band au;
[ yingxing exhales hard.
his ears still ring with the music, his blood thrumming with excitement. for all the years that highcloud has been together now, he never really tires of this work. he loves what he does, loves his bandmates no matter how often they butt heads, loves everything about their music. it's hard work, exhausting even at the best of times, and there are certainly many downsides to fame and celebrity status, but this.. playing together, making music, performing, he's passionate about it. the riches and fame are secondary to doing what he loves.
they're halfway through their rehearsal now, splitting up to take a break and rehydrate, and it's as he's guzzling down some water from a bottle that yingxing spots dan heng, dan feng's quiet, elusive little brother.
they've met before, but only briefly, only in passing. while dan heng is supportive of his brother and the band, he's a bit of a recluse, and he's never really gone out of his way to interact with any of them beyond dan feng - so what's he doing here right now? yingxing can't resist the urge to pester him, not when he knows he might not get the chance to again for some time now.
so, wiping sweat from his brow, yingxing wanders toward the table where dan heng has set up shop, surrounded by books and papers, lit by the glow of his laptop and tablet. ]
Long time no see.
[ entirely uninvited, yingxing pulls up a seat across from dan heng, straddling it backwards, leaning his forearms on the back of the steel chair. his hair is wild and his skin is flushed and dewy with sweat, adrenaline still pumping, his grin broad and easy. ]
Surprised you can concentrate with all this noise.
his ears still ring with the music, his blood thrumming with excitement. for all the years that highcloud has been together now, he never really tires of this work. he loves what he does, loves his bandmates no matter how often they butt heads, loves everything about their music. it's hard work, exhausting even at the best of times, and there are certainly many downsides to fame and celebrity status, but this.. playing together, making music, performing, he's passionate about it. the riches and fame are secondary to doing what he loves.
they're halfway through their rehearsal now, splitting up to take a break and rehydrate, and it's as he's guzzling down some water from a bottle that yingxing spots dan heng, dan feng's quiet, elusive little brother.
they've met before, but only briefly, only in passing. while dan heng is supportive of his brother and the band, he's a bit of a recluse, and he's never really gone out of his way to interact with any of them beyond dan feng - so what's he doing here right now? yingxing can't resist the urge to pester him, not when he knows he might not get the chance to again for some time now.
so, wiping sweat from his brow, yingxing wanders toward the table where dan heng has set up shop, surrounded by books and papers, lit by the glow of his laptop and tablet. ]
Long time no see.
[ entirely uninvited, yingxing pulls up a seat across from dan heng, straddling it backwards, leaning his forearms on the back of the steel chair. his hair is wild and his skin is flushed and dewy with sweat, adrenaline still pumping, his grin broad and easy. ]
Surprised you can concentrate with all this noise.
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he groans, his cock twitching, still spilling briefly over dan heng's knuckles before he shudders and falls slack against the couch, rocking his hips up into the circle of dan heng's hand, enjoying the pleasurable aftershocks. ]
Fuck..
[ he whispers harshly, eyes lidded, one thumb smoothing over dan heng's glistening lips and down the messy trail of spend that shines on his chin. ]
.. heh, you're a mess.
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We'll need another shower, [ he responds in the same tone as his laughter, shaking his head as his eyes open again. Part of him feels as if he should apologize, but... well, he gets the feeling Yingxing enjoyed himself, and that makes it all worth it.
What he can say, though, is... ]
I'll try to make less of a mess next time.
[ And he will. He'll practice, if that's what it takes... ]
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No, it's fine. You look good like this.
[ all flush-faced, his lips wet with cum. he looks.. perfectly slutty, which is so vastly different from how dan heng normally purports himself that he can hardly stand the whiplash. in a good way.
a heavy sigh, and yingxing sags bonelessly against the sofa. yeah. a shower. ]
.. gimme like, two minutes.
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There's a part of him that almost doesn't want to tell Yingxing. Now that he's back to himself, the logic of their situation settles on him as cold as ice. Who Yingxing is, who he is, their age difference... just a few barriers among many...
