Caduceus loved their room. He loved that the hotel had stopped the inconvenience of them having to trudge back to each other's rooms just after midnight, and he loved that they could make it their own without having to worry about imposing on anyone else. His borrowed plant pots lived by the window and on a few other surfaces, surrounded by books, and it was nice to be able to leave his teapot ready to boil at any point. It was such a delightful blend of the both of them, their home, and the wonder of it hadn't grown old. He hoped it never would. But he couldn't imagine anything about this getting old.
Bashful wasn't an expression that Caduceus wore often, but sitting here with Caleb so generously offering to show him books, to help him with reading them, it was difficult to contain the smile, or hide it behind a spoon. "I'd like that. Yeah. That would be great," he said softly. Caleb had been so patient with him, going slowly through a copy of a book that was probably far below his level even as a child so that Caduceus could improve his reading. It was something he'd just accepted he'd never be good at, but now there was a possibility of getting better.
"Maybe when I've learnt a bit more I can start writing down the stories I was told as a child, for you to read," he said softly. It would never be at the standard of the professional writers, but he would make the effort.
His smile changed from soft and almost shy to bright and beaming in a few seconds at Caleb's compliments to the food. "It was fun to learn how to work things in the kitchen here, too," Caduceus shrugged, as though that were his main objective and not trying to make the perfect dinner for the man he cared so deeply about.
The soup bowls were placed on the side and Caduceus was reaching to cut into the vegetable pie when Caleb mentioned the graveyard. He paused, his ears perking up, a soft, surprised breath slipping from his lips. It took him a few moments to remember what he was doing, and when he spoke again his voice was heavier with the emotion that was welling up in his chest. Not that Caleb was a selfish person, far, far from it, but that he really wanted to see what Caduceus did, what so much of Caduceus' life had been about.
"I would love to show you," he replied. "It- you don't have to believe it all, Caleb. You know that, don't you? It's never going to matter to me that She isn't your god. Even if I am lucky enough to have this in our other life it won't matter." Caduceus handed over a plate full of pie and mash. "I would have you as long as our lives allow."