Chapter Text
THE NEW UPCOMING MASTERPIECE FROM THE INFAMOUS MR. RECA IS NOW FILMING!
Amphoreus: Written Among the Stars.
Where the earth meets the sky at the horizon’s edge, love blooms.
A romantic space opera starring two new, young talents rising through the world of film and cinematography.
Dan Heng, a graduate from one of the most famed and prestigious acting academies on the Luofu. First started as a child actor, then there were controversies surrounding his rise in fame. Critics attributed his success to alleged nepotism linked to his brother, Dan Feng. However, through years of hard work and undeniable talent, Dan Heng steadily proved himself. From background roles and supporting side characters to acclaimed performances in dramas and short films, he earned his title as an actor in the fiercely competitive space in the film and entertainment industry.
Now, cast as the main lead for the upcoming movie directed by the world-renowned Mr Reca, Dan Heng has a rare opportunity to showcase his abilities on an even wider stage. More importantly, his devoted fans eagerly await what he will bring to the screens and what new side of himself he will reveal.
Hyacine, meanwhile, is one of the industry's brightest rising actresses. Originally gaining popularity as an online singer, her remarkable talent was quickly recognised by many and caught the attention of media agencies, which pushed her into the spotlight. Many thought her soft and kind-hearted personality would crumble under the pressure of fame. Instead, her perseverance shone through.
Several years ago, Hyacine revealed that she always wanted to be an actor. Determined to pursue it despite the scrutiny and expectations placed upon her by the public, she took this opportunity to learn the craft. After years of hard work, she finally achieved what she truly dreamed of when she was a young girl. Now, she has finally secured her first leading role in a major……
“Hey, Caelus! We’re supposed to be hanging out, not glued to our screens today!”
Caelus groaned as his phone was snatched out of his hands. He looked up from his phone to see a familiar pink-haired girl dressed in light blues and pastels. She set down a tray of her favourite pastries and Mung Bean Soda before taking a seat opposite him.
It has been a while since they saw each other.
The two met during their first years at Paper University, and despite being in completely different courses, they still managed to find time for each other. March studied Creative Makeup Design for Media and Fashion and wanted to become a professional makeup artist. After she graduated, she shadowed production teams at various events.
But recently, she excitedly mentioned that she had been hired as a Key Makeup Artist for a major upcoming film. Unfortunately for Caelus, she was not able to name it due to the mountain of NDAs she signed.
The silver-haired man tried multiple times, persuading, bargaining and even bribery with food, but she wouldn’t budge at all.
He hasn’t given up!
He was just… taking a tactical retreat to think of another plan to get her to crack finally.
“March, gimme my phone back. I was in the middle of reading about this new movie that’s being filmed right now.” Caelus complained as he took a bite of his chocolate cake and playfully glared at his friend. They were cramped together in a small secluded corner of the busy café, hidden away from most of the afternoon rush.
“Amphoreus: Written Among the Stars? The space romance? Since when are you interested in romance films?” March questioned.
For the years she had known Caelus, he always preferred action-packed productions filled with stunt work, suspense and even the occasional horror. Even back in his undergraduate days, when he was studying Film, Photography and Creative Arts. And after graduation, he worked on small projects, web dramas and mini films that leaned into adrenaline-fuelled stories.
Never once did she think he would willingly dabble in the realm of romance.
Caelus groaned again, “Personally, I would never, but it’s for work. You know my old supervisor, Mr Reca. That crazy eccentric one who carries a monkey keychain on his bag?”
March nodded, eyes still glued to the screen.
“You have to keep it a secret. I’m not supposed to tell anyone about this, or I’ll be in serious trouble. But he asked me to help with his next big project and be part of the camera team.” Caelus scratched the back of his neck, completely oblivious to March’s eyes widening in shock, “He saw a couple of my previous works and said it’d be a good experience to improve on my camerawork-”
“You’re joking.” March blurted out loudly.
The entire café hushed in silence, staring at the pair who shyly waved apologetically, before resuming to their conversation.
“You’re joking.” March whispered harshly, leaning across the table.
Caelus blinked and looked at her with a face full of confusion, “What?”
“That’s the film I’m working on too!”
