My path is my own to decide!

Indie HSR Caelus sideblog

[pathblazer]

Side Blog Mutuals only - Caelus of Honkai: Star Rail

18+ Mun - Minors do not follow

Written by Koishii

Rules:

Be kind and have fun.

Do not godmod.

Follow will come from main blog, you don't need to follow it.

Adult themes will be tagged.

[aubadenocturne]

It might have taken him more time than it should have, but at some point Phainon realized his strikes were expected, his moves read - he defended himself from Mydei's punch at the last second with the wider side of his sword and let out a laughter.

"And you can do better than that."

Time to add some finesse to his strategy. He put more thought in his moves, not depending on pure strength alone. Mydei knew his fighting style by heart, didn't he? So they both needed to be on the lookout for a weak spot to benefit from.

[pathblazer]

"I was trying to help you save face."

Mydeimos laughs as well, undeterred by the attempt at a jab. Instead, he went on to incorporate the things he'd seen from Caelus during their training the last few months. They weren't major game changers but a well timed leg sweep always helped against those with a weapon. Plus with Caelus's shouting from the stands, Mydeimos assumed he was better now so this spar could end.

[aubadenocturne]

He evaded with a quick step backward, knowing Mydei had the advantage in close combat, and shifted his stance to strike again. It was clear by this point he was using an aggressive approach, parrying when he could to maintain momentum and better counterattack.

"You're welcome," answered Castorice.

Caelus was taking sides during this little competition - which was a bit amusing, even though the purple-haired woman didn't let it show. With how things were going between the fighters... as long as Phainon continued his assault without dropping his guard, she would bet on him, too. Not because of a lack of skill coming from Mydei - not at all. But she had fought against Phainon first. And, even if he kept his memories of past cycles locked away, it had felt once or twice as if he read her mind, her next move. Muscle memory from countless confrontations.

[pathblazer]

While Phainon relied on the memories of past encounters to try besting him, he hadn't a clue that Mydeimos, too, was doing this. A parry, a dodge, the motions were familiar and thus, easier to counter and keep the stalemate. Exchanging blows was a good enough way to let off steam- and to allow their friend the time to decompress.

Over time, the light returned to Caelus's eyes and excitement began to shine in his expression. Watching Mydei and Phainon was like a sporting event. His heart hammered in his chest, a bright smile on his face. Sure, he was rooting for his partner, but that didn't mean he didn't get excited when Mydei landed a good hit!

"You're slowing down, Deliverer!"

Mydeimos knocked Phainon's strike away before aiming a good punch at him.

[aubadenocturne]

The corners of Castorice's lips timidly turned up ; she didn't give much of a reaction besides this, half-worried she would scare Caelus away like a timid chimera.

"Something like that."

Phainon pushed against Mydei's block and went back on the offensive almost immediately. If they were to fight, at least let him not think. Their weapons could do the talking for now - and if Mydei really was so curious about his relationship status, well, he got his answer.

[pathblazer]

Mydeimos laughed with Phainon's answer. It wasn't mocking or otherwise negative, he was genuinely happy that the other man had been so honest. Thus, he doesn't question him further and simply ducks a swing before bringing his fist upwards.

"You got this Sunshine!"

Caelus shouted from the stands, having stood up and cupped his hands around his mouth. He hadn't even realized that he'd called him by the nickname he'd chosen. It might have just been his imagination, but he could have sworn he sensed a tremor of the Destruction. So he'd felt it important to call out to his partner. Only then did he sit back down.

"Cas? Thanks for just sitting with me."

[aubadenocturne]

These words meant his eyes had shifted into gold in the last minute or so, didn't they? He should have been more careful if that was the case - it made his friends worried for nothing.

A practice sword was summoned in his hand instead of a Dawnmaker simulacra. The weapon made of wood felt like nothing in his grip as he marched to meet Mydei, something he did millions of times before. To practice, to blow off some steam, to prove their worth to each other.

Ṭ̷̨̽̃ỏ̶̯̘̍ ̶͔̱̏̈́ḱ̵̘i̵̩͒͘ͅl̶̼̏͘l̶̲̑̽ͅ.̵̨̋ͅ

He took a defensive stance, like he had done for Caelus, and gave Mydei a haughty nod, something that meant he was giving him the first move.

