Chapter Text
Oh, my sweet and gentle heart is beguiled.
And ne'er shall I escape the savage wild
For I hath captured the Vidyadhara’s desire
Passion and obsession are two concepts that cannot be separated for the Vidyadhara, Dan Feng mused, shutting down the databank and sliding the disk into the inner folds of his robes.
It is a statement often muttered in warning to those young and new among their neighbors, as weary as they were wary of their draconic allies. It is a warning well made, for it is true as breathing. A dragon's obsession is burns in every Vidyadhara to some degree. And it is not a matter of when but if they have both the will and skill to control their own temperaments.
And it is a skill, practiced and refined with age. Self-domination meant to keep them a part of society. Done out of pride more than a true moral compass.
It is dangerous to be the object of such obsession. His neighbors in Luofu know this well, and he does not begrudge them their songs and poetry. It is, instead, quite gladdening to hear. Their caution stirring within most Vidyadhara he knows a sense of satisfaction, if not arrogance. To have one's love considered such a dangerous thing is flattering, really. It speaks to them. To their pride and ambition. To their will to dominate. They are a people of greed, each finding themselves with trinkets and treasures that capture the eye and draw them in like fish to feed. Gorging themselves until their bellies have swelled and their bodies have torn apart. Looking upon their feeders and asking for more praise for their efforts.
And what could be more flattering than to hear their covetous nature held in such fear and awe?
But only the truly wise heed such words, he muses, turning his attention to the collection of buildings that tower above him. He reaches out a single palm, cupping under the building’s base, watching it as it lay in his palm.
Inside lay his own obsession.
The Artisanship Commission was a labyrinth of winding paths and twists, with the Master Furnace at its center, as it always was. So winding are these halls that there are times when one might need to find a special, invented craft to help traverse through its eclectic paths. But Dan Feng had no need for such things, he knew his way by heart at this point. Ten years he had been coming here.
Ten years would mean nothing, and feel short to anyone else on the Luofu, but not to the High Elder.
This building was proof of his obsession's commitment to his craft. He'd earned this workshop as his through his grit, determination, and brilliance. At just over thirty years of age, he'd proven himself skilled enough to gain the title of Furnace Master. The leader of this place.
The thought pleased him. Everyone should know just what a treasure this man was. Dan Feng would not settle for anything less for what was his.
And he would be his if Imbibitor Lunae had anything to say about it.
His obsession, his mortal man, the brightest star in the sky worthy enough to hang alongside the moon.
Yingxing.
Ten years, ten years of courting. And tonight...
Tonight, he hoped he could move them to the next phase of courtship.
Dan Feng peered down the darkened halls, letting the echoing ring of hammers and the whirling of drills wash over him. There were many departments to consider, and Yingxing could be found in any of them at any given time. His hands were too valuable to waste on just one craft, so when trying to hunt it was always important to keep in mind any projects that Yingxing may have mentioned during the various meetings and outings they've shared in most recent memory.
Most often they had him working on aurumatons or weapons, Dan Feng recalled, glancing between the two halls. There were other commissions. He's seen Yingxing work on furniture and devices and strange funerary equipment. But he was most often between those two departs thanks to the war. Yingxing was most often utilized where high skill was more useful, on prototype weapons or large starskiffs. But Yingxing tended to tell if that were the case. He always remembered to mention ships he built, whereas weapons he made by the hundreds unless there was something special.
'I have a new weaponsmith starting this week,' Dan Feng recalls Yingxing mentioning now that he's thought through it, 'I need to take time to train him.'
The weapons forge then, Dan Feng decides, turning to walk along the corridor that would lead him to the furnace. This was most fortuitous indeed. The furnace for the forge burned hot, and Yingxing was often doing more hands-on work that would leave him wary and exhausted enough that he would more than happily accept Dan Feng's offer to attend a dinner together.
It was excellent, really, that this was the case. Yingxing would be putty in his claws under these circumstances. Dan Feng had the arrangements ready. Dinner from Yingxing's favorite restaurant, which would be delivered by cycrane to their favorite moongazing spot. The High Elder had already picked out the wine, and the book of poetry he'd read from. He'd even bought himself a special pair of robes to wear. White with blue waves, stars embroidered in silver and red maple leaves outlined in gold. Fine, but more casual than what he usually wore. They would highlight his figure, make his dark hair stand out, and highlight his glowing eyes and horns more.
