manufact | (no subject)

[ she recognizes his name, that much is clear, and there's something in the way that her demeanor shifts..

.. but he can only assume it's something like pity. or at least sympathy. the high cloud quintet was never quite the same after dan feng's passing, and while the four of them continue to spend time together, the dynamic isn't quite the same, dan feng's ghost always lingering behind every corner. the others are still yingxing's family, but they no longer call themselves by that title. doing so would only be a slight to his memory.

so yingxing chuckles lightly instead. ]

Well, I've been known to have that effect on people, now and then. [ he says, teasing gently. ] Not on you, though, hmm?

[ She offers him a playful wink. ]

Or maybe you did, and I just have an excellent poker face.

[ He's flirting, which leaves her to reciprocate. It's the dance they're taught to follow—or lead, if necessary—with their clientele, noting their interest and returning it, offering just enough of a taste that they leave their cards with the house.

But she's also genuinely interested, something inside her stirring awake, interested in him and what he has to say. In that smile. ]

I leave it to you to find that out, Yingxing-xiansheng~.

[ at last yingxing lifts his drink again and takes a long sip. he'd already had a few before she came across him, but a little more won't hurt, especially when he needs to soothe his nerves. it definitely helps. ]

Heh, maybe you do.

[ he wouldn't put it past her. selling the fantasy is her job, after all, which means painting on whatever face she needs to in order to please her clientele.. an idea that makes his stomach twist with envy. to think that anyone would be permitted to touch her..

she's not him. ]

I guess I'll have to try a little harder.

[ he says, and offers one forge roughened hand. ]

Try a little harder, hm?

[ She reaches out, placing one delicate hand in his as her head tilts, curiosity in her eyes. She can tell he's nervous. But, truth be told, so is she: the (broken) reincarnation of someone famously very important to him.

(Of course, she has no idea how important.)

With any luck, this will be his first and only visit, and it will never have to come up between the two of them. And yet... somehow, even now, she suspects that won't be the case.

Still, she smiles. ]

What, exactly, do you propose?

[ her hand is warm, and so, so soft, her fingers delicate as webs of woven spider's silk, her skin like smooth jade.. he can only imagine that she must be popular here, but then again, yingxing might be biased toward her beauty, given who she reminds him of. still, he can't imagine that anyone would be fool enough not to want her. ]

Heh, hard to say, I don't usually have to try so hard to impress people.

[ and he can feel it - her reticence. she's hiding it very well, but it feels like there's a bit of a wall up between them. maybe that's just normal, in her line of work. ]

But I did come here for a reason, after all.

[ he says, lifting her hand and pressing a kiss to the back of her knuckles, then another, lingering. ]

[ She laughs softly, eyes twinkling, although she falls quiet once more when he lifts her hand to press a kiss against the skin.

Just a moment ago, she was telling herself that this would be okay, as long as he didn't come back again. But the feeling of his mouth against her skin is fire, and it takes everything in her not to tear it back.

She has the freedom to choose her own clientele, nowadays. She would be a fool to deny him, but...

This isn't fair. Not to him, for his closeness to Dan Feng.
Not for her, for not being the person he sees in her.

Her smile is a little more strained than normal as she withdraws her hand from his. ]

Then, I should bring you out to the others again, should I not? Let you find someone suitable with whom to spend your time.

[ her hand pulls back from him, and it feels like a trickle of icewater down his spine, all the warmth of the moment dissipating. yingxing's heart tightens up in his chest. dan feng had played hard to get a little, but he'd never -

she's not him.

if she isn't interested, she isn't interested. ]

I - [ he begins, startled, a crease between his brows, before he exhales and glances away. ] - right. Sure. The others. I can take a hint.

[ he says quietly, then climbs to his feet, leaning to take his glass with him. ]

[ He startles, and there's a strange hurt in her, not only because she knows she caused it, but because she doesn't actually want him to pull away.

But this is what's best. She knows that, and so she doesn't relent.

Instead, she offers him a small, distant smile as she also rises to her feet. ]

I will tell the madam that you are looking for a companion. She can help you.

[ And she'll lead him back to the main room before separating to do just that and then staying out the back so she doesn't have to talk further to him.

He doesn't see her again during his visit.

But she still sees it, through the silky curtain, as he's paired off with one of her coworkers.

She hates, more than anything, how sick she feels at the sight. ]

[ she takes him out, and the madam pairs him off, and it's.. it's fine. this is what yingxing came here for anyway, right? to bury himself in someone soft, to forget his terrible loneliness for a little while. why not allow that to happen?

so he does, and it feels good for a little while, the courtesan he's paired with is a gorgeous non-binary beauty who takes good care of him, but yingxing can't stop thinking about her. even once he's home again, he can't stop thinking about her. a week later, he can't stop thinking about her.

so he's back in the lounge again that weekend, nursing a cup of baijiu and smoking his pipe and watching the beautiful courtesans float about like flower petals on water.

but he's only looking for one. ]

[ That night, she doesn't sleep.

The night after isn't much better.

For nights on end, Dan Heng finds herself tossing and turning in her bed, far too awake no matter how bus she has been over the course of her evening. When she does sleep, she's haunted by dreams that feel like memories of roughened hands on her waist, a mouth leaving burning kisses on her skin.

