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After the Express departed Amphoreus, leaving behind friends they all knew they’d treasure for a lifetime and a planet slowly blossoming, Caelus realised they hadn’t spent much time together. Amphoreus was a lot, and him and Dan Heng had been separated from the rest of the Express since the get-go.
Sometimes, he woke up in the dead of the night and thought he was still dreaming. It took a few seconds of breathing and looking around his room to come to his senses. On those nights, he seldom went back to sleep. Recently though, he had taken to going down to the Parlour Car and siting in the darkness, surrounded by the Express’ massive windows and the prettiest stars glimmering around him.
One day, someone else was there before him. Someone with a pair of fluffy wings underneath his messy hair, dressed in pyjamas that matched his every day clothes.
“Can’t sleep?” Caelus asked in a hoarse voice, clearing his throat.
“Caelus,” Sunday jolted, turning his head to look at Caelus with wide eyes. “You surprised me.”
“Sorry. So, can’t sleep?” Caelus repeated, walking closer and throwing himself on the sofa beside Sunday, close enough that the top of his hair brushed Sunday’s leg.
“It was… fitful. Full of dreams, not pleasant ones either,” Sunday sighed. “You as well?”
“It’s been weird since we left Amphoreus,” Caelus pulled a face, folding his arms over his chest and looking up at the other man. “Feels like I’m still dreaming when I wake up, and when I am dreaming, it’s not always nice.”
“I know the feeling.” Sunday murmured.
“I’ve been coming down here a lot, I never see anyone else though.”
“I usually stay in my room,” Sunday admitted. “But I felt the urge to look at the stars tonight. The window beside my bed is too small.”
“This gives a tea and brooding kind of vibe, don’t you think?” Caelus said, the corners of his lips curling up.
“Are you very experienced in such things?”
“No, but Dan Heng is. And I’ve spent enough time around him now that I think I could emulate it,” Caelus said with a serious look on his face before he broke and snickered. Sunday huffed out a small laugh. “Really though, we could steal some of those fancy tea bags Jing Yuan gave him the last time we were on the Luofu.”
“You court chaos,” Sunday commented mildly. “You know he treasures those.”
“Yeah but… if we finish them, it’ll give him an excuse to go back to the Luofu.” Caelus shrugged.
“Why are you plotting?” Dan Heng’s deadpan voice cut through the silence and Caelus yelped, rolling off the sofa and falling to the ground with a thump.
“Ow,” He groaned, sitting up and rubbing the back of his head. “Dan Heng!”
“You’ve gotten quieter.” Sunday nodded in appreciation.
“Thank you,” Dan Heng replied. “Caelus, why are you plotting?”
“Uh… plotting? Me? Don’t be silly, Dan Heng!” Caelus laughed nervously, hoisting himself up beside Sunday once more, but staying upright this time.
“Is he serious?” Dan Heng asked Sunday who shrugged. “He’s serious.”
“As a heart attack,” Caelus nodded with wide eyes. “Anyways, tea?”
“You’re not touching my tea.”
“Can we have hot chocolate?” March’s voice interrupted them from behind Dan Heng and Caelus jumped, clapping a hand above his heart and swearing under his breath.
“What is wrong with you guys?”
“Sorry, that was Evernight’s suggestion. To scare you.” March shrugged as she leaned against Dan Heng, yawning.
“She talks to you?” Sunday asked with both eyebrows raised.
“Yeah, it’s like having a funny little creature in my head. Only she’s a little murderous and kind of dark sometimes,” March nodded with a frown.
“We will unpack this at a time where we’re more functional.” Dan Heng sighed. “Come on, let’s make some hot chocolate.”
“Yay!” March and Caelus cheered in unison. They all followed behind Dan Heng like baby ducklings as he led them to the kitchen cart and flicked the lights on.
“Do not touch anything, Caelus,” Dan Heng warned. “You too, March.”
“Would you like some help, Dan Heng?” Sunday asked as the other two slumped on the island with matching pouts.
“Yes, please.” Dan Heng nodded.
It spoke volumes how easily they moved around the kitchen and each other, without any words spoken. They were so attuned to each other’s presence that they moved out of each other’s way, dodged either March or Caelus’ flailing limbs when they got too close, and handed each other things silently. They worked efficiently… together.
