#Dan heng imagines

[gay-dorito-dust]

Hi! I hope your doing well while you read this request! May I ask for HSR Men (Jing Yuan, Blade, Dan Heng, Welt and maybe Boothill) their reaction when after 2 weeks of disappearance from their s/o because of a mission, they came back to them all exhausted and slightly injured. If I can be more precise, can you describe how they acted when they had no news of their s/o et their reaction when they came back please?

Thank you for the attention you’ll give to this request ! I hope you’ll have a great day/night!

-🩵✨

This is a long one, so brace yourselves! And have a great morning/evening/night! 🦦🐿️

Blade

‘Where have you been?’ Blade hissed, anger laced his voice as he drags you to the nearest surface and eased you on it, keen to avoid worsening your wounds.

‘I was on a mission.’ You sassed, not wanting this to be your first conversation back from a near death experience.

‘I know that,’ he barks as he rummaged through the cabinets for a first aid kit, uncaring do the mess he was making in the process, ‘you’ve been on a mission for two fucking weeks and not once did it come to mind to keep in contact during that time?’ He adds, looking at you with a look that wasn’t angry but instead scared.

Blade had spent the past two weeks going utterly insane form the lack of communication on your end. At first he didn’t think much but by day 12, Blade was more or less ready to included himself in your mission. Unfortunately according to Elio, this wasn’t apart of the script and Blade was made to stay on the sidelines and await your return.

It wouldn’t take long before you came home but you came home in the worst of conditions that Blade had ever seen you in recent memory, and that made him extremely upset. Not at you though, more or less at the person or thing that made those wounds on you.

Communications were down, I had no way of telling you anything.’ You replied, having already grown annoyed at his constant pestering and prodding.

‘Well you should’ve.’ Blade muttered gruffly as he gently took your arm into his hand and examined the wound and had to bite his tongue from saying anything else, but found that task to be a bit too difficult for him. ‘Then I could’ve stopped them from hurting you.’ He added.

You groaned and punched your brow with your free hand, all you wanted to do was go to sleep but couldn’t help but feel warm on the inside at the idea of Blade getting revenge on your behalf. ‘That’s not necessary.’ You told him, trying hard not to wince as he cleaned your wound.

‘And why not?’ He asks, noticing your attempts and wordlessly tries a different approach in cleaning your wound.

‘They’re all dead.’ You replied nonchalantly and Blade couldn’t help but smile. ‘That’s my partner.’ He says but the smile soon falls as he finished patching your wound and looks you dead in the eyes. ‘However the next time you’re sent on a long mission I’m coming with, no excuses.’

You groan again, there was no winning with this man.

Jing yuan was trusting in your abilities to keep yourself safe but the longer he went without update of you nor progression of the mission, Jing Yuan grew worried that something had happened.

He already lost a lot, he didn’t need your loss on top of all that. He lost hope on appreciating that he was living once, he knew that if anything happened to you he would relapse into those old ways but with no chance of recovery.

He would try and fail many attempts of making contact with you, only to be met with static as a responses which didn’t exactly help his hope in seeing you that slowly began to dwindle the longer he tried, until he stopped trying all together.

In his mind you were gone a long time ago and he should start his grieving while he could.

However you did come back, but not exactly in the best shape…you were wounded and exhausted but to Jing Yuan you never looked more alive in that moment as he was quick to get you medical attention. Not once did the general think to leave your leave your side as you laid out on the bed, wounds patched up and fast asleep from everything.

He even slept in the chair next to your bed, making sure your sleep went undisturbed and had a familiar face to wake up to as to not feel misplaced somewhere foreign. Jing Yuan didn’t feel entirely comfortable in leaving you alone during this time, especially when you’re vulnerable and susceptible to a plethora of things.

Not when he barely avoided a possibility of never seeing you again. He didn’t care for the reasons why you couldn’t contact him, those can wait for another time, he only cared that you were back by his side and alive.

So he’d fall asleep with his hand laced with yours and his head resting on your lap, acting like your personal guard dog as he kept his body facing towards the door in the instant he had to protect you.

No one would take you from him again, mission or not, you were staying by his side from now on, generals orders.

Dan heng didn’t think much when you didn’t reach out and tell him about the things you’ve found that he might like whilst away, however that didn’t mean he didn’t have a bad feeling about all of it.

He did but he couldn’t prove why as it was too early into the mission to say why he felt that way. Dan Heng always trusted his instincts when it came moments of uncertainty as they’ve always been proven correct. However this was the one time where he really didn’t want that to be the case.

Yet the longer he went without the regular flow of communication between the two of you during missions, Dan Heng felt himself break out into a cold sweat during the night and out of breath from experiencing another nightmare where you didn’t come back from this mission, leaving him utterly heartbroken and lost for the rest of his days.

He couldn’t close his eyes for a single second without the nightmare flooding back to haunt him of a potential future without you, his other half.

He even had nightmares where you were calling out to him for help but he couldn’t hear them and was forced by an higher power to ignore your soundless cries and walk away unbothered. Those were the nightmares Dan Heng hated the most as there would never be a moment in his life where he would ever leave you to such a cruel fate; He’d be more than gladly suffer with you than ever abandon you.

So the moment you came home wounded and exhausted, Dan Heng didn’t waste time in getting you to medical, taking everything the doctor told him to help you heal seriously as your newly appointed caregiver. Some of the time he came across as strict but he meant well as all he wanted was for you to get better and soon, seeing as how you gave him the biggest fright of his life.

He doesn’t let anyone else near you.

You can blame it on his dragon noodle side as it grew overprotective of the fact that you -his mate- were in seemingly left in a vulnerable state. He didn’t care to listen to the reasonings as to why he should let anyone else come near you, not without knowing their intentions in descriptive depth, he could take care of you himself perfectly fine and without any outside help.

He was your partner, you were his responsibility but this was all just an excuse to hide the fact that Dan Heng was genuinely scared of letting you out of his sight, even if it was for five minutes because a lot could happen in five minutes. So now he stays close to you from then on as a precaution, holding your hand in his and squeezing it as thought he was trying to convince himself that you were actually with him weeks afterwards.

Boothill didn’t like the idea of you being so far from him and much preferred for you to stay in contact if you were going to be so far away from him for so long.

However nothing seemed to want to go the way he wanted as soon as he found that he couldn’t contact you. None of his messages were going through and neither were his calls, as he read and reread the message that said you were out of the area for his messages to get through to you.

Boothill grew more and more restless the longer his texts didn’t go through, still claiming you were out of the area, whatever the hell that means and had to actively find ways to de stress because of how often he found himself on the verge of blasting anything and everything that moved.

You were his anchor, his partner in crime and his voice of reason, without you Boothill was teetering on the brink of becoming everyone’s problem should you spend even another hour more away from him.

So when you did come back with wounds scarred across your body and looking as though you were on the brink of collapse, Boothill was made more worried than before. Your wounds weren’t very deep nor life threatening but Boothill didn’t care, you were hurt and he wasn’t made aware of it for the past two weeks.

He wanted to hunt down the bastards who made those wounds on your body and make them pay, regardless if they had a bounty on their heads or not, he’d gladly hunt them down just to set an example as to why you don’t fuck with Boothill’s loved one.

‘Don’t.’ You croaked, grabbing his hand. ‘Just stay with me and make everything okay cowboy.’

Boothill, not one to argue with you, especially not in your current state, obeyed your wish and stayed by your side as you slowly but surely recovered from your wounds with scars left behind as reminders.

Though that didn’t stop him from going off behind your back to hunt the bastards down, he never could let go of a grudge after all.

Welt basically worried himself sick when he didn’t hear anything from you the first couple of days, but was soon talked down from doing anything rash that could potentially put you in even more danger, regardless of his intention of being by your side.

Welt was restless for the remainder of the two weeks, double checking his phone for anything that could push him over the edge and force him into acting.

What happened to you?

Why weren’t you responding?

Were you hurt?

Were you in danger and he didn’t know?

So many thoughts floated in welt’s mind as he was left feeling powerless as he was forced to await your return, hoping that all his thoughts were just that, meaningless thoughts that had no real affect in reality.

He was wrong.

You did come home but you came back with some new wounds and a face that screamed exhaustion. You barely took one step before collapsing into Welt’s arms as he got you medical help.

‘What happened out there?’ He’d calmly ask one day as he held your hand, thumb rubbing the back of it reassuringly.

‘Communications were down,’ you told him as you squeezed his hand, just happy to be back home and with him, ‘then the mission went south as I found myself out of my depth on several occasions, I’m sorry Welt.’ You finish weakly.

‘There’s nothing to be sorry for.’ Welt reassures as he presses a kiss to your forehead. ‘Not all missions go according to plan and all that matters right now is that you’re safe, so please don’t apologise for things beyond your control.’ He adds as he watched you slowly drift to sleep, still feeling a little exhausted from the mission and everything that happened.

Welt stayed awake for a little while longer to commemorate this moment to memory, to treasure it during the moments when you were to be apart from one another again, but until that time Welt would hold you as close as he possibly could and keep you safe to the best of his abilities. Your safety meant a lot to him and he’d rather jeopardise his own safety if it meant that you’d never get hurt again, he’d do it in a heartbeat because that’s just how much you meant to him and todays events only solidified that.

[milkloafy]

OF SHOULDERS AND SNOOZES — DAN HENG

⋆｡˚ ❀ summary: after a long day of exploring the luofu, you doze off on the starskiff ride and fall asleep on caelus’ shoulder. when you wake up, you find yourself lying on dan heng’s shoulder instead… ⋆｡˚ ❀ contents: fluff, gn!reader, jealous!dan heng ⋆｡˚ ❀ wc: 0.9k ⋆｡˚ ❀ a/n: alternative summary…you fall asleep on caelus’ shoulder and dan heng gets jealous :> listen i love jealousy something about it titillates me jksgdhgk esp jealousy when they don’t even know why they’re jealous AHHH screaming okay pls enjoy c:

Dan Heng knew that traveling within the Xianzhou Luofu could get tiring, especially when you spent all day exploring the place. 

The last stop was back to Central Starskiff Haven from Cloudford in order to get last minute souvenirs and snacks before boarding the Astral Express again. This little trip included Dan Heng, Caelus, and you, and it was simply a little detour before the next big mission. 

Dan Heng was grateful for the opportunity to make new memories in the Luofu with his new friends, rather than the past ones that he had little connection to now. Every since he met you in particular, he noticed the impact you had on his life. Life could be more carefree and happy, and he didn’t have to spend so much time worrying about his past. You easily became one of his closest friends, along with Caelus and March 7th.

And, despite March 7th’s incessant teasing and implications otherwise, a friend is all you were to him. 

So why, when you fell asleep on Caelus’ shoulder during the starskiff flight back to Central Starskiff Haven, did Dan Heng feel uncomfortable? 

The day was long and he saw the tired look it your eyes. It didn’t surprise him that you dozed off during the ride—you were known to withstand the jumps of the Astral Express and would fall asleep sitting upright on the sofa. It didn’t even surprise him you would lean your head to rest in a more comfortable position.

What Dan Heng didn’t understand is why weren’t you leaning the other way. On Caelus.

Noticing the lingering stare piercing his skin, Caelus shot Dan Heng a grin. 

“You think they’re into me?” goaded Caelus, lighting patting you on the head. You let out a soft breath as you napped. “Maybe that’s why they want to get so close.”

Dan Heng coughed, crossing his arms as he averted his gaze. “No. They’re simply tired.” 

As foolish as it was, he didn’t like seeing the way Caelus was touching you like that, no matter how friendly or harmless. 

“Hmm,” Caelus mused. “But they didn’t choose your shoulder.” 

“They were falling asleep asleep while leaning on you. It wasn’t much of a choice,” said Dan Heng stubbornly, shaking his head with pursed lips. 

“Then why do you look so bitter?”

His face tightened more. “I’m just tired as well.” 

Caelus laughed silently, trying to keep quiet so you wouldn’t wake up, but the small shake of his shoulders was enough to make you stir. 

Dan Heng glared at Caelus and held his shoulder in place. Gently, he adjusted your position so you rested on Dan Heng instead.  He would make sure not to disturb your rest. 

Caelus looked at him with raised brows. 

“I didn’t want you to wake them. That is all,” said Dan Heng. He didn’t mention how the tension left his body as soon as you made contact with him. Or the stirring in his stomach when the scent of your coconut shampoo filled his senses. 

He let out a soft sigh in contentment. Dan Heng wasn’t sure why he felt so much unease when he saw you lying on Caelus, but he was certain he felt better now that you were leaning on him instead.

Caelus leaned his head back, a look of half-amusement, half-disbelief on his face. “Are you sure you two are just friends?”

“That is correct.” 

“Is that all you want?” 

Dan Heng was silent this time. He wasn’t sure what he wanted. But if being more than friends meant you would sleep on his shoulder only, then perhaps that was what Dan Heng would like to pursue. 

As he looked down at your sleeping face, he smiled at the sight of your cheek squished against his shoulder. Warmth immediately filled his chest and he fought the urge to take a photo to capture this moment. 

Finally, he responded to Caelus. “That’s something I want to tell Y/N before I tell anyone else.”

“I’ll take that as a yes.” 

Dan Heng let out a small noise of laughter, feeling the starskiff come to a stop and savoring the final moments of you on his shoulder. He didn’t want this time to be the last, and he knew he’d have to do something about it soon. 

As you stirred awake from the sudden stop, you blinked up at him blearily with a tired look on your face. You were still too sleepy to register the fact that you were now on Dan Heng’s shoulder when you first fell asleep on Caelus’. 

“Good morning, Dan Heng,” you mumbled, giving him a small wave. 

Dan Heng’s heart fluttered. He definitely had to confess his feelings to you shortly. 

“Good morning,” he greeted although the sun was down.

“You shoulder is much comfier than Caelus’, I think,” you said as you sat up straight, rubbing your eyes as you awoke from your nap. “I’ll have to borrow it more often.”

His cheeks tinged pink at your words but he nodded along. “You can use it anytime.” 

“Oh, get a room already,” Caelus groaned, ushering Dan Heng and you out of the starskiff. Caelus looked at you crossly. “And my shoulder is plenty comfy.” 

“But they prefer mine,” Dan Heng quipped. He couldn’t help but feel happy at that knowledge. 

You laughed at the two of them, a slightly confused expression on your face. “What did I miss while I was napping?” you asked, mostly speaking to yourself. 

Dan Heng smiled, ruffling the top of your head as you swatted his hands away. “I’ll tell you later.”

[sanemistar]

୨୧ you see dan heng as imbibitor lunae for the first time

“look away… don’t look at me.” dan heng, with his back facing you, begs you to not look at him, not when he’s in this state. with his horns on his head and his tail, looking like a monster. the last thing he wants, and his worst fear, is to scare you off, which is why he’s been hiding this form from you this whole time.

it’s your first time seeing him in his imbibitor lunae form, and to be honest you’re a little taken aback by the sudden reveal. it feels like you’re with someone you’ve never met before. but you quickly snap out of it, and remind yourself once more that the man standing in front of you is none other than dan heng, your beloved boyfriend, nothing else has changed about him other than his appearance.

you slowly approach dan heng with steady steps and gently place a hand over his shoulder, forcing him to turn around and look you in the eyes.

“why are you hiding yourself from me? don’t you trust me?” you reach your other hand out and softly caress his cheek, the sudden touch makes his body slightly flinch but it slowly starts to relax as he leans into your touch.

“how you look like right now is a part of you that i’m willing to accept, and i want you to know that i’ll always love you no matter what you look like.” the reassurance in your tone washes away all of dan heng’s insecurities, and he pulls your body close to his as he rests his chin on the top of your head. his arms wrapped tightly around your waist as if you’re going to slip away from his grip at any moment, and you hug him tightly to reassure him that you’re not going anywhere, you’re here to stay.

dan heng is overwhelmed with a mix of strong emotions, but he finds solace in your words. he’s now made aware of the fact that there’s someone who fully accepts and unconditionally loves him, and it makes him hate himself a little less.

