Work Text:
A singular gingko leaf.
“This almost matches you,” Dan Feng would slide the leaf behind Ren’s ear — a subtle smile would form on his face as he watched the other man.
His expression had contorted into something softer, pulling his hand closer to the leaf in his hair. “Oh really now?” He cocked his head, closing his eyes - as the breeze would fall through the land.
It was sunset, with the sky turning a deep shade of orange faded into light yellows. On top of that, the gingko leaves had begun to fall again in the Xianzhou.
Life like this, could almost be considered perfect. Almost.
“It does.” Dan Feng replied to him, grabbing his free hand and giving it a gentle squeeze. “It compliments your hair color. Don't you agree?” He wondered, shifting his hand that once had grabbed Ren’s to his face. He cupped his cheek, letting his fingers trail across down his jaw. “Besides, there's no reason to lie about such beautiful things laid in front of me.”
“I suppose you’re right.” Ren admitted, his red gaze would meet with verdigris.
Dan Feng smiled, a real smile.
At that moment — Ren could feel himself getting lost in thought. How was he so lucky to be with someone like him? It felt like his heart skipped a beat.
“Good. Don't forget about this, Ren.” He spoke, removing his hands from Ren.
He chuckled. “Me? Forget this? How could I?”
“Ren,” Dan Feng had been patching up his partner, again. He had gotten into another clash with Jing Yuan, their other close friend. Both men would fight each other sometimes, as a practice for any future scenarios.
Of course, these scenarios are low of happening — regardless, they both wanted to make sure that if it were to ever happen, they'd be prepared to fight it off.
“You and Jing Yuan must be more careful when fighting,” He swiped his hand over the bloodied scratch on Ren’s back.
Ren let out a soft hiss, biting his tongue as he let Dan Feng do his magic. “I know.” He quietly said, feeling bandages wrap around him. “Jing Yuan and I both know our strengths. We would never go out of line to kill each other, though. That is not like us. You know this.”
Dan Feng continued to wrap the bandages around him, his tail curling up towards Ren’s knee, lightly swatting him. “Still. Even if you both are aware of your strengths, one day, someone might get seriously hurt. We cannot afford to lose anyone here.”
He would later stop, after tapping Ren’s shoulder to signal him that he was done with wrapping him up.
“I get that.” Ren replied, letting out a sigh when Dan Feng’s hands were removed from him. “I’ll consider asking him to apply some new rules to our practices, so therefore you needn't worry so much about our health. How about that?”
Dan Feng let out a sigh. “Fine.” He quietly spoke, before he leaned forward and pressed a soft kiss against the nape of Ren’s neck. “You better promise me that you both will abide by these new conditions.”
“Of course.”
—
His breath stiffened, feeling rough hands on his waist. He'd back up into the younger man, letting his tail instinctively wrap itself against Ren’s upper thigh. “What?”
“Nothing.” He spoke, pressing a gentle kiss to his ear. “...I missed you, that's all.” He whispered into his ear, his hands would trail lower — stopping at his hips. “Is that an issue, A-Feng?” He continued to speak in whispers, pressing a kiss to his jaw now.
“Not at all.” Dan Feng shivered, leaning more into this soft embrace he had found himself locked into. He didn't want Ren to stop. He was craving more out of this, if anything.
Ren knew Dan Feng well enough — to be wary of his weaknesses, and know what buttons to press to win his heart over, no matter what. “I yearn for moments like these everyday, you know?” he spoke in a soft - muffled voice, burying his face into the crook of Dan Feng’s nape.
“Of course you do.” He was collected with the current predicament going on, nor was he finding any way to push Ren back either. He loved the feeling of someone who he could trust.
“The feeling is mutual, Ren.”
Blood. So much blood, painted over fallen snow.
Blood was all over the Vidyadhara’s hands, with his weapon deeply gazed into the heart of his lover — the first step to immortality. He could feel himself wanting to gag at this sight, but he couldn't. He couldn't.
