[ As she steps through the door, her hands are trembling, and her breath tastes of guilt. There is, of course, still the horrid chance that this is some sort of awful prank on the resort's behalf, but if all of this is real, then she truly has no idea into what the two of them are walking. Of course, Dan Heng has told her all about the universe from which he hails, but hearing stories is vastly different to experience.
And then, of course, there's the knowledge of what she's giving up. The chance they've been given is perhaps the only of which she's ever heard, but in accepting it, she's leaving behind everything she's ever known.
All to save herself.
Cloud and Tifa and the others... without her there, they'll have to find some other way. She's confident that they will, but the guilt remains, the knowledge that she's at the very least made it harder for them.
And maybe it makes her a coward. But when Dan Heng came to her and asked her to join him, she found that she couldn't refuse. The chance to live, of course, to really live, to see the stars, that was one part of it. But even more than that... well. Somewhere along the line, she's fallen in love with him, hasn't she? She's kept it to herself, making a sad peace with the idea that they'd be separated someday, but then...
She couldn't make herself say no.
Bright lights herald their appearance on the other side of the door, voices confused and excited alike, and Aerith blinks, looking around. ]
[ he knows what he is asking of her. he knows that he is telling her to leave behind everything she has ever known, friends, family, her world.. but dan heng simply cannot fathom the alternative. if she returns there, she will die, and even if it's terribly selfish of him, dan heng can't allow that, can't say goodbye to her and let her go, knowing what she is walking into.
of course, he cannot and will not force her to return home with him, but.. he has to ask. he has to try. and when she accepts, he feels his heart lift from the cold pit of his stomach.
returning home again - he can hardly wait. he's missed everyone so painfully, missed his work as a nameless, missed his data bank, and pom pom's laughter, and himeko's awful cooking. he's missed stelle's weird habits, and march's babbling, and mr. yang's steady, calm presence. he's missed them all so much.
but when the light fades, they're there, and dan heng's feet are solid on the floor of the parlor car again. the sight of their faces, the sound of their voices - dan heng's eyes flood with tears immediately. he'd had to be strong at the resort, had to keep moving forward, to find a way to home, to keep working toward that final prize even if it felt so far out of reach, but now.. now, he's home, and he feels the exhaustion of his long journey setting in. his crewmates surround them both, accosting dan heng with warm hugs and a thousand questions. ]
.. I'm home.
[ he says, tearfully, then turns to look at aerith beside him, just as whole as he is, her eyes bright with surprise. she's here. she's here with him, alive, and they can take this new path together. reaching out, dan heng takes her hand with a smile, and gives it a squeeze. ]
[ It's a surprise to see Dan Heng with tears in his eyes—and yet it also makes sense. They have made it back to the place where he was always meant to be, to the people with whom he's meant to journey—anyone in his place would surely have the same emotion, no matter how strong has has been in her experience of him thus far. She squeezes his hand back, her smile genuine with as much warmth as it is nervousness, and nods her head.
Home, she thinks. This might not have originally been hers.. but it is his, and she thinks that if he's with her, she could learn to make a home anywhere.
So Aerith offers that same smile to the people crowded around them, people about whom she's already heard so much, and introduces herself. March 7th practically explodes with all the questions she's already built up, and Stelle isn't far behind, and it occurs to her that she doesn't know exactly how much Dan Heng wants to share, how much of their experience in that place should be kept for the two of them alone. She defers to him, perhaps, a little more often than she should, then, but does her best to answer them when she can.
The rest of the time, her eyes keep drifting towards the large windows, watching the stars as they float by.
It's Himeko who takes mercy on them both, putting herself in the way of the onslaught of questions, telling the pair gently that Dan Heng and Aerith must be tired, to let them rest first. And so, not five minutes later, they're stepping into his room, her eyes widening all over again.
...And then, she laughs. ]
Didn't Himeko say this is your room? Where do you sleep?