“thank you, y/n.. for accepting me, and for loving me. i love you more than you can imagine.”

[lunaritex]

BOYFRIEND! DAN HENG WHO. . .ᐟ — dan heng.

—✩ content: established relationship, reader is gender-neutral, suggestive content, tooth-rotting fluff.

—✩ author's note: doing the latest hsr quest made me fell in love with dan heng again...

Boyfriend! Dan Heng who is the peak and walking definition of “action speaks louder than words.” He is shy and awkward when it comes to expressing his love verbally. Hence, he chose to show his feelings through the ways he knows best: actions. He is attentive; eyes always focused on you for a lot of reasons. During battles, he makes it a point to stick close to you so he can protect you. The last thing he wants is for you to be hurt and whoever dares to make you bleed, may the Aeons bless them as they have to face the Imbibitor Lunae wraith. 

Boyfriend! Dan Heng who doesn’t mind your presence when he is in the Data Bank room. Since he has gotten used to you, he shows you his true form. What he doesn’t know is how you find his true form beautiful and until now, you couldn’t wrap your mind around the fact that you managed to bag yourself a jaw-dropping gorgeous lover. One thing you love to do is to hug his tail and sometimes, you end up falling asleep with his tail wedged in your grip; not that he minds. 

Boyfriend! Dan Heng who doesn’t mind revealing your romantic relationship to the rest of the Astral Express. He sees everyone as family and there should be some form of trust amongst everyone too, even if it means he has to tolerate March and the Trailblazer’s mischiefs whenever they see the hickeys that you couldn’t hide as you appear the next morning, joining them for breakfast. 

Boyfriend! Dan Heng who always holds your hand when you are in public, not wanting to lose you in the crowd. He does this to reassure both him and you that he is by your side and that you won’t get separated from him. He also likes the feeling of your hand against his, like how your hand is the final missing puzzle piece required to complete a puzzle. He doesn’t mind being dragged around whenever something interesting catches your eyes, for he loves seeing you happy and carefree. 

Boyfriend! Dan Heng who loves to kiss the back of your neck and cheek. Sometimes when he’s feeling a little mischievous, he kisses you on the cheek without warning. He could never get enough of how your face and the tips of your ears turned red, fumbling over your own words as you struggled to speak. He doesn’t know that the amused smirk he sends you was enough to send you into cardiac arrest. 

Boyfriend! Dan Heng who keeps whatever trinkets and souvenirs you gave him when he chose to stay behind in the Astral Express. He is grateful for your action, even if he had nowhere else to store them. Sometimes when he dearly misses your presence, he will often stare at the little gifts you gave him with a lovesick smile on his face. 

Boyfriend! Dan Heng who gets jealous quite easily but he doesn’t show it on his face. There was once when the Astral Express returned to the space station to stock up and a fellow researcher had captured your attention, engaging you in a conversation that should have no reason for you to laugh like that. If he was in his true form, his tail would be swishing side to side and his pointy ears would dipped downwards. 

Boyfriend! Dan Heng who makes it a point to show that you are taken by pulling you into his room once everyone is ready to set off again. The last form of warning you get was his eyes glowing a dangerous shade of light before he captured your lips in a fierce and passionate kiss, enough to leave you feeling light-headed and breathless when he pulled away. 

Boyfriend! Dan Heng who feels guilty during the aftercare, using his Cloudhym Magic to relieve your pain. He ignores your protests, insisting that he should at least do this. The way he furrowed his eyebrows in concentration with his tail slowly swishing side to side was downright adorable. You couldn’t help but teased him, only to end up going at it again, much to your dismay…

[eggluverz]

LIKE ME BETTER?

PAIRING. il!dan heng x gn!reader

WORD COUNT. 615

SUMMARY. you want to braid dan heng's hair and he wonders if you like him better in this form.

SOF'S NOTE. just a short and sweet drabble!! <3 i just had thoughts of wanting to play with dan heng's long hair and this came out heh ;p hope u enjoy!!

“Can I braid your hair?”

Dan Heng looked up from the pages of his book, startled at the sudden request. He had just returned to the Astral Express after his long journey at the Xianzhou and was settling back into life as a proud Nameless. 

While the reconciliation with his past was settled, he still hasn’t reverted back to his human form. Not yet, at least. 

And with the interest you’ve taken to his long hair and pointed horns, Dan Heng was wondering if he should keep this appearance just for a little longer. 

You sat up next to him on his bed, leaning your back against the wall. He smiled at your comfortable stance, setting his book aside. As he turned his face away from you, he offered the back of his head and said, “Here you go.” 

With a cheer of happiness, you excitedly straightened up. You turned so you were facing Dan Heng’s back as you gently ran your fingers through his hair. It was soft and smooth to the touch, and it made you want to twirl a strand around your finger. 

“You’re hair is so pretty like this,” you said with a sigh, a dreamy look on your face. 

He chuckled softly, leaning into your hands as you massaged the base of his scalp. 

You began separating his hair into three sections and weaving one over the other. Back and forth, back and forth, you continued down the length of his hair. The reds and greens mixed in with the black and you wondered how much the colors would shine in the sunlight. With a content smile, you let yourself bask in this intimate moment with Dan Heng. 

After a few moments passed, Dan Heng spoke up, almost cautiously. “Do you…like me better in my Vidyadhara form?”

Your eyes snapped wide open and you quickly let go of the hair you just finished braiding. “No! Of course not.” 

He let out a short hum. 

Pursing your lips you moved around on his bed so you were face to face with Dan Heng. You placed your hand on his cheek softly and examined him; he had the same nose, the same mouth, the same jaw. His eyes may have been a different color, but the expressions and depth they held were the same. 

No matter the appearance, he was still your Dan Heng. And you only wanted him to present himself in a way he was most comfortable with. 

“You look so handsome like this,” you stated, feeling the warmth from his cheek emanate onto your palm. “And you look just as handsome without the Vidyadhara features— The way I first saw you on the Express.”

The worried crease between his brows lifted as he listened to your words. He rested his idle hands on your legs and gave them a brief squeeze. You smiled. 

“You aren’t able to braid my hair like this if I take on my preferred human form, though.” 

You giggled and ruffled the top of his head. “Do you think that really matters to me? It’s pretty and it’s fun, yes, but I get plenty of enjoyment putting March 7th’s hair clips all over your hair as it is.” 

Now it was Dan Heng’s turn to crack a grin. “My hair certainly looks great whenever you do such things.” He leaned forward to plant a chaste kiss atop your head. “Thank you.”

“What for?”

“Always accepting me for who I am.”

“I always will!” you said, reaching out to hold him in your embrace. You gazed at him fondly and he returned the look with upturned lips. “I’ll forever be your biggest supporter.”

“And I, yours.”

[shougojo]

POPS IN AND SHAKES YOU

BAMBI. you are the next one on my list to convert to a hsr / genshin papa enthusiast >:)

bambi…. do u have any thoughts abt hsr and genshin papas (twirling my hair as i type)

໒꒱ ‧₊˚ HONAKI STAR RAIL MEN AS DADS — VARIOUS HSR.

ft. jing yuan, blade, dan heng, aventurine x fem! reader (separate)

content. literally so much fluff u can consider ssfw (super sfw), BUT is kinda suggestive, established relationship (marriage), dan heng’s part is slightly il dan heng, lots of mentions of pregnancy, parental au, somewhat a headcannon w little blurbs in between !!!!, lots & lots of kisses, pet names used for reader, not proofread

notes. IM SO SRRY IT TOOK THIS LONG; hopefully i cooked/redeemed myself w this 😞🙏 made a specially for @neuvistar — maryse !! i also made the writing smaller bc i don’t want it to look longer (srry if it’s hard to read :’)) i doubt myself w this idk if it’s even good (i cut off half of the characters i was gonna write bc i honestly idk 😾 & i did some of them dirty IM SORRY) </3 but i actually do have thoughts, but i hate when i have smt in mind & i js can’t seem to write it down SHAKES YOU IN FRUSTRATION

JING YUAN — is literally father and daddy coded you cannot persuade me that he isn’t (i will throw hands at you) he’s super sweet and gentle with you before and after your pregnancy, he’ll actually probably treat you the same after you get your children — although maybe he’ll be more patient. overall he’s on the chiller dad side. personally, jing yuan would naturally know how to handle his children even when they’re a few hours after birth. he would cradle them with so much care and gentleness like your baby is made of fragile glass. but what’s to expect? he has yanqing to deal with in the first place.

JING YUAN — would be the man to kiss your forehead multiple times during pregnancy, he’ll actually transform into a male wife, he’ll also go as far as canceling all of his meetings and not give a damn about each one, even if you tried telling him to; he’s stick by your side like super glue. he’s SO reassuring. it’s a shame fu xuan had to deal with a man like him, he’ll never focus properly even if he went to work. all he has on his mind is you and his soon-to-be little versions of you and him.

“take it easy, love. i’ll be right by your side if you need me.”

JING YUAN — who would and will have two daughters, he’s such a girl dad i can see it. i feel like he wouldn’t (??) have twins, just like one child at a time, a very supportive dad. he could easily cheer up his daughters anytime, like when they trip, fall, scrap their knee, need help on homework, need assistance on changing, and so much more.

JING YUAN — who takes naps with his daughters anywhere, anytime. his daughters definitely inherited their father’s love for sleep (and his lazy personality), they enjoy sleeping just like their sleep deprived father. you’ll as often walk in on the three sleeping together — the children wrapped in jing yuan’s warm, muscular arms. unfortunately, you go a long way just to wake up your husband, what makes you think waking up your husband and two more lazy children that have the same ego as their father help?

“mommyy… 5 mor’…”

“mhm, what she said… just 5 more minutes, darling… how about you join us..?

JING YUAN — spoils his daughters. he doesn’t spoil them too much, or else they’ll grow up to be greedy, so he’ll spoil them just a right amount that they know how to behave properly when receiving something thoughtful. he cherishes the moments he gets to spend with you and the children together — he occasionally schedules times so he can get home at a specific time to spend with his family. eating dinner, playing games, and just enjoying his family. on rare occasions, his girls will wake up early and even come to your’s and jing yuan’s bedroom to wake you two up in the morning! leading to a huge cuddle session and cute babbling from your mix of you and jing yuan.

BLADE — is quite the dad, actually. he obviously won’t show it, but he’s in between being extremely nervous and extremely excited on being a dad. he’s not sure if it’ll be worth the shot even being a father, due to all of the trauma and greif he’s had in his life. but after he met you, he’s started to diminish his need to disappear. additionally, you’ll be there to reassure him.

BLADE — is a very good father. like before, he’s nervous, but he has soft spot for you — which means he has an even softer spot for his own children. he’s a girl dad; one daughter and i can see it. he takes REAL good care of her when she’s just minutes out the womb. just the way blade’s eyes softened so much and his mouth slight gaped can tell how blade sees his beautiful daughter. the man to tuck his girl’s stray hairs out of her face and kiss her face afterwards.

“she looks just like me..”

BLADE — who's so gentle with his daughter. despite being a wanted criminal who fights with much skill and discipline, it’s a true surprise to see him so vulnerable while using his rough hands to softly cradle his daughter who’s ten times smaller than him. he’ll let his daughter play with his bangs and long luscious hair, even if he has to brush it all over again. he doesn’t give a single care about his hair, as long as his daughter gets her entertainment. he’ll let her slap his face, squish his cheeks, bump his nose, whatever (he probably wouldn’t let them all slide). on some days, when blade’s not running around and escaping from soldiers, he lets his daughter go ALL out on him. the two will definitely play — dress up, dolls, tea party’s, and much, much more (but it’s not like he can say no).

BLADE — who unfortunately “becomes” a pretty princess once his daughter gets to work. neon clips, silky ribbons, fake makeup, pink hair ties, jewelry, everything. and when you witness it, it’s more than difficult to hold in your laugh.

“blade!… blade?-”

“don’t.”

BLADE — is a pretty accurate protective father, but sometimes, it’s not even his protectiveness that’s acting. just a small glance or look from him can scare any boy from staying near or close your daughter. you remind him constantly to give his daughter some freedom, but what’s he gonna do if he’s doing nothing — but staring at the boy? it’ll take time for him to accept a guy that your daughter actually really likes and wants to be with, but don’t worry, blade will be “kind” enough to do it for his daughter. but don’t expect him to accept a man so easily (and the man to accept a dad-in-law so… scary), he’ll definitely have them take a “trial” on something to be able to be his daughter’s lover. heads up, if any guy hurts his daughter in any way, physically, mentally, or emotionally, they better count their days.

DAN HENG — is literally the sweetest dad to ever have, it’s tooth rottening. he’s like the entire package. he’ll make sure his children get a good education, live in a good environment, provide them with a decent life style, and hope they grow up to be amazing people (i’m crying rn). but before actually receiving you giving birth to your child, dan heng was the biggest nervous thing ever. he never thought to ever have a child of his own, and doubt how he’ll have to work it out. but you reassured him, and true to your words, he was.

DAN HENG — stays by your side almost all the time during your pregnancy. even when he had lots of trailblazing with the crew, he insisted to stay back to care for you and his future children. fortunately, he was allowed to by himeko and welt — unfortunately for march 7th and the trailblazer, they were missing a member to provoke. he can and will do everything and anything for you; the whole princess treatment. need water? right on top of your bed stand. need a pillow? he’s already rushing for a spare one. need something to eat? he’s already provided it (breakfast in bed guys). don’t forget the cuddles on the side, he’ll provide that anytime. his cuddles are literally so warm it warms up your body in the process, he’s like your personal heater. dan heng will definitely rub soothing circles on the belly — he knows it gets difficult to be a mother (not by experience guys get it out of your head), so he hopes all his acts of service helps you.

“shhh… take it easy love.”

DAN HENG — would have 2 children, a son and a daughter. unless it’s il dan heng, then that’s something else. i’d say the son is the oldest, although i don’t exactly 100% see it. there will be tears when he gets to see his very first child, holding them like it’s like his very last chance of living. he’ll immediately kiss your forehead after you’ve given birth to your and his’ child, promising to care for your son (and future daughter) ‘till the day he dies. he’ll also be by your side when your in the process of delivering your child. rubbing circles on your hands, lightly hushing and kissing you, intertwining hands, and saying the most supportive and loving words ever. and you maybe even cried during it because you can’t believe to have such an amazing husband like dan heng by your side (i’m crying again). additionally, the way his heart and eyes melted when you send him a small smile and slowly closed your eyes to rest.

DAN HENG — who like blade, would let his children play with his hair. sometimes, he’d transform into his vidyadhara and let his children play with his long hair; clipping clips, tying his hair, fashioning it, etc. i guess the son wouldn’t be so into that, but he’ll help his sister dress up their father. you melt whenever you happen to see your little toddlers play and try to chase after their father’s dragon tail. careful not to have them trip or fall, dan heng enjoys teaseing them and having them run after his tail — like a puppy, hoping that they manage to catch his tail and play atop it. i also can’t help but think of the thought dan heng would have his tail “turn” into a slide for his little children! they would just slide down and run back to their father for another round until they’re exhausted.

“hehe... again! again!”

“alright, you can slide some more, but then it’s gonna be your nap time.”

“ok, daddy!”

DAN HENG — who lovingly tucks his kids in their bed or crib when it’s their nap time, or it’s their bedtime. it’s such a heartwarming scene to witness, it could easily melt even the coldest of hearts. i think dan heng would sing them lullabies, but occasionally when he feels like it’s time for them understand the meanings of his songs. dan heng slightly blushes when he sees you in the doorway, flustering that you got to see how vulnerable he is, but that’s not a bother.

