"Vale's been hanging in the data bank a lot, huh?" Caelus' gaze didn't leave his phone. "They rooming with you now?"
"They're getting caught up on the Express' history." Dan Heng continued organizing scattered piles of paper on the Party Car table. "Research and information is the data bank's purpose."
"And for being close to you~" Mischief in his smirk.
A raised eyebrow, "We're close now at this table?"
Sigh. "You're so thick-skulled sometimes, Heng."
It's true- Vale had started lingering in the data bank more often. Dan Heng appreciated their willingness to assist with filling the gaps with their astral memories, but that risky maneuver definitely stressed him out. It took them another 4 days to sort everything per his organization system.
After that, they started their own research. Vale specifically looked up information on topics originating far from their beginning. Akivili, weather systems, Memokeepers, fashion trends (thanks, March), the Garden of Recollection, sports, really just about anything they could get their hands on.
Quite the sight, really, watching someone learn things another typically takes for granted.
---
Dan Heng returned from the Party Car, files neatly tucked under his arm. Thoughts mixed with suppressed desires leaked into his brain. He tried desperately to ignore them.
He's not dumb- he knew what Caelus had been implying with his teasing remarks. Both of the twins were not subtle with their efforts to push Vale and him together. At least March hadn't yet picked up on it.
Still, the comments made the archivist wonder about what would greet him upon returning to his room. Vale had been poking at books and screens when he departed for the Party Car. The door slid open silently-
Hunched over the back desk, Vale's chest subtly rose and fell in a slumbering cadence. Dan Heng wasn't surprised- he'd fallen asleep in that chair more than once while working. Highlighters, pens, and detailed notebooks surrounded their frame like a halo. Paper balls decorated the floor by their feet. An accompanying stack of heavily used journals sat next to their head.
Different journals housed different subjects. He'd let them use a small unoccupied corner shelf to store all their studying needs.
What did you research this time? Dan Heng set aside his items and carefully leaned over Vale's shoulder. Green eyes scanned the papers.
Art. History, influences, different planets' studies and understandings, all of it carefully detailed in their journals. Vale apparently had a knack for art; sketches of the Express, various plants, and starry cosmic landscapes collaged together in a mess of excited research. You did all of this just today?
A pile of sheets near their hands caught his attention. Vale had.... made a series of portraits of the Crew. Themself included. Dan Heng silently scanned over them, impressed at the detail they'd managed. Notes in the margins almost made him chuckle.
March's style is cozy and cute. Whimsical(?)(still learning what that means)
Stelle and Caelus resemble feral raccoons if left unsupervised for too long (facts)(trash goblins)
Welt dresses like vintage tea. Language Arts teacher vibes(positive)
Their own sketchpage looked more experimental, expressive.
Dress for what you long for (cosmos)
Nightwave gothic (per Stelle)
Heart of gold (and excessive warmth)(ouch)
What's love to a star? What's family?
Vale seemed to have started Himeko's portrait by the time they fell asleep. Hazy pencil marks evidently trailed off the paper in slow, limp movements. The pencil had rolled just slightly out of their grasp.
Green and black peeked out from beneath their own portrait page. Carefully, as to not wake them, Dan Heng picked up both pages.
Thump. He tried to ignore the tug in his heart. This was a portrait of him? Of course he had a page- he was part of the Crew. This wasn't anything particularly special... right? Why did his face feel warm?
Vale's handwriting again annotated the side margins.
Xianzhou(?) fashion influence(from my readings)
Serious face, sad eyes(heavy with responsibility and guilt)
Stance resembles military(?)(he fights well)
Does he know how safe he is?(with the crew!) (with me?)
Sleeping cadence disrupted. Arms started to move as Vale began to awaken. Dan Heng didn't have time to process their notations- swiftly tucking both papers into his pocket.
"Mm... good morning...." Vale noticed his frame standing beside them. They slowly sat up, rubbing sleep from their eyes, "Or....whatever time it is..."
"It's midnight."
"Oh... sorry..." a shake of their head, "Didn't mean to... take up your space. I'll tidy up-"
"It's okay." Spoken a little too quickly. "That is, um, you're clearly exhausted."
"But you don't- *yawn* - like it when-"
"Vale, lie down."
"Okay."
---
It's 0100. Vale's asleep on his futon bed. Dan Heng's sitting in the desk chair. He's long been done with putting away their study supplies. Eyes fixated on his sleeping companion.
It's 0200. He can't take his thoughts from the portrait pages. His eyes are... sad? They noticed despite his efforts to keep his past locked down? Is he safe enough to let the mask slip?
It's 0300. No. He can't.
It's 0400. What is love to a star?
It's 0500 and Dan Heng slowly lets himself lay next to Vale. Warmth emitted from them like a comforting embrace. He dared himself to place his hand overtop theirs in the middle of the bed. Vale remained asleep despite the contact. Did... he want them to wake at his touch?
It's 0600 and the smell of coffee begins to engulf the Passenger Car. This moment of intimacy will draw to a close soon.
---
"Vale didn't return to their room last night." Stelle served herself some waffles at the breakfast bar. "I can always hear their door open. Last night, not a single creak."
Caelus followed suit. "Dan Heng left around midnight. I didn't pass anyone else by the time I turned in."
Stelle shrugged, "Is that so?"
"Mhm. It's funny, but not funny haha-"
"Funny weird."
The twins shared a knowing glance. Have their efforts finally reached the desired conclusion? They could only wait~
a/n: ugh okay fine i started playing HSR and immediately fell for the character thats exactly my type what of it????
New media New OC them's the brakes pal.
Anyway this is Vale. They are a thousand years old star that was turned into a human-like form thanks to the effects of a rogue freefall Stellaron.
