#himeko's coffee

[nomohmoss]

coffee so strong it can beat you in a fistfight

[binkybuzz]

BLACK SLUDGE????

[xierru]

the astral express's limited edition crew mochis!!

[spirit-lanterns]

"Maybe she’s really good at making coffee for you too"

keyword: maybe. her ass is NOT making good coffee😭😭 ik cuz the only people who can canonically drink her coffee are pela and dan heng

but himeko is hot so i'll drink her milk instead😋😋 (love how the fanfic fandom agreed himeko's tiddy milk would be scrumptious)

-🐆anon from ur genshin blog

Himeko has tiddy milk even as an android? 🤭

I mean, with a few adjustments to her programming and structure, the Engineer can definitely give her a lactation feature! If the Engineer is ever feeling restless and needs a quick break from her work, she’ll just spin around, ask Himeko to peel down her dress, and then latch her lips onto her boobs and suckle the milk right out.

It certainly helps to de-stress after a particularly hard day of fixing. Himeko certainly enjoys it <3

[melodic-haze]

want Himeko x Male reader, groping her chest ending up having sex😞

☆ — DEMO TRACK: bottom!Himeko x top!amab!Reader

☆ — TYPE: NSFW

☆ — CONTENT WARNINGS: Reader with a dick :3, cum eating? Cuz ik some people aren't into it

☆ — NOTES: At the end of the day it's essentially semantics when it comes to writing in 2nd person (you/your instead of gendered pronouns) but I don't do male reader content sorry 😞. Most I can do for you is amab but otherwise I write gn or fem 🤷‍♀️ I'll still do this though bc this is silly :3

It was essentially rest day for the Express, hooray!! Pom-Pom's navigating the train to your next destination so the Nameless actually get time off for once

You're spending it wisely by relaxing in Himeko's room and breathing in that rich smell of coffee in the air from all her daily brewing, the both of you out of your usual outdoor attire and in some looser, comfortable wear. You swear that you originally didn't mean to have things escalate beyond cuddling her as she read a new book she bought from the last location, though

Or maybe you did 🤷‍♀️ the universe may never know.......

It's just that....just laying there? Like okay sure you get time off which is GREAT you're not whining about that but like........there's nothing to do. You can't really help it when your hands just idly wander around here and there, exploring her body for something to do......

"Ah--"

You don't stop your minstrations on her chest, though you do look up at her face with a slight smirk, "Something wrong, Himeko?"

She looked down at you, eyebrows raised in a mix of amusement and a struggle to keep her composure, "Oh, no, nothing. I would like to ask of what you're doing, though."

..Your smug look is no more, easily replaced by a much goofier grin, "I'm exploring as a Trailblazer."

She snorts lightly, amusement growing at your little jest, "A Nameless' work is never done?"

"Absolutely not."

"Well, then, it would be remiss of me, to stop you from doing what you do best." She presses a kiss on the top of your head, "Go ahead. Though remember to.. use the resources you have around you."

"Mmhm." And you lift your head to gently bite on the bone of her collar, "I'll do you proud, trust me."

You continue your work on her tits as she resumes her reading (or at least tries to). At first you squeeze them gently, seemingly curious of the initial reactions you get an my GOD even as you're just starting, her reactions do NOT disappoint

I wouldn't be surprised if Himeko's REALLY sensitive to having her boobs played with just sayingggg❗️❗️ The effect's worse on her in this situation bc she hasn't got a bra on—why would she need it when neither of you are going anywhere? She's probably wearing like a thin button-up w panties on and that's it. Easy access for both you AND her, really, cuz MAN is everything else restricting 😞 so likeeee just hold her tits for her instead 🥰

At some point you can hear her breathing pattern quicken as you feel her slowly grinding on your thigh. She's letting out these noises that sound so unbelievably obscene, coming from the ever-so-composed woman that you're holding onto. Of COURSE you want more????? Wth I sure do!!!!!

