Archive of Our Own

Perhaps, going along with March's and Trailblazer's plan of exploration had always been a bad idea since the start.

He also definitely shouldn't let March 7th touched that stupidly suspicious statue and summoned the mara soldiers from the whole ruins, in the first place.

Now, one moment ago, he was in the ruins with his wounds in several places after getting cornered by large amount of mara soldiers, his human disguise slowly turning back to his real appearance. And when he closes his eyes, prepared himself for another fight, he is suddenly in a foreign room instead.

The room is alarmingly warm, the sign of someone just used it, with the theme of color gold and black mainly. And it is decorated in Xianzhou styles, distantly but enough to making him cautious.

His attempt to change back to his human form proven to be failure, his wounds too dangerous for his his body to relax and obey his command.

Fuck this Vidyadhara body.

His long ears twitch to the sound of someone walking closer to the room, slowly but surely and making his instinct slightly bristles at the stranger's presence. He walks back against the wall, the windows are locked and secured, he had checked it.

A step in front of the door and the stranger stop, as if realizing there's someone inside his room. And Dan Heng prepared to attack for his own sake, consequences be damned. He's hurts and distressed to try thinking more clearly right now.

Then a long pause, neither of them say anything 

Before a soft sigh, "You can use that room, I did not mind." And a voice, deep yet gentle in a way Dan Heng couldn't find a word to explain. "But please take care of your wounds, I supposed it must be quite severe for me to be able to scent it from miles away."

The man pauses again, this time hesitate. "And if you want, I will leave the kit aid in the front of the door for you."

Dan Heng presses his lips tight, debating whether to answer the man or not. He wants to but who knows, maybe the man is just pretending again. The Xianzhou natives always have the card up their sleeve one or two.

He probably should not answer. However, minutes passed with the stranger's patience, and the throbbing pain won over in his mind.

".... Yes, please." He says quietly, testing the water, and the man appears to sounds relief the next time he speak, even if Dan Heng did not see him at all.

"Ah, I will be back, please wait." And the stranger outside the door walk away, he could faintly hear something get shuffle around outside and Dan Heng sliding down the wall against his back, his muscles aching and the wounds burning.

The man really did keep his words, after he dropped the kit aid in front of the door and unlocked it so Dan Heng could get out and not feel trapped, the man did not come near the room again besides giving him food, leaving Dan Heng by himself despite the room he occupied is definitely the man's bedroom.

Such a bizarre man.

Dan Heng shakes his head in exhaustion, he'd spend almost two days for the pain lessed enough to bearable extent to start looking through the books in the man's bedroom, which surprisingly well kept and well informed. He'd gained a lot information from it.

First, right now, he's on a planet called Teyvat, in a nation called; Liyue, the nation of Geo. Second, apparently, this world have figures strong and mighty enough to be called "God" or, in their term, Archon. And Dan Heng is currently in Geo Archon's territory, which said to perished a few months ago before he arrived here. Third, this world called their elemental power a "Vision", given by gods or the 'Celestia', the heaven or some sort in his understanding.

And forth, the alarming of all, Dan Heng did not know how to go back. His cellphone also couldn't send messages nor receive anything from his friends. Basically dead.

Fuck.

There isn't any record that directly state nor mentioned the worlds outside Teyvat, only about a group of people called 'Descenders', who came from outside, which are only three. And all of them are unidentified and unreachable.

Double fucks.

Now, he only has one option left. His turquoise eyes looking up to the closed but unlocked door.

✧

The stranger in his room is, undoubtedly, a dragon.

It's not clear at first with the man hiding in his room and distressed, but now the stranger had came out of his room, the draconic traits are as clear as the water.

"I..need your help." The stranger suddenly says when they meet eyes, hesitated and cautious but started straight to the point, implying that the man felt like he has no choice but to say it. It makes Zhongli pauses and sits up straighter, and he thinks.

"...I see." The ex Archon nods his head calmly, "Would you like some tea while we talk?"

The draconic man blinks, caught off guard by the kind hospitality before he slowly shakes his head, his bangs swaying with the movement. "No, uh... Thanks."

