The fetid smell of disinfectant— redolent odor of various chemicals used for experimentation, such as ethanol, formaldehyde, or solvents used for extraction or purification—permeated heavily in the air as he stands idly in the research lab, this was the investigative sanctum of the esteemed chief alchemist of Mondstadt.

"Are you still unwell? You must know that you can share anything with me."

Aether is experiencing difficulty formulating a response. His face is warmer than before, almost overheating in his reverie. "...Unwell..." He reiterates slowly, and then his mind seems to catch up with the situation at hand. "No, no... I am okay now," Aether assures him, removing his hands from the countertop. "Ready to take on the nearest abyss mage..."

"I will be quite dispirited to see you go," Albedo replies indolently.

"How much longer do you intend to conduct research here?" He redirected the line of questioning. He had come to this vicinity for a reason after all and had dropped in on a mere whim once he had started feeling too weak to continue. Aether had not expected to find the scientist tending to him so attentively so… "Wait..." Aether says suddenly, gloved hands moving to fumble at his waist, fingers delving into the mora pouch secured on his hip. "Let me give you something to repay you, those bottles aren't cheap to make back in the city…"

"Do not be so concerned with that. This visit is on the Knights of Favonius' account, no need to pay me back. You may keep your mora. Just do not be afraid to call upon me whenever you do require my services."

Aether pauses at this. Oh. "Hopefully I don't need to do that..." The blonde replies in agreement, trying to conceal his discomfort. "I hope that I don't get some sort of counteraction, I am feeling a little bit too..." Warm.

The alchemist shakes the warming bottle he has poised between his fingers, observing the essence of the potion begin to activate and emit a gentle glow. "Oh? how so? do not be alarmed. If you are having a reaction, we should run a series of tests. Perhaps the dosage was incorrect. do not panic."

Albedo's face was calm and unconcerned as he continued to closely monitor him. his eyes following every subtle shift in Aether's demeanor, from the way the corners of his pursed lips curved downwards to the way that the traveler's brows furrowed in what he supposed was discomfit. "it is normal for there to be side effects, especially if your body is unaccustomed to... ah... the various ingredients I have included in the formula," Aether was sure that this was his attempt to be reassuring, though he could say with certainty that he did not feel very consoled by the alchemist when it was him that was the cause of his state of unease in the first place. Why was it necessary for there to be a quid pro quo of sorts? A recompense when all he had asked for was a spare warming bottle.

"It... it's just the potion you gave me," Aether tilts his head away. "As soon as it starts working better, I'll get back to exploring Dragonspine instead of keeping you from your work like this..." The blonde looks apologetic, worrying his lower lip with his teeth. "Sorry for the trouble... I did not think I would get that cold..." He is surprised to find the alchemist so close to him all of a sudden.

"Hold very still, I'll simply take a fluid sample from you, and then I'll be able to provide a better explanation as to why you would be feeling discomfort."

The traveler pauses at this, before fervently shaking his head back and forth. "Sample...?!" he breathes out warily, the lips easing up into a tight smile. "On second thought, I'm feeling just fine, nothing out of the ordinary at all. Thank you though, Albedo. For being so diligent..."

The alchemist raises his eyebrow at him, and all at once, Aether realizes that he likely did not come off all that convincing. "My apologies for making you feel so distraught that you had to resort to outright lying to me. What is your opinion about the little experiment I am going to perform on you right now?"

Albedo begins walking towards Aether. "Just a small prick of your skin. I just need a modicum of your blood and then you will get to enjoy a reprieve for my time spent helping you. Though you will be out of commission until my curiosity is properly satiated. You can trust me, right Aether?"

Aether's hand drifts almost anxiously to the sword secured at his hip, and he takes a step back for each advance that the alchemist makes toward him. "There's nothing to study, nothing to prod at, nothing at all," Aether assures him. "I really do have to get going though, it was nice stumbling upon you after such a long t—"

He flinches suddenly, almost doubling over. Sudden pain. But where was it coming from? The effects of whatever he swallowed and ingested? His head was in such immense pain. "It hurts..."