Yingxing would love it, surely.
He reached the door to the weapon-forge in no time, sliding the doors open without bothering to knock. Heat blew across his cool skin, and the scent of sweat, smoke, coal and iron stung his nose momentarily. The room was busy, with the mortal's various workers and students working tirelessly to get their weapons done, or at least at a good stopping point before the workday officially ended.
But Dan Feng cared very little for them.
No, his eyes were drawn to the pale, naked back of a figure standing in front of the largest furnace in the room. Yingxing, glorious Yingxing, had shed his uniform because of the heat, and stood with only his navy hair pinned back and apron to protect himself from the sparks and flames. Dan Feng's claws twitched with want to run them down the broad muscles unveiled before his eyes.
No, not here. He would refrain. With intent the Vidyadhara stepped forward, barely aware of others figures standing close by the same forge as his mortal. His senses only cared for his obsession and his obsession alone right now. “Yingxing, there you are.”
But as Dan Feng moved closer something niggled his senses, needling at him and telling him something was wrong. His instincts were not so easily triggered, not so easily ruffled.
Perhaps he was simply stressed? He had been running about quite a bit fixing the Preceptor's mistakes with trade between the Xianzhou ships all week.
But...no, even he knew that this wasn't simply stress. Had Yingxing injured himself? He hadn't answered him yet, either. With a frown threatening to taint his cool expression, the High Elder elegantly glided over to Yingxing's furnace, intent on figuring out just what, exactly, had his usually perfectly controlled instincts on edge. “Yingxing-“
And then the scent hit him.
What is this?
The high elder stopped his approach, letting the unpleasant smell roll over his senses. He almost hadn't caught it beneath the shared scent of melted metal and chemical finish mixing in the air near him. But the more he approached his precious friend the stronger the scent of the man became, his sweat thick enough and heady enough to cut through the rest of the room's overpowering odors. The Vidyadhara had long memorized this man, had come to know him the way one knows only that with which their thoughts most often return. He'd memorized various parts of Yingxing. From the way his hair falls down his back, to the fine scars over his fingers, to the ways his eyes shined beneath moonlight. And he'd most certainly memorized his scent.
So of course he would notice when someone else has laid their own claim on that precious body.
“What?” Yingxing turned to him, indigo eyes turning to face whoever called his name. He had bags under his eyes that told of his exhaustion, made all the darker by the thick rivers of sweat that poured down his brow. The craftsman visibly perked upon finding his eyes meeting Dan Feng's, a bit of life returning to him. His lips upturned into something dazzling and devastatingly beautiful. “Ah! Imbibitor Lunae! Give me just a moment.”
Yingxing placed down the pair of iron tongs he'd been holding, rolling his muscled shoulders and sending another river of sweat rolling over his back. He grabbed a towel from the table next to his forge, rubbing the sweat from his brow with it and straightening his bun before tossing the towel around his neck and stepping to approach Dan Feng as though nothing was wrong. “What a wonderful surprise. What brings you to the forge today?”
His obsession's scent was such a wonderful thing. Complex, with many layers to it. The iron tang of the forge, the sharp sweet of anise, and the crisp floral scent of magnolias, his favorite flower. The High Elder had obsessed over it for hours and hours, he knew it as well as he knew his own. He knew the various tinges it could take with his emotional and physical state. But now? Now it was tainted. The scent of his happiness on seeing him was drowned under rosemary and sage and something so sweet it threatened to make him snarl.
Who did this? Who would dare challenge the claim of Imbibitor Lunae?
“What is the meaning of this?” He could not deny the anger and betrayal that threatened to cloud his judgement. In Vidyadhara courtship scent mixing was an act that was reserved only for lovers, or to mark someone you intended to take as a lover. Dan Feng had religiously been applying his scent to his obsession's wrists and clothes, making it clear whom he was being courted by. Foxians did something similar, but their scenting was more varied between friends, family, and lovers. He never minded when Baiheng scented Yingxing because she considered him family as well as friend.
But this? This was obscene. Yingxing smelled like he'd been mated in the time Dan Feng hadn't seen him, and the High Elder couldn't deny the swift blow the very idea made to his heart. “Why do you smell like that? Who did this?”