She ends up dropping the book to the side, probably on the floor somewhere (she'll definitely lament ab it later but rn it's the least of her worries), and she hastily tries to unbutton her shirt bc "it's way too hot in here" even though she's fooling NOBODY when she takes one of your hands and puts it on her now-naked chest

PAY EXTRA ATTENTION TO HER NIPPLES OH MY GOD squeeze them, flick them, lick them and suck them just PLEASE it'll drive her absolutely fucking CRAZY

Oh and if you think you're doing all the work??? Oh please she wouldn't leave you high and dry like that, she wouldn't be Himeko if she did!!!!! Her hand would be wandering down until she's able to palm your dick through the fabric of your clothes before actually taking it out and servicing you the best she can

It doesn't really take long for things to escalate further—you're as hard as a rock, she's wet from your constant fondling, both of you are practically aching to feel connected......so that's what you do

You climb onto her as she takes off her panties, guiding your cock onto her slit before pushing yourself in, and the moan she lets out is loud. It's like her sensitivity's even more heightened compared to your usual sessions, and all you did was play with her tits relentlessly

Speaking of, do NOT stop playing with them bc I guarantee you she'll be reacting even more than usual: it feels so fucking good to her that her insides are practically clamping onto your dick as you fuck her. Bonus if you duck down to suck on them and bite her mounds, switching between them as you squeeze and play with the other one, all while pistoning her (god help you if you don't know how to multitask (jokes she'll follow whatever pace you set))

And as tempting as it is to cum inside her when you feel like you're about to explode, trust me when I say if you pull out and cum on her chest instead it'll be SO very worth it. Cover her tits, give a classy woman a pearl necklace

She'll be left at her peak, only for her to stay there bc of the lack of release. She ends up playing with herself, both her chest and her her clit, to satisfy herself even though it's not enough—by GOD it could never be enough.. but the sight she sees as she looks down at her cum-covered mounds definitely has her going even more

You watch on at the show Himeko was essentially giving you, entranced at how her hands squeezed her own chest and played with her own nipples. Her golden eyes, usually so vigilant, seem to be clouded out and dazed as if she were in a trance.

And perhaps she was, with the way her fingers went to scoop up the ivory cum that covered soft skin before putting it in her mouth and licking it up until her digits are all clean. Without skipping a beat, she does it again, except this time her covered fingers easily slip deep into her cunt briefly before she retracts them.. though not fully, as she spreads her wet folds open for you to bare witness to.

"I don't need to beg, do I?" She asks, despite her expression showing that she's well on her way towards becoming completely dumb for you, "Why, mm.. why don't you explore even deeper?"

When you start up all over again, it's VERY clear that neither of you are going to be done for a good while. Neither of you would have it any other way (more like don't complain bc it's your fault you have her all riled up like this 🤷‍♀️🤷‍♀️)

Safe to say you found something to do.......and that everyone else will probably give you shit about the noise in the morning LMAOOOOOOO

[nyamcattt]

HSR doodles ft. kafhime of course

[cloud-ya]

why using satellite laser cannon when you can be your own satellite laser canon

[feroluce]

For reasons to be expanded upon at a later date (because I love the little bits about Boothill and possible paranoia/betrayal canon gives us so very dearly HNGH) I think Boothill like... He won't let himself fall into disrepair or anything of course, but he reeeeeeeeeeally does not like letting other people poke around at his body. It's a necessary evil to him. He does whatever maintenance and repairs he can himself. He started out with a massive knowledge deficit, simply because he didn't really have any exposure to that kind of technology until he left Aeragan-Epharshal, but he's taught himself a lot since then, he worked really hard at it!

Anyway, the point being, Boothill generally isn't super trusting of people.

But I think he would come to make an exception for Himeko, since he trusts Dan Heng a lot, and Himeko is one of Dan Heng's once-in-a-lifetime dearly beloved companions.

Himeko is so unflappable, I don't think she would even bat an eye about anything he throws at her, either. Like she enters the Parlor Car one morning (she's always the first one up) and Boothill is already there, waiting for her.

"Mornin', Madam Navigator."

"Good morning, Mr. Boothill."

And despite the fact that he blatantly broke into the Express (Pom-Pom is NOT happy about this JDKSAJDSKL), Boothill tips his hat, greets her politely, and is nothing but respectful when he says he has a favor to ask of her. Except it won't stay a favor long, of course- he has every intention of paying it back.

Himeko never agrees to things blindly, but she does bring up that all the knowledge Boothill contributed during the Charmony Festival was essential to preventing the universe from being pulled into Ena's Dream. And they were able to hold onto the Jade Abacus because Boothill used Tiernan's burial relic to summon the Galaxy Rangers instead. The Astral Express owes him a debt of gratitude, and besides, he's a friend of Dan Heng's. Of course she'll try to help him.

Boothill fidgets a bit, quickly brushes off the thanks, and tells Himeko he's having a problem with error codes. He keeps getting the same one, seemingly at random times, but the darn thing has no obvious cause. Dan Heng mentioned Himeko had been the one to rebuild the Astral Express. He knows it ain't the same, but it's not like he's askin' for any major repairs or nothin'. He was wonderin' if she could just take a look, maybe offer him some insight, since she seems to be somethin' of a mechanical wonder.

