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‘If my life is going to mean anything, I have to live it myself.’
This quote came from the first book of an Amphorian series–meant for younger audiences but still enjoyable for all, as shown by its massive success throughout all of Okhema–that Dan Heng had read only because of Trinnon’s muted excitement when asked for recommendations. Usually, he’d stick to non-fiction works, preferring to learn as much as he could and add that information to the Archives. However, seeing as he had no access to the Archives currently, he decided that it would be alright to stray from his usual books. Not to mention, the more he read, the more interested he got in the story, enjoying far more than he first thought he would.
After everything on the Xianzhou Luofu, this quote resonated with Dan Heng so much when he first read it that he had to sit down and take a break from reading. Caelus had walked into their shared bath chamber after a long day, saw him sitting on his bed in shock, and immediately ran over to check if everything was okay.
Even mentally recounting the occurrence didn’t fail to embarrass him all over again, sighing.
Anyways, as Dan Heng sat in the private bath, reading the third book of the third series related to the original–consisting of 5 books surrounding Aquila’s life as a mortal after being banished down to Amphoreus by Talanton–he felt far calmer than he believed he should be. Somehow, everything was peaceful.
Of course, the moment he realizes this, the creaking sound from behind tells him that the door to the bath chamber slowly opens, Caelus rushing in, heavily panting. Dan Heng could imagine the sight, the gray-haired boy slouched down with his hands on his knees as he tried to catch his breath.
“Dan Heng! You won’t believe what just happened!”
With his curiosity spiked at the others' enthusiasm, he turned his head towards him.
Caelus’s eyes were bright, gleaming with such intensity that any Amphorian would’ve believed it if they were told that those eyes were what stars looked like in the night sky. He stood upright by the small chimera (whose name had temporarily been chosen as Seele, Caelus announcing that the little critter resembled the old friend), his chest rising and falling quickly as he kept attempting to calm himself.
His grin was impossibly brighter than his eyes, and he began to go on a long winded rant–something about Phainon and Mydei? Dan Heng wasn’t sure, he lacked context that Caelus had forgotten to mention–his hands wildly gesturing as he spoke with such excitement that it was hard not to smile.
Dan Heng placed his bookmark (which, if it was a pressed flower native to the Luofu that Caelus decided to give him, the only person who ever said anything about it was March.) in between the pages of his book, then carefully placed it away from the edge of the bath, putting all his attention on the man in front of him, who had come closer to sit criss-crossed on the tile outside of the water. He placed his head in his hand, elbow resting close to Caelus’s knee as he admired him.
The sight of Caelus, glowing as strongly as Kephale did, if not more, never failed to make his heart skip more beats than expected of a Vidyadhara, but that thought was lost on Dan Heng.
“–and then, flower petals were falling from above! Aglaea stood above watching from the Hero’s Bath, and even though you couldn’t see her properly, the aura of her anger was so strong. Like, suffocatingly so. At the time I had no idea on who decided to have the flower petals fall, but the look on Phainon and Mydei’s faces were so hilarious. Honestly, Cipher was so smart for luring them over to the baths, it looked like they were on a date! A date! I don’t think you could properly imagine just how red their faces were, no matter how hard I tried to describe it! Oh, and then–”
If the life of any Nameless were to be put into a series, Dan Heng believed that Caelus would definitely be the main character. With his light personality, along with the seriousness that the gray-haired man showed whenever it seemed necessary, it only seemed right. Back at the Express, March would always lament on how Caelus had so much “main character energy”, envious of the man who was busy tapping away on his screen, playing a rhythm game of sorts. Dan Heng would only raise an eyebrow at her words, watching as Caelus expertly hit each note with precision, his screen lighting up with an ‘ALL PERFECT!’ Caelus had jumped up, laughing at March’s shell-shocked face before punching the air in excitement.
He chuckled lightly, remembering the memory so vividly.
Caelus paused his rambling, tilting his head in confusion.
“Dan Heng? What’re you laughing about?”
He coughs, looking away to try and hide the embarrassed flush on his face. “My apologies, Caelus. It was just a small memory. Please, continue your story.”
Caelus’s eyebrows furrowed, but clearly he realized something, and continued his story, sparkling as he talked (something about Mydei pulling Phainon away? He’s still lost.)
As he kept talking, the warmth of the bath mixed with Caelus’s soothing voice meshed together with the fact that Dan Heng hadn’t slept for the past few nights, too invested in the books, made him feel drowsy.
After a few minutes, the allure of sleep grew too strong, and he found himself laying his head on Caelus’s thigh, trying not to fall asleep.
There was a faint feeling of fingers running through his hair, along with a few whispered words that Dan Heng couldn’t catch, as his eyes closed in content.