Chapter Text
Where am I? What is this place?
A man with white hair pinned with a hairpin looked around, bemused. He wasn’t sure where he had ended up. The only thing he was sure about was wherever he was, it wasn’t Xianzhou. There were no familiar sights of ships entering and exiting Xianzhou. There were no familiar sights of people visiting the stalls set up on the pavements, stopping to look at the displays. There were no signs of life and instead, it was silent.
Silent, apart from the faint humming of what seems to be an engine in the background to act as white noise. The man was careful in his actions, staying on high alert as he moved forward. His eyes darted left and right, looking out for anyone attempting to ambush him as they waited in the shadows. There were dimly lit as they hung on top of the doors as he walked past them.
Wherever I am, it doesn’t look like I’m on a ship or my workshop.
He made his observations, right bandaged hand hovering over the hilt of his sheathed sword. His senses picked up the presence of someone behind him. Whoever they were, they knew how to conceal the sound of their footsteps as they creeped up on him. But as someone who had gone through intense training with Jingliu, he was able to hear the barely audible footsteps.
Swish!
He ducked to the side, avoiding a spear that was hurtling forward from the owner. The spear hit the invisible air instead of the desired target. The man drew his sword, boldly meeting the other’s spear.
Clash!
The sound of metal against metal echoed throughout the eerily silent corridor they are in. Yingxing grit his teeth, arms straining to hold his ground against his opponent. Whoever they were, they were able to withstand his strength and was even starting to push him back. If this prolonged any further, there was a chance that Yingxing might lose and he doesn’t want that to happen. Not when he has someone waiting for him at home.
Gathering his strength, Yingxing pushed against the opposing force. He swung his leg at the other’s knee, delivering a rather powerful kick. He knew he had hit the correct place, when his action emitted a choked-out wince. Yingxing used the chance to shove them away with the blunt side of his sword. The force was enough to send the other clumsily collapsing to the ground, their spear rolling away from them before coming to a halt.
“Who are you, and why did you attack me?” He demanded, pointing his weapon at the stranger.
“How did you manage to sneak onto the Astral Express without anyone knowing?” The stranger shot back: a question with another question.
Yingxing scoffed. “Don’t try and dodge the question.”
He stepped closer and his blood ran cold. His heart stopped beating. His entire world came crashing down. The grip on the hilt of his sword faltered. Yingxing didn’t hear the sound of his sword dropping to the carpeted floor, emitting a muffled crash. All he could focus on was how the painstakingly familiar teal eyes: the very same teal eyes that belonged to his precious beloved.
Confusion flickered across his face. Teal eyes followed the fallen sword, eyebrows furrowed. Yingxing couldn’t find the breath in himself to word his emotions. And he decided to show it through action instead.
He got to his knees and engulfed the other in a bone-crushing hug.
The stranger stiffened in his grasp. He was puzzled. One moment he had a sword pointed at him and the next moment, the very same person was now hugging him. Dan Heng blinked, snapping out his thoughts when he heard sobbing noises from the stranger. He sighed, squirming and gently pushed him away.
“Yinyue Jun…” He sobbed, reaching over to hug him again. Dan Heng was quick to stop him with a hand held out.
“Stop. I don’t know who you are, why you’re hugging me, and I think you got the wrong person,” he said, voice unnaturally calm considering what he went through a few seconds ago.
Silence.
“What are you saying? Don’t you remember me?” The man with white hair answered, dumbfounded as he openly gaped at Dan Heng.
The Guard of the Astral Express frowned. “... Am I supposed to remember you? We’ve never met before.”
At this point, Yingxing was tempted to scream his lungs out into oblivion. He took a deep breath, mentally counting to five before exhaling to calm himself. He made himself comfortable on the floor, now seated in a cross-legged position. “First thing first, where am I?”
Dan Heng eyed him warily. He was able to confirm that whoever this person is, is definitely not from around here. The way he fought reminded him of his past, somehow. “You’re on the Astral Express.”
“The Astral Express? What is that?”
Looks like he really doesn’t know a thing.
Dan Heng sighed. “This train you’re on right now, is known as the Astral Express. Now allow me to ask you a question: how did you board the train, when we’re traveling to another planet without setting off the security alarms?”
Yingxing owlishly blinked. “Would you believe me if I say I simply appeared here?”
All he received was an unamused glare. A glare so similar to how Yinyue Jun threw at him, when he wasn’t in the mood to deal with Yingxing’s antics. The blacksmith shoved the tempting thought of squishing his cheeks aside, not wanting to get stabbed with a spear. Yingxing sighed, running a hand through his hair.
“You won’t believe me. But what I said is true. I came here without any warning. I was merely heading to meet with my lover when out of a sudden, the surroundings changed, and here I am,” he briefly explained.
