Chapter Text
Everything had to be perfect.
Dan Feng had been planning this night out with you, painstakingly for weeks upon weeks and making sure that every fine detail was planned to perfection. Though he obviously wanted to plan something grandiose, because anything less would not be worthy for you, he knew you weren’t exactly the type to indulge in such things. You preferred to keep things a bit simpler, something slower that suited your pace well and you could simmer with. Dan Feng had planned accordingly, deciding to take you to your favourite restaurant for dinner, followed by a walk by the seaside and finally, you would slip away into a secret little grove that you both were quite fond of. It was simple, to your tastes and Dan Feng had been quite pleased with himself when you had eagerly agreed to his suggestion.
With something so simple, what could possibly go wrong?
Dan Feng was lingering around his home office while you finished getting dressed in the bedroom. Stacks of ancient tomes and old scrolls were piled up on his desk, a few bowls of alchemical ingredients scattered among the mess that clogged up his desk. He was usually a bit more organised than this. But he had found himself quite antsy all day, thinking about tonight and silently hoping that everything would go along smoothly. He had been so restless that he had hardly gotten any work done, eyes unfocused and mind not absorbing a single ancient script nor scrawled text on those fading parchments of paper. It was a wonder that he got anything done today with how distracted he was.
Dan Feng shuffled around his desk, sweeping past the lingering mess of piling up work as he reached for the bottom drawer. The carved wood was old and he had to use a little force to get the drawer to slide out, the contents inside rattling around furiously when he all but yanked on the small handle to open it. There were a few spare ink brushes among the piles of vials and sheets of paper that he rarely used anymore. He ignored them and searched for the little trinket he had hidden away among it, reaching for a small box he had purposefully obscured in case someone other than himself had accidentally opened it.
He retrieved a small, white box, setting it down on his desk while he closed the desk drawer with a firm shove that made the hinges rattle and the wood groan in protest. Dan Feng picked up the small box again, almost gingerly as he carefully opened it. He doubted that what lay inside would suddenly go for a walk about but for his own peace of mind, he made sure to check. His heart was set a little at ease when what lay inside had indeed remained undisturbed, just like the day he received it. Satisfied, he closed the small box and slipped it into the breast pocket of his formal attire, keeping it hidden for the right time when it was needed. He adjusted his outfit, placing a hand over his chest to make sure that the box was still there and would not suddenly fall out of place.
Just as he was leaving his office, his sharp hearing caught the sound of your voice calling out to him, your words echoing down the hallway as he shut the door behind him with a soft click.
“Dan Feng” you sang out. “I require your assistance.”
Dan Feng’s lips twitched with a small smile. Your voice sounded soft and bright. He could already imagine the smile you wore, the one that made your plush lips look a little pouty and made your cherub cheeks feel warm when he touched your face.
“I’ll be right there” Dan Feng called back.
He took a moment to compose himself, taking a deep calming breath and keeping his chin up as he made his way down the hallway and into the bedroom where you were. You were sitting at the vanity, all dressed up with a hair brush poised in your hand as you stared at your reflection in the mirror. You immediately perked up when you saw Dan Feng in the reflection of the mirror, your bright gaze catching his as a soft smile tilted your cherry red lips.
“What do you need help with, dear one?” Dan Feng asked as he trailed closer.
A soft hum tickled the back of your throat, your dark lashes fluttering softly over the swell of your cheeks as you gently waved the hair brush in your hand.
“May I ask for you to tie my hair up, please?” you asked with a soft bat of your lashes.
A small puff of air blew out of Dan Feng’s nose, another smile pulling at his thin lips as his eyes shimmered with mirth. You were still overtly polite, despite how long you two had been together for.
“You may, little dragon” Dan Feng replied with a soft nod of his head.
You beamed up at him, your golden tail swishing in delight behind your chair as Dan Feng stepped up behind you. He plucked the hair brush out of your loose grip, gathering strands of your long hair between his fingers as he ran the bristles through your hair, mindful of the curve of your golden horns. He noted that by the sheen of your silky strands that you must have already finished brushing long before you asked for his assistance but you offered up no complaint and let him run the brush through your hair several times. He felt your golden tail idly curling around his ankle, golden tufts of fur brushing by the material of his clothes. He leaned in a little closer, peeking at you from over your shoulder as his bright, jade eyes caught the gleam of your golden gaze.
