Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Another day, another audition. Amber buried herself in her blanket as soon as she hit the bed. She just got home, yet she was desperate for any news. This time she would get it. This time, because it had to be this time.

The script didn’t include any names for the characters, only titles of what they were meant to contribute. The writer mentioned how he wanted the characters to be played by any gender, so established names were a secondary thought.

It wasn’t just any audition for a vague play. Eula Lawrence sat beside her in the waiting room. Eula had a guaranteed spot in the cast. She was Eula. She, who Amber hadn’t spoken to since being rejected by her in high school.

“…Eula?” was her reaction as soon as her gaze went up from her resume to a quick swish of blue hair.

Those familiar cold eyes stared into Amber’s soul. “Amber,” she said, “it’s been a while, huh?” The grip on her own resume tightened for a moment.

Amber let out a sigh of relief at the fact that Eula could still greet her informally, but that didn’t stop the reddening of her face at a rapid speed. “Yeah! It’s good to see you’re still in the theatre scene after all these years. I was worried something happened. I, uh, missed you, y’know!”

“My bad for not keeping in touch,” Eula replied blankly. “No need to worry anymore. I’ve been doing just fine. My grandmother left behind a large amount of money for me so I’ve been able to successfully sever ties with my parents. I’m no longer needed under my father’s company.”

“That’s why you returned to acting?”

“Precisely.”

There was always a particular way Eula spoke that made her unlikeable to most of her high school peers, but as an adult, her speech suited her mature look. Amber wanted to reach inside her own chest and force her heart to stop beating so quickly. She scared Eula off with her feelings the first time around. She wouldn’t make the same mistake twice.

They silently agreed to stop talking and focus on their audition pieces since Amber was getting quite close to the door.

And when she opened it—

“Amber!”

Kaeya Alberich greeted her with a huge grin. Next to him sat Albedo, Rosaria, and Jean. Amber was familiar with Kaeya and Jean from high school, but she only knew Albedo and Rosaria as Kaeya’s current and former significant others. She was always jealous of how comfortable they still were around one another.

No matter who was auditioning, the three aside from Kaeya kept poker faces like any other judge. However, Jean couldn’t help but crack a smile at Amber’s cheery energy.

The audition went well, especially since the company producing Kaeya’s show was run by her friends.

An audition Amber didn’t want to rip her hair out after was a rare one. She just yearned for results—yearned to find out if she could perform with Eula again for the first time in years.

Frostbiting Embrace, the play was called.

She heard through Kaeya’s many mentions of Albedo that they fell in love because of the play. She had to be drunk whenever Kaeya went on such rambles. That time, lucky enough, they were at a bar celebrating a high school reunion.

After recalling that memory, she realized she never got Eula’s new number.

A long, low groan hit the pillow.

Well, what would she use it for anyway? They could go right back to being friends like before, right? Eula liked to drink but hated the atmosphere of crowded taverns of sweaty drunks. She liked pools but couldn’t step foot into one if the temperature was even slightly too warm for her taste. She hated most things.

They went on morning runs every summer their entire high school lives. They went shopping too. It was usually for fabric and buttons which Eula later stashed in her sewing room. If a piece of clothing wasn’t for herself or a family member, Amber was her mannequin.

Amber shook her head free of those memories.

That evening, her call to order takeout was rudely interrupted by another incoming call.

It was Jean.

She pouted and hung up on Jean, profusely apologizing in her head. But cooking was out of the question. It didn’t matter how long Amber was out of college—her cooking skills never aged with her.

As soon as she placed her order, she called Jean back.

“Sorry! I was getting food. What’s up?”

Jean laughed a little on the other end. “I figured because of how quickly you hung up. Anyway, I called to let you know you’re getting a callback for both the lead and the love interest.”

“Huh?” Amber leaned back against a coffee table. “I mean, yay! But why give out the announcement for callbacks so soon on the last audition day? I thought Kaeya’s whole thing was making actors wait a week because it’s funny to watch us suffer.”