But he's nothing if not honest. It's with a soft sigh that he nudges the other awake, a soft kiss pressed to the underside of his chin. ]
It's over, [ he says, voice soft, once he feels Yingxing stir. ]
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it's almost enough to trigger his rut. almost. but thankfully it hasn't, at least not yet, and he's sure that dan heng's heat must be drawing to a close over the many days they spend together.
sure enough, when yingxing stirs that morning, the thick scent in the air that had surrounded dan heng is much, much thinner. it still lingers in the air like a perfume, but not nearly so strong as it had been before, so when dan heng murmurs that it's over, yingxing isn't surprised.. even if he's a little disappointed. it's been a good week, and they absolutely tore through the collection of condoms he'd bought - any longer and he'd need to make another run to the drugstore. ]
Mmm.. [ he hums, one hand skimming down dan heng's back. well. it was a good week while it lasted - now comes the hard part. ] .. feeling better?
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But after the week they've spent together, the other man deserves more from him, doesn't he? And if Dan Heng is honest... ]
Yes. Physically, at least. But I have to admit I'm a little disappointed, too.
[ It's a bold swing, but an honest one, and that's what's most important as far as he's concerned. Maybe it's selfish, but all that cold logic aside, he knows that he doesn't want this to just end, so... ]
Everything that happened this past week, I've wanted it all for a long time. I was just too much of a coward to say anything before I had no other choice in the matter. First, you were my brother's friend, and then mine, and... I did not want to put that friendship at risk.
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I know. It's scary, making that sort of move on someone, especially if they're a friend.
[ muffling a yawn behind his knuckles, yingxing rubs his eyes then loops that arm around dan heng's middle, keeping him scooped in close. he might not have this for much longer, so he plans to enjoy it as much as he can, while he still is able to. ]
Lucky for you, nothing was at risk.
[ he smiles, nudging his nose alongside dan heng's. ]
I meant it when I said I would keep this going, but if you've changed your mind now that you're out of your heat, I get it.
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Yingxing's nose nudges against his, and Dan Heng turns his head slightly, catching the other's mouth in a brief, soft kiss. ]
I haven't changed my mind, [ he responds, and his voice is quiet, but as serious as it's ever been. His eyes open, glowing teal peering into soft lavender. ] I like you a lot, Yingxing. So it doesn't matter how complicated any of this is.
[ Idly, his fingers smooth down over the other's chest, skating over firm muscle. ]
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[ he exhales a mirthless laugh, and lifts one hand to push the fringe from dan heng's eyes. ]
I must seem like such a creep, chasing after someone so much younger than me.. but I really fucking like you.
[ his smile quirks, and yingxing curls his free arm beneath his head to better look dan heng in the face. sure, dating someone younger is hot in its own way, but he likes dan heng for who he is, for the chemistry they have together, not simply because he's young and hot. ]
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His hand lifts from the older man's chest, fingers tracing lightly over those scars instead, a reminder for when they're done with this conversation. ]
You don't seem like a creep. Why would you? I'm the one who came here.
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.. you came here in heat, driven by a biological urge that didn't really leave much room for consent.
[ and it was only because he knew that dan heng had been into him previously that he allowed it to happen at all - that dan heng had low key wanted into his pants from the moment they began talking. even still, in retrospect, that.. really wasn't enough to go on.
gods, he is a creep, isn't he? yingxing rubs his face with his free hand. ]
The responsible thing to do would've been to gently turn you down until your heat passed.
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Responsible, maybe. But it also would have been cruel. Besides... it's become clear to me that I did a terrible job at hiding my interest before. Maybe in the moment I couldn't consent properly, but...
[ He frowns, a slight heat to his cheeks—but sincerity in his gaze as he looks up at the other quietly. ]
At least in my mind, my consent was always clear, and I think you knew that too. Even then, you asked questions and sought as much of it as you could. So... if you're worried about that, you don't have to be.
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.. you're really sweet.
[ while dan heng might have some points, it's still a naive outlook, and it sure wouldn't stand up against a jury, like as not. consent was blurred at best, even if yingxing asked questions, and given their age difference.. well.
he shakes his head, nudges their noses again. ]
Well, it's a bit belated now, anyway. Besides, I don't regret it, even if maybe I should.
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[ There's a soft insistence in his voice, a stubbornness borne perhaps of the fact that he can still see some hesitance in Yingxing's acceptance of what has happened. Sure, maybe things didn't go perfectly, but when do things go perfectly? Maybe he's biased, but it all worked out for the best anyway, so...
He presses another small kiss to the corner of the older man's mouth—and then pulls back just slightly, looking down to where his fingers are still tracing over old scars. ]
Yingxing... Will you tell me about these?
[ Scars are rarely from anything good, so he might be asking a lot, but... ]
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but dan heng looks so earnest, and they're close enough now that he might as well be honest with him. they were good friends even before all of this, and yingxing trusts him. he sighs through his nose. ]
Some were from my dad.
