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Gepard’s nerves chewed on him in a way they hadn’t since he was barely a cadet, and the further he walked along the Astral Express, the worse they got.
His first thought when he first saw it was that the Silvermane Guards needed something like this to help transport supplies and to help establish more outposts further out from Belobog and extend their reach and how far its people could survive.
His second was pure amazement that anyone could live here, could call a place like this home.
His heart pounded quickly in his chest as he entered the guest car, and in his hand he held a tiny sheet of paper with a room number scribbled on it, one he’d almost destroyed from his senseless kneading.
But the numbers remained legible enough for him to brave a knock.
And Gepard did before a soft voice called out to him from just inside.
“It’s open!”
He cleared his throat and smoothed down his uniform, wiping away a bit of ichor that had somehow found its way onto his pants from an earlier excursion, and he opened the door.
The archives were magnificent.
Sure, Belobog had its own, which was even more impressive by size, but what pulled Gepard in was the dark haired man who hovered over a tome with worn leather binding, one he recognized as the history book he’s promised him.
It seemed it made its way here safely.
He cleared his throat, unaccustomed to not shouting his rank and having the recipient salute at him, but this was a quiet place occupied by a quiet person, one he was afraid he would startle beyond forgiveness if he acted out of place.
No, he had to be careful with him like the inventions on Serval’s shelves, the ones that trilled on the hour like small, mythical, winged creatures.
Dan Heng turned around, and Gepard’s nerves returned at once, all fire and terror, but when Dan Heng’s face softened at the sight of him, he decided that he had made the right choice by coming here.
“Good Afternoon, Captain,” he said. “I was just reading the book you sent to me.”
“I hope it was what you were looking for,” he said. “Lady Bronya and Serval send their best wishes.”
“Please let them know that their contributions have helped the Astral Express’s account of what happened to Jarilo-VI exponentially.”
“Of course,” he said and stood awkwardly for a moment as his hands hovered inches apart, and Dan Heng blinked at him, but he didn’t seem annoyed.
“Is there something you needed?”
And it felt silly that he’d come all this way for this, for a promise mentioned in passing and a man with an entire universe at his feet, but yes, Gepard did come here for something, something if he didn’t ask for then, he’d probably never get another chance again.
“Yes, I was wondering–,” he started before taking a breath. “If you’re not too busy–. If you are, I can come back another time, but–.”
“What is it, Captain,” he said, encouraging and not impatient. “I have… more time than you’d think.”
Gepard smiled at that, unsure of the meaning but relieved that asking wouldn’t burden him.
“I was wondering… I was wondering if you could tell me about the universe,” he said, and Dan Heng’s eyes widened. “About the other places you’ve seen before. I know it’s a strange thing to ask, but I have only ever known Belobog and the territory around it, and now that I’ve met you and looked at your train with my own eyes, I would really like to know more.”
“You know… March is the one with all the photographs,” he said. “You could see where we’ve traveled for yourself.”
“I would rather hear it from you, if that’s alright.”
Dan Heng’s expression didn’t change, but Gepard could see the faintest flush to his ears, the same shade as the liner around his eyes, and something about that made him a little too aware of what he was asking.
“Sure, that’s fine with me,” he said. “But it would be a lot easier if you sat down. I can show you our records as I go through them.”
“That’s fine,” Gepard said. “Sure.”
“I’m not a good storyteller.”
“I don’t care,” he said honestly. “I just want you to tell me.”
Dan Heng gestured towards a chair next to his, and Gepard sat stiffly, his knees bumping against the underside of the desk. Dan Heng cleared his voice with a flicker of amusement before looking away.
“I suppose I should start with Herta’s Space Station since that was the most recent.”
“Herta?” Gepard asked.
“Yes, she’s a member of The Genius Society.”
“The Genius Society?”
Dan Heng looked at him for a moment with raised brows, causing Gepard’s insides to burn from his own blatant ignorance, but then his expression softened again before he started to explain different parts of the universe that everyone else would have known far away from Jarilo-VI, a universe that existed without them this entire time, never once reaching down to help brush the snow away.
Or they didn’t before.
This person—he and his friends—they had come, and with them they brought so much.
Information, hope, friendship.
His entire world had been opened up, but to Dan Heng he was one of many.
But Gepard found himself feeling enthralled by it, excited instead of frustrated, and although Dan Heng was not a passionate storyteller, he was patient and clear with his words, and he told Gepard everything he wanted to know and more.
Hours passed, and Gepard guiltily remembered his morning post and the mounds of paperwork he’d left scattered on his desk, and Dan Heng seemed to read it on his face because he immediately stopped talking.
Gepard apologized, even though the reasoning was never said.
“Perhaps we can continue this another time, Captain,” Dan Heng said. “I’ll try to be more prepared to answer your questions now that I have an idea of what kind they are.”
Gepard flushed at that. “Did I become predictable?”
Dan Heng laughed.
“No, not at all,” he said. “I’m not sure I’ll ever know what you’re about to do.”
“That could be a good thing for me,” he said and immediately wondered what Serval would have done if she’d heard him, if she would have let this behavior go unnoticed and undisplayed.
Doubtful.
But Serval wasn’t there, was she.
“And you don’t have to call me Captain,” he added.
“It is your rank, isn’t it?”
“It is,” he said. “But I prefer when my friends address me comfortably. Gepard is fine.”
“Not Geppie?”
Gepard’s face flashed hot as his sister’s preferred way to address him slipped out of Dan Heng’s mouth, teasing him openly the way his subordinates never would have, and Dan Heng chuckled, a quiet and amused sound that Gepard was going to play over and over again in his mind.
“I would prefer if you didn’t,” he said honestly. “And I would prefer if Serval didn’t too, actually.”
Dan Heng laughed. “Try not to let March hear that one. She’ll start seeking you out just to have more reasons to say it.”
“That could be alright,” he said, hopeful, and Dan Heng looked at him, confused. “I’m not used to seeing one of you without the others nearby.”
“Oh,” he said. “Yes, you’re probably right. It’s better when we travel together.”
Gepard hummed.
“Then I hope March finds a reason to visit Belobog soon.”
“We have excellent bread,” Gepard said and cleared his throat. “And beer.”
“So I’ve heard,” he said.
“If you ever want to sample any of our local food, I would be more than happy to help get you a table at the Goethe Hotel.”
“Is this you using your position as Captain for something other than serving the people of Belobog?”
“I’m trying to.”
Dan Heng looked at him and nodded before turning his attention back to the book Gepard first found him with. “I supposed I should hurry up and finish archiving your history so I can return this to its rightful owner.”
“Of course,” Gepard said and stood to his feet, aware enough to know when a conversation and a visit had ended. Too early, but it had to be done.
“And will you be coming back to the Express to retrieve it?”
“I can,” he said. “Or you can bring it back yourself any time.”
“Then I will,” he said. “And I’ll try not to take up too much of your time though. I’m sure you’re very busy.”
“That isn’t something you should worry about at all,” Gepard said. “I have all the time in the world for– the saviors of Belobog.”
The paperwork on his desk disagreed, but Dan Heng didn’t need to know that.
“Then I’ll try to come down soon,” he said. “Thank you, Captain.”
“Gepard,” he said.
“Gepard.”
He’d never wanted to hear his name spoken more and never by anyone else.