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Chapter Text

To be honest, Stelle couldn't remember the last time she was up this early in the morning. Even if it was because she didn't end up falling asleep at all, she figured she might as well just consider it an early morning.

The sound of Cycranes flying overhead mixed with the audible wind as the warm morning breeze accompanied the sun as it was rising over the horizon. Stelle assumed it was due to the weekend, but the streets weren't as populated as they usually were. With the wardance over, things on the Xianxhou Luofu had calmed down for the most part.

This time, the place the Astral Express Crew was staying at had limited rooms, which meant that Stelle had to share a room with March 7th. At first, it had seemed like a nice idea, completely missing the relieved looks from the rest of the crew when Stelle volunteered. There was no ulterior motive, but while March was a bit overwhelming at times, she was undoubtedly pretty. How bad could sharing a room with a pretty young woman really be?

Bad.

Very bad.

Stelle knew that they didn't really know March's origins, but she was now entirely convinced the small bundle of pink energy was at least half ogre. Never mind tossing and turning, the snore she had was definitely something else. How does one person simultaneously take up 80% of a massive bed, and hog BOTH of the blankets?! By the time Stelle had given up and just gotten out of bed, March had her upper-body wrapped like a tortilla in them, with only her pajama-covered legs sticking out sprawled across the bed as she slept soundly.

Though, to be completely honest, the raccoon-like trailblazer didn't actually mind all that much. She'd been struggling to get sleep lately anyway, so dealing with March's utterly unbelievable unconscious antics was a useful distraction at least.

Even without the sleep her body desired, she found she seemed to function better than others on no sleep. Stelle figured it was probably due to the unique form her body had. Did she even need sleep, or was her body just trying to simulate her being tired, and she was feeling that sensation until morning?

It all led back here. It always led back here, any time she'd go for a walk on the Luofu. She stood an a familiar alley, by a food shop that was just opening up for the day. Stelle could remember it like it was yesterday. The first woman she'd ever seen in the memories she could access. The beautiful spider-like woman with a soothing scent. Much like the smell of coffee beans Himeko had when the redhead was soothing her, Stelle couldn't help but find Kafka a calming presence.

Her fingers curled as her hand balled into frustrated fists. The cryptic talks, her biggest chance for answers turned into a word game. Being told Kafka was her mother, and feeling that overwhelming sensation of happiness and stability, just to find out through simple math that Kafka had actually been lying to her. It was a particularly cruel way to play the game for Stelle, who desperately wanted to understand more about herself, and was consistently pervaded by a sensation of loneliness.

The Astral Express had become a home to her, and the members close enough friends that she could probably consider them family. However, it wasn't quite the same as the thought of knowing who her literal family was. Though, with everything, Stelle figured she probably didn't have one. With her colorless gray hair, dull yellow eyes, and general lack of any dintinguishing feature, she figured that she was probably synthetic. Created by the Hunters or someone who knew them to act a container for a stellaron that had the power to speak. A container that had some sort of evident usefulness in the plans of a being that could see the future.

There was no avoiding it. It was so familiar, this empty sensation. Despite being filled by something so dangerous, Stelle couldn't stop herself from feeling overwhelmingly hollow. As if every time she ate or smiled was just a temporary distraction to forget this feeling. It's not like she had any desire to die however. In fact, the feeling of dying on Belobog still haunted her dreams and scared the living hell out of her. No, she didn't want to die, she just wanted to... disappear. The power to turn her body into aetheric data and melt into the world itself so no one could look at her.

What was she supposed to do? Follow the leash she was tied to, move along, and complete whatever future had been long since planned for her? Did it really need to be her? Wouldn't literally anyone else do a better job? Stelle definitely wasn't particularly smart or good at strategy. Thanks to the power in her, she was physically quite strong and 'durable' per say, but there were plenty of people stronger than her in the world.

As per usual, she felt tears starting to threaten the corners of her eyes as she stared at the ground. She tried to fight them, soon aided by a completely new scent that seemed to help calm her body down. It was hard to describe, like a flower she'd never-

"HEY!"

