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[eggshell]

Talk.

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[eggshell]

[his wrist is caught, because quite honestly jing yuan will always be the one single person who can command his attention wholly and immediately-

dan feng twists the hand in jing yuan’s grip abruptly, moving to dig his nails viciously into jing yuan’s forearm, trying to pull him close with a fanatical smile.

but he has enough peripheral awareness to at least whip out his tail, a little late, to try clothesline dan heng.]

[lionsleeps]

[Jing Yuan is going to be kicking himself for letting his guard down for the next year. Absolutely.

For now though he's letting himself be pulled on, because he's doing his best to distract. And also that's his not-busted forearm, so he'd rather it not get mangled too badly. He keeps his eyes on Dan Feng, but is still Aware of Dan Heng.]

Cease this tantrum, Dan Feng.

[lifeban]

[dan heng is typically quite graceful, but the room is not really large enough for effective dodging, so while he tries- instead of being clotheslined he's swatted into the wall. ow.]

[eggshell]

You’re not my Jing Yuan. We’re strangers. Why should I listen to you?

[but dan feng’s pupils are huge like this. a different jing yuan is still jing yuan: he is unable to make the distinction. he sways close, his free hand crawling upwards to -

he pauses, eyes crinkling like he’d thought of something amusing. (jing yuan had always been careful to never have personal relationships, simply because dan feng had the tendency to slaughter them, just to see jing yuan’s face twist in despair.) his eyes slant towards where dan heng is crumpled against the wall.

that’s all the warning either of them are getting before he lunges for the other vidyadhara.]

[lionsleeps]

[Jing Yuan was braced for whatever action that hand was going to take, so the pause is alarming. He can't read Dan Feng's mind, but he can see the change in his expression, and he knows something is about to happen--

When it does, he reacts swiftly, scrambling off the bed to chase after Dan Feng.]

[lifeban]

[he's still reeling, but his focus is on the door, staggering towards it to try and get there first while the other two scuffle with single-minded determination.]

[eggshell]

I just want to play, a-Heng!

[grabs at the nearest things- looks two tin cans of something - and throws them without hesitation and in quick succession: one aimed at dan heng’s head, the other aimed and jing yuan’s knee.]

[lionsleeps]

[Jing Yuan deftly avoids the can! He's serious now, with Dan Heng at risk. He'll stand up to Dan Feng for someone else much more quickly than he will for himself -- and for someone he cares about, especially. For Dan Heng, who he's already promised to protect, there's no question. He's decisive and willful and angry when he reaches out in an attempt to get a handful of Dan Feng's hair and yank him backwards.]

Leave him alone.

[lifeban]

[dan feng saying his name like that actually helps dan heng catch on better, turns his attention back to the struggle. not that it helps much, when cans are being tossed in such close quarters, but dan heng is quick. he doesn't need to dodge by a large margin if he simply doesn't get hit.

unfortunately, he is not yet accustomed to his horns being a very physical, present target. the crack as the can strikes a horn is painfully loud.]

[eggshell]

[the sound dan feng makes when jing yuan catches him by the hair is low and throaty and really, uncomfortably close to a moan. his centre of gravity follows, and he tilts back to crash in jing yuan’s direction.

he’s laughing as he goes down.]

Does it hurt, darling? [because his own horn breaking off was the worst pain he’d ever felt. a rotten tooth compounded a thousand, thousand times. a raw nerve scraped with dozens of knives. even now, the jagged stump was unbearable to touch.]

[lionsleeps]

[That sound is horrifying. Jing Yuan wants to attend to Dan Heng immediately, but he can't even afford to look in his direction when Dan Feng is still able to move. He releases the hair and lets the old fool hit the floor, then drops to sit on him, straddling his waist and using his knees to try and pin Dan Feng's arms. Only then can he look over at Dan Heng.]

Dan Heng! Are you--

[He'd say alright, but that's probably a stupid question.]

[lifeban]

[dan heng crumples to the ground in silent agony, a hand up to grip the horn that was struck.]

[eggshell]

[dan feng goes down easy as anything. he could swipe at jing yuan with his tail, he could buck him off, he could do several dozen things and not break a sweat, but the look on jing yuan’s face is intoxicating.]

That was your fault, a-Yuan, for letting me into your bed.

