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My Sanctuary... No one can see it but myself. It's nothing but a vision.
It forms when I am facing danger or my mind is in a conflict. It may also form if I want to meditate.
Nothing bad forms there, it's my safe place.
Or so I've thought.
....
I saw him with a smirk on his face. He approached me and draped his arms around me, whispered such words that were trying to seduce me.
Is it really him? His eyes are red instead of the golden hue I know. Is this an illusion?
My Sanctuary... Is it really a safe haven?
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It was quiet in Dan Heng's room... or should we call it the Archives. The black haired is fixing the books that Caelus has used and touched. Those books were unsorted, he sighed and wish Caelus could fix them, though it's not a bother to him. In fact he likes it when Caelus reads the books since they've been untouched for quite a while. The others don't use the books as often as Dan Heng himself.
In the middle of his sorting, he suddenly stopped. Thoughts of Caelus' face enter his mind. His smile, frown, goofiness and seriousness.
"Not again..." Dan Heng muttered to himself. He's been thinking of him for as long as he remembers. He knows what these thoughts are but he keeps declining them.
What I'm feeling is wrong. They're wrong.
Dan Heng sighed out of stress and closed his eyes. He calmed down a little and transported himself to his sanctuary and stayed there for a while. He noticed that there are red, pink and white flowers on the ground. Usually his sanctuary doesn't have flowers...
He recognises them.
"Could they be... Oleanders?"
Time passed. He's about to leave the sanctuary until he hears footsteps.
He drew out his Cloud Piercer, ready for battle until he saw the figure's silhouette. He relaxed yet turned confused at the sight before him.
The silhouette appears to be Caelus. He had this seductive look on him.
"Caelus? How did you get in the sanctuary?" Dan Heng questioned until he noticed something wasn't right. The Caelus who is approaching right now has red eyes.
What's the meaning of this?
Dan Heng kept his guard up, but even with that he couldn’t help but lower his guard when that Caelus touched him on the face, whispering to his ear:
"You don't have to get your guard up on me. I'm your safe place..."
And "Caelus" kissed his cheek, leaving Dan Heng in shock.
"Caelus, what are you-"
“Caelus” went behind him, draping his arms around Dan Heng.
"Don't deny it. You've been wanting this, Dan Heng." He whispered seductively as he touched the arm of the black haired. But Dan Heng tried to move away his arm and tried his best not to look at this Caelus.
"Only good things form in this sanctuary.. How come such an illusion like you formed?" Dan Heng asked with hesitance in his voice and he heard the illusion chuckle.
"Because I'm a 'good thing'... No need for any more explanations for that."
"Liar. You're nothing but a bad desire-"
"I came from your thoughts, Dan Heng. Your so-called rejected memories and thoughts of Caelus... You've been wanting me since."
"No!"
"You're just rejecting the truth. I know how much you've been wanting to get your hands on him... I am from your intrusive thoughts."
The illusion held Dan Heng's hand and kept scooting over near his face with this seductive smile.
Dan Heng can't accept this. It's wrong, it's wrong to love Caelus.
He tried transporting back to reality but he couldn't. What is going on??
......
My Sanctuary... No one can see it but myself. It's nothing but a vision.
It forms when I am facing danger or my mind is in a conflict. It may also form if I want to meditate.
Nothing bad forms there, it's my safe place.
Or so I've thought.
......
"Dan Heng... Why are you stubborn? " The illusion bit his ear.
I can't... I can't love him. This is wrong.. This is wrong.
....
Dan Heng removed the arms draped around him and faced the illusion to pin him against the tree with such lust in his eyes.
"Fine."
"I'll succumb to my temptations."
The illusion Caelus chuckled and wrapped his arms around Dan Heng's neck.
"That's right, Dan Heng. Love me.."
Dan Heng leaned to the illusion and kissed him on the lips.
My Sanctuary... Is it really a safe place?
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Caelus was about to enter the Archives to return some of the books he borrowed from Dan Heng then he heard something odd from the room. He knocked first to see if Dan Heng responds, but no one answered. He knocked again, this time calling the other's name; "Dan Heng?"
.....
"Dan Heng, it's me, Caelus. Are you there?" The gray haired asked in concern. He then decided to open the door in the Archives and was shocked about what he saw.
The Archives... It has a black hole or some vortex near the data bank and bookshelf on where Dan Heng usually stands. Caelus decided to face this alone. He entered the room and locked the door behind him.
