Work Text:
XXX
Love me in a wild open,
with a gentle hold.
- butterflies rising
XXX
When Stelle had suggested observing the creature from the branches, it had seemed like a decent idea.
He had found a large tree tucked away at the side of the canopy of cypress and magnolia, its branches spread wide and intertwined sparsely with vines to hide on. As, despite being much claimed by its forest brethen, there were seemingly pockets of adequate sunlight that filtered through the canopy’s openings for the scattered mushrooms to reign the moss-covered grounds below.
Adding to the scene was a range of flowers which seemed to avoid the shadows, sprucing up the lower level with their bright touch accompanied by a medley of insect noises that was backed by the trickling sounds of a gentle river stream.
The creature was there, its attention solely right in front of a patch of mushrooms while it sat on its haunches. Its round body was covered with pale-coloured fur while a matching tail of a considerable bushy length swished elegantly behind.
His phone vibrated then.
[Stelle]: I’m here.
[Stelle]: has sent pompom.happy.emoji
At the sight of her message, Dan Heng glanced down to see Stelle at the foot of the trunk - pocketing her phone to start climbing to where he was. It wasn’t long before she’d almost reached him, her climbing skills more than sufficient for the task. Still, he offered her a hand to grasp for the last bit, giving her more stability and allowing her to settle more easily beside him.
“Hey,” Stelle greeted, a smile curving around her lips – being careful not to draw the creature’s attention before nodding towards in its direction where it was perched in front of the patch of mushrooms. “So that’s the one?”
He nodded.
“It’s cute,” she leaned forward to peer at it closer. Her legs dangled off the branch while she swung them lightly. “I kind of want to pet its tail.”
Dan Heng raised an eyebrow. “You want to pet an unknown species without knowing if it’s dangerous or not?”
“I mean, I have you here to protect me. You’ll protect me and my dignity, right, Dan Heng?” Stelle nudged him playfully.
He snorted.
“You’re ridiculous.” Though, the faintest hint of his lips twitching in amusement gave his true feelings away.
A companionable silence fell over them, him resuming his observation of the creature and writing down his notes while she read her book, having pulled it out after satisfying her curiosity in regards to the animal in front of them.
It wasn’t the first time that they spent time together alone. More often than not did her thirst to learn more about the world lead her to the archives. The books and logs regarding Aeons that he had marked for her was another. Sometimes they’d be in engrossed in discussions, other times her asking him questions and him answering them. Occasionally she’d also plop herself down beside him and peer over his shoulder in curiosity to see what he was doing. Physical displays of affection, Stelle was fond of, he had quickly discovered. The rest of the crew had been caught off-guard at first, but eventually gotten used to it.
He was just wrapping up another paragraph, Stelle having long since fallen asleep beside him against his shoulder (it had taken him some effort to make sure that she wouldn’t wake up regardless of his moving) when droplets of water began to fall.
Shit.
Loathed as he was to, it was apparent that he had to wake her up. The jade-eyed man quickly picked up her book and stored it along with his things before starting to wake his companion.
“Stelle,” he murmured. “Wake up.”
A sleepy mumble sounded in reply though her eyes remained closed. His lips twitched in amusement, features softening as she pressed closer to him as if to absorb his body heat instead. Still, he had to wake her.
“Stelle.”
“Mm?”
Blearily, citrine eyes cracked open, awareness gradually seeping into her mind as she blinked to clear the sleepiness away. “Dan Heng?”
It was...cute.
Recognizing that she was only half-awake, he stole a glance at the skies, noting the increasingly overcast clouds and along with progressively heavy rain and made a quick decision.
“Hold on.”
Her mind jolted into full consciousness as she felt herself suddenly being lifted up by a pair of lean, strong arms. Warmth. Before she knew it, it seemed that he had lifted up in a....bridal carry, her mind supplied, remembering the term from a book she’d borrowed from March. She could feel it, the tension coiled in the taut muscles. The firmness of them.
She’d never noticed before, but Dan Heng smelt...nice. Of the forest and rain and -
With all her willpower, she really, really hoped that she wasn’t blushing.