“You also wouldn’t get this information from the stage manager, but here I am. Kaeya made his decisions fast. As soon as Eula came in after you, he had this look. The rest of us felt it too. I’m telling you this because he knows you’re dying to find out if you can perform with her.”

Amber turned sheepish all of a sudden. “Is it weird for you to see her again?”

“No, don’t worry about that. We’re not kids anymore. The rivalry we had back then doesn’t affect her capabilities as an actress. She’s receiving a callback as well, for the love interest.”

At first, Amber wanted to question why Eula wasn’t given the chance to take the lead. But thinking of the lead’s clumsy and constantly flustered lines, she found the idea of Eula saying them more awkward (yet cute) than believable.

If they both passed and played lovers on stage…

Amber’s heart sang at the thought. She couldn’t get her hopes up, but she did anyway.

She prayed on Kaeya’s lack of mercy toward actors.

Out of everyone in their high school theatre program for Eula to run into at a professional audition, it had to be Amber?

It was foolish to believe she would never see her again. It just caught her off guard. She played it off pretty well in the waiting room, but if the topic of feelings ever came up again—

Eula sighed and sat cross legged on the floor as soon as she got home. “Get over here.”

A brown rabbit ran into her open arms.

Chapter Text

It had sure been a while since Amber saw her name at the top of a cast list. She was used to being a supporting character and still enjoyed it. But there she was, and her entire face lit up.

Right under her was Eula.

She screenshotted the email. Maybe she could put it up in a pretty little gold frame later. Eula was most definitely not freaking out as much as Amber was over a mere cast list. Even if she was just a little glad to see Amber’s name, that was all that mattered.

Albedo rolled his shoulder back before laying on his back. He rested on the cold stage with his legs swinging over the edge. The cold provided an ice pack effect.

Kaeya gently took the violin and bow out of his hands and rested them inside their case. “Should I go out for a coffee run?”

“Ah, it’s alright. I already had coffee. I’ve been staring at my sheet music since early morning, so I think I just need to rest my eyes.”

“Hm? I thought you already finished writing it all.”

“Revisions come to my mind every day.”

Kaeya looked through the most recent bookmarked piece of sheet music in Albedo’s binder with the title of the play written on the cover. Each page was filled with reminders and markings Kaeya couldn’t even begin to decipher. Albedo always had a peculiar way of going about his music. Any notes scribbled in the margins made sense to him and him only.

The play required a violinist with an angelic aura, and nobody was better suited for the job.

“You’re too diligent,” Kaeya said, closing the folder. He ruffled Albedo’s hair. “Take a break for the rest of the day, won’t you?”

Albedo fixed his hair and glared at his boyfriend. “I’m an actor too. I can’t cop out of the first day just because we’re dating.” Before he could be argued with, he put up a hand. “I won’t ignore my responsibilities I willingly took on. That’s final. Make me feel better later by cooking something nice for dinner.”

Kaeya kissed his cheek and hummed in agreement. He knew Albedo couldn’t be grouchy all day.

“You guys suck!”

Both of them shot up and looked in the direction of the voice. Kaeya let out a huge laugh.

“Amber, you’re here early.”

Albedo leaned into Kaeya’s side. He only knew Amber through him. “Hello.”

“Stop showing off your cute relationship!” She threw her bag onto one of the seats before joining in on Kaeya’s laughter. She jumped up on stage and sat next to them with her script, swinging her legs over the edge the way Albedo did earlier. Albedo sighed with relief and smiled too. Her presence wasn’t as threatening as he knew others to be.

Though it seemed he spoke too soon.

Eula entered soon after. She set down her bag with much more grace than Amber had.

It wasn’t that Albedo was necessarily threatened by her personality, but he could tell she was uptight and unkind in group settings. He almost didn’t want to cast her. Though, he couldn’t tell her that.

He trusted Kaeya’s decision.

He trusted the growing smirk on Kaeya’s face watching Amber and Eula awkwardly wave at each other.

“Good afternoon,” Eula said to the two men.