------------------------------
Of five people, three must pay a price-
Cold sweats and heavy breathing jolted Dan Heng awake. Hand clutched the clothing at his chest, a vain attempt to force his heart to stop racing. Several minutes passed before he was able to calm himself down. Hums and whirrs from the data bank screens did nothing to drown the eternal noise in his head.
"Another..." He shed his blanket, willing himself to get up. "Visions continue to plague me...." Whispers meant for empty air.
He silently opened his cabin door, not bothering to change from his sleepwear. The train lights were off, but faint starlight trickled in from the windows. Everyone else could sleep... did they ever have nightmares? Did lingering ghosts of past lives ever sneak up on them? Was his circadian rhythm aligned with their prior planetary mission? Did sleep really matter that much anyway?
Feet moved him to the next car, lights still off. At least with no one else awake he could practice without distraction. The passenger car was big enough to offer ample training room. Green flashed as Dan Heng summoned his spear.
Rhythmic flows and carefully patterned steps guided his movements. Each step helped calm his anxieties.
"You're pretty good-"
Steel whipped back around only to be caught in a dead stop. Anxiety re-spiked at the thought of someone sneaking up on him.
Vale stood on the opposing end, adorned in their own sleepwear. Both hands had caught just behind the spearhead. It seemed to hum in response to their presence.
"I'm sorry... I've startled you."
It vanished in a flash, "Why are you in here? I thought everyone was in their room."
"Looks like same as you- can't sleep." They smiled, "Though out methods of self-soothing seem to be different. What's keeping you up, if I may ask?"
"Nightmares..." He forced his eyes shut, shaking away the persistent visions before returning his gaze.
Vale paused a moment, "I ... might have an idea."
"About what?"
"About you. Come here," They motioned for him to follow. On the opposing side of the train car, a soft loveseat was positioned looking out the windows. Vale sat on one end, making themself comfortable as he simply stood to the side.
"Sit and stargaze with me."
Dan Heng tilted his head, puzzled, "Is this your version of counting sheep?"
That got a small laugh, "If that's what you want it to be, it can."
He obliged their request, settling next to them on the loveseat. Part of him felt tense with the closeness. Especially since the two hadn't talked or socialized beyond what was required after Vale was rescued by the Express.
They noticed his tension in the silence, opting to break the ice. "What are your nightmares about?"
Dan Heng immediately tensed at the thought. "I can't talk about it..." His eyes looked lightyears away from this train.
Vale thought quickly, "What's your comfort level around physical touch?"
"I.... what?" He shook his head, the ridiculousness of the question pulling him back, "What do you mean by that?"
A breath, "it's just... The stars are singing the universal lullaby. Thanks to the Stellaron's effects, I can be your conduit- if you let me hold your hand."
"The stars are what?" He racked his brain- there was nothing in the data bank about stars singing.
"You're having nightmares. I have insomnia. Since I'm no longer a star, I can't sing in the chorus... but kin recognizes kin. I can help you listen."
He paused, pondering the request. Strange as it may be, he's endured stranger. A lullaby is better than these nightmares... hopefully...
Fingers interlocked and all at once Dan Heng's mind quieted. Faint voices of the universal chorus hummed in place of the fears, the terrors. All at once the threats of the past melted into the peace of the present.
Was the universe always singing like this?
He tried to keep his face neutral, stoic in the presence of someone he barely knew. How immediately his shoulders relaxed, though, gave him away.
"It's easy to get caught up in all this." Vale's voice was gentle, "Battles, brushes with death, trying to save everyone...." eyes looked up to catch his gaze, "Don't forget how the stars sing for you."
Blush tinted his cheeks. Whether from the incoming overwhelming tiredness or how intimate this moment felt, he would never know. Eyelids began to close before he could form anymore thoughts on the matter. He vaguely felt himself lean over onto their shoulder.
Consciousness faded to the lure of peaceful sleep.
01. Full name: Teleris Elondar (No middle name.)02. Best friend: Calder Manarial03. Sexuality: Pansexual04. Favorite color: Green05. Relationship status: Single and not looking. However…06. Ideal mate: Teleris has trust issues due to bad relationships in the past. She wants someone trustworthy, who values honesty as much as she does. Someone who has a good idea about what they want, and won’t flake out on her in the future.07. Turn-ons: Compassion. Snuggling, cuddling, and generally anything along those lines! She’s also secretly into a handful of romantic cliches. 08. Favorite food: Fruit, especially strawberries, apples, and mastela.09. Crushes: Calder Manarial, but her brain has yet to connect the dots. Or she’s in denial. Probably both. :I10. Favorite music: Classical Elvish tunes! And would nature count as music? Because rainstorms are pretty great, too…11. Biggest fear: Ooh, boy. Being abandoned, and losing even more loved ones than she already has. 12. Biggest fantasy: To maintain a beautiful garden that stretches as far as the eye can see. Also to be a mother.13. Bad habits: Never talking about her problems; she files them away forever and that’s that. She doesn’t care about herself as much as she should, either.14. Biggest regret: Hmm, a tough one, because of her aforementioned problem of just filing everything away. But if she were honest with herself, she probably wishes she had been more selfish in some regards…15. Best kept secrets: See above.16. Last thought: Probably something self-deprecating, hahaha– sobs.17. Worst romantic experience: She has several of those under her belt. The worst one by far was a marriage ~70ish years ago that didn’t work out. It’s the root of her trust issues, and one of the few relationships where she genuinely hates the person nowadays.18. Biggest insecurity: Her entire existence, let’s be real. Growing up a Dark Elf was not easy!19. Weapon of choice: Bow and Arrows, and some Earth magic.20. Role Model: Her parents.
