Dragonspine
One calm, peaceful day in Mondstadt, Markus passes by the Alchemy Lab. As he walks by, he feels like he hears someone muttering in his direction.

Markus: "Huh?"

He turns his head, but doesn't see anyone behind him.

Markus: "... That was weird."

As he gazes straight ahead however, he hears the muttering a second time.

"E-e-excuse me..."

He turns his head again. And... nothing. Again.

Markus: "Am I imagining things?"

He sighs, looking straight ahead (again).

Markus: "Or maybe the wind's just playing tricks on me..."

"P-pardon me..." Markus hears a bit less faintly this time.

He quickly shifts his attention back to the Alchemy Lab, noticing a soft, green pointed ear poking out from behind it.

Markus: "U-uh... Okay, so it wasn't just my imagination..." He thinks to himself. "But... who even is that? Should I say something, or pretend I didn't hear anything and walk away?"

He decides on the former, hesitatingly turning back towards the lab.

Markus: "U-um... were you trying to get my attention just now...?"

An unfamiliar face steps out in front of him, adjusting her glasses as her ears wiggle nervously.

"Y-yes, I was. I'm sorry..."

Markus: "T-that's okay. Uh, so... who are you?"

"Sucrose. I-I work in this lab with Master Albedo..."

Markus: "Ohhh...! So you're Sucrose!" He lets out a relieved exhale once he realizes who she is. "Albedo's told me about you. I'm..."

Sucrose: "Markus, Outrider of the Knights of Favonius."

Markus: "U-um, yes. That's right. And..."

Sucrose: "... Master Albedo's closest friend!"

Markus: "W-wha... what?" He blushes lightly in embarrassment.

Sucrose: "You are close with Master Albedo, right?"

Markus: "U-u-um... I guess? But surely you and even Timaeus are closer to Albedo than I am. You work with him, after all."

Sucrose: "Not at all! He's much more friendly with you than with either of us."

Markus: "Is... that so?"

Sucrose: "Truly, the only one incredible enough to befriend Master Albedo in such a way is you, Sir Markus!"

Markus: "'Incredible'...? W-where'd you hear that from?! And don't call me 'Sir', please..."

Sucrose: "I don't think it's an exaggeration. I've heard of your many great feats from passersby in the city."

Markus: "Honestly, what's with the folks of Mond and their love of gossip...?" He groans. "I bet all the things they said was total nonsense..."

Sucrose: "Please, tell me your secrets!" She pleads desperately. "I want to be closer with him, too!"

Markus: "H-huh?!"

Sucrose suddenly panics, looking down in shame.

Sucrose: "I-I apologize! That was a pretentious thing to ask, wasn't it?"

Markus: "No, it's fine... Since you work alongside him so much, it's natural to want to get to know him better, right?"

Sucrose: "... Is it?"

Markus: "Of course!" He says with a smile.

Sucrose: "It's no trouble for you?"

Markus: "Don't worry, I've got some free time right now."

Sucrose: "N-no, I mean... I was worried, because... I-I've heard some people say you're close enough with him, that you wouldn't want to share him with anyone else..."

Markus: "Just what kind of things are they saying about me, anyway?!" He shakes his head in disbelief. "I mean, you just want to be his friend, don't you? Of course that's not a big deal. To... me, or otherwise..."

Sucrose: "F-f-friend?!" She stammers. "N-no, simply being acquaintances with him is more than enough. Enough to just... maybe c-chat with him every once in a while...?"

Markus: "Are you not already acquaintances, at least? Jeez Albedo, just how do you treat your coworkers?" Markus places a hand to his forehead, sighing. "Do you know when Albedo will be by? Want me to help you talk to him about it?"

Sucrose: "N-no, I... would just like some advice..."

Markus: "Well, if we're talking about Albedo... I'm not sure if simply offering you 'advice' will be enough..."

Suddenly, Sucrose's ears bolt up, before she retreats into the lab.

Markus: "Huh?"

"Markus? Were you looking for me?"

Markus turns around, and sees Albedo arrive, as calm and collected as ever.

Markus: "Speak of the alchemist... You're here."

Albedo: "Oh? Were you talking to yourself about me? Do you do so often while standing outside of the Alchemy Lab?"