From where the onlookers stood, Castorice simply watched - as for Hyacine, she kept an eye on the men, but she was sending something to someone on her teleslate.

[pathblazer]

Caelus sagged back in his seat, head hanging a little as he forced his breath to even out. He really didn't feel like himself- maybe he'd pushed himself to go out too quickly? He wasn't certain how he'd react now that he was back in Okhema or whether he'd attract trouble like the previous day. Would he drag down those on the Express as well? It was a stressful thought.

But hearing the clash of the wooden sword on Mydei's bracers brought his head up, a hand gently grasping Castorice's forearm.

"So, Deliverer? Did you decide to make things official?"

Mydeimos grinned as he brought his arm up to block a strike. Obviously he was talking about his sparring partner and their Outlander friend. He wasn't blind. Both had a tell, Caelus's being far more obvious than Phainon's, and he'd put the pieces together long before he'd taken him to Castrum Kremnos.

[aubadenocturne]

Ah, this was a bad idea. But if Caelus needed this - needed time, a shift of attention away from him, who was he to refuse?

He put a hand over one of Caelus's wrists and slowly lowered his hand from his face. Then he spoke to the Kremnoan :

"I accept your challenge."

[pathblazer]

A smile curves Caelus's lips when Phainon accepted the spar. Even as one hand is grabbed, the other remained free and he reached up to pat and ruffle Phainon's hair. A gentle show that he was still himself in the general sense.

"Thanks partner."

Mydeimos offers a quick nod of his head to Phainon, a slight smile playing on his face as well. The Kremnoan then rolls his shoulders and neck, stepping past the Deliverer duo and towards the sparring ring. Caelus gives Phainon one more pat on the head.

"If I'm being honest- whether it's the boundless sky or the shimmering sun that your eyes reflect, they're really pretty."

The Trailblazer then flees to the stands. Was he simply saying that in hopes of calming the Chrysos Heir down? Or was it an admission and apology for his panic the last time they went golden? While he wouldn't dare elaborate, he was certain Phainon would figure out it was a mixture of the two.

[aubadenocturne]

Caelus wasn't simply caught off guard. Mydei described the situation as one that had triggered him in the past ; to say otherwise was a kind white lie, but a lie nonetheless. The Chrysos Heir cocked his head to the side, a question in the blue of his eyes, or perhaps he was simply trying to find where truth started. How Caelus really felt.

His reaction was half the same as Mydei - he blinked. His gaze turned towards his fellow Heir, looking like he was holding back words he had at the tip of his tongue.

Blue flashed gold.

"We shouldn't."

[pathblazer]

The reactions he got from Mydeimos and Phainon did little to soothe his anxious feelings. He knew the two found joy in their spars, that focusing on something else could offer some sort of reprieve from the situation. It wasn't until he saw Phainon's eyes change colour that he finally stopped avoiding their gazes and stepped forward. His hands lift, coming to either side of Phainon's face and gently squishing his cheeks inward.

"Hey- hey... Sunshine?"

The Trailblazer lowered his voice to a mumble simply for his partner.

"I'll... Explain when we're alone, okay? I promise- I just-- need time to calm down-"

Mydeimos looks concerned behind Caelus's back, the Kremnoan glancing towards Castorice and Hyacine. He knew the change in the Deliverer's eyes wasn't normally a good sign, but with their Outlander approaching him so bravely...

"If you don't wanna spar Mydei that's okay- I just thought- besides a pick me up for everyone- it'd give me some time to gather my thoughts before heading out into the crowded streets."

[aubadenocturne]

The white-haired man's expression betrayed nothing, but Castorice felt his muscle contract under her hand. She squeezed his arm, gently, before breaking contact. She didn't know what came to his mind but she could guess : she remembered those who yearned for her touch when it only brought death. To hurt and appease in the same breath was... difficult to come to terms with.

The Worldbearer's expression switched to apologetic the moment Caelus was back.

"I'm the one who should apologize. In any case, we were done here. Is there anything you need?"

[pathblazer]

"Oh, no! No- don't apologize- I was just caught off guard- it's okay-"

Caelus rubs the back of his head, an awkward chuckle slipping before he shook his head. He could feel the tension in the air- he'd seen the earlier posturing and, honestly, he felt bad for causing them all such upset. So, he shifts in place, lips pressing into a fine line before he speaks again.

