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[lifeban]

[There is really no logic that can explain this. With how Vidyadhara are, Dan Heng literally inhabits the body that once belonged to Dan Feng. His egg formed from the former High Elder's corpse.

But that's a bit beside the actual point, here. The point being that someone is in Dan Heng's bedroom, which, while it is technically not a bedroom and technically is a public amenity, still is left well enough alone while he's sleeping. The Nameless know to leave a resting Dan Heng well enough alone, given his position as the twitchiest member of the Astral Express Crew. So he's snapping fully awake when he hears the slightest movement, sitting abruptly upright to assess the situation.

The situation being that a far-too-familiar someone is standing in the Archive.

And since, as previously mentioned, there's no logic to it, Dan Heng just throws the whole idea out the window as another of his usual nightmares and dives for Cloud Piercer where it's propped against the console near the foot of his futon.]

Comments

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[he clicks his tongue.]

They need to be buffed; cloudhymn sticks to them. Sometimes mine itches at the base if I spend too much time at seashore. Salt in the air you know?

[he turns back with a bottle of shampoo, waving his hand a little to clear the steam.]

I told you to relax. [he arches an eyebrow.]

[lifeban]

[hhhheeeee's not going to be able to not talk about it. the further this goes the more it's dragging it out.]

...I've never spent that long by the sea.

[his tail wraps around himself defensively as he visibly searches for his next words. they come out a little stilted, almost rote.]

By the traditions of the Vidyadhara, one's reincarnation is considered an entirely new individual, not beholden to the crimes of their predecessor. I was not afforded that pardon.

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[the bottle drops into the water without a sound. dan feng stares at him.]

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[it starts raining. inside the bath. localised over the water. it would be kind of funny if it wasn’t slowly spreading.]

No. [he surges forward to grab dan heng by the shoulders.] No. I was sentenced to the lowest level of the Shackling Prison. I- the chains- [his pupils had constricted into slits.] Tell me I’m wrong. Tell me you don’t know what corallium feels like.

[lifeban]

[that would be a lie. he shakes his head, just slightly.]

...Not the nails. If that helps.

[he knows it doesn't. knows even mentioning those means Dan Feng will know he remembers, even just that. even just that would be awful.

he'll worry about the rain if it risks leaving the bathroom. for now, it's all he can do not to bail on this whole situation.]

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But the waters would have cleansed you. You would not have known.

[he looks stricken as he realises:]

No. Since you hatched? No, Dan Heng, that’s inhumane. They wouldn’t.

[lifeban]

[it's really easier to just not say anything to that, isn't it? so that's what he does.]

[deprecated]

[he looks at dan heng like he’s seeing him for the first time.

and then - he moves, reaching out, trying to fold dan heng into a frantic embrace.]

[lifeban]

[startles, almost tries to jerk away in a very visible flinch, but-- he at least knows the way his arms are held, from March's occasional tackle hug. he holds back the urge to flee.

and it's worth it. after a few moments of stunned dead-fishing, he hesitantly brings his arms up to wrap around dan feng in turn, curls into him.]

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[he’s trembling. he tucks dan heng under his chin, holding him tight, like he’s afraid to let him go. a hand comes up to cradle the back of his head, like dan feng is trying to shield him.]

You didn’t deserve that. [his voice breaks.] I’m sorry. [he can feel the incandescent rage coming up his throat but that can wait. never in all the years of torture had he apologised for what he had done. but now, he needs to- he needs to—] I’m sorry, Dan Heng.

[lifeban]

[in all his centuries, has dan heng ever had the time or opportunity to grieve? not for those caught in the crossfire between himself and Blade, not for the half-remembered ghosts that haunt him, but for himself? no. he doesn't know how. but he can nestle into the protective embrace, strange as it is, and listen to the words it never would have even occurred to him it might be nice to hear.]

Yeah.

[softly. then, firmer, but a little like he's surprising himself:]

They chose that. Not you.

[deprecated]

Still. It happened.

[he is going to rip someone’s throat out with his teeth. how dare they. he could take anything they put him through but this went beyond the pale.

he presses a kiss of comfort to the crown of dan heng’s head, right between his horns. yingxing used to do it because a) he was a tall bastard and b) it always made dan feng feel better, so he hoped it worked for his successor.]

I’m glad you’re here now.

[lifeban]

[it's a nostalgic gesture. he takes the comfort without letting himself dig into the why of that nostalgia. neither of them needs more baggage added to the pyre right now.]

Me too. The Nameless... they're good to me. And... I think the General got me exiled as quickly as he could.

[so still centuries of being chained in a dark room, but, well.]

[deprecated]

So he did fulfil his promise.

[it was hard to think of anyone else being the Divine Foresight. he starts petting a pointed ear absently.]

Did he give you the bracer and the jade token?

[lifeban]

[his ear twitches, but he doesn't try to shake off the petting. dan feng just keeps going for spots that most have never seen on him, let alone touched.]

He did. I keep them with me. But...

[he may be in slight denial about who they're for. Blade doesn't wear the bracer, after all, and dan heng can ignore a piece of jade, when its wearer is constantly after his life.]

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[here’s the thing: dan feng has zero idea about what happened to yingxing aside from he lived and that was enough for him to stop caring about literally everything else.]

Mm. You’re not me, of course, but I told Jing Yuan to tell you it should be your choice to seek out the owner of the other half of them.

[he finds it extremely charming that dan heng’s ear is sensitive, so he starts petting the other one too.]

[lifeban]

[mushes his face harder against dan feng's throat. not trying to escape the teasing, certainly, but responding for sure.]

I haven't been. I've been running away, not searching for anything or anyone.

[deprecated]

Running away? I thought you were exiled. They shouldn’t be sending people after you.

[he hums thoughtfully, before giving in and nipping curiously at the tip of one ear.]

[lifeban]

They aren't. The perso-

[he squeaks, utterly derailed, tail whipping straight up out of the water like he's a startled cat.]

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[dan feng laughs, and the rain finally disperses. thankfully the tub is self-heating, and he waves away another cloud of steam.]

This is why you shouldn’t hide your Vidyadhara features, you know.

[lifeban]

[he's so red, and it is not the heat of the bath doing it.]

It's really not a problem I'm likely to encounter often.

[deprecated]

Ah, but you encountered it anyway.

[he does the predator head tilt again.]

Live a little. Aeons know I didn’t.

[lifeban]

[his hackles go up in a playful way-- no, that's just pouting. fuck.]

I'm already adventuring with the Nameless. Lower your standards.

[deprecated]

[wow what is this character development! he leans in. close. shamelessly runs a tongue over teeth that seem a little too jagged to be normal.]

No.

[lifeban]

[this is fun. he doesn't want to ruin it with the reminder that he hides his vidyadhara features because someone is hunting him, and not in the way dan feng is invoking... mostly.

tipping his own head at a wry angle, huffing a soft puff of breath just short of a scoff.]

Don't tell me you're going to start matchmaking.

[they both know that isn't even slightly the vibe here.]