"What the hell is this..." Caelus said in awe.
He tried to see if he could touch the vortex, but unfortunately he ended up touching some glass that is protecting the vortex. Then he suddenly heard something echoing;
"Caelus... I'm sorry."
"It's wrong... This is wrong."
Caelus placed his hand on his forehead, receiving some headache from the echoes or possibly from the vortex. "That voice... It's Dan Heng."
"What are you sorry about?"
...
"Dan Heng, what's wrong?" He tried questioning to see if someone would respond but no one did.
Then he heard the echo again.
"Caelus, this is wrong."
"What is wrong?"
"It's wrong to love you, Caelus.."
The gray haired eyes' widened. He didn't expect that someone as reserved and aloof as Dan Heng would be attracted to someone like him. But then again, it's not a problem. Caelus shares the same feelings but Dan Heng doesn't know that at all. Both of them are unaware they have feelings for each other.
......
This isn't the time for Caelus to be deep in thoughts. He needs to know what's going on inside the vortex. He wonders if putting his forehead on the glass like with the memory bubble works. So he did and he was transported to what's going on in the vortex. Though his appearance seems transparent, he thought maybe whoever is in this place won't be able to see or hear him because of it.
"What is this place..." was all Caelus was able to mutter.
He looked around and it seemed really peaceful with so many maple leaves flowing by. He also saw some flowers, they're either white or red, and there are very few pink. They looked pretty, but something told him not to touch them.
He walked further and further until he saw...
Dan Heng and someone sitting on his lap who looks exactly like Caelus himself.
He saw them being too seductive to each other, Dan Heng seems to be out of it and manipulated by the fake.
Caelus glared at the fake. He doesn't understand, why is he that hurt? That's technically him, but why does he seems... jealous?
He tried to go nearer but there was a barrier. He tried hitting it with his fist or even his bat, but nothing worked.
He tried to hit harder.
"Dan Heng! Snap out of it!" He yelled, but the fake heard him somehow and looked at the direction where Caelus was and drew out some unknown force, making the real Caelus go back to reality. Dan Heng followed the trail where the fake looked but saw nothing there but he felt the real Caelus' presence.
"Caelus..."
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Caelus got back to reality and dropped from exhaustion due to the force he felt earlier.
What the hell was all that? What was that place? Why is he blocked from going nearer? How did the fake see and hear him? Most importantly, why is there a fake him in there ?
Caelus has to think first what is going on, so many questions gathering up in his head.
He suddenly remembered that there are times he hears from Dan Heng that he's going to a place called sanctuary. He thought maybe that place was the sanctuary.
"But isn't a sanctuary supposed to be a safe place..."
Then it got to him.
Dan Heng probably considers being loved by him as a safe place. Caelus got in deep thoughts and formed a sad smile.
"He should've just told me..." He said with sadness in his tone.
But then again, Dan Heng never told his feelings, he always shut them in. He shook his head, and focused on what he needed to focus on.
He stood up and tried to hard knock on the glass that was protecting the vortex.
"Dan Heng!"
He kept knocking and knocking, as usual, nothing was happening. He once again used his bat and hit it with such force but it didn't break even a single bit.
If you feel I'm your safe place, then I will make sure of it.
But please, as of this moment, snap out of it.
Dan Heng, please.
And Caelus continues to hit the glass with serious force as much as he can.
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"Dan Heng, please." It echoed in the whole sanctuary.
It awakened Dan Heng a little and the illusion slyly grunted from what he heard. The illusion whispered to Dan Heng's ear;
"I'm sorry but... this is wrong."
... "What do you mean...?"
"This is wrong, Dan Heng. You shouldn't love me." The illusion suddenly altered, giving such a cold stare. "But you told that I should accept-"
The illusion placed a finger to Dan Heng's lips. "Shh.... I was wrong.. What you feel is wrong." Dan Heng's cold steel eyes show such fear from the betraying crimson eyes of the illusion.
The illusion went behind Dan Heng and covered his eyes. "All of the things you're feeling for him is invalid. Give it up." He heard the illusion laughed in a dark tone.
This made Dan Heng confused even more. Or worse, lost.
He doesn't know anymore if what he feels is right or wrong. His head started to hurt so much it became so unbearable.
The sanctuary seems to be fluctuating from how originally it is to darkness, the maple leaves danced wildly with the wind, and the fog grows thicker. The Oleanders seemed to stay on their form. Suddenly, shadows started seeping from the ground.