"I just figured that Mydei might want a round with you, too."

The Kremnoan blinks twice as if in shock, then snorts a soft laugh. Caelus likely didn't want to bring down their mood and figured that another match would elevate it again. Who was he to deny their Outlander Deliverer?

"Well, how about it, Phainon? Caught your breath enough to face me?"

[aubadenocturne]

"Why so furious all of a sudden, Mydeimos? I thought that's what you wanted?"

He mellowed out once Mydei began speaking of what he knew, silently thanking Castorice for managing to make him talk. What he said made sense with what they saw since they came back - and a thought came, a pinch in the heart. If only Cyrene was there. Memories made them who they were, but... some memories only brought pain. Would she be able to do something with those, turn them into lost puzzle pieces? Would she only have words and embraces for them, attentions so small and yet enough to put a balm on a wounded heart? He was pulled out of his thoughts by a hand on his arm, turned to see Castorice smile softly at Mydei.

"Thank you, Mydeimos. We will keep watching over him like you did back in Castrum Kremnos."

Hyacine nodded, eye quickly turning to their friends when Caelus's attention shifted.

"Alright. Try taking the rest of the day easy, okay? Doctor's orders."

[pathblazer]

Mydeimos nodded towards Castorice, a polite gesture which was followed by the shifting of his gaze towards their unwell friend.

"I also believe that it goes without saying... He has chosen his comfort person. He wasn't quite so... Playful in Castrum Kremnos."

As if it wasn't obvious to anyone else that their Outlander friend had a growing attachment to their Deliverer. And, if he wasn't mistaken, Phainon had quite the soft spot for Caelus as well. While the lot of them had gone through cycle after cycle together, the Outlander had been that spark that helped their world. So of course he'd support the two of them if they made one another happy.

"S-Sorry about that... Hyacine says I'm to sit out the rest."

Caelus returned with a sheepish smile on his face and avoided their gazes. Though, he did glance towards Phainon once or twice. He didn't even notice Mydeimos motioning towards him in a 'See what I mean?' sort of gesture.

[aubadenocturne]

Blue eyes flashed with irritation.

"Of course. How about this? Next time we meet, let us share honey brew and nightmares to your heart's content. What say you, Mydeimos?"

Seriously, couldn't Mydei drop this for a second? Phainon's internal struggles were the least of their worries at the moment. As for Castorice... she ignored their jabs at each other. She listened instead, hearing Mydei's discomfort in the necessary words he shared with them.

"You might not feel like it is your place to say this, but your insights are helpful. We don't even know if Caelus knows about those parts of himself - sometimes, someone who watches from the outside can reveal what is impossible to see from the inside."

They didn't need the whole story, nor did they need to know about every weakness Mydei had been privy to. Only fair warnings so they didn't accidentally hurt their friend.

Hyacine summoned a soft breeze, warm as it ran through Caelus's hair. Little Ica fluttered close before landing in front of the young man, close enough to be touched but leaving a respectful distance.

"You've been scared, haven't you, Grayie? It's fine. Take all the time you need, we'll be there when you're ready."

[pathblazer]

"What? You really wanna go, Deliverer?"

Mydeimos punched into his palm, his concern melting into a form of his own irritation. Yet when he saw their Outlander friend stare in their direction, he grumbled to himself and merely crossed his arms. There was no need for Caelus to see them arguing with one another, even less so for making Phainon get upset.

"I witnessed a few things during our time at Castrum Kremnos. He'll sometimes lose his sense of awareness and either zone out or... Act rather out of character. As we saw earlier."

Mydeimos clears his throat, obviously referencing when Caelus marched over to Phainon and... Well...

"Beyond that, he didn't sleep much at a time. On a good day he'd sleep for a few quints, then be awake far longer. The worst episode he had was when a Titankin threw a shadow that looked similar to that Theoros. I thought our friend would destroy a good portion of the city. I don't believe I've seen him cry like that before..."

Caelus, after seeing that no fight would erupt, turned his attention to Ica and gently patted its head. He knew Hyacine meant well, but admitting what happened to one person was already hard enough as it was.

