The Parlor Car of the Express was quiet, save for the digital beeps and controlled tapping of fingers against a phone screen. And for once in his life, Caelus found himself getting distracted while playing his favourite game on his phone.

The reason? Your presence.

He didn’t quite understand why he was feeling this way. You were his best friend! Someone with whom he had spent countless hours, accompanying him on every whim during their travels across planets. After all you’ve done together, playing a silly mobile game hardly seemed nerve-wracking.

With one more slide of his fingers, the game concluded and so did his temporary immersion. Back to real life, and subsequently, the nervousness he had recently started feeling around you. He returned the customary high-five you gave him, though he couldn’t ignore the shivers your touch sent up his spine.

Maybe he wanted you more than he thought he did. Perhaps this was less of a friendly admiration, and more of a romantical growth of feelings. Which was less than ideal…because he was falling deep. But this was wrong.

They wouldn’t want me, he thought, stubbornly holding on to that belief. But then he saw you lifting your eyes from your phone, and he knew he was done.

His golden eyes darted away, simultaneously amazed yet afraid of these newfound feelings. Trying to distract himself, he swiped down to check the time on his phone’s control panel.

9:09.

The Crew members were intending to wake up a little earlier the next morning, so this was probably a good time to retire for the night. Caelus finally mustered the courage to look at you, forcing his usual playful smile.

“It’s starting to get late.” He remarked with a sigh, running a hand through his silvery grey hair. “You gonna call it, or am I?”