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The Madam Herta didn’t let out a scream. It is below her, to scream. It is not as if he suddenly had a wee little baby with the biggest golden? —amber? Does it matter now? — watery eyes looking at her on her arms.
She did call for Asta with a voice several note higher than usual, though. Really. Not that she or Asta can tell the difference. No.
.
“So,” Himeko said with a smile, the baby is sleeping on her arms while Welt had this look in his face when he poked the chubby cheek with gentle finger from her side. “Explosion happened when Madam Herta cook… experimenting? For Ruan Mei? And the cat cake in her hand turned into a baby? This is the baby?”
The baby, as if knowing he (Himeko checked) is being talked about, let out a small cute sound. His long eyelash flutter, but thankfully he didn’t wake up. “Mochi Chocolate is one of many that Caelus made,” Asta supplied for Madam Herta who already washed her hands clean of this mess and locked herself up to redo her experiment. “We… as you can see, we are not equipped to take care of a baby.”
Himeko wants to ask what make them think the Astral Express is equipped to take care of a baby, transformed from a cat cake or otherwise. But, a glance at Welt who looks like he will give everything to have the baby in his arms shut Himeko up. Without a word, she transferred the baby to Welt’s arm, who cradle him like a pro. Himeko suddenly remembers that this man is father of one.
The pink haired lead researcher let out a small sigh. “And considering Caelus is, sort of, their parent,” Asta continues on. “If you would be so kind to take care of Mochi Chocolate until he is cat cake again…”
.
“I don’t think this is Mochi Chocolate,” Caelus told Himeko as he kneels by Welt’s side, watching the baby looking around the Astral Express with his big eyes. He is a calm baby, Himeko thought, hardly making sound let alone crying even when transferred to somewhere new with horde of people he didn’t know. Maybe that’s a given, if he was a cat cake turned human.
But, Caelus said he is not.
Welt asked why their youngest member thought the baby is not one of his cat cake, Caelus fall silent, letting his finger being grasped by small chubby ones. The baby let out a smile and the yellow eyed boy swoon—Himeko also feels all short of warm seeing it. “How old is this baby, you think, Mr. Yang?” Caelus asked.
“Less than one year,” Welt answer. “He can sit by himself, but not yet crawl.”
“Then, nope.” Caelus shakes his head. “Mochi Chocolate is at least five, from the way they talk.”
“And,” the gray haired Stellaron shakes his head. “I don’t think cat cake come with Narwhal onesie.”
.
The baby sleep with Welt that night—Welt informed Himeko that there is absolutely no fuss, except for two times the baby woke Welt up with a small fist hitting his cheek, one time for nappies change, the second for feeding time. He didn’t cry, didn’t make any sound, was silent, eerily so, unlike Welt’s own son on that age. And that son is a clone.
He looks like a normal baby, as far as Himeko knows. A handsome one, with head full of dark brown hair with faint-amber on it is tip, big and bright amber eyes framed by long eyelashes, a cute little nose she can’t help but to bop, and chubby cheeks Caelus want to bites. They decided to keep calling him little Mochi Chocolate—because the thought of him being anything but cat cake turned human scared them a bit.
Mitsuki absolutely adores the newest addition of their crew, taking many photos of the baby in his powder blue narwhal onesie before changed him to her many doll clothes. The baby accepted the treatment without a pep, as if he is already used to the fuss. He even laughs when Caelus got his hand on him, tickling the baby and blowing raspberry on the chubby tummy. Surprisingly, the baby loves their archivist the most.
His eyes never leaving Dan Heng once the archivist entered the parlor room. He makes gurgling sound and grabby hands when the black-haired young man is within eyesight. The favoritism is very clear that Caelus let out a cry of outrage when the baby offered his little plushie, given by Mitsuki, to Dan Heng instead of Caelus who keep teasingly asked it from the baby.
It is even more surprising because the Vidyadhara look absolutely smug when he accepted the offered toy before kneeling on the floor and snatched the baby from Caelus. The feeling is mutual, it seems, thought Himeko with a smile.
That day, the usually busy crews are content on spending their time at the parlor, playing with a little baby who then fall asleep in Dan Heng’s laps.
.
The baby cried for the first time when he is brought away from Dan Heng for his night sleep.
.
They woke up in the next morning, all sleeping in the parlor after dragging their own bedding to the common room so they can sleep surrounding the baby who make so much fuss when being separated from Dan Heng—who absolutely can steal babies from Caelus’s hold but was not brave enough to spend the night alone with feebly and squishy baby—and Caelus who said ‘let’s just make it a sleepover’ then sleep clutching Pompom. They woke up. And the baby is nowhere to be seen.
In his place is a cat cake, chocolate colored with golden pupil, snoring peacefully.
.
.
They decided to just let the cat cake live with them. Unlike the baby, he prefers Caelus and scared of Dan Heng. Caelus keep telling them that Mochi Chocolate the cat cake and Mochi Chocolate the baby are two different beings. It didn’t make Dan Heng feels better.
One day, not that long after the disappearance of a baby who they got for less than 48 hours but they will kill for, a small explosion happens in the parlor. The Mochi Chocolate who sleep peacefully on it is cat bed is surrounded by smoke. When the panic (and smoke) subdued, the cat cake is replaced with a young boy.
The crew and the young boy look at each other in surprise. He wore an oversized jacket, the tail dragged on the floor, outside black sailor style clothes. He… looks familiar.
He had the same dark brown hair with amber tip, his eyes is still big and bright amber, his eyelashes are still unbelievably long, his cheek is still deliciously chubby. Caelus let out a happy shriek as he doves and take the young boy in his arms, swinging him around while also showering that cute face with kisses.
“My Chocolate Mochi!!!”
The boy, not unlike the baby, didn’t look at all surprised. A calm baby, who grow into almost expressionless child. He let himself being manhandled by someone practically stranger, not letting a sound.
The brave font crumbled when Welt come into his view, telling Caelus to put the child down. The little one quickly run and hide behind the older man’s legs, peering at Caelus with wide eyes.
Dan Heng walks into the parlor right when Caelus is made to kneel in the middle of the room, being scolded by Welt, Mitsuki, and PomPom while Himeko watching with a cup of coffee from the sofa. Amber eyes meet stormy grey and Dan Heng know the Mochi Chocolate he knows is back.