[ bless himeko. dan heng has missed them all terribly, and is more than happy to be home with them again, but it's clear that aerith is overwhelmed - understandably - and dan heng is tired, so he won't mind a little quiet time together to unwind and settle back in.
of course, her surprise when they enter the archives is.. not shocking. dan heng blushes right to his ears. ]
Ah, well..
[ he gestures to the pile of blankets on the floor, beside his desk, at the end of the room. after the opulence of the resort, it's quite bare. dan heng clears his throat. ]
I didn't need much. I suppose now I ought to look into a proper room.
[ I didn't need much, Dan Heng says, while blushing the cutest blush Aerith thinks she's ever seen, and something about the whole moment reminds her of the story he told her once, of running from place to place to place and never staying long enough to form real bonds, lest he lose yet more people...
She squeezes his hand lightly in hers—and without thinking, turns her head to press a brief kiss on his heated cheek. ]
Right. You should. You told me yourself that the Astral Express is your home, so... maybe it's time to unpack?
[ And then, belatedly, she realizes that she's left a kiss on his cheek, and she bites her lip. Yes, he brought her here, but was it because he shares her feelings? Or because he knew that her return to her own world would spell her death? Of course she wants it to be the former, but the latter is just as possible. She's okay just being by his side, but that means not treating him the way she would have in the resort, right? ]
[ at first, dan heng hardly registers the kiss as anything strange at all. why would it be? they were very physically close in the resort, much of their time together spent intimately, so he doesn't even consider it odd or out of place until she corrects herself, apologizes.
dan heng blinks, tilts his head.. then understands. ]
No. It wasn't.
[ this is how they've learned to communicate with one another, after all - just like he had taken her hand in his so openly. he hated being at the resort, but if nothing else, it taught him to open up to affection, to friendly touch. his face flushes hotter, and dan heng turns toward her, taking both of her hands in his own now. ]
Aerith, I.. [ he clears his throat. ] .. now that we're no longer in the resort, I understand if you would rather not..
[ .. you know. do any of this. his gaze flickers downward. ]
[ It's a good thing, perhaps, that she's so adept at reading people. Just like that, every concern that she had is shattered. And so, in response to his words, she answers the gentle grasp of his hands, fingers threading through his, and there's a light flush of color along the height of her own cheeks as she smiles up at him. ]
I love you, Dan Heng. I think I have for a while.
[ The words flow with surprising ease, despite how nervous she was mere moments ago. ]
Nothing less than that would have convinced me to follow you here, you know?
[ After all, more than leaving her friends behind, she chose to leave her duty behind. Only for love could she bring herself to do something as big as that. ]
[ the way she goes out and says it so openly, so easily..
dan heng is both shocked and proud in the same moment, proud of her strength, of her forwardness - she's just.. she's really something else. and that's why he loves her, too. given their closeness, and all of the things they have talked about and done together, this is not a surprising turn of events, and she's right, what else could have convinced her to leave her duty behind?
for a moment, his shock shows on his face, before it melts quickly into something warmer, a soft smile curving his lips. she's brave. he takes her hands, squeezing them lightly. ]
I.. I love you, as well. I never thought I would ever have the opportunity to love anyone, but I'm glad that it's you.
[ that it's someone he has come to value and trust so deeply. ]
[ The smile on his face warms her heart, and when he takes her hands in his, she squeezes them back. The motion tells her everything she needs to know in the moments before he even says anything at all, but then his words confirm it too, and her heart beats all too quickly in her chest as he tells her that he never thought he'd have the opportunity to love.
She frees one of her hands from his, lifting it to cup her fingers along the side of his cheek, something soft and sweet and understand on her lips as she tilts her forehead against his. ]
Personally, I can't be happier that you were wrong.
[ Not just about this. About everything. He deserved so much the freedom he was granted not so long ago. ]
..For as much as it put us through, I'm grateful for that place, Danbao.
[ dan heng exhales in a soft, rushed laugh, his heart in his throat. ]
Me too.