Markus: "Yeah, totally, it's my favorite pastime..." He shrugs.

Albedo: "Is that so?"

Markus: "I was joking."

Albedo: "Were you now?"

Markus: "Sheesh..." He groans. "Albedo... Mind if I ask you a rather blunt question?"

Albedo: "Are you not always blunt with me?"

Markus: "Shush. Anyway, would you consider the two of us to be... close friends?"

Albedo: "Do you?"

Markus: "H-hey, don't deflect the question back to me!" He blushes in embarrassment.

Albedo: "Give your answer first, and then I'll give you mine."

Markus: "F-f-fine..." He stammers, his face reddening even more. "I-I guess I consider you... a close friend. I g-guess..."

Albedo: "I see. In that case, my answer is the same as yours."

Markus: "N-no fair! You can't just copy my answer!"

Albedo: "With two less 'I guess'es." He follows up with a smirk.

Markus: "Ugh, whatever." He groans, shrugging. "Anyway, do you have any... other friends?"

Albedo: "Hm?" He raises an eyebrow, genuinely not expecting Markus to say that. "What do you mean?"

Markus: "Well, when we first met, you told me you didn't have any need for close friends... Do you still feel that way now?"

Albedo places a hand to his chin, thinking about it.

Albedo: "I suppose... it's not something I've thought much about, after meeting you..."

Markus: "What about Sucrose and Timaeus? Do you consider them friends?"

Albedo: "They are both colleagues with similar interests in alchemy. I'm not sure the term 'friend' is appropriate for them, at least when compared to you. But... why bring them up?"

Markus: "U-uh...!"

Albedo: "There's no need to worry. My relationship with you is special in a different manner than with them. I have no intention on replacing you, Markus."

Markus: "T-that's not what I was getting at!" He blushes again. "So, there really isn't anyone else? You're only friends with me?"

Albedo: "There's no need to worry. I have no intention on replacing yo-..."

Markus: "I-I already told you that's not it! Jeez!" He crosses his arms, pouting.

Albedo: "Very well then. Your line of questioning was for someone else's sake, not yours, correct?"

Markus: "If you knew from the start, you could've laid off the teasing..."

Albedo: "Did they request for you to ask on their behalf?"

Markus: "E-erm, not exactly..."

Albedo: "So, you're just being needlessly nosey, as usual..."

Markus: "What do you mean 'as usual'?!"

Albedo: "Who is this person, Markus?"

Markus: "U-um... I don't know if I should say. It might be better if they talk to you about it themselves first, at least..."

"Good afternoon, Markus. Albedo."

Kaeya greets them both casually as he passes by.

Markus: "Oh, hi."

Albedo: "Is it him?"

Markus: "Pfft, no." He scoffs at the thought. "No offense, Kaeya."

Kaeya: "Hey now, you can't just say 'Pfft, no' to me, and expect me not to get offended. That isn't very nice."

Markus: "Fine, fine... I'm sorry..." His head droops down guiltily.

Kaeya: "Anyway, would you both happen to be talking about 'the certain individual' that wants to get closer to Albedo?"

Markus: "How did you even...?!"

Albedo: "So you know who it is?"

Kaeya: "Of course I do. I'm surprised you don't, honestly."

Albedo: "Hm..." He places a hand to his chin again, in serious thought.

Kaeya: "Do you genuinely not know?"

Albedo: "I do not."

Kaeya: "What a shock. It's something I'd imagine a lot of people are aware of at this point, so I figured you surely did as well. Unless... you're just pulling my leg? You can be quite the hard one to read, Albedo."

Albedo: "I'm not." He assures him.

Markus: "I'd say 'You're also a hard person to read sometimes, Kaeya', but that'd probably be a rude thing to tell him, so I won't say it out loud..."

Kaeya: "You did say it out loud, Markus."

Markus: "Shoot. Whoops..."

Kaeya: He chuckles. "Are you going to help that poor girl? You're much closer to Albedo than I am, so I'll leave it to you to take care of this."

Markus: "U-uh, yeah, okay. I'll definitely come up with something...!"

--

Three days later...

Markus: "I still haven't come up with anything..."

He lets out a long, tired exhale, taking a seat on a large rock at the outskirts of Springvale. The afternoon breeze rustles through Markus's hair as he watches Albedo conduct another one of his alchemy experiments.