“WHAT!” Caelus yelled, jumping from his seat.
The café fell silent again, glaring at the pair. March and Caelus waved apologetically and decided to leave the café before they were kicked out. Permanently.
-
They decided to relocate and have the rest of their food at a nearby park.
“What the heck March! Why didn’t you tell me this earlier?” Caelus exclaimed while chugging down his third coffee.
March through her hands into the air, “I didn’t know you were working on the same production until today! How was I supposed to know?” She shot back, “I’ve told you a hundred times already. I can’t spill anything, or else they’ll have my head.”
Caelus grumbled out a ‘whatever’ under his breath before grinning, “Anyhow, I guess we’ll be seeing each other soon, then? It’s been a long time since we worked on the same production."
The pinklette hummed in agreement, “Yeah, I’m excited though. The last time we worked together was that mini web drama you filmed with some of our other friends back in uni.”
“Yeah, those were the good times.” Caelus reminisced, he couldn’t help but tease March about an incident that haunted her forever, and he would never let it down,
“Hopefully this time, you won't set fire to the wigs.”
“Hey!”
Caelus cackled like a maniac as a fuming, red-faced March chased him through the park before tackling him to the ground.
“You promised we’ll never talked about that again!”
“I never promised anythin- AHHH!”
It was going to be fun on set.
-
It was not fun.
In the weeks leading up to the first day of filming, Caelus was swamped with meetings, schedules and information. Enough paperwork to bury a small city.
The team spent hours breaking down the script, identifying key visual moments, planning special camera movements and compiling lists of equipment needed.
The movie followed a traveller named Tankou, played by Dan Heng, who crash-landed on the mysterious world of Amphoreus. Cautious in the unfamiliar land, he remained untrusting, distant and guarded. Yet in his search for a way back into the stars, he agreed to become a Chyrsos Heir and reclaim the Coreflame of Earth, hoping to finally find where he truly belonged. A home among the cosmos.
Along the way, he met a Sky Maiden named Hyacinthia, played by Hyacine, who breaks the walls of this cold-hearted traveller with kindness, patience and sheer unwavering will. Slowing chipping away and exposing a softer and tender self, which he had long buried beneath layers of years of solitude.
It was admittedly a pretty good romance if Caelus could say so himself and the production itself was massive.
The sets used would be a mix of blue screen, constructed sets in the main studio, and the rest would require travelling to actual locations for on-site shooting, which will be fun. Caelus always loved travelling, and this would be a good opportunity to do that.
Caelus loved travelling, and he also knew that Mr Reca loved authenticity. The director would always try to find ways and even go to absurd lengths to shoot real-life locations. It was fantastic for the movies and audience immersion, but it was a nightmare for the actors and all the other departments.
The director wanted fast-paced action, intense emotional buildup and intimacy. He wanted the audience to experience a rollercoaster of emotions and suspense. To laugh, cry, panic and fall in love alongside the characters.
Mr Reca knew exactly what he wanted, and those were tall orders to fulfil. He wanted the camerawork to reflect and add to those emotions to heighten their effects with an artistic twist.
Caelus doesn’t know what those artistic twists were, he will let the cinematographer, Mr Yang, to figure it out.
By the end of the first meeting, Caelus thought his day was finally over, and he would have time to digest all the information thrown at him and the rest of the team by the cinematographer. Mentally preparing himself to return home and just process everything.
But no, after a quick break, the meeting restarted, and this time it was on visual style, colour palettes, framing, composition, and lighting. Enough technical jargon to Caelus to question his decisions in life that led up to this point.
Caelus felt his head was about to explode after the day. But thankfully, the team was patient and supportive. They happily guided him through it, so it wasn’t as overwhelming as it could have been.
After crashing on the couch of his temporary accommodation, March texted him immediately after her first day with the team. Their discussions had centred around the time period that Amphoreus would be inspired by, character designs, injuries, bruises, scars and the importance of maintaining continuity throughout filming. Since scenes would not be shot in chronological order, it was crucial to categorise and keep detaild records of which scenes were shot on the day. Even though they can fix it in post-production, minimising mistakes was essential.