[ to think, not only has he come to love her, but also so many others.. his family here, on the express, his friends across the cosmos - dan heng has more love in his life than he had ever expected that he would or could, and it's an incredible feeling. humbling, too.
leaning his head into her hand, dan heng smiles, soft but full of warmth and affection. ]
It's hard to be grateful for it, but.. when I see you here, I suppose that I am, too.
[ His answer makes her smile, and she nods in answer to his statement. She can understand why it's hard to be grateful for such a place. Really, there's a lot about that place that's hard to be grateful to have experienced. But also, she met him.
And that outweighs a lot of the bad.
With a sweet sigh, she leans up, mouth soft against his as her eyes close. ]
I'm not going anywhere else, either. So... you'll have to get me up to speed with how things go around here, right?
[ his hands in hers squeeze lightly, before dropping down to rest on her hips instead, keeping her close, nudging his nose alongside her own as he smiles against her mouth. ]
I will. It'll be a lot to learn, but.. I've already told you a lot.
[ they'd spent hours side by side in bed, after all, talking about their homes, their loved ones, their lives.. aerith could probably have identified all of the astral express members by personality alone without needing to be properly introduced to any of them, given how much dan heng has chattered on about them all.
[ She's not sure what her particular skill will be here, the way Dan Heng guards the Astral Express and organizes the data. Perhaps she start a botanical study across the different worlds the Trailblaze hits. She has her own protective abilities too, of course. Maybe, if she chose a Path to stride, the way he has...
But these are thoughts to worry about for later, when he's not tugging gently at her, not leading them toward his makeshift bed.
(She'll need to fix this.) ]
A little rest, huh? That eager to get me in bed, Danbao?
[ Another soft, teasing laugh finds her lips at the sudden heat on Dan Heng's face. Smiling, she unclasps her hands from his, instead lifting them to gently cup his face as she shakes her head before standing tall enough that she can lean her forehead against his. ]
Even if it wasn't, is it okay with you if I take it that way?
[ She tilts her head to press her mouth softly against his. ]
somehow, being away from the peacock, this feels even more intimate. they've been together a number of times, and he's thought little enough of of it, given their surroundings, but here, in his home, it feels different.
his face burns, but he's happy to accept the kiss without complaint, pressing into it with a soft, warm hum. ]
[ That sweet smile rests on Aerith's lips, and she reaches for Dan Heng's hands to draw him back to his bed. She has to break from him to sit down, but then she reaches again to tug him with her, moving until they're lying against one another.
Her own cheeks are warm despite the smile on her lips. She's a little shy herself; before the resort, she was a virgin, and while she has of course had sex a great number of times since—including multiple experiences with Dan Heng himself—this is the first time she hasn't had a low, needy thrum in her body demanding it of her.
This time it's truly her choice, and she chooses him.
With a smile, she kisses him again, sighing her content. ]
[ dan heng is in a similar boat. he was a virgin, too, before the resort, and though he's gained plenty of experience since then, this is different.. they aren't doing this because they need to, they're doing it because they want to, and that makes all the difference.
back down on his bed, his own bed in his own space, dan heng feels comfortable for the first time in a long time. everything looks and feels and smells just like he remembers, and that's a deep comfort.
slipping an arm around her waist, dan heng closes his eyes when she comes in to kiss him again, a low murmur in his throat. her lips are as soft and familiar as ever. ]
[ It's not Aerith's bed, or her space—and yet, she feels comfortable too. It comes down, simply, to Dan Heng, to having him here with her. In so many ways, he by himself has become a source of comfort for her. The unfamiliarity can't possibly bother her, as long as he's here.