[lionsleeps]

[He'd resist that verbal blow, if he hadn't already been thinking exactly that. He wanted to soak in that kinder, more familiar Dan Feng so badly he let himself be reckless, and now this. It's his fault for being a fool, and it's also his fault because he knows a big part of Dan Feng's motivation in hurting Dan Heng just now was his desire to hurt Jing Yuan.

It's gut-wrenching, and he doesn't know what to do besides clapping his good hand over Dan Feng's mouth to silence him. Dan Feng can lay there and enjoy seeing this Jing Yuan going through the earliest stages of breaking down, just like his own had done hundreds of years ago.]

When I let you up, you will leave this house. Do you understand me?

[lifeban]

[dan heng slams his tail into the wall, sudden and loud, as if to snap himself out of it, grits his teeth and picks himself up.]

I'm okay. General, don't let him- talk to you like-

[eggshell]

[it doesn’t matter if jing yuan stops him from talking. dan feng knows he already won this scuffle, even if he’s the one pinned to the ground.

it shows in the way dan feng’s eyes crinkle in deranged joy up at jing yuan. he lifts his hands as best as he can in the universal gesture for surrender.]

[lionsleeps]

[He startles at the sudden loud noise, and when he looks up at Dan Heng there's a half-second where his expression is unfiltered hurt. But he covers it in a blink, looking back to Dan Feng as he cautiously gets to his feet, unpinning him.]

...Go.

[lifeban]

[unfortunately the bare moment of hurt is enough, and dan heng freezes. did he do that? was that because of him?

(his horn isn't broken, at least. but there's a chip now, with hairline fractures spidering out.)]

[eggshell]

[dan feng climbs to his feet, docile in the way predators are after a fresh kill.]

I’ll see you soon, baobei.

[he picks up his boots. slants a triumphant smile at dan heng, tail curling happily behind him.] You too, my cute little successor. Do look for me when the pain starts being unbearable.

[and he actually leaves without further violence, in and out of this room.]

[lionsleeps]

[Jing Yuan clenches his hands into tight fists, barely containing the urge to scream at Dan Feng. Stay away from Dan Heng, he thinks. Don't call me that! But he holds it in, to make sure the encounter is over and to avoid giving Dan Feng extra ammo.

When Dan Feng has gone (and they've heard the front door close), he grabs his hair ribbon from wherever he'd stashed it before bed and comes over to check Dan Heng's horn.]

We should tie this. Stabilise it, so the fractures don't spread.

[lifeban]

[his lip curls in a snarl to match dan feng's smile, but he doesn't make a sound, more focused on watching him leave, then fixing his attention on jing yuan.

he's shaking, in that way that he couldn't force himself not to even if he was really aware of it, from the pain of his larger wound and the adrenaline and the bone deep agony in his horn. his breaths are forcibly even, but too deep and slightly too fast, dan heng trying so very hard to keep it together.]

...If you don't mind.

[lionsleeps]

Of course I don't. You just focus on bearing the pain for now.

[It's more than a little awkward, wrapping the ribbon around Dan Heng's horn and tying it. He's careful not to make it too loose or too tight, but it still takes longer than it ought to, since he's working with one busted arm.

Dan Heng seems so upset. He's in so much pain, and Jing Yuan is desperately wishing he could roll back the clock and keep him from ever encountering this horrible version of Dan Feng.]

[lifeban]

[dan heng opens his mouth- closes it. all he can think of to say are apologies, but he's keenly aware jing yuan won't want them. won't accept any of dan heng's own blame in this.

he twitches, grits his teeth. jing yuan is being achingly careful, but there's really no way to engage with his horn right now that doesn't make him want to scream with the pain lancing into his skull, so he leans against the wall and keeps forcing himself to breathe as even as he can.]

[lionsleeps]

[It's true, he wouldn't accept it. Dan Feng was right that he won this battle. The seed of self-blame has already taken root.

At least he also chooses not to apologise. He doesn't want to hurt Dan Heng any more than he already has -- more than he has to even in this moment. He gets the ribbon tied as quickly as his fumbling will let him, then gently takes Dan Heng's hands to tug him towards the bed.]

Come and lie down. Would you like me to fetch a doctor of some kind?

[lifeban]

[dan heng lets himself be led to bed, and is loathe to let go of jing yuan's hands even once he's settled down.]

...Just painkillers, for now. Miss Bailu will probably know best.

[but he's scared to let jing yuan out of his sight. he's the one who let dan feng in, and he knows who his predecessor has the most interest in.]