“How should I style it today hm? What would you like?”
You idly tapped your chin in thought, the small movement causing the golden bangles around your wrist to clink together softly as you tipped your head back. Your gaze wandered for a few, brief seconds as you chewed on the plump seam of your lips, the bulk of your tail squirming around with impatience. Your eyes locked onto his again as you gave him a dazzling smile full of sharp teeth.
“A braid please!” you chirped.
Dan Feng hummed in approval, taking the red ribbon you offered to him and throwing it over his wrist as he started to section off your hair. Your soft locks slipped through his fingers like fine silk and there was a sweet smelling perfume lingering on the collar of your hanfu as he swept your bangs off the nape of your neck. The scent of the perfume tickled his nose whenever he took a deep breath, the sweet and flowery fragrance making the tip of his tongue tingle. Dan Feng twisted sections of your hair around his fingers as he started to braid it, pulling firm but not too tight as he weaved the pieces between his dexterous fingers. You hummed a soft tune as he continued, keeping your head perfectly still as you patiently waited for him to finish. It didn’t take Dan Feng much longer, having become an expert at tying your hair into many different styles. He tied off your hair with the red ribbon you provided, letting the braid fall over your shoulders as he stepped away.
“All finished.”
You admired his handiwork in the mirror, twisting your head to the side as you tentatively ran your fingers over the braid with a giddy smile.
“It’s perfect, love. Thank you.”
You stood from your chair, smoothing out the skirt of your garb and tugging it off the curve of your plump hips as you adjusted. You silently went through a mental checklist, checking off that you had everything ready before you would depart for the evening. As you shuffled around, you could vaguely feel Dan Feng’s eyes following your movements as he admired you. Even after all these years, you still never failed to make his breath hitch from your radiant beauty. A soft hum stirred in the back of his throat as his eyes trailed over you, a thought sparking in his head.
“It will be cool tonight” he mentioned. “Perhaps you should wear something to keep warm?”
You nodded your head along to his words. These past few nights had brought along a cold nip to it and you didn’t fancy feeling it. A cold rattle was already prickling against the notches of your spine just thinking about it.
“In that case, I’ll go fetch my shawl.”
You padded your way over to your wardrobe, rummaging through one of the drawers as you pulled out your favourite shawl. It had been a gift from Dan Feng many, many moons ago, a present he had given to you long before he had even started to court you. You draped the fine silk over your shoulders, pulling it snug to the nape of your neck to shield it from the cold. Dan Feng helped to adjust it, flicking off small specks of fuzz as he smoothed it out.
“How do I look?” you asked.
There was a timid stammer to your voice, heat rising to the swell of your cheeks as you shifted your weight from one leg to the other. You swallowed around the awkward lump in your throat, feeling a little meek beneath Dan Feng’s scrutinizing gaze as it raked over you. He was silent for a long moment as he drank you in, your heart stammering inside your chest as your throat bobbed softly. Dan Feng offered you a warm smile as he stepped closer, sweeping his fingers beneath your chin and tipping your head in his direction. His breath was warm as it brushed against your skin and your cheeks burned hotter when his voice dropped to a lower, reverent whisper.
“Radiant, as always” he replied before placing a gentle kiss on your forehead.
Your tail squirmed in excitement behind you, the glow of your horns shining a little brighter as your excitement fed the flow of draconic magic in your body. You giggled softly, utterly flattered by his words as you placed a hand on his arm.
“Oh you” you said with a bashful grin.
Your heart was still pulsing in your ears even as Dan Feng stepped away, the heat of his presence still lingering. You tucked a stray wisp of hair behind the curve of your pointy ear, clearing your throat as Dan Feng gestured to the door.
“Shall we go?” he asked.
You nodded. “Yes. I’m ready to go.”
He politely waited for you to go first, following your lead and trailing through the house after you as you made your way to the front door. Your eyes were focused forward and you did not see the way Dan Feng fiddled behind you, adjusting his garb and subconsciously checking that the small box he had hidden was still tucked away safe and sound, his nerves buzzing a little when he placed his hand over his chest to double…no triple check that everything was in order.
Everything was perfect.