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"Nevermind. Let's go," she moved away from him, walking ahead to the Express.
Dan Heng's eyes widened, realising how rude he must have come off just then. Instant regret and guilt replaced his anxiety as he slowly followed behind her in silence.
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That night, Dan Heng was plagued with voices and memories. They continued to replay in his nightmares, interrupting his slumber constantly.
"Rebirth won't save you. A thousand deaths couldn't pay for your sins."
"You shall be reincarnated and live a life in exile from the Xianzhou Alliance."
"My vengeance will follow you until the day you truly die."
"You will find no refuge among the stars."
"Stop!" he jolted awake for the sixth time.
His breathing was shallow and his head throbbed heavily. The sound of his racing heartbeat pounded within his eardrums. His trembling hand reached out into thin air, as if trying to grasp his remaining sanity. He had not been tormented to this degree in a long time.
His heart sank. The Astral Express was supposed to be his place of solace and solitude, but it seemed not even the serene walls of this train could protect him from his past.
Dan Heng heaved his weary body off the bed, the springs of the mattress creaking quietly to the change of weight. He felt light yet heavy at the same time, which made finding his sense of balance quite difficult. It took a while to make his way to the door as his knees threatened to collapse beneath him with each step.
He leaned on the doorframe as he pushed the door open, welcoming rays of moonlight that flooded the room. His eyes squinted instantly as he adjusted to the sudden change of lighting. Luckily, it was still the middle of the night. He didn't need to worry about anyone seeing him in this sorry state.
Once his eyes were comfortable, he begrudgingly made his way to the restroom. Most bedrooms on the Express had their own bathrooms, but Dan Heng chose to stay in the Data Archives. It was specifically a storage room to hold information collected through every journey. So naturally, there was no personal restroom provided. He was hired to maintain the space and genuinely enjoyed the work. As a sucker for reading and scripture, it was perfect for him.
The splash of cold water against his skin gave him the feeling of relief he yearned for. His arms were propped on the sides of the sink to support his weight as he analysed his reflection in the mirror. The loud beating of his panicked heart finally subsided, and his breathing began to normalise.
Until the reflection shifted.
Within a blink of an eye, Dan Heng's image had reformed. Staring back at him was a reflection with sturdy jade horns and an elegant tail that flowed behind him seamlessly, similar to that of gentle waves of water. His dark locks extended well past his waist, and his eyes contained a dangerous glow. It was a frightening sight. The very embodiment of his worst internal fears.
He glanced down at his body, only to see his regular attire. And when his hand reached behind him, he only felt the absence of those long locks of hair. Everything appeared normal, yet when he peered into the mirror once more, that monster continued to stare into his soul.
'Stop running,' a voice echoed in his mind. It felt like his reflection was speaking to him, yet his mouth did not move.
'You have a sin that must be repaid in this life. As my reincarnation, it is your duty.'
"No!" Dan Heng choked out. "I am not you."
'You are Dan Feng, the High Elder of the Vidyadhara. A King.'
"My name is Dan Heng. I am not the monster of my past. We are not the same person!" he stated firmly despite the trembling in his voice.
He looked down once more to see an ominous green glow beginning to envelope his body. His hand shot up to his scalp as he felt the presence of horns starting to grow. The aura in the room was overwhelmingly heavy and powerful. He felt himself losing control and it terrified him.
The voice repeatedly called out to him numerous times.
'Dan Feng... Dan Feng...'
"Stop- ah!" Dan Heng yelled as he stumbled out the restroom, landing harshly on the carpeted hallway.
"Dan Heng?" A surprised Y/N stepped back to avoid him as he tumbled in front of her.
The jade eyed male groaned in pain from impact, rubbing his lower back to help the soreness subside. Remnants of the ominous glow dispersed quickly, but not quick enough to escape Y/N's watchful eye. All that remained was Dan Heng's usual self.
"Are you okay? I swore I heard something in-"
"I'm fine," he cut her off abruptly. "My apologies for disturbing you."
He rushed to his feet to leave, but to his dismay, his strength finally gave out on him. Exhaustion overtook his body as he collapsed forwards onto Y/N. The two fell backwards, but thankfully, Y/N managed to regain her balance quick enough to support both of their weights. She suddenly stiffened at the feeling of Dan Heng's warm breath tickling her neck, and a hot blush rushed to her cheeks.
"Dan Heng," she began carefully, pushing the embarrassing moment out of her mind.
"You don't have to tell me anything if it discomforts you. I just want you to know I'm here to support you."