AVENTURINE — is one of the funnest and dedicated dads. he just loves his children so much, even if he has a side job, he always manages to make time for them and you. would definitely cry tears of joy and happiness when he receives them, stroking their small heads and holding them so tenderly. he loves you so much for giving him his children; he'd babble on forever about how you're such an amazing wife for working so hard for him and you, probable crying while saying all those heartwarming things. he's more than grateful to have his little children.

AVENTURINE — is such an AMAZING dad and supporter oh my goodness. he's so caring when you're a few months and/or weeks pregnant. maybe he becomes a male-wife (??), that's very visible in my brain. for awhile, he would take a break on going to the casino — to stay home and care for you. would easily decline any offer from any opponents that want to gamble. you would sometimes just wake up in the morning and hear his conversations to somebody about some business.

"no... im good... listen, for the last time, im not. please and thank you." hangs up.

"oh! mornin' babe. huh? — oh, its nothing, just some brat."

AVENTURINE — is a girl dad, but i feel like he would have one son and two daughters. he would love them all equally and take care of them so much; giving them a childhood he never managed to have. aventurine i guess i pretty known for being quite a guy, but his kids would be the sweetest ever — which he said was inherited by you. but just like their dad, they have another side (😈), they can be SO troublesome and little maniacs if they want to.

AVENTURINE — who gets tackled to the ground whenever he gets home from work by his children. it’s so cute and entertaining to see him get beaten to the ground by kids so much younger than him. they would just tackle his — grabbing his hat and coat and wearing them themselves ITS SO CUTE. additionally, i see aventurine taking the three bundles of joy to his gambling games and have them like sit on his lap and let them experience it. and also watching their dad ‘win’, is what he said. but after a couple weeks of their visits, aventurine eventually had to limit their visits because they kept exposing his cards; throwing them, playing with them, shouting out his cards, etc.

“daddy has only two more blue cards!”

“and one yellow!”

“oh! hehe… don’t shout out, love, it’s rude.”

AVENTURINE — who does the weirdest things with his kids. he would one hundred percent (sorry not sorry) dab up his son and teaches him the weirdest shit ever. like it’s kinda not surprising at all. he would also let his daughter play around with his necessary stuff. many of his other stuff needs to been hidden well, because you know, his kids are pretty curious.

[pfpanimes]

⌕ honkai: star rail - dan heng.

like or reblog if you save/use.

[hsr-writing]

Dan Heng x reader, sfw, fluff focused.

One of the first things you notice about Dan Heng is that he's touch starved. He reacts to casual affection with a kind of stiff alarm you recognize, and you bet anything that, if he was the type to talk about it, he gets overwhelmed easily by it.

He's better with affectionate words, more practiced at relaxing into it and letting himself enjoy and play along. He smiles when March drags him into banter, preens subtly when Himeko or Welt talks about his work.

It's all incredibly, agonizingly endearing.

You start slow, spending time in the Archives reading, a double win of getting to learn things you assume you've forgotten and getting to spend time around Dan Heng.

Spending time with him in silence slowly evolves into asking him questions, watching him perk up and infodump about whatever topic you chose. You like how he looks then, his eyes bright and interested.

You think he's started picking up on the fact that you're befriending him like one would coax a feral cat. Slow exposure turning into coaxing interactions. Dan Heng's a smart guy, so you're not surprised. You're just thankful he seems to enjoy it.

It's a surprise the first time he seeks you out. You're still getting used to having a room of your own, having slept on the couches in the main car of the train. You look up when you hear the door open, expecting March or Himeko checking on you.

You wonder what your face looks like, to him. Does he think the way your eyes widen in surprise is endearing? Does he find the excited smile or the way you perk up when you see him endearing? You hope so.

He's carrying a data pad as he steps inside, and you're pleasantly surprised when he joins you on the couch you've got into the corner of the room. He settles next to you, saying nothing as he turns on the data pad and starts reading.

You look back down at your phone, biting back your smile as Dan Heng's shoulder presses against yours.

The first time you work up the courage to hold his hand you think your heart is going to beat out of your chest. It feels like such a big risk; what if he pulls away? What if stops spending time with you? What if, what if, what if...

You're leaning against each other, more sprawled than sitting. He's on his data pad, but when you peeked over at him he was on the intranet. You've been grinding materials in your game, occasionally assisted by another player you think might be Silver Wolf.

It's comfortable, the lights and atmosphere of your room currently designed to mimic a thunderstorm, and you're both curled in a mess of blankets and soft pillows that March jokes about being more like a nest than a lounge area.

You tab out of your game, nervous and wanting to focus, then reach over and casually link your pinky with his. He glances down briefly, then turns his attention back to his pad as he twists his hand and takes your hand in his. He laces his fingers through yours, and you can feel yourself blush.

It's so casual, like it's natural for him, like he holds your hand all the time. You realize you're beaming at your phone, the screen gone dark as you zoned out. You wake it up again, but in that moment before the screen goes bright , you catch a glimpse of Dan Heng in the dark reflection.

He's smiling.

The first time he kisses you it's out of desperate relief. You got separated while trailblazing a small planet, driven apart by enemies until you're not sure where the others are, anymore.

Dan Heng was within earshot, though, because he heard you scream when an enemy caught you by surprise with a lightning attack, the literal shock taking away your usual ability to keep quiet.

You're not sure if the scream sounded especially bad, or if it was just because you're not usually one to scream from pain (you prefer to stifle and hide it away), but Dan Heng is pale when he comes skidding around the corner.

You're standing among the wreckage of the fight, your enemies having run off, when you look up at him. Your fingers feel a little numb and tingly at the same time, but you think that's all the side effect from the hit you took

Until Dan Heng's hands are on your cheeks, pulling you close and kissing you like he thought he'd never get to. Your first thought is that you're hallucinating, you've taken one too many hits to the head and now you're imagining things that will never happen.

But then Dan Heng is pulling away, his cheeks flushing red at his own actions, embarrassed and flustered and caught off guard by himself. You don't know it, but you're looking at him with something akin to awe, like he's done something miraculous and not just kissed you on a fearful whim.

He's trying to think of something, anything, to say when another group of enemies round the corner.

You don't really remember how the conversation goes, anxiety plaguing your thoughts and making it hard to focus, but you know it went well because Dan Heng has you pulled close, kissing you languidly.

You sigh in bliss, your hands moving from where you gripped the front of his coat so you can wind them around his neck, pulling him closer and deepening the kiss. You take the opportunity to threads you fingers in his hair, just as silky as it looks, and let out a shaky sigh at the way he groans softly.

You're especially thankful for the comfortable corner nook, now. There's nothing like lounging and making out with your boyfriend someplace soft and familiar. It happens in the Archives sometimes too, but you've noticed that Dan Heng prefers your room.

It's probably a distraction thing, but you like to think it's because your room is a safe space for him. That you're a safe place for him.

He pulls away for a moment, taking a shaking breath as he presses his forehead against yours. You nearly coo at him, choosing instead to rub your thumb over the top of his spine and savor how the small action makes him melt.

He ducks his head, pressing you back into the couch cushions as he nuzzles his face into your neck. He presses a feather light kiss just under your ear, making you shiver and laugh, and you marvel at how you can feel his smile against your skin.

March ends up finding you like that, clinging together in a mess of blankets and pillows, when she comes to find you for dinner. She pauses upon seeing you, smiling and pulling out her camera to take a picture. She silently sends it to Himeko, then cheerfully wakes you up.

Dan Heng hums against your neck as he wakes up, struggling to pull himself out of sleep. March makes a big deal of the two of you taking a nap without her, then congratulates you both on finally noticing your feelings.

It feels like belonging. Like home.

[grimm-writings]

pathetic

…ft! dan heng, topaz, argenti, seele x gn! reader

…tags! fluff, pining, reader is oblivious as HELL!!!, seele’s slightly suggestive

…wc! 210 ; 319 ; 258 ; 305 = 1092

…notes! pathetic crushing… i cannot and will not ever stop vouching for pathetic pining in this house !!!!!!!

Dan Heng is painfully aware of how he looks right now.  If it wasn’t March giving him the biggest shit-eating grin, it was Himeko trying hard to look polite as she hides her giggles, or even Mr Yang pretending he isn’t paying attention.

You.  You really haven’t the slightest clue what you’re doing to him.

Every time you visit him in the Express’s archives, Dan Heng would light up.  He wouldn’t do that for any such person usually.  His excuse is that you bring him snacks.  You would never complain, saying that you’d take this Dan Heng over the one with a poker face and sarcastic bites, even if he is just as cute.

How can you say that so casually?

One particular visit, he couldn’t take your sweet words any longer.  His hand envelops yours before you could turn away from him.  The way you look back at Dan Heng makes his heart swell in ways he couldn’t comprehend.

He couldn’t get the words out.

His grip loosens and he lets you go, albeit with confusion on your face.

The door closes with a quiet goodbye, and Dan Heng throws his head back in frustration, staring at the decorated ceiling above him.

How can he go on like this...?

Topaz is not the kind of person to sit idly by waiting for something to happen.  She knows what she wants, and what she wants takes the shape of you.

You’re just so adorable!  Really, the way you act so clueless whenever you flirt with her is just so endearing!  How could she not melt?

…Well, it used to be easy.  Flirting, complimenting you, relishing in how you react; she even asked you out to dinner, and took you to the nicest place possible!  …But you’re still so shocked every time.  You still didn’t pick up on any of her advances.

For once, Topaz is at a complete loss.  What is she to do?  Grab you by the shoulders and shake you around telling you that she’s completely enamoured with everything about you, and though that includes your cluelessness, she can’t take much of it anymore?

She could nearly keel over.  Complete overkill.  She needs to be smart about this; clear, but also suave and mature.  Yeah, she can do this!

That’s how you find Numby making their way up to you, and there they drop a card in front of your feet.  They curiously look up at you as you read, although you could sense another pair of eyes watching you closely.

‘You’re cute!  Go out with me!  Love, Topaz!’

Topaz could nearly explode from joy watching your face heat up.  Finally.  Finally!  You get it now, don’t you?!

Her heart steps as you throw the card away and lean down and pet Numby.  “Oh, Numby.  Someone must have put you up to this for a prank, huh?  You should find your way back to Topaz!”

Said companion of the Warp Trotter has already fallen to her knees with her face in her hands.  You’re more work than she bargained for… but she’ll be struck down by an Aeon before she gives up on you!  Just watch her!

Argenti doesn’t know what to do with himself.

Truly, he’s making all the right moves.  He’s following examples from stories and myths, step by step.  It’s not his fault that they always end up going wrong somehow.  Maybe it’s just harsh luck…

He’s on one knee, taking your hand in his own.  Like you are royalty, he kisses the back of it, and looks up at you.

“Thank you for saving me!”  You beam, and Argenti’s brain freezes.

That’s how it all goes wrong, every single time.

He’s hopeless, how the knight of beauty stands up, turns around, and immediately feels his knees buckle and he’s down on the ground again.  Maybe he’ll stay like this for a few minutes when he finishes crying.

He feels you kneel at his side, and prod against his armour.  “Argenti��?” your sweet, sweet voice calls out to him quietly.

“Worry not.  I am simply fighting the dirt in your honour.  Keeping the worms off of you.”

You pause.  He wouldn’t dislike being buried here like this.  Then he hears your confused laughter.  “Alright then!  Thank you very much, sir knight!”

You pet his hair and stand up again, making your way back to a safe zone.

Yes, Argenti thinks, I will stay here and fend off the insects for you, my dear.  And that is the only reason why I can’t move…

He certainly refuses to believe it’s your patience and kindness.  How silly would it be for a knight of beauty to become so immobilised by it!  How silly indeed…

Seele encourages you to stand up again.  A simple sparring doesn’t do too much harm every now and again.  She isn’t Luka; she won’t beg you for a match, but practice is good, and practice is better if it’s with a friend.

Haha.  Keep telling yourself that, Seele. 

Is it obvious yet she really wants you to just defeat her already?  She knows you have it in you.  Yeah, you’re more on the air-headed side, but you’re a reliable teammate!  Maybe it’s the fact you refuse to actually hurt her…

You apologise again when you’re back on your feet.  She doesn’t want any apologies, dang you!  Can’t you see she’s just desperate to get you to at least brush your knuckles against hers as her scythe comes in conflict with your blade?!

…So that does it.  In her mental ramblings, you manage to get her on the ground beneath you.  Your thighs cage her under you as you push her down.  Aeons, your smile is so wide.

“I got you!” you exclaim.

Seele can’t help the small laugh that escapes her.  She hopes that her face is only red to you because of your fighting.  You’re so close to her face.  You could just kiss her right now…

“Yep, you really did!” is what comes out, shakier than she would have liked.  How did you get her so weak?  You’re not even making a big deal over straddling her like this…

You shimmy off her eventually, offering your hand out.  “Time for lunch?”

Seele doesn’t move for a few seconds, before letting you pick her up.  If not a kiss, she can at least get some quality time.  The way you smile at her is enough for her.

…How you pushed her down will definitely haunt her dreams for the next week or so, though.

[bsverryin]

: ̗̀➛ Grumpy X Sunshine trope with HSR men.

Who?

╰┈➤ Jing yuan, Gepard, Dan Heng, Blade

Situation?

╰┈➤ Who's the grumpy and the sunshine in your relationship.

✎ HEADCANONS ONLY!! I missed writing and I love blade so much I wanna cry 🥹🥹 I'm gonna be v busy really soon so I'll probably just write to warm up thank you so much for 100+ followers hruajdja it feels surreal to get followers by writing it makes me so happy thank youuu I appreciate it 🫶 Cannot assure you of perfect grammar, enjoy !

: ̗̀➛ JING YUAN

Jing yuan is the sunshine, you're the grumpy. Until now, you still haven't figured why Jing yuan loves you so much despite your grumpy attitude.

There are times where he says "I love you" when you're in a bad mood and you never say it back, of course you won't say It first any other time or moment. It's always true when other people gossip about how Jing yuan is the only person who can handle you because you're not good with his people because of your grumpy attitude.

When you're being grumpy with other people he'll squeeze your hand and give you an innocent smile trying to give you a sign to be nice. Other people are well-aware of your attitude because they would always try to talk to you about the general, but most of the time you'll respond by giving them a death glare or rolling your eyes but when you're with Jing yuan and then they ask you the same question, you'll sigh and say how much you love your lover.

: ̗̀➛ DAN HENG

Dan heng is the grumpy, you're the sunshine. How can he not be the grumpy type when you're always teasing him about almost everything? It's only natural for him to sigh all the time, be quiet, give you side eyes when you're talking to him.

Dan heng acts like he's not interested but you really kept him deeply invested, he can't survive a day without hearing you whine or even talk. He plays with your hair when he's bored and you're reading a book.

He can't get enough of you, not all the time he is grumpy. Dan heng has a soft side for you and every night he'd sneak out of his bed to go in your room just because he misses you a little extra today, he'd never say that instead he says "I just want to spend the night with you." then he'll sleep peacefully in your chest. There are times where you end up getting caught by the other astral express member sleeping together, Dan heng kept quiet (trying his best to hide his smile) whenever you talk about how it felt really safe and comfortable around him with the other members.

: ̗̀➛ GEPARD

Gepard is the sunshine, you're the grumpy. He thinks that your grumpy attitude is really cute instead of annoying, he loves joking around with you because you'd give him death glares and sometimes pinching his arms.

Gepard loves seeing you smile, he tries his best to not keep you grumpy (he doesn't know that you have a soft side for him) You'd tell him that it's impossible for you to not be grumpy when everyone else is annoying excluding him. He'd laugh and respond with compliments like "you're beautiful" and you're not even talking about that.

Everyone thinks that Gepard is really nice and so they thought that his lover SHOULD be nice too but then when they get to know you as gepard's lover they ended up being disappointed and think that gepard deserves better, it was because you didn't have a great attitude. Gepard isn't the type to stand back and just listen, he'll confront them and tell them that they clearly haven't seen your good side and that you're a really beautiful person inside and out, you'd smile whenever he defends you and he feels the happiest when he sees you smile like that.