So Himeko walks him back to a another car, where she goes to tinker with machines without them crowding her bedroom. It's all neatly laid out and organized, and it only takes a second for Himeko to locate some specific device with a long cord. Instead of plugging it in herself, she holds the end of it out to him, like an offer rather than a demand, and Boothill visibly relaxes a bit. He still eyes it just a little warily for a second, but he accepts and plugs it into the port on his side.

Himeko pulls up the list of all recent errors, and they really are all the same. Boothill has had multiple temperature alarms over the past couple of weeks since the Charmony Festival, and they know it's not the environment, because Penacony is mostly dreamscape and kept mild year-round. The long-forgotten natural deserts are too far away.

Boothill is staring from the corner of his one good eye, so Himeko turns the hologram to let him see what she's doing easier. They don't appear to be false alarms. His internal temperature spikes and then slowly lowers again, high enough that if it lasted it would eventually cause damage.

One option is for her to start rooting through personal data, figuring out what he was doing at the time of each code, and tracing cause and correlation.

Instead, Himeko reads out the timestamps, and asks Boothill if he minds sharing what was happening around him when it occured.

Two weeks ago: He and Dan Heng went to explore Dreamflux Reef and found a bar- nice place, good atmosphere. Woman runnin’ it was a doll. Boothill left fer not even two minutes to get them drinks (Dan Heng knows like nothin’ about liquor, Madam Navigator, can you believe this guy) and when he came back, someone had already stolen his seat and was hittin’ on Dan Heng! Dan Heng didn't even care, just shooed ‘em off. Boothill laughed and said not to let him get in his way if he wanted to meet someone. Dan Heng looked at him like he'd grown a second head. Why would he want to leave with someone else, when he came here to be with Boothill?

Twelve days ago: While laying low- er, just rustlin’ up some grub- in the Moment of Blue, Boothill passed Dan Heng with March and Caelus playin’ on the beach, buildin’ sandcastles and the like. When he passed by again almost two hours later, they were still out there, with Dan Heng pullin’ March through the water on her inner tube and Caelus hangin’ off the back of it. He swam so fast! You'd think he was part water snake or somethin’. He looked happier ‘n a cat in a sunbeam… He has a nice smile, doesn't he?

Eleven days ago: Boothill was killin’ time in Dreamflux Reef when he turned the corner down a shady alley and saw Dan Heng, surrounded by three men demandin’ “protection money.” None of ‘em stood a chance, they were all on the ground before Boothill even blinked! So cool! Boothill wants to see that spear of his closeup- Anyway, Dan Heng stepped on one of ‘em on his way out, hahaha! Boothill stepped on the same guy a second time as he hurried to catch up.

Eight days ago: Here on the Express, actually. Boothill had mentioned bein’ curious about the archives, and Dan Heng personally invited him.

(“I remember that day, I saw you in the hall.” “Was there any problem with the heating that day?” “No, none. I don't think the temperature has anything to do with these error codes. I have a different theory, keep going.” “If ya say so.”)

Boothill was fascinated by an entry on aeons, and from a single question he asked about Lan, the two of ‘em ended up talkin’ fer hours. About aeons and Paths and Emanators, Acheron and Self-Annihilators, the Sea of Nihility, Tiernan, the Nameless and the Galaxy Rangers, their burial relics and their customs. Dan Heng finally just started writin’ and editin’ the entries in real time, with Boothill pointin’ things out and tellin’ him what to add in. They were at it so late that Boothill ended up sleepin' on a couch in one of the cars.

He'd figured there had to be something to make Dan Heng chatty- he'd caught just a glimpse of it that first night they met, sittin’ at the bar in the Reverie together. He'll have to ask about the archives more often, if it gets him all revved up like that.

One week ago: After that night of energetic discussion, Dan Heng was apparently hyped up, because after he'd downed some of Himeko's coffee (“You had some too, right? What did you think of it?” “It was great, even better'n chewin’ bullets!” "Thank you! That was my newest brew, I can't wait for everyone else to try it.") he actually asked Boothill to go hunting with him. Boothill asked who their target was, and was surprised when Dan Heng pulled out photos that looked like they were from March's camera, of all things, instead of a bounty or wanted poster.