"Hm," Zhongli hums, his hand gestures to the chair besides him. "Please sit." He says shortly when the man looks at him with a frowned eyebrows, and even if still tensed, he obliges.

"I believe you have some questions, and so do I." Zhongli says, assumed that the man had searched through his bookshelves, which probably isn't far from true as he'd heard the sound of shuffling around in his room a lot earlier.

"I am Dan Heng." The man, newly named Dan Heng, introduces himself. And Zhongli isn't a type to not answer back his own name, alas just not the real one.

"My name is Zhongli." He smile, "It's nice to meet you, mister Dan." He completes the introduction, subtly surprise to see the discomfort on the man's fact.

"No, it's...just Dan Heng, no mister also."

"Is that so... Apologize for my mistake." Zhongli smiles sheepishly, and he could notices the Dan Heng's slightly less tensed body. The scent of blood still lingering in the air.

A progress, I supposed. He mused in amusement.

Dan Heng waves his hand dismissively at the other, his tail instinctively relaxing and making a soft thud against the floor and makes the owner winces at the sound, he still couldn't change back to his human form.

"Back to the point," Seeing Dan Heng's reaction, Zhongli decides not to tease and go back to their topic. "If I'm not wrong, I supposed you are not from this world?"

Dan Heng stiffens, and slowly exhales the breath that he did not remember he was holding in. In relief or what, he wasn't sure.

"...Yes, is it that obvious?" He couldn't help but ask, he'd thought he needs to explain the whole situation himself but it seems, Zhongli had already grasped the bit of it.

"Indeed, your presence did not possessed a vision but have elemental power in your core. The elemental presence that you gives off are neither Anemo nor Hydro, which is quite an unusual thing in Teyvat for you to possessed two elements at the same time, even with your dragon traits." Dan Heng not so subtly winces at the man's words, "This..is my little observation, but you seems to resonate differently with the leylines that are across the Teyvat, they also reacted to you differently. So I came to a conclusion that you're not from this world, a Descender."

Dan Heng's shoulders slumps slightly, suddenly, he feels he really should have stayed in his room and declined March 7th's offer in exploring the ruins. He rubs his head to fight off the sudden headache that threatening to form.

"And I assumed, you can't contract your associates?" Zhongli asks after a pause to sip his tea, his posture strangely elegant and collected the entire time, he seems to be able to wraps his mind around the concept of outer worlds beyond Teyvat easily.

"... Unfortunately." He still have his friends at the Astral Express, even if they were reckless and too silly sometimes for him to bear, however, that doesn't mean he wouldn't die for them, if it means they were safe and sound.

Not the most healthy things to think, he knew, but it's not like everyone on Astral Express is sane.

"Then, I supposed I wouldn't mind helping you go back." Dan Heng perks up, his eyes open wide and he gawks at the man in front of him.

"...What? You can?"

Zhongli smiles, his eyes crinkle with light. "I, coincidentally, knew a certain fourth descender that might be able to help you out, or at least, connect you to your world."

✧

Traveler did not pay enough for this.

On the other hand, they sympathized with the outlander like Dan Heng, who got randomly teleport to Teyvat, but for them to help him go back? Absolutely ridiculous.

They couldn't even find their siblings yet! And that is their main mission for exploring this world!

"C'mon, Traveler! Paimon think it's a pity to left Dan Heng like that!" The little creature decides to help the ex Archon in convincing the world-jumping Traveler to help, swinging her arms around and trying to sounds convincing.

Zhongli softly sighs. Of course, he feels bad to burden the Traveler like this, considered that they're already busy in finding their missing siblings, however, they're also the only one with the knowledge of the outside worlds. Without them, Dan Heng would be stuck in this world forcefully. And Zhongli, as a previous ruler of Liyue that Dan Heng is staying in and the god of mankind, could not let that happen under his watchful eyes.

Dan Heng, seeing the clear discomfort on the said Traveler's face, suddenly feel like he's a burden right now. His eyes look down shamefully, however, he also couldn't lie that he did not want to go back.