: ̗̀➛ BLADE

Blade is the grumpy, you're the sunshine. Blade being the grumpy is expected, He's not trying to be the grumpy type. He is the word grumpy itself.

for blade, showing emotions is not that important in a relationship and being together is already enough but he'll never forgive himself if he makes you quiet or sad because he loves it when you're talking whether it's a gossip or you're just telling him some funny stories about yourself, you'd never fail to make him smile or laugh whenever you do.

There's always a situation where you try to make him call you sweet common relationship nicknames like my love or baby. You'd tell him pick-up lines and he'd always fall for it, he sighs and replies with "That's a good one, little brat" That was what he ended up calling you for the rest of your relationship. It was much better to have this kind of relationship with him where you're both wild and free. Even if he's grumpy most of the time, you don't have to worry when problems occur because he'll do all the work to maintain the relationship and make you happy in his own ways.

[gay-dorito-dust]

How’d they act if you called them pretty upon getting catch looking at them…

Dan Heng: blushes. Hard.

He’s not use to someone complimenting his looks as it’s not something he finds important.

‘Are you really that shameless to say such things aloud?’ He’d say while avoiding eye contact with you.

Dan Heng would act as though you just shouted this out loud in front a hoard of people, even though you didn’t.

He’s awkward when it comes to taking compliments aimed his way but his reaction is too fucking cute to ignore and will warrant another compliment his way, which will only serve in making his face brunt redder.

‘Shut up, please.’ He’d plead as he covers a hand over your eyes, feeling as though they’ve stared deeply into his soul and actually see him as a whole person and more. ‘You talk too much about things you don’t understand the first thing of.’

He’s probably going to get teased by March 7th after this and it’ll be used as blackmail, probably.

Give him a moment to breath and calm down before complimenting on how pretty he is because he will combust from how flustered he is.

Argenti: would probably start a compliment war in all honesty because how can you say he’s pretty without admitting that you are also quite a sight for sore eyes.

If you were to compliment his hair, he’d resort back with how even the stars put on their best performance within your presence.

He’s got such a way with words that can easily leave one flustered without even trying. He’d even wax poetry on the spot about how the light catches your eyes in a way similar to that of a kaleidoscope, bright, vibrant and above all breathtaking.

Argenti doesn’t hold back, will not hold back, and will not back down from letting you know just how ethereal you look to him.

He can do this all day, you however could not do this all day seeing how this man has unlimited ammunition when it came to complimenting the beauty of pretty much everything.

(I mean this is the same dude who complimented a plant. 🪴 I bet that plant blushed, we just didn’t see it bc who wouldn’t blush if a chivalrous red head complimented them?)

Welt: smiles softly as a light blush coated his cheeks.

He’s well kept for someone who’s in his 60/70/80’s And he deserves to be told as such!

(all I know is that he’s grandpa age from other ppl)

So when you do compliment him and call him pretty, this old man is going to thank you for such kind words and probably give you head pats as a reward.

He appreciates a kind compliment now and then.

‘Why thank you, I try my best to keep in good shape if I’m meant to keep up with all of you.’ He would say in response followed by a chuckle.

Welt is young at heart and knows that his body isn’t how it once was but that doesn’t change the fact that he’s a restless spirit within an old man’s body. So when you compliment him, it only makes him feel good and warm on the inside.

Blade: doesn’t know how to take compliments.

He’s not use to it and doesn’t know how to react to it other than saying something along the lines of;

‘Don’t be ridiculous.’

‘Flattery will get you nowhere.’

Or just straight up. ‘No.’

And all the while his face is like this: 😐 or this 😒

It’s never one or the other, blade just doesn’t view himself worth the compliment, when the only things about him that people see most is that he’s a bad dude in a bad group doing bad things.

He doesn’t see why you’re wasting a kind, genuine compliment on someone whose entire body is riddled in ugly scars.

Blade is the type of person where you’d have to prove that your compliment is genuine or else he just won’t believe it.

Sampo: his ego is boosted to the max.

Well done you’ve made him even more insufferable.

He will smile that Cheshire smile of his and ask to hear what else about him you find appealing besides his pretty face.

You: your exposed hips, you slut-

However behind his cocky persona, he’s a giggly bitch who’s mentally kicking his feet and writing this interaction in his bubblegum pink diary with a glitter pen.

Sampo is deeply invested in what you thought about the rest of him but won’t let it show as he would consider it ‘out of character’ for himself. So he’ll continue to act the cocky and confident fool like he always does.

He’ll be the type to tease you about potentially killing him while internally screaming himself and telling other people that you find him pretty, much to your embarrassment.

‘You see them over there? Yeah they called ol’ Sampo pretty!’ He’d say to a random person while pointing towards you as you try to hide yourself behind a trash can…only for the trash can to grow arms and legs and walk off elsewhere.

Why were the arms and legs buff as fuck? What was their workout routine? You must know. now.

Sunday: takes the compliment in kind.

He looks like the type to get called handsome or pretty on the daily, so it’s nothing new to him but he’ll take the compliment nonetheless.

He’s probably the most calm out of the bunch when being called pretty, besides from maybe Welt.

He’s not bashful, he’s not overtly arrogant and he’s not in denial about it either. He just takes the compliment as it is and goes on about his day like any other.

Though people would take note on how he’s smiling brighter than usual. Your compliment would stay with him the entire day, as it serves as a reminder of his place within your heart and he’s secretly scheming on ways on how to stay within your heart.

Permanently.

[milkloafy]

THE ASTRAL EXPRESS’ LAUNDRY FAIRY — DAN HENG

⋆｡˚ ❀ summary: you hate doing your laundry and dan heng needs to use the dryer. one day, he folds your clothes for you and places your skimpiest pair of underwear on top for everyone to see.  ⋆｡˚ ❀ contents: fluff, 16+, fem!reader, humor?  ⋆｡˚ ❀ wc: 2.3k ⋆｡˚ ❀ a/n: yes this is based on my roomie folding my laundry for me whenever i forget to take it out of the dryer for too long…but like no she doesn’t put my lingerie on display that is only for dan heng to do <3 sdjfhsdj

While the Express seemed filled with saving the world and trying not to die, being a Nameless had its more mundane moments too.

You had chores to do, just like any other person out there. You had to wash your dishes, clean your bathroom, and do your laundry. As did everyone else on the Express. 

Unfortunately for you, you hated doing your laundry—namely, you hated folding your clothes. And even more unfortunate was that there was a limited amount of washer and dryers that had to be shared amongst the passengers. 

It was safe to say that you had a bit of a…reputation for leaving your clothes in the dryers for too long. 

Most times, you would get a text from Trailblazer telling you to get your damn clothes out, or a knock on the door and a delivery of a basket full of freshly dried clothes for you to fold from March 7th. But some days, when you remembered in the late of night to go and take your clothes out of the dryer yourself, you would see them in a basket, folded neatly and compactly, with no sign of who did it. 

At first, you assumed it was Welt. He seemed fatherly enough. But today when you went to pick up your laundry basket, you noticed your lacy and sheer baby pink thong folded neatly and placed on the top of the pile of clothes, and you immediately knew it couldn’t be him. Welt would’ve had the decency to at least hide your undergarments…

You had plenty of other, more boring underwear in there was well. Plain black ones or nude-colored ones. Placing the skimpy pink one on top just had to be targeted.

Himeko, perhaps, would have the gall to do such a thing, but she was worse than even you at doing her laundry. At times, she didn’t even remember to take it out of the washer and it would take multiple more washes to rid her dresses of the musty, damp clothes scent. 

That left only two people: Pom-Pom and Dan Heng. 

Pom-Pom because the likelihood of them knowing that the underwear they folded was a thong bordering on lingerie was slim to none. And it was on top simply due to them thinking the color was nice. And Dan Heng, well…because he was Dan Heng. 

You decided there was only one way to find out. 

“Pom-Pom,” you said in a singsong voice to your favorite and only conductor. You waltzed over to them in the Parlor Car and handed them a homemade cupcake that came fresh from the oven. “Here is my little thank you gift. It’s red velvet. Your favorite.”

Pom-Pom’s eyes lit up as they accepted the cupcake with open arms. “For me? Pom-Pom loves this treat! But what is the thank you for?”

You smiled, pleased with yourself as Pom-Pom devoured the cupcake in just a few bites. “Thank you for folding my clothes for me, of course!” 

Slowly, Pom-Pom folded the cupcake wrapper with wide eyes. “Folding your clothes? Oh, you must be mistaken! Pom-Pom is not your maid. Pom-Pom is the conductor.” 

Blinking rapidly, you nodded with a sheepish look on your face. “Of course! Pom-Pom is no maid. But if you haven’t been doing my laundry for me, then that must mean…” 

Your eyes flitted over to Dan Heng, who was reading a book at a table in the parlor car, a cup of warm tea in front of him. He was close enough that he could overhear your conversation if he wanted to, but it was more likely that he was too engrossed in his book to notice. 

Clearing your throat to get his attention, you called out, “Dan Heng.”

He looked over in your direction before closing his book and placing it in the table. Picking up his mug, Dan Heng a sip of tea. “Yes?” 

“Did you…” you trialed off, realizing you didn’t have a cupcake in hand to thank him. It had been eaten by Pom-Pom for no apparent reason. Though, the conductor certainly deserved random treats for their hard work as well. 

“Did I?” 

You tugged the hem of your shirt sheepishly, suddenly feeling bashful at the thought of Dan Heng taking his time to fold the smallest of your underwear and putting it on full display. 

“Never mind!” you blurted out, suddenly making an excuse to head back to your bedroom. “See you later, Dan Heng! I hope you enjoyed your cupcake, Pom-Pom!”

Running out of the Parlar Car and down the hall into your room, you shut the door behind you and laughed to yourself. Now, you just had to find out— Did Dan Heng place your panties there on purpose? Was he simply unfazed or did he want to tease you by doing so? 

Closing your eyes and letting out an exhale, you told yourself there was only one way to find out. 

—

Dan Heng walked into the communal laundry room after his clothes were finished in the wash and saw the small selection of dryers in use. They all had another forty minutes left to them. All except for one. The one, single dryer that was finished drying but still had your laundry basket on top of it, claiming the space as yours until you gathered your items. 

He shook his head but smiled despite himself. This was a bad habit of yours you had to break, so why did he indulge in your forgetfulness when it came to laundry and fold your clothes for you? Part of him said it was simply because it would be too much work to message you and wait for you to gather your stuff— By the time that happened, his clothes would have been wet for too long. 

But another part of him just felt it was a nice thing to do for you. You, who always went out of your way to celebrate his “birthday” on a random day of the year since Dan Heng never had the chance to learn when it truly was. 

Everyone deserved a special day, you had said.

There was also you who made sure to always bring Pom-Pom a souvenir since they were unable to go out themselves. 

Perhaps laundry was your one downfall. And in that case, Dan Heng certainly didn’t mind. It was the least he could do to help you out.

Still, as he folded this week’s batch of your laundry, heat rose to his cheeks at the sight of, not one, but four pairs of lacy underwear and matching sets of equally revealing bras.

Dan Heng sighed, chuckling to himself. He learned over the last few weeks that you preferred more subtle types of undergarments… So why this week the amount of lingerie exponentially grew was beyond him. 

It could have been that you finally learned the person folding your clothes was Dan Heng and wanted to poke fun at him a bit. He shook his head. If that was the case, he could certainly retaliate himself.

After finishing up the folding with your intimates intentionally laid on top of the pile, he finally placed his own clothes in the dryer. He pulled his phone out to set a timer—something you could learn to do—but before he put it back in his pocket, Dan Heng found himself opening his messages with you.

Dan Heng: Interesting selection you had this week.

Y/N: ???

Y/N: Interesting selection of what?

Instead of typing a response, he thought it would be better to show you.

Smiling to himself, he took a picture of your laundry basket—the red pair on top this time—and sent it over to you.

Your reply was instantaneous.

Y/N: Oh my god…

Y/N: YOU’RE my laundry fairy after all?!!

Dan Heng: It seems I am.

Y/N: Then why are you placing my unmentionables on the top!! Have you no shame?

Dan Heng: Strange way to say thank you…

Y/N: …thank you.

Y/N: Also, just FYI, i don’t normally that many raunchy undies in one week. 

Y/N: I only wore them this week for you.

Dan Heng blinked in shock. Not that he was opposed, but he wasn’t sure if he was understanding you correctly.

Y/N: Wait. Not like that.

Y/N: It’s not like I’m wearing them for you for you, you know??? 

Y/N: It’s like… I was wearing it for my laundry fairy to find out who they were and to get a rise out of you.

Y/N: Out of them* the unknown laundry fairy.

Dan Heng almost laughed at the amount of times you had to correct yourself in the span of one measly minute. 

Dan Heng: Of course. You wore them for the elusive laundry fairy, not me in particular. 

Y/N: Yes! Exactly.

Y/N: But also thank god it is you, right? Haha.

Y/N: Like imagine it was Welt after all… Oh gods he does not need to know THIS is what I wore underneath all my clothes…

Y/N: He would say something like it might be uncomfortable for the movement required during combat.

Dan Heng’s expression soured at the strange thought of Welt having to fold your delicates, but that quickly changed when the image of you wearing these lacy undergarments flashed through his mind. 

Y/N: You know what?? Nothing I’m saying is coming out right t-t

Y/N: I’ll just see you at the laundry room to pick up my stuff

Y/N: Meet you there!!!

Dan Heng held his hand over his rapidly beating heart in hopes that it would calm down before you got here. Not to mention the red in his cheeks that showed no signs of going away.

He didn’t intend to think such thoughts of you, nor did he expect that he…didn’t mind it. But either way, the image had to get out of his head before you arrived at the laundry room. The visions would only grow stronger at the sight of you in person, and he was not prepared on having to deal with that. 

Dan Heng wasn’t sure if he could face your inevitable teasing if you ever found out.

—

All it took was one look at Dan Heng’s face and you automatically understood the entire situation. 

“Do you think the laundry room runs really warm too?” you asked, fanning your face as you entered the door. “It’s always so hot! I hate coming in here!”

Dan Heng blinked, nodding slowly but unsurely, as if he was ready to go along with whatever you just said.

You walked over to him and placed your hand on his forehead, checking to see if his entire face and body was burning up. Alarm filled you when you felt the heat radiating from his face.

“Dan Heng! You’re burning up in here,” you fretted, closely inspecting his face and tugging at his sleeve to motion him to follow you. “Let’s get out of the laundry room.”

His face turned even more red as you touched his cheeks tried to cool him off. Decidedly, Dan Heng shook his head. “I do not think it is the location causing the warmth.”

“Then what?”

He did not answer, but you noticed the way his eyes flickered briefly to your laundry basket of folded clothes. Just like the picture he sent you, your matching red lingerie set was placed neatly on top.

Suddenly, you felt your own face warm up.

“O-Oh… That’s why.” You scooped up the basket into your arms and held it close to your chest, as if it were a shield protecting you from embarrassment. “I’ll get these out of your way now! And thank you for…you know.” 

“Anytime.”

“And I promise, I won’t be wearing such racy bras and underwear in the future in case I forget to come collect my laundry again…” 

Dan Heng cleared his throat before shaking his head. “No, that’s not necessary.” 

You stared and him and he stared back. 

“What I mean to say is, feel free to wear whatever you want. I don’t mind,” he said, walking out of the laundry room with you. “In fact, you probably look…nice in them.” 

Dan Heng froze in place and you almost tripped over the air and dropped all your clothes. 

“I mean—” he started. 

“No, yeah! I get what you mean!” 

You did not get what he meant. 

Was he complimenting you? Flirting? You were 95% sure he was and your heart was about to fly out of your chest. 

This man would be the death of you one day.