Dan Heng stares. “Your lover? You have a lover?”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“I don’t mean anything offensive about it. I’m just surprised to find out you have a lover,” Dan Heng protested.
Yingxing rolled his eyes and changed the topic. “Whatever. So I’m on this… Astral Express or whatever. Then, if you’re not Yinyue Jun, who are you?”
“I’m Dan Heng, a member of the Astral Express.”
Yingxing didn’t introduce himself. He stared at the other, taking in his features. No matter what Dan Heng said, Yingxing refused to accept the fact that he isn’t Yinyue Jun. Everything about Dan Heng screams his lover, except for the appearance and the difference of the way they speak.
“... I’m Yingxing, a blacksmith from Xianzhou.”
The way Dan Heng flinched at the mention of his home didn’t go unnoticed by the white-haired man.
Oh? Interesting.
Yingxing used his silence as a chance to take the lead. “Dan Heng, have you ever been to Xianzhou? If you have the time, you should stop by. There are many delicious foods to try.” He proposed.
The self-proclaimed guard of the Astral Express clenched his fists. “... Thanks for the suggestion. I’ll be sure to stop by someday.”
Yingxing was about to continue but Dan Heng interjects. “You… You mentioned someone who goes by the name: Yinyue Jun. Who are they? And are they special to you?”
The blacksmith was rather taken aback by the other’s bluntness. But at the same time, a small part of Yingxing wasn’t fazed, since Yinyue Jun was also rather blunt, when the situation called for it of course.
He hummed. “Of course. Yinyue Jun or Dan Feng, is my lover. He can choose anyone, for he’s someone who is way out of my league, a lowly mortal. And yet, he chose me.”
Yingxing paused. Dan Heng noticed how his eyes softened, how a loving smile appeared on his face and the distant look in his soft eyes. He remained silent, having a feeling Yingxing wasn’t done answering him.
“Dan Feng… No words can describe how beautiful he is. Nothing in this world can possibly compare to him. I love him a lot. I will even die for him, should the day call for it.”
The utmost determination heard in Yingxing’s voice sent shivers down Dan Heng’s back. He cleared his throat. “Are you sure you aren’t exaggerating? Wouldn’t this Yinyue Jun be upset if he were to hear you say such things?”
Yingxing chuckled, cocking his head to the side. “Shouldn’t you know the answer?”
Dan Heng narrowed his eyes. “What are you talking about?”
“Stop beating around the bush, Dan Feng. You know damn well what I’m talking about.”
“Like I said, I’m not him-”
Slam!
Dan Heng flinched when Yingxing slammed his clenched fist on the ground. The sound was barely audible, but it was loud enough due to the silence around them. Yingxing took a deep breath to calm himself down.
“Stop acting ignorant, Dan Feng. Playing dumb will only make things worse. How can you possibly not know the face of your lover? You were the one who gave me this!” Yingxing hollered, raising his right arm and pulling his sleeve back slightly the bracer.
Dan Heng was rendered speechless. He didn’t expect the person in front of him to be wearing the other bracer: the bracer that belongs to the Vidyadhara clan. The significance behind the bracer is crucial and should only be given to someone who the Vidyadhara deems worthy of receiving.
Sometimes, they might give the bracer out of pure love and adoration. The guard has no idea what to say, choosing to remain quiet instead. He couldn’t find it in himself to tear his eyes away from the piece of metal wrapped tightly around the other’s right arm.
Yingxing scoffed at the expected silence. “What? Cat got your tongue? You were the one who gave this to me, under the maple trees with falling leaves around us. You were the one who pulled all nighters to perfect this bracer, even when you were busy pleasing the stupid Ten-Lords, even when you weren’t knowledgeable in the area of crafting. You were the one who sincerely confessed your feelings to me!”
The blacksmith let his fury take over him. Yingxing stretched out his right arm, grabbing Dan Heng by the collar of his shirt and tugged him forward. Startled, the spear wielder lurched forward. He managed to save himself by pressing his hands on the floor, not wanting to end up tumbling into him.
Dan Heng can see flames of anger burning in Yingxing’s eyes. His eyebrows were furrowed. His lips formed a snarl; corners of his mouth tugging backward. Teal eyes trailed down, observing how the arm with the bracer was trembling. He swallowed and cleared his throat.
“I… I’m sorry but I really don’t remember anything. None of the things you said makes sense to me,” he apologized.
Yingxing faltered. The colors drained from his face. “You… You really don’t remember me?”
Dan Heng shook his head. He doesn’t know why, but he felt regret and the sudden urge to cup the other’s face, whispering comforting words to him. He wants nothing more than to hug Yingxing, for some reason.
Yingxing sighed and released his grip. He ran a hand through his hair. “Then, do you mind telling me what happens now? I’m curious to know what’s in store for me in the future.”
The archiver hesitates, unsure if he should lie or tell the truth. In the end, he chose the latter.