Albedo takes another step towards him, and then places one hand upon his wrist and pushes him against a wall, preventing the traveler from moving. "You believe I am unable to discern when an individual is lying? I am offended. Truly. I have conducted many a test and have studied under many a master. You will not deceive me so easily. I will take a blood sample and run a full analysis. You will cooperate or you will be restrained.' He did not raise his voice, but his firm tone suggested that Aether should not test his patience further.

The traveler writhes uneasily against the wall he is being held against so effortlessly, he is confused, has he always been this easy to roust? "Albedo..." He whines softly, his hands pressing flat against the other man's chest as he tries to shove him off. And he feels it again, the pain. He has such a terrible migraine now.

"It hurts, it hurts, it hurts, it—" He puts a hand to his head, golden eyes blinking in bewilderment.

...Fuzzy?

"They're...furry." He reaches up to touch his head again, feeling the soft, velvety texture of what he now realizes is definitely not his normal ears. "...Albedo?" He questions, his voice a confused whimper. "My ears..."

Albedo felt the young man's feverish pushing and made no move to stop him. As he continued his imminent struggle, he did not notice that the chemist had already reached a hand into his pocket and removed a syringe, which he held in his hand. His eyes were narrowed and he raised one brow as Aether began to complain. "The formula is having the intended result then," he says simply. His hand releases Aether's wrist, moving to grasp his chin instead as he tilted it up, exposing his throat and gaining better access to the side of his neck. "Hold still now..."

Aether stiffened, barely breathing. "Don't do that, I'll be good, I'll be still—" The side of his neck phantom aches as though imagining the sensation where the needle would break his skin, and he furls his fingers into the alchemist's coat, holding onto it anxiously. "Albedo..."

"I'm afraid that I must insist. That is an order, not a request." With the traveler held in place, Albedo looked him in the eyes. They were golden. beautiful. A phenomenon of selective light absorption and reflection determined by the gold atom's unique electronic structure. Just like Aether, light bounced off him and refracted onto others around him. his thumb brushed the traveler's cheek and, a second later, the tip of the syringe teased the side of his neck.

Emotive fragility abrogated by infantile resilience — "Albedo," He breathed out in desperation. "I don't want it, I'll stay still..." He did not move, unwilling to disturb the sharp intrusion abetting his skin. The alchemist had not decompressed the plunger of the syringe yet and preventing that was what was most important. "I'll listen, I promise..."

"You are not giving me a choice. Either I put you to sleep or I strap you down on my workbench. Either way, I will be able to gather the data I need..." He says, holding Aether's face with his one hand and bringing the needle closer. The sharp edge of the needle slides across Aether's neck, leaving an uneven, bloody patch of skin behind its wake. "Just stay calm. It will all be over soon..." With that, the needle slips below Aether's skin. "Shh... That is it... There we go... You are doing good. Just hold still for me," Albedo soothes as he pushes the needle into Aether's neck, injecting the paralytic. "...Good... You are doing so good..." As Aether fights the sedative, Albedo looks into the Traveller's eyes with interest and curiosity.

Albedo feels a small shiver run through Aether's body, causing him to tighten his grip around him.

Aether's lips part, and he whines softly at the ministration, a betrayed expression flitting across his features. "Let me go, do nya-t touch me...!" He pauses. What was that? He opens his mouth again to protest. "Nya.."

Albedo's brows raise. He was certain the traveler would be unconscious by now, he is surprised by his resistance and continued perseverance, making a mental note to study this phenomenon at a later time. His attention was caught by almost incoherent-sounding ramblings elicited by the other blonde.

"My ears are fuzzy, and I can't stop making these noises..." Aether is distressed, his ears pressing flat down. "Nya... What did you do to me...?!"