“Anyway, this is my stop,” you announced, as if Dan Heng hadn’t been past your room multiple times before. “Thanks for doing my laundry! Bye now!” 

Rushing into the safety of your room, you threw the basket of clothes onto your desk at the entrance. Before you could get too comfortable, you heard a hesitant knock on the door. 

Squeezing your eyes shut, you let out a deep exhale and attempted to appear normal. 

You opened the door and peered up at the black-haired man with frustratingly pretty eyes. “Hi! Can I help you?”

“You dropped something…” Dan Heng stood at your door frame with your red thong hanging from his fingers. His cheeks almost matched the color of your panties. 

“Oh.” You grabbed them at lightning speed, avoiding looking into his eyes. “Thank you.”

Once you shut the door in his face for the second and final time tonight, you immediately ran over to your bed and screamed into your pillow. 

After a brief moment of silence, you heard his voice through the door, “I feel the same.”

Your threshold for embarrassment had broken already and all you could do was laugh. 

At least you and Dan Heng were both on the same boat.

[sanemistar]

dan heng used to only take photos of natural sceneries whenever he was on a trip with the nameless express members, he used to not be interested in keeping photos of other people, not even himself. but this all changes when he meets you, all he does is capturing your charming face through the lens of his camera because he wants to cherish you forever. he’s obsessed so much that now his favorite hobby is to take photos of you from every possible angle (bonus point if you’re not looking at the camera) to the point where his camera’s storage is almost full because of you and you feel bad about it so you tell him to delete some.

“just delete these ones, please. i look horrible.” you try convincing him to delete some of the photos you don’t like but dan heng stubbornly refuses to.

“no. you look beautiful in all of them.” he quickly replies, ignoring your request.

“dan heng, this one’s blurry. my face isn’t even properly shown.” you try again, in hopes of making him give in and listen to you.

“i love this one too, no deleting.” you fail to make him listen to you for the second time, so you give up and let him be. you fondly smile at your boyfriend and you’re very happy he loves you this much. guess you’ll most likely end up buying him another one with bigger space as a reward.

[antimatterz]

Reader cuddling Dan Heng's tail and not realizing they feel asleep on it? How does Dan Heng react to this especially Reader seem fine with his Imbibitor Lunae form since reader still sees him as Dan Heng even if he looked different

all of you

dan heng (il) x gn!reader

summary: he might've changed form, but in the end, he is still your beloved dan heng.

cw: fluff, spoilers for dan heng imbibitor lunae

enyo's note: thank you !! this definitely awakened my writing juices. it's just a short drabble but i hope you'll enjoy it still !!

content under the cut | masterlist

something was definitely different about dan heng's entire demeanor ever since he revealed his vidyadhara form. yes, he had always been quiet and distant, but as time passed, he gradually warmed up to you. now, after what happened on the xianzhou luofu, it was as if you were back at square one.

he wasn't shutting you out completely; he still let you be around him and let you do your thing. it was just that he went silent, looking somber and deep in thought. he never was one to open up about his inner struggles, but this time around, it wasn't entirely hard to figure out what was going on behind his pretty eyes.

but you didn't confront him about it. you never did.

instead, you sat curled up against him, your fingertips absentmindedly caressing the scales of his tail. though dan heng had agreed to return to the astral express, he barely left the archive room and didn't participate in anything – not even coming out to eat breakfast together with the crew. you were the only one he let in, hence you spent most of your time in said room alongside him. you were worried about him, yes, but you figured he just needed time to process all that went down. after all, the secret he so long carried upon his heart finally came to the surface, and his true form had showed; imbibitor lunae. now that was quite something.

dan heng didn't return your affection. instead, he stared ahead of him with his hands resting in his lap. you pretended not to mind, but secretly it saddened you a little. yet, you didn't show, and relished in his warmth as you leaned against him, now tiredly wrapping your arms around his tail.

you were slowly dozing off, given how it was already quite late at night. it wouldn't be the first time you'd fall asleep cuddling his tail, and you knew he didn't really mind. it wasn't long before the everlasting silence and the cadence of dan heng's breathing lulled you into a slumber.

now, dan heng finally seemed to wake up from his tense and statue-like state. his solemn gaze fell upon you, earnest grey eyes softening as he took in your sleeping form. he was well aware of how much he distanced himself after revealing his vidyadhara form, as he was scared what the others – and especially you – would think. but you didn't seem to mind, and your behavior around him hadn't changed one bit.

you still smiled at him as brightly as ever, you never looked at him weirdly nor was there any fear present in your eyes as you regarded him. if any, you liked to touch his horns and cuddle his tail and tell him how amazing he looked (before stuttering that he already looked good before the whole imbibitor lunae ordeal). no, you still treated him with the same attention and kindness, and his new form didn't stop you from visiting him in his room and cuddling up against him. something clicked inside his mind; you really didn't regard him any different, did you?

while the others were clearly in awe, treating him with some awkward form of respect, you never changed your act around him. he remembered the words you spoke to him after the hectic events that took place on the xianzhou luofu; "you might look different, but you're still dan heng."

it was okay. it was a big change, but it clearly wasn't that big of a deal for you. the person who was the most important to him accepted imbibitor lunae without a doubt. you were fine with it, and nothing else mattered.

dan heng felt at peace for the first time since. slowly, moving carefully not to wake you, he wrapped an arm around you, using his fingers to delicately move some strands of hair away from your face. he felt so grateful towards you, and he promised himself to show you. he was done distancing himself from you, as it was pointless. you accepted him, no matter what. he was safe with you.

[eggluverz]

STARS FADING BUT I LINGER ON, DEAR

PAIRING. dan heng x gn!reader; dan feng x gn!reader

CONTENT WARNINGS. torture and imprisonment but nothing graphic or in detail!! 

WORD COUNT. 5,332

SUMMARY. dan heng has been having dreams about you. they started off good—like a fairytale even. but soon he’s been getting the feeling something is wrong. you’re trapped and alone and can’t escape. dan heng wonders if his dreams are telling him something. and if they are…what is there for him to do?

SOF’S NOTE. *shoves this fic in everyone’s face* LOOK AT THIS! LOOK AT MY BABY!! PLS LOVE IT AND TREASURE IT!!! CRADLE IT GENTLE IN UR HANDS!!!! okay on a more serious note ahdjkdkd thank u anon for this amazing request i absolutely adored writing this 🥺🫶 idk where all the flower symbolism and dreams came from bc ik its not the in req but yk what it spoke to me for this story so i rolled w it HDJSKD i hope y’all enjoy!! :> 

“What are all those flowers for?” you giggled, watching as Dan Feng entered the room with a cart full of peonies in tow. 

It looked a little ridiculous; the elegant and renowned Imbibitor Lunae wheeling around an absurd amount of white, pink, and red flowers. But Dan Feng never cared about pretenses when he was with you. He always felt comfortable enough to be himself, no matter how ridiculous it appeared. 

As he approached, he held a small, blooming red peony out between his fingertips. “They’re for you, naturally.”

He brushed your hair aside and gently tucked the stem of the flower behind your ear, admiring how the deep red of the flower complimented your complexion. 

“Beautiful.”

You looked down at your feet with a small chuckle before meeting his gaze again. “Thank you. You’re beautiful as well.”

“Thank you, my love,” said Dan Feng, his hand resting on your waist as he planted a kiss on your forehead. “Do you like the flowers?”

You nodded, feeling the soft petals of the flower in your hair between your fingers as you stared at the bundles of peonies in the cart he brought in. Dan Feng walked over when he saw you staring and led you to each section of colors. 

“These are pink—to show my affection for you.” He picked a flower and kissed the petals before bringing it to your mouth to reciprocate. You obliged with a giggle and he smiled and hid the scandalous flower in his sleeves. “These are white peonies, to let you know I’m always thinking of you.”

You placed your hand on his chest, feeling the careful embroidery on the silken fabrics. “You’re always on my mind, too.”

“Good,” he jested. “As I should be.”

Without warning, he brought your body flush against his chest and captured your mouth with his own, softly tugging at your lower lip. You chased after his touch to give him a kiss of your own, but he soon pulled away with a teasing grin on his face. 

You pouted. “Hey!”

“Patience, beloved,” said Dan Feng. “I still haven’t gotten to the last color.”

“Oh, my sincere apologies,” you said sarcastically, knowing he was the very reason he hadn’t finished his own speech. “Please, carry on.”

“Since you asked nicely.” He cupped your face and stroked the petals on the flower behind your ear. The sensation of his light fingers brushing against the soft flower petals tickled the skin around your ear and you felt your breath catch in your throat. “This flower is a red peony, to symbolize just how passionate I am for you.” Dan Heng stared into your eyes before he spoke. “I hope you know how much I love you, truly.”

“I know,” you said, gaze not once meeting his. Your stomach tightened and your heart started beating faster as you placed his warm hand on your chest. “I love you, Dan Feng. Every part of my being is yours.” 

“And mine, yours.”

Dan Feng took your hand in his, leading you into your bed chambers. You had never felt more loved and wanted than in this moment. But when you entered the room and looked up, the hand you were holding was no longer Dan Feng’s. 

Instead, your hand was clutching an iron bar instead of your lover’s hand, shackled in chains on your wrists and ankles. Dan Feng was gone and you were stuck in here for eternity. 

You cried out, body racking with helpless sobs. Every fiber of your being—mind, body, spirit—missed him so much. The worst part wasn’t the torture, the solitary confinement, the lack of access to basic human needs. 

No, that was nothing. 

Nothing compared to knowing you would never see Dan Feng again. 

˖⁺‧₊˚❀˚₊‧⁺˖

Dan Heng woke with a start, hair plastered to us forehead with sweat. His pillow and blanket were both strewn across the floor of the Archives and he found himself on his bed alone, a heavy pounding coming from the place where his heart should be. His heart hurt so much he wondered if it was even his. 

He squeezed his eyes shut, attempting to take a deep breath to calm himself down.

That was the third time this week Dan Heng had a dream like that. 

Before, it wasn’t terribly uncommon for him to dream about your experiences with his past reincarnation. Dan Heng thought it was strange at first— Why is he dreaming of your memories rather than Dan Feng’s? But the Archives had no answer, so he was forced to accept the fact with mild curiosity as he grew accustomed to the untraditional visions that manifested as dreams that he has been having. 

Still, the strange part wasn’t that he had dreams of you, the strange part was that recently, since the Astral Express left Luofu, Dan Heng has been getting bad dreams of you. Or, to be precise, he’s been experiencing bad memories you have gone through. 

Dan Heng thought the torture was the worst of it. As cold blades cut against your warm skin, Dan Heng felt each push. Each puncture. Each drop of blood they drew from your veins. He woke up constantly in pain, checking his own body to be sure it wasn’t happening to him. 

But he learned a new form of torture that came from the heart. The solitude and loneliness. The knowledge that the one you loved most has perished— Was forced to reincarnate and never see you again. 

The pain on his body was temporary. But Dan Heng felt the ache in your soul every minute of every day. 

He just doubted there was anything he could do to stop it. 

˖⁺‧₊˚❀˚₊‧⁺˖

“Y/N,” came a quiet voice from outside the cell. “I came to check on you again.”

You looked up from your thin futon to meet Jing Yuan’s remorseful eyes. Your living conditions have been upgraded from those you’ve experienced for decades now. No longer were you in chains— You had access to a bath, and they even offered you books and enough food to sustain you. All while confined in a cell, of course. 

Perhaps they no longer viewed you as a threat. Not that they should have ever viewed you as such in the first place. You didn’t understand why you were punished solely for being Dan Feng’s lover. You weren’t a warrior. You didn’t hold any position of power. You were a scholar and lover of books and plants. But you’re an accomplice, the Preceptors said as they mercilessly chained you up. 

If you weren’t knocked into unconsciousness moments after, you would’ve spit at their faces as they took you away. 

“Y/N…” 

You snapped out of your thoughts, dragging your gaze to the man in front of your cell. Placing your book to the side, you smiled up at Jing Yuan. “Sorry about that. I was a little out of it there.”

Jing Yuan frowned and your heart moved, feeling the depth of his sadness. “No need to apologize. Tell me, how have you been?” 

“Good, I have to say,” you said, sitting up straight on your bed. “I’m almost finished with the book you gave me last time.” 

He smiled but it didn’t quite reach his eyes. “I’m glad.”

“Is something the matter?” you asked as you stood and walked over to him, offering a hand of comfort through the iron bars. 

Jing Yuan took it, giving you a gentle squeeze before dropped your hand. The rush of human contact, despite how brief it was, coursed through you. It’s been so long since you felt the touch of another person.

“Dan Heng and his friends left the Xianzhou Luofu,” he said solemnly. 

Your eyes shut as you let your forehead press against the cool metal of your cell. A tear fell down your cheek but a smile remained on your face. “That’s… That is good. He should be free from this place. Dan Heng is happiest that way, correct?”

“That is how it seems,” Jing Yuan sighed. He held back his words for a moment, hesitant. But as he looked at you, he could not longer keep it in. “Do you still think it was the right decision to not inform Dan Heng that you are here?” 

You let out a quiet laugh, taking a seat on the floor and Jing Yuan soon followed suit. “What would he do with that information? What if he felt guilty—? That could hold him back.”

“Are you certain that is a choice for you to make?”

Sighing, you shook your head. It wasn’t your choice to make; it was Dan Heng’s. You knew that deep down inside. But what could you do when you were aware of Dan Heng’s aversion to his past—to any potential connection to Dan Feng? And thus, any connection to you? 

You felt it, you dreamed about it. Dan Heng’s hatred for his past reincarnation. You mourned for them. Both Dan Feng and Dan Heng. For the former, you knew it must be hard having no connection to your reincarnation. Was his soul no longer tethered to this world? Perhaps he felt lost, even in the afterlife. For the latter, you did not blame any resentment that came from him. You knew all too well that being judged and punished based off the actions of another person was unjust. You wouldn’t wish it upon anybody. 

And so, it made sense to you that Dan Heng wanted to accept his past for what it was, and then be free from it. You did not want to interfere with that. Especially not when he was so close to healing and making a good, happy life for himself. 

And now, after Jing Yuan told you Dan Heng and his friends finished their adventures in the Xianzhou Luofu, excited to take on the rest of the galaxies, you thought that maybe you made the right choice. You would be happy enough here, alone in this prison, if you knew your beloved was free. 

It was a decision you made yourself, for Dan Heng. 

And it was one you hoped you wouldn’t regret. 

˖⁺‧₊˚❀˚₊‧⁺˖

“Foolish! No!” Dan Heng thrashed in his sleep, wanting to reach out and shake you to your senses. He’s had terrible dream after terrible dream, but this was one he couldn’t simply let go of. 

This one seemed more recent than any of the others. That was not a dream of a distant memory from long ago— No, the Astral Express that Jing Yuan spoke of in Dan Heng’s dream had only departed Xianzhou Luofu a few days ago now. That meant you were there, locked up right under his nose, for the entirety of his stay at the Luofu. And no one told him a thing.

Dan Heng had to control his fury. He felt hurt and betrayed, despite not having a true, personal connection with you himself. He wasn’t Dan Feng and, deep down, he recognized he didn’t have a claim to your thoughts, feelings, and emotions. But the pain he felt from knowing you were there, and that maybe, just maybe, he could’ve done something to help you sooner, was something Dan Heng couldn’t shake.

He knew what he had to do.

Perhaps it was bold, impulsive, and maybe dismissive of their current plans, but he had to do it. Dan Heng took a deep breath, not waiting for the night to turn into day. He was going to ask Pom-Pom to please turn this damn train around.

˖⁺‧₊˚❀˚₊‧⁺˖

“Where are they?” 

Much to no one’s surprise, Jing Yuan seemed to know exactly what Dan Heng was talking about. What else could be important enough for Dan Heng to barge into the Seat of Divine Foresight without a word of warning? 