“Huh?” Yingxing stopped short, blinking down at him. The smile fell from his lips, his expression becoming more bemused than anything. The man lifted his own arm almost on instinct, sniffing his own wrists and yet unable to clear his own confusion. Dan Feng could see the craftsman's mind whirling behind his eyes, his head tilting as he thought through what he should say to the angry high elder. It only made the intrusive scent of rosemary and sage stronger, drawing the eye to the neck. Had someone necked him. How...?
The towel.
“Your majesty, I'm afraid I don't understand.” Came the craftsman's answer, amusement bleeding into his smile and tone alike. It was a familiar habit, a natural playful tilt he often took when in verbal conflict that Dan Feng would delight in if this situation weren't so serious. “If you're referring to the stink of sweat then I'm afraid that it's the consequence of-Hey!”
Dan Feng did not wait for Yingxing to finish his play, snatching the towel from around his neck and ignoring his protest. He held the offending thing between his thumb and forefinger, turning away from Yingxing when he tried to grab it back. Expression carefully controlled, Dan Feng brought it closer, sniffing the offending clothe.
Yingxing.
And another.
“Haha, very funny High Elder.” Yingxing's voice rolled over his ear, his hand reaching over the high elder's shoulder in a brazen display of closeness, reaching to snatch back the towel.” Much as I like to play keep away, I need this.”
“Did you share this with someone?” Dan Feng demanded, unfortunately having to ignore and gracefully dodge Yingxing's touch. If this were any other moment, any other circumstance, the High Elder would have engaged enthusiastically in such a game.
But not here, no. Dan Feng needed to get to the bottom of this. Someone audaciously got their own scent all over Yingxing. Without the man's knowing, it would seem, which was a violation so disgusting it made his rage boil.
He detested that he'd even had a sliver of doubt. Yingxing would never betray him, especially not like this. Was this a mere accident? Could someone have swapped their towels by mistake? Regardless, the moment the culprit was found, the situation dealt with, and this blasted towel destroyed, he was dousing the craftsman in as much sea water as possible to wash him off.
“Huh?” Before Dan Feng could stop him Yingxing washed that damnable towel all over his chest, pausing once he realized what the question had been. He held it there, against his pectoral, oblivious to how he was spreading the violation over his own body. Never had Dan Feng cursed the lack of refined smelling ability of his neighbors, but now it took all his finely honed control not to snatch the towel again. Yingxing, precious thing, took a moment to think over the question. Then, to his great annoyance and horror, he nodded. “Oh, now that you mention it, yeah.”
Disgusting.
“Who.” It took every bit of his patience as High Elder of the Vidyadhara not to bite out.
Never mind sea water, Dan Feng was going to scrub the man down himself. With his own Cloudhym magic at that. It would bring his own scent back onto Yingxing and erase that offensive herby sage. It would perhaps be a bit “overkill”, as Baiheng would say. It was just a tad too soon in this phase of their courtship for them to smell so strongly of one another, but he found he did not care. He had plans to take that step regardless once he had gotten Yingxing's consent after dinner. And this situation was dire enough to warrant it to happen before then.
“Ah, the new apprentice." Yingxing blinked, rather put out by the tone in High Elder’s voice. A tone only he and maybe the others in their little quintet would notice. The craftsman slowly pulled the towel away from his pectoral, watching it with a new skepticism now. As he should. Dan Feng almost let himself be comforted by the removal. Until Yingxing brought it up to his precious face and smelled it himself. “Why? What's wrong it? Does he stink?”
“Tell me.” He does not like taking on a terse or harsh tone with Yingxing, particularly since the man had not done anything wrong. He was rather understandably confused, and logically the High Elder knew he should explain.
But as it was, keeping his temper under control was a challenge with Yingxing smelling as he did. Like he'd chosen another.
Like he'd had an affair behind his back.
Once again, the idea delivered another crack to his resolve, making his claws twitch with the need to lash out at something. “It's important”
“He’s packing up at his locker.” Yingxing jabbed a thumb to the door at the further end of the room, past where the rest of the workers had congregated together next to their cleaned workstations.