She takes a day off work, claiming she's sick, to try and catch up on the sleep. To no avail.

She's back to work today, makeup concealing the dark circles under her eyes and a professional, dazzling smile hiding the burning frustration—the obsession keeping her awake.

And then.. she sees him, and it's as if the rest of the world grinds to a halt.

She shouldn't, not after last time, but she can't help the way she drifts to him. Her professional smile wobbles just a little, revealing—to her chagrin—her uncertainty in having done so. She fixes it a moment later. ]

You must have had a pleasant experience last time, xiansheng, to do us the honor of visiting us again so soon.

[ and there she is, breathtaking, beautiful, and yingxing smiles broadly to see her, no matter how mildly annoyed she appears to be before she fixes her smile. in the weeks since he last saw her, he convinced himself that perhaps he was just being nostalgic, that maybe she didn't look quite so much like him after all, but seeing her again..

he can't help his smile. ]

I did, yes. [ he says, and reclines back on his chair, crossing one leg over the knee. ] This is a nicer establishment than I gave it credit for. I never expected to find myself here once, let alone twice.

[ and all to see her again, to see her soft smile and glass green eyes. ]

[ His smile is natural. Welcoming. None of the rejection she convinced herself for a moment she would see. (And how could she blame him for it, if that is indeed what she saw?) She takes it for what it is, moving to prop herself on the arm of his chair and turning herself toward him.

Her interest is no doubt clear, despite her having turned him away last time. ]

Have you been given the full tour yet? I would be happy to show you around, if you like.

[ She pauses for a moment. After what occurred between them last, she owes him more than just a sign of her interest. She's quite sure he could sense it then, and yet she turned him away. So... ]

Or, if you prefer, I could show you to my room instead. [ Her practiced smile turns a little rueful. ] I was feeling under the weather during your last visit...

[ he's.. more than a little surprised by her sudden display of interest. yingxing knows that he's a handsome man, enough so to catch the interest of many of the courtesans here, but still she had turned him down, so even though he's here to see her specifically, he didn't expect her to extend a hand.

not that he's about to complain. ]

I'm sorry to hear that. Glad you're feeling better.

[ it's a thin excuse, but he won't push her. instead, his smile softens into something gentler, and he takes a sip from his drink, then sets it aside. ]

I'd love a tour. Show me around, then maybe when we're done.. you can show me your room.

[ if she hasn't changed her mind again. ]

[ With his agreement, Xiangyue slips her arm through his and takes him through the establishment, showing him the private lounges, the game rooms, the bars, everything that could hope to be of interest. Only when they're done does she guide him back through the wing where the courtesans' public rooms are, explaining to him that each of them has rooms for pleasure and rooms for their private use during their downtime.

They come to a halt outside one of the rooms, her hand resting on the doorframe. Silks and thin metal chains cascade down her pale arms as she smiles at him. ]

This one is mine.

[ She's feeling, suddenly, all too vulnerable. Night after night spent with him on her mind—but she wouldn't blame him if he walked away from her now. She knows how thin her reasoning was; as a customer she slighted, she's lucky he accepted it.

She hides it behind a warm smile. ]

Would you still like to tour it, xiansheng? Or should I take you back so you can choose someone more to your liking?

[ she guides him around, and the establishment is certainly interesting, but not half so interesting as she is, and mostly he's just content to listen to her voice as she speaks. still, he pays attention, keeps it all in mind for future visits.

he hopes there will be many. ]

You're to my liking.

[ he says, smiling as he takes one of her delicate hands again, and as he did before, presses kisses to the backs of her knuckles. ]

Show me whenever you're ready.

[ She smiles even as his lips sear her knuckles. She dare not say it, but she knows too that he is to her liking, moreso than any client she's ever stood in this place with before. ]

Then, please. Come in.

[ Opening the door, she leads him into a beautiful room. At first glance, it might look like any higher-end hotel room: a large, plush bed sits in its center, decorated with teals and golds. Across from it is a large television screen, under which sits a well-stocked bar. On the far side of the room, a large windowed space leads through to a bathroom. A small, private toilet is tucked away to the side, but the shower and oversized bathtub are able to be seen even from the door.

The rest of the room makes it abundantly clear what it's made for. The opposite side of the room, when they walk in, holds a mirrored wall. In front of it, a deliberately empty space, but for the dark cabinet that sits against the back wall, clear in its intent.

With a wave of her hand, the lights dim, and she closes the door behind them. ]

What do you think?

[ it's been a lovely tour, and the entire establishment is incredibly luxurious, but her room really drives it home. it's lovely and well furnished without being too opulent or ostentatious, suiting her perfectly, he thinks, right down to the teal and gold bedding. yingxing smiles. ]

It's beautiful. I can see why people would want to linger here for hours and hours.

[ if not longer. days, especially if it meant spending time in her company. his eyes pass over the bar, the bathroom, the bed.. ]

You must do well here, if you're able to choose your own clientele.

[ Xiangyue smiles in answer, gliding over to her bed and perching on its edge. She extends a hand, silently inviting him to join her, should he wish.

