Midnight Oeuvres - An Albelumi NSFW Zine

["to capture a star | 49 \nto capture a star \nWritten by seleneauger \nCONTENT WARNINGS: \nD\/S dynamics \nA \nlbedo is a creature of devotion. \nIt is not routine that drives him, although his peers at the Knights \nof Favonius will claim that the way Albedo routinely goes to his camp \nat Dragonspine is admirable given the unforgiving conditions within \nits snowy peaks. Albedo knows he does not have a routine\u2013he does \nsomething different everyday in his pursuit of knowledge, whether \nit\u2019s a change in a variable, or a change of the sequence of his exper- \niments. No, it is Albedo\u2019s \ndedication \n to his craft that has him forget- \nting the passage of time, weather, and seasons as he offers himself \ntowards the need to understand the world around him. Although ori- \ngins of his fealty stems from deeper rooted issues from Rhinedottir\u2019s ","50 | Midnight Oeuvres Zine \nexpectations from him, he has found some semblance of comfort in \nthe fact that there is a \nprocess \n, a step one to the next, a reset if he \nneeds to take a step back, or a conclusion when an experiment falls \nawry. It\u2019s become an anchor in his personal journey towards under- \nstanding humans and fitting in a society that accepts the birth of dif \n- \nferent creatures of different origins. \nHe loses himself in his experiments, absorbing the knowledge that \nhe can like the way heat transfers from handshakes he reluctantly \nengages with when there are diplomatic meetings, to the way energy \npools from the ambient surroundings to his hands when he utilizes \nthe power of Geo. He takes it all in, because there are things that are \nboth inherent and lacking in his constitution, so there\u2019s always that \nneed to keep learning, to keep looking, seeking for more. \nAlmost like an obsession. \nAlbedo thinks her hair is bright against the snowy fields of Drag \n- \nonspine. Not harsh like the summer suns in Teyvat, but like the soft \ndiffused glow from his lanterns at dusk. There\u2019s an air around her that \ntells him she\u2019s an off-kilter presence, like how looking at something \nthrough the filter of a lens warps it after you stare at it closely. \nLike him. \nHe almost latches at her when the realization strikes him. But he \napproaches Lumine as if she were a mystery of Teyvat, scientifically \ndetached at first, eventually turning into a pull he cannot explain as \nhe learns eventually that she is in fact, an outsider of Teyvat, a \nstar \nborn from a different world. She does not elaborate further, and in \nAlbedo\u2019s mind, rather than think that she is like him, she is a little ","to capture a star | 51 \nmore enigmatic than a man-made human, and a little more out of \nreach than a normal life form. \nLumine kisses him for the first time and Albedo realizes that he is \nnot exactly in the presence of a star. The girl with the constellations in \nher hands is a \ngod \n, and when Lumine takes, Albedo offers even more. \nAlbedo is a creature of appearance. He makes a conscious effort to \nappear human in action and behavior, even if people find him a little \neccentric. He does not care much for his physical appearance, but \neven blushes at how he must look like now. The bindings stretch- \nhe \ning across his body are similar to the constellations Lumine dances \nacross her palm, filled with an otherworldly energy that keeps him \nin place. Their private room, tucked away within the hidden caves in \nDragonspine and secluded even by Dragonspine standards is scented \nwith the smell of something heady and a mix of floral scents that is \nunfamiliar to Albedo. It\u2019s a stark contrast to the scents he is so used \nto, the charcoal from his pencils and the chemicals down in his labo- \nratory, and the underlying smell of chalk is so faint, barely there like \nan anchor that is just a little out of reach. He is a little overwhelmed at \nthe sensations but Lumine keeps him tethered to her with her voice, \nand a hand on his sternum. \nShe tells him to look in the mirror and for the first time, he finds \nthe sight of his naked body with nothing but ropes of celestial energy \nobscene \n. \n\u201cPretty little thing, aren\u2019t you?\u201d","52 | Midnight Oeuvres Zine \nAlbedo feels a different kind of heat in his body. The praise, with \nthat slightly condescending tone Lumine uses, is something he par- \nticularly likes. It makes him feel small, \nowned \n. As if what he thinks \ndoesn\u2019t matter, simply because she is here. \nIt\u2019s not before long that Lumine positions him on his back and \nstraddles him. Like this, she looks like a deity Albedo is unworthy of \nbeing close to, the long ends of her hair delicately flowing to the top \nof her breasts, just shy of covering the pink of her nipples. Albedo sud- \ndenly feels like he is terribly inadequate, undeserving of the attention \nthis goddess bestows upon him. She speaks in a language unknown \nto him and the bindings get tighter, just enough for Albedo to let the \nfeeling of rope settle, and he goes under and dedicates himself to her. \n\u201cYou can\u2019t cum till I say so.\u201d \nAlbedo knows he agreed to it early on, but when he\u2019s been edged \nfor this long where time doesn\u2019t even register to him anymore, he \nthinks he might die. \nLumine pulls her lips away from his cock, and it bobs obscenely \nagainst his abdomen. He was close, and he pathetically whimpered \nher name as she pulled away. Albedo teeters between wanting to \nfollow her orders and just throwing all caution to the wind to disobey \nher but he knows more than anyone that Lumine\u2019s praise is sweet, if \nnot sweeter than his orgasms. \nLumnine keeps him attentive even as she stops her ministrations \non his cock. She kisses the jut of his hip bone chastely, a contrast to ","to capture a star | 53 \nthe way she took his cock into her mouth all the way down to her \nthroat just a moment ago, and the way she\u2019s edged him with her \nmouth, hands and her folds in the past hour makes Albedo think he\u2019s \nreally \n gonna die if he doesnt cum soon. Albedo steadies his breath, \nstill reeling from the sensations. \n\u201c \nGood boy. \n\u201d \nThe full body shudder at her praise has him sucking in a breath, \nfighting against everything in him not to come. Like this, Albedo is \neven more beautiful than usual, tears glistening at the edge of his \neye line, celestial bindings tight and pulsating with light across his \ndeceptively delicate frame, cock prettily swaying against the pale of \nhis skin. Lips, glossy with saliva from both being unable to control his \ngasps and from Lumine\u2019s searing kisses, parted slightly with heavy, \nbut steady breaths. Lumine swells with pride at Albedo\u2019s submission \nand trust in her, a huge improvement when they started this arrange- \nment. She recalls Albedo being too eager to please, too infatuated \nwith her, too easy too \n, \nunsightly \n, when they both agreed that being \njust friends was not working out. Lumine wanted to make the distant, \nalmost clinical alchemist \nsubmit \n and Albedo wanted to worship her \nto a deific extent. Albedo suddenly acting upon his infatuation to the \npoint where he was almost desperate made Lumine lay down the \nground rules that he needed to follow. \nWhat was once what could only be described as annoyingly clingy \nat the start of their special arrangement has morphed into a beautiful \ndevotion that Lumine has shaped with her own hands. Albedo may \nhave proposed the arrangement, but Lumine forged and cultivated \nthe dynamic in the way that leaves Albedo incoherent from pleasure ","54 | Midnight Oeuvres Zine \nand piety, and her drunk from the control and the offerings Albedo \ngives after she tears down his resistance and submits to her, his god. \nIt\u2019s a finely crafted way of corruption that has given birth to her \nmost devoted follower. \nAlbedo\u2019s gasps are sharp from the way Lumine strokes his cock \ndeliberately, knowing exactly how to bring him on that knife\u2019s edge \nagain. At this point, Albedo has lost count of how many times she\u2019s \nbrought him to that edge, head feeling like it\u2019s stuffed with cotton \ndripped in the sweetest of nectars. His thighs tense against the \nrestraints and his shoulders cave in, his body not knowing whether \nto push or pull away. Lumine chuckles darkly, and he has just enough \ncoherence to make out her words. \n\u201cAre you done fighting me? You\u2019re probably so, \nso \n close to cum- \nming aren\u2019t you?