And as he sat there, studying these pictures, Dan Heng explained that he wanted to hunt down these specific memory zone memes to record them into the archives. Planets with so much memoria are a rarity, especially with the Stellaron's activity thrown into the mix, which has surely affected the local “wildlife.” He might not get another opportunity like this for a long time. And Boothill had talked last night about his extensive expertise in tracking and hunting, so he should have plenty to offer here, Dan Heng would like to learn from his experience and see how he does things!

And oh, Madam Navigator, by the time Dan Heng was done speakin', his eyes were practically sparklin'! Just lit up like the sun! Boothill could scarcely believe it! The two of them couldn't even wait another day, they set out that very morning. It had been a long, long while since Boothill had tracked someone- er, somethin’- without the intent to capture or kill. It was…actually really nice. Nostalgic, but in a good way. It might even have been his favorite day on Penacony…so…far…

Boothill trails off as a couple of realizations crash into him. All the temperature alarms he's spoken about thus far- they've all happened in the company of Dan Heng. And now that he's thinking about it, he's pretty sure even the ones he hasn't yet talked about were with him, too. Dan Heng has been responsible for all of his error codes, every. single. one.

The screen in front of Himeko suddenly refreshes to the top of the list, displaying a new notification for the current time. Alert! Core temperature above normal range.

Himeko's knowing smile is sly as a snake.

Wwwwwelp, would ya look at the time, Boothill has some errands to meet, people to run, y’know how it is, he should really get goin'-

“Oh, Mr. Boothill? About that favor.” And Boothill jolts to a stop in the doorway because fudge, he can't just leave without hearing her out. He'd given his word. He has no problem running out on someone he thinks deserves it, but Himeko really had been kind to him to try and help him out. Her voice is just as knowing as her smile, Boothill can't turn around to look at her, or else he knows he won't be able to disguise the sound of his cooling fans kicking on.

“Don't make Dan Heng wait too long, ok~?”

“Y-Yes, ma'am.”

[salty-dracon]

Astral Express Sunday thoughts, bonding with the trio:

Sunday and March's friendship is surprisingly wholesome once they get the formalities out of the way. She's a cute girl who loves all sorts of girly things (just like his sister) and she needs someone to practice her manicure skills on. Sunday himself has some nail painting skills, having used them to entertain Robin in her youth.

There have been at least a couple of incidents now where Himeko opens the door to March's room and finds March and Sunday doing each other's hair, painting each others' nails, or just chatting together. March really does remind him of Robin before she became a star- she has many little dreams and is always full of smiles, but hidden behind her laughter and joy is the darkness of the void. Does she know? Sunday wonders, having seen what was inside her mind. But March's next quips break him out of his stupor, and he goes back to chatting with her.

Caelus and Stelle seem okay with Sunday's presence- in a sardonic sort of way. Actually, it's more accurate to say they've been testing him ever since he got here. One time, Stelle dared him to drink a whole cup of Himeko's coffee. Another time, Caelus dragged him to Jarilo-VI and tried to enter him in a cage match under the name "Cold Dragon Youngest Junior". Another time, the twins brought him to the Luofu and challenged him to a soda-based Russian Roulette. Somehow, their crazy ideas never end.

In fact, over time, they become more pleasant. The twins convince Arlan to take the group on a tour of Herta Space Station, pointing out all of their favorite curios and introducing him to Ruan Mei's little dumpling dogs and cat cakes. They order massive platters of food from every locale they can think of, encouraging him to try a bite of everything. And of course, the siblings love to swing their bats at anything bigger than them, and he finds great joy in lending them his power. They really are like animals, Sunday thinks, watching them try to tag-team a Warp Trotter and fail spectacularly. Adorable little bundles of chaos.

There's something weird about Dan Heng when Sunday first spends a night in the Express. His unwavering eyes watch him closely, hunting for any semblance of betrayal. His offers to use his Harmony powers during missions are quickly shot down, and his suggestions to split up with the others during particularly time-sensitive conflicts are denied. Sunday eventually realizes what the issue is- a lack of trust. And who would trust him, after what he did to Dan Heng's closest friends? So Sunday spends a week proving himself. He offers to make coffee and tea for Himeko and Welt, and chats with them openly about his thoughts. He battles earnestly alongside the group, without using too many underhanded tactics such as the Harmony's brand. When Pom-Pom needs someone to help mop up the floors, he's the first to volunteer. He spends time with March and the twins, and even chats about literature and the archives with Dan Heng, who appreciates that they share an interest in books. In time, they grow accustomed to each other.