She opted to use the stairs to join, but she stopped before sitting next to them. As she stood center stage, she felt chills throughout her entire body. Amber grinned when turned around to see her. Their fondest memories flooded back. The theater buzzed with newfound energy.

Eula couldn’t believe she almost gave it all up.

“You look pretty today,” Amber said. “You’re glowing.”

Eula pressed her lips together, lacking a response. She offered a curt nod.

Choosing to ignore the girl who always struggled to handle compliments from her, Amber laid on her back like Albedo and sighed. She had no problem dressing up, but she didn’t expect her co-workers to look performance ready in comparison.

Those minuscule thoughts were interrupted by heels clicking behind her. Still laying down, she raised her chin.

There was Eula, upside down. A song only she could hear was playing as she did small, elegant moves. Her long legs were made to dance, her face made to act.

“You still remember the choreography from our high school musicals?” Kaeya asked. He also turned to look at her. Albedo was fast asleep, completely disregarding his earlier sentiment. Kaeya was still going to make him dinner, of course.

“Of course I did. I choreographed this one, after all,” Eula replied.

As the three still awake reminisced on the old days, one of their favorite high schoolers ran in, pigtails flying behind her.

“Hello! It looks like I’m the last one. Am I late?”

Amber shook her head. She jumped off the stage and into Barbara’s open arms. “Aww, you grew a little! Your baby cheeks are still the same, though.”

In high school, whenever Jean was too busy to hang out with her little sister, Amber visited often. Kaeya liked how sweet and professional Barbara was. Eula liked that she wasn’t unnecessarily loud. The full cast of four had arrived, and so the first meeting commenced. It was standard. But it was so much more fun with people Amber was already good friends with.

All they knew was they had to rehearse and revise and rehearse and revise since they would originate these characters. There was no set show day until Kaeya was satisfied.

The three actresses marked up their scripts while their sleeping beauty continued as he was peacefully.

Kaeya listened to Albedo’s show tracks while running his fingers through his blond hair.

Amber wanted to smack him.

Eula did too.

Barbara stole Albedo’s script and marked his lines. She might get a scolding for it later from the secretly prideful man, but she knew he would appreciate it nonetheless. If there was anything he hated more than other people doing his work, it was not having that work done at all.

While everyone else was busy, Amber shifted to sit closer to Eula. “Hey, how are you liking your role?”

“It suits me well. Playing her will be enjoyable; a good transition back into acting. Congratulations on your first lead. It was well deserved.”

“Since when was this my first lead?” she asked in mock offense. “I’ll have you know, I was incredible in my sixth grade musical.”

“Yes, of course,” Eula laughed softly.

It was like the gates of Heaven opened in Amber’s ears.

“By the way, can I get your new number? Let’s make a group chat with the cast and crew.”

“My… new number?”

“Yes?”

“I’ve always had the same number.”

“Huh?” Amber’s eyes widened. “Really?”

“Yes, I never changed it.”

So when she was ignored over text all that time ago, it was entirely on purpose?

When she reached out to try their friendship again before graduation-

No, it didn’t matter. They were just kids. It was only natural of Eula to feel awkward around a friend she had to reject. She wanted space and Amber had no problem with that. She had no reason to resent her for her boundaries.

But what could she even say?

“Oh. Okay!”

She just laughed it off.

Chapter Text

Incredible.

Amber expected nothing less of Eula Lawrence.

She memorized her character’s huge monologue in one night and showed up to rehearsal doing the entire scene without a script. Though she wasn’t completely off book, Amber was still left speechless at how much she already had down.

“How did you memorize the whole thing so early?” she had asked during their break.

Eula just said, “I have nothing else to do.”

And it reminded Amber of a conversation they had a long, long time ago.

It was even before she fell for her.

“You won’t respect costumes, you won’t get along well with me and the other actors, and the director is really getting sick of it! Y’know, if you keep this up, you’ll be kicked out of the school’s theatre program,” Amber groaned.