Stelle's body tensed and jumped at the found, and the sensation of a strong hand grabbing her shoulder. She quickly turned defensively, to see the source of that new scent...

While on the Luofu, Feixiao figured it'd be better to do her morning run actually throught he streets rather than on a treadmill. It wasn't completely different from what she was used to, but it was still better for her to get a more personal look at what it was like to live under that lazy genius general. Such incredible weather too, perfect for a run.

The foxian general certainly got a few glances from people as she passed them by, simply giving a smile and a wave. Her breathing was even, , keeping an eye out for anything interesting, of which there was a few. The first of her run was a young girl who accidentally let go of her wardance balloon, Feixiao jumping up an inhuman distance to reach it and return it to her, helping her tie the string to the girl's wrist loosely so she didn't lose it again before continuing her run. The second was another group of runners in the morning, surprised to see them moving so slow as she passed them by.

The third, was a tuft of messy silver hair. Feixiao blinked a few times as she quickly jogged backwards for a few seconds to look back at what she saw. Messy silver hair, check. Oversized jacket, check. Standing around in a seemingly random area? Check. Definitely Astral Express. She made her way over.

"Hey there Miss Express! Didn't expect you to be up so early. Are the others around here?" However, there was no response. It was the first time in a really long time someone didn't respond to the general so blatantly. She wracked her brain for the name. Astral Express, who was it all... There was Himeko, the pretty red one who often talked on their behalf, the smart fatherly looking one, March was the one training under Yunli, and the vidyad- "Ah! I remember. You're Stelle right? You good? You're looking a little stiff." Right, the one with the Stellaron.

Feixiao made her way around the young woman, before her energetic demeanor quickly went cold. Despite asking, it hadn't properly hit her until now that the girl might actually NOT have been okay. Seeing her near tears, staring at the ground, and completely zoning out, the general felt something tense in her chest. Seeing her up close, she couldn't deny how pretty Miss Stellaron was. Still, seeing her like this, Feixiao could feel the muscles tensing. Had someone made her feel this way.

Rather than greeting now, Feixiao's tone turned much softer. "Miss Stelle, can you hear me? It's alright, what's going on?" Again, no response. The girl wasn't even reacting to her, which led the general to believe that the girl was likely going through some sort of panic attack. Feixiao definitely wasn't any sort of a expert therapist, so she wasn't exactly sure what was happening or how to solve it, but she'd die long before she left the woman alone in this state. But first, she'd need to snap her out of whatever pit she was in.

"Hey."

"Miss Stelle!"

Feixiao had wanted to avoid physically touching her without permission. People from different worlds had different boundaries, but it didn't look like there was much option at this point. She reached forward, firmly grabbing Stelle's shoulder.

"HEY!"

The moment she felt the girl react and tense under her hand, she immediately let go. As she was worried would happen as well, she clearly triggered some panic response as Stelle twisted around like she was getting attacked, ready to fight. As soon as the young woman turned to face the foxian, Feixiao slowly raised both of her hands to chest height, palms open.

Seeing Stelle trying to process what was going on as she came out of her panicked trance, Feixiao spoke clearly, in calm even words. "I'm not going to hurt you. I'm not moving, see? Everything's okay, you're not in danger." She could see Miss Stellaron's expression's change. Outside of this tense context, the level at which the young woman showed her emotions on her face was really cute. Feixiao could see the panic start to fade, turning to confusion as the gears were turning in her brain. Then, that confusion quickly starting to turn into intense shame. Nope. We won't be allowing that.

Of all the things in the world, the last thing Stelle ever expected to be staring at in this situation was a drop-dead gorgeous foxian. Wait, she knew this foxian, but- why- She needed to do process and process again. No, she wasn't wrong. This was actually the General who was visiting. The Merlin? No, the Merlin's Claw. Everyone talked about how such an incredible woman was going to be here for the wardance, but... why would someone like that be standing in front of her with her hands up like Stelle was robbing her.