When two pairs of hands are needed to deal with the antics the rest of the crew causes, Dan Heng goes to Sunday before anyone else. More than once, Sunday has been reading in his room when he hears a knock at the door. "Caelus and Stelle fell asleep in the parlor car again," Dan Heng says. "Could you help me move them?" Sunday's happy to oblige- they're his precious family, after all.

[mlady-magnolia]

The Astral Express-o and that one regular they all hate

[windtorndagger]

Dan Heng having to find Pom-Pom when no one is in the Parlor Car and quietly ask if he can have one of the larger spare rooms because as it turns out three full grown men do not fit in his futon, regardless of how tight they squeeze.

[ag40249]

so… i did something…. 🫣 i feel like they would enjoy each others company

[artofnana]

boyfriend clothes

[novrium]

Welt I need you to shut your mouth 😭

[thenovelartist]

The Coffee Conundrum - Honkai: Star Rail fanfiction

None of my DanStelle fanfictions were coming together for 2 weeks, but I get inspired to write this in 2 days flat. Go figure.

I love all the mentions against Himeko's coffee, and after Welt mentioned he'd never recover from it, this plot bunny took off. Enjoy!

Pom-pom held much pride for being among one of the first trailblazers to board the Astral Express. Although, Pom-pom did not care to recall the embarrassing story of what actually happened, instead focusing on the achievement instead. However, there was a drawback to being one of the first trailblazers aboard.

Namely, there was no one to warn an unsuspecting Pom-pom about the dark brew known as “Himeko’s Morning Coffee.”

“Come have a seat. I brewed you some coffee.”

At the time, Pom-pom was flattered by the woman’s invitation for drinks and breakfast. “Pom-pom is ever so thankful for the consideration.”

The scent was incredibly strong, but it still smelled nice. The few times that Pom-pom had indulged in coffee, it was always satisfactory. Surely this time would be no different. If anything, it should be amazing, considering all the time Himeko had put into brewing the drink this morning.

However, nothing could have prepared Pom-Pom for the thick, bitter sludge that was ingested that day. One little sip, and Pom-pom saw stars. And not the ones rolling past outside.

“Do you like it?” Himeko asked.

Pom-pom wasn’t sure how long it took for the haze to clear and to come back down reality after being sent into the outer limits of space, but the little conductor had half a mind to give Himeko a scolding for the disgusting drink.

But upon seeing the worried expression of Pom-pom’s treasured companion, the person who kindly allowed Pom-pom to stay after stowing away, that decision had to be rethought.

Calmly as possible, Pom-pom replaced the cup Astral Express Motor Oil on the saucer while sweat threatened to start running down Pom-pom’s ears. “It is not to Pom-pom’s taste.”

~~~

Welt was certain that it would take a lot of time before he stopped feeing gravely indebted to Himeko. Allowing a stranger like him to board her star train as a permanent resident and co-worker was beyond gracious and bold. He had to admit that he greatly admired those qualities in her.

“Welt, would you like to join me for coffee? I’d love to get to know my new trailblazer better.”

As if he would decline. “I would love to join you.”

“Wonderful.”

So, he took a seat at the table in the parlor, watching the stars roll by as they traveled to their next destination, wherever that may be. Besides the conductor, he and Himeko were the only ones left on the train at the moment, Welt’s companion having chosen to stay on the last planet instead of agree to partake in Himeko’s risky lifestyle. But Welt had no where else to go, and he saw value in the choice presented before him. Hence, he’d agreed.

“Here we are.” Himeko rolled up a cart of coffee and snacks, grinning proudly as she did.

Welt couldn’t help but smile as he looked over the impressive array of treats on the cart. “That’s quite a spread.”

She shrugged dismissively as she started transferring things to the table. “It’s been a while since I’ve had someone agree to travel with me. So I might have gotten a little carried away.”

“Well, I’m honored.”

Her grin was bright as she took a seat and started pouring two cups of coffee.

And that’s when the smell hit him. It was quite potent, which was the only indication he had that this woman enjoyed her coffee stronger than most. However, there was nothing wrong with that; everyone had their own tastes.

“Hope you enjoy,” Himeko said with a smile.

“I thank you.”

He should not have. Because dear Aeons above.

After downing far too large a sip of the… er, strong coffee, he set his cup down with a shaking hand.

“How is it?” she asked.

Looking at this lovely young lady before him, hopeful and happy to share a drink with her new companion, Welt knew there was only one thing he could do.

“It is…” He coughed, trying to keep his voice even and expression calm as he lied about the frankly atrocious drink before him. “A stronger blend than I am used to.”

Himeko’s expression fell slightly, more out of concern than disappointment. “Would you like some sugar or cream?”

Normally, the answer would be no as he preferred his coffee black. However, in this case, an exception would be made. “Some cream, please.”

He tried to limit the added dairy, attempting—and failing—to find the balance of not adding so much as to insult but just enough to make the rest of the cup palpable. It would be a miracle if his scorched taste buds would ever recover from this. By the time he finished, he decided that would be the first and last cup of Himeko coffee he would ever accept. His stomach literally could not handle another cup.

Ever.

It was after that day he realized there were many things he admired about Himeko. Including her incredible ability to make deadly cups of coffee capable of incapacitating a man.

No wonder she wasn’t worried about strangers on board her train.