The Traveler rubs their forehead tiredly, their eyes close in exhaustion as they debating their decision. If Dan Heng himself couldn't communicate with his family then it's already proven to be a utterly failure even before the Traveler try it themselves, no experiment needed. It makes them wondering what way they use to communicate together if a change of location with no internet like Teyvat managed to cut off the communication way easily. Probably a cellphone—

Suddenly, the golden hair traveler perks up.

"Fine. I guess I will... try to help." They says, rubbing their head as Paimon cheers and high five the smiling Consultant in delight, making her own traveling friend shakes their head at her before turning their attention to the other outlander.

"Do you have...um, some kind of cellphone?" The Traveler asks, hesitate, their hands making a box shape, their experience in numerous modern worlds make them very much familiar with the modern technology, thus why they'd always thought letter sending in Teyvat had always been a lot more annoying than just sending digital messages.

They're quite worry that Dan Heng didn't know the phone they mentioned, but to their relief, Dan Heng nods and slips out his phone from his clothes easily, donned in a simple black case.

"It can be use offline but can't reach the others, I've tried that." Dan Heng says bitterly as he hands the phone to Traveler, who takes one look at the phone and asks him to unlock it, which Dan Heng does without much complain, just confused.

"You can do something with...that?" Zhongli wonders out loud, his eyebrows raise as he eyes the strange black box. Even Paimon couldn't help but be curious too, just as she always is.

"What's that thing?"

"It's called a phone, mainly used for communication. Now..." The Traveler shortly supplies their cheerful assistant before turning their attention back to the phone, they taps the phone a few times. And just as Dan Heng said, it can't send out or receive any messages, all dead and could only access to the offline apps and stuffs.

However...

"I can fix it."

"Hm?"

The Traveler hands the phone back to the Vidyadhara, "It's not guarantee to work perfectly but I remembered a way to create the Internet signal from my Journey in one of the technology advanced world, maybe I could connect it to your friends' "spaceship"'s signal."

Before Traveler pauses and frowns thoughtfully, "Though I will have to ask for some of the others' help in creating stuffs and maybe Nahida could help giving idea a little..." They mumbles, "Ah, but..." Traveler scratches their nape apologetically, "It will take a long time, probably a month at minimum, so..."

Zhongli grimaces, on the one hand, it's such an awe of how the Traveler managed such feats, but on the other hand...

It must be quite a horrible situation for Dan Heng to be in, having to wait for months to be able to connect with his own friends like that...

Dan Heng presses his lips together, uncomfortable, before he slowly sighs. "...Okay, fine. As long as I was able to go back." He carefully says, still hesitated but it's not like he has another choice, the Traveler's idea is his best bet right now.

And so, Dan Heng has decided to stay with Zhongli, whom kindly let Dan Heng used the room that he had been occupied since the day he arrived. And when he asked where Zhongli is going to stay, he simply smile.

"I can sleep on the couch, no worry." As if he isn't the owner of this house.

Dan Heng decided, Zhongli isn't only bizarre, but also too kind.

✧

His time in Zhongli's little house, admittedly, isn't so bad. The man's house is located in the isolated part of the nation but not too lonely as there's sometimes an elderly woman called Madame Ping visited for tea times or small talks with both Zhongli and Dan Heng.

Several kind of colorful animals also came and circled around the house sometime as if in guard before fleeing when they see Dan Heng came out the house to check, before it came back in the next day and fleeing again, it go on until it becomes a little funny routine in the morning.

Truly, a location out of some kind of princess stories that March liked. Only Zhongli himself didn't seem to mind the noisy birds that nesting in his own dark brown hair. Dan Heng, on the other hand? Not so much.

Still, despite the man's calmness and politeness, he didn't seem to be some kind of royalty. It was quite a surprise for Dan Heng when he found out that Zhongli is working as a Wangsheng Funeral Parlor's Consultant, a really.... unique work but Dan Heng isn't in a position to judge. The man seems happy enough at doing his job.

It's in only a first few weeks after his stay that the Zhongli hesitantly asked Dan Heng if he want to go outside, besides caging himself in the corners full of bookshelves that Zhongli owned.

Dan Heng, starting to get bored, of course, agreed.

