, nevermind. That's not important. [ —not to mention unfair to dump on Albedo. Aether forces a smile though and shakes off the negativity starting to enclose on him and his thoughts. ]
It's okay, regardless, now that you're here.
But, what did you want to ask me about Trench? I probably don't have as many fantastical tales as some other people but hopefully they'll still be useful to you.
[ albedo can let it go like he always have. maintain the comfortable distance in between and savor the rare occurrence of seeing one another again, all without having to delve deeper and fully understand who they really are as people — it was a companionship that befits someone like albedo. up until he disclosed what he held so close to his own heart.
under the pretext of an investigative pursuit than anything remotely personal: he is mildly curious of lumine's timeline, though nothing beyond what he has openly mused over with his rhetorical questioning — the dissonant memories, if there was some way for those recollections, the gaps serving as moments forgotten, to be completely restored, gradually or no — or did the gods of this world saw it fit to arbitrarily truncate whatever they wanted from their respective life experiences? never to have them returned — ]
Useful or no, your input will always be valuable to me. But I'm more than willing to postpone that discussion for the time being. After all...
[ albedo won't pry. not beyond these next set of words, at least: ] ... It seems there is something that has been troubling you.
[ Aether opens his mouth to respond, say that it's fine and Albedo can ask away. When the other mentions things troubling him, he hesitates. For a moment, he feels his heart quicken, and there's a desire to blurt it out, because it's been so frustrating to hold back and keep it away from the others.
He thinks Albedo is truly the first person to have noticed it beyond his sister (or, at least, has made aware he senses it), and his initial conflict ricochets between telling a secret he's not sure he wants to burden his friend with and indulging in the ability to finally be able to confide in someone who knows him. The conflict eases, though, upon realizing how relieved he is to finally simply have someone here like this. Someone evening taking too him, saying such a thing to begin with. Someone that can notice his behavior, can tell him when he's acting wrong or out of his usual self.
There's a soft sigh and he smiles a bit before drinking more of the hot beverage in his cup.] ... Yeah. There are a few things, but... you're here, so I think they all just have started mattering that much less. If they become too much, though, I'll come to you with them.
[ he's feeling better, if nothing else. It doesn't seem to be fleeting, either. ]
Now... you are sure you don't want to ask those questions? Would you mind if I spend the afternoon with you, anyway?
[ he almost wants to ask how so; would aether feel otherwise if albedo's memories of the traveler were readily replaced with his sister instead? but those thoughts dissolves into a different train of thought, something light-hearted, less thought-provoking; it isn't albedo's place to insist on a topic beyond alchemical discussions. so he doesn't, and will simply take aether's word for it instead. ]
While I do not mind, and you may have many more of my afternoons to come — [ his sketchbook and charcoal stick appears in his hands. with his gaze now downcast, he begins his little draft. if aether decides to take a peek, he may find a familiar pair of eyes ( aether's, specifically ). ]
I do want to ask you something in particular. Would you consent to your sister being the main subject matter of a conducted research?
[ it sounds absolutely silly; there is a tonal change that almost suggests that he's joking. deep within though, albedo seeks aether's authorization, like he's hoping for some sort of penance for having to keep a certain secret from him. if aether happens to decline, the most he'll do to ensure he wouldn't overstep that boundary is to at least watch over her, try to find remedies that would cause the least interference with her lest it somehow manages to calm whatever currently perturbs her, however slight. ]
Ah, uh—?[ Aether shows his surprise openly at the question, none or not. How unexpected a question?! ] I... uhm, if she's okay with it, I don't know if I can stop her, anyway. I guess I wouldn't be okay with it if she's not, obviously. But, otherwise, you know... she's gonna do what she wants, ah heh. [ He has no idea what Albedo may even be referring to, and his train of thought just immediately goes to along similar ideas of what he's tested with Aether. Lumine went through those same things, so it's not like he'd be protecting her from anything if he didn't give his consent, as far as he knows.
All he knows for sure is that what he says is only a formality, at best, anyway. He doesn't have any push or pull on anyone's decisions, and that's most of all true with his his sister. That's what happens when no one knows who you are. Your influence, if you ever had any to begin with, goes poof.
In the case of Lumine, though, it's all the result of just typical sibling stuff. ]
As you've said, Traveler, she will do as she wishes. Then, are you implying that I may behave similarly by dismissing what you most covet solely because I was given her hypothetical approval?
[ albedo carries on with his harmless charade. he didn't come here for this, really; the question is more of an afterthought than something predetermined. but aether's answer is unsatisfactory, strongly emphasizing on his sister's personal decisions and nothing more. ]
Aether is starting to sweat, admittedly. These are questions he isn't prepared to answer and when Albedo words then as he does, Aether is uncertain about his previous answer. At the very least, the alchemist is very good at getting Aether to agree with him that his previous answer wasn't good enough and he didn't even have to give his opinio on it. ]
T..hat...uhm, hm. [ the Traveler clears his throat gently as he thinks on this before ultimately craning his neck to look back at Albedo. ] I mean, isn't this the part where I trust you're not going to do anything that I would freak out about you doing because we're friends...? I can trust you with my sister...??
[ ... yes. yes, you can, aether. he's just kidding. don't kick him out of your life —
but his mug is splendidly empty after he reaches for it once more, belly full and warm. the ceramic itself sits by the edge of his side of the table, like a silent insistence that he'll be washing it on his own before he makes his little departure from aether's home. for now: albedo does not return to his sketch, almost halfway to completion; he decides it might be more interesting to simply observe his friend. ]
Perhaps the better question to deliver is: what will cause you to conveniently... 'freak out'?