\u201d \nAlbedo lets out the most salacious moan at Lumine\u2019s words and \nshe can tell he tries his hardest to follow her orders. She always liked \na little bit of resistance. Likes the feeling of power more than orgasms \nas it reminds her of her lost divinity. Here, as she moves away from \nher sitting position to straddle him with her knees, Albedo rendered \ninto a pretty whining mess at the sight of her cunt so close to his cock. \nShe coos. \n\u201cYou need to tell me, sweetling.\u201d \nShe looks so beautiful, so powerful on top of him with her hand \npulling at the bindings connected to the ones on his chest that \nAlbedo, overwhelmed with the sensation and the vision of \nhis god \n, ","to capture a star | 55 \nlets out a stuttered yes that sounds like a dreamy sigh, and allows \nhimself to fully submit. \nAlbedo\u2019s body turns limp, pliable as he enters subspace, gaze unfo- \ncused, only a small ring of teal visible in his dilated eyes as his body \nstops fighting against their restraints despite Lumine tightening them \neven further. \nIt\u2019s the turning point that gives Lumine her own high, eyes slightly \nmanic as she revels what Albedo offers her. It\u2019s an exchange with the \nscales slightly tilted towards Lumine, because she is greedy when it \ncomes to control, she takes a little more from him, pulling and coax- \ning a little more from him every time. The first time Albedo entered \nsubspace under her care, she paid extra attention to his little tells and \ngave him more aftercare than usual, followed by a long, informative \nlesson the next day. Now that they\u2019ve done this for a while, she has \na little more leeway, but nonetheless, Lumine is able to ride her own \nhigh a little more intensely. \nShe sinks into his cock slowly, relishing the stretch and the feel \nof every inch of him, moaning a little more vocal than usual. Albedo \nmumbles something unintelligible, the obscene noises he was making \npreviously turning into soft sighs and quietly drawn out moans as \nhe floats through subspace. Lumine loves that he remains fully hard \nwhile he\u2019s under, and she bounces on his cock to give way to her \npleasure. \nThe room is warm. The scent of hinoki and powdery incense lin- \ngers in the air, and there are dim, barely there lights scattered across \nthe room. Lumine rides Albedo with purpose, rolls her hips the way \nshe knows he likes it and pinches his nipples when the tell tale signs of ","56 | Midnight Oeuvres Zine \nAlbedo\u2019s orgasm rears its head. This time she doesn\u2019t stop, and loves \nthe way that there\u2019s a hint of fear in Albedo\u2019s eyes knowing that an \norgasm after being edged for so long is \nintense \n, and that it\u2019s \njust there, \nplease, Lumine please, no wait I don\u2019t think I can\u2014 \n\u201cFive.\u201d \nAlbedo\u2019s body tenses at the word. This is no doubt his favorite \nform of orgasm control he gives to Lumine but as he teeters on the \ncusp of an orgasm that makes him feel floaty, desperate and helpless \nall at the same time, he thinks this countdown is mean, almost down \nright cruel. \nAnd yet his body thrums with anticipation and the need to please, \nlike the devoted follower he is. \n\u201cFour.\u201d \nLumine uses her nails to scrape his skin even deeper and the brief \nburst of pain makes Albedo moan without restraint. \nHe is lovely \n, \nLumine thinks. So willing to accept whatever she gives or takes from \nhim, whether it\u2019s pain or pleasure. And the fact that she\u2019s the only \none who gets to see him like this, so submissive and docile, gives her \nthat rush of power she craves so much. How \nlucky \n she is that she has \nsuch a devoted follower. \n\u201cThree.\u201d \nAlbedo\u2019s brows are furrowed in concentration. He wants to be \ngood for her, to prove himself worthy of her attention, and he thinks \nif he can hold on, \n just a few more \n, Lumine\u2019s praise will be so, so worth \nit.","to capture a star | 57 \n\u201cThree.\u201d \nAlbedo sobs and Lumine laughs darkly. The tears are freely flow \n- \ning now Lumine\u2019s words are condescendingly sweet. \u201cSo desperate. \nYour body doesn\u2019t lie Albedo, especially not when you\u2019re inside me \nlike this.\u201d The way she moves is sinful and intentional and it pushes \nAlbedo long past the point of rationality. \n\u201cTwo.\u201d \nLumine coos at his non-verbal babbling. Albedo looks at her with \ntears clinging to his eyelashes. Anticipating, but most importantly, \nsubservient to the whims of the deity before him. He lets out a shaky \nbreath and closes his eyes as he fully consecrates himself to her. \n\u201cOne. Cum right now, Albedo.\u201d \nWhat Albedo wants doesn\u2019t matter; his body gives way to her com- \nmand, her voice, her scent, her movement and \neverything \nLumine, as \nhis moans turn into quiet whimpers as he cums, his body physically \nincapable of more vocal noises with the exertion Lumine draws from \nhim. It feels good to follow her instructions, to stop thinking and to \nlet Lumine decide. \nLumine struggles to keep moving her hips to milk Albedo\u2019s orgasm \nwith her cunt, using all of her willpower not to cum right then and \nthere, not till Albedo finishes riding possibly the most intense orgasm \nof his life, and not until she takes more and more, pushing the edge of \nAlbedo\u2019s limits, till Albedo thinks he might pass out for a while.","58 | Midnight Oeuvres Zine \nLumine\u2019s a bit unhinged, continuing to fuck Albedo even till he \nfeels like it\u2019s too much, \nLumine too much, \n till he feels something coil- \ning again and this time he is full on crying from the overstimulation \nbecause Lumine decides then and there to clamp down on his cock \nand whisper the filthiest things to his ear. \n\u201cYou take it so well, fuck, one more Albedo, cum one more time \nfor me hmm?\u201d Lumine is breathless and she curses in the language \nof the gods as her fingers find her clit, chasing her pleasure, head \nthrown back, debauched, divine, \nsublime \n and the sight makes Albedo \ncome again, weakly sobbing as he spills the second time inside of her. \nLumine\u2019s orgasm rips through her beautifully and Albedo thinks how \nwonderful it is to taste a star as he feels her lips on his and gives into \nthe dark. \nLumine is running her hands through his hair when Albedo comes \nto his senses. The moon still hangs over the sky, its light easy on his \nbleary eyes. He likes the feeling of her fingers through his hair, no \ndoubt mussed from the events that transpired. He\u2019s a little sore, and \nhe does not feel dirty from the exertion earlier. Lumine always makes \nit a point to clean him up and wipe him as part of aftercare as he \nfloats down from subspace, and Albedo likes that whenever lucidity \ncomes to him, he doesn\u2019t feel the tackiness from his cum. Lumine is \na rock, checking in with him one Albedo starts being extra snuggly \nand making Albedo verbally confirm what he feels both mentally and \nphysically. \nHe doesn\u2019t know how much time has passed since he regained a \nsemblance of consciousness, but he takes his time rising to a seat, ","to capture a star | 59 \nstretching and moving his limbs carefully. There are no more bindings \non his body, and Lumine watches Albedo carefully for any signs of \nphysical pain after an intense scene. Albedo slowly moves even closer \nto her and flops down carefully on her chest and buries his face in \nher skin. He feels extremely safe in her arms and he grips her a little \ntighter till Lumine deems it time for a proper bath. \nWhen they are both clean and the sheets have been quickly \nchanged, Albedo resumes his position on her chest and promptly falls \nasleep to the sound of her heartbeat. Lumine thinks Albedo must feel \nincredibly safe in her arms, even after her little mean streak earlier, to \nhave him seeking her even as he slumbers. \nMaybe she\u2019ll be even meaner next time."," ","[a case study in homuncular physiology] | 61 \n[a case study in homuncular physiology] \nWritten by regi \nCONTENT WARNINGS: \nDeveloping Relationship, Public Sex, \nMiscommunication, Light Angst \nT \nhe library is mostly empty at this time of day, the