Chapter Text
The waves rolled onto the shore in a slow, rhythmic dance, the ocean stretching endlessly beneath the vast, starlit sky. A cool breeze carried the salty scent of the sea, rustling through Caelus’ silver hair as he leaned into Dan Heng’s touch, his fingers tracing slow, deliberate lines down the nape of Dan Heng’s neck
Dan Heng let out a quiet breath, his lips brushing against Caelus’s before finally pulling him into a deep, lingering kiss. It was unhurried, intoxicating—the kind of kiss that made time feel distant, irrelevant. The world around them faded into the background, reduced to nothing but the warmth of their bodies, the sound of their breathing, and the gentle lull of the waves against the shore
Caelus sighed into the kiss, his hands sliding down to grip Dan Heng’s waist, drawing him closer. His heart pounded in his chest, loud enough that he was sure Dan Heng could hear it. The feeling of Dan Heng’s fingers curling into his hair, the way his breath hitched when Caelus nipped at his lower lip—it was overwhelming in the best way possible
Dan Heng shifted, leaning further over Caelus, their bodies pressed flush against each other in the cool, moonlit sand. He cupped Caelus’s jaw, tilting his head just right, deepening the kiss with a fervor that sent shivers down Caelus’s spine. The moment felt unreal, like something out of a dream
And then—
"AHH, FUCK—!"
Dan Heng suddenly jerked away from Caelus, nearly toppling over as he clutched his ankle. Caelus, startled and dazed from the abrupt loss of contact, blinked up at him in confusion
"What—what happened?!"
Dan Heng gritted his teeth, yanking his foot up as if something had attacked him. In the dim glow of the moonlight, Caelus spotted the culprit—a small, unimpressed-looking hermit crab scuttling away in the sand, its tiny pincers snapping indignantly as if it had been the one rudely interrupted
Caelus stared for a second before he burst out laughing, rolling onto his back as he clutched his stomach. "No way—did a crab just pinch you?" He wheezed between fits of laughter, eyes sparkling with amusement
Dan Heng scowled, rubbing his ankle as he shot the retreating crab a glare. "It ambushed me," he muttered, voice laced with irritation
Caelus wiped at the tears forming in the corners of his eyes, his laughter only growing louder, "Oh my god. Moonlit romance, rudely interrupted by a battle-hardened beach warrior"
Dan Heng exhaled sharply, rolling his eyes as he sat back on the sand, rubbing at his foot. "I'm glad my suffering is amusing to you"
"Listen, listen—" Caelus took a deep breath, trying to calm himself. He reached out, tugging Dan Heng back toward him. "I'm sorry, okay? But seriously, what are the odds?" He was still grinning, but his expression softened as he looped his arms around Dan Heng’s shoulders. "Let me make it up to you?"
Dan Heng arched a brow, but his lips twitched, betraying his amusement despite himself. "And how exactly do you plan to do that?"
Caelus smirked. "Well, I was gonna suggest a kiss, but I don’t wanna risk another ambush. Maybe we should take this somewhere less dangerous"
Dan Heng chuckled, shaking his head as he let Caelus pull him back down into the sand. "Fine. But if another crab shows up, we’re going home"
Caelus laughed again, pressing a quick kiss to Dan Heng’s cheek. "Deal"