The rest of the week was filled with camera tests with different cameras, lenses, filters and aspect ratios. Caelus was tasked with operating a handheld camera for smaller, more intimate scenes where the director wanted to have the camera move with the actors and make the audience feel closer to the characters. There were some questionable shots that Caelus doubted would make it to the final cut, but Mr Yang remained adamant that the director wanted to experiment with something new.
Time flew by, and it was already the night before the first day of filming with real actors. Caelus and March decided to celebrate surviving the gruelling week of planning before the real shooting starts. They gossiped throughout the night, their drinks untouched because they were too engrossed in chatting about their coworkers and the cast.
The camera crew had been great. Gepard, one of the more senior camera operators, was a huge help to Caelus when teaching him how to work with various rigs. Pela was supportive as well, guiding him through specific shots the director wanted. Luka, who was one of the stunt coordinators, frequently worked with them as well, acting as a stand-in for rehearsals and helping set up shots before the actors arrived for real shoots.
There was also the Special Effects team and a pyrotechnician called Sparkle, who was… eccentric to say the least. In Caelus’ opinion, she was more of a pyromaniac. Apparently, she has a twin sister as well, called Sparxie, who is just as crazy as her.
Caelus shivered at the thought.
The silver-haired man listened to March geeked out about the makeup department. He had always known that she was passionate about makeup, but never realised that she was this enthusiastic about it. She gushed about meeting the Hair and Makeup Designer, Himeko, who led the entire department, and about working alongside a colleague she had met before named Firefly.
March’s voice became hushed when she revealed that there was apparently some beef between Himeko and the Lead Costume Designer, Kafka. It seemed that those two never got along well, always at odds with each other about which suits what better. Somehow, they always managed to find a compromise at the end. Though maybe against their will.
But there was something that Caelus was more curious about, “What about the actors? Have you met them?”
March paused for a moment before launching herself into another rabbit hole of juicy gossip, “Let me think, I’ve met most of them when they came over for make-up tests. They are all quite nice and down to earth, not as scary as what the media made them out to be. Well, at least not all of them.”
Caelus perked up in interest, “Who did you meet?”
“I met all of the main cast for Amphorus, including the male and female leads. They are all lovely. Mydei and Phainon are always competitive against each other. Somehow, they turn everything into a competition, even when getting their hair done.” She rolled her eyes, “Aglaea knows a lot about costume design. She said she’s always had an interest in fashion. Anaxa, or Anaxagoras as he liked to be called, is… a bit eccentric. He means well, but he would rather die than agree with anything Aglaea says. The triplet child actors were adorable, and the female lead Hyacine was lovely too. Super sweet and considerate. She even bought cupcakes for all of us after we finished.”
“That’s so unfair, why do you get cake and I don’t!” Caelus whined as he buried his head into his arms. His eyes glistened with fake tears as he dramatically wailed, “Why didn’t you save me some? Aren’t we besties? I want cake now.”
“Quit whining. I’ll save some for you next time if there are any left.”
“Rude,” Caelus grumbled into his arms before noticing March hadn’t mentioned a certain someone, “What about Dan Heng? What was he like?”
March tilted her head in thought, “He had some media thing to do afterwards, so we didn’t chat for long. Very serious, a bit quiet, but he seemed nice.”
“Was he as scary as he is online? I’ve seen a couple of interviews, and he’s always so serious, not a funny bone in his body. Would it kill him to smile a little?” Caelus grumbled, tracing the condensation on his cold glass of soda.
“Maybe it’s the image his agency wants him to have? But here, have a look at his online account.” March pulled up her phone and scrolled through Dan Heng’s public social media account, “Not much on his personal life, most of it seemed to be sponsorships, photoshoots or promotional stuff.”
March shrugged, taking another sip before she suddenly perked up, “Oh! He mentioned something interesting. Apparently, he did a one-year exchange programme at Paper University while he was still studying.”
“And that’s interesting because?”
“You idiot, if we’ve done the maths right, then he was there when we were in our final years!” March exclaimed and bonked the back of Caelus’ head with a fist, “We could have met a star in the making!”