"I'm not going to hurt you. I'm not moving, see? Everything's okay, you're not in danger."

Stelle blinked a few times. Oh. The woman was holding her hands to show she wasn't going to hurt her. The realization that she'd just been seen in a horrible state she hadn't even let the Express Crew see quickly began to sink in. She didn't even want to think about what she must have looked like. In the worst case, someone having to deal with Stelle being a mess could cause the express crew problems. What if they no longer thought the Astral Express wasn't reliable, and it was all Stelle's fault-

"The sky is green."

Her thoughts were completely cut off. What? Was she delusional now? Had she actually fallen asleep. Her eyes shifted upward, looking up at the sky. Nope. As blue as they get, with a black void of stars beyond she couldn't see. For the first time since last night, Stelle opened her mouth and spoke. "No it... isn't?"

"Yeah, I lied."

Stelle's head flicked back down to look back down to look at the woman, expecting some sort of an explanation. Instead, all she saw was a smile unlike anything she'd seen before. A charming, heart-melting smile. It wasn't an expression that mocked her, nor made light of her. It was simply a pure, kind smile that sent a strange tingling feeling through Stelle's body and into her chest. Was it really okay for someone like her to see something as perfect as this?-

"You're such a cutie. You look like you could really use a jog; How about joining me for the rest of mine?"

It was a relief to not be getting immediately interrogated about what had just been happening, but a run? Stelle wasn't weak, but she also wasn't the running type, along with the more impactful part. Had Stelle ever been called cute? She remembered one time on Guinaifen's stream someone watching thought she was good looking, but never aside from that. Hearing it from someone like the Merlin's Claw was a new experience that made her cheeks feel warm. "I-... um... I'm not sure I'm really the best-" She was cut off by Feixiao's hand taking hold of her wrist, their palms touching as Stelle was pulled.

"Great! Let's get going then."

Stelle was quickly pulled along out of the alley, unable to even process. The second they were out, it began. "H-Hey, I don't reEAAAAAAAAAH!~" Within seconds, they were running. Stelle's legs barely able to keep up as she was struggling. This is what she called a jog?! Being pulled along, Stelle was in a full sprint as fast as she possibly manage just to avoid falling face first into the ground!

Well, Feixiao would consider her distraction plan a success so far. It seemed saying something incredulous was an effective way of stopping whatever pit the girl was thinking her way into, even if only temporary. One thing was clear, she wasn't going to let the girl be alone like this, and the general had the day free, so that left only one result! It was running time!

From the very start, Feixiao made sure to start running pretty slow. I mean, they were quickly passing other people, but other people were always slow, so being faster than them wasn't a huge deal. The cute little Miss Stellaron was visibly struggling, but still kept up well enough considering how slow they were going. This struggling tired expression suited the girl much more than whatever was tormenting her before.

After all, exercise is the perfect way to clear a cloudy brain! Feixiao knew it all too well. There was a time long ago she'd have nightmares every night about her time as a borisin slave, back when she'd lived every day in the dark.

Well, if this little silver cutie was stuck in the dark, Feixiao just needed to pull her into the light, by force if necessary.

Chapter Text

How was this woman even human?

The air was filled with noises have wheezes and pants as Stelle was leaning against a railing trying to catch her breath. It felt like she could fall over at any moment, her entire body aching as her lungs burned. How long had they been running? It felt like forever, but Stelle knew it was likely shorter than she'd ever want to actively admit.

Stelle's arms laid flat horizontally across the top of the railing, with her forehead pressed firmly against her arms, staring at the floor. Thank god they'd finally stopped, though it did seem a little strange how Feixiao seemingly knew exactly when to stop to avoid Stelle physically collapsing under the strain.

As her body was calming down, her felt a firm hand resting against her back soothingly. It wasn't too strange. After all, March was a pretty touchy person. Or at least, that was until the hand moved. Her back tensed as the hand slid up from the small of her back, toward her shoulder-blades. Through her jacket, the sensation was dampened, but still. This touch felt... different from when March was touching her. A soothing presence that simultaneously felt like someone was watching over her, alongside sending a completely new, tingling sensation through her body.