Dan Heng's mind went blank. He doesn't know what to do anymore.
"Caelus, save me."
....
"Caelus..."
...Maybe he should accept his fate.
He closed his eyes and let himself sink with the illusion as a sign of accepting his defeat.
What I feel is wrong.
It's all wrong.
Caelus, I'm sorry. It's wrong. This is all wrong.
It's wrong to love you.
.......
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Caelus huffed from exhaustion from trying to break the glass.
"You're some stubborn glass, aren't you?" He said in an annoyed tone. He threw his bat away "I won't give up though."
He tried pushing the glass barrier... And it seems to be working. The glass is shattering, but his hands seem to be burning from doing so. It hurts so much, but he has to save Dan Heng so he kept pushing the glass with all his might and it kept breaking, breaking and breaking.
The glass completely shattered and he immediately looked inside and saw an unconscious Dan Heng sinking in the shadows along with the fake.
He went further in and grabbed Dan Heng's hand.
"DAN HENG!" He gritted his teeth and tried pulling in the taller man with his burned hand as much as he can. It's hurtful but he needs to save him.
Caelus loves him. He needs to save him.
The fake just grinned evilly, watching the real Caelus struggle. But the fake lost its composure when he saw Caelus is successfully pulling Dan Heng slowly.
If you feel I'm your safe place, then I will make sure of it.
But please, as of this moment, snap out of it.
"Dan Heng, please! Snap out of it!"
Dan Heng slowly opened his eyes for a moment and saw a blurred vision of Caelus. He can't see if it's the fake or not but he can feel safety from him. He let the real Caelus pull him out of the corrupted sanctuary and it vanished along with the fake.
.....
They're now back in the Archives, standing. The vortex in the room has completely vanished.
Caelus is hugging the unconscious Dan Heng firmly. The taller man opened his eyes again.
"Where... Am I..?" Dan Heng asked weakly. Then he just noticed right now that Caelus is hugging him.
"Caelus...? Is that you...?" He feels like he is in a dream, he thought this is all a dream.
"I was really worried about you." Caelus said in a muffled voice and he seemed to be sobbing? "I thought I lost you."
Dan Heng can confirm now that everything that happened is not a dream. It was all real. The corrupted sanctuary, the illusion and temptations... They were all real.
"You were stuck in your sanctuary and a fake me toyed with you. Then you were unconscious and I tried to save you.." Caelus said in his muffled voice.
He pulled away from the hug but held Dan Heng's hands firmly. Then he lowered his head, trying to hide the fact he was crying and frowning.
"Your feelings are valid, Dan Heng. It's not wrong. Your feelings for me are all valid. I don't hate you for it."
.....
"I'm really sorry you have to witness everything. It was shameful of me." Dan Heng averted his gaze in shame and the shorter man shook his head.
"I should be the one saying sorry for not knowing sooner." Caelus sniffled and looked at Dan Heng with such a pleading look. Dan Heng tried to look back at him, but he was really embarrassed.
But then he noticed that Caelus' hands seemed to be darkened and really warm. This worried the taller.
"Caelus, your hands..."
"Ah, they ended up burning when I tried to break this glass barrier by pushing it to open the vortex. It's nothing, it's just something small." Caelus smiled and laughed a little but then got embarrassed when Dan Heng made Caelus' hands nearer to him and kissed them. Caelus was blushing furiously and avoided looking at Dan Heng for a bit.
There was an awkward silence between them until Caelus looked at Dan Heng seriously and started speaking.
"Dan Heng, I know I already said this but, your feelings are really valid. And I accept them." And this made Dan Heng look back to Caelus.
"You… accept them?"
Caelus hummed.
"But, why? You're not accepting them because you feel guilty, right?"
Caelus shook his head. There was so much happiness in Caelus' golden eyes. "I accept it because I share the same feelings for you."
"I love you, Dan Heng. I love you so much." The gray haired confessed.
The black haired didn't respond and stayed silent for a while, looking away from Caelus. Then he looked again at him this time with hints of happiness in his steel blue eyes.
"I love you too, Caelus."
Dan Heng leaned closer to Caelus and gave him a passionate kiss, draping his arms around the shorter's waist while the other draped his arms around Dan Heng's neck.
They pulled away for a bit and Caelus asked softly: "Dan Heng, what are we?"
"We're together, Caelus." Dan Heng whispered and leaned to Caelus closer again for another kiss.
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