Zhongli takes him out to many places in Liyue Harbor, introducing many strange people that makes Dan Heng think how did the man managed to make friends with all of them, but looking back at the man himself, Dan Heng feels like it makes sense in some way.

And the most importantly, is that Zhongli introduced Dan Heng to his own habit, where he is really terrible with money. It's really a wonder how did the man survive for this long with forgetful habit.

Luckily that, despite his bad management with money, Zhongli himself had given him a bag full of Mora, the currency in this world, beforehand, so he was able to help the man getting out from that stressful situation. What an experience.

"Ahem... I... truly apologize for having you troubled with such thing. Normally, I have an... acquaintance that always helped me with Mora but he'd recently went back to his homeland. I now trying to break the habit but..." The man mumbles shamefully with a flush, and the sight couldn't help but make Dan Heng quirk up a small smile.

Shaking his head, Dan Heng hands the man his newly bought book. "No, it's no problem, considered it one of the big payment I had to pay for all your hospitality."

"I see..." However, to Dan Heng's surprise, Zhongli stuffs the book back in his hands. "But on unrelated matter, this book is no need for me. After all, I planned to buy it for you."

Dan Heng eyes widen open in surprise, he looks back down at the book. New and beautifully polished. "...for me?"

"Indeed. I've noticed that you have a hobby relevant to books, so I bought this notebook as a gift. At first I thought the history book of Liyue would be a great fit and more useful than the one in my house but..." The man shakes his head disappointedly, "The original copies of such book is now so rare that I'm afraid it's quite hard to find. Perhaps, in the future there would be one, but for now, I hope you like the gift."

A warm feeling bubbling inside his chest, his hands shaking subtly as he cradles the item, soft yet firm, all pages are clean and flawless, better than his old notebook that he owned.

From behind, the turquoise tail hitting the ground delightfully, his ears flushing red at the tips. A feeling he could not identify clearly continue to makes him feels suffocate.

Aeons, Zhongli is going to be the death of him, ain't it?

(That night, somehow unsurprisingly, he found a pouch of numerous Mora under his bed's pillow, coincidentally same amount as the Mora he'd spent for Zhongli.

When he planned to ask Zhongli himself, the man had left the house earlier in the next morning, leaving a letter and the cooked breakfast for him with the half-ass excuse of the Director Hu needing a quick assistance of him. Very convincing.

Dan Heng, decidedly, did not confront Zhongli when he came back home later.)

After that, Dan Heng and Zhongli has gotten somewhat closer than before. Unlike in the first few weeks that Dan Heng never start the conversation first unless Zhongli talk with him, the Vidyadhara now started the conversation himself, it's not a long one, only a few questions of asking for the Consultant's well being and for advices about things he should read or write in his new notebook before Dan Heng went back into his room.

It's not much, but it's an improvement. And Zhongli is in quite a good mood the entire time from that, feeling like he'd accomplished something.

✧

Zhongli isn't unfamiliar with a restless night, no matter who say what. Even as Morax, sometimes a night was quite a bit of hours that he could not enjoy fully. Too much of perfect hours for assassination and crimes to be done under his lead, so he never sleep. And even as a Mortal Zhongli, the habit never went out.

And it seems, Dan Heng isn't much different from the traumatized mortals that he'd met in his time as an Archon.

In the first time it happened, Zhongli did not dare to go inside the room, afraid that he would make the sleeping dragon plagued by nightmares more distress than he already was.

But because it happened almost every nights, only given mercy because the said Vidyadhara did not sleep in some, and Zhongli couldn't lingering helpless.

"Dan Heng, pardon me." Zhongli whispers, quietly as he slips inside his own occupied bedroom, his steps on the wooden floor silent with practice. The sleeping man did not stir from the sleep, only becoming more restless as his instinct feels the unfamiliar intruder besides the high quality bed.

Zhongli gently swings one of his legs on the bed, leaning over the sleeping form with sympathy. The glowing ambers look, and at the moment, he's reminded of his own young General, also tormented by the nightmares of his youth, only be able to break free because of Morax's warm embrace and Madame Ping's tea that helped into asleep.

