@tempestial: no, no, no, not now !
another unfortunate encounter, another path of destruction in it’s wake. having followed dan heng into a long abandoned building ; glass cracked and shattered with the force of their wind, long scion’s clumsy footsteps, stumbling him through most of the fight, cloud piercer sluggish with its weight and the flush of his body wearing him down. he knew this song and dance like the back of his hand, the moment the mara struck and blade’s silent contempt became loud and copious. more often than not, he was unable to be reasoned with ( or seduced into their usual trysts, ) but for the first time in years he contemplated begging to be let go, to resume their match at a different time.
just as words lay ready to fall from panting tongue, a well timed shove sent the lancer into a rotting table, head banging a little too hard upon the wood as it screeched against the wall. it was a long enough distraction to be caught up with, pinned with blade’s thigh between his legs and the heady scent of iron and spider lilies to flood his senses. hands would raise to grip blade’s shoulder as he neared, but, unsure quite yet whether he wanted him to back away or pull him closer. dan heng’s eyes dilated, unable to focus properly, soft lips parted, panting while he waited for the hunter to respond. around them the faint scent of lotus and petrichor fell about them like a dense fog.
ㅤㅤㅤ𝐢𝐭'𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐞𝐝𝐠𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩-𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐞𝐭 that he'd chased him, a dog with the scent of blood in it's mouth - a predator ever pursuant of wounded prey. the stars are exceptionally bright tonight, the breeze ethereal and balmy. auspicious lights hang heavy in the sky - eight round globes, full and bright and heavy in the dark sky, beautiful despite their surroundings. the xianzhou luofu is a massive ship - one that has seen many wars, many battles, and lofty as they may be - even it is not immune to the scars of time, so reflected in the over grown, dilapidated building that the sinner had sought refuge inside. it was no matter, of course. the mara sang in his blood - dan heng's scent heavy in his nostrils. ( why was he running? why was he always running? were they back here again? ) there was no escaping the blade, no escaping the death that sang for his beloved, a siren's call to plunge his sword through pliant flesh again and again...
ㅤㅤㅤhis sanity rattled it's cage. he was missing something here. forgetting something important. look up! his mind seemed to say, before swift feet carried him into the building. the blade ignored such thoughts, of course - instead, he let his sword drag upon cobbled stone, lips parting to reveal too white teeth while crimson eyes burnished red in the dark. wind - it licked between them, giving away dan heng's position without a momentary hesitation, and the blade was on him in an instant. ❝ nowhere to run! ❞ he sounds almost gleeful, madness permeating the edges of his vision as glass shatters about him, as his hulking frame moves with the fluidity that had earned him a place at the side of four powerful immortals. there is satisfaction in dan heng's pain, satisfaction as he slips between svelte legs, looming over him with sword in hand. the mara wants, and wants, and wants - how should he kill him this time? his neck was nigh on bare - perhaps his fingers? perhaps he could watch the life fade that way, but the mara did so enjoy spilled blood. choices, choices-
ㅤㅤㅤa blink befalls those candlelit eyes, frown suddenly pulling over his features. he stares down at dan heng's flushed countenance, pressing close and neat to his frame - so much like a lover, so much like he used to. and it felt such a way too, when the muscle of his thigh rubbed against something hard between them, and when that keen, keen gaze - even under the influence of the mara - became privy to the coil of dragon's smoke that furls about the man who wears the face of his former beloved and has begun to haunt his dreams as dan heng himself, and not dan feng.
ㅤㅤㅤ❝ oh. ❞ he intonates throatily, wildness edging between the mara, blade, and the vague remnants of yingxing that haunted his flesh. ❝ oh, you- ❞ down, he leans, sword stabbing into rotting wood near the vidyadhara's head as blade sniffs, as he drinks in the scent that he had grown so accustomed to, that had helped edge away his madness, he lets a smirk dart across handsome features. ❝ you're moonstruck. ❞ he has to laugh. of course he does. it's bitter, it's deep, and it's downright patronizing, especially when his hands move to furiously grip thin hips, and slide dan heng's body along the warmth of his strong thigh. ❝ you fool, did you not pay attention to the signs? ❞ perhaps this - perhaps humiliating the body below him in new yet utterly familiar ways was even better than allowing the mara to run rampant and drain the life from him. ❝ poor sanctimonious vidyadhara. what a predicament you've gotten yourself into. ❞
ㅤㅤㅤwho is speaking now? it's hard to tell, especially as he leans downwards, the warmth of his lips nearing the shell of dan heng's ear, and groans - low and throaty. ❝ what to do, now that i have you like this, moon drinker? ❞