“Ugh, whatever. That’s good to know, I guess,” Caelus mumbled sarcastically as he leaned against his fist and his gaze lingered on the multiple images of Dan Heng displayed on March’s phone. Some posed with expensive jewellery, rings and clothes from luxury fashion brands. Others were aesthetic pictures taken when he was travelling across the world. There were also several images of him accepting awards at ceremonies.
He can’t lie, Dan Heng was objectively attractive and good-looking. It’s not his fault that he looked like that, “I guess we’ll see what working with him will be like.”
“What got you so worked up?” March questioned, watching Caelus lazily scroll through Dan Heng’s profile. She narrowed her eyes suspiciously, “You’re usually quite good when working with actors.”
The silver haired man could feel heat creeping up his neck and grumbled out an answer, pointedly avoiding March’s phone and her inquisitive eyes. March leaned, trying to see Caelus’ face, as he tried to excuse himself for the bathroom.
March did not buy that at all.
Before he could escape, Caelus was yanked to sit down again and March intensely studied his face before a wide Cheshire grin spread across her face, “You have a crush on him?”
Caelus yanked his warm back, nearly launching off his chair. He felt his face fully red now as he stuttered out, “N-no.”
“Oh my god, you do!”
“No! I don’t!” Caelus saw his friend's unimpressed face and immediately gave in, “Okay, maybe?”
March lifted an eyebrow, prompting him to continue. Caelus has never felt this humiliated in his life. He wished the ground would swallow him whole.
“W-well, he’s hot- Uh, I mean, good looking.” He corrected immediately, “Objectively, of course. He’s objectively really good-looking.”
“Aww,” The pinklette cooed, clasping her hands together, “Caelus has a little crush~.”
“Please shut up, and I do not. He’s just aesthetically good-looking through the lens.” Caelus refuses to yield. It’s not like there’s anything to yield in the first place anyway!
March snorted, “That’s somehow worse.”
“It’s true!”
“Sure.”
“March, as my best friend, I am having a crisis before my first day of shooting tomorrow, and you are not helping.”
That finally caught her attention, “Wait, what do you mean?”
Caelus dragged his hand down his face, “Most of my scenes are with him.”
“…What?”
“Well, not with him. Shooting him,” Caelus corrected himself before she could say anything, “The director really wants the audience to follow Tankou’s journey through Amphoreous, and so there are a lot of close-ups, tracking shots and intimate character moments.
His shoulder slumped, “And I’ve never shot scenes like this.”
The teasing expressions slowly faded from March’s face, “Oh.”
“Yeah.”
March stared at him for a moment before breaking into a grin again.
"So, your problem is that you have to spend all day staring at a handsome actor?"
Caelus dropped his head onto the table with a loud thunk.
"You are the worst person to ask for emotional support."
“But seriously, so what?” March asked, “It’s the actress who’ll be acting opposite him anyway. There’ll be others guiding you through the scenes, and there will be rehearsals as well. Besides, even if you're this stressed about it, you are looking through the camera anyway and not directly at him. I don’t get why you are so stressed.”
“I-it’s because the first scene we’re shooting tomorrow is…” Caelus trailed off, “Umm… intimate-”
“Wait, there are sex scenes?!”
“No! They are not having sex!” Caelus hissed, glancing around before lowering his voice, “I will actually die of embarrassment if that were the case, especially on my first day. But it’s after an argument, and there is a lot of tension, possible sexual tension, and they kinda… make out?”
For a moment there was a silence.
The March exploded.
“Oh my god, Caelus!” March cackled as she doubled over. She was laughing so hard that she was wheezing, “This is your first time filming something a bit more risque. No wonder there was so much discussion around bruises today. Caelus is all grown up-”
Caelus buried his head back into his arms. He could feel his face heating up again after he tried so hard to cool them down. For god’s sake, he was an adult, these things shouldn’t faze him anymore.
He was a professional. A professional. A professional adult.
“Shut up, March. It’s not funny.”
“It’s pretty funny, at least you know who you’re working with quite quickly and really well-”
“Shut up!”
-
“Alright everybody! Rehearsals are starting soon, and the actors will be arriving in ten minutes. Finish your final checks and let’s this show on the road!”
Caelus busied himself with fiddling with the final settings on his handheld camera, checking the lenses, the batteries and memory cards one last time, making sure everything was running smoothly. He could hear the director yelling instructions at everyone enthusiastically, to get everything prepared for the actors to arrive.
