His salvation

      At the last time Dan Heng has been cold.       This frost sneaks into the cracks in your clothes, gets under your skin and eats right through to your bones. It compresses the veins, stabs the heart and sometimes even reaches right up to the brain, momentarily cutting off the ability to hear, see and feel anything. Dan Heng seems as if in those moments he is falling into the void, deeper and deeper than previous time.       And if think about this in the right way, all happening won’t be surprising: dragons are reptiles and therefore cannot boast of being warm-blooded. Just like the nights on the star express, that had become incredibly dear, could not find in themselves even a grain of the warmth, which was so desired by the tired guard.       Yes, exactly the nights. During the day, Dan Heng still managed to somehow warm up, because practically he didn’t sit on one place, but when it was time to sleep… Every time, entering his room, Dan Heng was instantly losing all remnants of his mood, putting something warm over his pajamas and preparing in advance to fall into the terribly cold abyss, a way out of which he was so desperately looking for.       A couple of times Himeko asked him about his well-being, noticing a certain depression and a complete lack of change in his depressive mood, but Dan Heng just waved it off, calling it an “endurance training” — nobody knows with what they will come face to face in the future, but here he’ll be hardened — and continued to freeze.       And besides, Himeko was wrong: sometimes Dan Heng still crawled out of his depression, because it was simply impossible to be sad while you’ve been looking at Caelus! This incredible boy laughed constantly, never losing heart for a few seconds, and gave all around him much-needed warmth with his sparkling smile!       Okay, or not just with a smile…       Stellaron, which flew through Caelus' veins, looked warm. Exceedingly warm. This warmth was so pleasant that Dan Heng wanted to grab him, hold tighter to himself and never let go.       But Dan Heng endured. He’s doing an endurance training, after all.       In addition, when Caelus, passing by him, smiled with his beautiful lips, showing the world barely noticeable dimples on his cheeks, for some seconds Dan Heng became unbearably hot. This heat, exploding with a thousand fireworks somewhere in the chest, was enough to withstand another day in this icy kingdom, which sometimes even the most playful rays of the sun couldn’t reach the ground.       He was distracted from reading again. Thoughts about Caelus were too attractive, they swirled in head day and night, completely not wanting to get out of there. And Dan Heng didn’t mind: he liked the Trailblazer. Very. Probably, many people would like to have such a… friend?       He shivered, wrapping himself more tightly in the blanket and tried to concentrate on reading again. The time was late, but Dan Heng didn’t want to return to the room, the abode of his main nightmare — the icy abyss.       The plot of the book took interesting turns. The character was saying goodbye to her friend, who was leaving forever far away, but instead words of gratitude for the time they had spent together, she cried out:       “I love you! You are all I need!” — and burst into tears. Dan Heng involuntarily froze at this plot twist, driving away the associations that appeared before his eyes. There were only a couple of chapters left until the end of the novel, and therefore he wanted to finish reading it at this night and take on the next book. Still, this literary direction did not suit him for little.       — And you’re sitting here again! You’d better go and rest, — a ringing voice with barely visible notes of concern cut through the silence, forcing Dan Heng to look up from reading again.       Caelus.       The guard closed the book and wrapped himself more tightly in the blanket, turning his gaze to the guy, who approached him.       — Why aren’t you sleeping yourself?       Trailblazer laughed briefly, showing his interlocutor these charming dimples on his cheeks.       — I went to take the tea mug back, — he carefully examined Dan Heng’s pose. — You’re wrapped up too much. Did you get cold?       — I’m fine, — Dan Heng tried to justify himself, but boy, who looked at him incredulously, was not satisfied with such answer.       Caelus carefully put the book aside, taking Dan Heng’s hands in his own.       — You’re like ice! No matter what you say, that isn’t “fine”, — Trailblazer shook his head. He tried to warm Dan Heng’s palms.       Stellaron, flowing in someone else’s body, beckoned with its warmth. He played with the frozen dragon, calling him to come closer. Another couple of seconds and Dan Heng could’t stand it. He abruptly pulled his hands away and leaned forward, burying his head in Caelus’s stomach and hugging him around his waist.       — I knew that not only your hands are icy, — Caelus exclaimed, hugging Dan Heng back. — How can I warm you up…       And after a couple of seconds he exclaimed:       — Oh, I came up with it! — judging by the joyful tone, clearly proud of his idea.       Dan Heng embarrassedly pulled away from him, internally realizing that his endurance training had clearly failed, and looked up at the figure, which was towering in front of him.       — We’ll sleep together! — and noticing the obvious bewilderment in the interlocutor’s eyes, he added. — If hugs help you so well, then we’ll warm you up right in your sleep.       Dan Heng stared at Kelus in shock — a really interesting idea popped into the boy’s head. Not that the dragon was against it, but still…       — Let’s go, let’s go! — Caelus, who has fallen into some kind of childish delight, grabbed Dan Heng by the hand and pulled him along. Dan Han had no choice, so he picked up the blanket with his free hand, with which they had already become familiar, and followed the restless Trailblazer.       When they reached the very door to Caelus’s room, Dan Heng froze. He understood what was going on around him and why, but he couldn’t accept it — the guy gave out his idea too suddenly. It just fell out of the blue.       — Come in and get settle, — Caelus nodded, opening the door for the dragon.       The Trailblazer’s room was as warm and cozy as he himself. The slight disorder fit perfectly with Caelus' slightly chaotic personality. Having come to his senses, Dan Heng looked around a little and sat down on the corner of the bed, watching Caelus, who closed the door and turned off the big light, leaving only the nightlight burning.       Caelus took off the shoes that he put on while leaving the room and deftly rolled to the wall, beckoning the brunette to him. He, a little stiffly, but still lay down on the other half of a rather wide bed, which was clearly designed for such nightly adventures.       — Come here, closer, — boy grinned. — Otherwise, how will I warm you in sleep?       — Yeah, — responded a slightly embarrassed Dan Heng.       — Good night! — he muttered, feeling how the Pathfinder covered them with a blanket and threw an arm over his shoulders, hugging him.       A couple of minutes later he could hear Caelus’s quiet snoring. Dan Heng looked more closely at his facial features — Caelus wasn’t smiling in his sleep, but thousands of fireworks were exploding in his chest again. Okay, objectively speaking, Caelus was handsome: straight nose, smooth lines of lips, fluffy eyelashes — all painters should draw pictures of him!       Involuntarily, the scene from the book, in which the girl lost her temper, began to replay in his head again. Dan Heng wondered: one day will he also be able to say that Caelus is all that he needs? Now he just wanted to hope for his future self.       Dan Heng began to feel sleepy and, surprisingly, the feeling of fear of the void did not appear. Apparently the light of the guy lying next to him was so bright that it was able to disperse her all, the brunette cannot find any other excuse. He soon fell into a deep sleep without the slightest hesitation next to Caelus, trusting that he would protect him from any nightmares.       After a couple of hours, maybe a little more, maybe less, Caelus sluggishly opened his eyes. He felt peripherally that something had changed. For example, where is Dan Heng, whom he no longer feels opposite and why does it become difficult for him to breathe? Ah, got it. Well, that’s kind of cute.       In his sleep, Dan Heng changed his position, pressing his face to Caelus’s chest, and hugged him incredibly tightly. The Trailblazer barely restrained his impulse to laugh with emotion. Under the blanket it was stuffy and hot, like next to a hot stove, but it all felt so right that any objections about their current situation disappeared by themselves.       The guy with golden eyes smiled tenderly, starting to stroke Dan Heng’s hair, causing him to open his eyes sluggishly with a sleepy grumble.       — Dan Heng, — Caelus called him quietly. — Dan Heng, loosen your grip a little, I almost can’t breathe.       The dragon lazily moved from the guy’s chest to his side.       — Sorry, — muttered Dan Heng. — That’s better? Wasn’t it very hard for you?       — It’s okay, — Caelus muttered, falling back into sleep and hugging Dan Heng back. — I don’t mind, because… I love you.       In his sleep, Dan Heng felt himself blushing. From the boy’s words, the fireworks inside finally gained a clear color. It turns out that he also loves and has been for a very long time. The brunette smiled to himself, enjoying the moment. — I love you too!.. — he whispered on the verge of hearing, feeling the warm hands and quiet breathing of Caelus next to him. After which Dan Heng finally fell asleep, hugging his dearest person.