"It seems that I've made an incredibly significant mistake. You see, I attempted an experiment called genetic splicing and I have given you some... cat-like features," Albedo responds, carefully removing the syringe that he had been utilizing just moments ago and setting it aside. The pads of his fingers go to the soft ears atop the other man's head, skimming the blonde fur with equivocal consideration.

Aether simply stares, attempting to fully comprehend what the alchemist just said to him. He worries his lower lip with his teeth, biting at it anxiously. Aether winces, his cuspids had sharpened into tiny fangs without him even realizing it. "You didn't even ask to do that! I thought you were my friend...!" He is worked up, leaning up and biting Albedo's cheek with as much force as his new feline teeth could muster.

Albedo's eyes widened as Aether bit him. His hand shot up to his cheek, covering the area where the sharp teeth had pierced his skin. It took a few seconds for him to process what had just happened, and he raised his hand as if to retaliate— instead, he paused, his fingers quivering. He closed his eyes. Gathering his composure. After a breath, he opened them and gently put his hand on the other man's cheek.

"Aether..." It was a warning.

Aether blinks at the sudden change in demeanor in the alchemist, almost stumbling back in his attempt to get away from him before he realizes that he is already trapped. He hisses, baring tiny teeth. "Leave me alone, just go find a way to fix it. Right nya-ow!"

"I can fix it," Albedo's voice was firm. His hand tightened on Aether's face as his eyes narrowed. He leaned forward, and Aether could feel the warmth of his breath on his skin as the alchemist spoke, his voice a quiet whisper. The look on his face was serious, and he spoke in earnest. "But you must behave."

He whines again, a breathy meow slipping past his lips. Aether purred at the idea of reverting to his normal self. "Yes, please. Fix it. Fix it." Gloved hands bring him back to the reality of his situation, the traveler was quite malleable in this state, canting and inclining his head obediently as Albedo observed him and these new attributes that adorned him. The blonde keens eagerly at the alchemist's touch, leaning into it before rubbing his head into his hand. "Do nya...do nya-t get distracted! The sooner I'm cured of this, the sooner I can get back to Monstadt."

His impatience is only slightly abetted by the alchemist pressing a finger to his lips. Albedo was silent. He continued petting the traveler's cheek slowly with his thumb. He leaned in, his voice a low cadence, breath tickling his ear, causing goosebumps to appear on the Aether's skin. "Behave," he says again. He took a step back to scrutinize him, albeit he continued to pet his face, his thumb gently circling his cheekbone. His hand moved slowly, sensually, as he spoke. "Be good for me and..." His brows raise. "...cooperate."

His ears flick restlessly at the word, pupils dilating a little as he regarded the other man. And then he snaps out of it, his eyes narrowing. "I will need nya… not need to cooperate like this when I'm back to normal, these feline cravings… I will not feel them anymore," he blinks. "…Right?"

"Oh really? You are certain of that?" Albedo's grip on Aether's chin falters and his thumb falls into Aether's mouth, rubbing almost lazily against the top of his lips and the sides of his elongated cuspids.

"Even if I can't figure out a way to reverse what's happened right away, you will still submit to whatever series of tests I decide to put you through," he says this matter of fact, an expressionless look flitting across his features before he inclines his head. Albedo begins to seem amused by the very sentiment of it. "Right, kitten?"

His mouth parts around the finger prodding between his lips, his tongue licking at it curiously as he takes it in, sharp teeth scraping at the alchemist's knuckle. "Kitten?" Aether questions the moniker conferred on him; his iteration muffled with his mouth full. And he pulls away, saliva connecting him with Albedo's thumb. "I wouldn't be a good cat."

Albedo pulls his hand away, his thumb pressed to his tongue as he licked Aether's saliva off it. His eyes flashed a little with something unreadable. "I have always wanted a little pet like you." His words trail off as his eyes meet Aether's again, his pupils dilating as he leans in closer to Aether's pretty face. "You are mine, aren't you Aether?"