towering \nwhite walls of the House of Daena encasing its occupants \nin a silent, solemn dome. The few students that are here are either \nnapping atop stacks of books or combing through dense tomes \nwith tired, glazed eyes. \nBehind the eaves of the central lift, however, a very different scene \nis unfolding. One involving a flustered alchemist and his very eager \npartner. \n\u201cLumine,\u201d Albedo breathes as slender fingers trail their way down \nhis body, a hand brushing against his stiffening cock, \u201cnot here\u2014\u201d","62 | Midnight Oeuvres Zine \nShe cuts him off with a kiss, outlining his lips with her tongue \nbefore entwining them together, \nhungry \n and \nwanting. \n \u201cYou said \nyou\u2019d let me,\u201d she reminds him, and Albedo curses his lack of fore- \nthought. \nI never imagined she\u2019d be bold enough to ambush me in the \nmiddle of the library. \nBut a promise is a promise, and Albedo would be lying if he said he \ndidn\u2019t want this as badly as she did. So he lets her fumble at his belt, \ntug down his trousers, all his senses focused on her and her move- \nments even though he \nknows \nhe should be keeping an eye out for \nwould-be intruders. \nEven the clinking of his belt buckle as it hits the ground is much \ntoo loud\u2014it echoes across the House of Daena, and Albedo knows if \nhe were to even let out a single moan, he\u2019d be caught with his pants \ndown, literally. He takes off one of his gloves and balls it up, shoving \nthe makeshift gag into his mouth in preparation. Lumine seems to like \nthat, her eyes glittering with mischief as she finally releases his cock \nfrom the confines of his undergarments. \nIt should be embarrassing, seeing himself so obviously aroused at \nthe slightest brush of her fingers, but he reminds himself of what this \nis. \nResearch. Experimentation. Testing the types of stimuli I can derive \nsexual satisfaction from. That\u2019s all. \n Nothing to be embarrassed about. \nSo what explains the feeling he gets when he sees that \nlook \nin \nLumine\u2019s eyes as she peers up at him, stroking his shaft with one \nhand, her mouth pursed around the tip of his cock? ","[a case study in homuncular physiology] | 63 \nShe arches an eyebrow at him, and he nods back at her coolly, \nthough he\u2019s sure she can see through his flimsy veneer of feigned \ncomposure. \nBut all the preparation in the world couldn\u2019t have readied him for \nthe onslaught of pleasure from Lumine\u2019s mouth. She\u2019s \nwarm \nand \nwet \nand, archons, her \ntongue\u2014 \nhe grabs a fistful of her hair and pushes \nher down, all sense of civility forgotten in his chase for pleasure. She \nmoans quietly, a husky tenor, and Albedo fears he might bite through \nhis gag when he feels the vibrations all across the sensitive skin of his \nshaft. \nUnfair, \nhe thinks bitterly to himself, \nyou\u2019re so unfair, Traveler; mask- \ning this under the pretense of curiosity\u2014how can I tell you how I really \nfeel about you, when you see me as nothing but a test subject? \nAh, but this is his own fault, isn\u2019t it. From the outset of their rela- \ntionship he had established his role as an objective researcher\u2014 \nmasking his curiosity and affinity for this ethereal, alien lifeform that \nhad landed in Teyvat as mere scientific interest. He\u2019d proposed tests \nto discern the limits of her abilities, established a tenuous bond of \nscientist and assistant, eventually developed enough rapport with her \nto merit a few visits to his lab in Dragonspine, where they\u2019d chatted \ndeep into the night. It was surprisingly easy to talk to her, Albedo \nnoted, and sometimes he feared he might have divulged too much \nabout himself: his troubled past with his creator, his aspirations. But \nshe never revealed his secrets, and nothing he said ever seemed to \nfaze her. \nAnd so he\u2019d started to feel something more. A strange sensation \nwithin his chest; an \nache \nthat only grew hungrier around her pres-","64 | Midnight Oeuvres Zine \nence. He\u2019d started venturing into unknown territory, probing her for \nsecrets, glimpses into her past. Until the day they made their agree- \nment. \n\u201cSo, Traveler. You\u2019ve lived for\u2026 centuries, at least, yes?\u201d \n\u201cI suppose so.\u201d \n\u201cThen I assume you\u2019ve had past relationships?\u201d \n(She\u2019d blushed, then, the first time Albedo had seen her caught \noff-guard, and he was thrown off-kilter himself by how astonishingly \npretty \nshe looked\u2014her nose and ears rosy from the cold, pink bloom- \ning into her cheeks like petals unveiling their color to the sun, her eyes \nlowered demurely as she tucked a strand of gold behind her ear.) \n\u201cPlease, don\u2019t feel obligated to answer. I\u2019m sorry for prying\u2014\u201d he \nhastened to explain, but she interrupted him before he could finish. \n\u201cA very long time ago,\u201d she confessed. \u201cBut not since I arrived in \nTeyvat.\u201d Her eyes flicked up to meet his. \u201cHave you, Albedo?\u201d \nHe shook his head, though he could tell his heart was beating a \nfew paces quicker than normal. \u201cNo. I\u2019ve told you before, haven\u2019t I? \nRelationships are\u2026 vexing. Requiring too much energy. Though I find \nmyself enjoying the conversations we have together.\u201d \n\u201cI see,\u201d she said, expression inscrutable. \u201cWas there a reason you \nwere asking about my past relationships?\u201d","[a case study in homuncular physiology] | 65 \n\u201cA passing curiosity,\u201d he lied quickly. \u201cI\u2019ve never been in any inti- \nmate relationships myself, so I was wondering if you had any insights \nto share. If it bothers you, then please, forget I asked anything.\u201d \n\u201cHm.\u201d She sat for a minute, considered him with a calculating \ngaze. Then\u2014 \u201cYou know, Albedo, I\u2019ve been curious about \nyou \n ever \nsince that incident on Dragonspine\u2014ever since you revealed you \nwere created artificially.\u201d \nHe raised an eyebrow. \u201cDid something happen to bring about this \nsudden curiosity?\u201d \n\u201cYou already know I\u2019ve traveled to Sumeru. I happened to see \nsome mechanical lifeforms there. But none so refined as you. So \nI started wondering. How are homunculi different from regular \nhumans? How perfectly do you replicate human behavior? Do you \nhave the same physical capabilities? Limitations? Desires?\u201d \nHe cocked his head, amused. \u201cI never knew you were so interested \nin me,\u201d he teased, expecting to see her avert her gaze and flush that \npretty pink color again. \nBut she didn\u2019t. \u201cI am,\u201d she said, so bluntly that Albedo felt heat \nrushing to his own cheeks. \u201cSo with that in mind, I have a proposi- \ntion.\u201d \n\u201cAnd what would that be?\u201d \n\u201cThis time, instead of testing on me,\u201d she said, a coy smile on her \nlips, \u201c \nyou \n get to be my lab rat to experiment on.\u201d","66 | Midnight Oeuvres Zine \n\u201cA case study, then. I see.\u201d He felt himself tumbling deeper and \ndeeper into unknown territory, guided only by the aura of the stars, \nand instinctively he felt himself reaching out with groping fingers in \nthe darkness, hungering for \nmore. \n\u201cWhen would you like to begin your research?