Neon Lights

52

Meeting with Xiao wasn't as easy as he expected. The message he had sent Draven was met with an almost sombre reply of 'Let's see what we can do'. Callisto had placed the phone on his coffee table and sat on his couch, staring at it. That wasn't the reply he had been expecting.

He was the one who had put off from seeing Xiao and now that he wanted to — was it too late?

That thought had him swallowing past the lump that formed in his throat.

No, he wasn't. He couldn't be late.

A soft sigh escaped his lips, his shoulders jolting upward immediately when the door to his apartment was knocked. He stared at the entrance for a second, body jolting again when there was another series of knocks, louder than before.

Callisto was not expecting any guests. He certainly wasn't expecting one at night. Slight fear wormed into his chest and curled around his heart, restricting his ability to breathe. He stood up, hands reaching to the nearest heavy object he could find. The flash of neon green eyes in his mind had him tensing.

It better not be him. And if he was... he was prepared. With his... glass coaster. Callisto frowned at the item he had picked up but when another series of knock resounded in his apartment, he decided to make do with it. If nothing else, it might disorient them a bit if they meant any harm, enough for Callisto to run.

Nearing the door, he took in a deep breath and counted from three before he opened it. Yanking it wide with the coaster now raised above his head, he was prepared for a strike before he saw it was Draven.

Relief washed over him immediately as he dropped his hand to his side, the coaster now hanging loosely by his fingers.

"Well... that wasn't a greeting I expected," Draven said, his eyes darting to the coaster before he met his eyes.

"I thought it was..." Callisto said before he stopped, shaking his head. "What are you even doing here?"

Without waiting for him to answer, Callisto left the door open and walked back inside. The unspoken invitation was taken in by Draven who followed after him and closing the door. Placing the coaster on the coffee table, Callisto sat on his couch, a sigh escaping his lips as his heartbeat started to normalise again.

"I came because I thought we're going to talk about meeting Xiao," Draven said as he took off his coat. He placed it on the back of the couch and took a seat next to Callisto. His eyes were sharp and serious, sending a flurry of heart races in Callisto again. "So? Are you sure?"

"Am I sure?" Callisto said. "Yes, I'm sure. Why wouldn't I be?" After a beat he added, "Aren't you supposed to be seeing Angelo?"

"I did see him," Draven said. "And now I'm here."

"And you had to come here to talk about this?" Callisto leaned into his couch, letting his body melt into the cushions.

Draven hummed under his breath. "Well, it didn't feel right to talk on the phone."

Callisto supposed he could accept that reasoning. "A heads up would be nice."

"As if you'd let me in if I did," Draven said, earning a glare from the other man. "Anyway, Xiao."

"I... I guess I held it off for too long now. I heard from Angelo that she's on the move or have moved. I need to find out where she is before she goes away too far." Callisto interlaced his fingers and placed it on his stomach, further slumping into the couch. He tilted his head up to stare at the ceiling. "I need answers."

"You'll get them," Draven said, voice low. "We'll just have to make a move to get to her."

"We, huh?" Callisto would have used that as an excuse to be a prick if this had been a few weeks back. But now... It made him feel less lonely. It made him feel like he wasn't walking on this all alone. A soft graze on his ear had him tilting his head to look at Draven, whose fingers curled.

"We," Draven said, the corner of his lips tilting upwards for a second. He then pulled his hand away completely. "There's some preplanning and precaution to take care of before we can go."

"And those are?"

"Those are mostly protecting you," Draven said, his lips turned down for a second. "That place isn't the safest place to be."

Callisto would have wanted to melt into a puddle of nothingness at just those words. But after Angelo, nothing seemed to really phase him anymore. It was clear that he was in this side of the world now. All because Luna decided to disappear from his sight.

"Right," Callisto said, pushing himself to sit up straight. "Of course it isn't."

"It'll be fine," Draven said, catching his gaze. "You won't be alone."

"No, I won't be," he said, keeping his eyes focused on Draven. "But that doesn't mean it doesn't get tiring that I'm..."

After a second, Draven scooted a bit closer to him. "I know."

This wasn't the first time Draven had said that. "Why do you keep saying that?"

"Say what?"

"Say things like you understand what I'm going through." Callisto hadn't meant to ask him but he was curious. The image Draven presented to him was different with the Draven he had known in the past.

Had he been blind again at the truth right in front of him?

"It's because I do," Draven said. "I do understand it."

"How?"

Draven pressed his lips together before his eyes darted away. The sudden break of their eye-contact had Callisto frowning this time. He was curious about it, but Draven hadn't once offered information about himself. He opened his mouth before he closed it.

Yet... what right did he have to ask Draven to explain himself?

He had left behind that right when he had left Draven behind.

"Nevermind," Callisto said. "Let's talk about this supposed danger that you think I'll face."

Draven looked at him again then. His eyes were showing him emotions that Callisto couldn't decipher. Their stare held and for a moment, he though maybe he would get some answer to his curiosity. But in the end, Draven said, "Right, let's do that."