“Like I said previously, I don’t remember much of my past. It’s like they have been blocked out, and I’m unable to access them. All I remember is waking up in a prison cell. I didn’t even know what crime I committed to end up behind bars. And this man; the general of Xianzhou, set me free.”
Dan Heng paused, looking down at his hands.
“He was the one who told me to leave Xianzhou, that I should leave when I had the chance. And right now, I’m on the run. Everytime I sleep, I have the same nightmare. It’s like a never-ending cycle.”
“Nightmare?” Yingxing echoed, intrigued.
“This person is looking for me, for revenge, I think. I don’t know why, and everytime he appears, he always wields the same sword. The sword itself is stained in blood and seems to be on the verge of breaking. He has red eyes, and dark blue hair. Without fail, he utters the same two sentences: Of five people, three must pay a price. You are one of them.”
Silence.
“Well, something must have happened between the two of you.” Yingxing pointed out, an unreadable expression on his face.
“And whatever it was, there must have been a reason behind your action. I’m sure if the two of you were given the chance to talk it out, he will be able to understand why you did what you did in the past,” he continued softly.
Dan Heng slowly nodded his head. He didn’t have the heart in him to tell the other that there was no chance for them to talk it out. After all, Dan Heng has been on the run for a while and whenever they meet, their weapons always clash with one another, without fail. The result is always the same: Dan Heng running away, just like the coward he is.
“... Do you really think so?” He muttered, looking out of the window on his right, observing the multiple stars shining in space.
Yingxing nonchalantly shrugged his shoulders. “Maybe, maybe not. It all depends on what you do and what you say. Whether he wants to believe you or not, it’s on him.”
“Hm.”
The two continued conversing with one another, changing the topic to something else. They didn’t bother moving from the floor, comfortable with where they were. This went on until the Astral Express arrived at their destination: Herta Space Station. Dan Heng’s ears picked up approaching footsteps, making him rise to his feet. He managed to drag and shove Yingxing into the Archives room.
Dan Heng barely managed to slam the door shut before March 7th appeared, having spent her time playing cards with the other members. She paid no mind to how he was out of his room. March 7th greeted him with her signature grin.
“Dan Heng! Himeko wants me to tell you we’ve arrived at the space station, and we should get ready to alight,” she informed.
“Got it, thanks March. I’ll join you in five minutes,” he nodded, and she returned to the lounge cabin.
It was only when she was gone did he heaved a sigh of relief. Dan Heng slid the door open, only to realize Yingxing was nowhere to be found. He stepped into the room, searching high and low but it was futile. It was as if the other had vanished into thin air. Dan Heng frowned but shrugged it off. He slid the door closed and went to join the others.
Maybe he has gone back. I hope things go well…
~
“Yingxing, there you are!”
The blacksmith looked up in the nick of time before a strong force knocked into him. He ‘oofed’ in surprise, falling backward and landed on the floor. Yingxing would have hit his head against the floor if he didn’t manage to catch himself. He chuckled, amused with how his lover: Dan Feng, clinging onto him like a koala bear. The other buried his face in Yingxing’s chest, arms tightly wrapped around him.
“Qing ai de, did you miss me that much?” He teased, brushing his hand through Dan Feng’s black hair, wary to not accidentally graze his horns.
Dan Feng moved away, adjusting his position to properly straddle the other’s lap. His tail possessively snaked its way around Yingxing’s waist. He scoffed. “Is it a crime to miss my lover? I could not find you anywhere in Xianzhou. Where were you?”
Yingxing remained silent. Memories of his conversation with Dan Heng and what the other told him flashed in his mind. Dan Feng frowned at the lack of response. He cupped Yingxing’s face in his hands, thumbs lovingly caressed his cheeks.
“My love? Are you alright?” He murmured.
“Hm? Oh, I’m fine. Sorry, I was thinking about something.”
Yingxing smiled, leaning into the comforting touch. He placed his hands above Dan Feng’s and let out a pleased sigh. They remained silent, basking in one another’s presence and enjoying the sweet moment. Yingxing couldn’t take it anymore, curiosity getting the better of him.
“Dan Feng, I have a question.”
“What is it?” The Vidayhara cocked his head to the side.
Yingxing inhaled and exhaled. “... Promise me you’ll stay with me until the end.”
Dan Feng blinked, surprised. “What are you saying? Of course, I will stay with you until the end. Nothing in this world can split us apart. Even if we were to die one day, we will reincarnate and I will find you, no matter what. I will also chase you to the end of the world.”
Dan Feng leaned in to kiss him, sealing their promise. Yingxing returned the kiss, smiling into it. The kiss was slow-paced but filled with love. Eventually, the need for air made them pull away. Yingxing rested his forehead against the other’s.
“And I too, will do the same. No matter where you are, I’ll always find you, until my last dying breath.”