\u201d \nEver since that day, he\u2019d learned things about himself that he\u2019d \nnever thought to uncover. His sensitivities, his preferences, details \nin excruciating granularity about his cum and its properties. The first \ntime Lumine had touched his cock he\u2019d felt the ache in his chest mani- \nfest into a slavering mass of insatiability; pure greed for her touch, her \nattention. It had taken mere minutes for him to climax, and Lumine \nhad dutifully gathered and recorded the amount splattered over his \nstomach and her fingers, noting the silver color of his seed and its \nfaint aroma of chalk. \nThey had gradually progressed from then, with Lumine discover- \ning that his weak point was the star-shaped pontil on his neck; that his \nrefractory period was almost nonexistent; that he had no particular \nsexual fantasies (he couldn\u2019t very well tell her that he was aroused by \nanything \n involving her, after all). \nAnd these experiments all compounded until the current moment: \nin the House of Daena, a \nvery \npublic setting, with Lumine\u2019s tongue \nswirling around his cock while he struggles to keep his knees from \nbuckling from how good it feels. His appetite for sex is bottomless; it \nseems he\u2019s quite willing even in public settings\u2014if anything, it makes ","[a case study in homuncular physiology] | 67 \nhim even more excited. The idea of getting caught, a stranger seeing \nthe mighty Traveler on her knees, mouth stuffed with cock, \nhis \ncock\u2014 \nHe grunts and tugs harder on the roots of Lumine\u2019s hair, feeling his \nclimax cresting upon him as he thrusts inside her mouth. He comes \napart with a strangled, muffled groan, pushing Lumine\u2019s face down \nuntil her lips meet the base of his cock, forcing her to swallow. She \ndoes so greedily, throat bobbing as she gulps down his seed, and \nwhen his cock springs from her mouth she licks her lips and opens her \nmouth to show she\u2019s swallowed it all. \nAlbedo removes the gag from his mouth, panting as he fights to \nregain his composure. \u201cYou\u2019re\u2026 quite bold,\u201d he manages, tugging \nhis pants back up. \u201cSurely you wouldn\u2019t dare to accost me during my \nlecture?\u201d \nShe smiles wickedly. \u201cYou came faster than usual this time. I\u2019m \nthinking you might be into voyeurism. So? Is this a promising line of \nstudy? Should I hide under the desk?\u201d \nHe stifles a groan of longing at the thought, imagining her on her \nknees, servicing him with those lovely full lips while he lectures in \nfront of tens, perhaps even hundreds, of pupils at the Akademiya. \nIt\u2019s a terrible idea. \n\u201cYou\u2019re getting hard again,\u201d she purrs, pressing herself against \nhim. Her cleavage is on full display, and every nerve in his body is \nimploring \n him to shove her down, rip off the straps of her dress, and \nfuck her until she screams his name.","68 | Midnight Oeuvres Zine \nAn even worse idea, considering he\u2019s almost late. He quickly pulls \non his lab coat, relieved that it\u2019s only slightly wrinkled from being \nhaphazardly discarded onto the floor just minutes ago. \u201cWe\u2019ll have \nto continue this another time, I\u2019m afraid.\u201d \n\u201cOh, I know. The great Chief Alchemist has to deliver his lecture \nnow,\u201d says Lumine with a wink. \u201cI\u2019ll see you there.\u201d \nIt turns out that not much is needed to impress the Spantamad \nresearchers of the Akademiya, who, after all, have only rudimentary \nknowledge of alchemy. It\u2019s very lucky that the post-lecture questions \nare so basic\u2014even Timaeus might have been able to answer them\u2014 \nbecause Albedo\u2019s thoughts are anywhere but here; they are adrift, \ntroubled, scattered about like so many pieces of loose flimsies in the \nwind. He can barely summon the focus to create a small flower from \nsoil for his final demonstration. His stomach twists when, upon fur \n- \nther inspection, he realizes that he has created a model of the other- \nworldly blossom that he and Lumine had birthed from withered seed \nthe first time they\u2019d interacted on Dragonspine. \nEven my subconscious is filled with her \n, he thinks bitterly. \nCan I \nafford to be distracted like this? My life\u2026 my purpose\u2026 my final assign \n- \nment to find the truth\u2026 the meaning of this world. Yet, her touch, her \ntaste\u2026 that unwavering force pulls me to her, and I cannot fathom \nwhat it is. \n\u201cExcuse me, Lecturer,\u201d a voice says, piercing through the fog. It \nbelongs to a young man with an insolent look on his bespectacled \nface\u2014clearly he\u2019s used to poking holes in the guest lecturers\u2019 argu-","[a case study in homuncular physiology] | 69 \nments. \u201cYour demonstrations\u2026 they\u2019re all well and good, but what \nis this exactly \nfor? \n Why do we focus on this\u2026 \ncreation \nof new life?\u201d \nIndeed, Albedo ponders, what is it for? Why did his master create \nhim? Why has Lumine fixated her attention on \nhim \n, specifically? What \nhave her efforts been for? Then it hits him; exactly \nwhat \nabout this \nrelationship makes his stomach churn and his pulse quicken errati- \ncally. The emotion, or lack thereof. A missing part of a formula, one \nthat he has only just grasped. \nThe flower withers into dust. \nLove. \nHe clears his throat, a bit shaken. \u201cAh\u2026 a good question.\u201d He \nflexes his wrist absentmindedly, shaking away the remnants of the \ndead blossom. \u201cIf you\u2019re asking for my personal opinion, I believe \nthat\u2014with further refinement, of course\u2014true alchemy can uncover \nthe deep mysteries of life and creation. Our understanding of it is still \nrudimentary, after all. But I\u2019m afraid I cannot discuss the practical \nethics of alchemy without taking up another hour of our time. Please \ndirect any further questions to your advisors, and I will do my best to \nprovide you with satisfactory written answers. That is all.\u201d \nAs the participants all file out of the room, some murmuring \namongst themselves and others still scratching their heads in confu- \nsion, only one figure is left. She sidles up to him, grinning. \u201cAn insight \n- \nful lecture, Professor. Though I\u2019m still not the most well-versed in the \ntopic of alchemy. Perhaps you could set aside some time for me in \nyour office hours?\u201d","70 | Midnight Oeuvres Zine \n\u201cLumine,\u201d he says softly. \u201cHow much longer are you planning on \ndoing this?\u201d \nShe cocks her head. \u201cWhat do you mean?\u201d \nHe can\u2019t get a read on her, on what emotion dwells within her \neyes, and it makes him grit his teeth when she acts as if she doesn\u2019t \nunderstand. Is she\u2026 \nmocking \nhim? He has to close his eyes and focus \non his breathing in order to calm down enough to speak. \u201cYour \nresearch \n,\u201d he manages. \u201cIt\u2019s been long enough. Are you satisfied with \nyour results?\u201d \n\u201cI\u2019m not\u2026 Albedo, did I do something?\u201d \nThe silence that stretches between them is painfully long. He \nknows she wants an explanation, but for some reason he can\u2019t bring \nhimself to tell her. That he\u2019s too weak to continue this. That he wants \nher to himself, and that he finds this forced closeness with her too \nmuch to bear. \n\u201cRegardless of what you think,\u201d he finds himself murmuring, \u201cI\u2019m \nnot a machine, Lumine. Much as I want to help you\u2026 I have feelings. \nI have desires.\u201d \n\u201cI know that.\u201d \n\u201cDo you?\u201d He finds his bitterness taking form, black tar bubbling in \nhis chest, dripping from his tongue like venom. \u201cDo you understand \nwhat you\u2019re doing to me? If so, then you\u2019re much crueller than I gave \nyou credit for.\u201d","[a case study in homuncular physiology] | 71 \nShe ponders the question in silence. He can barely stand to look at \nher, at those eyes that seem so ingenuous yet hold a gaze so distant, \nso unfathomable. \n\u201cYou\u2019re angry at me,\u201d she says slowly, \u201cbecause you think I\u2019ve \nbeen manipulating you?\u201d \n\u201cI\u2019m not angry,\u201d he replies, his voice flat, deflated. \u201cI just want to \nknow what your aims are. The sooner I can sate your curiosity, the \nsooner I can return to normalcy.\u201d \nReturn to my life without you. A life \nthat will be duller, sadder, no doubt, but one that will not make every \nmoment a reminder that I can only have you temporarily. \nLumine walks closer to him until they\u2019re only inches apart. He can \nsmell her hair, sweet and warm like honey, yet tinged with some mag- \nical, ethereal essence of starlight\u2014and he has to hold on to every \nshred of willpower he has to keep from swooning. \n\u201cYou\u2019re the smartest person I know,\u201d she scowls, \u201cand yet you \ncan\u2019t figure out why I might be doing this \nresearch \non you?\u201d \n\u201cBecause I\u2019m an unknown quantity,\u201d he replies, forcing his voice \nto remain clinical, stable. \u201cBecause you are a traveler of the galax- \nies, and this is the first time you have encountered a being like me. \nBecause your thirst for knowledge is insatiable, and you wish to \nplumb this world\u2019s depths before you go.\u201d \n\u201cI suggested it in the first place because I \nlike \nyou, Albedo,\u201d she \nexclaims, a note of irritation laced through her voice. \u201cI wanted to get \ncloser to you using the pretense of research, like you did to me\u2014or \nwere you also merely \ncurious \n about me in the first place?