#the summarized version of all of this is: albaedo is very grateful

[crcta]

@risingsol​​ said ; "I'm not saying that you need to drop by for your birthday, but I've just had to stop a couple of other people from coming with me up the mountain today, just so you know." Of course, this was all out of a respect for the other's need for solitude in pursuit of his research - Aether decently sure that a birthday was just another day to the alchemist. Still, he would be the dutiful friend as he unloaded presents from others - a brand new beaker set from Sucrose, some thrown together papers and flasks from Timaeus, and a simple bag of sweets from Aether. "I don't know if you and Sucrose actually have a sweet tooth or if its out of convenience, but hey - happy birthday, Albedo."

            𝐀𝐥𝐛𝐞𝐝𝐨  𝐡𝐚𝐬  𝐚𝐥𝐰𝐚𝐲𝐬  𝐛𝐞𝐞𝐧  𝐚  𝐦𝐚𝐧  𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐝  𝐢𝐧  𝐬𝐞𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐭𝐬 . Possessing a fogged and unknown past that nobody knew of except for a long lost distant mentor of his, it was in this way that the story of Mondstadt’s renowned alchemist´s was a mistery to everyone, just like his very own existence to him. A being brought to the world, not out of love, nor to accomplish a clear duty from the start, his desitny had been marked to wander around life, tasked to find the meaning of the world— .......yet..... Was that task even possible to accomplish when he was not even aware of the meaning of his very own existence to begin with......?

Precision leaked from his fingers as he carefully mixed the two liquids hanging on their respective test-tubes together, only to then start to gently shake the newly formed substance on one of the test-tubes when a sudden yet familiar voice made its way from behind his back, almost startling him (key word, ‘almost’) which in response made him turn around- yet of course, not before carefully placing back the test tubes on their respective places.

        ❝ — Ah, traveler—  ❞  Then the alchemist suddenly interrupts himself, and a little smile slowly begins to tug at the corner of his lips;  ❝ Aether. ❞  He confirms, yet right as he utters his name, his sight suddenly falls down to the bag Aether started rummaging through. Wait- a bag? could he have brough him those specimens of silk flowers? or maybe a rare specimen of a spider- and just by those thoughts alone, his usual calm gaze now acquired a certain....... something- His eyes— there was now a sudden little spark glazing over them, and like that, curious little objects began to appear in between Aether´s arms; beakers, flasks, and—

They were all now presented to the alchemist, and like that, his eyes widened in both confusion and surprise, — surprise over something so unexpected, and confusion over—? Ah, right— it was his birthday wasn´t it? How curious..... 

When it came to celebrations like birthdays, it truly was no secret that those days slipped and flew past Albedo´s fingers like thin leaves, afterall, during those specific dates in which his birthday fell upon, there wasn´t anything particularly out of the ordinary happening; his height has remained the same, his sighting as sharp as always- perhaps his hair did grow a little.... Yet aside that, there was a much deeper reason as of why Albedo found no particular reason to celebrate his birthday, in a way, because he was simply not fully human, not in the strict sense of the word, and secondly.... What was there to celebrate to begin with? that such a dangerous existence was brought without a clear reason to the world, destined to wander around and find its own meaning alongside the meaning of the world? That he——

“-but hey - happy birthday, Albedo." 

      And just like that, those thoughts that had started clouding his mind, now begun to dissipate in thin air, and his gaze made its way back to aether- and the small simple bag of sweets now promptly placed in between the alchemist´s hands       ❝ — Are..... these all meant for...... me?  ❞  he questioned with incredulity, and inevitably, like a rainbow after a heavy storm, it became difficult for the alchemist to even contain the amusement and joy something he would have considered as ‘trivial’ in the past, now became so precious to him. It wasn´t so much the gifts, but the thought behind them. -

        He wasn´t alone anymore huh....? He now had important people to care for, to protect.... friends, that was the word, friends that he cared for, people worth staying for, who gave that mysterious complicated existence of his a little bit more of color, of liveliness... A smile now inevitably made its way back to his lips, only to stay, as he carefully took hold of all the little treasures.

        What a blessed existence......

      ❝ — I am beyond grateful for the consideration- You all have made this day... very special to me—  ❞