#CONGRATS DH U DID NOT GET REJECTED u can stop holding ur breath ur turning blue

[mercysfool]

he is not taken aback by the hand that reaches to grab his wrist, and rather than flinch away from it, he simply adjusts, brow perked in silent inquiry as he holds his gaze, no falter 'pon his own features, where dan heng, shockingly, cannot say the same. his blessings are to be counted, he supposes, that he had not been lounging off duty in a overtly populated area. he can only imagine, the things it would do for his business, to see him so close to someone so endearingly suspicious. the irony is not lost on him, so much so he almost snorts when he gets such an animated response from his company.

ah. that's unexpected.

luocha twists his wrist after he jerks away from him, humming in gentle lament at the force of the gesture. he'd scold him, if he weren't so sympathetic of a delicate moment between the two of them. instead, he only squints in his direction, silent, good natured mockery on his part. but he doesn't comment. rather, he seems surprisingly empathetic, if not slightly dumbfounded. he's better at hiding the latter. how he had said all of that without it dawning on him, truthfully, is far beyond the merchant's understanding.

"ridiculous?" he fills in what he supposes he's trying to say, expression unmoved. dan heng doesn't need to say what it quite obvious, but despite his own observation, it doesn't seem as if he's admonishing him. "it's not impossible, but it is rather silly to ask me the state of your heart, isn't it? i'm only commenting on the information you've given me. love at first sight, though, isn't it... you speak of your romance novels, but the concept seems foreign to you. perhaps just unthinkable? and yet." there's amusement buried somewhere 'neath the way he reads him, nose crinkling enough to give 'way he's trying not to smile. it is rather ridiculous, the entire concept. oh, but he's never seen it in action, has he? racing hearts and long stares, all towards someone this man had only just met days ago... all over the universe he'd traveled, but he'd never thought he would be the object of such blossoming affections.

it's sweet, and no small amount of thrilling. his reaction is charming, even if he is somewhat dim for it. "how endearing."

he clicks his tongue, letting his opposing hand raise now so that his own cheek can rest in his palm instead. he'd played his cards so close to his chest 'til now, he thinks : aside from offering a friendly hand, he hadn't overstepped his boundaries, nor grown too familiar. not to say he hadn't noticed, either, each glance he'd caught from dan heng in his direction, or how he'd gravitated to him, even when there had been three of them in a party. his lips quirk, smile soft as he only spares his own glances to the other occasionally, watching the gears turn in his own head as he works it out for himself. dim, but sweet. that did about sum it up, didn't it?

he's only somewhat surprised, when he relents, or rather confesses, more properly, to his own affliction. he's been nothing but painfully honest, and more than that, painfully obvious, but ... his posture straightens again, letting himself lean back, but not closer again, so that he can turn towards him proper. his hair falls over his shoulder as he does, and some into his face, but that's fine. he can observe him better, like this. "perhaps you've fallen in love at first sight? that's picturesque, isn't it..." he hums, but smiles. he'd not crush this man's heart, not today. "i find you charming, and romantic to be in the company of. i don't believe in love at first sight..." despite the likely disappointing answer, his expression softens, and the hand that had been released from his grip now seeks to press his palm against dan heng's, fingers splayed against one-another. "...but my heart is ever open to being swayed, if you wouldn't mind the chase. i promise i won't run far."

Letting emotions out, having someone there to hear him out, those were all incredibly new things to him. Perhaps there was something pathetic about the way he was able to open up to a man he has only known for a week more than he ever did with someone from the Express. His mind was not trying to discredit the times there have been comfort and worries exchanged between, but in the moment he has never allowed anyone else to peer so deeply into his heart. Welt's warning was a whisper in the wind, having hardly made a dent in the wall that Dan Heng had already let fall.

He was rewarded with Luocha's presence. Himself being the only one to break the silence but still having the reassurance that the other was listening to his every word. He heard his reply, but chose to not acknowledge it nor think of a way to say something back. It only hits home that the whole situation was just odd. A short span of time, yet timeless all the same. Luocha had made an impact on Dan Heng more than he realized, perhaps after this rant he has learned by now, but there are promises still left on the guard's tongue that spoke of what went through the quiet man's head. A hand raises to gently rest above his chest, still remembering the moment he looked into the then-stranger's green eyes for the very first time.

     Past the chaos, the fear, the adrenaline of wanting to find his family, he saw him.

He waits patiently once his words come to a clear finish. It was now that he could sort of understand what it was like for others to interact with a man like him; Luocha and Dan Heng both were individuals that were difficult to read. Neither of them were the sort to be openly expressive. It leads one's mind to wander over the possibilities of what they could be thinking, until there was even a hint of confirmation for any of it. He half expected to be rejected for these thoughts in some way, unfamiliar on how these confessions usually go.

A huff of air that he didn't realize he was holding in was suddenly released. "Hmph. My lack of ability to be able to make a joke is often a complaint." Was his response, voice noticeably hoarse. He can't remember the last time he talked this much in a single go. Taking a moment to collect himself, his head turns to peak over at Luocha before turning away once more in a bashful manner. "I. Well, yes. But part of it is because of the manner of this conversation."

     While stuck trying to come out of his daze he had not realized that he had gotten closer. When he felt a touch under this chin no matter how gentle, there was an immediate reaction. As his head was turned to face him, the well seasoned warrior returned briefly to grab hold of Luocha's wrist with a grip. Eyes narrow into a glare, but there was no denying the tenderness that was hidden within him that made his hold start to soften almost right after. Now he was even more grateful for the quiet environment around them. If someone outside of their bubble caught them like this it would either be something to gawk at or alert a guard over.

"-!" Somewhere in his heart he expected that answer. But his mind didn't, and there was a shake that passes by him and turns into a jolt, forcing his head up and free from the hold. "What?!" He gasps, but does not move back nor does he let go of Luocha's wrist. "That-.. I don... It's-.." Ridiculous. Sudden. Stupid. Unlike him. So many responses that plagued his tongue that he refuses to release. Partially to not make the other feel bad, but also because.. could it?

He breaks eye contact with him to stare at nothing in particular. Shock was unmistakably present, but anything close to distaste was nowhere to be found. Pupils dart back and forth as the gears in his head turn. "Is that possible..." He questions the air, head lowering as his mind is filling with complete and utter confusion and embarrassment. Could he truly have formed such a deep emotional connection to him? In that short span of time? And for it all to form into romantic love? Heat is trapped inside the hooded cloak that was wrapped on him, and he wished it was safe enough to take it off and breathe.

A shaky breath comes in, then releases. Of course. No wonder the idea that he read this from a romantic novel made sense to him. Idiot. What an idiot he was. His inexperience was clear as day, obviousness that he had never in his short current life that he had ever fell for someone like he did now. It was currently a miracle that Luocha did not in fact tease him about something so obvious and minuscule. There was a bubbling in his chest that could have made him burst out laughing if he was anyone else.

     So that's what it was. All this time. There was truly no room to deny it. When uncertainty left, all that remained was that 'love' felt right. "Perhaps I have.." he murmurs, tone softer than it ever has been. His body starts to relax, raising his head to see his hand still holding Luocha's wrist. He slowly lets him go, but allows to let his empty hand hang in the air, curious to see what the other would do. Looking back at him, he quirks a brow, desperate to regain any form of control no matter how much his insides were burning. "If I really had." His voice is strained, but he attempts to keep it as even as he can be, "What then?" How do you feel about me?