Her Beacon (Acheron x Caelus)

Chapter Six

When Caelus extended the hand of camaraderie to Black Swan, drawing her into their fold of "exploration," little did he anticipate the undercurrent of tension that decision would birth. By the Aeons, it was palpable.

Acheron, whose visage had always been a stronghold of calm, now betrayed subtle signs of distress. Her responses to Caelus were as engaging as ever, yet around Black Swan, her silence was charged with tension. It was not in what she said but in her eyes — those windows to a stormy soul — and the stiffness of her posture that conveyed volumes of unvoiced anger.

Caelus found himself adrift in these troubled waters. To an observer, Acheron's behavior might be dismissed as mere antisocial tendencies, but Caelus felt a deeper disquiet. His innocent gesture of welcoming the veiled Memokeeper into their group had unwittingly stirred the depths, and in response, Acheron had drawn perceptibly closer to him. It was a comforting closeness that he secretly cherished yet lacked the courage to openly acknowledge.

Engaging two mature women, each formidable in their right, proved a daunting task for Caelus. Unlike his effortless exchanges with Kafka, where her maturity demanded his full presence, here he found himself struggling. The ease with which he once shared the heaviest revelations with the Stellaron Hunter was missing. He remembered the comfort found in Kafka's presence — akin to a racoon seeking affectionate petting — a sentiment shared even by the stoic Silver Wolf and Blade, who, beneath a gruff exterior, concealed a deep-seated care for their kin.

His heart longed for the simplicity of camaraderie shared with Guinaifen's gang — Little Gui, Sushang, and Huo Huo — where mischief and adventure provided a haven from the convoluted web of politics. Those fleeting moments reminded him of what it meant to be truly free, like a Nameless wanderer on an endless quest.

Lost in reminiscence, Caelus was abruptly brought back to the present by Black Swan's chiding voice, "Daydreaming of your past, Caelus? My, my, it's not nice to leave us in silence, you know?" Her hand, an elegant distraction before his face, snapped him back to reality.

She continued, her voice laced with playful malice, "Am I boring company to you? Hmm... perhaps I need to leave and never come back? Hah, my heart throbs at the thought." The teasing words might have been light-hearted, but their implications hit Caelus with unexpected weight, prompting an earnest response.

"Oh, no! It's not that at all. I was simply reminiscing about the days before Penacony. I never intended to hurt your feelings," Caelus replied, his voice strained with genuine concern, a bead of sweat marking his nervousness.

Noting Caelus' distress, Black Swan shifted her demeanor, opting for a gentler approach. "It seems I may have touched a sensitive spot. Fear not, I was merely jesting," she said, her smile serene, yet mindful of Acheron's watchful presence and silent promise of retribution.

Caelus wondered if the dreamlike essence of Penacony had heightened his emotions, causing his feelings to surface more readily than usual. Taking a deep breath, he steadied himself. "It's... fine. Just—please, don't do that again, for my sake," he said, half warning, half plea.

The silence that followed was a canvas, painting a thousand unspoken words between them. Caelus's plea hung in the air, fragile as the last leaf clinging to a wintry branch. He hoped his words would bridge the gap his absent-mindedness had wrought.

The subtle emotion in Black Swan's eyes flickered, signaling a note of understanding. "Duly noted~," she acquiesced, her voice carrying the soft melody of compliance yet tinged with the mischief of one who savored the dance of emotions they played.

Caelus acknowledged Black Swan's acquiescence with a nod of satisfaction, sensing a tension ease that he hadn't realized had coiled within him.

Ring Ring