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Afternoon tea with Dan Feng is one of the small pleasures in Yingxing’s life. With some last instructions to his apprentices, Yingxing shrugs on his coat and heads to Aurum Alley to pick up some snacks. Browsing the selection at the bakery, he has them box up some taro swirl pastry puffs, lotus seed pastry cakes, and osmanthus oolong snow skin mooncakes. Exiting the shop, the calls of the vendors remind him of the two free roaming members of their household. Yingxing stops by a food cart to purchase a paper bag of roasted chestnuts, then to a produce stall for fresh lychee and dried kumquats. Unless away on a job, Ren and Dan Heng almost always join them for supper so these will make for a nice after-dinner treat.
Though Dan Heng still occasionally joins Ren in bounty hunting, he seems to have settled comfortably in his new profession. The job sounds rather dry to Yingxing—collecting and analyzing ecology data for the Realm Keeping Commission, but Dan Heng says it’s much like his previous work on the Astral Express’s data bank. Even better, it takes Dan Heng to all corners of Luofu to record statistics and observations, well suited to his desire to wander and explore. It does make Dan Heng and Ren difficult to pin down during the daytime hours though, unless prior arrangements have been made.
Goods in hand, Yingxing makes his way to the High Elder’s residence in Scalegorge—Dan Feng had said he would be working from home today. He’s greeted at the front door by one of the longtime attendants of the High Elder, though the sly smile on the reserved matron’s face is new.
“The masters are upstairs,” the attendant informs Yingxing in a low conspiratorial voice.
Yingxing’s brow rises. Masters, plural?
Having a hunch, Yingxing keeps his steps light as he takes the stairs to the second story. In the office, he’s met with the familiar sight of Dan Feng sitting at his low desk, brush moving swiftly over the page.
But today, there are two extraneous elements present, both fast asleep on top of Dan Feng.
For the first time in their acquaintance, there is a slight bow to the High Elder’s proud spine, curved to accommodate the young Vidyadhara resting upon it in repose. Dan Heng’s chest rises and falls in even breaths, deeply asleep with his cheek and side snuggled against Dan Feng’s back. It doesn’t look comfortable at all to Yingxing, but then again, Dan Heng preferred to sleep on the ground in his previous time so who knows. And Dan Heng had confessed to Yingxing once that he finds Dan Feng’s scent incredibly soothing.
“Like lotuses in bloom and the scent of water: he smells like home,” Dan Heng commented absently, eyes on Yingxing’s nimble fingers as he worked on an artifact. Upon realizing what he had said, Dan Heng had gotten extraordinarily embarrassed, making Yingxing promise he would never repeat his words to Dan Feng.
At spearpoint.
As different as the two High Elders are, in some ways, they’re rather similar. Now though, Dan Heng looks younger, his stoic expression relaxed in slumber. Curled against Dan Feng’s back, his tail is draped over the man’s hip, unconsciously hugged by the person resting with his head in Dan Feng’s lap. Ren’s tall frame is stretched out on the bamboo mat, dark locks spilling over Dan Feng’s legs to trail onto the floor.
To have claimed the prime napping position, Ren must have arrived first.
Had Dan Heng tracked Ren down here or had Dan Heng come to find Dan Feng for his own reasons?
While Ren and Dan Heng are frequent visitors to Yingxing’s forge, they are more reluctant to seek out Dan Feng. This has oft resulted in a jealous sulking dragon that Yingxing is more than happy to succor.
For both Ren and Dan Heng to have come to Dan Feng, and, even more amazingly, to find comfort in his presence, Dan Feng must be over the moon. Yingxing has never seen such a blissful expression on Dan Feng’s face when doing paperwork, so absolutely contented that he looks ready to ascend. No one would ever believe Yingxing, if he ever told them their majestic Yinyue-jun was so immensely pleased at being used as a pillow. The glorious High Elder, all too happy to be objectified as a humble bolster…
Perhaps sensing Yingxing’s merry gaze on him, azure eyes flick up from the papers. There is the slightest widening of vermillion-lined eyes before Dan Feng swiftly arranges his face into a sternly displeased expression.
