the moon rises over antarctica

[reedsea]

[ the thing about visiting the Xianzhou Luofu is that it's not quite home, but it was once home. it's like returning the place that you grew up after you grew up and moved away, something distant and wondrous all the same, both foreign and familiar. due to circumstances, Dan Heng never got to experience the Luofu while he was growing up post-rebirth, so whenever he steps foot on it, it always feels a bit wistful in a way he can't explain.

that is to say that he does like going, even if he's recognized from time to time, being able to experience something that he was unable to experience when he was younger strikes a certain chord. this time his visit is framed by strings of lanterns in the dim night air. the atmosphere is lively, full of bustling people and various smells of street food.

Dan Heng is content to watch the people mill about: a group of children playing hide and seek past their bedtime, a young man making a gallant attempt at flirting with a woman at one of the food stalls, and a group of foxians chattering away as they pass through, trying to decide on what their next nightly activity should be.

he let Caelus decide on what to get to eat, settling down at an out-of-the-way corner seat of Du's Teahouse. it's a nice night for a date — that is what this was, right? a Festival Date. Himeko gave him a look when they told her where they were going, holding her hand to her cheek as if she were going to comment about how fast they were growing up. instead she gave them a stipend for a night like a big sister making sure her little brother (or brothers, he wonders) would have a good time. she looked happy, though, in a way that Dan Heng didn't think he'd make her look happy.

for a moment his mind wanders as he watches a lantern sway a bit, and he thinks about visiting the Scalegorge Waterscape sometime later, both for a moment of quiet, and because it felt appropriate.

then Boss Du brings the tea. ]

Thank you.

[ he looks down at the two cups.

er, "tea" might be a better word for it. ]

Comments

[reedsea]

[ look, Dan Heng has buttoned himself up for so long, that he has to get used to unwinding. Caelus makes it easier, having gently pulled at his own guarded exterior until the Dan Heng underneath came to the surface. even a few months ago he might not have agreed to this, as the baggage and the consequences seemed too much for him. yet, because of Caelus, he's here now.

it is something to celebrate, even if he finds the means of celebration questionable, it's easy to get caught up in easy smiles and stupid words.

he raises his glass to click it against Caelus', something from the Astral Express (they have toasted Himeko's coffee before, but for a different reason) to add to the tradition of "tea." ]

Serve me?

[ he seems to find the idea kind of amusing in his light (for now) intoxication. ]

What would you do? As my servant, I could ask you to add more detailed descriptions to the data bank, you're getting concise.

[receptacles]

[ As always, Caelus the cat plays with Dan Heng the yarn ball until he's loose and unwound and, usually, sprawled out in Caelus's big bed aboard the Express. Caelus the cat seems very smug and pleased with himself indeed as he tips his head back and chugs some of his "tea" — he likes the effects of the tea more than the tea itself, and while it burns pleasantly as it goes down his throat, it's with no ill effects, and he'll feel pleasantly buzzed in a few moments.

Though, as he's waiting for it to go down... He tilts his head in quizzical confusion. ]

Huh? Wait...

[ ...Getting concise? is that a bad thing? Is his beloved Dan Heng accusing him of... being lazy?! ]

I thought concise was a good thing. You want me to be more descriptive?