.
“… Zhong Yadang—Zhong from Shizhong (clock) and Yadang is Yadang…” the child, his voice soft and sweet like milk chocolate told them their name from behind Welt’s legs.
“Yadang.” Welt mouthed. “In holy scripture from my world, Yadang is the first human. Also called, Adam.”
The boy brightens at that. “That’s my name also, Mr…?”
“Welt,” the man smiled down. “Welt Yang. So, is Adam your English name, little Yadang?”
“Eng…? What’s that?” he asked, letting go of Welt’s pants before maneuvering himself so he can look straight at the eyes behind the eyeglass. Not that Dan Heng can blame him, ‘English’, what is that? He needs to ask Mr. Welt for more detail later. “But, you see, Yadang is how my name spoken in Liyuen. And Adam is how it read in Snezhnayan.”
Himeko put down her cup, Caelus straighten from his slump, Mitsuki stagger to the nearest sofa, and Dan Heng kneels in front of the child. Only Welt looks thoughtful, his eyes trails on the familiar marking on the boy’s jacket but decided not to question it. They know, thanks to Caelus, that this child is not the human version of their cat cake. But to have this child speak about his origin like this, and one that is not Earth’s…
Fascinating.
“And where is Liyue and Snezhnaya are?” ask Dan Heng, reaching out a hand to show he come with peace. “My name is Dan Heng. Dan in Cinnabar, and Heng in Perseverance.”
There is a whisper of ‘is that how people introduce themselves now?’ from Caelus. In which Himeko answered, ‘sometimes’ and followed with quick lesson of linguistic and social norm of countries with a particular writing system.
The boy, Yadang, or Adam, reached out curled his fingers around Dan Heng’s hand. His palm is soft and warm, hesitant but also… unafraid. As if his fright come from surprise and he isn’t actually scared of them. “Hello,” Adam said, shaking Dan Heng’s hand but didn’t let go. “I come from Teyvat.”
A shake from Pompom’s head told them what they need to know. Another world Akivili never reached. The question is, why and how?
“I was taking a nap,” Adam told them, now comfortably sitting in Dan Heng’s laps. He smells sweet, maybe something like baby powder, but also a bit like sandalwood burn. “Then I woke up here.”
“Do you ever disappear suddenly from your home as a baby?” Mitsuki asked, giving the little one a cup of warm milk.
He accepted the cup with both hands, which almost covered by the long sleeves of his oversized jacket, cradling it close. “Long ago, when I was a baby,” he answers, and the crews let out a sigh. Oh, he is really their little Mochi Chocolate. “My a-die almost go berserk looking for me, I was told.”
Well, they hope his berserk dad will never meet Madam Herta, the one who is most probably, definitely, the culprit. And they hope the dad can wait for 48 hours before hunting his son’s kidnapper (are they considered kidnapper?). Teyvat might be unknown world for them, but that didn’t mean it is impossible for a concerned father to went thru space and time for his child.
Case point, Welt.
.
48 hours passed and Adam still there, calmly eating his breakfast while listening to Pompom’s story.
“I am adopting him,” whisper Caelus to Dan Heng’s ears. “I will fight his dad, his mom, his grandmother.”
The Vidyadhara sips his tea carefully, pretending not to hear Caelus getting more outrageous with his ideas. Not that Dan Heng can’t understand, the little one has taken hold on their youngest member’s heart. He had Caelus wrapped around his little, chubby fingers with his silent interest on the yellow eyed young man’s rambling, with his willingness to dove right to chaos, with his little hmm of agreement on the Stellaron’s craziest opinion of the day.
And Adam is being genuine with it—not faking interest to take someone’s heart. Dan Heng knows, he saw how the little boy tuned Dan Heng off when he talks about the component that make light speed travel possible. And the archivist is Adam’s favorite.
That didn’t change. The little baby like Dan Heng on instinct, the little boy he grows to be also like Dan Heng in a glance. Dan Heng also like him—in unexplainable way one would like something familiar with them.
.
Dan Heng didn’t know how to act with a child. He usually can get by with treating them as a mini version of an adult, considering he usually spends limited time together with one. The last child, actual child who is not like Bai Lu, he had interaction with was Hook. And Hook is nowhere similar with Adam.
The boy used to like Dan Heng before, when he was a baby. A baby is, in a way, easy, because they didn’t expect anything but basic care and attention. But, a child in their gold development age?
They need attention, they need love, they need discipline—and what if he is in early rebellion period?
Adam, to be frank, was a weird baby. So, Dan Heng should not be surprised that he grows to be unlike any other boy his age.
It is not as if he is more mature, it is clear that he is still a child. He is just… unflappable. The world can detonate in front of his face and he will only blink before turning to ask one thing or another to the nearest adult in the vicinity.
The adult is mostly Welt or Dan Heng, because they actually had answer—although Caelus’s words is certainly more interesting for Adam.
In 48 hours, Adam has proved once again that he is an almost fuss free child. He did what was asked, eat carefully and polishing his plate, he also didn’t fight nap time. But he like to follow Caelus and Dan Heng, who was tasked with a certain errand by one of Himeko’s many contacts.
It was not so dangerous, a quick errand to the market, if anything—so Welt and Himeko let them have the baby, err, boy for the day.
Adam held Caelus’ hand, at first, before he shyly takes the tip of Dan Heng’s finger too. The archivist didn’t have any reason to reject it, so he holds the small hand back. The boy didn’t exactly beam, but he has this satisfied aura when he walks between Caelus and Dan Heng, swinging the hands he holds while taking the sight.
“Want to go with me, or with Dan Heng?” asked Caelus, when they need to split up at one point.
The boy looks thoughtful, before he let Caelus’ hand go. “Ah,” the yellow eyed young man was devastated and Dan Heng feels secretly smug. They remember that as the baby, Adam was also unfairly favoring the black-haired guard.
It was a small thing, but Dan Heng feels somewhat warm. It was a feeling he never feels tired of, being chosen by someone. Being trusted, being favored—especially because it is by a pure child who held no other reason or motive to like him.
Adam looks up and smiled a small smile at Dan Heng, his amber eyes bright and innocent.
It is like a bias, in a way. The feeling of deep sea, the warmth of rock under sunny spring’s sun. A puzzle, slotted perfectly, complement each other.