Yingxing has to swallow down a laugh.
Tsk, tsk, still trying to save face. Really, ah, who is his beloved trying to fool?
Walking over softly, Yingxing leans down to give Dan Feng a kiss. He gets a reprimanding nip from sharp fangs for the smirk on his lips.
Yingxing proffers the signature white-and-rose box of mouthwatering pastries in answer.
Dan Feng hmphs through his nose at Yingxing, but shuffles his papers aside, making room on the desk for the snacks.
While shrugging off his long coat, Yingxing gets an idea.
Dan Heng is sleeping so soundly… How could Yingxing possibly resist?
Coat in hand, Yingxing slips around the table on light feet until he is in front of Dan Heng. Careful not to wake the lightest sleeper, he very slowly and very sneakily drapes his jacket over Dan Heng.
Although Ren likes to steal Yingxing’s coat to wear, the two dragons rarely indulge Yingxing in this. Extraordinarily pleased with himself, Yingxing’s exuberant triumph is dampened not a whit by the disapproval radiating from Dan Feng.
Cheerily, Yingxing goes to fetch the tea set from the kitchens.
**
Dan Heng stirs, roused by the alluring scent of fresh roasted chestnuts. Blinking drowsily, he pulls Yingxing’s coat tighter around himself, nose pressed into the collar, breathing in the lulling scent of cool water and spider lilies, a heavy tail wrapped warm and secure about his waist…
Tail? Spider lilies?
Dan Heng is abruptly wide awake, muscles tensing as his gaze sweeps the room. Right in front of him—the red tassel on a pointed ear, pale nape bared, and rigid back bowed just—just for Dan Heng to sleep on? Even as he gawps, Dan Feng has already resumed his usual perfect posture, hair shifted back over his shoulder in a curtain of black silk, the regal demeanor of Yinyue-jun restored.
Unable to process this—occurrence, Dan Heng moves his gaze away. It lands on Yingxing who is seated opposite them, chin propped on his hand as he grins across the table at Dan Heng. Ren grumbles in complaint when the tail in his arms jerks.
“Yingxing,” Dan Heng says, voice still rough with sleep, and that instantly wakes the person in Dan Feng’s lap.
Ren must be even more mortified than Dan Heng, having been caught coming to Dan Feng. Though, come to think of it, this isn’t really something to be embarrassed about when the four of them share a bed most nights. It had only been recently that Ren had fully reconciled with Dan Feng though, so he tends to still be defensive about their relationship.
Dan Heng’s tail is released as Ren jerks upright, running a hand through his hair. His lips are pressed into a thin line, a spot of color in his cheeks as he glares around the room. Seeing Ren’s hackles rising, Yingxing waggles his brows at Dan Heng in an undignified manner, tipping his chin meaningfully at the coat still draped over him.
Dan Heng gives Yingxing an exasperated look. However, unfortunately, it is an effective way to distract Ren.
When Dan Heng stands, the tail around his waist reluctantly releases him. Dan Heng sneaks a touch of the soft fur, not making eye contact with Dan Feng as he goes to sit by Yingxing. Ren immediately tracks his motion, focus intent on Dan Heng as he slips his arms into the red-ribboned coat.
“What did you bring?” Dan Heng asks Yingxing. He straightens a leg under the table to bump against Ren’s knee.
“Pastries from Zhao’s Bakery, sugar roasted chestnuts, lychee, and dried kumquats.” Opening the brown paper bag of fragrant chestnuts, Yingxing holds it out to Dan Heng with a smile.
Dan Heng eagerly plucks out two warm, browned chestnuts, tossing one to Ren and popping the other into his mouth.
Snatching the nut out of the air, Ren gives Dan Heng a narrow look. I know what you’re doing. But, after letting out a heavy breath, he settles at Dan Feng’s side. A scarred hand lands on Dan Heng’s ankle, giving it a squeeze as Ren takes a bite of the chestnut.
Dan Feng had remained completely still and silent throughout, as if he thinks that could ever make Ren forget his presence. Now, he finally relaxes, moving to brew the tea for them.
They make an odd little family, the four of them, but Dan Heng wouldn’t have it any other way.