\u201d","72 | Midnight Oeuvres Zine \nHer words feel like blows of a hammer to an anvil. \n Shit. \nHe\u2019s made \na catastrophic miscalculation; a terrible, gross blunder; a faulty esti- \nmate. This answer is not within the expected margins of error. Yet \neven in his shock, he feels the seed of hope sprouting back to life, \nputting roots down in his chest. \nShe\u2019s angry now, her brows knitted together in exasperation as \nshe folds her arms across her chest. \u201cI accompanied you all the way \nfrom Mondstadt to Sumeru for your lecture. I booked a hotel room \nwith you. We\u2019ve \nfucked \n, for crying out loud! Why would I do this if I \nonly saw you as some test subject?\u201d \nHis brain is running on fumes, his thoughts moving sluggishly as \nif through syrup; Lumine not giving him a chance to think\u2014 \u201cSure, \nyou\u2019re not human. Sure, I\u2019m still curious to know how you were cre- \nated and how you function. But I\u2019m not some cold researcher, Albedo. \nI like you for who you are. I wanted to know more about you. As a \nperson, not as a homunculus. But I guess you don\u2019t feel the same.\u201d \nShe turns on her heel to leave, and panic floods Albedo\u2019s synapses \nlike fire. \u201cLumine, stop,\u201d he pleads. \u201cThis is all my fault. I\u2019m so sorry.\u201d \n\u201cIt\u2019s not your fault. I was the one who got my hopes up,\u201d she says, \naverting her gaze. \u201cI respect your decision.\u201d \n\u201cThen listen to me, damn you,\u201d he snaps, and he grabs her wrist \nand yanks her back to him. She stares up at him obstinately, a glaze \nof tears threatening to spill from her eyes. Her gaze is a challenge, \nand he takes the bait, frustration lending him forcefulness he didn\u2019t \nknow he had. ","[a case study in homuncular physiology] | 73 \n\u201cLumine, I am \nbesotted \nwith you,\u201d he says hoarsely. \u201cYou misun- \nderstand me. I asked you to stop your research because\u2026 because I \ncouldn\u2019t tolerate the idea of you viewing me only as a subject of sci- \nentific interest. But I know your feelings now, even if I was too dense \nto understand before, and I need you to know this as well.\u201d \n\u201cYes?\u201d She breathes, and Albedo lets his body guide him, his \nmouth seeking hers like a magnet\u2014and her lips are soft as Cecilia \npetals, her warmth like summer, and he melts. \nWhen they break apart, breaths mingling in the meager interstice \nbetween their lips, he finally, \nfinally \ndecides to let go, allows himself \nto just do what feels natural. And what feels natural is shoving Lumine \nagainst the lecture desk and groping her ass with his free hand. \n\u201cAl\u2014Albedo!\u201d she squeaks, jumping at his touch. She arches her \nback as he pulls down the front of her dress to expose her breasts, \nher nipples firm and pink and \nsensitive \n\u2014he knows because of that \nwanton moan that issues from her throat as he fondles and pinches \nand sucks at them with abandon. \u201cNot here\u2014what if someone comes \nin?\u201d \n\u201cThen they\u2019ll see you,\u201d he breathes. \u201cSee .\u201d He shoves her dress \nus \nup and her bloomers down, fingers fondling the sweetness dripping \nfrom her cunt. \u201cAnd if I\u2019m lucky they\u2019ll spread the word so they know \nthat nobody else can have you.\u201d \nLumine stops squirming long enough to shoot him a cheeky grin. \n\u201cJealous?\u201d she asks, before her mouth drops in a moan as he pinches \nher clit.","74 | Midnight Oeuvres Zine \n\u201cPerhaps it\u2019s part of who I am,\u201d he muses. \u201cYes, Lumine, I\u2019m a \njealous person. Obsessive about my interests. And you, I\u2019m afraid, \nare very much the reigning object of attention in my life right now.\u201d \nWithout warning, he shoves two fingers into her, and Lumine lets \nout a squeal before Albedo cuts her off with a hungry kiss, tongues \nintertwining, teeth clacking in his ferocity. \u201cFor all the research you\u2019ve \nbeen doing on me,\u201d he whispers after they separate, \u201cI\u2019ve been \nmaking my own observations on your weak points as well. Will you \nlet me demonstrate?\u201d \n\u201cI suppose\u2014i-it\u2019s only fair,\u201d she wheezes, shuddering as Albedo\u2019s \nfingers curl inwards, stroking a spot which makes electricity arc up her \nspine. \u201cOh, I\u2019m getting you back for this, Albedo\u2026\u201d \nHe slips his other hand over her dress to palm at her breasts. \u201cNo,\u201d \nhe says sternly, thumb grazing over a stiffening nipple, \u201cthis is \nmy \nretribution. Did you know how long I suffered under the illusion that \nyou harbored no affection for me? That you would discard me once \nyour research was complete?\u201d He accents his words with merciless \npumps of his fingers, Lumine\u2019s juices squelching with each thrust, and \nhe smirks to himself as she pants and arches her back and scrabbles \nat his shoulders, clinging on for dear life. \n\u201cI\u2019m sorry,\u201d she whispers into his ear, \u201cI am, truly\u2014I w-was\u2026 \nmmmh! \n\u2014s-scared to tell you sooner\u2026\u201d \n\u201cAnd why is that?\u201d","[a case study in homuncular physiology] | 75 \n\u201cWhat if you rejected me? I couldn\u2019t bear to lose you. I wanted \nyou so badly\u2026 I thought if I kept it experiment-related, you would \nstill want me\u2026\u201d \n\u201cAh,\u201d says Albedo, \u201cis that how you think of me? Experiments \nand alchemy are certainly interesting, but\u2026 nothing could compare \nto \nthis.\u201d \n Still stroking her velvet walls with his dominant hand, he \ntugs his pants off impatiently with the other and slips his raw cock in \nbetween her thighs, groaning as his throbbing member meets soft \nand supple flesh. \n\u201cLumine,\u201d he chants to himself like a mantra, \u201cLumine, Lumine, \nLumine.\u201d \n\u201cAlbedo,\u201d she moans in reply, a perfect harmony, \u201cfuck me, \nplease. \n\u201d \nShe doesn\u2019t need to ask twice. His budding thoughts of teasing \nher a bit more are nothing but wisps, easily overpowered over by that \nraging hunger to \ntake \n her, \nclaim \n her. He lines himself up and \nthrusts\u2014 \nand the warmth and wetness and \ntightness \n\u2014the groan pours from \nhis lips unbidden, and he ruts into her, fueled by sheer instinct. He\u2019s \ntasted of this sensation so many times already and yet he still can\u2019t \nget enough. It\u2019s never, ever enough. \n\u201cGood girl,\u201d he whispers hoarsely, and Lumine shudders. She \nhooks her legs around his hips, coaxing him deeper inside. \n\u201cMore, \n Albedo,\u201d she whines, pouting when he laughs at how \nutterly \nneedy \nshe is. She loves being spoiled, loves when he showers ","76 | Midnight Oeuvres Zine \nher with attention and kisses and praise, and he does just that. Any- \nthing for her. Everything for her. \n\u201cSo beautiful,\u201d he whispers, nibbling at a patch of skin on her \nlovely neck as he pumps his length into her, rattling the desk. \u201cSo \nfucking \ngood \n for me, Lumine. Taking me so well\u2026 \nugh\u2026 \ndo you like \nwhen I praise you? Is that what my sweet princess wants?\u201d \n\u201c \nYes,\u201d \n she sobs, \u201cAlbedo, \nplease\u2014\u201d \n\u201cShh, quiet now. That\u2019s it, cover your mouth. I don\u2019t want anyone \nelse to hear those lovely moans.\u201d It\u2019s like he\u2019s possessed; he can\u2019t \nbelieve how deep his voice is, nor how positively \ncrass \nhe sounds. \u201cI \ncan\u2019t take my eyes off you,\u201d he purrs. \u201cArchons, look at you. Stuffed \nwith my cock, begging for more, staring at me with that vacant \nexpression on your face\u2026 you\u2019re \nirresistible \n, Lumine. Such a good \ngirl; such a precious slut for me.