It wasn't a feeling she hated.

However, it wasn't long before that hand pulled away, and the woman's voice followed. "So, Miss Express. I'm feeling a bit thirsty after that run. Let's go and get something to drink, yeah?" The gorgeous fox had a way of speaking that was both assertive and compassionate. Like she was telling her what they were going to do, but it felt different than when other pushy people tried to get Stelle to do things for them. Like rather than pushing her where they wanted, she was being gently pulled in the direction the fox was guiding her.

That also, wasn't a feeling she hated...

There was a long pause, but as Stelle was focusing on catching her breath, she didn't have the energy to worry about how awkward it was or wasn't, letting out a short and curt reply. "Okay... "

When Feixiao had asked where the young woman where she wanted to go, she wasn't sure what to expect. Now standing in front of a milk tea shop near Aurum Alley, she was pleasantly surprised. She didn't have any strong feelings toward milk tea one way or the other, but the small shop with empty tables would give them a chance to have a conversation without anyone overhearing them. Naturally, she didn't expect it to be anything better than what Jiaoqiu would serve with the meals he made for her and Moze, but that wasn't exactly a fair comparison.

It was a relief to see by the time they got there that Miss Express had calmed down a bit, heading over to grab drinks for them as Feixiao found a table.

Considering the place was near empty, it took approximately 0.05 nanoseconds. More importantly, it gave Stelle a little space for a few minutes to decompress.

Meanwhile, Feixiao rested her hips against the table rather than sitting down, in the furthest corner she could manage. The furthest of the three tables that were there at least...

As she saw Miss Express coming over, she pulled the chair out for her, unable to stop a ghost of a smile crossing her lips as she watched the girl's brain process what was happening. Either she truly was someone who struggled with social situations, or just wasn't used to getting treated like a 'lady' of sorts. Feixiao figured it was some mix of the two.

Soon enough, out of her stupor, the silver-haired woman sat down in the chair Feixiao pulled for her, before the foxian walked around the table and sat across from her. Stelle had set a small pink milk tea in front of her as she was sitting down.

It was now Feixiao's turn to stare a bit blankly. Her hand reached out and picked it up, staring at it in her hand. The small cutesy pink drink was something Feixiao couldn't imagine herself buying in the next 10,000 years. Well, she wasn't so immature as to complain. her gaze shifted back upward. "You're a member of the Astral Express right? I'm pretty sure I know it, but out of curtesy, could I ask your name?"

"A-Ah, right... I'm Stelle. I'm the newest member of the Express... Also, I'm really not sure what got into me back there, I was just being a bit dramatic-"

Feixiao clicked her tongue once and shook her head, holding up one finger in her free hand as if she shush her. "Do you want to talk about it?"

"I mean... not really, but... "

"The don't." Feixiao leaned back a bit in her seat to make sure she wouldn't come off aggressive, body relaxed. "You don't owe me anything. I don't want you to ever be forced to talk to me about something you're not comfortable with, but something was clearly happening earlier. I'm not going to think less of you for it. However, I do need you to avoid doing one thing."

"... What do you need me to avoid?"

"Never lie to me."

"Oh... " Stelle was visibly tensing at this point, avoiding eye contact.

"If you just want to drink some milk tea rather than talking about all that hard stuff right now, then let's drink some!" Feixiao finally lifted the straw to her mouth, taking a strong sip.

HOLY LIVING FOXIAN GOD WHO THE HELL MAKES SOMETHING THIS SWEET?!?

Immediately feeling like she'd taken a sip of raw sugar syrup, she stared back down at the cup in disbelief. Is this really what was so popular on the Luofu these days? She felt like she could feel herself burning away all of her exercise that morning in seconds. However, her attention was snapped upward when she heard something completely new. Miss Express was laughing.

