Interstellar Fates | Dan Heng x Reader

004

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⚘❧ⅈℕ𝐓ℯℛ𝐒𝓉𝒞ℓℓ𝐀𝓇

𝓕𝕒𝓉ℰ𝒮~004❧⚘

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"I had that dream again, y'know... The one I never officially told you about yet because it sounds just like the memory you told me about and I really don't want to sound crazier than I already do. Yeah, that dream! Funny story actually..." You stopped mid-mirror-monologuing and let out an insatiable groan before dropping your brush on the vanity and running your hands through your hair fervently. It was the following day and despite how restless you were that night after your nightly call with Sushang, you managed to drift off to sleep and found yourself lost in the all-too-familiar dreamscape. You figured that since you and Dan Heng had been talking more on casual terms maybe it was the time to confess the dream that you were so prone to having. The only problem is that you didn't know how to exactly address the topic.

"He's the no-nonsense type, so it makes sense to just walk up to him and tell him the truth, right?" You muttered softly to yourself before letting out yet another frustrated groan and standing up from your vanity abruptly. You had an idea as to who you could get advice from, but seeing as you were still somewhat estranged from the members of the Express, you felt hesitant to approach them. "Please lend me your strength Long," you sighed exasperately, praying for the strength of the regaled Aeon of the Xianzhou natives before leaving your cabin and heading over to the adjoining Parlor Car. As it happened, the two people you were hoping to run into were there, one enjoying the gentle cushions of the seat and the other fiddling around with the Phonograph. You approached them respectively, glad that Dan Heng wasn't there to occupy either of their attentions.

"Mr. Yang! Hi, um... I apologize for the sudden interruption... especially since we haven't really had the chance to become well acquainted with one another, but–!" You started and couldn't stop, which is why it came as no surprise that he cut you off with a quizzical gaze. "Y/n? By the tone of your voice and the tempo of your speech, I can safely assume that you came to ask me a question. Or maybe even a series of questions. Is that correct?" He crossed his legs and leaned ever so slightly to the side with his cane as his main support. You blinked and offered your warmest smile, but it paled in comparison to how nervous you actually looked on the outside. "That obvious?" You asked weakly, your throat suddenly dry and your words struggling to reach the surface. He simply chuckled and gently patted the seat beside him with a soft smile on his face, "Let's become well-acquainted then."

"My intuition rarely deceives me, in case you were wondering. Is there any reason you chose to approach me before Stelle over there? She may seem different from Caelus, but they are the very same right down to their Stellaron cores." Welt glanced over at the girl who was blissfully browsing the vast selection of music that was stored with the Phonograph. You followed his gaze briefly before groaning quietly. "You mean to say that she won't be there long enough for me to talk to her?" He chuckled once more, "Precisely."

You shifted nervously where you sat and ran a shaky hand through your brushed locks. "H-Honestly, Mr. Yang... I..." The anxiety that had pooled in the pit of your stomach was starting to make its way up and frankly, it was making you more and more restless with each passing second. You hated how being on the Astral Express felt. You hated how hard it was for you to say what you wanted because no one knew the real you. Sometimes, you didn't even know if you knew the real you. You had made it a daily habit to compare all of your encounters with any you would have with Sushang. The thought alone that her presence could alleviate 99 of your problems without even trying was the only thing that brought you comfort in these trying times. I'm pathetic... The self-pity came flooding in all over again, but you felt powerless to it. You would have never had these issues back home.

You clenched your fists tightly before releasing them and repeating the motions over and over again. The floodgates had opened up and without realizing it, tears were pricking the corners of your eyes. "I-I didn't think this through, not in the slightest... I still don't know what I'm doing here, and it feels like the only person who understands how it feels to feel lost is Dan Heng! But of course, I can hardly even talk to him because he's Mr. Lone Wolf; stoic as always and super distant! Why the hell do I even bother trying to relate to someone who I know nothing about?!" Everything came pouring out all at once and you were fighting every tooth and nail to keep your voice controlled, despite there only being the three of you in the Parlor. Your sudden outburst didn't go unnoticed by the girl in the corner though, but you couldn't care less in the moment. All you could say was that you tried.

Tears forced their way down your cheeks and onto the velvet cushions that the conductor prided themselves on keeping in tip-top shape. It almost made you feel bad, however, the current state of your mental health was definitely worse off than a few teardrops. "Y/n, I want to believe that... due to my age and experience, I empathize with your feelings. I hail from a different place too, and my sudden displacement, well... It definitely took me some time to get used to it. I think it's safe to say that had I been your age when I came aboard the Express, I more than likely would have been subjected to the same overwhelming emotions, which is to say that... Y/n, you aren't alone. I know you know that already, but it doesn't seem like you're getting the reminder you need from the right person," Welt looked over at your trembling figure before placing a gloved hand on your shoulder, lightly to show that he understood the delicacy that was your current state, "While I do believe that confronting Dan Heng is a good first step to feeling a little more comfortable here, you have to understand that he is in the same position as you: lost, overwhelmed, and displaced. The only difference is that he has always been alone as far as he remembers."

You sniffled quietly and inched the bridge of your nose to give it some much-needed air, your head bobbing ever so slightly in a nod of understanding. "I'm jumping the gun a little... Not everyone reacts the same way I do, and he's the prime example. I feel so selfish, Mr. Yang. I'm being overdramatic about being forced to leave my home for my safety when Stelle and Caelus don't even know who they are or where they're from... Their "mother" is the enemy, ugh! I should probably... say something to them right? They've been nothing but nice and friendly given their situation and I've been so... so angsty!" You went back and forth between talking to yourself out loud and talking to Welt, but the weight of your words didn't change. He hummed and slowly rose from the seat, turning to you with an outstretched hand and a warm smile on his face. You took his gloved hand and got up on your feet as well, eyes puffy and damp and heart drumming against your chest.

"You've done nothing wrong in anyone's eyes, Y/n. Why not try talking to Dan Heng again? I have a feeling your outcome will be different this time around." He released your hand and his cane tapped softly against the floorboards of the car. His footsteps were equally as quiet as they started to fade with every step he took towards the direction of the Phonograph, the female twin no longer standing there. "Hm, Sleep Tight, huh? If I had to guess," Welt spoke from the threshold of the car door, his head tilted back enough so that you could see his warm smile and the light obscuring the glint in his eyes, "She means for you rest easy as well." He nodded before disappearing behind the door, leaving you standing there with a mixture of emotions swelling up inside of you.

One thing was for sure though.

You had to face Dan Heng again.