"I'll- I'll be okay... The blade at my throat just- startled me a bit more than it should have, that's all."

[aubadenocturne]

Phainon shook his head.

"He hasn't said much." "Wasn't he... acting a bit differently even before your spar?"

In retrospect, Castorice remembered many little things : of course the most surprising had been the kiss Caelus had shamelessly stolen in front of them all, but his lack of conviction during his challenge against Mydei, and their chat in the morning while they were left alone at Phainon's home, painted a picture of someone quite... fickle. The Chrysos Heirs living in Okhema hadn't seen much of Caelus and Mydei in the past months, nor had they heard anything from them during that time. And as soon as they were back, something happened to the Trailblazer yet again. Castorice turned her attention to Phainon, who looked deep in thought, before she turned to Mydei.

"Mydeimos, you have been his companion for some time now. If there is something we need to know - things that would help us understand how to stand besides him - please tell us."

[pathblazer]

"He's trying not to show his suffering again. Reminds me of another Deliverer we know."

Mydeimos shot a look towards Phainon. The Kremnoan then shakes his head with a sigh. It wasn't his place to speak on such things, but if Caelus wasn't going to tell them...

"It isn't my place to speak on his condition. If anyone were to have the authority to give that permission, it would be our Deliverer. I will say, however, there are lingering ghosts that he yet sees at certain points. Such as the blade to his throat. I noticed he only freezes should he be knocked down, never when he stands on his feet."

Caelus shakes his head at a question he half hears asked by Hyacine before heaving a sigh. He felt guilty knowing he was making them worry, made worse by the fact he feared speaking about what was going on inside his head.

[aubadenocturne]

It quickly became apparent something was off when Caelus kept being unresponsive ; the man saw the shift in their friends' expressions as they walked closer, with Hyacine joining them before they reached the sidelines. She took both of the Trailblazer's hands - took charge of taking care of him, glancing at Phainon to send him to Castorice. The purple-haired woman greeted him with a soft smile and concerned eyes.

"Phainon -" "I'm fine. It's Caelus we should be concerned for right now."

[pathblazer]

Caelus allowed himself to be lead away and seated down some way away from their friends. He could hear their voices, in the distance and had to have his attention wrangled back in several time. He was glad when Hyacine didn't push him for information and simply offered him her own words of comfort as she checked him over.

"I'll- be okay-"

Even Mydeimos was concerned. The Kremnoan glancing over towards the pair every few moments. There was a glint of guilt in his eye, thinking how he should have mentioned the abnormal reaction. Though, how was he to know it'd happen during a friendly spar? Then again, this was their Deliverer who tended to get carried away during such displays of strength or competitions.

"Did he say anything to you?"

[aubadenocturne]

Fear was something he'd grown used to see bloom inside his opponents's eyes. Be it on the battlefield as Phainon, or half-mad as the Flame Reaver, the signs were always the same. He... didn't expect to see it from Caelus. Perhaps he overdid it.

With little fanfare, the sword in his hand morphed into a dull wooden sword, its glamour fading with the power of Trickery its holder had used. It disappeared into thin air seconds after - purposely allowing the Trailblazer to see he hadn't been in danger. Phainon caught Caelus's hand to help him rise up, smile warm as he tried to catch the other's golden gaze. His breathing was slowly going back to normal, a bead of sweat making its way down his face ; aftereffects of a challenging fight.

"Great work, partner."

Their friends started clapping then, congratulating them for their sparring session.

[pathblazer]

Everything is alright. There is no danger. This is reality. This is not that place.

The mental reminders kept playing, repeating over and over again like a mantra that barely held him together. It made focusing on certain things hard, and also pushed him to avoid his partner's gaze- even though his hand gripped the other man's tightly. He used that grip as an anchor point, the heat of Phainon's body a comfort even with the raging storm in his head.

"Yeah-"

Mydeimos noticed the second they started on their way back that something was off, his clapping slowing. He'd only seen that look a few times, when the claws of his gauntlet got too close to his throat, or when a Titankin's weapon did the same- only when he was down, though.

"Hyacine. I have a feeling our Outlander friend is going to need a healer."