Jing Yuan quickly excused the meeting he was holding, biding a quick apology and saying they would reconvene shortly. Despite the newfound privacy, he still didn’t reveal anything to Dan Heng.

“Well, good afternoon to you as well, Dan Heng—”

“Stop. There’s no time for formalities right now.” Dan Heng folded his arms, hands clutched into tight fists by his sides. “Where are the Preceptors keeping them? And why the hell haven’t you done anything to help Y/N?”

With a heavy sigh, Jing Yuan took a seat in his chair, gesturing Dan Heng to sit across from him. A gesture Dan Heng pointedly ignored. He wasn’t here to sit down and take his time. He wanted to know where you were now so he could get you out of there. The torture, the poor treatment, the punishment for something you didn’t do... It wasn’t fair. He could hardly put up with it in his dreams. He wondered how it was possible for you to even be surviving all this time. 

“It may surprise to you here,” Jing Yuan stated, voice low, “but as much influence I have over Xianzhou, the Preceptors unfortunately remain untouched by that.”

Dan Heng’s grip loosened, momentarily feeling guilty for assuming Jing Yuan did not try to help you in any way. From what his dreams could see, Jing Yuan was one of the only people who frequently visited you— Which was already more than he could say for himself. 

His face hardened but he relented. “I’m sorry for suggesting such a thing.”

Jing Yuan gave him a half-smile through hooded eyes. “If you hold any recollection of Dan Feng’s time with them, I don’t blame you for having such a severe reaction. Y/N was—is…remarkable.” 

“I shouldn’t know that myself,” said Dan Heng quietly. “Yet somehow, I know you’re right.” 

He looked at the ground solemnly, suddenly frightened that he wouldn’t be able to do anything to help you after all. If the Cloud Knight General Jing Yuan couldn’t influence the Preceptors, what could he do? 

He shook the negative thoughts out of his head. Sure, Dan Heng wasn’t Jing Yuan, but he was the reincarnation of Dan Feng, the previous High Elder and Imbibitor Lunae. Dan Heng was the friend and ally of current High Elder Bailu. Dan Heng had the General backing him with a token of alliance. And Dan Heng would stop at nothing to free you from your shackles. 

˖⁺‧₊˚❀˚₊‧⁺˖

The process was more painstaking than Dan Heng had originally thought. After informing Jing Yuan of his plan to speak to Bailu, Dan Heng soon realized that conversing with her would be the easiest part.

The Dragon Lady was kind and had a good heart. She cared for other people and didn’t want to see anyone in pain. The difficult part came from feeling the lack of respect the Preceptors had for her. They treated her as more of a child than a High Elder, even withholding her title of Imbibitor Lunae until they deemed she was “of age.” But Dan Heng thought she had more sense and knowledge than all of the Preceptors combined. 

It took negotiations, possible acts of coercion that broke many Vidyadhara laws, and even the threat of Dan Heng to follow in his past life’s footsteps and destroy the seal at Scalegorge Waterscape and many more places… But Dan Heng, along with the assistance and backing of Bailu and Jing Yuan, finally got the Preceptors to agree to release you without forcing a reincarnation. 

You had suffered decades for a crime you had no hand in committing. The Preceptors were simply scared your love for Dan Feng would influence you to be a main headpiece in carrying out the rebellion against the Xianzhou Luofu—hence why those in charge had originally agreed to keep you here. But Jing Yuan was the residing general now, and with his army at his side, he was able to voice that he no longer viewed imprisonment on this land to be befitting of you as a solid conclusion. Bailu stated, as a complete bluff that anyone could have seen right through, that if you were not released immediately and given the opportunity to be reconnected with Dan Heng, she would no longer be as willing to repair any seals, should they be harmed in the future. 

Somehow, instead of all three of them getting locked up for treason or whatever Vidyadhara laws they horribly crossed, they managed to succeed in their goal of winning your freedom. The Preceptors wrote in their official records the release date of prisoner Y/N and agreed to escort one of them to your cell.

Jing Yuan and Bailu, of course, both opted for Dan Heng to be the person who sees you first. But only after making him promise they would get to see you once you settled into your new life. 

Dan Heng smiled, thanking them for their part in this operation. And when night came, he spoke his vow to you under the endless stars.

He would see you soon. And this time, he would never let anything bad happen to you again. 

˖⁺‧₊˚❀˚₊‧⁺˖

“More peonies?” you asked with a laugh, staring in awe at the field of flowers that were newly planted on the grounds of your estate. The bright colors of the petals flushed against the dark green of the leaves lined the gardens of your grand quarters. 

Dan Feng nodded, the trimmings on his sleeves detailed with the faint embroidery of petals dancing around the wind. Your heart warmed when you saw it. It was fitting for him, such a beautiful and caring soul. 

“I had them planted for you,” he said, gesturing at the arrangement around you. He smiled, his eyes glinting. “Because one cartful just wasn’t enough.” 

You shook your head as you went around the rows of peonies, touching the petals in awe of the spring bloom in the air. The smell was sweet and the wind was cool, providing the right amount of breeze to offset the heat of the sun. First, you went to the patch of white peonies, then pink, then red. Then, you noticed a shade Dan Feng hadn’t given to you before.

“Yellow peonies?” you said curiously, Dan Feng following along as you explored the gardens fit for royalty. Because, he had said before, to him, you were.

“Indeed.” He plucked one from the bush, careful not to ruin the stem of the plant itself. Slowly, he brought it up against the light in the sky. “Yellow. As radiant as the sun.” 

You stared up, shading your eyes as to not get blinded by the brightness. “It shines almost as brightly as you.” 

Dan Feng made a noise of amusement at your words. “I should be the one saying that to you.” 

“Perhaps you should speak faster,” you teased. 

You walked over to him, placing your hand in his and leading him to a field of grass. When you got to an area you liked, you sat down on the floor, gesturing for him to follow suit. Dan Feng brushed at the fabric of his clothes once before happily obliging. As you sat there, you looked over at Dan Feng and studied the look of serenity on his face. His expression was calm, his eyes were soft and the corners of his mouth tilted ever so slightly into a smile. In the hand that was not holding yours, he held the yellow peony still in hand.

“Does it symbolize anything? Like the others?” 

He nodded. “Yellow peonies are rare to come by. Only the most renowned of breeders can craft one to the perfect shade.”

At his words, you looked back at the abundant row of yellow peonies dressing your land. You wondered how much effort he went through in searching for the perfect shade to gift you.

“They’re to symbolize my wishes for you,” stated Dan Feng, toying with the edge of a petal with his thumb. “I wish to bestow upon you luck and prosperity, for the rest of your life.” 

“I think I’ve used all the luck I possibly could, finding someone like you,” you giggled, bumping your shoulder against his before leaning your head on it. Dan Feng breathed deeply, resting his head on top of yours. “And the only prosperity I wish for is to be prosperous in love. With you.” 

He laughed, a deep rumble vibrating against your body. “So, all your wishes of luck and prosperity have already come true? What need was there for me to gift you these flowers, then?”

You held your palm out, waiting for Dan Feng to place the yellow peony at its center. He gently laid it there, letting his fingers linger against your skin. 

“I’m glad you gifted me these,” you reassured him. “Now, when I walk by, they will always serve as a reminder of the radiant peony right in front of me.”

˖⁺‧₊˚❀˚₊‧⁺˖

The next morning, Dan Heng entered the dark corridor with a flower tucked into a hidden pocket of his outer garments. 

While he was nervous about how you might react to him going against your wishes that you expressed to Jing Yuan, his determination to assure your freedom was more than enough to counteract that. If Dan Heng truly wanted to be freed of his past and atone for the wrongdoings of Dan Feng, he would need to make sure no one else was being punished for his actions. 

He had helped repair the Ambrosial Arbor’s seal at Scalegeorge Waterscape, to atone for Dan Feng’s acts against the current High Elder and all of the Luofu Vidyadhara. Now, he would release you from decades of unjust punishment you suffered simply for being associated with him. 

“Y/N, you have a visitor,” one of the Preceptors said dryly, unlocking a cell. The hooded man could hardly hide the look of distaste on his face a before he rolled his eyes and walked away. “I’m sure you two must have plenty to catch up on. Leave here quickly before we change our minds.”

Dan Heng peered into the entrance, his gaze meeting your confused and alarmed face in an instant. 

You looked between Dan Heng and the open cell, not a Preceptor in sight. “Is this a test?”

He shook his head, showing you the official pardon signed by Bailu, Jing Yuan, and a representative of the Preceptors. You held the document in your hands, reading its contents and feeling the seal to believe it’s legitimacy, before giving it back to him. He felt your hands tremble as you made brief contact with his and he was overcome with the urge to comfort you. 

“This isn’t a test,” he promised, looking into your eyes in hopes you would see the truth in them. “You really are free from here.”

You let out an amused noise of disbelief, shaking your head. “Oh, Dan Heng… What did you do?”

He startled at the sound of his name coming from your lips. He was so accustomed to you only repeating Dan Feng over and over in his dreams that this felt almost refreshing. 

“Rather, what did Jing Yuan do?” you corrected, laughing quietly as you stood up from your seated position. Your robes, once beautifully crafted, were worn and tattered. But the light in your eyes never waned. “I told him not to tell you.”

“He didn’t,” said Dan Heng. He considered his statement before adding, “I suppose eventually he did confirm it, but I was the one who confronted him about it.”

You raised a curious brow. “And how, pray tell, did you know about this…situation?”

“From my dreams.”

Your eyes widened in surprise. For once, you were speechless. 

“I know it’s more normal to have dreams about your past reincarnation,” he stated, neatly folding the document in his hands before sliding it away into his pocket. “But, while I occasionally had dreams of Dan Feng’s life—bad ones normally, might I add—it’s been more common to have dreams of you.”

With a slow and shaky breath, you shut your eyes to think. “You’d had dreams of Dan Feng’s memories of me, do you mean?”

He shook his head. “No. They’re dreams of your memories. Some included your moments with Dan Feng from long ago, yes. Others were you in this prison. A recent one was of Jing Yuan visiting you and in it you said not to tell me about this.”

You chuckled helplessly. “What good did that do, after all?”

“Why didn’t you want me to know? Why didn’t you want me to help you?”

“It wasn’t that!” you protested, your eyes telling stories your words could not keep up with. You sighed. “Okay, it was.”

Dan Heng let out a sharp breath.

“However, it’s not for the reasons you might be thinking,” you corrected, arms folded over your chest. “I’ve come to accept my life being imprisoned here. It’s given me a lot of time to think and reflect. And, similar to you, I’ve occasionally had dreams of you, Dan Heng.”

He tilted his head to the side. 

“They weren’t long nor were they frequent. But what I have gathered from them, scarce as they were, is you resent Dan Feng. You don’t want any ties to your past. And you’ve accomplished so much growth and closure, finally freeing yourself from all that burdened you. What good would it be to drag you back here and make you relive this?” 

“You sound ridiculous.” 

His words were harsh and it stopped you right in your tracks. You stared at him, eyes wide as they peered into his, but he couldn’t let that stop the words of logic from coming out of his mouth. 

“You’re not a saint nor are you a martyr. You don’t have to try to be one. You’re a person, and for that you should be free in your own right. You’re a Vidyadhara, trapped and punished for actions that were not your own. I understand what you’ve been through— I’ve been there, too.” Dan Heng held his hand out to you from outside your prison cell, waiting for you to walk out and accept it. “Furthermore, you are a kind and loving soul, and you don’t deserve to spend a single moment in this place. Please, accept my help.”

Your cheeks were wet as you nodded your head. Slowly, you placed your cold, shaky hand in his. He felt your cool skin against his warm one and he enveloped your hands gently, brushing your knuckles with his thumb to share the heat in his body. 

“I’ve wanted to get out of here so badly,” you admitted through silent tears. “I hated being confined and alone. I felt helpless. Pathetic.” He watched with a heavy heart as you wiped your own tears away. Could he reach out and do it for you instead? He chastised himself. As much as he wanted to, he had no right. “But you suffered so much in your past life—in this life even. I didn’t want to cause you any more pain.”

Dan Heng shook his head. “What brings me the most pain is knowing you were suffering for so long, and I didn’t help you.”

“How could you help when you didn’t know?” you reasoned with a sad smile. “I’m sorry for making Jing Yuan promise to never let you know.”

His eyes squeezed shut as a sharp pang ran through his heart. “Please. Please promise me you won’t do something like that again. If you need me, I want to be there for you. Always.”

You gaze widened at his words before you recollected yourself. 

Dan Heng winced as he understood what he said. His mind and soul were confused. He knew he wasn’t Dan Feng, that this was the first moment he has ever had with you. But why does he feel like he’s known you forever? 

After a few moments of silence, as if you were giving him time to amend what he said, you finally spoke. “Okay. I promise.” 

He felt every muscle in his body relax at those words. He knew the promise you spoke was true to your heart. Dan Heng believed it with all his being and he let that console him. 

“Thank you,” he breathed. 

With one of your hands still in his, he slowly led you out of the corridor and up the stairs, away from your cold and dark prison. 

“What are you going to do now that you’re free?” Dan Heng asked, hating himself for hoping your future plans would somehow include keeping in touch with him. “Will you…stay on the Luofu?”

Your body tensed as a shiver went down your spine. You shook your head fervently as your expression twisted into one of grief. Dan Heng’s heart stirred at the sight. He knew that feeling all too well, and it pained him knowing you had similar conflicts to go through. “No, that’s the last thing I want to do. I won’t stay here. At least not now.”

“I understand.” 

You gave him a weak, but hopeful smile as he squeezed your hand softly. 

“And you?” you wondered, looking at him with thoughtful and eyes as you awaited his response. 

“I’m going to the Astral Express to continue on with our adventures,” he said with his lips upturned. “It’s a great place to call home, especially when you’ve lost the only place you had once called home.” He stared at you for a moment. “If you would like to join us—join me—I think you would very much enjoy it.” 

You teared up at his offer. “Can you really just invite people like that?”

Dan Heng briefly thought of the girl they picked us as an icicle and the boy who they found with no knowledge of the past. He considered your situation. “Yes, we really can.” 

The sunlight from outside finally started shining through the walkway, signaling that you were almost out as a freed person. 

“Also,” he said, before he could forget, “I, myself, would want you to come join our crew, even if it’s only for a little while. You can stay for as long as you want, and leave whenever you want as well.”

Your ears perked up at that. “I like the sound of that. If the Astral Express will have me, then I would love to join.” 

Dan Heng smiled as he patted the top of your head. Your body relaxed at his touch as you leaned into him, and he continued to hold onto you as you approached the exit. “No one will threaten your freedom ever again. That is my oath to you.”

You started at him, brows furrowed in determination. “And I vow the same to you. These new beginnings will bring only freedom and prosperity.”

At that word, Dan Heng suddenly remembered the small gift he brought for you. He blushed as he felt the soft petals of the peony in his large pocket. 

“I have something for you,” he said, slowly stopping in his tracks. He turned towards you and you followed suit, tilting your head to the side in question. “It’s nothing big. But it’s a token. A reminder.” 

He held out the peony in one hand, watching as your eyes lit up at the sight of it. Your mouth widened as you let out a noise of laughter, accepting his gift and holding it close to your chest. 

“Thank you, Dan Heng,” you said, tears of happiness filling your eyes. “I love it.”

It wasn’t yellow— He wasn’t the bright and radiant Dan Feng you knew and loved. It wasn’t red or pink, even. While he felt traces of love and attraction for you from his past memories, he knew in his heart that wasn’t really him developing those feelings for you. 

Instead, it was a white peony. 

You were always in his thoughts. It was both a blank slate, and a gentle reminder. He would never forget you, and as he got to experience life with you, who knew what dashes of color would be mixed in next with this pearly white. 