(Roaring dragon, swimming narwhal, a sea that goes on and on, a land that goes gold and gold.)
.
“Dan Heng-gege.”
Dan Heng didn’t look up from the scroll in his hands, but scoot over so the little boy can crawl on his side. There is a warm pressed by Dan Heng’s side and the archivist freed one of his hands to reach out. His hand found a fluffy head full of hair. “What is it?” ask Dan Heng, finally glancing down to see pouting face of a child.
The futon he had on the archive room is not the most comfortable place to sleep, but Adam plopped himself down without any complains. He wore a narwhal onesie, made by Welt, the bigger version of the one he had as a baby. There is a glass of hot chocolate on his hands, one he cradles carefully so he did not spill even a drop on Dan Heng’s bedding and the books and scrolls scattered around.
Adam shakes his head, but he leans his whole weight on Dan Heng’s side—not that he is heavy, he is much lighter than Cloud Piercer. But the child is clearly upset, although it only shown on his slightly puffed rosy cheeks. It is been a few days, a few weeks, even. Maybe he missed his home? His parents?
“Drink your hot chocolate—did Shush made it for you?”
“Miss Himeko did,” Adam said, raising the glass and sipped it slowly.
Dan Heng moved his hand that rested on Adam’s head, up and down, slowly patting the child. He only stopped when Adam thrust the empty mug to Dan Heng, who used his Cloud Hymn to place the ceramic somewhere save. “Wipe,” Dan Heng told Adam, who quickly wipes his mouth with the back of his hand. “Did something happen?”
“…?” Adam titled his head, before shaking his head.
Dan Heng didn’t push Adam, but he let the boy—who usually sleep with Mr. Welt—to sleep on his futon that night.
.
Snezhnaya is snow plain, white, white, white as far as one can see. Perpetual winter ruled by a god who loved too much until she lost her heart. It reminds the Astral Express of Belobog. They take Adam to Belobog once and almost lost him when Sampo decided he looks kidnappable.
Thankfully, Adam has a mean punch.
He run with his arm open to Dan Heng and Caelus, the oversized jacket he wore trails behind him leaving Sampo who bleed from his broken nose behind. Adam step never wavers even when the snow goes as far as his knees. For once, Caelus let Dan Heng had Adam on his arms as he went with raised sleeves to deliver more punch at his old pals.
Adam looks almost delighted when he watches from where he perched on Dan Heng’s arm. The amber eyed boy looks so adorably, and rightly so, vicious that the archivist can’t help but press a kiss on that plump check. At once, Adam turned his attention from Sampo and Caelus to look at Dan Heng with wide eyes.
Dan Heng can’t help the smile that tug his lips when Adam flushed so adorably.
Then, there is Liyue.
Land of commerce and contract, warm winter and mountain as far as one can sees. Gingko colors the land gold with laid-back citizen, and if that’s not Luofu, then where else can be similar enough?
“Luofu?” the little mochi chocolate said, looking up from the doodles he makes with Caelus. “I read it in the achieve.”
“That’s your Dan Heng-gege’s home world,” says Caelus without looking up from the elaborate drawing of giant golden trashcan and Sampo locked in fight.
There is spark of interest on the amber eyes and Adam jumped down from his seat, walking to Dan Heng’s side. “Gege’s home?” he said, voice milky soft. “I want to see!”
Dan Heng nodded, reaching out to pull his jade abacus and informs Jing Yuan of his visit and the little special guest he wants to take along.
.
Jing Yuan let out a delighted sound, which come of no surprise for Dan Heng who know how much the older man adored children and cute fluffy thing—which Adam is both.
Adam didn’t hide behind Dan Heng’s legs. He is, basically, not a shy child. But he still looks at Jing Yuan with deep wonder, taking his time to study and judges the long-lived general who kneel in front of him patiently, before taking the hand offered to him.
Adam’s small finger looks even smaller on top of Jing Yuan’s. But the silver haired general is very gentle when he whispers to the child—self introduction. Bai Lu, who come a bit later, also look happy at the sight of Adam.
Only then Dan Heng realized that Adam is not that small—Bai Lu is even smaller than him.
But Adam is very respectful to the Dragon Lady, as if knowing the seemingly younger child is older than she looks. Not that it can hide how much Adam taken with Bai Lu at first glance too. The treatment suit Bai Lu well, as she is happy someone seemingly know her worth just from a glance but also clearly adore her just because.
“He feels familiar,” Bai Lu whisper to him later, and Dan Heng is not surprised at the description that follow because he feels the same. “Like a deep, deep ocean. Like roaring thunder. Like warm earth. Like kindling of fire in winter.”
Jing Yuan had Adam perched in his arms, while the boy’s hand wrapped around the general’s neck—with their golden-amber eyes and delicate features one can mistake them as father and son. If only the Luofu is not so firm on their believe of the bachelor-status (and purity) of their resident white cat general, Dan Heng know he will be thrown in jail again for the suspicion of defiling their beloved Jing Yuan. It is not Dan Heng, or even Dan Feng, for the record.
Dan Heng knows, Blade—who is currently glaring dagger at him from the shadow—is the one who should get stoned. He is innocent, just a passerby. So is Adam, and Bai Lu.
They didn’t plan to bring Adam to the Dragonvista Rain Hall. Dan Heng planned the outing to introduce his home world to be more… warm and family friendly such as the endless rows of street foods and maybe a street performer or two. Unfortunately, Adam is stubborn and he keep pointing and pointing at a certain direction until they reach in front of the High Elder’s statue.
“…? Gege?” whisper the young boy when he saw the familiar feature on the statue. He shakes his head before anyone correcting him, though.
The parted waterway takes Adam attention when the shadow of dragon passed by. His amber eyes are bright, and there is a flash. In Jing Yuan’s hands is no longer a child with his oversized jacket, but a small but majestic earth colored dragon who quickly flow away—following the shadow of the past.
“Father.”
They heard Adam called, and in a split-second Dan Heng turned into his Yinyue form without thinking, chasing after a little dragon. He heard Bai Lu shriek in the background and can’t help but thanking the Lady for the appropriate reaction. Dan Heng also wants to ask, what is going on?