("But Lord Morax, no offense but the Adepti like me didn't need sleep." The boy had refused the kind offering, wanting to be useful for the Geo Lord in front of him even at the resting hours. How could he let his Lord be up whole night for the sake of the city when he himself is ravishing in sweet dream? There's no way he would do that, not to his dearest Lord.

The Lord sighs, his long hair swaying with gravity. "Technically, yes. Adepti nor gods never need sleep. However," He continues, not letting his little follower to escape. "When the body is stressed, it's always a better option to rest than force oneself until death."

The Yaksha frowns and looks down onto the floor, his lips pressed together. However, as pale and elegant long fingers slowly cradle his face, the boy had no choice but to look back up at the stunning Geo Lord.

"And you, as my only Yaksha," The beautiful man says, his amber eyes soften with sadness and adoration. "Can not perish while serving under me, unless it's truly your time. That, considered as an order by me. Understand?"

Enchanted by the gorgeous sight of his saviour, the young Yaksha nodded and lets the God tucked him into the bedsheet, secured and warm with love.)

He reaches out and gently combs through the man's long black hair, giving comfort slowly just as he had done to Xiao when the boy was young. It did not work instantly but as the minutes pass, the effects seem to be working, as the Vidyadhara starts to lean into the comforting hand, his tail instinctively relaxing and wrapping protective around the thigh that Zhongli'd swung over the bed, not wanting the owner of it's new comforter to disappear.

Zhongli hums, did not push the cold tail away, his hand lowering from the head and thumb rubbing away the tear from the closed eyes, soothing the cold with the warm that makes the sleeping dragon purring softly.

That night, the scary cat and mouse chasing nightmare that never failed to hunt Dan Heng's mind, slowly bloomed earthly scented flowers and turned into the tea time in a garden, joined by the faceless man with dark brown hair and amber tips whom speaks in calm and smooth way. The gloved hand reaching out and touching his face, soothing and loving, and Dan Heng leaned into it.

But when he wakes up into the chirping morning, with distant memories of peaceful dream, the warm besides him was gone.

✧

After that strange night, Dan Heng always feels presence comforting him during his sleep and gone in the morning. He never catch a full sight of the person as the slumber always trying to eating him alive but something is telling him that it's Zhongli. It's, well, also not really hard to come to this conclusion too, the man didn't even hiding it well in the first place.

("Do your house have a ghost?" Dan Heng suddenly asked one day, testing the water carefully. He watched in the corner of his eyes as Zhongli choked into the tea he was sipping, his face turning away from his housemate for a moment.

"Ahem, I... supposed not. Did you encounter something strange here?" After recovered from his embarrassing display, Zhongli shot question back, his smile strained from it's usual place.

Dan Heng mentally rolled his eyes, his lips quirked up a quick smile before disappeared in a second. "No, nothing. Just asking in confirmation." He waved his hand at the man, a sign for Zhongli to drop the topic.

"Ah, is that so..." The consultant nodded slowly, "Regardless, if there's something bothering you, please do not hesitate to tell me." He added, not unkindly to his new housemate.

Dan Heng nodded back, hiding his shy face from the kind man.)

But Dan Heng, admittedly, didn't want to directly break the man's face by outrightly say that, "I know you're the one that got into my room and helped me into a good dream." That... Sounds like an awkward conversation he did not want to create.

So as tonight, despite the well pretending ragged breathing rhyme and fast beating heart, Dan Heng did not fully sleep and forced himself to be half conscious as Zhongli, yet again, slipped into his room expertly, having done this for a week now.

And as Zhongli sits halfway on the bed, his hand reaching to the supposedly sleeping Vidyadhara to brush away the tangled bangs, Dan Heng grabs the man's wrist and yanks him down, making the brunette grasp in surprise.

"If you want your old room back, you can tell me, mister Zhongli." Dan Heng says softly, his eyes show a hint of amusement. He could not see clearly in the dark night, but because of the moonlight and the unusually glowing eyes of the man on top of him, he's able to see the redness spreading on Zhongli's face, making quite an adorable sight of the usual collected Consultant.