[kafkasmeow]

1 ꗃ A FAMILIAR TUNE

imagine! 7.2k words worth of slow-burn ─ dan heng x reader ─ second pov fem! reader ─ angst and fluff ─ father! jing yuan (strictly platonic) ─ i treated the reader more as an oc, i do apologise for that.

summery ─ leaving home was one of the hardest choices you’ve ever had to make, yet how could you stay when the life you lived could only ever bring you sadness and superficiality? 

aka dan heng x reader with mommy and daddy issues

disclaimer ─ this story may hold sensitive subjects such as mentioned death, neglect and the baggage that comes with it, mental illness, violence, harassment and talks of infertility. it has a very long introduction (my bad lol), a rather steamy end and takes inspiration from the original story line so be careful of spoilers and it was inspired by head-canons written here by @lyomeii , please go show some love. remember that this is a work of fiction and any names and characters written are my imagination alone. enjoy <3

taglist ─ @can-i-go-to-sleep-please ─ @can-i-stay-awake

There was a time when things felt easier, when the sun seemed to shine brighter despite the overwhelming shadow that was always cast on your family. You used to love the deep smell of green tea that enveloped the parlour each time the two of you took residence in it, and the wind that would swirl it around the whole of the office all while you laughed without a single care at the way it tugged your translucent shawl and hair. 

Jing Yuan adored that sound more than anything, it filled his heart with the warmest of contents yet the cruelest of longings. He would sip quietly on the tea you’d brewed for him and pretend to enjoy the frivolous moment with his eyes closed, but you both knew that when you looked away, another story would be told completely. 

Perhaps in reality, the sun never shined brighter than it seemed to and it was never easier to stomach. You were just too naive, too young to notice the thin cords bringing you and your father closer, and too ignorant to see the way they were slowly beginning to rip under the pressure. 

To the public eye, your father loved you more than anything in the world, that was no news to anyone atop the Xianzhou Luofu. You’ve always worn the most expensive silks to have ever been created, with the richest of accessories and jewels. Whenever a new Hanfu dress would reach your hands, he would parade you on the busiest streets himself, making sure everyone and their mothers would talk about it by noon the next day. 

He made sure you always had the most able and knowledgeable professors at your call, and if you ever needed anything, all you’d have to do is ask to whomever was closest to you at the very moment, and it would be fulfilled within seconds. Sometimes you didn’t know if the servants did it out of admiration for your father or obligation.

Jing Yuan made sure you never needed or wanted for more. Materially, that is. 

And things were bound to change as you grew, especially as he cruelly presented you to the scrutiny of high society. 

You quickly grew to understand that it was his way of apologising, like a crow that would chip away at your skin then bring you trinkets of appreciation. When you sat and listened to some woman criticise that your dress was too frivolous for the event, too out of fashion for society and that none of your jewels matched, he did not do much but smile and pat your shoulder. 

“Little [Y/n] will learn from your kind advice.” He assured her, but you barely held in a snort of frustration. When the other women joined in, when they begun pulling at your hair to adjust it, when they hit your hands with their fans as you purred tea for not angling your elbows right, when they shamed you as the hall hollered with laughter, he watched and smiled, so you took a deep breath and smiled back to everyone around you too.

Later that very evening he found you with tears running on your cheeks, a box of red and gold velvet in his hands. Your father did not speak, nor did he show much emotion on his face and it angered you. You wished to yell, to protest for the fact that he had not jumped to your defence, but as you opened the box, all protests died on your lips and the tears stilled, hands shaking at the most beautiful jade hair pin you’ve ever seen.

But his gifts stopped making up for his emotional absence around the third time it happened. 

And you knew they all watched you like a hawk. Every move you’d make before the higher ups would be analysed on a scale of “good enough” or “weak” by none other than your father’s so called friends, while every single gesture before the public was like pulling needles off your skin. Yesterday you wore your Hanfu scandalously low on your cleavage, today you didn’t say thank you when the guard accompanying you opened up your parasol, tomorrow you won’t hold your tea cup quite right and so on. 

Usually it was easy to ignore.

But that was before the daughters of the noblest of houses would begin to alienate you for shallow reasons, and before the sons of each commissioner would size you up as nothing but easy stock to win over, an easy marriage in the pocket, or so they thought. 

It was easy for them to have the audacity to criticise you to your face or try to win you over, after all, you were nothing but a spoiled brat who’s never heard no for as long as she’s lived. Surely, you’ve never faced a single hardship, so the public felt righteous enough to scold you into it while for those within you were noting but a charity case. 

So you tried to learn all you could, so you’d never feel as less in front of others ever again. Since the very evening of your debut, you insisted on having a book under your arm, a needle in your hand, a sword at your hip, or a qin in your lap while tea cups simmered on a table. It felt easier to overlook the loneliness when you did. You found that after a certain age, it felt comforting even to worry about making it in time to granny Hua’s qin lessons while leaving the swordplay hall behind, rather than sit pretty in a room and wait all day for your father to finish his duties as a general. There was no more room at social events for rude interventions, and no more room in your mid for uncomfortable questions to ask while doing so, really.  

But you couldn’t avoid them for an eternity, that was for sure. And neither could Jing Yuan, for even in tranquil moments when peace had the taste of green tea and the smell of fresh air after rain, your twinkling eyes were still a carbon copy of how hers were. 

In the better of these days, your father would pretend to laugh at a joke you made, while you pretended to be satisfied with his reaction. You’d move a piece on the xiangqi board with elegant hands and chatted about the latest passage you read in a philosophy book, and he hummed in agreement while placing his own piece down. A cleverly crafted strategy to his own defeat, one that you felt content with following despite the fragile shame that came with it. 

It was a play you both excelled at most, after all.

At the worst of it all, you can’t understand his harsh voice as he yells “That is enough, [Y/n]!” while slamming his tea cup on the table. The whole room would shake at his warning, but your hunger for answers was much stronger than any fear, so you really can’t understand his fury when you yell back “Father! It is not!” He look at you with sorrow in his heart and his eyes were twisted by a pain you’d never understand, as he could only see her in you. 

“I will not have this conversation with you!” He’d warn again, but you took it as an invitation to push even further. “I don’t know the first thing about my mother, Jing Yuan! Her name? Never heard of it. Her face? Never seen it. Do you not think it is cruel, father?” Hot tears streamed on your perfect porcelain cheeks, smearing the red eyeliner you had painted on. “No one ever speaks about her to me, everyone refuses to. But they all look at me like I’m some kind of…” Your voice trailed off with hard puffs and sobs. “Like I’m some kind of…” 

His own chest puffed and the sight of you felt like a stab to his heart. You couldn’t get your words out, you didn’t need to really. People constantly looked at you in one of two ways, no matter how perfectly you’ve learned to craft your smiles, or how good your tea brewing had became, you were either a charity case they’d pity, or a spoiled brat that knew none of what the real world would offer.

 But despite all of his anger, he was still your father, and as much as he loved to punish himself trough you, he still held back the need of snapping the heads off all of their shoulders. He would reach for the back of your neck with his hand, bringing you into his chest in a half hug. “You are enough. Never forget that.” He’d kiss the crown of your head and inhale the floral smell of your hair. It grounded him, even as you screamed into his chest and pushed him away, his grip stayed firm until you’d shed your last tear and you cried your last sob. 

Because despite of how much you hated to admit it, you were living and breathing for his approval, which you seemed to never ever gain.

Unbeknownst to you, everything about you was just like her. Your face, your hair, even the way you wore your Hanfu  a little out of place with the shawl falling all over the floor when you walked, or your mannerism as you spoke with a tiny accent on your tongue, it was all her and nothing of his except the mole under your left eye. You’ve never met her, he tried to reason. You’ve never seen her or heard of her deeds. Your mother has been an enigma to you ever since you could remember things, and yet the world punished him with her perfect copy in you when he tried to push her memory away the most. 

It felt bittersweet. To the outside eye, general Jing Yuan adored his daughter more than anything else in the world. But underneath the jewellery, there were unaddressed feelings, each pearl you wore for people on the Central Starskiff Heaven to see was a tear unshed, each new dress was a silent apology they’d never hear, each loving promenade you’d have with your father was there to hide for the public a question you asked when the cord was too tensed. One of these days it would snap in half, you were sure of it. 

So who could blame you when it all overflowed? When you could no longer smile in the face of those who envied you and when your father’s emotional absence felt like a hallow painting of what should have really been? When the dresses and the jewels weren’t smothering the pain any longer?

You felt it daily, building up, pressing down, tugging at your smiles until they became frowns and empty stares, and your ever growing depression was evident for anyone that roamed the gardens outside your window at night, as your qin carried into the world the saddest tune your heart feared to voice. And this time, not even a Hanfu made out of golden thread would ease your pain. 

“So, say you, general,” 

Your father hummed back to the woman before him as he placed his piece down on the board. Another noble nodded in agreement with his choice behind him. You saw them all from where you were sitting, fingers strumming the qin in a delicate tune for the whole room to enjoy, while gin purred from flasks and laughter echoed somewhere in the back. It wasn’t like you to agree partaking in parties like these, but how could you turn Jing Yuan down when he asked you to serenade him at the event?

“I would say you’d want to keep your daughter closest to you, am I not right?” The wicked tone in the noble’s voice made you shiver underneath the silver shawl that draped off your shoulders. “Quite so I fear, why is that?” 

“Well, I hoped to reach you when I first heard the news, but I was quite busy, yous see?” The woman, an esteemed elder of the Artisanship Commission, hid her face behind what was possibly the most obnoxious fan you’ve ever seen, and your fingers became stiff on the metal strings of your trusted instrument. “Pardon me?” The general stilled his movements on the xiangqi pieces while the chattering went quiet. Nothing but your trembling notes filled the air.

“You know, I wished to give you my deepest condolences the moment I heard. For your daughter’s… unfortunate situation, that is.” Confused, Jing Yuan tilts his head to where you stood, only to be met with the same questions on your face that you desperately tried to drown as you played your melody. He chuckled awkwardly, then, and returned his attention on the game. “I fear I don’t know what you’re going on about, ma’am.”

“Ah… You know, the fact that your daughter is unable to bear children has quite saddened us all. I was looking forward to sending my son as a potential suitor!” 

If eyes could kill, you would be sure that the place where the woman stood would have become scorched dust. An involuntary scoff left your lips loud enough to draw attention, but you pretended to be engrossed with tuning your qin before beginning to play another piece for the hall. 

“And where have you heard such news, I wonder?” But she held no fear in her eyes. 

“Well, for one, everyone in high society talks about it! You see, your daughter is already past the age of accepting suitors yet has never even been seen with a man, so people assume. That being said I personally was told so by a doctor that works under you, your grace.” 

‘Lies’, you told yourself, but it was not enough to cool the blush you had on your cheeks from embarrassment, no matter how much you have been shamed by the public eye, nothing could compare to this very moment now. 

“Is that so,” Your father trailed off, then placed his piece on the xiangqi board. “Well, from what I know, your son is welcome to send in his suitor application, for my daughter is more than healthy and cared for. In fact, now that I think about it,” But you didn’t wish to hear any more. 

With a sudden move, you jumped from your seat to your feet and rushed to gather the qin underneath its silk cloth. The commotion drew attention to you, and so murmurs begun filling your ears which only fed your ever growing shame. “Please excuse me.” You voiced as you bowed deeply to the room of lords and nobles, then picked up your instrument and hurried to the exit with a strained “Please enjoy the rest of your evening.” 

And you hoped that would be the last you’ve heard of it all, but as fate wanted it, that was far from how things would play. 

“Father! This is ridiculous!” You protested. For all reason and purposes, it really was. 

Not even a full day after what happened, he invited you to serve tea with him in the parlour. You found it odd, as he never requested your presence on Tuesday afternoons, but did not complain as you stepped into the room with haste. 

He took his time finding the courage to face you, and when he understood he would not be able to deliver the news to you with a straight face, he pushed a stack of paper to you without even meeting your eyes. There, in red ink, was your fate sealed by a simple signature. An agreement that had been made without your knowledge or permission, and a wound that would become the reason for the demise of cord that held your family together.

Marriage certificate. 

No one knows what was truly discussed that night in the evening, but what was known was that you’ve fled with tears in your eyes and anger on your face. And for better or for worse, that would become the last time anyone on the Xianzhou Luofu had seen you under the identity of the general’s daughter, for you found no more room in your heart for the pain that followed with it.

“You know, when you put it like that, I do think that green works best with coral!” March eagerly nodded her head, while Dan Heng took his time analysing Himeko’s theory. You and welt only listened to the conversation with one ear, while the other was being filled with questions over questions from Stelle. 

“I don’t believe that’s a wise move.” You chirped as Welt placed the piece down, and you followed with a quick movement that gained you his general. He groaned and pushed his glasses up away while massaging the bridge of his nose. Stelle wowed and wood at your victory, and March leaned from her seat across the express’ parlour with a “really?” look in her eyes. 

“You lost again, M. Yang?” 

“I swear I’m good at this game.” And you chuckled while placing the pieces back into their pouch. “Used is a keyword.” March continued to tease while everyone watched your movements, which, weirdly, felt more calming than before your time on the express. In truth, it was because they never snickered underneath their palms and never cherry picked your posture until you’d get it wrong. 

That being said, you could only care for one person’s eyes alone, and his stare felt like electricity on the back of your neck. 

“How did you learn to play like this, anyways? You’re like a mad genius at these.” Stelle intervened, and you couldn’t help but shiver as your father’s knowing eyes came into your mind. “Ah…” was all that escaped your lips, before you cured your pained expression in a calm and lovely smile. “My father taught me how to play. He always made it so I would win, though. Therefore, for the longest time I believed I was quite bad at it too.” 

Your voice felt like crystal in the quiet room, so quiet and soft to the ear that it was more akin to a melody than a spoken sentence. You never truly talked about your home, never about your family of your past, which is exactly why your friends turned to you with a cocktail of shocked expressions. Despite how polite and proper you always were, whenever someone asked about it, you would have the coldest glare thrown their way, sure, involuntarily, but scary nonetheless, and with time the crew learned to not ask about a past you so much wished to hide.

Despite that, they never judged you for any of it, not even when your friendship has been tried over and over by your cold heart. You were never outright rude per se, but distant hit the nail in the head best. When Himeko would extend an invitation to a “coffee party” for the crew as an example, you refused with a polite smile that felt ripped out of etiquette teaching picture books, saying you prefer tea instead. 

She feared you’d be left out, you feared being the centre of attention. 

“I believe I’ll head in for the day.” You spoke after finishing to arrange the xiangqi pieces on the board. March left out an “Oh…” and you could hear the sad face in her voice. Amongst the others, she was the saddest when you chose to sit the Xianzhou Luofu out, as ever since your addition to the crew, you never turned down an adventure. You explained that your bones hurt from the cold of Jarilo-VI and that you needed a rest, and with Stelle at their side, you were sure they would have no problems getting trough this one trail-blazing adventure. Sure, it was a bit of a shock for Himeko and Welt, but to March? It was a tragedy. Her new bestie leaving her behind? She swore the world would end.

“Please, have a safe journey and a swift return.” 

You nodded your head their way before picking up the xiangqi game and reaching for the door. Your fingers grazed the digital pad just in time to hear Dan Heng’s voice behind you. “I will do the same, didn’t quite finish storing the data bank after Jarilo-VI.” 

And so you ended up side by side, walking trough the corridors of the Express. However, as you stepped past his make-shift room, you found his steps synced with yours still and, confused, you turned to face him and painted one of your signature smiles. Fake but pretty all the same. 

“Can I help you, Dan Heng?”

It was exactly that cold yet perfect, more-like-a-painting-than-an-actual-human attitude that made Dan Heng distrust you from the moment you stepped on the Express. You left everything to speculation in a way in which even your clothes were a mass of black and colourless, without any culture behind or any story at all to tell. Always in a bland attire with no accessories at all. March made fun of you for being so tasteless, but he saw past the appearance.  He saw past the way you acted and into the way you wilded your swords like cranes flying in the wind, the way you prepared and steeped tea, and the way you handled xiangqi and go pieces like a native only could.