It is surprising but not unexpected—no wonder he and Bai Lu feels strange closeness to Adam. They are basically the same species.
Although, maybe not. There are many kinds of dragon, and not all are Long’s scion. Considering Adam has parents, then he—at the very least—is not a Vidyadhara which is good, thanks Akivili, because Dan Heng is not in the mood of fighting over custody of a certainly powerful High Elder to be with the preceptor if Adam is one.
Can transfer fully to a dragon form? Tao Ran’s wet dream in the realest form.
Eugh, Dan Heng throws up a bit.
The sea parted at Dan Heng’s command, unwilling to risk the small dragon not able to swim just like Dan Heng will probably unable to fly like him. Somehow Dan Heng knows where Adam headed—
The dragon’s roar echoes, and the whirling clouds twirl. The sea opens its maws, as the dead Arbor sprouts. Hindered by the seal, the Ambrosial Arbor’s roots curl into a dragon-shaped wood gall at this place, and no longer grows.
Palace Ruin Depths.
The small dragon stopped in front of the reflection of Aeon long gone, at the Arbor that shall never grow once more. He hovers in the air, unmoving even when Dan Heng skidded into stop by his side and turned into his human disguise back.
“Adam?”
Dan Heng takes the time to properly studied the child in his dragon form when he seems to be deep in thought. Earth colored, almost dark like his hair, scales tipped in amber, the tip of his tail is curled amber fur with red contrast, a pair of antlers like horn and another one in the middle. His eyes, usually round and wide in human form, is sharp but equally bright. He is small, very small, Dan Heng can wrap him around his arms—but it might come with age and he will grow, just like how his human body is.
A flash, and the child step into view once again. His oversized jacket has come down, pooled around his arms, showing the black western sailor like clothes he wore. He had a bright smile, brighter than anything Dan Heng ever seen.
“I know,” Adam said, not to Dan Heng but—somehow Dan Heng knows—to Aeon long death. “Thank you.”
The boy then turned to Dan Heng; tackles him so hard Dan Heng fall down to the floor. “Gege,” Adam mutters as Dan Heng use his elbow to support himself. “It is goodbye.”
“… Adam?”
Too sudden, Dan Heng didn’t know how else to respond. What just happened? He—
He feels soft lips on his forehead and Adam is suddenly caging Dan Heng’s head between his small arms. The smile in his face softens but is no less bright. A moment, a brief moment before they hear hurried footstep. Adam turned back—his face turned expressionless until he noticed it is just Jing Yuan and Bai Lu following them.
He turned back again to Dan Heng, pressing another kiss on Dan Heng’s check, this time. “Told Caelus-gege and the other I said bye,” Adam said, locking eyes with Dan Heng for what it seems to be the last time. “I really like all of you for being so kind to me. Thank you for taking care of me.”
“Wai—”
And in Dan Heng’s arm is a sleeping cat cake instead of child, much to Jing Yuan and Bai Lu’s horror.
.
Caelus is unconsolable—March is sulking because they promised her that she will have Adam the next day off they had. Welt and Himeko looks disappointed and PomPom gloomily saved the child-sized plates prepared for Adam’s dinner that night. Mochi Chocolate already saunters to it is bed, uncaring about the depressed crews.
They know that good bye and separation will come, but they didn’t expect it to be this absurd and sudden. It is only until Welt raised from his seat with a sigh to pats Dan Heng on his shoulder that the crews begin to move again. Nothing can be done—they had a good time, and they will miss Adam, but they know Adam has his own family and home he had to go back to.
Meeting and separation, this is trailblaze.
.
“Kyaaaaaa!” Caelus screams, clinging to Dan Heng, when they fall freestyle not for the first time to another unknown planet’s atmosphere—this time the whole train and not just a car. “Not agaaaaain!”
Not again, indeed. But at least this time there is no lance of furry trying to destroy them—just freefalling. Blackswan, once again the reason of this happening, is smiling serenely while March is screaming to Sunday’s ears. Mr. Welt and Himeko had a serious face, clutching PomPom who cried.
Fortunately, this time they landed without much more drama than necessary. When Dan Heng peeked outside the window on his side, he sees a snowy mountain in the distance connected to the almost deserted beach they landed.
Almost, because he saw a man (?) in red hoodies standing not far from them before disappearing in a flash. “On guard!” Dan Heng snaps. “The barrier, quick!”
Pompom jumped down from Himeko’s laps and quickly went to the control room, followed by Himeko. The barrier is up not a second too late because the red hooded man reappears again, followed by two woman each in silver and purple, then two burly man maybe as big as Svarog—the one in purple had a giant hammer, and the one in green cracking his fists menacingly.
“Another over there!” March said from the opposite window, peeking outside while holding her bow. “Five persons. One had a gun, another a shaft. There are two with big bazookas. Last one looks like the boss, has a bow. He—epp!”
Dan Heng turned to see ‘the one who looks like the boss’ already standing in front of the window, his bow—ice blue and sharp—hovers on his back not unlike Yanqing’s sword—there is no quiver or arrow in sight but that didn’t mean anything. He had a friendly smile in his face, but his blue eyes look dead without light. His gloved hand gently knocked on the glass window and it almost looks like a zombie jump scare movie without the gore.
Mr. Welt and the orange haired man locked eyes across the glass. The unknown man titled his chin up, in a cue to request Mr. Welt to come out. At the older man’s nods, the man smile brightens and he give a big, theatric bow before walking back from the window—March finally able to breathe again.
.
Tartaglia, as the man introduced himself, laughed himself crazy before asking Mr. Welt for a fight after he heard their predicament. “Sure.” Tartaglia waved his subordinate—because he is really their boss—away. “Agnidus Agate, Varunada Lazurite, Nagadus Emerald, Vajrada Amethyst, Vayuda Turquoise, Shivada Jade, and Prithiva Topaz? That’s all? You come all the way here just for that? It is not something in the market but can be sourced easily enough. By the Tsaritsa, I thought you guys are some remands of Celestia’s warrior or something.”
The man rambles—before narrowing his eyes at Blackswan who stood on the doorstep with her mysterious smile. “This world is hidden by Celestia and the Irminsul, my lady. I am not sure how you can find an opening in, but as you come in peace and—” the man blinked. “Wait, no, don’t come in peace. I can’t fight a diplomat or my hubby will ground me.”