"O, Oh... My apology for intruding inside, I didn't realize you're still awake." The man excuses nervously, experimentally tugging his hand away from the Vidyadhara's hold but Dan Heng did not let go easily and the Consultant did not make a fuss for it. Just as Dan Heng expected the man to do so.

"Sleep with me, then." Dan Heng proposes carefully, "So you don't have to bother getting in and out. This was also your bed." He adds the bullshitty reasons, the sentence somehow feels foreign coming out of his mouth, totally out of character of him as March would've say.

But falling for Zhongli has already been a thing he'd never expect to happen, so he figured this wouldn't hurt much.

"Um..." The consultant hesitant, his eyes darting out to the closed window and the door, before going back to Dan Heng and he sighs, defeated by the Vidyadhara's determined gaze.

"Understood."

And the brunette slowly lays down onto the bed, his wrist still in the other's hold but he did not say anything and simply let the water dragonoid cradles his arm to sleep.

Even as in the middle of the night, the arms that hugged his arm turned into a full body spooning, with Zhongli tucked in Dan Heng's embrace instead of the other way around, Zhongli did not mention it negatively, so Dan Heng does it again.

He did not dream of the bloody nightmare anymore.

✧

"Did the process of creating this.. "internet" go well?" The ex Archon asks the blonde, calmly sipping his tea as he watches the Traveler sighs.

"It's hard to recreate but it's going well, as much as it could get." They answers with a shrug, their flying companion nowhere to be seen besides them like usual as she's now talking with Head Chef, Xiangling, about her new food and eatable recipe for Paimon herself, which makes her quite louder than usual.

"I hope you could finish it, no rushing. Despite it had to take the concerning long times to create such a thing for Dan Heng to go back, I doubted he want you to pressure yourself too much." The man says, trying to sounds reassuring as he clearly noticed the Traveler's dark eye bags that darkened more and more each time they met up.

However, instead of nodding or saying something else, the Traveler instead narrows their eyes at the Consultant instead, making the taller man raises his eyebrows at the suspicious gesture.

Seeing that, the Traveler leans over and support their head with their hand, elbow on the table, the gracefulness of the almighty hero in many nations of Teyvat disgraced as they gossips into the ex Archon's ear, who knowingly leaning in.

"Did you tell him? Dan Heng? About your... position?" The Traveler whispers, eyes darting in slight fear that the said dragon would suddenly appear in the middle of their conversation.

"Ah, that..." The ex Archon grimaces, his gaze lowering to the teacup in his head, before shaking his head softly. "No, I did not." He presses his lips thoughtfully, "I had a thought to tell him about, at least, my dragon form before, as I'm afraid that he would feel lonely to have such unique traits only himself." Considered that Dan Heng had told him once that the Vidyadhara race is a common species found in his homeland, unlike Teyvat that now have lessed dragons than the past.

He also knew that Dan Heng would definitely noticed the stares everytime he walked through Liyue. Even if people started to get used to the obvious dragonoid appearance of the man that always been seen with the Consultant of the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor, that doesn't mean some people could just stop staring.

"But if telling him now, I fear he would take it badly that I tell him such an important thing this late. I fear that... it would offense him, that like I didn't trust him to say it earlier."

The Traveler frowns after hearing his thoughts, "But do you?"

The amber eyes look into the bright golden eyes, and admits, "Yes. Yes, I do trusted him."

The Traveler visibly relaxes, "Then it will be fine." Their soft smile then dims a little, "Still, telling him at least of your form that he could relate wouldn't hurt. It gains trust and might makes things more easy to manage since he's now living in your house as well, and..." The Traveler's eyes sadden, "I did not want the same thing to repeat like... Childe's case with you."

The ex Archon subtly winces, his head lowers in sadness as he's reminds of his past mistake, of being so focused on himself and his retirement plan that he forgot to think about Childe, who was his friend.

"....I will think about it." He mumbles, leaning away from the Traveler as a sign for the conversation to end, which the said blonde do not prod and decides to change the subject instead, sensing the tension in the Consultant's shoulders.