\u201d \nShe looks blissed out of her mind; her breasts spilling from her \ndress, slick covering the insides of her thighs and dribbling onto the \ndesk beneath her. He sucks a deep hickey on her clavicle as he fucks \nher tenderly, his mind drifting in a golden dreamland from the sheer \necstasy of pounding her dripping cunt. \nA tantalizing thought rumbles in his chest. \n Breed her \n, it purrs, \nstake \nyour claim, shape new life with your seed. \nAnd, oh, how he would \nlove \nto breed her. A beautiful creature like her combined with the pinna- \ncle of alchemical mastery. Mercury and sulfur synthesized to create \ngold. Their children would be absolutely perfect. And the thought \nof Lumine\u2019s belly swelling with the product of their lovemaking, her \nbody oozing fecundity, primal \nlife \n that he created, is enough to make ","[a case study in homuncular physiology] | 77 \nhim nearly explode. His thrusts become brutal, erratic. But Lumine \ndoesn\u2019t seem to mind; if anything, she\u2019s enjoying it even more. As if \nshe\u2019s read his mind, she wraps her arms around his neck and pulls him \ndown and whispers into his ear: \n\u201cInside.\u201d \nThat one word catalyzes his reaction. How can he resist when \nshe\u2019s \nasking \n for it? He frantically bucks his hips, chasing after that \nblinding pleasure; his pace stutters and Albedo spills his load inside \nher, creamy silver filling up her hole and then some as it leaks out \nfrom the sides. \n\u201cGood girl,\u201d he groans, \u201c \nsuch \na good girl; beautiful, wonderful, \nfucking \nsexy \ngirl, Lumine.\u201d He fucks his seed deep into her, rubbing \nfierce circles into her clit until she comes too, a stifled cry ripping \nfrom her throat as she spasms. Only then does Albedo slow, and he \nreluctantly draws out his cock, hissing at the loss of warmth when it\u2019s \nreleased with a \npop. \nHer breaths are deep and heavy, gradually slowing as time passes, \nbut still she clings onto him as Wolfhook to clothing, unwilling to let \ngo. He strokes her back, pressing tender kisses into her hair, and she \nnuzzles the pontil mark on his neck. He won\u2019t be the one to interrupt \nthis miracle of a dream. \n\u201cAlbedo,\u201d she murmurs. \n\u201cYes?\u201d \n\u201cI love you.\u201d \nIt\u2019s said so simply, with no hint of pretense, and once again Albedo ","78 | Midnight Oeuvres Zine \nis caught off-guard with how utterly this outlander has captured his \nheart, how silently she\u2019s slipped past his composed veneer to coax \nout the human within. \u201cYou stole the words right from my mouth,\u201d \nhe replies with a rueful smile. \n\u201cUh oh. Are you going to punish me?\u201d \n\u201cSeems like someone\u2019s a bit too eager for that to happen.\u201d \nAs the music of her laughter fills the empty lecture hall, the familiar \nwhisper of his master\u2019s voice once again echoes in his mind. \nAlbedo, show me the truth and meaning of this world. \nBut now he has his reply. \nThe meaning of this world, \n he thinks as he hugs Lumine to his chest, \nhas many answers. But one of them is her."," "," "," ","82 | Midnight Oeuvres Zine \nCanvas of Desire \nCollaborative work by: \nscaraWHOche (Writer) & Hibari (Artist) \nL \numine could feel her body vibrate with eagerness as she \nwalked down the hall with Albedo to his studio. Earlier that \nday Albedo had bluntly asked her if he could tie her up and draw her \nnude. How could she resist such a tempting and alluring offer? His \nteal sights stared intensely into hers and she could only fall deeper \ninto his passionate radiant eyes when he made the request. There \nwas no deceit in them. He wanted to strip and bind her, all so he \ncould take her while she was vulnerable! Lumine had tried to be \naround Albedo more but he was always busy and even when he \nshyly excused himself to leave she wondered if he would ever want \nCONTENT WARNINGS: \nNo Warnings Apply","Canvas of Desire | 83 \nmore than to just \n hang out \n. Oh, how she had been waiting for this \nday for a while. \n\u201cHere is the studio.\u201d Albedo opened the door and allowed Lumine \nin with a graceful bow. \u201cI will let you undress privately and then you \ncan knock on the door when you\u2019re ready for me to tie you up.\u201d \n\u201cWait!\u201d Lumine\u2019s light brown eyes widened. \u201cIf you\u2019re going to see \nme nude anyways it doesn\u2019t matter if I lose my clothes in front of you!\u201d \n\u201cLumine, if I didn\u2019t know better I would assume you thought I was \nimplying something else out of this arrangement. Let me assure you \nthis is only for an art piece. I planned to practice nude works in unique \npositions with a color scheme that suits them.\u201d \n\u201cWith rope!\u201d Lumine added. She realized how desperate she \nappeared and the confused blink Albedo gave her made her feel like \na fool. When Albedo asked her to come to his art studio to draw her \ntied up and nude, he literally meant just that. She assumed it was \ncode for something more like getting \u2018frisky\u2019 or \u2018getting lucky\u2019. That \ndidn\u2019t appear to be the case as she wandered into the brightly sunlit \nroom with a harsh smell of turpentine and gritty earth. \u201cDo I just\u2026 \nuhhh\u2026 \n get naked and let you tie me up?\u201d \n\u201cYes, exactly. All you must do is relax as I prepare and paint you. \nIf at any point you find this too uncomfortable we can stop. You are \na \ndear friend \n and I don\u2019t want us to lose that connection. I under- \nstand uneasy situations such as these can cause friendships to drift.\u201d \nLumine cringed hearing \n\u2018dear friend\u2019 \n. She hoped Albedo saw her as \nsomething more than a friend, maybe a potential date or a future \nwife, not a friend. Slowly she removed each garment she wore. Her ","84 | Midnight Oeuvres Zine \nface became more heated with each piece removed but when she \nlooked at Albedo he was occupied with picking out a canvas. This \ntruly was only for art and nothing more. He wasn\u2019t bothered by her in \nthe slightest! She slipped off her panties and then naturally covered \nherself from being indecent. \n \u201cI\u2019m ready for the ropes or\u2026 \n whatever\u2026\u201d \n Lumine mumbled. She \ndidn\u2019t realize how disappointed she was by the thought that Albedo \nsaw this as art practice and nothing more. His head swiftly turned to \nmeet her and he brightly smiled. \n\u201cWonderful, I see I picked an astounding model for this piece. All \nyou must do is relax and let me take care of you.\u201d He ushered her to \na round seat and pulled out a scarlet red rope from his pocket. The \nthin cord appeared flimsy and Lumine sighed. This wasn\u2019t going to \nbe kinky either. She could break out of that easily. She assumed if she \nwas to be tied up she would be helpless but this rope seemed to be \ndecorative and wasn\u2019t meant for tying up helpless women with raging \nlust overcoming them. \nAlbedo loomed closer. His hands wandered up and down her \nframe while he moved the red satin rope around her body, gracefully \nteasing her with each brush of his fingertips. The red cord was soft \nagainst her plush flesh and when Albedo moved her arms away from \nher body she couldn\u2019t help but feel exposed. Her breasts were in his \nface as he twirled and knotted the rope around her with precision. \nHe lowered to her thighs and she felt heat pool in her belly. Occa- \nsionally he murmured apologies as he nudged against sensitive spots \nshe\u2019d only dreamed of him grasping and feeling for pleasure. Now he \ntouched them with calculated elegance and worry weighed on her \nmind about what her body may involuntarily do. With a little indica-","Canvas of Desire | 85 \ntion, he whisked her into his arms and she squealed. Nude while in his \narms she stared at him in awe and he innocently sat her on the seat. \n\u201cI thought you would have a difficult time sitting. After all, I tied \nyou up.\u201d He grinned. \nLumine swore he was enjoying this and went into shock when he \nturned to a box and pulled out flowers to delicately place on her as \nif he hadn\u2019t just aroused her from all the teasing and then grasping \nher so tightly. \nThe rope was taut as he tightened it just enough and made minus- \ncule corrections on the placing of the flowers. \n\u201cThat isn\u2019t too snug for you, is it?\u201d Albedo\u2019s tender sapphire eyes \nmet her honey-amber saccharine innocence. \u201cNo, I\u2019ve been in stickier \nsituations than this. You\u2019re doing this for a painting, right?\u201d \nAlbedo only smirked in that irksome taunting smug smile that \nLumine wished she could wipe off his face with a surprise kiss. His \ngentle fingers brushed against her supple flesh making her skin gain \ngoosebumps from the caress. \n\u201cSheesh!\u201d She squeaked in protest only for the teal azure stare to \nturn to her attention again. \n\u201cHmmm?