The man pulled back slowly. He saw the overwhelming plea and worry in Y/N's eyes. She was really holding back from pressing him further, and somehow, it made him feel guilty. He had seen that look from others before, such as March and Himeko, but he would never budge or react to their concern. Yet for some reason, when it came to Y/N, it left quite an impact on him.
He couldn't help but notice her features. Her cheeks were lightly flushed in a rose tint, and her H/C hair framed her delicate face perfectly. Those alluring E/C eyes made his breath hitch everytime he looked into them. Her pupils were like a never ending starry night sky, so full of wonder, life, and curiosity. She was absolutely, breathtakingly beautiful. He was baffled that it took him this long to notice. If only he hadn't kept his nose in those books all the time.
Y/N's heart skipped a beat at how intense Dan Heng was staring at her. It was embarrassing. She felt self conscious knowing she looked awful then and there, but that wasn't the main issue at present.
"I wish I could tell you. I really do," Dan Heng whispered in a vulnerable tone. He averted his gaze shyly as his bangs fell over his eyes, making his facial expression impossible to read.
"But I can't."
Y/N couldn't help feeling slightly disappointed, but she knew foremost he needed someone to understand him. She smiled softly as her hand subconsciously reached up to his face, sweeping his fluffy hair to the side.
"That's alright. How about you come with me?"
"Hm?"
"The reason I'm up right now is to get something to drink. It's pretty chilly tonight. How about we get some tea to warm up?" she offered as she pulled her hand away. The feeling of her fingertips grazing his skin lingered. It was electrifying. All his senses were focused on her touch alone.
"S-sure," he stuttered slightly, accidentally allowing his embarrassment to become evident.
"I could use some tea right now, to be honest."
"Great!" Y/N replied enthusiastically. She gently pushed his weight off her. Her heart skipped another beat upon realising they had been holding each other for a couple minutes by now.
Dan Heng cleared his throat and hurriedly stepped away, too shy to fully look at her.
"Alright, let's go," she had a slight spring in her step as she walked, due to all the nerves and energy built up within her from their little moment.
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"Do you want any milk or sugar?" Y/N called over to Dan Heng, who was sitting on the couch across from her with his arms crossed.
"Ah, no. I just like it black."
Y/N couldn't help but laugh to herself, which confused Dan Heng.
"What's so funny?" he asked.
"Nothing, sorry. You're just somewhat predictable. I had a feeling you'd say that," she explained, looking back at him with an apologetic smile.
"There's no way I'm that predictable," he mumbled to himself.
"Uh oh, is someone afraid of his dark and mysterious front being exposed?" Y/N teased, holding back a giggle.
Dan Heng's brows furrowed at her comment.
"Not at all. Let me guess, you like yours with milk and at least two to three teaspoons of sugar."
Y/N's eyes widened at how accurately he noted her likings.
"How did you know that? That's precisely how I like it."
Dan Heng scrunched his face slightly at the thought of the combination.
"Why do you like it like that? It takes away from the natural flavour of the tea. Three spoons of sugar is insanity."
Y/N frowned, placing her hand on her hip.
"I don't know how you can drink this bitter stuff without it. Oh, wait!" She tapped her chin thoughtfully, a playful glimmer in her eye.
"It's because you're emo. You like your tea as dark as your soul," she barely choked out before breaking into a fit of laughter.
"For God's sake Y/N, you won't let go of that," Dan Heng rolled his eyes unamused, but a smile tugged at his lips from seeing her laugh so freely.
Eventually Y/N calmed down, wiping away a tear from the corner of her eye.
"But seriously, how did you know I liked my tea that way?"
Dan Heng stayed quiet for a moment, debating on how he should answer. He then let out a sigh, giving in.
"Okay, fine. Maybe I overheard Himeko scolding you for adding too much sugar one time," he admitted, unable to suppress his smile any longer.
"Ha! So you didn't actually 'predict' me! I win this guessing game," Y/N exclaimed triumphantly, pointing her teaspoon at Dan Heng.
Laughter errupt from the usually reserved man, seeing how silly Y/N was behaving.
"Alright, you win," he held his hands up jokingly to surrender.
Y/N stared at him briefly in surprise. A giddy feeling welled up inside her from how wonderful his laugh sounded. That was the first time she ever heard him truly laugh.
The two continued to banter and talk into early morning. Dan Heng felt free from the shackles of his past whenever he was with Y/N, which made her company all the more addicting. He wished it could last forever.
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