She was following Eula, whose hair was previously in a high tight ponytail, but was let down to sit around her shoulders. Eula walked away briskly. Amber’s shorter legs put her at a disadvantage but she was naturally fast enough to keep up. “Stop avoiding me.”

Eula stopped and turned around. Her glare could kill. “Stop bothering me.”

But she didn’t scare Amber. Anyone but her.

“I’m trying to understand you. Come on, let’s be friends!”

She heard Eula was a bit closed off, but she didn’t think it was this bad. Especially when she was in an extracurricular dedicated to teamwork. What was she thinking? How could she get through that if she just isolated herself?

“I won’t be your friend just because you pity me,” she replied.

Amber sighed.

Eula had every right to turn down her offer of friendship, but that wasn’t the main problem.

“Why do you act if this is how you are? To tear the entire group down? We all have important roles to play. You need to do your part.”

Suddenly, there was silence. There was usually silence between them. It wasn’t usual. That, or bickering. It was just strange that Eula didn’t make a comeback insulting Amber’s fiery nature like she always did.

Eula continued walking on with Amber trailing her until she reached her locker.

“Don’t tell me you’re just leaving! You’re seriously gonna get banned from ever auditioning again!”

“Why do you care?”

“I know you like doing this. You have high expectations for the costumes because you make clothes, you have a really good memory, and the notes you make on your script are more detailed than any I’ve seen from anyone else. You got cast because you’re good. Don’t throw it away because of whatever problems you think you have with other people. None of that gives you a free pass to lose the spirit of an actor.”

“What the hell? It’s none of-“

“Don’t shut me out. Tell me, why do you love theatre and why are you giving up so easily?”

She could tell Eula was thinking of running away for good but something kept her in place.

“I have nothing else to do.”

She blinked once, then twice. “Huh? Nothing else? Then if you quit, you won’t have anything to do? But that should make you more willing to stay. Right?”

“Right,” Eula muttered. “My life is unbelievably boring. Theatre is the only bit of fun I can get.”

Truly living up to her reputation of being difficult to understand.

“It’s fun, but it’s a distraction from what’s really important.”

“What?”

“My family. They’re why this is my last show.”

Eula always marched to the beat of her own drum. It was hard to believe she wouldn’t rebel against her parents if they had a different path in mind for her. Amber wished with all her heart that she could change their minds. But she was just a classmate. Compared to Eula’s parents, she was nobody.

“Hey,” Amber slammed her hand over the lock so Eula couldn’t get her things and leave, “if this is really going to be your last, stay and we’ll make it the best you’ve ever done, okay? I promise.”

In Eula’s family, promises were empty.

If they were ever kept, they only existed to benefit themselves.

The difference was that they wouldn’t care at all if she was gone. She was a tool for their own success, manufactured to end up just like them in her adulthood. If she ran away, if she got herself killed, they could just have another child.

That didn’t matter.

She was still under their control as long as she was alive. Putting her burdens on a new victim of the Lawrence family right from their birth was an evil she would never forgive herself for.

But there was Amber, a short girl who was always popular for her cute face and big heart, making a promise to treat Eula like a friend, acknowledge her feelings, and send her off the best way she could manage. She put her hands over the lock so she would stay. She criticized and praised her at the same time. Her praise wasn’t fake nor blind. Kindness was a holiday treat for the Lawrence family, but it poured out of Amber with every word she spoke.

“Fine. You win this time. Just so you know, you are not free from my vengeance.”

The pure joy on Amber’s face after Eula said those words thawed her frozen heart.

Turns out it wasn’t Eula’s last high school show.

It couldn’t be when Amber lured her into every audition. She could never say no to that face.

Eula thought about that deal while she held Amber’s chin. She was high on her knees and Amber sat leaning on one leg, below her.

The longer they held the pose, the redder Amber’s face got. She wasn’t far off from matching her headband. Kaeya asked them to hold there. Amber respected their director’s vision, but wasn’t this drawn out a bit too long?