“Come on, we need to get to shelter,” his voice brought her back to the present, and she felt herself being settled onto firm ground once they landed. Lightning flashed across the sky and the rain started to pour even more.
Now fully awake, Stelle nodded and without pause, intertwined their hands together and started tugging him along. Missing the way the tips of his ears flushing red and the way surprise flitted through his features at her action.
“Let’s go.”
_________
It was absolutely pouring.
Neither of them had been spared by the gloomy weather, their clothes entirely drenched as they sought to find shelter. Lightning flashed mercilessly across the sky, accompanied by the sound of heavy rainfall hitting the ground, being even able to pierce through the dense canopy above them and leaving puddles and mud in its wake.
Dan Heng had eventually taken the lead, navigating them through the forest as he was a veritable fountain of geographical knowledge. They’d managed to spot the mouth of a cave carved into a mountainside some distance away from their original location and made their way there.
Stelle sneezed, a shiver going through her as the wind blew by. Despite having retreated deeper into the cave, it didn’t help that the occasional blast of cold air still could be felt. The reaction garnered furrowed brows and a frown from him.
“Take off your clothes,” Dan Heng advised from where he was attempting to make a fire with the materials they’d found. “It’ll reduce your chances of getting hypothermia.”
She cocked her head to the side. “If I didn’t know any better, I’d think you want me to strip on purpose.”
Instantly, Dan Heng sputtered. Jade eyes met citrine in embarrassed indignation, mouth opening to protest before realization struck at seeing playful mischief. Then, he shook his head and returned to his task.
“Don’t blame me if you get hypothermia.”
Stelle snickered. She shrugged off the jacket, nose wrinkling at seeing the sad, damp condition of it and sighed mournfully - lamenting its state. The rest of her clothes weren’t much better, leaving drips of water all over the place. Another shiver went through her body, and she sneezed again. Ugh.
Stupid rain.
Crackle.
A burst of warmth shot through the air along with the flash of orange-red flame, drawing attention away from her soggy clothes. Her eyes brightened upon seeing the sight. The urge to go over there immediately was strong, but he hadn’t been wrong in saying that she’d probably get sick if she didn’t get out of her soaked clothes.
The next to go was her shirt, followed by her garter and mini-skirt which she tossed onto her damp jacket before plopping herself down by the crackling fire. Her boots had been set to the side awhile ago. She rubbed her hands together, watching as remaining rainwater dripped onto the ground, forming the beginning of a puddle – blowing out a breath.
Her frown deepened.
It wasn’t warm enough.
She stole a glance at Dan Heng, who was surprisingly still dressed in his damp clothes. A concerned expression crossed her face.
“Aren’t you going to take your clothes off too? You’re going to get sick at this rate.”
_________
Unbeknownst to her, he’d realized what was happening as she started to gradually removed each piece of damp clothing. While he had expected her to do so, he hadn’t expected her to do so immediately in his vicinity. And so nonchalantly at that.
A small voice piped up saying that he should probably look away to preserve her modesty, but that voice was indubitably silenced by the flare of desire that shot through him as his attention was drawn towards each inch of skin that was casually revealed, droplets of water teasingly sliding down her body.
Aeons.
He swallowed.
Then:
“Aren’t you going to take your clothes off too? You’re going to get sick at this rate.”
She was looking at him, he realized, noting the concern on her face. A part of him wanted to refute, to proclaim that he was fine (he was not – it was super uncomfortable and the clothes were sticking to him like glue) but the genuine concern stalled him. He hurriedly shoved his trail of thoughts down the drain and responded. “Don’t worry about me. I will.”
“Okay.”
Satisfied with his answer, she turned back to the fire.
Why did he say that?
He really, really wanted to bang his head against a wall. Now she would be expecting him to be, well...
Drawing a sharp breath, he shoved the inappropriate thoughts away and firmly told his cock to behave as he began to methodically undress. His priority was, after all, to preferably not get sick and impede their way back to the Express whenever the storm decided to stop.
Finally done, he set aside the bundle near the fire but not as close as they would burn, only a safe distance such that they would dry.