[aubadenocturne]

Contrary to most of Phainon's friends, Caelus had a specific advantage : they hadn't met inside millions upon millions of cycles. Even though the white-haired man wasn't diving into his memories, his body still came to instinctively remember how to move against another Chrysos Heir. Learning how someone liked to fight was always the fun part of training - Caelus's bat had a much smaller range than a greatsword, but its weight made the Trailblazer faster.

In the end, Phainon won by using his reach to his advantage, a lucky strike putting Caelus in a weak position, which the Chrysos Heir quickly took advantage of. Dawnmaker's blade hovered close to Caelus's neck, its owner smirking.

"I win."

[pathblazer]

It wasn't a surprise when was being beaten, the surprise came at the blade held to this throat. Irises narrow to pinpricks as his chest rises and falls with shallow breaths. He mentally struggles to remind himself that this isn't a nightmare, that this is Phainon and that he is fine. It takes a further moment to catch his breath- then he smiles at his partner.

"Y-Yeah-"

Obviously Phainon would win. It didn't matter that Caelus had gotten stronger, the Chrysos Heir wasn't someone one had hope of surpassing. So, Caelus pushed himself to his feet as his bat vanished and simply half turned towards their friends.

"After you."

[aubadenocturne]

For half a second he might have been surprised, but then the laughter coming from the crowd did something to his pride ; a scratch he would do best not to overcorrect. Because Caelus had closed the distance - it'd be easy gripping his arm and pin him underneath his bigger body. However, he used this tactic before, in much more unfortunate conditions, so what he did instead was build the distance again as he readied his sword to strike.

"Come on, Caelus. Show me what you've learned."

With that, he lunged.

[pathblazer]

The fact his tactic had gotten him no reaction embarrassed Caelus. He'd thought for sure that Phainon would react in some form; a face made, a taunt- anything. Was it, perhaps, Mydei's laugh that made him so stone-faced? It made sense, but it still made him feel incredibly foolish.

"Y-Yeah-"

Caelus reverted to a serious expression, his bat already moving to deflect his partner's lunge. He didn't want to disappoint him, so he did his best to temper the Path's power while also exchanging blows. Perhaps fighting against Titankin had been a good thing. It gave him some confidence when it came to heavy hitters like Phainon. Though, not near enough to best him.

[aubadenocturne]

"Oh, really?"

For someone who was getting bullied, Caelus sounded like he was having a lot of fun, didn't he? Phainon doubled down once he realized Caelus was using both his hands to defend himself from his strike, applying more strength with Dawnmaker. From the gallery, the girls watched with tiny smiles ; it was a comforting sight to see the boys being, well, boys. However, they were not supposed to be using their powers, right? Hyacine was keeping a close eye, ready to stop their sparring if need be.

[pathblazer]

"Yeah! My dear partner is bullying me~"

Since the Chrysos Heir was utilizing the Coreflame of Trickery... Caelus decided he'd use his own brand of 'trickery' as well. Phainon was right hand dominant- with the added pressure on his bat, Caelus had an idea. He struggled to do so, but he shifts his weight to deflect Dawnmaker off to Phainon's left. Caelus could have struck him there, but instead he slips up along his partner's arm and presses a kiss to his cheek. The act makes Mydeimos roar with laughter in the stands.

"He landed a hit on you, Deliverer!"

[aubadenocturne]

The bait was almost taken, until Caelus seemingly decided to go with the flow and keep on using the power of Destruction. Phainon blocked with his sword, smirking all the while. He would never say no to a challenge.

"Changing the rules, I see."

But two could play that game.

If Caelus added strength to his strikes, Phainon could increase his speed - Dawnmaker was heavy enough to make every hit harder to face head-on, but its downside was to slow down the man who handled it. With that said, his next strike moved faster than most would expect from a greatsword.

[pathblazer]

"Rules are meant to be broken!"

Caelus grins when Phainon brings his own bit of spice to the fun. A bat already allowed him to be quick on his feet, so with his partner's boost, and his own strength enhanced- it was a much faster exchanging of blows. Sure, the Trailblazer had a harder time keeping up when faced with such heavy hits, but he had trained with Mydei...

So when a particularly hard hit came down on him, he caught it; bracing his weapon with his other hand.

"The Trickery Coreflame? I feel so bullied, Sunshine!"

Yet a chuckle slips from Caelus.