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Caelen stared out the window; the room was basically his home now. the white walls, the blue thin curtains, the uncomfortable medical bed. He's been in the hospital for a long time now, just counting the days until death. He was dying, slowly. But he was happy; he lived a fulfilling life. He was a police officer, he found his group of friends, and he even fell in love.
Love. Caelen, while he liked people, was part canine, part dog; he liked humans. But, love? That was foreign, till he read some of Ash's books and asked Lilo and Eli about it. The patterns were all the same. The quickening of his heart, how he felt hot at the smallest glances and touches, how he wanted to linger more than he should. Caelen even found himself daydreaming. They all matched the information he gathered on what love was. And he quickly concluded.
Caelen loves Shiki.
The shikigami, while he was confident and nonchalant at a glance, Caelen had the chance to see other sides of him. Shiki was willing to help when someone genuinely asked for it, and how Shiki got talkative with whatever got his interest that day or that moment. And how, when it came to things he loved, Shiki got so passionate that it was almost infectious.
Caelen loved that about Shiki; he loved everything about him. But he would never be able to experience romance like normal. Not when he was slowly and slowly getting closer to his deathbed.
"Where are you off to?" a voice asked. Shiki turned to see Ash, leaning against the frame of the door,
"I'm going to see Caelen," Shiki stated, as if the fact was obvious. The fallen angel's mouth parted slightly.
"Oh," he breathed out, "if that's the case, bring him some of the leftovers from dinner last night." Shiki stayed put, putting on his shoes, as Ash disappeared. only to quickly reappear and hand the shikigami a small thermal bag.
"I'm sure he's getting sick of hospital food. He's been there for what? weeks?"
"Close to..." Shiki's voice trailed off as he searched his brain. How long had Caelen been in the hospital? "Close to a month now, I think," Shiki stated. Ash shrugged,
"Yeah, that could be about right." The angel turned to go back into the house. "Send him my regards. I'll visit him after I get through some of my workload."
The walk to the hospital wasn't all that long. Considering all the boys moved to be closer, since Caelen was permanently there at this point, he did get to visit home on occasions, but only for a day or two. As Shiki walked the familiar route, he stopped by the shrine he helped out at. It was quiet, considering it was midday, on a day people worked; it wasn't unusual, but he was used to seeing at least two or three people there who weren't the workers. But, no. No one was there. at all.
Without thinking, Shiki entered the temple and went to a very specific part. At the shrine, there was a small, hidden-away area with a small offering box. The small area, while clean and maintained, was not visited by anyone. It was a small garden with an offering box. Was it for God? goddess? Shiki wasn't too sure, but it was to someone who was said to be a deity of healing and of health. Why did he go there exactly? Shiki didn't know, but he left an offering, filling up a small cup with some of the warm drink Ash had packed in the thermal bag, and he quickly left and came back with a singular burning incense.
Shiki clapped, bowed, muttered a small thank you, and left as quickly as he had entered.
"Shiki!" The canine happily greeted the purple-haired man, his ears perking up and tail wagging under the blanket.
"Hi, Cae," the shikigami smiled, and went over, and started unpacking the leftovers, telling Cae the latest happenings in the home the other four lived at.
"Lilo and Eli are in there- what? 7th divorce arc?" Shiki questioned, a smile on his face.
"More family therapy with Rosco?" Cae asked, covering his mouth as he ate the food brought for him.
"I wouldn't be surprised." Shiki laughed, only to stop laughing when he saw a speck of food on Caelen's cheek. He leaned closer, Caelen looking at him curiously, dropping his ears, hoping to hide the faint red of them. Shiki brushed his thumb over the speck of food, whipping it away, before pressing his thumb to Caelen's lips.
"Don't want to waste good food," the purple-haired man hummed, and watched, with his normal intensity, watching Caelen, as the canine hesitantly darted his tongue out to lick the food off Shiki's finger. causing the older male to hum with satisfaction, keeping his expression neutral. Seemingly unaware of how the younger one was beating so loudly, he was sure everyone could hear it.
It was still early into the visit, but Caelen was getting quite sleepy; he kept yawning and nodding his head absentmindedly, even when Shiki said nothing.
"Cae, if you're tired, you can sleep. I can come visit another time," Shiki offered. Caelen shook his head,
"Nooo," he whined out, grabbing Shiki's hand, "you're already here," his words slurred, laced with sleepiness, "don't wanna see you leave... I'll be lonely...again..." Shiki felt his heart tighten, ever so slightly, but kept the expression he already wore.
"Sleep, text me when you wake up, and I'll come back with the boys," Shiki said, adjusting his hold on Caelen's hand, so his thumb could run across the knuckles of the younger one. Caelen hummed contentedly, liking to contact.
"...m'kay...promise?" Caelen asked, looking at Shiki with his half-lidded eyes and slowly blinking.
"I promise," Shiki confirmed.
Caelen smiled, a dopey one.
Caelen was still trying to fight sleep, his blinking slowing, his head drooping forward and to the side, before he fixed it, looking as if doing so took a lot of effort.
"...not...sleepy..." he muttered, to no one in particular, but that got a small chuckle from Shiki,
"Your eyes tell a different story," Shiki studied Caelen's eyes—heavy-lidded, slow blinks, slightly glassy.
"But you're still here..wanna stay awake for you," Caelen pouted, before yawning, and almost giving in to sleep. almost.
"I'll stay here till you sleep." Caelen's whole body perked up, eyes shining ever so slightly, his ears perking and tail wagging, slowly.
"Really?"
"Really."
Shiki got Caelen to lie down on the medical bed.
"night night...shiki..." Caelen yawned, his blue eyes transfixed on Shiki's golden-purple ones.
"Night, Cae," Caelen smiled and closed his eyes, a few words slipping out before slumber took him.
"See you on the other side."
Shiki smiled, taking what Caelen said as if he were waking up.
"Yeah, see you on the other side...puppy."
The phone rang. Ash, who was working, looked over.
"Who could be calling at this time?"
"Hello?" ... "Yes, this is he" ... "I'm sorry?" ... "No...please, this has to be a joke" ... "No?" ... "BULLSHIT! HE HAD MONTHS! IT WAS A SLOW PROCESSING ONE"
Liron, Elias and Shiki walked into the room, all of them tired from sleep, as Ash's yelling woke them up. The three watched as Ash yelled and paced.
"I am telling you, he had months," ... "Well, did you do anything?" ... "Surely there are other ways..." ... "No...check again!"... "...I understand."... "Yes"... "Mmhm"... "Thank you..." ... "Yes, yes, you too, have a good night as well." ... "Yeah, thanks..."
Ash ended the call, threw the phone somewhere, and collapsed onto the nearby chair.
"...fuck..."
"...Fuck..."
"...FUCK!" Ash yelled, running a hand over his face. Elias slowly walked over,
"Ash? Is everything okay? What's wrong?"
Ash looked up at everyone, his green eyes dead, voided.
"Caelen..." Ash's voice choked, betraying him
"Caelen is dead."