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Every so often the Astral Express gets to go on vacation. The members of the Express aren’t the ones who get to make the call as much as March 7th tries to convince everyone it should be them making this decision. Conductor Pom-Pom is actually the one person who gets to make the call and well this year, the conductor was kind. That’s how the trailblazers ended up at the beach they were currently at. Another tradition of this astral vacation is to invite guests to tag along. As a token of goodwill, the Astral Express voted to invite members of the Xianzhou to join the vacation this year. The Luofu had already invited them to the War Dance Festival, so this was a way for the Express to invite them to their own kind of celebration.
Dan Heng was laying on a beach chair under an umbrella listening to the waves lap along the shore. I really needed this vacation. Dan Heng thought quietly to himself as the sounds of the ocean lulled him into a deeper sense of safety. He took in a deep breath of ocean air and exhaled slowly as even more tension left his body. He focused his ears and heard soft and rhythmic breaths to his right. The dragon slowly moved his head to sneak a glance at the sleeping cat next to him. Jing Yuan was fast asleep next to him. His hair was fully down and cascading across his bare chest. The silver locks were rising and falling with his breaths. The General always looked so peaceful in his sleep. It drove Dan Heng only a little mad. Over the time they had been dating, Dan Heng had started to notice where Jing Yuan held his emotion. Due to his status, the general could never really show his entire emotions freely, but Dan Heng could spot his emotions from a mile away now. Jing Yuan mostly held his emotions in his eyes. Every once in a while you can see them in the crease of his brow or the tone of his voice. Dan Heng remembers when the General had asked him to go to the Shackling Prison and be a witness. The sorrow of having to ask this of Dan Heng was displayed so vividly in the creases around his eyes and the yearning gaze he was giving his lover. Now asleep on the beach, Jing Yuan was free of those creases of worry and eyes of sorrow. The people of the Xianzhou always look young, but Dan Heng could have sworn his lover looked younger as he rested peacefully in the shade. With a smile, Dan Heng turned his head to look at the others.
March was currently running around with Yanqing and Yunli. She screamed something about more training. Moze and Jiaoqiu were under their own umbrella. It was hard for Dan Heng to tell what they were doing, but the fox healer looked happier. Stelle was in the ocean with Feixiao surfing. It seems like they were getting some good waves, but every once in a while Dan Heng would summon a wave so they could have a longer ride. He’ll never tell them he did though. Huaiyan was reading a book under another umbrella. Welt and Himeko seemed to be also enjoying some reading time. They would look up and chat every once in a while. If Dan Heng remembered correctly, they were reading the same book and would often chat about chapters once they were complete.
The love that was in Dan Heng’s chest was almost too much. He felt his eyes soften. He wished that all of them could stay like this forever. He didn’t want to think about how in a few days the Express would be departing this resort planet and the Xianzhou would go back to preparing for war. It was almost too much for him. He gazed over at Stelle and Feixiao and summoned another wave for them by slightly raising his right hand.
“Oh, when is it my turn to ride some waves?” Jing Yuan asked in a teasing voice.
“That’s not what cloudhymn is used for Jing Yuan.” Dan Heng said pinching his nose and turning his head
“Oh but you did it so easily for them. When is it an old man’s turn to have some fun in the waves.” Jing Yuan yawned
Dan Heng felt his cheeks heat up as he turned his head away from his lover. “You’ve seen my cloudhymn before, you don’t need to see it again.”
“Ah Dan Heng, you wound me.” Jing Yuan said as he clutched his chest right where Dan Heng had stabbed him almost two years ago and pretended to fall dramatically back on his beach chair.
Dan Heng sighed and called an orb of water to his hand. Moving with his powers, he willed it into the shape of a dragon. Its long body and fluffy mane looked just like the Azure Dragon. Just a miniature version of it. With intense concentration, he snaked the dragon along Jing Yuan’s leg. It moved under his right knee, up his thigh, and slithered up his abs. Dan Heng watched as Jing Yuan flexed under the water dragon as if he was trying to not laugh. Looks like his lion was a bit ticklish today. As the dragon snuck up Jing Yuan’s chest, he was no longer faking pain, but was instead fully sitting up and watching Dan Heng’s cloudhymn dragon snake around his body. Jing Yuan twitched again and Dan Heng laughed a bit to himself. The mini azure dragon could have been too cold for him in the summer sun. The dragon moved around his back, up around his neck and shoulders. Dan Heng saw Jing Yuan shutter agin. His face was soft, full of love and whimsy at the display Dan Heng was giving him. The dragon moved to sit on top of Jing Yuan's head as the General moved to look at Dan Heng.
“You truly are amazing, Dan Heng” Jing Yuan said to him with the most loving voice.
Dan Heng’s face burned. There was a queasiness in his stomach and too many emotions fighting for control in his chest. He crossed his arms quickly with a sigh and snapped the dragon away. Cold water poured on Jing Yuan’s head. The cat next to him yelped at the cold.
“Then stop being such a tease.” Dan Heng said, cheeks on fire as he turned to his lover.
Jing Yuan’s wet hair was covering his face. He was slightly slumped over. Had he gone too far? The General was just poking fun so I poked back in turn. Deep in his anxious thoughts, Dan Heng heard a low rumble and snapped to look at his lover. He didn’t even realize he had turned away. A hand came up to move Jing Yuan’s bangs out of his face. He threw his head back with his hand in his locks in a fit of laughter.
“You are a mischievous one, Dan Heng.” Jing Yuan said with a beaming smile.
Dan Heng noticed there was a little twinge of pink under the General's eyes.
Dan Heng smiled softly. “We can do something later when not everyone is around. You know how I feel about what you were suggesting.”
“Hmm. I know. I pushed a bit too hard and got what I deserved.” Jing Yuan said with a smile as he pulled his wet hair back into a ponytail.
The two fell back into a comfortable silence. The sound of the ocean was calming as ever despite the yelling and screaming of March from the distance.
“Dan Heng.” Jing Yuan said
Dan Heng looked over to see Jing Yuan’s hand held out for him. He eagerly took it in his own.
“Hm?” Dan Heng questioned
Jing Yuan brought his hand to his lips and placed a kiss there. Dan Heng’s face flushed once more. After lowering their hands, Jing Yuan looked at him for a minute. Eyes moving in between both of his.
“Thank you for inviting me.” Jing Yuan said.
Dan Heng’s ears burned. “I wouldn’t have it any other way.” Dan Heng responded with a soft smile.
Later that night, Jing Yuan got what he wanted and if cloud hymn was used before Dan Heng rode the General, then that’s Dan Heng’s business.