Caelus, fearlessly as usual, take a few steps so he can whisper something on Tartaglia’s ear. “… Oh, that’s nice idea. I like it.”
Dan Heng didn’t want to know—but the look they zeroed on Sunday is enough cue. Thankfully, Tartaglia got distracted again when Himeko graced them with her presence. “Miss Mauv—ah, no. Not the same person,” he said, his smile is… not genuine, but less political and more maniac energy. “You guys are really interesting! Fragment of memories, part dragon, someone resembling God, another resembling destruction. I like you guys! How about I help you and each of you spares with me as a payment? Win-win situation for us!”
The crews look at each other, silently, they come into an agreement. This person is dangerous, maybe even mad. They should decl—
“Oh, yeah—where is my manner. Welcome to Teyvat, guests from the sky. You have landed in the land of contract and commerce, Liyue. I, Tartaglia, am the Snezhnaya’s diplomat stationed here, see not someone shady, right?”
The crew’s breath stopped at that—this is the first time they heard the name of this planet other than the formally titled ‘world x’. Teyvat, Liyue, Snezhnaya.
Unsurprisingly, Caelus is the first one to reach—
“Mr. Tartaglia, do you know a child called Zhong Yadang or Adam!?”
A long shot, because this world is vast and they didn’t even know if the timeline is even right. But this man surprisingly connected to both Liyue and Snezhnaya in which Adam’s parents each come from. So, he might know the location of their little mochi chocolate.
Mr. Tartaglia blinked, before his eyes flashed purple and the mask by the side of his head is placed firmly in his face. “What,” he growls. “Do you want with my child?”
.
It takes Dan Heng in his Yinyue’s form, Mr. Welt in his Hercher glory, Himeko, Sunday and March tapping into their emanator power, Caelus almost getting stabbed (and power up) again, and Blackswan helping just to go head-to-head with something definitely not human. Something almost divine, but also sinister.
They tried to explain that they are not the one who kidnapped Adam, although Sunday and Blackswan stay silent in their confusion at this turn of event—but it seems their words flew pass the enraged parent. It is only after a meteor (a meteor? Dan Heng not going to ask, everything is possible) fall right into where they stand did Tartaglia stop. He turned back from the monster he turned into, the dark capes and monstrous mask bleed away until only the smiling young man is standing. “Xiansheng!” he called cheerily, waving and putting his back on them without any worries about getting stabbed. He really shouldn’t worry because he has a shimmering golden barrier around him—and the crews realized they had one around them too. Dan Heng tried to break it with Cloud Hymn but unable to do so.
“Childe.”
A man, handsome and tall, long chocolate colored hair with amber tips the same shade as his eyes swaying in the wind as he stepped into view. There is no need to ask, they can tell he is Adam’s parent just from a glance. Adam is practically a mini version of this man—except for the shape of his eyes.
“Aw, why did you stop me!” Tartaglia—Childe—whined. “It was just getting fun.”
A fond sigh, at the man reached out to flick Childe’s forehead. The sound is exceptionally loud for such a small movement that even Caelus flinched back. The orange haired man still has smile in his face when he rubbed his forehead, though.
“In the middle you already realized who they are.” The Xiansheng speak, and somehow the smooth and velvety voice remind them of how Mr. Welt speak. “Yadang’er story is quite vivid, after all.”
“Yeah, but it was too late to hold back punches and they can take it soooo.”
The man shakes his head, before focusing his attention to the crew. He looks at them carefully, as if placing name and description to each face, a bit confused but not surprised at Sunday and Blackswan. He, then, give them an elegant bow that will not be out of place if performed by a Xianzhou’s general. “My name is Zhongli—Zhong in clock and Li in separation,” he introduced himself—and ah, yes. Definitely Zhong Yadang’s parents.
Dan Heng let out a huge sigh of relief, letting his Vidyadhara form fall back before he returned the bow in the same manner while the other also returned the greeting as polite as possible. Mr. Welt is the one who introduced them, one by one, including their newest member who never meet their little mochi chocolate. Zhongli-xiansheng also reintroduced Childe, his spouse and Adam’s Snezhnaya parent—this time the smile Childe give them is genuine.
They are in the middle of telling Zhongli the reason for their visit—various gemstones only exist in this planet to upgrade the train that get a hard hit after Amphoreus—when a soft voice that somehow familiar, called out to them. Dan Heng looks up, blinking in surprise when a young man wearing a sleeveless compression black turtleneck walking leisurely toward the crowd. Familiar jacket tied around his waist.
Dan Heng feels his face heat when he can finally make out the face of the young man—fluffy brown hair with faint amber tint, long eyelashes framed brilliant amber, the cheek no longer as chubby but still look pinchable, the face is as expressionless as he remembers, but there is softness on it. He grows up from a good-looking baby to good-looking boy and finally a good-looking young man—something that Dan Heng should know from looking at his parents who looks like they stepped out from a painting.
“… Adam.”
Caelus let out a shriek that drowned Dan Heng’s voice, throwing himself at the young man who didn’t even look surprised at the flutter of kisses Caelus bestow him—as if he is not a grown up and still the little young boy Caelus want to adopt and locked away. It didn’t surprise Dan Heng, the speed of his growth. Their time must not be synched, considering the unknown Curios that might come into play.
And, oh—the young man quickly wears his jacket back under his parents’ stare, amazingly not hindered at all by Caelus who now had his hands squishing Adam’s face. The jacket is still the same one as the one he always wore. Only, the previously oversized jacket now fit him perfectly and didn’t drag on the floor.
From where Dan Heng stood, he is happy to see that Adam and Caelus are in the same height, maybe Caelus is slightly taller. Looking at the parents, he is almost afraid that Adam will shoot straight over him and Caelus. Considering they are Dan Heng-gege and Caelus-gege, the Vidyadhara did not know what he will do if that happen.
Adam got dragged by Caelus then to the crews who already had their neck stretched to get a good look on him. Both Himeko and Mr. Welt give him a brief hug when he called their name, tears in their eyes as it is clear they are also pretty affected by the abrupt loss of their youngest addition. Sunday got a brief introduction, so is Blackswan who looks taken with Adam (“Why is the lesbian always adore our boy?” whisper Childe to Zhongli, low enough that only Dan Heng’s and Mr. Welt’s superior hearing can pick it up). March looks shy at first, but when she realized Adam is still Adam, she reminded Adam of their unfulfilled promise in which Adam nods solemnly.