Feixiao felt a chill run upward from the bottom of her spine to the tips of her ears. What the hell was that? I mean it was only the most charming, pretty, contagious laughs she'd ever heard. But that was no reason for her body to have such a physical reaction. She felt her chest tense slightly. "And what is it you find so funny?"

Never in the world would Stelle have thought someone could make that kind of expression just from sipping milk tea. The foxian woman looked like she was trying to analyze the universe, and she couldn't help but burst out laughing at the silliness of it. Along with that, she immediately noticed how Feixiao's ear twitched twice as soon as she took the sip. The poor woman looked she was in the midst of analyzing the universe itself.

"And what is it you find so funny?"

It took a moment for Stelle to calm her laugh down enough to reply. "I never thought someone could react so intensely to a cup of milk tea. If you saw how many of those March drank a day you'd probably have a heart attack."

"I get the feeling that this March is far closer to a heart attack than I am, considering that."

Stelle couldn't deny that, letting out another small chuckle alongside a nod. "That's true. Though as March always says, cute girls buy cute drinks."

"Is that why you buy them?"

"Is that wh-" Stelle's sentence cut off as her brain processed what was just said, eyes shooting over to the fox, waiting for the punchline that would come soon after with the Express Crew. However, all she was met with was Feixiao's piercing blue eyes staring at her expecting an answer like she'd said nothing at all. "-why I buy them?"

"Yes, I was curious if that's also why you like them."

The laugh that Stelle had quickly turned nervous. "Ah... I don't know I guess. I think that's more a March thing. She's the cute, pretty, girly one. I'm not really suited for drinks like this in that sense... "

What Stelle saw next was surprising in a different sense. Much like when she'd taken the sip of tea, the foxian in front of her looked completely baffled. "Wait-... You don't think you're pretty or cute?"

It was hard for Stelle to fully process what was happening. Words that would be usually tied to a terrible pick-up attempt was being said to her so matter-of-factly that she couldn't help but feel a warmth growing in her cheeks. "I mean... Not really? I'm not trying to be all depressive or whatever, or say I hate myself, but I don't really have the same... well... you know."

"I really don't know. What in the world are you talking about?"

Stelle let out an internal sigh. How was she supposed to explain it in words? "I mean, I'm kinda... messy? My hair is pretty dull... I don't really have like, a theme. I just kinda... exist, I guess. Being pretty isn't really my thing... "

"Stelle."

The intensity of her name being said made her legs tense slightly. "Y-Yeah?"

"We're going shopping."

Chapter Text

It wasn't something that was entirely foreign. Stelle had been shopping more than a few times with March, though most of the time it had just been helping the walking ball of energy carry her bags with various cutesy knick-knacks or decorations to add to the ten-thousand already littering her bedroom.

Instinctually, the notion of suddenly going shopping sent nervous chills through her body. If had been normal circumstances, she would have immediately refused. However, something about the piercing gaze of Feixiao's bright blue eyes made it impossible to deny her.

The two had walked over to the shopping district, filled with various stores, a number of Xianzhou residents and tourists alike filling the streets. The two would get a few stares as they walked, but they all seemed to be directed at the foxian. It was no real surprise. Even if someone didn't know who she was, Feixiao stood out like a spotlight on a dark stage.

Silvery-white hair tied up into a ponytail, with a weight of certainty and unbreakable will behind her gaze that almost made Stelle question whether the shopping area belonged around such a woman, rather than if the woman belonged strolling in a shopping district. An existence that provided justification in and of itself. It was almost unfair.

Looking closer as they walked, she got a more proper look at the woman's features. From the red makeup accenting her eyes, to the curve of her jawline, and her lips... ... and then to biggest standout of them all. Her eyes. How do eyes have that much depth? Like they held both the beauty and weight of an ocean wherever they looked. Stelle could hardly believe that things didn't start breaking whenever Feixiao looked at them.

...

It was a bit embarrassing. There were few things Feixiao was more used to than the gazes of other people. Even now, there were plenty who looked at her as they passed by. However, this felt... different.

