Chapter Text
Phainon wasn't exactly sure what happened. I mean, one moment he was soaking in the Hero's Baths and the next thing he remembers he's walking along the shore of a place he doesn't recognize. I mean, it seems familiar as he's not panicking and something sings out deep within his soul and his shoulders feel lighter. But as he steps forward, his feet buried in the sand, something feels missing.. like someone who he expected to be here, wasn't here after all. He thought for a moment and couldn't seem to come up with an answer for who he was looking for, so he sighed and continued walking, the salt from the ocean getting caught between his snowy locks and seeping into his clothes.
He pauses for a moment as he hears something, but it sounds echoes across the open area, like a sound from far away yet close at the same time. Just as he turns and spots someone in the distance with long dark hair and the most striking green eyes Phainon has ever seen...
“-nowy! Wake up!”
Phainon jolts awake in Lady Tribios' room, a towel to his forehead and some water at his bedside, Tribbie and Trinnon standing over him with concern written all over their faces.
“Snowy! We were so worried about you! You passed out in the Hero's Baths and got a terrible fever.”
Tribbie says hurriedly, Trianne nodding along from further away from the bed, and a small yet sheepish smile graces Phainon’s lips.
“Ah, Lady Tribios.. my apologies for making you worry about me.”
Phainon pauses thoughtfully for a moment and he looked over to the door to see the Trailblazer and-
“Dan Heng.. it's good to see you.”
Phainon says softly and he feels his face go a little warmer at Dan Heng's small smile, just as he hears Trianne say something about Dan Heng carrying him all the way here without any help at all.
“..Evening, Phainon.. it seems you're feeling unwell after your rest in the baths.”
He felt a little (a lot) embarrassed, as falling asleep in the baths is known to cause sickness even to the strongest of the Chrysos Heirs and is strictly warned against to everyone who bathes for the first time, such a fool he is to forget the first and foremost rule. Let alone that Dan Heng had carried him here from the Hero's Baths.. how long had they been touching without Phainon's knowing? He was half wishing he was awake now…
Whatever, he doesn't have the time to think about that right now as the Tribios triplets leave the room, saying something vaguely of fetching more medicine, and the Trailblazer takes their leave with a nod of their head to Dan Heng, and then Phainon suddenly realizes they're alone. He prays to Kephale or anyone who will listen that he doesn't make a fool of himself, before letting out a breath he didn't realize he was holding and speaking.
“So, Dan Heng. How have you been since-”
He's cut short by the shorter male looking at him in such a manner that was so intense with something unrecognizable that makes his throat feel dry and stuck, and his cheeks flush, this time Dan Heng seems to notice, for a soft blush reaches his own cheeks and the tips of his ears.
“..Ah, apologies Phainon.. I was lost in thought and didn't think of my expression.”
Phainon feels a little bad now and he smiled sheepishly like you would in an embarrassing situation, as if this wasn't already one, and folded his hands over his stomach.
“It's quite alright, Dan Heng. I was just as taken by you as well.”
Yeah, talk about not making a fool of yourself. He's already calling Dan Heng handsome and they’ve been talking for 3 whole seconds! Well, it was more of a way to cope with crippling nervousness as he now held his own hand too tight, still laid over his stomach like you would hold a bouquet inside of a casket. Speaking of, Phainon wants to be in his casket after saying that, but its a bit early isn't it?
Dan Hengs face goes more pink than before and he looks away for a moment before moving closer, sitting on the edge of Phainons bed near his middle.
“..I'm honored, Phainon. I never thought someone as beautiful as you could find me worthy of praise by my vanity.”
Phainon doesn't know whether to smile, frown, or dig his own grave now. He goes with a smile and moves to take one of Dan Heng’s hands in his hopefully steady one.
“Well I think you're lovely company, Dan Heng. You're easy to talk to, you know?”
He feels Dan Heng squeeze his hand and just hum for a moment, leaving them in comfortable silence with Dan Hengs eyes closed as he sat near Phainon and held his hand like it was precious, even after the battle he'd fought with Dan Heng and the Trailblazer as his witnesses.
'Your hold is very gentle, I like it.' The words are at the tip of his tongue when the door opens and Lady Tribios comes filing in, Tribbie first then Trianne and Trinnon, each holding different things and when they see them both, the High Priestess each have different responses from their other remaining parts. Tribbie smiles and just gets to work feeding Phainon medicine, Trianne looks a little annoyed but brushes it off, placing more unlabeled things on the bedside table and Trinnon looks as if she'd walked in on them doing something way different, their face almost as red as their hair as they moved closer to shove something heavy wrapped in paper into his lap.
“We found something you may like while we were out, Snowy..”
Trinnon looks so nervous but Phainon smiles at them and gently let's go of Dan Hengs hand to unwrap it. It's a statue, seemingly an antique and Phainon looks up to tell Trinnon thank you and that they didn't have to, but they just give a sheepish smile and their face calms down a bit.