And yet, as their mouths come together, as his arm slips around her waist, she can't help but notice that there's something just a tiny bit different about him—
Aerith smiles against his lips. ]
You're happy, [ she whispers. It's not quite the right observation—a better one would probably be that he's more confident, or something along those lines—but it's certainly close enough. ]
[ they sink into the soft bedding together, enjoying gentle, languid kisses, and dan heng sighs softly against her lips a moment before he feels her smile. happy..? pulling back just enough to look into her face, dan heng gives her a quizzical glance. ]
Right now, you mean?
[ ah. he smiles. ]
I'm home. I'm with my family, and with you. I have everything to be happy about. But..
[ .. she's not home. she's not with her friends and family. it makes him feel selfish for being so comfortable, so happy. ]
[ Aerith shakes her head, a gentle smile on her lips as her hand rests against his cheek. Dan Heng is always so careful about how he presents himself, but she knows him well enough to recognize something akin to guilt hidden in his expression.
She shakes her head, and presses a soft kiss against his mouth. ]
I know we will. But...
[ How does she explain this? That the idea of never seeing Cloud and Tifa and the others hurts her so badly, but that she's okay? She sighs, taking a thoughtful breath. ]
I also know we might never find it. And that's okay. I made the choice to come with you knowing that. You know?
[ her soft kisses help, and for now, dan heng allows them to placate him. he's home again, he's with his family, and he knows it won't make her happy to see him getting all morose again for her sake.. there will be time in the future to dwell on it, to mourn properly for what she might never have again. now is not the time.
so he just nods, even though dan heng knows full well that he will try his damndest to find her home planet again, no matter what it takes. ]
.. I know. [ he says, and smiles, cupping her jaw. ] I'll keep that in mind.
[ She leans into his touch, eyes closing briefly at the sensation of his fingers cool against her skin. She knows that he means it... but she also knows, from the time they've spent together and grown close, that he will go back to it later, to try to find her home for her the way they've found his.
And if they manage? Maybe they can save it together.
But for now, she's happy. Her eyes open again, and she offers him another smile. ]
I'm glad I'm here with you, Dan Heng.
[ And she leans in to kiss him once more, arms winding around him to pull him close to her. ]
[ a soft sigh passes his lips, relieved, and dan heng nods. he knows it must be a little bittersweet for her, but.. at the very least they're out of the resort, and here together; that's a step in the right direction. he'll work tirelessly to find her home.
.. soon enough. not now. now is for celebrating their freedom, and their togetherness. ]
I am, too.
[ he says softly, and receives her kiss gladly, closing his eyes and tilting his head to fit their mouths nicely together, his arms around her also closing a little more tightly to pull her in flush against him, right where she belongs. ]
[ His answer makes her smile again, leaning into him with a soft sigh, legs tangling with his. One hand shifts to drift over his front, resting over the beat of his heart as she settles in close. ]
Then... show me how glad you are?
[ It's a warm murmur against his mouth, the corners of her smile tweaking into something playful. Her hands drop to his waist, intent on stripping him of his shift as a start. In a way, it's funny to think how comfortable she's become doing this now, when back then they were both so shy with one another. ]
[ dan heng shivers beneath her touch, his body warming up quickly. he hadn't wanted to push her, considering where they've come from, didn't want her thinking that was the only thing he wants from her.. but if she's the one initiating, well, far be it for him to say no.
when her fingers slip beneath the hem of his shirt, dan heng arches into it, his eyelids fluttering low. ]
.. I can do that.
[ he says softly, and places his hands over hers, pushing them further up his shirt, over his skin and abdomen. ]
[ Aerith smiles when Dan Heng arches into her touch, when he murmurs his answer, and she's more than content now in the way she leans into him, hands skating along his skin.