Curiosity and concern versus his sense of propriety warred within him before the former won, and he glanced over to check on his companion.
Admittedly, his half-naked companion.
Ash grey waves, loose and damp and free, framed her face in a way that he had never seen before. Firelight and shadows played across her figure, her bare, unblemished skin. Highlighting her cheekbones, the curve of her jaw...
He was transfixed.
And it was so that, because he was transfixed, that he noted the slight shiver that went through her body and the little sneeze that escaped her.
And heedless of their current state, he approached where she was sitting and settled himself beside her, wrapping an arm around her nude waist.
“You’re shivering,” he murmured.
A light pink dusted her cheeks; lips parting and eyes widening in surprise at his gesture made an enticing visage that etched itself across his mind, inflaming a low burn of desire.
Stelle.
Stelle, who was normally the one teasing him, the one who usually caught him off-guard was blushing.
And he found that he quite liked it.
He wanted to see more.
_________
She could feel her cheeks burning.
Even as she desperately tried to will her cheeks to cool down, the flicker of desire that made itself known seemed to be increasing in its intensity.
Dan Heng had always been attractive to her. From his graceful yet deadly movements in battle, every single muscle coiled taut before letting loose while unleashing a series of precise, lethal flurry of attacks to decimate their enemies. The way his footsteps lent itself to the shadows. Every movement left no room for mistakes, all deliberate and purposeful.
The jade green of his eyes glowed emerald in the firelight, shadows playing across naked, sun-kissed skin. Shimmering beads of rainwater trailing down toned muscles caught her eye, sliding down, down and down...
She swallowed. All her attempts to talk seemed futile in...whatever this was. Her tongue felt heavy and laden with weight, her throat dry at the feel of his skin against hers, the scant proximity between them. It was as if she had been locked in place by a deceptively strong predator.
Her senses heightened sharply, as did her awareness of him when he idly thumbed the curve of her jaw, pressed his forehead to hers, drawing a startled breath from her lips. Causing the fire beneath her skin to burn even more.
“Can I kiss you?”
His words came out in a low tone that she hadn’t heard before, its cadence sending delicious shivers down her spine.
Mutely, Stelle nodded.
_________
He is pure sin and intoxicating fire, she thinks.
The taste of him is heady, finer than the most exquisite drink she’s ever had. Her arms and hands move of their own accord, roaming across his bare chest with tentative, curious touches.
When he kisses her, it’s with just the right amount of pressure. Calculative, perfectly measured and all to arouse, to draw out her desire for him such that she drowns in it. A half-gasp leaves her as he nips her bottom lip, parting to make way for him and him alone.
She finds herself both entrapped and enthralled, her powers of speech fallen to the wayside while he cages her within his arms, entices her by drawing her flush against his frame. Breaks away to trail down nips and kisses down her neck, sucks at the juncture between her collarbone and shoulder that makes her gasp his name.
“Dan Heng...”
A pleased hum sounds. He rewards her with a firm kiss while his hands trail down her almost-naked form, exploring determinedly to find her sensitive spots while eliciting delicious emotions and blazing a trail of unadulterated heat. His touch, his warmth ignites the fire within her and she is being consumed, consumed, consumed.
“How far do you want to go?”
A gentle nudge draws her out from her haze of pleasure, albeit barely. Hooded citrine eyes meet darkened jade as she tugs him towards her, tangles a hand in his damp hair (Aeons, Dan Heng is absolutely stunning) and breathes against his lips.
“I want everything.”
And oh – oh, how he smirks.
When he claims her mouth again, coercing her tongue out to meet his, she can’t resist. Doesn’t want to either. She melts into him, wholly and open and willing and lets her hands roam. Strokes his chest, plays with one of his nipples as he removes her bra, the pert buds of her nipples standing to attention as he sucks on them.
“Ah!”
She gasps, back arching beautifully under his heated eyes and blunt nails raking down his shoulders. The tethers of his control, having snapped under her given consent, has his hands sliding downward to grip her ass, removing her undergarments to knead the plush flesh, revelling in the feel of her. Has him marking his claim all over her skin. A little sharp breath pushes against his mouth as he sucks at her tongue, trails down more kisses down her neck, admires the swell of her breasts.