~~~

Dan Heng had been warned about Himeko’s coffee very early on by Welt. Having lived his life thus far with very limited luxuries sans the occasional cup of tea, he had never had coffee. However, the smell always hung heavy in the air each morning, just enough for Dan Heng to grow curious.

“Do you enjoy coffee, Dan Heng?” Himeko inquired, elegantly holding her teacup just off the table before her. “Or are you a fan of tea?”

He looked over at the red-head woman. “Although it is a rare occasion that I drink tea, that would be my answer. I have never had coffee before,” he mentioned.

“Oh! Then would you like to join me for a cup?”

Dan Heng mulled over her question for a moment before accepting. After all, this was the woman who had graciously accepted him on her star train as a bodyguard with almost no questions asked. To turn down her kind invitation would be an insult Dan Heng did not wish to give.

He sat down across from her as Himeko pulled another cup off a tray then she filled it with a thick, black liquid.

The scent was even stronger when set right before him, and as he stared at the steam wafting up from the cup, he began to have second thoughts. However, he was not one to waste food, particularly food he had already accepted. Hence, he raised the cup to his lips.

Before he could even take a sip, he had to pause. That was… extremely pungent. And with a smell like that, the taste was certain to be just as strong. He took a second to steel his resolve before finally taking a sip.

Wow. That… that could kill a man.

“What do you think?” Himeko inquired.

Dan Heng did not usually mince words, but out of respect for the favor this woman had shown him, he would make an exception this once. “I cannot say this would be my preferred drink.”

Her expression fell. “I suppose not everyone has a taste for coffee. Would you prefer tea instead?”

Although his stomach was already clenching in protest, he shook his head. “It’s fine. I don’t like to let food go to waste.”

“As admirable as that is, you don’t have to force yourself to drink it,” she kindly assured.

Oh, but he would. Himeko had graciously given him this potent poison for him. Least he could do was accept her generosity. Besides, if he couldn’t handle this, who knows if he could handle foods on other planets. “It’s fine.”

Two-thirds of a cup later, he had to admit defeat or he feared he would soon find himself back on his home world, reincarnated. “Thank you for the generosity.”

“You’re welcome. But next time, you don’t have to force yourself to drink it. I’ll make you tea.”

His stomach flinched at the mention of more drinks. Beyond that, another part of him feared her tea considering how potently she brewed her coffee. However, he didn’t want to sound rude or ungrateful at the moment. So he simply answered, “That… might be preferable.”

After dismissing himself, he headed to the archives, where he collapsed into a chair

And could not move.

Suddenly, his previous thought of her coffee being poison might not have been that far off.

Some time later—Dan Heng wasn’t certain how long; he felt like his life was flashing before his eyes—Welt made an appearance in the archives. “Forgive the intrusion, but I heard you joined Himeko for coffee.”

Much to his embarrassment, Dan Heng could barely move to greet the man. It took all he had to pick his head up and meet Welt’s gaze. “Against your prior warning, yes, I did. I regret not taking it more seriously.”

Welt hummed in sympathy. “How are you fairing?”

“Not as well as I’d anticipated.”

He gave a chuckle of pity. “Would you like something for your stomach?”

Dan Heng shook his head, but the motion only worsened the queasy feeling in his stomach. “I don’t believe I can stomach anything at the moment. Though I appreciate the concern.”

“Just some stomach medicine. I had to use it after my first bout with Himeko’s coffee.”

Dan Heng quirked a brow. “And it helped?”

“Took the edge off, yes. The rest I had to sleep off.”

He could manage that. “I’ll take you up on that.”

“Then I’ll be right back.”

True to his word, Welt returned within a minute bearing a little pill and a glass of water that Dan Heng gladly accepted.

“Give it about ten minutes to fully kick in,” he said. “But it will help settle the queasiness.”