She knows already that this isn't all that he wants from her. After all... he wouldn't have asked her to come with him, otherwise. But this isn't the time for that discussion, not when her focus is on pulling his shirt up and over his head, lips finding his jaw so she can press sweet kisses into the skin. ]
[ of course, she's right. if dan heng was only looking for sex, he could find anyone in the universe - but he asked her here to be with him, to be by his side.. that means much more than a casual hookup.
dan heng lifts his arms, allowing her to pull his shirt up over his head, all sleek muscle beneath, warm and firm. he smiles, his eyelids low, and turns to nudge at the shell of her ear, his hands moving down her ribs, over her hips and back up again, tracing her familiar curves before one slides around to her back, slowly undoing the buttons of her dress.
he's learned well how to get her clothing off, no matter what she's wearing. ]
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sempiternals2026-02-08 08:29 pm
This could mean everything, or nothing at all
And then, of course, there's the knowledge of what she's giving up. The chance they've been given is perhaps the only of which she's ever heard, but in accepting it, she's leaving behind everything she's ever known.
All to save herself.
Cloud and Tifa and the others... without her there, they'll have to find some other way. She's confident that they will, but the guilt remains, the knowledge that she's at the very least made it harder for them.
And maybe it makes her a coward. But when Dan Heng came to her and asked her to join him, she found that she couldn't refuse. The chance to live, of course, to really live, to see the stars, that was one part of it. But even more than that... well. Somewhere along the line, she's fallen in love with him, hasn't she? She's kept it to herself, making a sad peace with the idea that they'd be separated someday, but then...
She couldn't make herself say no.
Bright lights herald their appearance on the other side of the door, voices confused and excited alike, and Aerith blinks, looking around. ]
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of course, he cannot and will not force her to return home with him, but.. he has to ask. he has to try. and when she accepts, he feels his heart lift from the cold pit of his stomach.
returning home again - he can hardly wait. he's missed everyone so painfully, missed his work as a nameless, missed his data bank, and pom pom's laughter, and himeko's awful cooking. he's missed stelle's weird habits, and march's babbling, and mr. yang's steady, calm presence. he's missed them all so much.
but when the light fades, they're there, and dan heng's feet are solid on the floor of the parlor car again. the sight of their faces, the sound of their voices - dan heng's eyes flood with tears immediately. he'd had to be strong at the resort, had to keep moving forward, to find a way to home, to keep working toward that final prize even if it felt so far out of reach, but now.. now, he's home, and he feels the exhaustion of his long journey setting in. his crewmates surround them both, accosting dan heng with warm hugs and a thousand questions. ]
.. I'm home.
[ he says, tearfully, then turns to look at aerith beside him, just as whole as he is, her eyes bright with surprise. she's here. she's here with him, alive, and they can take this new path together. reaching out, dan heng takes her hand with a smile, and gives it a squeeze. ]
You are, too. Welcome home.
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Home, she thinks. This might not have originally been hers.. but it is his, and she thinks that if he's with her, she could learn to make a home anywhere.
So Aerith offers that same smile to the people crowded around them, people about whom she's already heard so much, and introduces herself. March 7th practically explodes with all the questions she's already built up, and Stelle isn't far behind, and it occurs to her that she doesn't know exactly how much Dan Heng wants to share, how much of their experience in that place should be kept for the two of them alone. She defers to him, perhaps, a little more often than she should, then, but does her best to answer them when she can.
The rest of the time, her eyes keep drifting towards the large windows, watching the stars as they float by.
It's Himeko who takes mercy on them both, putting herself in the way of the onslaught of questions, telling the pair gently that Dan Heng and Aerith must be tired, to let them rest first. And so, not five minutes later, they're stepping into his room, her eyes widening all over again.
...And then, she laughs. ]
Didn't Himeko say this is your room? Where do you sleep?
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of course, her surprise when they enter the archives is.. not shocking. dan heng blushes right to his ears. ]
Ah, well..
[ he gestures to the pile of blankets on the floor, beside his desk, at the end of the room. after the opulence of the resort, it's quite bare. dan heng clears his throat. ]
I didn't need much. I suppose now I ought to look into a proper room.
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She squeezes his hand lightly in hers—and without thinking, turns her head to press a brief kiss on his heated cheek. ]
Right. You should. You told me yourself that the Astral Express is your home, so... maybe it's time to unpack?