In the whole conversation afterwards, Zhongli was anything but paying attention to the world around him. Even Director Hu decided today's work is enough for his distracted mind and kicked him out, telling him to go back home and rest instead of continue working.

Zhongli has standing there for a whole lot minutes, gasping in shock at her actions like a dying fish before he sighed, decided to listen to her rare worry advises.

Even Dan Heng, whom usually raised his eyebrows in surprise when Zhongli came back from work earlier than usual, frowned when he saw the state the ex Geo Archon was in.

"Is there something wrong?" He asks, concerning for the spacing out Consultant in front of him. Zhongli has been staring at the Bamboo Shoot Soup for exactly ten minutes now, and that's saying a lot.

Dan Heng's voice snaps the man out of his thoughts, "Ah, there..." Zhongli pauses, his eyes looking at the main distraction of his problem sitting innocently in front of him before he shakes his head, "There's nothing for you to worry about, please continue your feast."

Bullshit. Dan Heng wants to say, but that would be rude so he only nods his head, bitterly accepted the lie.

And then, the night comes around.

They both easily fall into their routine, now more familiar with each other's presences. But the only one acting strange again seem to be Zhongli, just like before, instead of slipping into the blanket as the usual, he only sits on the bedside and stares at Dan Heng, thoughtful.

And Dan Heng, despite heavily curious, patiently waits.

Several minutes pass quickly, before Zhongli starts to utter words. " Dan Heng..." The man swallows, clearly nervous as he fidgeting with the bedsheet. It was so unnecessarily hard for him to say the truth himself, and Dan Heng understand that to some degree.

It has taken another bunch minutes for the man to slowly exhales, his eyes close and when it reopens, Zhongli is looking at him seriously.

It has taken him back, but because Zhongli looks really serious, so he carefully listen to the man.

"I... have a form of a dragon." Zhongli starts.

Hm?

...what?

"Well... Not exactly a dragon dragon but more like a half dragon." Like a switch has been turned on, the man continue to explain and missed Dan Heng's face. "And I'm sorry that I did not say this sooner, as I couldn't find right time to mention it until now... Hope you would understand and—"

"Wait, wait. Pause it right there." The water Vidyadhara says hurriedly, "What do you mean you're a dragon? Like... a Vidyadhara?" His heart starts to race in his chest and feels heavy.

Zhongli blinks,"No, no. I'm not a Vidyadhara, but something close enough. An Adeptus." The man shakes his head with a somehow relief smile, "As you knew, the Adepti take on many forms, be it animal or humanoid. I, too, have a form contained of characteristic of animals both dragon and qilin, only I am now taking a form of a human."

That...that makes a lot sense. Dan Heng has always been wondering why Zhongli wasn't surprised at his draconic features when they first meet, especially Zhongli himself saying that dragons in Teyvat are now so rare to encounter it's almost impossible, unless you're in Anemo nation that have a dragon as one of their guardians.

Zhongli was also completely nature about the whole situation and he himself even personally knew the Fourth descender that didn't get record into the book yet, even if that Traveler is well, a traveler, it's still strange to him that Zhongli know so much. But now, it all makes sense that Zhongli isn't human.

They're similar. Not the same, but could relate together in many matters that he could not talk to his friends at home.

Somehow, that makes his heart flutters without his consent. Unconsciously, his tail hitting the bedsheet behind him, unusually moving with glee, making muted thump thump sounds that might as well be his own fast heartbeat.

That night, Dan Heng hugs the Adeptus more tightly than before, and Zhongli did not push him away so he counts it as a win.

Maybe... When the time comes and he decides to tell Zhongli about everything, the man wouldn't judge him because of his sins, too.

✧

"That's the Astral Express." Dan Heng, now finally back again in his human form after being too comfortable in his real draconic appearance while staying in Liyue, says. He tilts his head up to look at the sky as a flying train that he used to see for half of his life slowly landing onto the empty desert. Sand flowing and mixing into the hot wind, making the environment quite miserable but the sight of his crew make it all worth it.