"Y…you're nya-t serious..." Aether murmurs out, his lip quivering. He was overwhelmed by this, golden eyes flickering to the vials on the counter of the workbench and then back to the alchemist. "It's done, isn't it? You are just stalling for some reason. I could just drink it as it is and turn back to nya-rmal."

Albedo hums at this, not acknowledging the inquiry regarding the very conceivable possibility that perhaps the alchemist had already prepared an antidote for this affliction in advance. "Oh, I am profoundly serious, my sweet little kitty. And I will not have you drinking that directly. What if it causes you to become even more like a cat? What if it turns you into something you do not want to be?" His cadence is an arrant challenge. He is daring Aether. Go ahead, drink every concoction in this lab if you want. You need me. Albedo's eyes stare at Aether, blue eyes looking over the cat boy depiction of the renowned traveler, his hand still gripping Aether's chin lightly but reassuringly. "No, I cannot allow that. This is happening a certain way and I will not hear of anything else until I am done."

Aether lets out a distressed whine from low in his throat, emitting his frustration by pulling away sharply and biting into Albedo's hand. The metallic taste on his tongue was unpleasant, his heightened senses sabotaging his act of revenge as the scent and taste of blood accosted him. "Ny... No, no more pets or rubs, I want whatever is in there...!" Aether is quick to get around the alchemist, his speed increased slightly due to his new predicament. He reaches for one of the glass vials, a concentrated frown on his face as he pulls the cork up from the rim.

Albedo quickly grabs onto Aether's wrist, his eyes narrowed. "Do not even think of drinking out of that."

He is desperate, he is right there after all. "But…" Aether trails off, little blonde ears pressing down again as the other man scolds him. "I want it…" He feels a shiver run through him, an uneasy feeling settling over him as he stares at the alchemist. In his right mind, he would have laughed this off or even offered to spar, but right now all he wanted to do was find a way out of this sort of situation. Everything put him on edge. "Albedo..." The blonde pleads out, tilting his face away as the alchemist closed their proximity.

"You will wait patiently, or I will hurt you."

"I was waiting!" He protests, his brows drawing into a pensive furrow. "I was good! You kept touching me, and now I want to get rid of this…. this feeling!" He stands his ground, even with the taut clasp around his wrist, his grip only tightening on the fragile vial he held in his hand. He flinches a little, as he can feel his bones ache underneath Albedo's deft fingers.

Albedo chuckles softly and pulls him close, his lips brushing up against Aether's furred ear. Just enough to let him feel Albedo's hot breath, overwrought with predilection, he relishes the disquieted whimper it elicits.

"If you don't drop that potion then I swear..." He starts, a precarious edge to his tone. "I will drag you to that table, strap you down, and vivisect you until I know what makes you tick. So... What do you say my kitty? Drop the vial, now."

His breathing hitches, something akin to condemnation making its way across his delicate features. "Nya…." The blonde vocalizes, distressed as he thinks over his options. And then he quickly brings the bottle to his mouth, tipping it as he tries to hastily sip at whatever is inside.

Albedo's eyes widen. He had never seen Aether so desperate to drink an unknown substance that had not even been properly brewed. He clicks his tongue against his teeth. Irritated. Albedo is just quick enough to grab him and force the ominous bottle away from the traveler's lips. Aether can feel the potion drip down onto his skin, burning slightly as drops of it land. Albedo immediately puts a hand over Aether's mouth and locks eyes with him.

"Do not swallow a single drop, do you understand?"

He cries out into Albedo's palm, the searing pain of the potion spilling from the vial and onto his skin combined with the failure to direct it into his mouth where it would have had a better effect on him- if it did anything at all. The traveler's fingers furl around Albedo's wrist, trying feebly to pry it away from his face. He makes sure to dig in his nails to hurt him, albeit it seemed like nothing phased the alchemist. "It hurts, it hurts..." An admission of aggrandized self-consciousness flitted across his features, the curve of his cheek twitching indistinctly. Aether begrudgingly turns his gaze back to the alchemist who is studying him, not an ounce of sympathy or concern on his face.