The entire crew was in motion.
Everyone was running around. Lighting technicians adjusted the lamps and reflectors. The sound engineers checked microphones and audio levels. Production assistants rushed between departments carrying props and paperwork. Makeup artists stood ready with brushes and powder palettes in hand.
Realising that he was missing some spare batteries, Caelus hurried to the storage room to get some more. The last thing he needed was for his camera to die in the middle of a take.
Thankfully, he managed to find some in one of the crates in the corner. Caelus made his way out to the main set. They were shooting in a small, lavish bedroom heavily inspired by the ancient Greeks with marble columns with golden accents, reclining couches, ornate tables, statues and shelves of pottery.
The set design team went all in to recreate the aesthetic Mr Reca envisioned.
When he got back to the main set, the actors had already arrived, talking with Mr Reca about the scene they were about to rehearse. Hyacine wore a traditional light pink and pale blue robe that draped elegantly down to the floor, reflecting her role as the Sky Maiden.
Whereas Dan Heng was entirely different. It was a blend of modern and traditional influences. Weaving in the ancient stylistic robes with his traveller outfit, adorned with golden armour and intricate gauntlets, all held together with belts and straps.
He looked like a god.
Caelus stopped walking.
Then immediately wished he hadn't thought that.
This was going to be a very long shoot.
-
Tankou, after inheriting the Core Flame of Earth and becoming one of the Chrysos Heirs, the main character prepares himself to fight the war against the Black Tide under the command of the Imperator. Hyacinthia, the Sky Maiden, was searching for Tankou after it was announced that she would be deployed to the frontlines as a healer alongside him. Tankou overheard the hushed voices of distrust towards him, labelling him as an outsider and how could they place the pure sky maiden under his care. He storms into his own room, trying to calm the rumbling earth within him. Hyacinthia finds him, and they share an intense confrontation filled with high-strung emotions and unspoken words.
Both actors nodded at Mr Reca’s directions and his vision for how this scene should be shot. Caelus stood with the rest of the crew, adjusting the camera, making sure the frame was at the correct aspect ratio at the specific angles requested. It wasn’t before long, they began the real take.
“Everyone ready? Okay. And action!”
Hyacinthia took a small step forward with unwavering determination in her eyes and a hand pressed against her chest, “It is my duty as the Sky Maiden to follow my brethren as they give their lives to fight against the Black Tide. You are one of us and under the blessed rainbow sky, you deserve as much as the person next to you-”
“Really? Do you really think that?” Tankou sneered, finally releasing months of hurt, anger and injustice, “You should just listen to your people when they said you should stay away from me. Maybe they are right, and maybe you should use your clever little mind and stay away.”
“You cannot decide that for me! I know you. I trust you. I know that you are kind and……”
Caelus focused his camera on Dan Heng’s face, capturing the micro-expressions as the actor immersed himself in the role of Tankou reacting to Hyacinthia’s foolish yet fearless courage. The way the light in Dan Heng’s steel grey eyes dims and reignites as he lashes back with his own retort. Full of emotion and power, yet with an edge of vulnerability. His eyelids flutter when he looks away in shame and the twitch of his lips as he tries to hold back the words he truly wants to say but instead forces himself to push Hyacinthia further away. Purposefully burning the fragile bridge between them.
Tankou growled before seizing her wrists in his hands and pinning her down on her couch behind her, “This is what I am. Maybe you never knew the true me. I can kill you like this, and no one will ever find your body. Helpless, trapped and all alone. Tell me Sky Maiden, what are you going to do?”
Hyacinthia yelped, doe-like eyes widened in panic. The Tankou above her was like a completely different person. Cruel and aggressive. The Sky Maiden watched as he descended over her, staring into her soul. But solidifying her resolve, she relaxed her tense body and stared back with compassion and empathy.
“Tankou, I know who you are, and this is not you.” Her voice soft and tender, unconsciously, Tankou’s grasp wavered and Hyacinthia slipped her hands out with ease. She cupped his face gently, “You don’t scare me, Tankou and you never will."