[ he taps a messy, small, circular scar on his forearm by the wrist - there are several others, scattered up the length of his forearm. but then, turning his arm over reveals the track marks around the seam of his elbow, the ones dan heng had been touching. ]
But these, uh.. I did these to myself. [ he frowns, his brow pinched. it was a decade ago, but he's still not proud of who he was back then. ] Heroin.
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Before he can say anything, though, the other continues to talk, frowning as he explains the truth of the scar. Dan Heng feels his heart break for him. Just as human as anyone else, he's made mistakes—and how could he not, when he's lived so much pain?—and yet there's something on the other man's face that almost reads like... is it guilt? Shame? He can't tell, but...
He looks at him in silence for a moment before he leans forward, a soft brush of his lips against the scars. He says nothing—there's nothing to say, not from someone who can't even begin to comprehend the whole of what he's been through. But at the very least, he can offer acceptance and comfort. ]
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.. it's okay. It was a long time ago.
[ yingxing's start in life had surely been rocky, but he'd like to think that he's finally gotten his shit together - which isn't exactly easy, when he's living as a rock star. temptation is everywhere.
nudging his nose to dan heng's cheek, he presses a kiss there. ]
I'm all right.
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Just because it was a long time ago didn't mean it wasn't terrible. [ No doubt the other will hear the genuine sincerity in his tone as he looks up at him with a thoughtful, quiet expression. ]
I don't really know what else to say, but I want... I want to make sure you know I'm not judging you. I'm just sorry for the things you went through that drove you that far. And... and I'm proud of you for fighting back and coming as far as you have.
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Heh. I don't know what to say.
[ no one's ever really.. said this sort of thing to him, outside of his bandmates, he hardly knows how to react. it's strange, being so open, so raw about something, even if in many ways he's still hiding behind an easy smile. ]
I'll remember that, whenever I need to hear it. Thanks.
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You don't have to say anything, [ he responds quietly, and he presses another kiss against his skin before curling into him and just breathing, letting himself relax for the first time in the better part of a week. What Yingxing came from... it doesn't matter to him.
The only thing that matters that they're here now, like this.
...And like this they stay for a little while, curled up and just enjoying one another until with a soft, reluctant sigh, Dan Heng stretches, looks up at Yingxing. ]
As much as I've enjoyed the last week... I probably need to think about heading back home. Everything's probably a complete mess.
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but the time soon comes when dan heng withdraws, and yingxing knew it was coming, but it'll still be sad to see him go. for the best, really - this is still incredibly new between them, they can't rush into seeing each other every single day. they have to date like normal people, and besides, they can hang out any time they like.. well, busy schedules allowing.
so yingxing sits up, tossing a grin over his shoulder, and offering a hand. ]
It'll be quiet here by myself for awhile, heh, but I'm sure you've got a lot of backed up work to get to.
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Mm... going home will be strange, too. [ If he were Stelle, he might make some silly comment about being without his personal chef. A way to separate himself from it a little, to make it easier. But while he can be awkward with his feelings at times, he still wants to be honest, and so he doesn't do that. Instead, he takes the other's hand, and squeezes it. ] I'll miss you, but.. yeah, I do. I know you do, too.
[ Those skipped practices didn't go unnoticed, after all. ]
Besides, we can..
[ A pause. Ugh. How does he say this? ]
I'd like to see you again soon, though. If that's okay.
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Mm. I'd like that, too.
[ he says, leaning in to bunt their foreheads playfully together. ]
I meant it when I said I wanted to continue this.
[ he wasn't sure if dan heng would want to as well, once his heat wore away, but.. he's glad to find that his desires haven't changed. they'll have a lot to navigate, and it'll be difficult, but.. worth it, he thinks. ]
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He sighs, and tightens his grip on the other man's hands for just a moment. ]
Good. Because I meant it too. So... we'll figure it out from here.
[ Ugh. He's stalling. It's obvious he's stalling. He doesn't want to go home, even though he needs to. Study catch-up aside, he's pretty confident he left a sweaty pile of clothes on the floor... ]
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if things continue to progress well, they'll revisit having a place together. until then, dan heng can visit any time he needs. they'll see each other often enough, the band doesn't go on tour until next year. there's time. ]
We will. Thanks for trusting me.
[ he says, pressing a kiss to dan heng's lips, then another, slow and soft. ]
C'mon, let's get you home.
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