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Breakfast in the Parlor Car on White Day is always a cheerful affair, March and Stelle delighted to receive their sweets and Himeko quietly appreciative. (Not to say that Dan Heng leaves Welt out—their unspoken agreement is just to exchange friendly chocolates on Valentine’s Day.)
So Dan Heng is in a fairly relaxed mood when he returns to the Archive.
But the moment he steps through the doorway, he is met with the pulsing black edge of a familiar sword.
“Of five people—” Ren growls.
Dan Heng sighs, not even bothering to summon Cloud Piercer despite the blade against his throat. “Why am I paying the price now? I thought it was ‘postponed.’”
Dan Heng’s …situation with Ren had settled into a hesitant truce after the reunion in Scalegorge.
Ren’s eyes narrow. “You gave Jing Yuan chocolates.”
Dan Heng blinks. “…I’ve done it every year since I left the Shackling Prison. They’re return of gratitude chocolates for the sympathy chocolates he got me those last years of my incarceration. What’s the problem?”
Ren… Dan Heng squints …is pouting?
“You’re a married man,” Ren sulks.
“Can you at least put away the sword now that we’ve established they’re not romantic chocolates? Also, you were married to Dan Feng.”
“Yingxing was,” Ren automatically corrects, and looks like he immediately regrets his words.
“That’s right,” Dan Heng confirms smugly. “Also, I stabbed you to death—more than once even. Doesn’t that automatically count as some sort of divorce?”
“I came back. And it’s grounds for divorce, not a divorce,” Ren argues, still sulking, but at least he finally dismisses Shard Sword. He glares at the red wrapped box on Dan Heng’s desk. “He returned your chocolates this time.”
Dan Heng shrugs. “Maybe Jing Yuan wants to talk about something.”
When there is no reply, Dan Heng leaves Ren to brood by the door and goes to his work terminal. His instinctual awareness of Ren’s actions track the restless shuffling sounds, followed by brief pacing and muttering, but it doesn’t disturb his focus.
He has completed a data entry when a box is dropped onto his keyboard, the threat of Ren’s presence looming at his back.
Slowly, Dan Heng picks up the box—an elegant black with a red satin bow.
What’s the etiquette for receiving a gift from your temporarily-not-enemy? Dan Heng wonders.
Well, when in doubt, politeness never hurts.
“Thank you.”
When Dan Heng makes to set the box aside, Ren stalks over to seat himself pointedly on Dan Heng’s bedding.
‘I’m staying until you eat them?’ or something to that effect?
Dan Heng considers ignoring him, but now that Ren has called him out on his platonic chocolates to Jing Yuan, he feels weird about it.
Warily, he opens the box.
Perfectly normal appearing chocolates rest innocently within their recesses.
He tries one.
Dark chocolate, not too sweet, with a hint of champagne.
“It’s good,” Dan Heng compliments politely.
No movement. Ren continues to stare a hole into his back.
…Is Ren not satisfied unless he finishes the entire box?
Ren should know he isn’t partial to sweets; Dan Heng is done humoring him. He carefully sets the chocolates to the side, though he leaves the box open to snack on as he works.
Anyways, it doesn’t disrupt his routine as long as Ren leaves before he goes to sleep.
~
Ren is unobtrusive, spending most of the day quietly meditating or simmering in his thoughts. He gets up one time to poke at Jing Yuan’s present, but surprisingly doesn’t mess with it or toss it away.
However, by the time Dan Heng is ready to turn in, the box of chocolates is half eaten and he still has an immortal occupying his bed.
Dan Heng frowns at Ren who looks back at him expressionlessly.
“…Aren’t you hungry?” Dan Heng asks.
He had gone to get his own lunch and dinner, but hadn’t gotten anything for his interloper, hoping hunger would encourage Ren to leave.
Ren blinks slowly. “…Oh. I didn’t notice.” He shrugs. “I can’t taste much anyways, so I don’t care to eat.”
Dan Heng feels a twinge in his chest.
It is not his problem, he reminds himself. It’s Dan Feng’s problem.
But Dan Feng isn’t here.
Sighing, Dan Heng leaves the room.
He comes back with a bowl of noodles, heavily seasoned, and thrusts it at Ren.
“Here. Eat this and get going. I need to sleep.”
A scowl appears on Ren’s face and he folds his arms, refusing the bowl.
Dan Heng pinches the bridge of his nose, exasperated. “What is the point of this? You know I don’t eat sweets and I already ate half the box.”
The only sound in the room is Ren’s pouty silence.
“Look, I don’t care if you stay, just get off my bed.”
Ren’s eyes narrow to slits. Sullenly, he lays down on the bed, arms still folded.
Dan Heng considers his options.
Forcefully pry Ren out with Cloud Piercer and break the truce.
Go sleep in the Parlor Car, letting Ren drive him out of his room.
Stubbornly share the bed with Ren.
…Obviously, he should just take out his spear and stab Ren.
But even considering it sends a pang of guilt through him. Those few returned memories have been…pesky.
I can’t taste much anyways.
Yingxing had been such a food lover back then…
Not Dan Heng’s fault. Not Dan Heng’s problem.
Blowing out an annoyed breath, Dan Heng plops himself down on the edge of the futon, pushing at Ren’s shoulder with his free hand. “Shove over.”
Ren gives him a very blank look, but when Dan Heng simply returns it without flinching, he grudgingly shifts over.
Dan Heng proffers the bowl again. “Eat.”
Once Ren is obediently eating the food, Dan Heng goes to shower and change. When he gets back, the empty bowl is set on the desk, a red ribboned coat hanging on the chair. Its owner lies on the inner half of the futon, broad back turned to Dan Heng. Climbing into bed, Dan Heng tugs the covers over them both.
“Good night,” Dan Heng says with a sleepy yawn.
“…’Night.”
Having Ren at his back should make it difficult for him to relax, but instead it is oddly comfortable with a familiarity he doesn’t want to think about.
Mm. Dan Heng has many complaints about Ren, but he does make for a very nice heater.
It’s his last thought before he slips into slumber.
[End.]