He laves his tongue around her nipple, suckles on it as his hand returns to knead her other breast. Marks her as her hands slide across his shoulders, the smooth line of his back. She is dripping wet for him, ready and willing as evident to both of them when he parts her legs. Her embarrassment had long vanished, having been replaced by her simple and greedy desire for him.
The scent of arousal winds through the air, engulfing the entirety of both their senses. Yet ever so damnably patient, he bends down to press a hot kiss to the side of her thigh, making her tremble and her toes curl in utter pleasure.
“Dan Heng...more,” she pants, tugging at his hair impatiently.
He nips at the side of her thigh in admonishment. “Patience.”
Because now that he has her, he’s never going to let her go.
Her whine of protest is cut off when he slides his hands underneath her hips and lifts her up. Adjusts her position such that her legs dangle over his shoulders. Hooks his arms around her thighs and pushes his tongue deeply inside her.
A choked moan rips through the air.
She squirms under each movement of his tongue, as he laps at her clit with steady strokes. Slips two fingers into her needy cunt, pumping in and out of her core as her whimpers become increasingly high-pitched and frequent. She is close. So, so close.
There!
He curls his tongue inside her, hitting that spot, and she shatters.
_________
When she slowly comes back to awareness, it’s to her body shaking slightly with aftershocks of pleasure and feeling of light kisses trailing down her skin. Citrine eyes crack open blearily to see a head of disheveled black hair framing refined cheekbones staring at her, a tinge of smug satisfaction on his features.
“Welcome back.”
His husky voice, laced with sheer desire makes her shudder. A sigh leaves her as he kisses away the beads of sweat, tilts his head to mouth the tender joint where her neck meets her shoulder. Not for the first time does she feel wetness beginning to pool between her thighs because of him. The countless fantasies she has had...
The trail of thoughts break as he flicks his tongue over her nipple, making her moan.
Again?
Dan Heng nips at her earlobe, grazing it with the edge of his teeth while he grinds his hips into hers. “You’re still wet, Stelle.”
A fierce blush rises to her cheeks, garnering a deviously predatory smirk that is full of promise as he runs his eyes over her naked form. He tangles a hand in her hair, captures her lips with his in a rough, unhurried kiss that she eagerly reciprocates. His other hand reaching the apex of her thighs, playing with her clit and wrenching out a shuddering moan.
This man is going to be the death of her.
“Tell me what you want.”
“You.”
His lips quirk into an amused smile.
“You might want to be specific,” he suggests, licking and kissing down her jawline. Presses his lips on the side of her mouth as a tantalizing tease.
“I wasn’t aware that you need instructions.”
He pinches a nipple in retaliation.
“Ah!”
She can feel his amusement against her skin, the smug bastard. She’s beginning to regret all the times she’s teased him now.
“You can’t make me.”
“Oh?” He hums against the column of her throat, nips at the skin before pulling away to meet her gaze with a smirk. “I wonder...”
He nudges the entrance of her folds with the head of his cock, startling a gasp from her. Making her legs quiver in anticipation. He keeps himself just there , sliding back and forth as if to savour the warmth and the wetness of her juices coating his length – rubbing against her sex with sweet, undeniable friction that makes him swear and a wordless cry escapes her.
But he doesn’t stop there.
He uses his fingers, too.
She doesn’t know how long time has passed, how long he’s teased her as she writhes beneath him in sheer desperation, mindless with desire.
“Well?”
“I want you to fuck me,” Stelle gasps breathlessly, finally giving in to the inferno of desire inside her as he grinds his hips into hers. “Fuck me with your cock. Wanna be yours – oh!” She cries out as he tilts her head towards him, captures her lips in a searing kiss and presses forward.
“Ah – Dan Heng!”
“Stelle.” His eyes are hooded with desire as he groans out her name in pleasure.
She feels so full.