As she does, she shakes her head and answers his question. ]

I do reasonably enough, though I'm quite sure my position is at least in part due to my tenure more than anything else.

[ It's the modest answer, but it comes from the heart. ]

I have served here since I was of age to do so, which makes it... over a decade, now. [ A soft laugh tinkles off her lips. ] Don't tell me I look younger than I am, Yingxing-xiansheng! It's the blessing of my heritage, nothing I have personally done.

[ the way she sits on the bed with one hand reaching for him.. it goes right to his gut like a hook, drawing him in. he moves toward her, his gaze on hers, the corners of his eyes crinkling. ]

Heh, well, on this ship of immortals, that's not a surprise.

[ he says softly, taking her hand in his own much rougher one, his thumb rubbing over her knuckles. ]

But here you are, with an old man like me.

[ one of the few short life species living on the luofu, certainly the most recognizable one. but yingxing made a point of that. his life might be short, but he'll leave his mark. with his free hand, he gently smooths his fingers through her dark hair, cupping her cheek. ]

You sure this is okay?

[ Her smile is sweet, even as she shakes her head and offers a soft laugh. ]

For one, you are hardly an old man.

[ She points it out as she answers the hand smoothing through her hair with one braced at his chest, splaying over slim but strong muscle. The work he puts into his craft is evident even at a touch. ]

And yes. This is okay, Yingxing. I would not have brought you back here were it not.

[ She leans in, mouth a whisper away from his, luminous eyes alight with a question. ]

So, tell me. What do you desire of me?

[ her hand slides against his chest, and yingxing's heart leaps beneath it, especially once she's leaning up to brush her lips so near to his own. a wave of tingling warmth washes down his body, and he cups her soft cheek. ]

.. heh. Everything.

[ he murmurs, then dips lower, pressing a kiss to her soft mouth, then another.

it's like lightning down his spine, yingxing's breath catching before he's even done anything further - but somehow, he doesn't want to take this too quickly, doesn't want to barrel through when he could enjoy this. so rather than immediately pressing her back, yingxing shifts to move further back on the bed. ]

C'mere.

[ She feels the sudden leaping of his heart, but doesn't comment on it. Not does she comment on her own body's strangeness, the way she feels something in her break under the taste of his mouth, the swaying urge she feels to simply be close. From somewhere deep inside her is a feeling like she's come home, the knowledge that this is always where she was meant to be.

It's hard, when he breaks from her to shift back on the bed, not to immediately chase him. But she keeps herself together, watching him for a moment before she smiles. ]

Everything? My, isn't that greedy of you, xiansheng...

[ It's almost a purr, and then she moves onto the mattress, crawling over him with a teasing smile. Her lips hover over his. ]

Show me, then, what "everything" looks like.

[ she crawls over him, radiant and beautiful, and yingxing feels all of his blood surge south when she purrs, her mouth so close that he can taste her breath. both of his hands move to her body, sliding down her sides, perching on the swell of her hips as he exhales hard. ]

Gladly.

[ he says, and closes the distance once more, pressing his mouth to hers with more urgency this time, a low rumble in his chest as he pulls her in close, one arm hooking around her middle.

he will show her what everything looks like, what she missed during their last encounter, what he needs so badly to give her that it almost hurts. it's not fair of him to compare her with dan feng, and he can see the differences easily enough, but he's drawn to her like a moth to the flame nonetheless, unable to pull away. ]

[ If she had her senses about her, she would stop to think about the fact that something about this is dangerous. His mouth is aflame against hers, and there's something in the way he looks at her right before it seeks to taste hers, that answers a question long held, one she didn't even know she had.

But her senses are stolen by the taste of him.

He pulls her close, and her legs slot between his as she answers his mouth with hers, one hand remaining braced against his chest, feeling more than hearing the rumble of pleasure, as the other slides up into his hair.

Her job is to give him what he seeks, and yet it feels as if she could collapse to him so easily—

Is that what everything means for him? ]

[ her body settles down against his own, soft and supple and so warm, and yingxing hums his satisfaction, his right arm hooked around her waist while his left hand moves to cradle the back of her head, callused fingers sifting through her hair. it's soft as spun silk, dark as ink, wonderfully fragrant. the kiss deepens readily, yingxing's lips parting over hers and coaxing her to do the same so he might taste her, licking past her sweet lipgloss and into her mouth, the sensation sending a shiver down his spine.

her weight over him is divine, and yingxing groans softly, rolling his hips shallowly against hers. he's already getting hard, heat gathering between his thighs due to her proximity alone, and his right hand smooths down her hip, and over the curve of her ass, squeezing lightly. dangerous, indeed.. he could grow addicted to this easily, and bleed his entire fortune into this establishment for one more opportunity to see her, to kiss her.

yingxing wants to think that she feels it, too, no matter how incredibly foolish the notion is, knowing full well that this is her job, that she's paid to make him feel good, as if he's the only man in the world. but the undercurrent is there, isn't it? he's sure that it is, that it must be.. ]

You're incredible. [ he murmurs between kisses. she's heard it a hundred times before, he knows, but even still. ] Beautiful..