Chapter Text
Planarcadia was possibly the most stressed Dan Heng's ever been, or maybe it's the piled stress from all their previous travels. From Blade's near-death experience to Asat Pramad's attack—right after the events of Amphoreus, at that—he's thoroughly worn out. He would really enjoy a long, deep sleep for a couple of days. Curled up in his bed, a book in one hand, leaning against Blade…
…Blade. Dan Heng's heart jumps.
Right—Dan Heng confessed to Blade in the hot springs of Planarcadia. To be honest, he wasn't expecting Blade to accept his comfession—after all, it was Dan Feng that Yingxing was married to, and beyond appearance, Dan Heng was nothing like him.
("Dan Feng is my past, but he won't follow me into my future," Dan Heng says, dipping his feet into the water. "I'm not him. I won't do this if it's him that you see in me."
"Dan Feng is of the past," Blade agrees with him, arms crossed. "And you are hardly alike. I have no intention of seeing him in your place.")
They're lovers now, and not a single person from neither the Astral Express nor the Stellaron Hunters was surprised; which means either they already thought Dan Heng and Blade had chemistry, or worse, he's been wearing his crush on his sleeve this entire time.
He and Blade gone their seperate ways after Planarcadia—as much as he would've liked to spend more time together, Blade told him there were matters that needed his attention, and Dan Heng bid him farewell—and he thought he'd be fine, but it seems Blade is his first thought as soon as he lays down in his bed.
("Our time together will have to be cut short. I have new matters to attend to."
Dan Heng turns his attention to Blade. "Is there a new script?"
"There will be," Blade answers. "Don't worry. I'll drop by the Express once in a while."
"Stay in touch."
Blade looks at Dan Heng for a long moment, scrutinizing him. Dan Heng stares back, but he can't tell what's going through his head. Blade pulls him closer with a gentle touch, then presses a short kiss to his lips. "Be safe."
Dan Heng's face burns. "Mhm.")
They're dating now, sure, but it doesn't feel like they've changed that drastically. Their relationship is mostly the same; only there's a warmer tone to their conversations, sometimes Dan Heng pulls him aside to press a kiss to his cheek, and Blade is more open than he was before. It's nothing like in those cheesy romance shows that Stelle loves to watch. They didn't call each other honey or sweetie, PDA was unheard of, and they'd never gone further than kissing. March had given him a weird look when she found out Blade was still saved as simply Blade on his phone.
("Seriously? I thought you'd have changed it to something like... I don't know, 'Bladie'? 'Darling'? 'My boyfriend'?"
Dan Heng sighs at her. "You expect that from me?")
And Dan Heng never tells Blade when he misses him. Ever.
He's not embarrassed about missing Blade, but there's this awkwardness, this hesitation that creeps up on him any time he opens their chat to type 'How are you? I miss you a lot'. There's a nagging voice inside him, telling him to just bottle it up and not disturb Blade unnecessarily. Blade's a Stellaron Hunter, he has more important matters to attend to, right?
I'm his boyfriend, he wouldn't mind if I expressed my feelings towards him, he thinks. But I shouldn't distract him from whatever mission he's on, he also thinks.
Dan Heng stares at Blade's contact, then shuts his phone with a sigh, flopping down on his mattress. Were Dan Feng still a part of him, he can imagine the scolding he would get for being an idiot about all this.
("Bladie, you've got that dragon prince's number?"
"… Yes. Why do you ask?"
"I need it for something.")
He checks in on Blade every day. Are you safe? Did you rest well? In return, Blade checks on him as well. Have you eaten? Where are you headed to next?
Sometimes he stays up a little too late just to call with Blade for a few minutes, and he never regrets it—not even when Himeko teases him about it, saying how he's "unusually sleepy today."
Dan Heng treasures all their small conversations, of course; every word exchanged is sacred to him. But sometimes, it doesn't feel like enough.
It's ridiculous… when did he get so clingy? He's an adult, he can spend a little time away from his lover.
Dan Heng leans his head against his pillow, losing himself in his fantasies. Of Blade here, fingers intertwining with his, talking with Dan Heng endlessly about nothing in particular. A seagull he saw on a rock. A flower blooming on the sidewalk.
His friend's words flash through his mind.
("If you feel so depressed over this, you should at least text him about it!" March exclaims while Stelle nods aggressively behind her. "That's what healthy couples do.")
Dan Heng takes in a breath. They're right, he thinks, there's no use beating himself over something he hasn't even bothered to communicate to Blade. Just as he pulls out his phone, he's startled as it buzzes in his hand.
Silver Wolf has installed the "Blade Tracker" chat plug-in for you!
Dan Heng's eyebrows furrow as he reads the system message. Had he not been close with Blade, he would've been alarmed at a Stellaron Hunter hacking his phone. But more importantly… Blade Tracker? Does it… what, track Blade's location?
Dan Heng: ?
You sent a message, nudged Blade's phone, and made it buzz non-stop
Dan Heng: Sorry. What is this?
You sent a message, nudged Blade's phone, and made it buzz non-stop
Dan Heng squints his eyes at the screen. So, sending a message makes him… 'nudge' Blade's phone, whatever that means. There's also a new button on their chat, next to Blade's profile picture, with a finger icon on it. He can only assume it's to nudge Blade some more.
But you never really know until you find out, right? He's not doing this because he's that desperate for Blade's attention, alright? It's just a little test.
He presses the button.
You nudged Blade's phone and made it buzz non-stop
Your friend Blade has come online
Blade: Really… You, too?
Dan Heng: Sorry. I wanted to see what it does.
Blade: Don't be. Silver Wolf is to blame.
Blade: She installed the same thing for Kafka and Firefly.
Blade: And Stelle.
Dan Heng: What for?
Blade: Emergencies.
Blade: Though I get the feeling it will be used for anything but.
Dan Heng: What counts for an emergency?
Blade: If you are in danger, nudge my phone.
Your friend is typing…
Your friend is typing…
Blade: Or if you ever find yourself missing me, just nudge me.
Dan Heng: …
Dan Heng: I wouldn't want to bother you.
Blade: You are never a bother.
Now isn't that convenient timing. Dan Heng fiddles with the side buttons on his phone, suddenly nervous. He briefly wonders if Stelle snitched on him.
Dan Heng: Are you sure?
Dan Heng: What if you're on a mission?
Blade: I'll let you know.
Dan Heng types, then backspaces; then types again, and backspaces again.
Dan Heng: Okay.
Dan Heng: I've been missing you a lot, so don't blame me if your thigh goes numb.
Blade: Don't worry. It is already numb.
Elio's given him a new mission. He finds himself on a rooftop, stalking the city below, lit with colored lights and neon billboards. According to the script, he should still have an hour before he needs to find his target.
His phone starts buzzing incessantly against his thigh. After a quick scan of his surroundings, he fishes out his phone from his pocket. It's probably Silver Wolf—she's gotten into the habit of 'nudging' him right before his missions, and he's already gotten used to it.
Your friend Dan Heng has come online
Dan Heng nudged your phone and made it buzz non-stop
Dan Heng nudged your phone and made it buzz non-stop
Blade: Is something the matter?
Your friend is typing…
Your friend is typing…
Your friend is typing…
Dan Heng: I miss you.
Blade: … I have time.