It’s an exquisite yet excruciating sensation. The feel of him stretching her open, disappearing inside her. It’s a feeling she knows that she’ll never get sick of. That she’ll always want from him. She wants him to fuck her, to ruin her. To be his, his, his.
His powerful hips pull back before thrusting in again. Once, twice, thrice.
When he pulls her down on his length, filling her to the hilt in one thrust, hot white pleasure blazes through her veins and she lets out a high-pitched moan. She throws her head back as her muscles tighten around his girth. Blunt fingernails rake down his back, accompanied by a trail of wanton cries.
Dark jade eyes look down at where they’re joined, taking in the sight and etching it in his mind. Her opening is stretched tight around him, nether lips puffy and coated with the wetness of her slick – parted around his cock.
Her expression of pleasure is one that he’ll always remember. The way her body responds to him, to his touch. The way her lips part in erotic pleasure (all because of him), the way she clamps around him...
He groans as her muscles constrict around him, gripping him in a tight vice. Her little whimpers and moans fuel his movements as he thrusts in and out. Every time he sinks into her, it’s all encompassing and overwhelming. Slick, velvet soaking heat all for him.The scent of her driving him insane as she rocks back against him for more, more, more.
“I’m gonna come,” Stelle keens out, scrambling to wrap her arms around his neck as he pounds into her with hard, steady merciless thrusts. Moans in time with his thrusts as he drags his tongue across her chest and sucks on her skin to leave another mark. She likes it. Likes the way he claims her and tells him so. “Dan Heng - !”
Dan Heng drops his head to claim her mouth, swallowing her cries greedily before pulling back.
“Yes,” he breathes out huskily. “Come for me, Stelle.”
“Come.”
When he snaps his hips forward in another merciless thrust, she soars.
As her cunt clenches around him, he bites down on her neck – marking her as his while euphoric bliss surges through him.
“Mine,” Dan Heng pants, spine tingling, his seed shooting deep inside her in pulsating jets that makes her cling to him, a pleasurable shudder rippling through them both.
“Yours,” is her murmur of agreement as she leans her head against his shoulder, nuzzles into the crook of his chest - sated and content as she basks in the afterglow. Seconds ticking by in comfortable silence while they allow their bodies to recover.
Dan Heng threads a hand through her hair, twirls an idle gray strand around his forefinger, drawing a hum of contentment from her before pressing a gentle kiss to her lips.
“I think I might love you.” Unconsciously, the words come out in a quiet tone tinged with a mix of wonder and realization while he wraps an arm around her waist in an embrace, pulls her as close as possible - not wanting to let her go.
Not wanting the moment to end.
As he realizes what he’s said, he almost freezes. Opens his mouth to speak -
But then, Stelle presses her forehead against his, a soft smile curving around her rose petal lips and whispers her reply:
“I think I might love you too.”
_________
Later, when their bodies have calmed, they don’t let go of each other. Instead, he cards a hand through her ashen grey hair while she melts into the warmth of his embrace. While she nuzzles her nose into the crook of his shoulder and runs her fingers down his arm. She confides in him about her nightmares, of her falling off during the battle with Cocolia and how it still haunts her sometimes. Of how sometimes darkness overwhelms her and all that she sees is a fathomless abyss.
In return, he opens up. Quietly mentions bits of his past, talks about how it was like for him in the Xianzhou Luofu. How sometimes his own nightmares haunt him, how he drowns in his own personal spiral. Loosens the shackles around his heart, brings down the walls. Opens the door to the light of her star as she combs a hand through his hair.
And throughout it all, words of comfort and silent gestures are exchanged. Their unseated trust, born and forged through countless battles and affection for each other spoken in the little gestures – how she squeezes his hand in reassurance, nudges him back to reality. How he tightens his embrace around her, twines his hand with hers.
When it’s time to leave for the Express, they help each other to clean up. Dress in their clothes that had dried during their period of intimacy. As they're about to leave the cave, it's with tightly intertwined hands and Stelle has a lightness to her step. Her citrine eyes glance up at him, alight with joy and an inexplicable, utter love.
A genuine smile curves around his lips, and he kisses her softly.
“Let’s go home.”