Dan Feng couldn't look away, as the pole continued to go deeper into the man in front of him. Once white hair, now had blotches of red thickness laced in it — and his torso had a gaping hole where his weapon had met.
He could feel Ren’s body weakening, trying so desperately to grab at something — and that something was Dan Feng. He was still fighting back, even when he was almost at the brink of death.
There were no words in this exchange, just the feeling of blood drip onto his clothes as Ren’s eyes would soon close.
He still couldn't look away.
When Dan Feng finally removed his weapon from Ren’s heart, he had almost wanted to gag. He kept it together, even as the gaping hole where his heart once used to be, had been so deep it cut to the other side. You could see it on the snow — it was everywhere by this point. A big, messy puddle, with a hole in his chest.
Yet. He still couldn't turn away. He still couldn't stop looking at the sight. His hands trembled as he leaned over Ren, wrapping an arm under his head to give him some support to keep him off the dreaded snow.
He finally blinked. A singular tear would fall, before falling into the snow below. After that? There were more tears.
He couldn't stop crying. He couldn't get himself to get up. In fact, he couldn't even feel himself being able to move.
He had trusted this man — so dearly, with his life. He yearned for him, and yet? He still failed to keep him alive. Ren had always hinted at not wanting immortality, and would rather die like a normal person, than suffer all those years knowing that in the end — he'd never die.
Yet.. Dan Feng didn't listen to his words. Now he was making the man immortal. Yet.. why? Why did it hurt so much to stare at him? He knew, deep down, Ren would live. He’d live, but at what cost?
He knew he wouldn't remember this. Not much of it, anyway.
“I’m so sorry.” Dan Feng quietly spoke, pressing a gentle kiss to Ren’s cheek. “I know you won't remember. I promise one day, you'll find me again, however.. I can't promise when I'm reborned, I would like to meet you again.” He admitted, his hand still trembling as it lowered to the gashing hole in his chest.
“One day. We'll meet again.” His hand lowered to Ren’s waist, before he pulled something out from behind him. A jade bracer.
He clasped it onto Ren’s belt, making sure it was secured.
“And one day, I'll trust you again.”
He stood up. He took one last glance at Ren — before he walked away. The cold made his skin shiver more.
He didn't turn back this time.
Blade was the first one to attack.
He had unsheathed his sword from its holster, quickly drawing it towards Dan Heng — immediately going for him. He didn't want him to get away. Not this time.
Dan Heng rotated his spear to come into contact with Blade’s, to briefly dodge the attack as he backed away immediately behind a crate.
“Dan Heng,” Blade chuckled under his breath, as he walked right around the corner where he had run off too. “You can't hide forever. One day, you and I would have faced each other anyway…” he spoke, a calming sense in his voice before he struck again.
Dan Heng was, thankfully, quick enough to move out of the way — feeling the tip of Blade’s sword scathe his arm.
He gripped his polearm tighter, managing to push himself away.
However, before he even knew it — He was pressed back up into a crate from a sudden off attack from Blade. An unexpected move, as the cloud piercer had been kicked off to who knows where.
The tip of Blade’s sword lingered on Dan Heng’s throat. Close, but not close enough to draw blood. “This almost matches you,” Blade spoke, pressing his sword closer to the Vidyadhara’s throat.
Dan Heng gulped — “You mean the sword on my neck?” He quipped, glaring at Blade. His eyes narrowed as he held his breath, hoping to gods he won't die right now, in this predicament.
He was so close to being able to help his friends — yet, he was caught up with Blade on the Xianzhou.
He knew from the start, and research he had done on the Xianzhou that Blade was here with Kafka, but running into him beforehand, was not on his schedule today.
Blade had a coy smile, “You guessed correctly.” He tipped his sword further to his throat, “I haven't forgotten about you.” he spoke much more harshly now.
Dan Heng didn't reply, only glaring into his eyes. He gritted his teeth, unable to form any sort of response.
“Have you forgotten about me by chance, Dan Feng?” Blade wondered, before he stared towards Dan Heng's bracer. “You know. This is how I tracked you down....”
Oh.
Oh.