[ that might yield a more personalized answer compared to a moment ago. hopefully?? ]
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no subject
It's nice to have her back. Considering it seems impossible to leave this place on our own, it's a comforting feeling that she's here and not somewhere I can no longer reach.
[ Aether considers Albedo's words, taking note of the truth that rings through them. Already he's grateful for the other being here, his impartialness and clear thinking a blessing in a place such as this. ] You're right... but, is this case different at all? They are from a different version of Teyvat. Does that mean it would still be unfair to want them to know me...?
no subject
It depends on the method and how you decide to react to the mercurial nature of the given results. What you once had with someone, for example, may take a longer or shorter duration to establish again. Even then, it may not return to you in the form it once possessed.
[ albedo takes more than just a sip of the given hot chocolate now, his face saying it all: he's wholly satisfied with it. ]
So long as you exercise patience and allow yourself and the various possibilities enough room for flexibility, no outcome should be too dissatisfying. However, if you mean to imply that you wish to be known as the traveler you've always been...
[ then again, what did he know. human relationships are an inconvenience at best. ]
no subject
[ There is a short pause, unsure if he should mention it. ] What if... in that timeline... I'm... no, nevermind. That's not important. [ —not to mention unfair to dump on Albedo. Aether forces a smile though and shakes off the negativity starting to enclose on him and his thoughts. ]
It's okay, regardless, now that you're here.
But, what did you want to ask me about Trench? I probably don't have as many fantastical tales as some other people but hopefully they'll still be useful to you.
no subject
under the pretext of an investigative pursuit than anything remotely personal: he is mildly curious of lumine's timeline, though nothing beyond what he has openly mused over with his rhetorical questioning — the dissonant memories, if there was some way for those recollections, the gaps serving as moments forgotten, to be completely restored, gradually or no — or did the gods of this world saw it fit to arbitrarily truncate whatever they wanted from their respective life experiences? never to have them returned — ]
Useful or no, your input will always be valuable to me. But I'm more than willing to postpone that discussion for the time being. After all...
[ albedo won't pry. not beyond these next set of words, at least: ] ... It seems there is something that has been troubling you.
no subject
He thinks Albedo is truly the first person to have noticed it beyond his sister (or, at least, has made aware he senses it), and his initial conflict ricochets between telling a secret he's not sure he wants to burden his friend with and indulging in the ability to finally be able to confide in someone who knows him. The conflict eases, though, upon realizing how relieved he is to finally simply have someone here like this. Someone evening taking too him, saying such a thing to begin with. Someone that can notice his behavior, can tell him when he's acting wrong or out of his usual self.
There's a soft sigh and he smiles a bit before drinking more of the hot beverage in his cup.] ... Yeah. There are a few things, but... you're here, so I think they all just have started mattering that much less. If they become too much, though, I'll come to you with them.
[ he's feeling better, if nothing else. It doesn't seem to be fleeting, either. ]
Now... you are sure you don't want to ask those questions? Would you mind if I spend the afternoon with you, anyway?
no subject
While I do not mind, and you may have many more of my afternoons to come — [ his sketchbook and charcoal stick appears in his hands. with his gaze now downcast, he begins his little draft. if aether decides to take a peek, he may find a familiar pair of eyes ( aether's, specifically ). ]
I do want to ask you something in particular. Would you consent to your sister being the main subject matter of a conducted research?
[ it sounds absolutely silly; there is a tonal change that almost suggests that he's joking. deep within though, albedo seeks aether's authorization, like he's hoping for some sort of penance for having to keep a certain secret from him. if aether happens to decline, the most he'll do to ensure he wouldn't overstep that boundary is to at least watch over her, try to find remedies that would cause the least interference with her lest it somehow manages to calm whatever currently perturbs her, however slight. ]
no subject
All he knows for sure is that what he says is only a formality, at best, anyway. He doesn't have any push or pull on anyone's decisions, and that's most of all true with his his sister. That's what happens when no one knows who you are. Your influence, if you ever had any to begin with, goes poof.
In the case of Lumine, though, it's all the result of just typical sibling stuff. ]
no subject
[ albedo carries on with his harmless charade. he didn't come here for this, really; the question is more of an afterthought than something predetermined. but aether's answer is unsatisfactory, strongly emphasizing on his sister's personal decisions and nothing more. ]
no subject
Aether is starting to sweat, admittedly. These are questions he isn't prepared to answer and when Albedo words then as he does, Aether is uncertain about his previous answer. At the very least, the alchemist is very good at getting Aether to agree with him that his previous answer wasn't good enough and he didn't even have to give his opinio on it. ]
T..hat...uhm, hm. [ the Traveler clears his throat gently as he thinks on this before ultimately craning his neck to look back at Albedo. ] I mean, isn't this the part where I trust you're not going to do anything that I would freak out about you doing because we're friends...? I can trust you with my sister...??
[ more than Childe anyway? Right? Probably? ]
no subject
[ ... yes. yes, you can, aether. he's just kidding. don't kick him out of your life —
but his mug is splendidly empty after he reaches for it once more, belly full and warm. the ceramic itself sits by the edge of his side of the table, like a silent insistence that he'll be washing it on his own before he makes his little departure from aether's home. for now: albedo does not return to his sketch, almost halfway to completion; he decides it might be more interesting to simply observe his friend. ]
Perhaps the better question to deliver is: what will cause you to conveniently... 'freak out'?
[ that might yield a more personalized answer compared to a moment ago. hopefully?? ]