Caleb's colouring was one of the many, many things that had drawn Caduceus to him. One of his more shallow attractions, certainly, but Caleb reminded Caduceus of the grove in autumn, the colours of the trees as the leaves turned and fell. Some people thought it was a sad time of year, everything was dying, but Caduceus never saw it that way. It was just the same as he pruned flowers to let new things grow in their place. Leaves fell to make way for new life, and in turn they nourished the earth at the feet of the trees who had made them.
Caleb looked like autumn. Like one of those perfect, sunny, autumn days, his eyes as clear blue as the sky. And Caleb was shedding the old parts of himself, making way for his new life.
"I do take care of you, but there's no harm in reminding you," Caduceus said gently. "You can watch me work in the graveyard tomorrow, and then we can come back here and I'll make us something to eat. I value your opinion in everything, particularly with what I'm cooking for you, but there's no pressure to tell me anything too detailed. I don't want you to think you're being put on the spot. Just trying things will please me greatly."
Caduceus knew there were things - such as thrilling intellectual debate - that he would probably never be able to provide. Even if he was able to follow what Caleb was working on, he was normally too in awe of everything Caleb did, he wouldn't be able to argue, just ask ridiculous questions to keep the other man talking. As for other things, they were learning together. Their explorations of each other's bodies had been gentle but they had been thrilling, and despite not having a broad range of knowledge relating to sex, Caduceus knew there was a lot more to find out. And this shy, kind of squirmy Caleb was a new page on their metaphorical book, since they were on the subject.
He gave Caleb's hair a gentle tug. "I know that's how I feel about you too, Caleb. I feel as though there was a whole part of me I didn't know existed, like a cave, and you've lit it up. You've shown me something I suppose I was always just content without, but now I think I was just waiting for you to bring your light to me. And now I know I'm not going to be able to be without it. Or without you. We'll find this again when we get back," Caduceus smiled, cupping the back of Caleb's head, keeping his focus on him. "I'm going to make you mine again."