Albedo: "You just finished assisting young Diona with a commission, yes? Give yourself a moment to rest Markus, or you'll risk over-stressing yourself."

Markus: "It was Bennett I just helped, Albedo. Diona doesn't even work for the Adventurers' Guild!" He groans, slowly getting up. "Whatever, that's not even what I was talking about."

Albedo: "Oh? What's troubling you, then?" He glances over at Markus, who he sees walk over to him and the table he's currently hovering over.

Markus: "U-um, so... There's someone who wants to be friends with you. I don't know if they've talked with you about it yet..."

Albedo: "Ah, right. You mentioned something like that to me the other day. But no, this 'mystery person' still has yet to appear."

Markus: "That's to be expected. If Sucrose was able to handle it by herself, she wouldn't have asked me for advice in the first place..." He thinks to himself.

Albedo: "I'm still unaware of who this person is, but I can't imagine it going well regardless."

Markus: "W-why do you say that?!" He exclaims nervously.

Albedo: "I'm not someone who typically interacts with others in a casual manner. And for good reason."

Markus: "Huh? But I'm pretty sure I've seen you talk with others lots of times..."

Albedo: "Not as a friend."

Markus: "But, you're friends with me!"

Albedo: "You... are a special case."

Markus: "I am?"

Albedo: He sighs, moving away from the table and turning his full attention to Markus. "Yes, you are. And you should know very well why."

Markus: "... O-oh. Is it related to... that?"

Albedo: "I am indeed referring to... that."

Markus: "Even now, it's still hard for me to believe what's in that book is actually true..."

Albedo: "And yet, you don't treat me any differently after reading it."

Markus: "Well, I barely even read it at all actually, but... I'm sure I still wouldn't treat you differently even if I did."

Albedo: "I doubt there's many who'd do the same, if they were in your position."

Markus: "Really? It's not like I'm the only person who knows, right?"

Albedo: "Miss Alice knows, of course. As does that Sister who revealed the truth to you. But other than you, it isn't known to anyone else in Mond."

Markus: "W-what!?" He steps back in shock. "Is that seriously true?! Not even Si-... er, Master Jean, or any of the other Knights? Or at least Klee?!"

Albedo: "Not even them."

Markus: "I assumed not a lot of people knew, but that's crazy..." He shakes his head. "Wait, in that case, is it even okay for me to know about it then?"

Albedo: "I think it's rather late to be asking that, isn't it?" He can't help smirking at Markus's reaction.

Markus: "I guess, but... That homun-... cus book. I know Aunti-... er, Miss Alice was the one that left it in the library, but is it really okay to just leave it there? If it's something almost no one should know about?"

Albedo: "There's no need to worry. There isn't any obvious evidence written in it tying it to me directly... At least to anyone unaware of my connection to Rhinedottir. That being said, as a precaution, I secured the book for safekeeping after Sister Rosaria showed it to you, so it's no longer in the library anyway."

Markus: "O-okay, but it's still possible someone might've happened to realize the book was about you while it was still in the library..."

Albedo: "Doubtful, but I think you might be misunderstanding something. It's less that I don't want it discovered, but more-so that I'm concerned for the well-being of anyone who discovers it."

Markus: "What do you mean?"

Albedo: "The nature of my origins as an artificial being, and the fact a being like myself even exists, may cause unrest among Mond's citizens. Not to mention my position as Captain of the Investigation Team may cause distrust against the Knights as well."

Markus: "I see... That makes sense. This must be something you've thought a lot about..."

Albedo: "Naturally." He nods.

Markus: "By the way, I've been wondering for a while... If that book was Rhinedottir's, why did Miss Alice have it...?"

Albedo: "You don't know? Do you have any knowledge of the Hexenzirkel?"

Markus: "Hexen... uh? It's some group Miss Alice is a part of... I think? I've heard her mention it before, but I barely know anything about it..."

Albedo: "My master, Rhinedottir, is a part of it as well."

Markus: "O-oh?! So, they're friends. That's why she had the book..."

Albedo: "'Friends'... Hm, I suppose you could call them that. Regardless, it's for that reason my master should've had no qualms about Miss Alice using the book for her test."