The last is Dan Heng. He knows March’s feeling. It is almost embarrassing, face to face like this. It is different from how he meets Jing Yuan again after his banishment. There is…
“Little bird,” Childe called and Adam turned around to look at his parent—little bird? That’s his petname? “Want to go to Cuijue Slope whack murder plant?”
A groan. “Not if alone again, Dad. It takes ages to break down Pyro Regisvine’s shield with physical attack.”
“If I can fight Qingce’s Oceanid, you can fight Pyro Hypostatis too.”
Dan Heng didn’t know, but very intrigued, about Pyro Regisvine, Oceanid, or Pyro Hypostatis—but he can tell from the deadpan look Adam give Childe they are some kinds of weak but troublesome monsters. “Why are we talking about World Bosses again?”
Caelus mouthed the word ‘world bosses’ with a grin and, yes, Adam definitely got that particular vocabulary from Caelus. Welt told, for the third time, the reason why they are here to Adam this time. The young man looks thoughtful, before nodding in understanding.
“Then whacking murder plant it is,” Adam said, resigned. “If I must speedrunning them, can I bring uncle Xingqiu and little Qiqi with me?”
“You got the gem from plant?” ask Sunday, as intrigued as Dan Heng it seems.
The three Teyvat’s native blinked, slow like cats, before realizing that they are yet to inform the Astral Express about how to acquire the materials they need. Zhongli-xiansheng then begin to tell them about ley lines and how monsters usually concentrated there—a bit similar with Calyx. “Once you revitalized the ley line blossom that appear after defeating the monster, then you might get the gems,” Childe added Zhongli’s information. “Meh, forget it, those small fries usually give chunks, at best.”
“It is possible to refine those chunks to gem using alchemy,” says the Liyuen man calmly. “If you need all seven kinds, then Liyue and Sumeru’s main monsters—” (“Bosses,” said Childe and Adam, which is ignored.) “—will be enough. No need to go to Mondstadt, no? And Yadang’er can finish it in a week. Meanwhile, how about sightseeing in Liyue?”
“If it is fighting, we can help!” March pips. “It will be faster if we divided the fight then we can sightsee Adam’s hometown.”
.
After back and forth in which Adam’s parents refused to let their guests who have taken care of their son to work the dirty and tiring job of clearing the world monsters and the Astral Express refused to trouble their host—it is agreed that they will just split up according to the monster weakness and then the Astral Express will let Childe and Zhongli guide them on weeks long tour around Teyvat. Adam, who will still get saddled with fighting Pyro Regisvine (they were told that the monster has shield that immune to Pyro, the element Adam proficient with) just watching in sideline as the group now arguing that no, imaginary is not the same as geo even if Welt can make his own meteor too. Dan Heng suddenly remembers the little boy who will stood patiently waiting on the side while Caelus and Dan Heng doing their errand.
“Little bird, Dad and Father will take Mr. Welt and Miss March to Sumeru. Mr. Sunday and your Caelus-gege will go with Xiao and—Caelus can provide shield but none of you can heal? Let’s call Qiqi then. You mind going alone with your Dan Heng-gege and run around here? You can ask Yaoyao to help, dendro go well with pyro and hydro.”
Dan Heng blinked, flustered when he realized that he missed when the group decided how to split up the team. Himeko and Blackswan going to stay at the Express while other split up based from the element and fighting style. Caelus, who is horribly versatile but also judged to be too similar to Adam, is unfortunately not being put in the same team as his favorite little boy turned young man. Dan Heng’s best friend is now pouting and glares at the archivist with jealously.
Hydro—water. The Yinyue-form it is, then. Right, Dan Heng can provide a bit of protection in that form too, with his reserve scales.
Dan Heng looks up from the plan that was drawn in the sand using a beautiful polearm in the color of gold and black. It looks unbelievably sharp that if someone told him it can pierce through anything then the archivist will believe it without question. It, also, will make Yingxing in his memory cried tears of blood if the blacksmith sees how Childe use such splendid spear as drawing tools.
He let out a sigh at that, raising imaginary cup of alcohol to the imaginary Yingxing in his head. “Adam,” he said, finally. “Let’s work together.”
The small smile that answered is almost able to make him stumble on his feet.
.
“It is been awhile.”
Dan Heng’s steps stopped in the middle of his climb, turning to look at Adam who is standing two steps behind him. There is no smile in his face, but his amber eyes are soft and gentle as he looks straight at Dan Heng’s eyes. “Dan Heng-gege,” he speaks, head titled just slightly to the right and eyes narrows in pleasure. “I miss you.”
Time stills between them, the soft wind scatter strands of their hair. The archivist feels like he is at loss of words. A while, indeed—it was barely months for Dan Heng. How many years was it for Adam? Was it enough to make them stranger once more?
Miss you.
It warms his heart, Dan Heng did miss the little one. He is no longer little, and he feels a bit distant. Was it alright for him to return the sentiment?
“… Are you angry at me?” Adam asks, breaking the silence between them. “I leave abruptly and unable to give a proper goodbye, my fault. If you don’t want too, it is still possible to call the others and reshuffle.”
The Express’s Guard snapped out from his daze at that, taking the step it needs to decrease their distance. One step. Now only one step between them.
“Adam.”
A hand is raised; finger sweep the corner of amber eyes. His eyelashes no longer impossibly long and his eyes no longer ridiculously huge—but they are still round and so, so bright under the sun. Dan Heng feels something pressed against his palm, it takes him a few long seconds to realize Adam is pressing his face to his hand.
His heart stutter—leaping.
There is a smile, that smile again. That soft smile that makes the expressionless face turned into something gentle, that make him looks more approachable. “Adam,” Dan Heng said again, dumbly, as if he only able to make that sound.
“Yes, gege,” whisper Adam. “Your Adam is here.”
And, ah. If that didn’t make Dan Heng’s heart stop, then nothing else can.
.
As Dan Heng predicted, the monsters are weak but troublesome. Beating them is more like a core than actual fighting. Adam absolutely hates it but that’s exactly why his dad keep making him running around hunting them, especially ones that has immunity against pyro.