Dan Heng simply nodded his appreciation.

“But I should warn you about what happens after.”

At that ominous words, Dan Heng quirked a brow at the older man.

Welt gave him a pitying smile. “Sorry if this sounds… graphic, but you should be warned about the possibility of an… unpleasant bathroom break in your future.”

… Dan Heng did not like the sound of that.

~~~

March 7th had a lot to learn after agreeing to stay on the Astral Express. And considering just how many rules there were, sometimes there were pieces of information that went in one ear and out the other. Hey, it wasn’t like she was trying to forget about it! It was just a lot of information that she was bound to mix some up at some point, right? So you couldn’t blame her for mistaking Mr. Yang’s warning about Himeko’s coffee for a simple caution.

“March,” Himeko called out. “Would you like to join me for coffee?”

It had been four days since March had joined the Astral Express crew. She’d learned generally where things were on her new home but still had much to get a grasp on. So sitting down to chat with the only other female on the train seemed like a great way to relax. “Sure! I’d love to!”

However, the smell of the coffee, one that only got stronger as March got closer, suddenly had her doubting her relaxation assumption.

“Here.” Himeko set a delicate cup down in front of March. “Are you a cream and sugar person?”

“I… don’t really know,” she answered truthfully, a tinge of sadness and fear welling up in her gut as she looked over the spread of things before her.

“Well, why don’t you try it first, then add some to your liking. If you mess up, I can make another cup for you.”

Himeko was really kind that way. It made March feel welcome and included. But she also didn’t want to be that much of a burden. They had just melted her from ice, after all, and there was still an odd stain on the parlor carpet from it that Pom-pom complained about when March wasn’t in the room.

Not like it was her fault! She knew that. It was just… still made her feel a little guilty.

“Thanks!” Doing her best to shove her worries aside for now, March gladly took the cup of coffee and raised it to her lips

And proceeded to gag.

Good grief, the smell of it!

“Something wrong?” Himeko asked.

“No, no,” March awkwardly said, trying once again to raise the cup to her lips

Only to almost drop it as she gagged again.

Across the room, she thought she caught Dan Heng turning away, a fist to his mouth.

Was he laughing at her? She was dying from the stank of the forbidden sludge, her eyes and mouth watering in protest, and he was laughing at her? The nerve!

“Er…” She picked herself back up to look at Himeko, who wore an unreadable expression. With an awkward smile, March set the cup back down on the little plate—what was that thing called again? “I… think I wasn’t a coffee fan. Sorry.”

Himeko giggled, waving her hand in dismissal. “It’s okay. And now you know a little more about yourself.”

This woman was so sweet.

But her coffee was decisively ruining the moment, so March excused herself and walked off back to her room.

No, she went to the bathroom. She needed a moment to pull herself together after almost throwing up her non-existent breakfast.

~~~

Stelle had been warned very early on by a very adamant March to avoid Himeko’s coffee like the Anti-matter Legion. In fact, if it were between facing the Anti-matter Legion and Himeko’s coffee, chose the Legion.

Which was enough to appropriately worry Stelle.

But then Pom-pom made the comment that Dan Heng regularly tested his resolve against Himeko’s coffee, and a competitive streak a mile wide flared within her. Because if Dan Heng could do it, then Stelle could, too, right?

So when Himeko invited her to coffee, she agreed.

Across the table from Stelle, March, who sat holding a glass of some milk and sugar concoction, shot her an “are you crazy?” glare whenever Himeko wasn’t looking.

It wasn’t like Stelle didn’t understand where March was coming from. As she watched Himeko pour the surprisingly thick, extremely dark liquid out of the pot into the cup that sat before Stelle, she realized just why March had given her that warning. And the smell…

Aeons, she’d dug through trash cans that smelled sweeter.

“Hope you enjoy.”

… Was it too late to back out?

Sadly, one glance at the happy red-head woman shot enough guilt through Stelle that she forced a smile as she picked up the cup and raised it to her lips.

The moment it hit her tongue, she almost recoiled. Wow, that was…

It was…

She was pretty sure Clara could use it for robot oil.

“Is it okay?”

Wide-eyed, Stelle looked up at Himeko. Behind the worried woman was March, who smugly sipped her drink with the most “I told you so” look Stelle had ever seen in her life.

“Er, it’s… fine?”

“Fine?” Himeko repeated, slightly confused.

“Y-yeah,” she lied, slowly setting the cup back on the saucer. “It’s just… I just remembered I left a mess in the archives, and Dan Heng is going to have a fit if I don’t clean it up.”