It did not escape Dan Feng's notice that some of them were throwing looks at the two of them. At least three of the workers in the room were Foxian and likely very aware of exactly what was going on. It made Dan Feng's pride sting. He'd been challenged so blatantly in front of those that knew he was slowly claiming the man next to him. Such humiliation could not, would not, be forgiven. The elder clicked his jaw, trying to reign in his rapidly fraying temper, focusing on Yingxing's voice. “It's the end of the workday, so I'm sending everyone off while I finish up. You came at a good time; everyone will be leaving soon. Haoli is probably still there”
“What is this "Haoli?"” So that was the name of the culprit whom he sought? He did not recognize it, at least not in this state. Rapidly, Dan Feng considers the possibilities before him. If it was a native of the alliance, he'd be willing to forgive if they apologized. A short life he'd give just as much leniency, if not more, given how rare they were aboard the Luofu. Yingxing was known to greet and befriend his fellows whenever he came upon them. Foxian, however, would need to be given a stern warning. While their culture wasn't as strict about scent as Vidyadhara was, they knew just as well not to be careless when scenting. “Short Life? Xianzhou Native? He cannot be Foxian, can he?”
“Does...that matter?” Yingxing asked slowly, still bemused. His brows knit together with no small amount of worry at the uncharacteristic questioning. But stopped short when he saw Dan Feng's expression had remained stern and unchanged. Slowly, he acquiesced to the request, though the elder could sense that he would be questioned later. “He's Vidyadhara.”
Something in Dan Feng cracked, and he was almost certain it was his control. Possibly his sanity. Surely, he heard that wrong?
A Vidyadhara?
Another Vidyadhara had challenged him, put a claim on his Yingxing? Without even bothering to court him? Another one of his own kind had committed such a violation of their culture and rituals in their bid for the man? And Yingxing, his kind, compassionate, generous Yingxing, had been taken advantage of to accomplish such a feat?
He would not stand for it.
“Is that right?” Dan Feng's demeanor might as well have been chipped from Jingliu's own ice it was so cold.
Without warning, the dragon snatched the towel out of Yingxing's hands, taking one last whiff that nearly made a snarl break through his expression. With the scent of this "Haoli" in mind, and towel in hand, the High Elder marches out of the workshop in hot pursuit, reptilian eyes sharp. How dare they? How dare they? Did this Vidyadhara really think they stood a chance against him? After breaking the rules so? He would show them just how wrong they were to cross this line.
“Dan Feng, wha-“ Yingxing's startled voice followed him, but he could not afford to stop for even him right now. The high elder stormed past the startled workers, who were wise enough to move aside rather than face his wrath.
Good, at least some of Yingxing's workers had their wits about them.
Reaching the door to the locker rooms, Dan Feng yanked it open so hard that the wind swept his hair. The door slammed against the wall, startling those inside. Tsking, the high elder scanned the room, taking it in. The locker room was, admittedly, not a place he'd been inside before though he knew it was here. It was a simple place with a few dozen lockers lining a cool colored room, with a back hall that led to different shower stalls. He had no need to search for them, however. There were only two people in the room. Both Vidyadhara.
Aquamarine eyes studied them both. One was a woman, small and short cropped black hair, wrapped up in her artisan commission uniform, speaking rather nervously to her taller companion. He turns his gaze to the other. Taller, fair skinned, a map of curly brown hair crowning his youthful face, wearing his goggles like glasses.
Dan Feng slams the door closed behind him a little too loudly before locking it, causing the targets to jump again.
“Shit, he was coming today!?” He vaguely registers the female Vidyadhara hissing, her fearful blue eyes darting back and forth between himself and Haoli. Wisely, the female dragon bares her neck in submission and backs away, her expression a mixture of fear, pity and anxiety as she whispers. “Sorry Haoli, but I really, really did try to warn you...”
“So, it's you.” Dan Feng paid her little mind, cold eyes narrowing on the young Vidyadhara before him as he stalked forward. "Young" should have been the key piece of information, the one that would calm him down and make him think a little more rationally through the rage. But no, no he couldn't think calmly, not with "Haoli" standing there in his uniform, stinking of his Yingxing and seeming so happy with himself. Like he'd accomplished some great feat or procured himself a great boon. No shame for his stealing behavior, then? “Just what did you think you were doing?”
“What?” Haoli blinks his, Dan Feng's lips nearly curl, sage green eyes at him. His gaze flickers over Dan Feng, finally taking in the sharp features and the crown horns on top his head. There was a moment where the young Vidyadhara’s face went terribly pale, draining of all color until he seemed bone white and lifeless. More akin to a fish's upturned belly than the sea snake he should be. Haoli glanced at the female, who had no exit with Dan Feng blocking the door and had chosen to sink rather miserably into the corner, where she wisely coward from him. Once he realized he had been abandoned he turned his gaze back to Dan Feng. Boldly, almost impressively, he managed to open his mouth and speak. “H-High elder?! I...”