Adam, who already changed out from his skin-tight clothes that distract Dan Heng’s eyes (scandalized! He is scandalized!), wore a white shirt and vest under the khaki coat. It is the same coat as the one he had when he was just as tall as Dan Heng’s waist. “I got it from someone,” Adam said, and it still surprises Dan Heng how familiar the soft voice is.
It is not the same as the milky soft one he had as a child, but it is still somewhat familiar. The way he speak, the way the voice carried by the wind. The sound of his laughter.
Adam changed, he grows-up, but in the same time, he didn’t change at all. It is so weird, so strange that Dan Heng feels they are not stranger. That it feels like they know each other all their life.
“Oh, isn’t that because I am similar to Caelus-gege?” Adam asked back when Dan Heng voiced his thought after they get everything in the Liyuen’s list and ready to go back.
But, no.
It wasn’t like that. Caelus didn’t make Dan Heng’s heart stutter like this. Didn’t make it skip a beat when he saw the other young man’s lips tugged into a smile.
“You can’t!” Caelus shakes Dan Heng’s shoulder. “He is just a baby! You can’t!!”
“What kind of baby throw hand with Boar King—with bare hands—and win?” ask March from the side, although she didn’t seem like she want to help Dan Heng out.
Caelus is wailing now, much to Welt and Himeko’s amusement. “You don’t understand! That’s my baby, he was so, so, so small and pure, and, and…”
Dan Heng pushed Caelus’s face away, disgruntled.
.
It is the face, thought Dan Heng—who never know he is so superficial—but there is no other explanation. This version of Adam is someone he meets less than a week ago, and while it is perfectly normal to quickly get attached to a baby and a child who absolutely also attached to you, it is pretty strange to get attached to an adult whom you just meet, right? Not attached—attracted, even.
Especially because there is no reason to be attracted at all—except the face. And that he is physically fit on that lithe body, enough that he can mesmerized Dan Heng in the middle of a battle. Not that it means anything when one every three person Dan Heng meet in his trailblazing is exactly like that and even more.
Case on point: Jing Yuan.
Why can’t it be Jing Yuan he is attracted on? At least it will be easier to explain why he is attracted to the Luofu General. Even their messed-up past-not-past will make the attraction more believable.
But Dan Heng’s life is never easy nor simple. Even his own emotion betrays him and tried to make everything more complicated by falling for that expressionless, attractive face.
“Look at yourself in the mirror!” Caelus, who toke any insult against his little baby as personal insult, retort. And, yes, his best friend is right but isn’t it time for him to console Dan Heng?
“His smile cute,” mutter Dan Heng, staring blankly at his nth glass of alcohol that Shush provided happily. “But that sound shallow of me, too.”
“You should learn from Jin-chan on this matter,” the Stellaron pips, stirring the content of his glass—some kind of juice made from Teyvat’s fruit—happily. “He just went with instinct.”
.
The next morning Dan Heng found Adam and his parents standing in front of the crafting bench in Chihu Rock. The father, Zhongli-xiansheng, who from Mr. Welt and March’s story is someone with vast knowledge is giving Childe and Adam instruction. Childe is pouring gold coins, mora, to the table while Adam placing shard of same-colored stones in specific location. The funeral parlor’s consultant mutters some word and with a flash, the shard turned into chunks. Another handful of mora later, and then it turned into brilliant gems.
Childe cheered and Zhongli-xiansheng smiled softly, but Adam looks lonely when he traced a gloved finger around the round gemstones.
“Adam.”
The younger man—Dan Heng checked, although it matters little with the fact that Adam’s parents are both immortal from questionable origin—turned his head to look at Dan Heng with beaming smile. It makes Dan Heng take a step back in surprise, before he takes another back because the look on Adam’s parents is absolutely sinister. “Eh, if that isn’t the dragonlings,” said Childe, pouring more mora to the crafting table without bothering to check. “Xiansheng, do you saw his form when you stopped me from playing with them? You think the race is compatible?”
“Does it matter?” ask Zhongli, his smile didn’t waver but Dan Heng feels judged.
Adam rolls his eyes, waved his parents goodbye and walk to Dan Heng. Just like when he was a child, the amber eyed man takes Dan Heng’s hand in his and tug it gently. “Dad just wants a fight,” says Adam, loud enough so his parents—who snickers together—can hear. “Let’s go, ge, Ganyu-jiejie already secured us permission for you to peruse Jade Chamber’s library.”
.
Dan Heng, as usual, can’t resist the temptation of books and records. It takes him almost no time at all to forget about Adam who trails after him with amusement and throw himself to read. Teyvat, Liyue, is fascinating. Their dead Archon—God-like being almost similar to Amphoreus’s Titan—has history longer than any other combined, making Liyue rich in legend and stories.
Half-way through Rex Incognito, Dan Heng raised his head to look at Adam who is now sitting by the window. Adam must have kept his eyes on Dan Heng, because their eyes instantly meet. The younger boy’s eyebrow raised in question.
“Morax,” mouthed Dan Heng. “… Zhongli-xiansheng?”
Adam throws his head back and laughed aloud. His laughter is like spilled pearl, molten gold and warm chocolate. He is so beautiful it hurt.
Ah, no wonder.
In front of Dan Heng, scion of Aeon, stand another scion of God. Rex Lapis, Yanwang Dijun, half-Long, half-Lin. The illustration of exuvia is almost identical with Adam’s dragon form, although in much more massive scales.
And that Archon’s son is in front of Dan Heng, laughing oh-so-carefreely. Dan Heng put down the book before striding to where Adam sits, the golden light from the window surround him. Before Dan Heng know it, Adam’s face already cupped on his hands and he kissed that laughing lips.
.
He didn’t know how long they kissed, without realizing it Adam’s hands already wrapped around his neck, pulling Dan Heng even closer. They will keep at it, the other lips so soft, so sweet, his heart too full to let go. They will, if only Ganyu-shaojie didn’t interrupt them with her soft cough.
“Young Master,” the Qixing secretary whisper, blinking slowly when Adam pulls himself away from Dan Heng. Dan Heng almost let out a frustrated sound at that, before remembering where they are and who is with them. His face flushed red, but Adam still looks as impassive as ever. “It is time.”