After Dan Heng and Sunday passed steaming mugs topped with a veritable mini mountain of whipped cream and tiny little marshmallows, they returned to the Parlour Car. They didn’t even sit on any of the sofa’s, just dragged the pillows down on the ground and gathered there.
“Are you going to tell us why you two were awake?” March asked, leaning her head on Sunday’s shoulder, both hands wrapped around her mug and a moustache of whipped cream on her upper lip.
“Unpleasant dreams, in essence.” Sunday went to shrug and stopped mid-way through, not wanting to disturb March so he only lifted up one shoulder.
“Caelus?” Dan Heng asked in a low voice. The man in question was leaned against one of the sofas with his legs on top of Dan Heng’s.
“I. Sometimes I have bad dreams about Amphoreus… and sometimes when I wake up, I don’t know what’s real. I started coming down here because it’s nice to look at the stars and I can’t fall back asleep.” Caelus shrugged, taking a big sip of his hot chocolate and pretending he hadn’t just burned his throat.
“I have bad dreams about Amphoreus too,” March whispered, tucking herself closer to Sunday, who cautiously wrapped an arm around her shoulder, relaxing when she melted against him. “About what would happen if Evernight continued… you know…”
“I dream about when we landed and Caelus died.” Dan Heng admitted quietly.
“I dream about us not being able to save you three,” Sunday leaned his head against March’s. “That… I don’t know… Miss Black Swan said you were beyond help, or Madam Herta couldn’t get into Amphoreus…”
“No point dwelling on what ifs,” Caelus frowned, poking Sunday with one of his socked feet and then doing the same to Dan Heng. March had her legs pulled up so he couldn’t reach her. “We’re out, we saved them and we’re okay.”
“Wise words from Caelus.” March giggled.
“For once.” Dan Heng quipped, pinching his leg where it lay on his lap.
“Dan Heng!” Caelus gasped, but he didn’t retract his head and Dan Heng didn’t move his hand away, leaving it on Caelus’ ankle, radiating warmth.
“I like Sleepy Dan Heng, definitely top three Dan Heng’s.” March yawned again.
“There’s multiple Dan Heng’s?” Sunday asked, a tone of amusement in his voice.
“Uh, duh!” March nodded aggressively. “There’s normal Dan Heng, and sleepy Dan Heng, and dragon Dan Heng, and drunk Dan Heng and –”
“Stop, stop! Drunk Dan Heng?” Caelus held a hand up.
“Oh my Aeons, yes!” March burst into laughter. “You haven’t lived till you’ve seen drunk Dan Heng.”
“And they won’t.” Dan Heng gave her a look.
“So I can’t talk about the –” She was cut off by Dan Heng lunging to cover her mouth. Sunday yelped and grabbed her mug before it could spill all over them both while Caelus rolled on the floor, laughing.
“No,” Dan Heng hissed. “I’m gonna remove my hand, and we will change the subject. Okay?”
“Mhm,” March nodded, wide-eyed. Dan Heng moved his hand and she sagged back as he retreated to his original position. “Oh, thank you for saving my drink, Sunday.”
“You’re welcome.” He handed it back gently and March returned her head to his shoulder.
“Hey, why do you get all the cuddles. I want in on this,” Caelus frowned, launching himself forward to lean against Sunday’s other shoulder. The Halovian tensed in between them for a good few seconds before he relaxed. “Dan Heng, stop being emo and come here.”
“I’m not being emo,” Dan Heng protested, making a sound of surprise when March reached out to tug him towards her and he fell back, leaning against her legs with his head almost in her lap. His mug, thankfully empty, sat to the side. “Ow.”
“Oh, don’t be a baby,” March rolled her eyes playfully, carding her fingers through his dark locks. “Ugh, you have such soft hair. How is this fair?”
Caelus launched into a rant about genetics, Vidyadhara, Xianzhou natives and a bunch of other factors he thought influenced Dan Heng’s hair while March interjected occasionally. Dan Heng laid there with a despairing look on his face and Sunday pretended not to notice the smile curling the corners of his lips, relishing in the warm feeling in his own chest.
The following morning, Himeko found them curled up in a pile, pressed against each other, on the floor of the Parlour Car. She heaved a fond sigh and brought a blanket to cover them up, drinking her coffee nearby instead of in the Party Car and keeping watch over her young ones. Welt would join her as soon as he was up, and then they could make breakfast together.