[ And then, belatedly, she realizes that she's left a kiss on his cheek, and she bites her lip. Yes, he brought her here, but was it because he shares her feelings? Or because he knew that her return to her own world would spell her death? Of course she wants it to be the former, but the latter is just as possible. She's okay just being by his side, but that means not treating him the way she would have in the resort, right? ]
Sorry, if that was too forward of me—
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dan heng blinks, tilts his head.. then understands. ]
No. It wasn't.
[ this is how they've learned to communicate with one another, after all - just like he had taken her hand in his so openly. he hated being at the resort, but if nothing else, it taught him to open up to affection, to friendly touch. his face flushes hotter, and dan heng turns toward her, taking both of her hands in his own now. ]
Aerith, I.. [ he clears his throat. ] .. now that we're no longer in the resort, I understand if you would rather not..
[ .. you know. do any of this. his gaze flickers downward. ]
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I love you, Dan Heng. I think I have for a while.
[ The words flow with surprising ease, despite how nervous she was mere moments ago. ]
Nothing less than that would have convinced me to follow you here, you know?
[ After all, more than leaving her friends behind, she chose to leave her duty behind. Only for love could she bring herself to do something as big as that. ]
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dan heng is both shocked and proud in the same moment, proud of her strength, of her forwardness - she's just.. she's really something else. and that's why he loves her, too. given their closeness, and all of the things they have talked about and done together, this is not a surprising turn of events, and she's right, what else could have convinced her to leave her duty behind?
for a moment, his shock shows on his face, before it melts quickly into something warmer, a soft smile curving his lips. she's brave. he takes her hands, squeezing them lightly. ]
I.. I love you, as well. I never thought I would ever have the opportunity to love anyone, but I'm glad that it's you.
[ that it's someone he has come to value and trust so deeply. ]
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She frees one of her hands from his, lifting it to cup her fingers along the side of his cheek, something soft and sweet and understand on her lips as she tilts her forehead against his. ]
Personally, I can't be happier that you were wrong.
[ Not just about this. About everything. He deserved so much the freedom he was granted not so long ago. ]
..For as much as it put us through, I'm grateful for that place, Danbao.
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Me too.
[ to think, not only has he come to love her, but also so many others.. his family here, on the express, his friends across the cosmos - dan heng has more love in his life than he had ever expected that he would or could, and it's an incredible feeling. humbling, too.
leaning his head into her hand, dan heng smiles, soft but full of warmth and affection. ]
It's hard to be grateful for it, but.. when I see you here, I suppose that I am, too.
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And that outweighs a lot of the bad.
With a sweet sigh, she leans up, mouth soft against his as her eyes close. ]
I'm not going anywhere else, either. So... you'll have to get me up to speed with how things go around here, right?
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I will. It'll be a lot to learn, but.. I've already told you a lot.
[ they'd spent hours side by side in bed, after all, talking about their homes, their loved ones, their lives.. aerith could probably have identified all of the astral express members by personality alone without needing to be properly introduced to any of them, given how much dan heng has chattered on about them all.
for now, he tugs her toward his.. uh. bed. ]
Let's try to get a little rest, first.
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[ She's not sure what her particular skill will be here, the way Dan Heng guards the Astral Express and organizes the data. Perhaps she start a botanical study across the different worlds the Trailblaze hits. She has her own protective abilities too, of course. Maybe, if she chose a Path to stride, the way he has...
But these are thoughts to worry about for later, when he's not tugging gently at her, not leading them toward his makeshift bed.
(She'll need to fix this.) ]
A little rest, huh? That eager to get me in bed, Danbao?
[ A soft chuckle surfaces on her lips. ]
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[ dan heng smiles, his hands in hers squeezing - but of course the moment she says that, he flushes beet red. ]
No, I - that's not what I...
[ all the times they've been intimate, and she can still make him blush. ]
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Even if it wasn't, is it okay with you if I take it that way?
