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Dan Heng does not like attention. Maybe, he's just getting used to it a the Astral Express smothered him with compliments after the expedition in Jarilo-VI, relishing in the gifts that the newly-chosen Madame Guardian gave them. There were sweets (that Caelus and March 7th would love), new spices (that Himeko would try with her coffee) and some art materials for Mr. Yang.
A near death experience was - by no means - scary, but the purgatory he ended up in was not exactly a purgatory. He saw Qlipoth’s gaze on him. The lance that Cocolia used to kill him was also the one Dan Heng used to fight her, the will of Preservation growing steadfast within him. He froze all means of war that may happen between Cocolia, her daughter Seele and her people. He knew he did right, even if Cocolia died for greater means.
Dan Heng knows that Belobog needs a lot of help in coping with Cocolia's death, especially Seele. Other than that, the people of the Underworld began to surface back to the city. Those who were stuck in the Underworld got to see the light again while those born in it get to see the light for the first time. At least, Himeko and Mr. Yang reassured them that they would help the citizens of Belobog as much as they can.
He, March, Miss Himeko and Mr. Yang were just eating in the Parlor Car, enjoying the Belobogian delicacies that Seele gave to them. March was enjoying her slice of cake while Mr. Yang and Himeko were drinking the spice-laced coffee. One thing was weird: Dan Heng could not see Caelus with them. Why wasn't he with them? Was he tired during the battle and the celebrations that followed?
“Where's Caelus?” He asked, noticing the guard’s lack of presence.
“Oh? He already went back to the Archives.” Himeko answered, sipping her cup of hot coffee, “He looks tired, which is weird.”.
“He hasn't even touched his cake!” March added with a whine, seemingly miserable that her dear teammate was not celebrating with them, “If he isn't here in ten minutes, I would eat it!”. Dan Heng knows better than to believe March 7th’s empty threats. Knowing that Caelus loves cake so much, she would never do something like that.
“I'm genuinely worried.” Himeko muttered, “Dan Heng, could you go talk to him? I fear he hasn't done this before.” She asked, the lines on her face etching with worry.
Dan Heng knows that Himeko and the rest of the crew knew Caelus longer than himself. Automatically, they know what the guard would do. His actions were words in an open book that the rest of his fellow crew members could read, most of them could read clearer than he could.
“Of course.” He answered as he stood up, excusing himself from the celebration. His feet led him to the door of the archives. He could hear the clicking of keyboards and the turning of pages, which implies that Caelus is updating data. That alone is weird as the guard mentioned before that he does not do data-updating that often after Dan Heng took that position.
“Caelus, can I come in?” He asked, knocking the door. Sliding the door would be easy. However, human norms say that one needs to knock in order to be courteous to the person you will visit.
“Sure.” Caelus's muffled voice answered from within the room, followed by the usual sounds Dan Heng hears from the Archives often.
Dan Heng exhaled in relief before sliding the door open. He saw Caelus holding a book above the archive’s drawers and computers, reading them before probably adding it to the newly-found data. It was almost uncharacteristic as Caelus would spend so much time with his friends. At least, that is what Himeko and Mr. Yang would always say about Caelus.
“Why are you not celebrating?” Dan Heng asked, “March is threatening to eat your cake, by the way.”. He knows it is an empty threat, but using it might cause Caelus to get out there and celebrate with them.
“Let her have it.” Caelus answered, his eyes still fixated on the papers, “She's earned it.”.
“And you don't?” Dan Heng retorted, crossing his arms. He knows that Caelus is stubborn. However, he knows that Caelus would give up soon if you try to fight stubbornness with your own.
Caelus snorted, “I'm just updating the data-”.
“Which should be my job now.” Dan Heng cut off Caelus’s voice, “You deserve to celebrate with us. You did a great job out there, after all.”.
“I'm… I'm just not in a mood.” Caelus replied, his voice breaking and his eyes now shifting frantically at the pages of the paper, “I'm just… tired…”. Despite that, his smile never wavers - remaining as steadfast as the protective ice and frost of Dan Heng's frozen will from his shield.
Did he really think that Dan Heng is an idiot?
“If you're tired, you should be resting, not updating the data.” Dan Heng replied, crossing his arms. Although he is the one that March labels as the newbie, he has every right to be concerned with his comrades. Caelus looks like hell and he was not letting go of him that easily.
Caelus turned his back, facing away from him. Dan Heng almost waivers. He knows one thing about what is going on: Caelus is upset - very much so it becomes obvious. The stellaron receptacle knows that behind the guard's smile, is a nagging feeling that might last for a week.
“Caelus, what's wrong?” Dan Heng asked, his heart beating and his stellaron pulsing as if both will pop out of his chest, “Just tell me, please.” He pleaded. He swears to any Aeon alive that Caelus might be more stubborn than March's shield (yeah duh, because her shield is stronger than his).
Caelus never answered and Dan Heng swore he is so much more stubborn than any shield - maybe even more persistent than Serval’s shield.
“Cae-”
Finally,
“I'M WORRIED, OKAY?!” An anguished scream, tears lining a smiling face and streaming from golden orbs filled with worry, “YOU KNOW YOU ARE SO…. UGH!”. Caelus threw the papers on the ground before sitting on the bed, almost bouncing because of his weight. He covered his face as if he did not want Dan Heng to see how anguished he was. “Don’t… don't look at me…”.
“Caelus, I-” Dan Heng swore he choked on his words, knowing whatever he might say may drive Caelus into hating him more, “I - I don't mean to make you hate me. If you do, I will -”. Dan Heng genuinely does not know what to do - should he get out and save himself the trouble of seeing Caelus cry for whatever reason or comfort the guard because of whatever he did. He could not afford to make the golden-eyed man hate him more.
“Don't you even dare, you idiot!” Caelus yelled, standing up. Dan Heng just noticed how short the guard is compared to him. Had he stood beside Gepard, the latter would be a giant. “Face me like you mean it, you coward.”. What does he mean by that???
“Caelus…” The stellaron host could only say the Express guard's name, not knowing what to say. He does not want to offend the silver-haired man.
Caelus exhaled, finally calming down from his recent outburst. The guard looked down and avoided Dan Heng's teal gaze. Was the guard really that ashamed of this display of vulnerability? However, Dan Heng knows that he and the Caelus have to talk - at least, about their issues. He thinks that it is probably about what happened with Cocolia.
He got impaled by a whole fucking lance made out of ice, died, see himself in some purgatory and saw Qlipoth’s gaze looking down at him.
“I was worried when you fell from the Engine of Creation with a whole lance sticking out of your chest.” Caelus began to talk, covering his face, “You died, Dan Heng. It feels like you did and we did nothing else other than to see you fall.”.