\u201d \nHe hummed softly. \n\u201cYour\u2026 Your\u2026 \n Your hands are cold!\u201d Lumine lied but the very \ntouch Albedo gave sent shivers down her spine and her core started \nburning up. Being in such bindings while vulnerable and exposed gave \nunsavory ideas in her mind but she knew Albedo had no lewd inten-","86 | Midnight Oeuvres Zine \ntions. He was too sweet and professional, she thought to herself but \nthe stern, narrow, stare Albedo gave as he purposely moved each \nflower into its proper place made her heart beat faster. He acciden \n- \ntally grazed against her causing her rosy nips to perk and she felt a \nblush come over her. Her cheeks heated up from the very act of real- \nizing where she was and who she was with. She was a fly trapped in a \nspider\u2019s web. She couldn\u2019t get out of this without Albedo\u2019s help and \nshe only became more aroused at the thought. \n\u201cAh,\u201d \nAlbedo softly exclaimed, \u201cI believe this is too much.\u201d \nHe blinked a few times seeing the cherry red spread across \nLumine\u2019s face. \n\u201cI shouldn\u2019t have asked you to come here and do\u2026\u201d \n\u201cNo! I want to help you!\u201d Lumine said far too quickly and the \ntender smile on Albedo\u2019s face became more mischievous. \n\u201cLumine, this is only for a casual painting. I don\u2019t have to paint you \nif you are uncomfortable. I invited you because the blossoms I had \npicked would suit you. I wished to have you in the center of my work \nas the subject of pure, virtuous, beauty.\u201d Lumine couldn\u2019t see how \nbeing tied up in shibari-style knots was virtuous or pure. All her mind \ncould conjure up were impure thoughts. She was thinking the com- \nplete opposite of what Albedo was trying to project in this painting. \n \u201cEep!\u201d Lumine squealed when she felt a stroke along one of the \nrope strands that went around one of her milky thighs. ","Canvas of Desire | 87 \n\u201cHmm?\u201d \nAlbedo hummed again with intrigue while holding a play- \nful glimmer in his eyes. \u201cI was only positioning the rope so it aligned \nsymmetrically with the other one. Lumine, are you sure\u2026\u201d \n\u201cYes, I want to do this!\u201d Lumine growled. She was getting irritated \nby the subtle teasing that Albedo was unaware he was stirring. She \ncould feel wet slick sticking to her thighs and horror-struck her face. \nHad Albedo seen the glistening slick when he was repositioning the \nrope back in place? Was that why he had a twinkle in his eyes with \nan amused interest? She wiggled slightly hoping she could hide the \nlittle secret that was becoming more obvious as the session went on. \nShe had barely been there five minutes and she was sopping wet just \nimagining Albedo using her while she was all tied up but instead he \nwas going to watch her as she helplessly sat there. \n\u201cPerfect,\u201d \n Albedo said softly, \u201cthe lighting is just right and the \nshadows are flawless.\u201d He walked to his canvas and sat on a stool to \npaint. \nLumine didn\u2019t know what she expected during this. She didn\u2019t \nthink it would feel so shameful. \nHis clear blue eyes were stern as they narrowed in on parts of her \nthat she hid away in privacy. He paid close attention to the details on \nher delicate frame and she turned her face away in humiliation only \nto hear a stern voice say, \u201cCan I see your face? It\u2019s the main focus of \nthis piece.\u201d \nIf her face was the main part of the art piece then why was she on a \nchair, tied up like a served-up meal for Albedo to take at any moment? \nLumine tried to take steady breaths but the intense stare of those ","88 | Midnight Oeuvres Zine \nwatchful eyes that viewed every minuscule movement she made was \ndifficult to keep level-headed. \nDeep breaths \n, she told herself. \nIf I take \ndeep breaths he\u2019ll never know how hot this is. \n Each minute that ticked \nfelt like hours. She stopped caring that her nipples were perky, they \nwere the least of her worries in the whole scheme of things. Her pussy \nwas drenched and her breath was labored. She wanted to beg the \none man in the room who could relieve her, the one person watching \nher unravel so quickly. \n\u201cAl\u2026 Albedo\u2026\u201d \n She felt a whine unintentionally pass her parted \nlips. \n\u201cYes, is something wrong?\u201d He asked coolly with slight concern. \nShit, shit, shit\u2026 she had to come up with an excuse about why she \nmoaned out his name. She didn\u2019t mean to, her body couldn\u2019t handle \nthis tension. \n\u201cI\u2026 I need a\u2026 \n haaa\u2026 \nI need a glass of water.\u201d Lumine did it, \nshe requested a glass of water without sounding too needy. Maybe \nif Albedo left the room she could calm down a bit, but he shook his \nhead. \u201cI fear to get you a glass of water because there are only two \noptions. I could hold you up\u2013but that seems inappropriate\u2013or I would \nhave to untie you, but I\u2019m almost done with the art piece. If you give \nme five more minutes you can be done with this\u2026 \ntorture.\u201d \nHe chuck- \nled. \nDid he just laugh and call this torture? Lumine was not amused by \nthis at all! Did he think this was funny?! \n\u201cAlbedo, is this a joke to you?\u201d Lumine pouted. \u201cI thought this was \na serious matter and you\u2019re laughing at me!\u201d"," ","90 | Midnight Oeuvres Zine \nAlbedo raised a brow. \u201cNo, I\u2019m not laughing at you in the slightest. \nI think you are appealing like this.\u201d \nLumine\u2019s ears perked up. \n \u201cI mean, \nahem, \nyou appear marvelous in my painting.\u201d Those \nwords said a lot to Lumine. Albedo corrected himself and he was back \nto staring at his canvas instead of her like she had done something to \nembarrass him. \nWas he getting stirred by her? He even stated it was inappropriate \nto aid her in drinking water. He had just put his hands all over her \nbody! She attempted to gaze at Albedo\u2019s crotch but it was covered by \nhis palette coated in different globs and smears of paint colors. There \nwas no way to tell if he had a burning hard-on for her. \nHer lips pressed together and she spread her legs slightly apart \nhoping he would comment on it, but he looked at her and shook his \nhead, \u201cLumine, can you please stop moving? I need you still for this \npiece. If you keep moving I\u2019ll have to restart.\u201d \nMaybe he wasn\u2019t getting hot and bothered for her as much as she \nhoped. She exhaled disappointedly and waited while he finished his \nlast few brush strokes on the canvas. Finally, he walked up and stared \ndown at her. \n\u201cI think you need a five-minute break. I can see how restless you \nare.\u201d \n\u201cNo, I don\u2019t need a break!\u201d Lumine defiantly stated. \u201cI can keep \ngoing!\u201d ","Canvas of Desire | 91 \n\u201cReally? I assumed you needed some water, but if you don\u2019t then \nI suppose that need a break. He exhaled loudly and much unlike \nI \n\u201d \nhimself. \u201cI\u2019ll be back in a little bit. I\u2019ll bring water as you requested \nearlier and help you drink it.\u201d \n He swiftly turned away without another word and Lumine grew \nconcerned. What had happened between the shit-eating grin to \nnow, \nwhere he appeared defeated? Didn\u2019t he say helping her drink water \nwas inappropriate? Why was it okay now? She squirmed a little know- \ning full well she was trapped in these binds she originally assumed \nwere flimsy and weak. There was no escape and she had to stay put as \nthe man took his sweet time on his break. Lumine impatiently tapped \nher foot feeling the rope slowly riding up her thigh. It started to rub \npast her folds and on her bundle of nerves. She paused, realizing she \nhad to stop. The friction was starting to become pleasurable and if \nshe moaned out Albedo\u2019s name when she was helplessly sitting in \nfront of him what would she do if she accidentally orgasmed from the \nfriction against the rope? She irritably bit her lip when Albedo walked \nback into the room. \nHis hair was a mess and he disregarded that she was sitting in the \nroom. No glass of water was in his hand and he appeared discon- \nnected from her. He glanced at the canvas and narrowed his sights, \nthen he finally met her eyes. \n\u201cI have conducted myself poorly around you.