Markus: "Test...?"

Albedo: "I surmise that her goal in telling Sister Rosaria, and in turn to tell you, about my origins was for the sake of some sort of test." He explains. "I'm positive it didn't take long for Miss Alice to learn of your attempts to befriend me back then. She must have wanted to see how you'd react to the truth. To see if your attempts would remain unshaken despite learning of the truth."

Markus: "W-was it really okay to just let me know for a reason like that?!"

Albedo: "You've known Miss Alice for a long time, correct?"

Markus: "Yeah, since I was really little. I even u-used to call her 'Auntie'..." He blushes at the admission before continuing. "It's one of the reasons she trusts me to look after Klee all the time."

Albedo: "Yes. And that is why she must've trusted in your judgment. She surely knew what your reaction to the truth would be all along."

Markus: "O-oh wow, I didn't know she trusted me that much..."

Albedo: "After all this time, I can see why. And I'm grateful she did, too. Thanks to that, I now have you as my most trusted friend, Markus."

Markus blushes even more, scratching the back of his head.

Markus: "I-I guess it does make me happy to hear that, but it means not just anyone could befriend you so easily, then. That's a problem for Sucrose..."

Albedo: "Sucrose...?"

Markus: "Oh no...!" He gasps, covering his mouth.

Albedo: He crosses his arms, eyes squinting at Markus. "Why bring up Sucrose?"

Markus: "S-Sucrose? Did I say her name? Y-you must've misheard..."

Albedo: "You're not up to something unnecessary again, are you?"

Markus: "What do you mean again!?"

Albedo: "Don't trouble my assistant, please."

Markus: "She was the one who asked me!" He shouts defensively, before catching himself. "Drat, I said more than I should have again..."

Albedo: "Asked me what?"

Markus: He sighs. "Oh well, whatever. Like I said before, someone told me they wanted to be your friend. That person was Sucrose."

Albedo: "Is that really what she told you?"

Markus: "Er, well, she technically asked me for advice on how to talk to you more, but..."

Albedo: "Why would she ask you something like that?" He raises an eyebrow, looking genuinely confused.

Markus: "You... really don't know why? You're not pulling my leg?"

Albedo: "No, I sincerely don't understand."

Markus: "I'm not the only one who wants to be closer to you, Albedo." He says with a smile. "Or at least, get to know you better."

Albedo: "Why?"

Markus: "Why, indeed. Who'd want to be friends with a total weirdo like you?" He scoffs jokingly, with a light shrug.

Albedo: "Someone who's also a 'total weirdo', I presume." He responds, returning a smug grin back at him.

Markus: "Dang, I walked right into that one..."

Albedo: "... Sucrose merely assists me with my research and experiments." He continues, his expression returning to his usual somber one. "Even I am fascinated by her knowledge of bio alchemy, but our relationship doesn't go anything beyond that."

Markus: "W-well, it doesn't have to stay that way, right?! You can..."

Albedo: "Why are you so adamant about this? This has nothing to do with you..."

Markus angrily stomps his foot on the ground, startling Albedo.

Markus: "Of course it does! Why wouldn't I, your friend, want you to make more friends?! Especially considering how antisocial you apparently are!"

Albedo: "Why are you... so infuriated with me all of a sudden?"

Markus: "Do you enjoy being so distant with everyone?"

Albedo goes silent for a while, taking in his question.

Albedo: "... I wouldn't say that. However..."

Markus: "Are you worried it might be a bad thing to make too many friends?" He asks, his expression softening. "I know you said it would be risky if anyone else found out about... that, but even you deserve to have friends, Albedo. More than just me, at least."

Albedo lets out a small smile, placing a hand on Markus's shoulder.

Albedo: "You truly value yourself too little, Markus. But... very well. If you believe she is trustworthy enough to be my friend, I will consider it. I'll believe in your judgment, Markus."

Markus: "U-um, but... You've much more familiar with her than I am, so you should follow your own judgment, not mine..."

Albedo: "... Well?"

Markus: "Well what?"

Albedo: "Do you have some sort of plan in mind?"

Markus: "For you becoming friends? Why do I have to be the one to come up with it...?"

Albedo: "You're the one that brought it up in the first place."

Markus: "I did, yes." He groans. "Man..."