[ She tilts her head to press her mouth softly against his. ]
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somehow, being away from the peacock, this feels even more intimate. they've been together a number of times, and he's thought little enough of of it, given their surroundings, but here, in his home, it feels different.
his face burns, but he's happy to accept the kiss without complaint, pressing into it with a soft, warm hum. ]
.. yeah. [ he whispers against her lips. ] It is.
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Her own cheeks are warm despite the smile on her lips. She's a little shy herself; before the resort, she was a virgin, and while she has of course had sex a great number of times since—including multiple experiences with Dan Heng himself—this is the first time she hasn't had a low, needy thrum in her body demanding it of her.
This time it's truly her choice, and she chooses him.
With a smile, she kisses him again, sighing her content. ]
no subject
back down on his bed, his own bed in his own space, dan heng feels comfortable for the first time in a long time. everything looks and feels and smells just like he remembers, and that's a deep comfort.
slipping an arm around her waist, dan heng closes his eyes when she comes in to kiss him again, a low murmur in his throat. her lips are as soft and familiar as ever. ]
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And yet, as their mouths come together, as his arm slips around her waist, she can't help but notice that there's something just a tiny bit different about him—
Aerith smiles against his lips. ]
You're happy, [ she whispers. It's not quite the right observation—a better one would probably be that he's more confident, or something along those lines—but it's certainly close enough. ]
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Right now, you mean?
[ ah. he smiles. ]
I'm home. I'm with my family, and with you. I have everything to be happy about. But..
[ .. she's not home. she's not with her friends and family. it makes him feel selfish for being so comfortable, so happy. ]
.. we'll look for your planet. I promise.
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She shakes her head, and presses a soft kiss against his mouth. ]
I know we will. But...
[ How does she explain this? That the idea of never seeing Cloud and Tifa and the others hurts her so badly, but that she's okay? She sighs, taking a thoughtful breath. ]
I also know we might never find it. And that's okay. I made the choice to come with you knowing that. You know?
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so he just nods, even though dan heng knows full well that he will try his damndest to find her home planet again, no matter what it takes. ]
.. I know. [ he says, and smiles, cupping her jaw. ] I'll keep that in mind.
[ and he means it. ]
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And if they manage? Maybe they can save it together.
But for now, she's happy. Her eyes open again, and she offers him another smile. ]
I'm glad I'm here with you, Dan Heng.
[ And she leans in to kiss him once more, arms winding around him to pull him close to her. ]
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.. soon enough. not now. now is for celebrating their freedom, and their togetherness. ]
I am, too.
[ he says softly, and receives her kiss gladly, closing his eyes and tilting his head to fit their mouths nicely together, his arms around her also closing a little more tightly to pull her in flush against him, right where she belongs. ]
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Then... show me how glad you are?
[ It's a warm murmur against his mouth, the corners of her smile tweaking into something playful. Her hands drop to his waist, intent on stripping him of his shift as a start. In a way, it's funny to think how comfortable she's become doing this now, when back then they were both so shy with one another. ]
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when her fingers slip beneath the hem of his shirt, dan heng arches into it, his eyelids fluttering low. ]
.. I can do that.
[ he says softly, and places his hands over hers, pushing them further up his shirt, over his skin and abdomen. ]
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She knows already that this isn't all that he wants from her. After all... he wouldn't have asked her to come with him, otherwise. But this isn't the time for that discussion, not when her focus is on pulling his shirt up and over his head, lips finding his jaw so she can press sweet kisses into the skin. ]
Good. I'll show you, too.
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dan heng lifts his arms, allowing her to pull his shirt up over his head, all sleek muscle beneath, warm and firm. he smiles, his eyelids low, and turns to nudge at the shell of her ear, his hands moving down her ribs, over her hips and back up again, tracing her familiar curves before one slides around to her back, slowly undoing the buttons of her dress.
he's learned well how to get her clothing off, no matter what she's wearing. ]