It just felt natural to tell Caduceus that he loved him. He hadn't been swept away in the feeling or anything like that - or, well, he had, but that didn't mean he meant it any less. Caleb thought he had probably loved him in one way or another since the moment they met. He could clearly remember that first moment he stepped out of the cabin in the Blooming Grove with a cup of tea in his hands and Caleb felt a small pang of instant desire and affection. That it had grown into something else wasn't so miraculous on Caleb's end, he didn't think, the true wonder was in the fact that Caduceus returned his affections. Saying it now, in the middle of something so deliriously good, was just an inevitability. It was bound to happen.
He wrapped his arms around Caduceus shoulders the second he had them back again. The slight tug between their bodies as Caduceus shifted them into a better position hadn't grown painful yet, Caleb's mind was still far too clouded by pleasure to even notice if there was an occasional twinge. And it was worth it because at the end of it he was comfortably curled up against his lover's chest again, his face pressed to that lovely expanse of fur. He nuzzled in there, the texture feeling even more blissful than before with all his nerves on edge.
He stayed just like that for a while, his breathing slowly finding its equilibrium again. His nerves calmed, his muscles relaxed, and little at a time his thoughts came back to him. It was like waking up after a particularly restful night. He still felt heavy and a bit sleepy, but it was a warm sort of thing. Cozy. After a few minutes, he pushed himself up off Caduceus' chest and stretched, working the little kinks out of his shoulders and back, flexing his thighs and arching a little. He tested the tie between them, finding that he almost slide off of Caduceus but not without a brief flash of pain. It was fine, he was comfortable staying where he was for a little while longer.
"What-" he started, the same train of thought he'd lost before. Caleb rest his hands on Caduceus' chest and brushed his fingers gently through the fur there. "This never happened before," he said. "I understand the function, but why now and not before?" His words were slow and soft, with more wonder and curiosity in them than anything else. "Did you know this could happen? Not that I- I like it," he interjected quickly. "It feels wonderful. Everything was just wonderful."