“Surely it can wait until you’ve finished your coffee,” Himeko said.

“Well… you see…” Stelle slipped out of her seat, already stepping away from the table. “He already told me multiple times, and so I better… go. ThanksForTheCoffee.”

And with that, she skedaddled out of there faster than when the Silvermane Guards were on her tail.

She threw open the door to the archives and bolted inside.

“Stelle?”

Oops.

She turned around to see a very confused Dan Heng there.

Sheepishly, she shot him a grin before remembering Pom-poms words. “You,” she began, pointing her finger at him. “Have all my respect.”

Apparently, he could get more confused, his brow somehow quirking up even higher.

“How do you not die from drinking Himeko’s coffee?”

At that, his expression relaxed, turning almost amused. “The Aeon’s mercy, apparently.”

Yeah, she could believe that.

~~~

From as early as Himeko could remember, the coffee had always been a staple of her household, so it wasn’t a surprise she’d be introduced to it at a young age. And when she had found the broken Astral Express, abandoned in a heap on her home world, coffee had been her constant companion, giving her the energy to keep moving forward in the repairs.

Hence, when she finished the repairs and left her home world to begin her journey among the stars, it was coffee that kept her grounded, that gave her a little taste of home wherever she went. So when she started bringing other trailblazers aboard, she was excited to introduce them to her favorite drink, slightly hoping they would return the favor of introducing her to something they held dear.  

However, something soon became evident. Her coffee was not to anyone else’s liking.

Ever.

She’d had some sneaking suspicions at the beginning, but it really didn’t take long for her to get the hint.

Pom-pom had been easy to read. Her poor conductor, watching the sweat start to form across that adorable little face was almost painful to watch. That one she felt guilty for, but she had to admire Pom-pom’s ability to handle that little encounter with some grace.

Then came Welt. Bless his heart, he tried. Aeons, did he try. And he almost succeeded in duping her in his ability to handle it. But it wasn’t until she caught the poor man passed out, red faced on the couch in the parlor did she realize the truth. He looked dreadful, and the little bottle of stomach medication that was on the side table next to him proved that her coffee wasn’t sitting well with him.

She made sure to tell him afterwards to be honest with her next time while also thanking him for trying to be a gentleman. Sheepishly, he promised to do so. It was the start of the open pathway of communication built between them that she so greatly appreciated and had yet to find with any other member.

Next came Dan Heng. By now, she’d had seen enough reactions to know that her coffee was generally considered too strong for almost everyone, so it was probably a little sadistic on her part to introduce Dan Heng to coffee this way. But she couldn’t help it. And like Welt, Dan Heng sat there stone-faced while he drank as much of it as possible. He’d actually impressed her at the time. He had gumption, she’d give him that. It might have been mean to say, but it ultimately made her feel reassured that this man of iron will was the Astral Express’ body guard.

Furthermore, it highly amused her that he dared to continue testing his resolve against it. She once tried to make it even stronger to see if he could manage it. He’d caught it right away and glared at her for a half a day after that. She accepted every well-deserved glare with a too-proud smile.

March had made it almost impossible to keep a straight face. She hadn’t even been able to take a sip, the smell alone causing her to dry-heave like a cat choking on a hairball. Poor girl had gone white as a sheet as she’d made her escape. Himeko would have felt worse for breaking into a giggle fit if Dan Heng hadn’t been there smiling as well.

Afterwards, Himeko made sure to brew a much weaker version for March, doctoring it up with milk, sugar, and chocolate before offering an apology as well as assuring March that her reaction had been adorable. It was clear March didn’t know how to take Himeko’s teasing, her reaction somewhere between mad and embarrassed. Thankfully, the new, much more acceptable drink had successfully smoothed everything over.

Stelle handled it decently well, her expression simply blank after taking a sip. But Himeko had caught the way Stelle’s nose twitched at the cup set before her, and her frozen state afterwards had only proven that she’d not been expecting what she’d just drank. For a moment, Himeko wondered if Stelle would also attempt to drink the coffee out of politeness, but then the girl had set it down, running off with her metaphorical tail between her legs.

Apparently, not even Stellarons could handle Himeko’s coffee.

So yes, Himeko knew what her brew was capable of. And she used it to her advantage. After all, as much fun as it would be to be able to share a slice of her home with her companions, she was able to find just as much enjoyment out of tormenting them with it. 

[endgaims]

Pom-Pom is confused why Himeko has a need to have so many different types of coffee. Only Himeko understands 🤷‍♀️ 🤔