“Okay,” answer Adam, and he sound so calm Dan Heng questioned himself.
“… Adam,” he calls with unsaid question, not able to bear to know the answer.
“Let’s go, ge,” Adam offered his hand to Dan Heng. “You can go back tomorrow.”
You. Not we.
Dan Heng didn’t take Adam’s hand, his heart heavy.
.
Dan Heng comes back to Jade Chamber as promised, and as expected, alone. Adam is going somewhere with March, linking arms together, as they walk through the marketplace. Caelus told Dan Heng that it is possible that they will go as far as Mondstadt.
Even when poring over ancient text, Dan Heng’s thought can’t help but falls back to Adam. He can’t deny it now—he is hopelessly in love with someone he meets just barely over a week ago, not counting the time when he was a little, kissable child.
That child kissed Dan Heng before, soft and gentle as farewell dictates. Was the kiss they shared yesterday, for that child, is also a form of farewell? Liyue is similar with Xianzhou, but Snezhnaya is still unknown and maybe they had that kind of tradition.
Childe, at least, look frivolous enough. And talking about that person…
“Is the race even compatible?”
Dan Heng can’t feel any sarcasm on that word before but now he second guessing himself. Did the parents already notice Dan Heng’s feeling? If they did, it doesn’t seem like they approve of it.
Race compatibility, there are many meaning of that. But considering everything, it narrowed down to one thing: children. Childe must want grandchild. That’s… normal.
“Does it matter?”
It doesn’t—because Dan Heng is a Vidyadhara, and Vidyadhara is infertile. It doesn’t—because there won’t be any need for it to matter. It doesn’t—because he needs to leave and Dan Heng know Adam wouldn’t follow him even if he feels the same.
Blade stabbed him on his heart once, but the pain is nothing with how he feels right now. Maybe ripping his heart will also feels less painful. He wonders if Dan Feng or any of his previous reincarnation feels like this.
They must, at least some, because Vidyadhara is capable of feeling—so much that sometimes even molting rebirth is not enough to dash the past. Yet, for Dan Heng it is the first time he feels so, so hopeless.
.
A gloved hand caresses his cheek and Dan Heng snapped his head up from the scroll in surprise. Unbelievable, no matter how absorbed the archivist is on his reading, no one ever able to sneak up on him before, let alone touching him. Years on the run from Blade has honed Dan Heng’s instinct, who dare to—
And there, jade eyes widen in surprise. Adam is standing in front of him, wearing light chocolate Tangzhuang embroidered with red birds taking flight. It, surprisingly, wasn’t phoenix, but vermillion bird.
“It is time, ge,” Adam said again, his gloved hand still pressing gently on Dan Heng’s cheek. “Let’s go.”
Dan Heng glanced at the window, at the red, red of dusk on distant sky.
“Ge,” Adam called again, soft and gentle.
Like an idiot, Dan Heng followed Adam silently. They descend from Jade Chamber and Adam walks resolutely ahead without checking whether Dan Heng following him or not.
A set of stairs take them to the mountain top that overlooked Liyue harbor. The city looks small from the height, as darkness creeps the lamp begin to flicker until the city is bathed in gentle light. The city where Adam born and raised—Dan Heng can imagine it.
The small baby in narwhal onesie being carried by his orange haired parent, the citizen cooed at his cuteness when he blinks his large amber eyes at them. The little boy with his oversized jacket holding his dark-haired parent’s hand, walking around the city and being spoiled. The young man whose look turned head, standing still watching the busy city with gentle eyes.
And that young man is now taking Dan Heng’s hand. The hand that refused to be held, the hand that had to let go.
“Ge.”
And Dan Heng uses the hand that hold his to pull the dark-haired man closer, the amber tips on his hair barely visible in darkness but still stand out when Dan Heng pressed Adam’s head on his shoulder. The younger man is warm, warmer than normal—he always was, before Dan Heng thought it was because a child is naturally warmer. But Adam no longer one, he is a man now. In a few months in Dan Heng’s time, in almost two decades of Adam’s.
In Caelus eyes, the man in Dan Heng’s arm is still a little baby. In Dan Heng’s eyes, he is just Adam.
Dan Heng wonders if that child is still there and if that child only able to look at Dan Heng as a big brother.
I love you, he wanted to say—but he is also afraid at what happen if he said that.
The last thing, the only thing he can do is hugging Adam like this, attaching the younger man’s warm as he doubts that they can ever meet again after this. Childe has taken custody of Mochi Chocolate, being attached to the cat cake that replaced his son when said son disappeared. Without the catalyst and any further reason to go back to Liyue—not when Teyvat looks as peaceful as a world can be—there is no way they can meet again.
Love, sometimes one (Dan Feng) went together for so long without realizing the feeling. Sometimes one (Dan Heng) just need a brief moment together to decide this is it—the first and the last.
Dan Heng closed his eyes when he feels Adam hugs him back, their body flushed close together that he can’t tell whose heartbeat it is that skipped oh, so erratically.
The archivist pressed a kiss on the crown of Adam’s head. “It is a goodbye,” he whispers, soft hair tickling his lips.
“… Ge.”
“Not today, not tomorrow, but soon.”
The hand around Dan Heng’s waist tighten but the archivist didn’t care as he nuzzled into the warm. “Adam, thank you.”
Only silence answer, a crude recreation of their first goodbye.
.
.
The family of three and a certain warrior by the name of Xiao standing on the shore the day the Express finished their preparation to disembark. Goodbyes are exchanged along with last minutes souvenir from each other. The Zhong family has given Dan Heng a crateful of books and scroll for his perusal, for example, and Xiao personally give a wrapped box to Caelus.
For the last time, Dan Heng waved goodbye from inside the parlor car. Across the window Adam waved back, a lonely smile on his face.
Then, as Pompom shouting at them to prepare for disembark—
Adam’s lips moved,
Wo
Dan Heng’s eyes widen, hand slamming into the window much to Caelus—who sit nearby—surprise.
Ai
No, thought Dan Heng. Don’t say it, don’t. Not now, not when Dan Heng thought it to be impossible.
Yet, he can’t avert his eyes.
Ni.
And Adam gone, replaced with the familiar starry sky. On top of the parlor car, surrounding the whale, seven gemstones shine brightly.