He bent his head, giving a proper bow, as if such a thing would save him. “If I may, your grace, ask what brings you to this humble one's presence today?”
“This,” voice coated with frost, Dan Feng takes another step forward, then another, and another, until he's but few feet from the other Vidyadhara. Nose flaring to confirm once more that this is the Haoli he'd been looking for, he allows his glowing, reptilian eyes to narrow on the one in front of him. He takes in the goggled glasses, the curling hair, the comely face, but he holds on to the towel he'd taken from Yingxing. “What is the meaning of this?”
The younger Vidyadhara glances up at the towel. And for a single, meaningful, moment his eyes spark with sheer joy. Haoli's lips give the most subtle of quirks, a flash of sheer triumph and satisfaction across his face. It's gone in a moment, but Dan Feng had seen more than enough. Haoli had done this knowingly. Willingly. He'd wanted Yingxing to smell like him. “Ah, Master Yingxing's towel.”
Across the room the other Vidyadhara made a sharp intake. The reminder that he was being so blatantly challenged in front of another of his kind made him bristle more.
“So, it was intentional,” The High Elder's eyes narrow on that expression, and the temperature of the room drops several degrees. His grip tightens on the towel, his knuckles turning white under his gloves. Mercy was no longer under consideration. Haoli knew what he was doing and felt no remorse. Did he even bother to get to know Yingxing, or was the fact that his own High Elder wanted the mortal enough that he decided to try his luck? What a shallow, disrespectful brat. “Do you understand what you have done?”
“I…thought so...” the younger Vidyadhara hesitated, his green eyes turning back up to meet the high elder's piercing blue. There was a flash of fear in his eyes at the reminder of where he is and what position he's in. The younger swallowed, shrinking back in the face of a dragon so much more ancient and powerful than itself. “...but I'm beginning to believe that I may have stepped on some tails.”
“An understatement.” Haoli didn't just step on Dan Feng's tail, he'd metaphorically stomped on it. Dragons were territorial, possessive, and greedy creatures. To challenge another's claim on a potential mate so brazenly was a serious matter. Vidyadhara in the ancient past had killed one another for less. With little hesitation, Dan Feng takes the towel in both hands and rips it in half, keeping his eyes locked on the younger dragon. “Truly, I had not known that younger Vidyadhara had grown so bold.”
“Ah!” Haoli let out a distressed keen at the sight of the destroyed towel. Dan Feng clenched his jaw to keep from saying anything. Despite his rage, Haoli is still young, he won't push this too far. Certainly not to the lengths of his ancient ancestors. The matter would be settled with harsh words and strict warnings. Or so he thought. Haoli, it seemed, was bolder than he'd imagined. “That wasn't my possession to destroy, High Elder.”
“It wasn't your possession to scent, either.” The High Elder bites out coldly, a mist of Cloudhymm magic leaving his mouth to disappear into the air. The towel was Yingxing's, but he felt no remorse. Dan Feng would not allow it to return to his possession, not when it had been so tainted. Even thorough washing wouldn't erase what had been done to it, so it was better off destroyed and replaced with something better. But that was for later, right now he had a reprimand to tend to. “Or did you miss that lesson in your upbringing?”
“My teacher skipped no lessons,” Haoli challenged at the same time he bowed his head. He seemed incapable of committing to either a challenge or a surrender, and the indecision only frayed Dan Feng's already fragile patience for the worse. Wisdom would be surrendering, admitting to wrong, stepping away. But alas, this boy was also a dragon in obsession, it seems. “He offered me the towel. And he was the one that scented himself with it.”
“Yingxing is mortal. He doesn't have the sense of smell we do,” Dan Feng mercilessly points out without hesitation, poking holes in Haoli's logic. Bold, brazen, and foolish. If the boy had been paying attention to his elders, he would have known you don't scent someone's things unless you are already courting, regardless of whether they were offered or not. Vidyadhara are taught to be especially careful with those outside your own race, for often they are unknowing of a dragon's true nature. The consequences were varied and many, and all of them had the potential to lead to violence that was unbecoming of who they were as a race now. “You took advantage of his kindness, and you know it.”