After almost three or four months, the worlds hopping Traveler finally managed to make Dan Heng's cellphone came back to life and contacted the Express crew, who were more than happy to stop their journey temporary in Teyvat just to pick up their friend, after months of his sudden disappearance.

The Dendro Archon, who introduced herself as Nahida, was luckily very kind and generous. She agreed to let the Express train land on her nation within the condition to not endanger any of her people. Which is understandable, Dan Heng could see the reasons for her caution, both for herself and her people.

"Dan Heng!!!" The pink haired girl yells out with tearful eyes, basically throwing her whole body into the arms of her best friend, who takes her weight with a grumpy grunt. Yet he didn't push her away as the Trailblazer walks up to them and the duo turns into a trio group hug, making an adorably sight for the witnesses.

"It's a pleasure to meet you guys. My name is Himeko." The woman with long red hair walks up to the people of Teyvat and introduces herself shortly, "We thank you for your hospitality and help in helping him contacting us. I couldn't imagine what would happen if there isn't anyone to help him." Her smile seems genuine as her eyes softens into gratefulness.

The first to answer is Paimon, "No biggies! Helping Dan Heng is no different from Paimon's usual routine in everyday life with Traveler! Right?" The little creature says with a proud smile, nudging her partner to play along.

The Traveler, instead, huffs at their small friend. But they swiftly changes their manner when looks back at the red haired girl. "You don't need to thank us but Zhongli," They turns to the said man, "He's the one who found Dan Heng and let him stayed at his house."

"Ah... Is that so? That's so kind of you, mister Zhongli." Himeko turns to the man, who waves his hand at her dismissively.

"Like Paimon said, it's no problem, miss Himeko. I just do what normal people should do." Zhongli's lips slip into a gentle smile, his aura bright just as Himeko's as the two smiling at each other.

"Is Paimon imagining things or is there something going on?" Paimon says, frowning as she tilts her head to the side. While her companion only sighs and mumbles, "....Maybe it's just the same type of people greeting each other."

"Nonetheless," A small chuckle and the eyes turn to the little girl with white hair and soft green tips, Nahida smiles up at the Express crew knowingly. "I supposed it's now time for you to go, isn't it?"

It may sounded cruel that they has to leave so soon right after meeting, however, their journey through the ocean of star has already been delayed by one of their group's disappearance. Even if they did not mind it much, they needed to get back on the rails before something they could not foresee happen. After all, fate is not something to be mess with.

Dan Heng grimaces, his two friends letting go of the tight yet warm hug, his gaze lowering down to the orange sand under his shoes, before looking back up at Zhongli, who's looking as calm as he always was.

"Zhongli." He hesitantly calls out to the other man, walking right up to him a second later when Zhongli's eyes slide back to him curiously. "Hm?"

"I....um..." Dan Heng scratches his head, feeling that this isn't like his usual aloof self at all. But looking at those bright, amber eyes, he could not resist to offer.

"I want you to come with me."

"Oh?" "My," "Huh!?!" "...." Several responses come from people around them, yet Dan Heng keeps his eyes solely on Zhongli, who's eyes widen open in surprise, his cheeks color a light shade of pink.

"...Dan Heng." Softly cough into his hand, Zhongli slowly regains his composure, his gaze softens. "I'm afraid I cannot..."

His lips press together disappointedly, but he didn't dare to say anything as he closes his eyes for a moment. He knows the answer yet still ask, how foolish of him.

"However..." The smooth voice, instead, continues on, "If I manage to convince Director Hu to let me take on a long vacation, then perhaps, I can follow the path of your adventure."

Dan Heng perks up at the man, gawking before his expression slips into determination and rare happiness, his lips curl up into a small, almost unnoticeable, smile. "I can wait for her to approve of it." Which, from what he knew when met with the said girl in his stay in Liyue, isn't much of a hard convincing to do. He's pretty sure that miss Hu Tao would've hand the timeout for Zhongli herself even if not asking for.

The beautiful man smiles, his eyes curve up in the right edges so it looks naturally pretty and adorable. "Thanks you, for everything."

It should be Dan Heng who said that, after everything.

And, well, from the obvious look of March's face, he might as well prepare himself for the teases that will come after they're alone.