Tankou tried to keep his expression stoic and cold, but his mask shattered at her kind touch. And all he could do was hide the tears threatening to spill as he collapsed onto the Sky Maiden like a puppet and hid his face into her shoulder.
“Cut! Absolutely magnificent. Simply beautiful! Let’s try once more but this time Dan Heng, try to make yourself more distant and colder towards Hyacinthia before the final release. And Hyacine, loved the emotions but you can unleash a bit more, hold your ground against him!”
Both actors nodded and reset to the previous positions before trying again. It always amazed Caelus how some actors could simply switch on or off, snapping back to a specific emotional state before starting again.
“Fabulous! Excellent work from both of you!” Mr Reca exclaimed excitedly as he clapped his hands together, “Alright, everyone, get in position! We just need the POV shots now. Caelus! It’s your time to shine!”
Caelus sweatdropped, “Yes, sir.”
As the actors were swarmed by make-up artists for some touch-ups, gingerly, Caelus sat on the edge of the bed before lying flat on his back. Gepard handed him the camera and clapped his shoulder for good luck. The grey-haired man tested its weight and position, making sure he was comfortable and could freely manoeuvre the camera when needed.
In all his years in this industry, Caelus never thought he would ever be this kind position.
“Alright, Dan Heng, you’re up first and then we can do Hyacine afterwards.” Mr Reca ordered waving his hands around, “This may be uncomfortable for you, but it is the process of creating true art!”
It’s uncomfortable for me as well!!!
Caelus watched as the actor solemnly nodded before crossing over and standing directly in front of Caelus, where he sat on the bed.
He could see the subtle twitch in the corner of Dan Heng’s mouth, trying his hardest to not grimace at how awkward it would be before he shook his head as if he could physically shake the awkwardness away.
Caelus could empathise.
“Hey, don’t worry. You're not the only one nervous. Other, more experienced actors who’ve had to do these kinds of shots felt awkward as well because it’s so unnatural.” Caelus reassured with a grin, lying completely through his teeth, “So just relax. It’s just me or you can pretend that I’m not even here.”
No matter how awkward, it was a part of the job to make sure the actors felt comfortable and to be able to act to their best capabilities and letting their talents shine.
Dan Heng nodded with a small hum. Caelus could see that the lines across his face had softened a little, and the corners of his eyes seemed to relax.
Caelus patted himself on the back.
“Alright, whenever you are ready…”
Caelus readied his camera, ensuring it was focused on Dan Heng’s face.
“… Action!”
As a switch was flicked, Dan Heng’s demeanour completely changed. No longer was he the quiet and composed young rising actor but a stranded traveller with no home, filled with hurt and hate.
Dan Heng stalked toward Caelus like a predator eying its prey, one step at a time. Each marked with a sharp click of his boots. His previous warm grey eyes, like clouds now turned to steel. Cold, hard and piercing. Caelus had never been punched before but now he felt as if he had air been knocked from his lungs. The actor’s fists were clenched at his sides as the muscle on his arms tightened beneath his clothes. His entire body was tense, like a coiled snake, ready to strike on a defenceless prey.
Or maybe like a dragon.
Caelus gulped until Dan Heng closed the distance. Through the lens, Dan Heng’s face filled the screen frame. The camera captured arch of his nose, his dark hair framed his features perfectly, the light bouncing off his cheekbones and casting a shadow along the angle of his jaw and the delicate curve of his lips.
Dan Heng’s mouth opened to deliver his lines, but Caelus could barely hear them. He was trying his hardest to keep his hands from shaking under such close proximity. As Dan Heng stepped closer, Caelus willed with his entire body not to flinch or move away in panic as he parted his thighs to let Dan Heng stand between his legs, as his entire frame bent down. Caelus could feel a hand lightly settle on his shoulder, barely feel it until it clamped down tightly with a firm force.
Caelus, unable to control his body, flinched involuntarily at the sudden force. His camera jolted slightly. He took a shaky breath to steady his frantically beating heart. But without warning, he was shoved back with a strong force onto his back, pinning him on the bed with Dan Heng above him.
An inaudible gasp escaped Caelus as his lips parted in shock.