Kaeya murmured something to himself as he scribbled something in his notebook.

He raised his head again. “Amber, you look nervous. This is supposed to be comforting. Eula, try putting your hand on her cheek instead. Gods, would it kill either of you to smile?”

Now it was Eula’s turn for a touch of pink to paint her face.

“Better. Let’s start from, ‘He’s dead.’”

Both actresses cleared their throats, averted eye contact, and returned to their starting positions. Amber took a deep breath and got back into character. “He’s dead. I know that. This feeling in my chest just won’t go away. It’s killing me.” She clawed at her own chest.

“The little violinist won’t mind you being hurt. He might even be flattered. Feel everything freely until you’re well.”

“What if I won’t be well ever again?”

“You will. It’s only the natural order of things.”

“Natural order,” Amber laughed bitterly. Tears welled up in her eyes and she fell to the ground, staring into the balcony. “Is the ‘natural order’ supposed to be this fast? I’m dizzy from everything that’s happened. I’m sick of it all! Please, if you can, find a way to stop time for me.”

“That isn’t possible, but if you request it, of course I have to find a way.” Eula knelt at her side and placed a cold, gentle hand on Amber’s cheek which was entirely wet from heavy tears.

She leaned into the touch.

A huge, childlike grin paired with a sparkling blue eye emerged from the seats. “Perfect! Everyone, take ten. Amber can take twenty to recover since the next few scenes we’ll rehearse don’t include her.”

“Thank you ten,” everyone else’s voices responded.

Amber sobbed, “Thank you twenty!”

A very mixed expression took control over the director’s face. Eula’s eyes widened. “I thought those were just stage tears. Let’s go to the bathroom.” She took the smaller hands without warning and lifted Amber to her feet.

“I’m okay, Eula, I-I just got carried away.”

She allowed herself to get dragged along anyway. Eula dabbed a cold paper towel on her eyelids and the surrounding areas swollen from crying. “You should tell Kaeya to change something to accommodate you.”

Amber checked her appearance in the mirror and sighed with a shaky smile. She shook her head.

“The role is perfect. It suits me almost too well.”

Chapter Text

“Albedo…? Albedo!”

Albedo jumped out of his skin and nearly lost hold of his bow. “Yes, Barbara?” He set down his violin and reluctantly tore his eyes away from his sheet music.

Barbara knew never to interrupt Albedo when he was in the zone, but it was the director's orders.

“Kaeya told me to tell you Lisa’s coming to take measurements and test fabric on us. We also have to spend the rest of rehearsal together with Rosaria. Plus, Kaeya said he’ll be home late, which I don’t really get.”

Albedo blinked once, twice. Barbara truly was an airheaded teen for not realizing yet that they were dating despite doing nothing to hide the fact. At the very least, she could have connected that they lived together.

He sighed, “Sounds good. And why will Kaeya be late?”

“Apparently he wants to keep Eula and Amber back here a bit longer than scheduled.”

It was rare Albedo ever felt violent urges but in that moment, he wanted to find his boyfriend and strangle him for making him wait to be able to have dinner and go to bed. He covered his thoughts with a polite smile. “I’ll just go and watch. I can wait.”

“Huh? Will Kaeya allow that?”

Albedo wore the most pissed smile Barbara had ever seen. “He better allow it.”

“Wanna practice the kiss?”

Both Eula and Amber jolted. They looked at Kaeya like he was crazy.

“Hm?” Kaeya smirked at their reactions. Pure gold. “This shouldn’t surprise you. You both read the script after all.”

“I know that, but we have more difficult scenes to get through first,” Eula argued.

The director clapped his hands together. “You’re implying kissing Amber isn’t difficult? Great! I’d love to see it. Let’s start on page-“

“Kaeya!” Amber whined.

She hid the bottom half of her face with the script. Her eyes communicated everything. In return, his eyes communicated, “I’m doing you a favor.”

Throughout the silence, Albedo and Barbara’s muffled conversation in the room next door good be heard. The only clear words were “Kaeya” and a strained yet threatening “he better” before a new voice they recognized as Lisa’s joined in.