He peered into your eyes in a way that made you unravel before him without a single word, and he knew it was to hide a side of you that you’ve hidden deeply to the rest. But not quite to him.

And while he was trying to get over a sense of danger in you, fed by your secrecy, you found peace in his presence. Unbeknownst  to him, he was the one thing that reminded you of home and the good in it despite it all. If your memories were filled with torment and loneliness, he was the smell of freshly baked red bean sticky rice cakes in the market, or the sound of wind chimes in the summer rain. He was all of the little things you wanted to push away but found comfort in, and you didn’t know if you loved it or hated him for it.

“Yes, actually.” He nodded. “I find I can’t sleep as of late and I wanted to try one of your calming brews.” You frowned at his words but gave in without asking much, which he greatly appreciated. “Very well, please join me for some tea tonight, then.” And silence settled between you two as you lead him to your cabin with unease rolling off your shoulders. 

Your room was much like your clothes. Simple and colourless besides the coffer next to your bed, which was unmistakably made with the mastery of a Xianzhou artisanship. But if he noticed it, he didn’t speak on it at all, nor about the low table in the middle of the room that was in the same style, or… well really about anything. You appreciated that most. Even when you settled on the table a traditional set of cups, a clear tea spreading the most enchanting and calming aroma from them, he did not speak a single word.

As he drank, his eyes rested on your covered qin that sat atop your bed, and he did not need to speak for you to understand his intentions. You sat down quietly on the covers, revealing the  simple instrument like a truth you’d usually hide from. And he couldn’t help but watch you with sadness in his heart as you tuned the strings with shaky hands ‘till crystal clear notes echoed trough the room. 

You took a heavy inhale and looked upon the dark ebony wood as if greeting an old friend before propping it on your lap, but couldn’t handle to meet Dan Heng’s eyes. At least not when he stared at you as if he knew every single secret you feared to tell. 

As you raised your hands in the air, getting ready to pull at the string, his own palm engulfed your exposed skin in an unspoken plea, and you couldn’t help but give into his warmth. He pulled gently until your face was buried into his shoulder and his other arm was in your hair, and you didn’t even notice it when silent tears begun to stain the fabric of his coat. He didn’t protest nor ever addressed it, and you preferred the feeling of his body against yours to the coldness of his eyes on a normal day. 

As such, you spent the evening together afterwords. Him silently sipping on the calming tea as the sorrowful yet comforting sound of the qin filled your bedroom, until there were no more tears to shed and the pot on the table had gone cold. 

No one wanted to admit it, but it had to be said. Something changed between you and Dan Heng from then on and the first one to notice it was none other than March. 

They were getting ready to leave the express when she stated it for the whole crew to hear. 

“Is it me or are the two of you like, in love or something now?” She arched one of her eyebrows while her lips rested in a scowl. Now, don’t get her wrong she was more than happy for you two if it was the case, but what she could not stand for was the two of you ditching the adventure to enjoy a date over tea and qin music again. 

“March, what kind of nonsense are you onto again?” You huffed with cherry red ears, while Dan Heng choked on the water he was previously drinking. All she could do was wave her hand while saying “yeah yeah,” over and over with a bored face before they set out on their way, but not before Welt pinned the two of you down with a knowing look.

The express stilled with their absence, reinforced by Pom-Pom who claimed to have some cleaning to do somewhere in the Express and Himeko who had some paperwork to finish. The parlour felt almost empty, despite Dan Heng’s presence right next to you. He still held his fist over his mouth as if preparing to cough, cheeks dusted pink and eyes on the starry sky before you, but he didn’t say a word about what happened. And something in you told you to follow his lead. 

You ate quietly at the sticky rice cake you tried your hand baking, and although the taste was very different from what you remembered, it was still as good as ever. With a tissue all crumpled up in your hand, you resulted to watching the sky along side your new friend, eyeing the stars one by one as they passed by. Yet you found your eyes sliding lower and lower from the window to the man before you, who you found already watching you with wide eyes. As if caught in headlights, he stammered out an incoherent string of words but did not move his gaze, not even as his body leaned to yours until his hand grazed your chin. 

You shuddered at his icy touch, but did not dare to move, not even as his fingertips reached for your lips. He gently wiped your lips then brought his thumb to his own mouth, licking off the excess red bean cream from the cake, and you were absolutely sure your face would explode from how hot it get in that very moment. “You had a bit,” He started, but his mouth closed shut when he noticed the dazed stare in your eyes. “Oh aeons, I didn’t make you uncomfortable, did I?” His voice shook and his own ears turned scarlet red, only now realising what he has done. You shook your head, head turning  so you could focus on the floor as if the tiles below your feet were now the best sight you have ever seen. “Ah, not at all! I was just surprised, ‘tis all.” Your sweaty palm gripped the tissue tighter. “Would you like some?” And Dan Heng looked at the half eaten cake you extended to him with an expression you’ve ever seen him give March or Stelle. He stared at the cake in his hands with a wholehearted fondness. “Yeah.” Was all he could manage to whisper back.

And somewhere in the back, you swore you heard Himeko giggle to herself. 

The same evening, you would hear three soft knocks on your door in the dead of night. There, in the hallway, with a sweat filled forehead and uneasy complexion, stood Dan Heng, and you would be a fool not to extend a hand to him when he begged for help with his tired eyes. 

“Quit hiding!” The criminal’s voice rang trough your head like a broken mantra. “Your true form… reveal it!” Dan Heng did his best to dodge the maniac attacks, all while you and Yanqing stood in an awkward stalemate in the middle of the platform.

Your blade screeched against Yanqing’s, but it was like fighting fire with fire, simply useless. No matter how lowkey you’ve been upon reaching the Xianzhou, he needed one singular look to know exactly who you were, even underneath the mask that covered the lower half of your face.

“You, little..” You trailed off with effort. Despite his usual sense of justice, that you’ve always commanded, his attacks felt awfully biased as he strikes your blade repeatedly with his icy ones. His technique felt as familiar as home did, her teaching seeping in his bones trough and trough, but so did  your father’s into yours, which you’ve had much more time to perfect than the little lapdog did. 

“Move, you idiot!” And with one harsh push of your blade, the young boy was off his feet, giving you enough time to reach Blade before he could get any damage done on Dan Heng. You yelled with each strike you struggled to par, until his crazy red eyes widened in glee and his sword flew from his hands and right by your chin. The sound of your friend’s cry in agony and the blade tearing trough skin and bone made you pause, and horror struck you as you refused to turn around and to even acknowledge what had happened. “You!” Was all you could let out, sword still pointed straight to Blade’s neck.

“I have news for you.” He laughed, and you took a step back. You would lie if you said your insides didn’t churn with fear, even as he was left completely disarmed before you.

“Behind you… Is none other,” The sound of water engulfed your ears as your head snapped back. “Than the traitor of the Xianzhou. A criminal, forever banished!” Your eyes widened as the barrier around Dan Heng rippled, leaving a water-made dragon to escape with rage all over its face. It roared and turned in the air, coiling until it fell right back to where it came from, and when light and wind filled the platform, you couldn’t help but shield your form with your arms. 

“The High Elder of the Vidyadhara… Imbibitor Lunae.” 

The hold on your sword weakened. You shuddered as the man you grew so attached to revealed himself before you in a form you’ve recognised from your father’s tales. Long silky hair and cold green eyes, horns and tail and lotus flowers and everything that made the Vidyadhara so revered. You could hardly believe your eyes. With a weak step forward, you pulled at the mask to reveal your strained expression, sword falling to your side numbly. 

“You really believed that the Stellaron Hunters were the only ones to infiltrate the Xianzhou?” 

Cold air begun pulling at your hair, and you shook off your stupor when Yanqing begun summoning his ice swords. Your body acted before your mind did at the new threat and your sword was back up within seconds, posture ready for a clash. 

“A wanted criminal, a banished person and a deserter. In this case, I will bring all three of you to justice!” 

The fight ended before it could even begin properly. Yanqing was strong, but Jingliu’s teaching could only get him so far against the three of you. Blade begun striking without mercy, taunting you and Dan Heng for holding back. “What’s wrong, your grace? Scared to harm the boy?” The criminal laughed as you sent only one out of the spirit swords you summoned towards Yanqing. Flashes of electricity begun shining trough your hair with anger, but you couldn’t bring yourself to do more. Not  even when Dan Heng delivered the final strike with a silent apology. 

Yanqing’s knees begun to buckle just as Kafka yelled “All of you, listen to me - stop!” 

You couldn’t help but stumble back, swords falling out of existence as Dan Heng’s feet stepped back on the floor and Blade’s weapon vanished before your eyes. “Well, Bladie? Are you satisfied?” She mused and he only hummed in response. 

“…What did you do?” Dan Heng called after a moment of silence. “Just clearing the stage for the grand entrance. Can’t have the four of you misbehaving in front of the Luofu’s hotshot general.” Your shoulders stiffened as a familiar laughter filled the platform. All heads turned towards the sight, yet you stayed rooted on your feet, back turned and head shaking in denial. “No, not like this.” You whispered. 

“Jing Yuan,” Blade huffed. “General!” Yanqing followed. 

The man stared at the sighed before him with a knowing smile just as you got the courage to turn and face him. If he felt anything upon the sight of you, he did not show it. “Many years have passed since the three of you have departed the Xianzhou, and yet the circumstances of your return appear to be equally unhappy. If you still thought of me as a friend,” His eyes went straight to yours, unspoken words weighting you down as you found it harder and harder to breathe. ‘As family’ was what he wished to say, yet he held back. “You should’ve forewarned me.” 

“My task is complete.” Was all the blade said. “Mhm. That it is.” Your father laughed in return. “Thank you for assisting the Xianzhou in this small matter. Take this person away, I will pretend I didn’t see anything this time.” He stated harshly despite Yanqing’s protest. Jing Yuan then stared at Dan Heng as the two Stellaron Hunters made their way to the boat at the edge of the platform. “It has been a long time, old friend.” But your friend answered harshly. “I’m not him.” 

“Mh. I’m sorry. You cannot leave yet, however. Your astral express friends are still waiting for you in Scalegorge Waterscape. Shall we go and see them together? And you…” The moment you have been trying to prepare yourself for most had arrived, and your father’s smile died on his lips as his eyes analysed your face. 

“I missed you terribly, my sweet flower.” Dan Heng stiffened next to you, but his hand fingertips grazed yours in protectiveness, to which you could only respond by accepting his palm into yours. The familiar nickname brought tears into your eyes, and despite the coldness of his face, your father’s voice felt like a familiar little tune you new by heart. Like a warm hug when you needed it most. How you wished you could’ve just forgotten it all and jumped into his chest, just like how you did when you were nothing but a sprout on two legs. 

“That being said, we will continue this conversation later. I’m afraid your friends might be in trouble, you see.”

You didn’t know how time had passed so fast, more like a blur than anything, truthfully. Your eyes were opened wide on the platform between the Xianzhou and Scalegorge Waterscape, blade in hand and senses aware as you parred each of the attacks your way. Then you blinked, and when you reopened them, a familiar sight greeted you. 

Three cups of steaming green tea on a low rise table, a board of xiangqi and pieces of go scattered all over the table. A sacred silence engulfed the room, besides the occasional sound of the chess pieces falling into place, and none of you could bring yourselves to shatter it just yet. 

Dan Heng watched you play with patience while occasionally bringing the cup to his lips, now back into the form you grew so familiar with. You hated to admit it, but his presence comforted you. It gave you the strength to hold yourself together in a situation in which you would have certainly shattered if alone, and your father’s keen eye did not glass over that fact. 

You sighed peacefully when your chariot was finally occupied in the middle of the palace, on your father’s side, in a perfect centroid checkmate. The man before you leaned back and sighed, a puzzled expression on his face. “You just had to go and get better than me at this game, did you not?” But you didn’t answer. You still didn’t know what to say, really. Were you feeling guilty for deserting your spot as a cloud knight? For leaving your father behind? Or for bailing on your responsibilities as his daughter? Well, no not quite, so apologising for it felt…strained and forced. But one thing felt real as your eyes met his and Dan Heng’s hand reached for yours across the table. You missed him terribly just as much. 

“Every single day that passes shapes you more and more like her.” He added. “I wish you could’ve been by my side for them all.” 

“Jing Yuan…” You whispered back, but he didn’t let you finish. “If your mother was here with us today, I assure you, my sweet flower, that things would have been so different.” For a moment, you could hear nothing but your heart beating against your chest.

“You are just like her. And I truly mean it. Your face, your personality, darn it all even the way you speak. And, as your father, I wish I could’ve offered you a better life.” 

“You did all you could.” Funny how even now, you were the one to reach with a warm heart, how you were the one to comfort and forgive, even when his heart couldn’t yield. 

“Not quite. I was foolish and believed that a firm hand would prepare you for the cruelty of the world. I failed to see, no. I failed to change when I saw that it was harming you more than anything.” You let out a sigh you’ve held in for a very long time and closed your eyes, a last attempt at holding in the tears you wished so disparately to shed. 

“I love you, father. Nothing will ever change that. However,” Despite how your hand shook in Dan Heng’s, your voice stood firm, and as you opened your eyes, both men shivered at their determination. “An apology, no matter how needed, will never make up for what has been. If this is your way of asking me to stay, I fear I’ve made my choice.” 

But his ever knowing smile was back on his lips, and his laughter caught you off guard. Your fingers tightened on Dan Heng’s fingertips, who had stayed quiet as you and your father voiced what both of you ever feared to before. 

“You see, that was not my intention. That being said, if you ever did wish to return, there will always be room for you into my arms, my darling flower.” And you only nodded back, lips slightly parted in surprise. 

“We should head out.” Dan Heng whispered to you after the tea had been finished and the conversation ended. He tapped the skin of your palm with gentle fingers, a quiet way of asking for your attention. His eyes were stricken with tiredness, and you doubted that yours were any better, excusing the puffiness brought by your tears. 

“Ah yes, I forgot!” The general mused. “There is no need to return to that hotel for the night. I asked for your room to be prepared, for you and your lover here. So you could rest comfortably before leaving.” The moment could be best described by a broken record being pulled abruptly from its recorder and screeching in your head. You eyed Dan Heng who refused to meet your gaze and who’s ears became scarlet red once more. “Father!” You protested. “He- He’s not-”

“Save it, [Y/n]. At least invite me if you do ever get married.” 

“Dad!” Shame engulfed you as you pushed Dan Heng out of the room all while the sound of Jing Yuan’s laughter taunted you from behind the doors of the seat of Devine Foresight. You couldn’t help but whisper muffled apologies into your hand that tried to shield your burning face from anyone that would watch, which in truth was as effective as searching for a needle in a haystack. 

What you didn’t expect was for Dan Heng’s hand to find yours and move it away, revealing cherry red cheeks that matched his own. He cleared his voice before leaning in just enough for his breath to fan over your ear as your back met the closed doors behind you. “I would not mind if I was.” He whispered before his velvet soft lips rested against the exposed skin of the back of your palm. You were sure your knees would’ve given in if it wasn’t for his arm that hooked around your waist, bringing you so close to him you shuddered. 

“I really would not mind it.” 

Later that evening, as his teeth grazed your exposed skin before kissing it with sweet words of praise, as your hands intertwined and your bodies became one under the silk sheets of your bed, you could tell that your heart began singing a familiar tune. With each kiss from Dan Heng’s, a new feeling invaded your senses. You were home. Here with him, in this very moment. You were home in his arms. 

And you wouldn’t changed it for anything else. 

Yes, not even as March yells “I fucking knew it!” the next morning, for the whole of Xianzhou Luofu to hear, upon seeing your neck caked in love marks you had no means of hiding and your hand held tightly by Dan Heng, who only smiled back to everyone as you buried your face into his chest with shame.