He could feel the satin sheets brush his bare skin where they touched the bed, the subtle pressure and heat from his inner thigh where his and Dan Heng’s legs touched, the dip of the mattress beside his head where a hand pressed down on the bedding and the looming presence from above bearing down.
If this wasn’t the hottest thing Caelus had ever experienced, then he doesn’t know what was.
(Though he had been dragged to Magic Mydei for March’s birthday and this was hotter than that one time someone did a handstand and then proceeded to grind down on him- but that is a story for another time).
Dan Heng paused to let Hyacine deliver her lines from the side, Caelus could see those steel orbs dart down before slowing dragging his gaze upwards. Behind the camera, Caelus thought Dan Heng’s gaze lingered on his throat, before sliding up to his eyes, then his nose and finally settling on his lips.
It must be his imagination. He’s going crazy from this. This is insane. There’s no way. No fucking way-
“Don’t move or else.”
Caelus stilled at that voice.
Cold, smooth, commanding.
He now understood why those BookTok girl go absolutely crazy for those hot, domineering men, no matter if they were morally questionable CEOs, merciless mafia or a blood-sucking vampire full of red flags.
(If this was a red flag, then Caelus was fucking colourblind, willingly).
“Good.”
Caelus bit down a whimper.
Something that flashed across Dan Heng’s eyes that he was unable to decipher before the man towering above him began to lean down.
Oh shit, oh fuck. He’s leaning down. Mayday. Mayday! He’s leaning down.
Dan Heng crowded into his space unapologetically. Caelus had to bring his camera closer to his face to stop Dan Heng from hitting the lens. It was so close that the camera nearly pressed against his face with barely a hair's breadth of space between them. He could feel that every breath he exhaled bounced back at him from the camera. Physically, he could not bring the camera any closer unless he wanted to be in debt for damaging a priceless piece of equipment worth ten times his paycheck.
From the corner of his eye, he could see that Dan Heng’s face descending closer before the actor suddenly shifted to one side, pressing his head against the mattress beside Caelus’ head as he murmured his final lines.
“And cut! First take as well, well done, Dan Heng! Very well done.”
Dan Heng slowly lifted his head, careful not to bump into the camera. His hand lingered for a moment before pulling away.
Still in his shell-shocked state, Caelus caught a small, satisfied smirk adorned the actor’s lips for a brief second before it disappeared as if it never appeared in the first place. He watched as Dan Heng moved away, acting as if nothing had happened, and gave a quick nod to the director in thanks.
Caelus froze. Still lying on the bed, he could still feel the faint warm breath on the junction of his neck and that silky, low voice ringing in his ear. Those words repeated like a mantra in his mind, a faint murmur that echoed like a rumble in his head.
He stared blankly at a hand held in front of him. Mind completely thoughtless and yet racing at the same time. A quiet chuckle broke him out of his frozen state as his gaze finally looked focused on who offered it.
Of course it was Dan Heng.
Forcing his mind to reboot and scrambling his limbs into motion, he accepted the offered hand as he was effortlessly pulled up.
“T-thanks,” Caelus stuttered out, breathless as if he ran a marathon. Fuck he is strong, “That was good, really good. Well done.”
Dan Heng smiled, so minuscule you need a magnifying glass to see it, “Thank you. It seems your advice worked.”
“R-really?”
The actor hummed in thought, “Yes. Anyway, I’m looking forward to working with you. I will be under your care then.”
“M-my care? Ahem… yes. The crew here is great. You can trust them to take care of you. If you have any questions, just ask me- I mean, them. They’re more than willing to help out!”
They seemed to be trapped in a bubble as the rest of the noise fizzled out like static, present but distant enough to ignore. Time seemed to slow down as they stared at each other until a loud voice finally broke them out of their trance.
Dan Heng responded first, nodded to the hairstylist for some touch-ups before turning to pull away, only to pause when he realised that a hand was still enclosed loosely around his.
Caelus felt his cheeks heat up as he immediately straightened his fingers and let Dan Heng’s hand go.
The actor offered a small, grateful grin before turning away with a lingering glance.
It wasn’t long before Caelus was pulled away to shoot the next scene with Hyacine.
Even so, he could still feel the lingering warmth in his palm.
He was so fucked.