Kaeya inhaled with a content expression. “It seems my dear Albedo is unhappy with our plans today. I may have to go back to our regularly scheduled dismissal time after all.”

Eula and Amber breathed sighs of relief.

“But we still have thirty minutes ‘til then. So let’s start on page-“

“Kaeya, wait! I haven’t even had my first kiss yet,” Amber confessed. She never would have let this out if she wasn’t close with the director.

Kaeya snickered. “Really? What about you, Eula?”

Eula, unsurprisingly, was not thrilled to answer. “Me neither.”

“Ha! And you guys are how old?”

It took everything in both actresses from knocking Kaeya down and stomping on him until he could no longer see the light of day. Amber protested, “Shut up! And having a stage kiss as my first is fine, I guess, but I wouldn’t ever want you to be watching!”

“Is that a promise to rehearse it together in private first?”

Eula went stark red as she watched Amber nod.

“Great. Well, pack up because rehearsal’s over for today! I’m anxious to see the look Albedo has on his face right now.” Then he darted into the next room.

Stunned.

That was all Eula could feel as her shoes stuck to the floor.

“How- How unprofessional!”

“I know, right?” Amber exclaimed.

“Just when I start to think Kaeya has matured since high school, he pulls things like this—first extending rehearsal and then cutting it short? I won’t forget this. He will face my vengeance when he least expects it.”

Then they both remembered the implications the three of them were involved in earlier.

The implication that Eula and Amber would practice their kiss alone.

They both seemed to remember at the same time.

“H-Hey, you up for dinner and drinks at my place?” Amber offered to snap out of the awkward atmosphere.

Eula cleared her throat. “No-“

“Oh.”

“Let me finish! No, you should come to my new place. Think of it as making up for how much time we’ve spent apart.”

Amber’s instinct of providing hospitality said no, but her curiosity of what Eula’s home without control of her family would look like said yes. She couldn’t turn down something so important.

“Besides,” Eula went on, “you’re a terrible cook.”

“Hey!”

Well, Eula wasn’t wrong. She just didn’t have to say it. Seriously, what grown adult struggled to simply cook some steak?

Amber, that’s who.

But that didn’t matter.

Eula was a fantastic cook with a house so neat it looked like she had just moved in a week ago. As she prepared an appropriately sized dinner for two, Amber was permitted to explore. The interior was themed white, blue, and black. She knew Eula could afford to live a far more lavish life if she so chose. When asked, Eula answered that she had more important things to spend her money on.

That was when Amber saw it.

There were stars in her eyes.

A brown bunny, resting on a pillow.

Amber didn’t hold back for a second. She just had to pet it. “Eula! You never mentioned that you adopted this cute little thing!”

And she thought maybe, just maybe…

“This headband is…cute on you. Like rabbit ears.”

That was what Eula said when Amber started wearing such headbands when they were sixteen. After being called cute, Amber wore them every day. She even wore one at that moment. For years, she missed Eula but figured it was best to give her the distance she wanted.

She couldn’t help but wonder if this brown bunny Eula brought into her life was a sign she missed Amber just as much.

Her chef turned around and her gaze softened at the sight of Amber and the animal side by side. “I named him after that funny rabbit character you drew on all your math homework.”

Amber gasped, “Baron Bunny?”

Eula couldn’t help but laugh.

“Yes.”

Chapter Text

They never did practice what Kaeya specifically kicked them out to do.

Of course they didn’t.

What they did do instead was have a peaceful dinner and read lines for every single other scene possible, all while Amber caressed the bunny in her lap. She scattered light kisses all over his little head. At the sight, Eula huffed under her breath. That did not go unnoticed.

“E-Exposure therapy?” Amber said.

Eula blinked once, then twice. She slowly brought down her script. “What on earth does that have to do with your character’s monologue about your father’s death?”

