Danstelle - Tumblr Posts
Dan Heng
Case Study of the Trailblazer: Stelle
Summary: He wouldn't call himself a researcher, but when it comes to things that interest him, he would be reading and studying them up like one. This time, it was the newest member of the Astral Express — Stelle. However, Dan Heng found himself a little too emotionally invested in his secret case study about her than he should.
— This fic is going to be more like a collection of drabbles to show what he notices about her with romantic elements in them ofc.
one • Midnight Endeavor
The mission report about their last expedition in Jarilo-VI continued to lengthen across his notebook as his pen scribbled on the lined pages, dancing to the memories and his thoughts still fresh in his head. Like every other time they were done saving a planet from a Stellaron, this was something he always finds himself doing before updating their data bank.
The pen stopped.
…and this brought him to their newest member, Stelle. Well, again. Mostly due to curiosity, he found himself thinking about the ashen-haired girl often, especially after witnessing the feat she pulled in their fight against the fallen Supreme Guardian Cocolia.
She was already mysterious enough from the moment they found her in the midst of the Antimatter Legion’s invasion at the Space Station.
Not having slightest clue about how she ended up there.
Lacking the common knowledge of the universe, about the Aeons and whatnot.
Knowing nothing else but her name.
Pretty much like March when she was found, but being granted the powers definitely sets her apart from the many he had met after joining the Express.
Often at times in Belobog, he caught himself, his eyes wandering over, noticing the most trivial things about her.
Aside from her rather odd fascination over trashcans which he has yet to understand, he found himself observing and picking up on her mannerisms - from the tiniest quirk of her lips to her tendency to add dry humour in her words.
— completely useless information that he knew he was going to add to his case study about her anyway.
These were what he has gathered about her so far, all written in a password-encrypted folder on his personal computer. Mainly because it would be considered rude and rather awkward (if he was found out) studying a teammate in secret, he had to leave this folder out of the Archives, away from prying eyes. Mainly March 7th's.
The last thing he needed was her finding it and-
— almost immediately his eyes rolled at the dreadful imagination of a very likely scenario of her skipping down the corridor eagerly to announce her ridiculous assumption that he has taken romantic interest in Stelle.
Oh aeons, her giggles are already ringing in his head.
Dan Heng shook his head to forcefully cut off the imagined scenario in his head. It was starting to look like a nightmare, a slight shudder went through him.
He turned his head to the splendour view of snow-capped Jarilo-VI they were set to leave in two days’ time and the stars blinking at him from the distance.
He had enough for today — the stiffness in his neck and shoulders reminded him. All he needed to do now was scan the data into the data bank.
Shifting to relax against the backrest of the chair at the drop of his pen, he shut the notebook with finality, letting out a yawn.
And looked up.
The silence down the short corridor of the Passenger Cabin echoed back at him as tired jade blue eyes gleam wearily under the glow of the lamp behind his chair.
Everyone on the Express had turned in hours ago — which was exactly why he decided to sit out in the corridor to continue working on his self-assigned mission report.
It was times like this when a blanket of calm silence would settle over the corridor. Enveloped by the gentle ambience created from the soft glowing lamps down the stretch of the corridor, there was something about sitting by the large windows that helped him focus better.
Stretching out his arms over his head, Dan Heng gathered his stuff and rose from the table, long legs easily covering the space between the window seat to the Archives where he prefers to rest.
The sliding door opened with a familiar burst of hissing air. But right before he could step into the Archives, another burst of air came hissing from further down the corridor and made him pause in surprise — who else was still awake at this timing?
Pom-Pom?
Dan Heng swung his gaze over, half expecting to find a stout bunny figure to enter from the other end of the carriage.
The concept of ‘day’ or ‘night’ doesn't apply while they are suspended in space, though crews of the Astral Express follow the same sleeping pattern — set by the conductor itself, lights dim in the hallways as soon as it is time for them to sleep. There are no curfews to abide by, but more than often, he often finds himself being nagged by the little conductor to turn in like everyone else.
Maybe it was here to lecture him about the importance of sufficient sleep again.
A sigh escaped him at the memory of Pom-Pom stomping its foot while ranting on and on. Then, he managed to ignore most of its nagging but that did not mean he enjoyed it.
Maybe he should leave transferring the data in his notepad into the data bank to the next day afterall, Dan Heng thought stifling a yawn.
A day worth of exhaustion was starting to catch with him, and the last thing he needed was the little conductor nagging his ears off.