\u201d He said as if he was \naddressing an elephant in the room. \u201cI\u2019m very disappointed in myself. \nLook at this, my canvas, \n no, \n my art has become a disaster. It contains \ngreedy, filthy, desires filled with lust\u2026\u201d ","92 | Midnight Oeuvres Zine \nAlbedo shook his head where his long locks gracefully danced to \nand fro across his face. \n\u201cI can\u2019t do this. I\u2019m not sure I can even untie you from the ropes I \nplaced on you.\u201d He sat in his seat and folded his arms in front of him- \nself and gazed down at the floor in thought. \n\u201cLumine, I\u2019ve been having trouble being around you for quite \nsome time.\u201d He said matter of factly. \u201cI can\u2019t be near you and stay \nfriends. I assumed if I drew you nude it would pique my curiosity and \nI wouldn\u2019t wish for more but I do.\u201d \nHe softly gazed up at her. His deep blue eyes begged for forgive- \nness. \n\u201cI apologize for such feral and animalistic impulses. I can see where \nthis will strain our friendship.\u201d His cheeks became a scarlet hue and \nhe looked back at the canvas he was painting only minutes before. \n\u201cAlbedo, do you like me?\u201d She sweetly asked. \n\u201cI believe so\u2026\u201d \nLumine\u2019s mind screamed with happiness from \nAlbedo\u2019s reply. Yes, finally, Albedo was saying something she wanted \nto hear! \n\u201cI see you\u2019re smiling. Is this funny to you?\u201d He asked quietly. \u201cI \nsuppose this could be comical. I invited you to my art studio to paint. \nI wanted to prove to myself that I didn\u2019t have feelings for you and \ninstead\u2026\u201d","Canvas of Desire | 93 \n\u201cAlbedo, what the hell?!\u201d Lumine interrupted. \u201cWhen you said you \nwere going to tie me up and paint me naked I thought you were going \nto take me to your house and get rough with me. Instead, you\u2019ve \nteased me and asked for what? Forgiveness?\u201d She huffed. \u201cYou\u2019re not \nbeing nice, Albedo.\u201d She turned her head away. \n\u201cWait, Lumine\u2026 Did you truly believe I wanted you this whole \ntime?\u201d \nShe could only hope her smirk was irritating him as much as his grin \nwould agitate her in the past. \n\u201cIt\u2019s true. My eyes wander when I see you from afar. I can\u2019t mistake \nyou for another woman because of the glow you radiate. Lumine,\u201d \nHe grasped a flower that had fallen to the floor, \u201cyou are far more \nwondrous and delicate than this flower.\u201d \nLumine could almost roll her eyes at the comment. \n\u201cHow am I delicate? I fight mighty beasts almost every day on my \ncommissions.\u201d She straightened her back and her perky breasts were \nmore pronounced. As if she had forgotten she was nude in front of \nthe man she wanted to go down on. \u201cI\u2019m not a flower. I am not a little \nsweet thing that can crumble in your hand.\u201d \nAlbedo looked down at the blossom he had just compared her to. \n\u201cI can fend for myself.\u201d \n\u201cI suppose you are correct.\u201d He let the bloom fall and dance \nthrough the air until it gently lay on the ground.","94 | Midnight Oeuvres Zine \nLumine could see the shame that had shadowed his face. The soft \npoetry that whispered past his lips meant nothing to her. \n\u201cAlbedo, I like you.\u201d She relaxed her body, \u201cI want you, like this, \nno\u2026\u201d \n She muttered while she struggled against her bounds, \u201cI want \nyou, all of you.\u201d \nHis eyes lightened up. \n\u201cAll of me?\u201d \nLumine nodded. \u201cI\u2019ve had a crush on you for quite a while and I \nthought when you brought me to this studio you were to confess \nthe same feelings. I suppose you did, in the only way you could.\u201d She \ngiggled. \u201cYou\u2019re such a strange man.\u201d \nThe worry and tense moment passed and Albedo\u2019s eyebrow \nraised. \n\u201cI suppose this means that you\u2019re tied up in my studio. I wonder \nwhat I should do with you.\u201d He stood up and walked over. His finger \n- \ntips danced on her skin. \u201cPerhaps, I should have a little experiment.\u201d \nHe smirked."," ","96 | Midnight Oeuvres Zine \nSweet Juice \nWritten by Emma \nCONTENT WARNINGS: \nModern AU, Urban Fantasy, Blood \nT \nhe bar was one of the best places to people-watch. Albedo \nrarely went out, too busy with his research to find time to \nsit down and relax. Though it didn\u2019t stop his friends from dragging \nhim out once a month for him to \nbreathe in the fresh air and experi- \nence life \n as Kaeya would often tell him. \nThe group liked to frequent Angel\u2019s Share, a small intimate bar in \nthe middle of downtown Mondstadt that drowned out the loud con- \nversations with even louder music. The walls were covered in Polaroid \nphotos of guests and regulars. Albedo had even managed to make \nthe wall. In the photo he was squished between Lisa and Kaeya, a \nsmall smile tugging at his lips. ","Sweet Juice | 97 \nHowever, whenever they reached their destination, everyone \nwould start to disappear one by one. Kaeya was always first, then \nLisa and Jean disappeared, then Diluc would grumble something, and \nhe too would be gone. It left Albedo alone at the table with nothing \nto do. That\u2019s when he began his little habit of watching the people \nin the bar. \nEvery person had their own story to tell. It allowed Albedo\u2019s mind \nto wander as he imagined the couple in the corner on their first date \njudging by how nervous they both were. The man kept wiping his \nsweaty palms over his thighs. The girl fidgeted with her long golden \nnecklace. There was a regular at the bar counter on his fifth drink of \nthe night, already plastered. He\u2019d play with the ring around his finger, \nclearly showing signs of marital issues. \nAlbedo had just finished observing the group of friends who were \nat the bar for a birthday when the door opened. No one else paid any \nattention to the jingle of the bell, to the cold gust of wind, and even \nless so to the person who just stepped through. Albedo was frozen \nas he looked\u2014because how did no one notice that the most beautiful \ngirl had just walked through? \nBlonde hair that was chopped off at her shoulders, round golden \neyes that reminded Albedo of the stars, and a mysterious smile that \nplayed on her painted red lips. She wore a large fluffy blue jacket that \nwent down to her slim bare legs and had on a pair of strappy black \nheels. It was like she stepped off of a movie set with how glamorous \nshe was. \nWhen her gaze slid towards Albedo, his breath caught in his \nthroat. Time slowed, the sand in the hourglass falling one grain at a ","98 | Midnight Oeuvres Zine \ntime. Then after an eternity, the woman smiled at him before heading \ntowards the bar and sliding onto a stool. \nAlbedo couldn\u2019t help but keep his eyes on her. Who was she? \nHe\u2019d never seen someone as beautiful as her in Mondstadt before. \nLike a painting that had come to life. Albedo took a sip of his mostly \nuntouched drink. For some reason, he was parched, his mouth dry as \nthe deserts in Sumeru. He knew he should look away. His gaze was \nheavy, clearly sending a prickling feeling spreading across her neck, \nbut it was impossible to turn away. \nWhat surprised Albedo the most as he watched was the lack of \nattention the woman brought to herself. He assumed she would be \nswarmed the instant she sat down. Yet no one paid her any mind. \nEven the bartender poured her a drink and immediately seemed to \nhave forgotten her. Albedo\u2019s curiosity was piqued. Just who was she? \nOnce her drink was finished, the woman slowly slid off her stool. \nHer hands buried in the soft fur of her jacket as she adjusted the gar- \nment, it had fallen down her shoulders at some point earlier to reveal \nher pale skin. When it was back in place she turned her head, her eyes \nlocking with Albedo. She smiled, tilting her head towards the bath- \nroom before she headed off in that direction. \nAlbedo was out of his seat immediately. He weaved through the \ntables and chairs, eventually ending up outside of the second sin- \ngle-stall bathroom. The door was slightly ajar, and Albedo didn\u2019t \nhesitate to push it open. The woman was standing in front of the \nmirror, her gaze fixed on the glass. She pulled out a red lipstick, lean \n- \ning forward onto the counter as she applied it. Albedo closed the door \nbehind him and locked it."]