Amber couldn’t help but laugh. “It’s not that! Well… I’m just saying you looked a little grumpy when I kissed Baron Bunny.” She scooted closer to Eula on the couch. “We need to practice that scene whether we like it or not. If I’m not reading this all wrong, it looks like you want some affection from me. So why don’t I- y’know?”

With each word she curled into herself further.

“You’re ridiculous, Amber.”

That sure didn’t help.

“Are you implying I’m jealous of an animal? That I want to be kissed by you? And do you really call kissing ‘exposure therapy’?” The pretty pale face bloomed with crimson.

Amber gently moved Baron Bunny off her lap to swing her legs over Eula’s lap in the midst of the rambling. It was effective in shutting her up. Just as Amber predicted. She wasn’t much more suave than her scene partner—one of them had to take one for the team. “If you really disagree with what I said, why don’t we practice for the sake of the show? I know you don’t have feelings for me and it’s hard to do this. You don’t have to prove anything. I wanna follow the script and it’s going to happen eventually. If not today, that’s alright. Don’t freak out, Eula! I’m supporting you the whole way through. Let’s at least get comfortable with each other first. Is that okay?”

Of course Amber of all people would be so warm to someone like Eula. Eula, who abandoned her just because she was too afraid of getting attached. If she wasn’t so stiff on the couch in her own home, she’d have an arm around Amber’s waist and let her head fall to her chest.

If she wasn’t afraid, she would kiss her.

She was guilt ridden every day since their departure. How was Amber so okay? And how was she even more charming than before?

“Thank you for understanding. I’ve been difficult, but I know I can do this now.”

One quick kiss.

She just had to get a little closer.

And a little closer.

And a little closer?

Until their noses were three inches apart.

“Hey,” Amber giggled quietly, voice shaking, “you can’t kiss me from all the way over there.”

No, Eula thought.

When guilt rammed into her head yet again, she backed away immediately.

The silence between them was tragic. What was wrong with her? It was just a kiss, and it wasn’t even a real one! There was nothing to be afraid of. She had done much more physically strenuous things on stage in the past.

Before she could spiral any further, Amber said, “It’s progress! Let’s drink to tha-“

Eula moved up onto her knees, leaned over, and kissed Amber’s bangs.

To prove she could.

Maybe for other reasons too.

Amber’s lips pressed together hard until she matched the color of her headband. Her throat released the screech of a kettle.

Eula cleared her throat. “I’ll refill your glass.”

Only when they both got drunk did they ease up.

“How do you think they’re doing?”

“Don’t talk to me.”

“Aww, Albedo! I said I’m sorry for switching up the schedule so much. I won’t do it again.”

Albedo grumbled, “Do you promise?” as he laid his head on Kaeya’s thighs.

“I promise.”

“I don’t believe you.” His eyes fluttered shut. “Don’t talk to me.”

Kaeya pouted. Albedo saw it when he let one eye open. He snickered at the sight before sitting back up. “Alright, alright. To answer your first question, I honestly don’t know if Eula will pull it off. Something feels strange between them.”

“Oh, do you not know?”

“Hm?”

“Eula rejected Amber’s confession a while ago and ghosted her until auditions for my show. So I thought it’d be fun to cast them as lovers. Ah, I thought you knew already!”

“You… what? You’re cruel, Kaeya.”

“You’re laughing!”

He was.

“I did ask Eula about it on Amber’s behalf. She mumbled about a whole bunch of family related stuff. I couldn’t catch it all. If she had to turn down Amber solely because of familial reasons, I don’t know what kind of fucked up parents she has. We were never that close so I don’t know more. It’s fascinating that she confided in me even a little bit in the first place.”

“I can understand that. The family part, I mean.”

“Same.”

They laughed together again.

[Albedo] Are you with Eula?

[Amber] yes!

[Albedo] How’s it going?

[Amber] im drunk lol

[Albedo] I mean the kiss

[Amber] oh :/

[Amber] she kissed me on the cheek!!! progress right?

[Albedo] More than I expected. Good job

[Amber] rhanks man!!!