“Not on purpose,” The young Vidyadhara claims, still wisely refusing to meet the High Elder's eyes. But the boy does gulp and square his shoulders, trying to look the part of the fearsome dragon he is. He had no rebuttal for the argument, so he changed tactics. The wise thing to do would be beg forgiveness. But this boy is foolish and infatuated. Dan Feng cannot blame him for that, at least. But he can blame him for being a fool. “But he had no other claim on him, so I didn't stop it.”
There was a sharp intake of breath in the room, before it fell so silent that you could hear a pin drop.
“No other claim? No other claim?” His voice rang quietly through the locker room, breaking the silence. There was an echo of something primal in Dan Feng's, so faint that only those who knew him well or had advanced senses could hear it. Rage poured through the High Elder's veins like a riptide, making him drop the tattered remains of the towel to his feet, stepping on and grinding them with the heel of his pristine white boot. “So, you not only did you think that our traditions didn't apply to you...”
One of Dan Feng's hands drifted down to his waist, where a maple leaf-broach lay. It was one of the first gifts Yingxing had ever made for him, after discovering his fondness for the trees. It still had some of the man's scent, having playfully grabbed at it the other day while drunk. The other hand reached up to tug at his tasseled earring, where Yingxing's breath had brushed only minutes earlier. Another one of his first gifts that never left him the moment he received them. He removes both things from his person, momentarily, to hold them out for Haoli to catch the scent of. Anyone who knew anything about Yingxing would recognize his own works, and if this boy was as obsessed as he seemed to pretend he'd know in a heartbeat. “...it also seems you didn't check thoroughly enough.”
There was a satisfying moment when Dan Feng watched Haoli's heart twist and shatter. Perhaps it was cruel of him to find satisfaction with such a thing. But his frayed nerves were shattered, his composure at its limits. There's a beast within him that rumbles with rage so devastating that it shakes the ancient sea within. And that beast is himself. Staring from the depts with his own eyes. He is wicked and divine. And it is only years of expectations and well learned control that stops him from being crueler.
It should be over. The other Vidyadhara had fled the room at his rage, shaking and struggling at the door as she desperately tried to escape. A harsh banging echoed from the other side, echoing through the room. Yingxing's voice is a distant, mocking, cry. One that called Dan Feng's name and not Haoli's. The worried voice muffled by the door that had frozen in place.
I have claimed him. He comes for me not you. Give up, give in, don't be a fool.
Do not challenge your High Elder.
There must be a special foolishness to youth. Or, perhaps, Dan Feng was raised too well compared to others of his kind. Haoli was subdued. Cowering and whimpering in the face of such devastating rage and proof of his loss. But that changed when Yingxing's voice echoed through the room, the pounding of the door serving only as his war drum. Haoli blinked away his watery eyes, and then, devastatingly to only himself and his own pride, he challenged the High Elder. “Everyone knows the Preceptors will never let the High Elder mate even a Xianzhou Native, much less a short life species.”
“My, what a foolish statement. I am not the first High Elder to do so.” The hiss in his voice is subtle, but recognizable. The child must have a death wish to bring that up to him. While it was true that the Preceptors would not approve it's not as if Dan Feng hadn't done his due research on his own lineage, or the lineages of other High Elders. It might be frowned upon, but it wasn't outright forbidden for a Vidyadhara, High Elder or otherwise, to take a mate from another species. While the preceptors might be set in their ways and views, they knew once a dragon decides something is theirs, its theirs. Vidyadhara could no longer reproduce, haven't reproduced in eons, thus any control his teachers could have over his choice of marital partner was non-existent, if it even existed to begin with. “Even Preceptors know better than to fight a Scion of Long on such matters, regardless of their opinions. Tell me, what does that make you, then?”
It seemed that the Preceptors were his most extreme weapon. Haoli shrank back a bit, debating with himself what to do with the situation now. It was truly ambitious of him to even consider he might have a chance of beating a high elder when challenging him for his mate. The very idea is laughable.
'And I lament
for I stared into an abyss and found within it breathless madness
eyes most adoring upon me.'
The door banged as someone threw themselves against it. Yingxing's voice rang, shouting Dan Feng's name. Asking him to open the door and let him in. Haoli's eyes shook, wanting to look back so the source of his budding obsession. But to look away from Dan Feng right now would mean he lost, so he kept his eyes locked. “High Elder, I hope you'll forgive this humble one someday. But I intend to steal your intended as long as he's unmated.”
The door to the locker room banged open.