But it turned out he was wrong.
Instead of the signature bright red hog-head hat Pom-Pom wears, a head of dishevelled ashen hair entered the soft spotlight from the distant ceiling light — it took him a moment to figure out that he was staring at someone else.
Stelle, Dan Heng realized, slightly surprised and amused at the fact that he was just thinking about her minutes ago — and there she was.
Clinging onto her slim shoulders like they were its lifeline, he noticed the baggy grey t-shirt on her that screamed a bold Mechanical Fever with an electric guitar on it. Probably from Serval.
What was she doing up? Dan Heng blinked in puzzlement, wondering, but quickly decided that it was none of his business. He turned back his attention to the Archives, about to enter the room.
“Dan…” There was a breathless pause, like she was gathering strength to finish his name. ”...Dan Heng...”
Eyes widening, the dark-haired man stopped in his tracks and snapped his gaze back to her in alarm. It was not her calling out to him that made him stop, but the strange quality to her voice that concerned him.
Brows furrowed, his eyes narrowed. Now that he was taking a proper look at her, he noticed how she seemed to be swaying while trying to inch forward in his direction.
The hand holding onto her head and the harsh breathing he could hear from where he stood told him that something was definitely not right about her.
—then a sudden movement made Dan Heng inhale sharply.
Notebook and pen cluttering to the floor, his legs kicked in into a dash as he dived forward.
Arms swiftly going around her, his next breath shuddered out of him as Dan Heng staggered slightly aback to the new weight on him, hand flying up to hold her head to his chest in his attempt to not fall back from the momentum.
As soon as they stopped, a relieved sigh blew out of his mouth.
Dan Heng glanced down, brows pinched together.
Only to be supplied with the most irrelevant thought to this situation by his observant mind — that she was surprisingly shorter than she looked — which he quickly shook off to focus on what was important.
Her head lolled into the crook of his neck at the movement of his bent legs straightening so he could support her against him properly. He could feel her warm breath puffing hard against his skin.
“...Stelle?” Dan Heng muttered carefully, voice quiet enough to be a whisper. The furrow on his face deepened as he watched her struggle to pry her head off him to look up.
“Sor...I’m sorry.” Half-lidded citrine eyes rose and met jade blue eyes staring back tensely with concern. “Thanks for catching…me.” Her voice was barely over a whisper as she moved away to stand on her own.
Dropping his arms away hesitantly to let her, Dan Heng eyed her warily as he watched her clutch onto her head like she did before she—
At a sharp inhale, he found himself diving forward to stop her fall. Yet again.
Another sigh of relief shook out of him as Dan Heng secured her back into his arms, eyes steeled with seriousness under his furrowed brows.
“—what’s wrong, Stelle.” His voice was tight and tense, trembling slightly from the rush of adrenaline that helped him catch her.
Looking bewildered at her, he felt a vibration resonate across his chest as the girl groaned weakly against him. Worried jade blue eyes searched her face as she breathed hard, her head shifting against his chest in discomfort.
Unable to move his arms that were locked around her to support her, Dan Heng leaned forward with a carefully blanked face, hair falling over his eyes as he pressed his forehead to hers.
The unmistakable heat of fever warmed his skin, surprising him at how hot she felt against him.
Ah.
He understood now.
Moving his face away, Dan Heng cast a glance over at the door to her room and decided his next move.
Holding her firmly to him while he adjusted himself, an arm went under her knees and lifted her off the floor.
— only for another useless observation to cross his mind. He wasn’t the biggest guy around, but she felt surprisingly smaller in his arms than she looks. It must be the high-heeled boots and the jacket she always dons on.
Waiting for her door to slide open, he crossed over to her bed the moment it did.
Carefully, as gently as he could, Dan Heng placed her onto her bed and took a step back, in time to see the movement jerk her eyes open.
“Dan…” She blinked, staring up at him with clouded eyes and cheeks flushed red. “...Dan Heng?” Clearly disoriented.
“Stay put.” Dan Heng headed for the door. “I’ll be back.” Was all he said.
Looks like he won’t be turning in anytime soon.
And this time for a very good reason that the little conductor should not berate him for, Dan Heng thought as his purposeful stride brought him out of her room and in the direction of the Parlor Car.
honkai star rail summary
#expresstrio ???? cause they're ot3 polybabies
A really big post of just my star rail doodles (more below)
I love it.
Dragon and his treasure