Shortly after they made it to the shopping district and Feixiao started leading the young woman to the first store she had in mind, she had gone mostly quiet, and begun staring at her. Unlike when others looked at her, having Miss Express's golden eyes staring at her felt like she was under interrogation. While it was definitely a new experience, Feixiao wouldn't say she disliked it in any regard. If anything, it was extremely pleasant. She made sure not to look at Stelle in return, if only to not scare her off and make her look away.

However, it couldn't last forever, and even under a pressure like this Feixiao didn't show it on her expression. The store in question soon came into view, and the foxian was forced to break the pleasant pressure, and would definitely take this opportunity to fish for a reaction.

"Is everything alright?" Feixiao's voice held a good mix of it's usual weight and playful undertones.

"Huh?" Stelle blinked a few times, snapped out of her thoughts a bit. "What do you mean?"

"I mean, you've been staring at my for quite a while, I was worried my makeup might have gotten smudged somewhere."

Stelle's cheeks quickly lit up pink, as she looked away. "A-Ah! I didn't- I mean, you don't- well, it's just... "

The foxian's hand reached over and ruffled her hair a bit. "I'm just messing with you." Wow. Stelle's hair was surprisingly soft. For a moment, she was tempted to touch it again, but stopped herself. "We're here. Stop one, it's time to try out some new clothes. If I'm remembering properly, you also wore this when you were working with the Express before. Not that I think you look bad in it, but considering your ridiculous view of yourself, it's time to give your brain a reset." After softly taking hold of Stelle's wrist, she guided the visibly reluctant girl inside.

The store itself was a large women's clothing shop. The place was very clearly high-end, but not to the point of being pretentious. The clothes looked normal as far as Stelle could tell, just made of high quality materials. The inside had a soothing aroma, a pretty woman dressed in a gown that fell to her calves approaching them.

"What a pleasure to see you again, General Feixiao." The woman bowed formally. "Please don't hesitate to let us know if you need anything."

Feixiao immediately replied, motioning to the back right of the store. "If it's alright, do you mind if I reserve the changing rooms for a little while?"

"Of course. No one will disturb you or the young miss." The woman immediately began walking over to the door of the store, before flipping the sign from showing open, to closed.

Meanwhile, Stelle stared a bit in disbelief. Everything had happened so fast that she'd forgotten exactly who it was she was traveling with. The Generals were some of the most important and powerful figures in the Xianzhou, yet one had just taken her out shopping and closed a store for them specifically. It all felt so extravagant that Stelle felt her chest tense. Was this really necessary? There'd be far better people to be in this position-

"Stelle."

The stellaron holder quickly turned to look at general who had spoken her name, looking up at her blue eyes. There was a silence, but after their talks earlier Stelle felt like she could already tell what the woman meant. Under that sensation of her piercing gaze again, Stelle relented.

Maybe it really was okay to be treated like a princess for a day... How could she possibly doubt the woman in front of her when she looked at her like that.

"Okay... " Stelle's voice was soft, but Feixiao's gaze immediately softened upon hearing it.

Her stern expression turned to a toothless smile, guiding Stelle further into the store. One after another, she held up various clothes in front of Stelle, judging her size by eye as she thought of what she could get Miss Express to wear. "I feel like your colors suit you well, so I think we should stick with something similar... " Feixiao bit the inside of her cheek as she thought.

It wasn't like she had a passion for fashion in any regard. Much like Stelle, she typically just wore her usual uniform each day and was more than happy with that. However, something about being able to play dress-up with the young woman in front of her made her excitement jump up much more than before. After near 15 minutes of holding up countless things, Feixiao had a small assortment of folded items.

Guided to the changing rooms in the back of the store, Stelle was given the clothes and guided inside, Feixiao stepping away to give her space. Considering she wasn't used to it, she didn't want to keep her sitting around changing all day, which meant it was all the more important that she made the right choice before asking the young woman to change... ...

Was this inappropriate? It was the first time the possibility had entered Feixiao's brain. She'd more or less dragged Stelle along with her on a run, taken her out for a drink, and then demanded she go shopping, before having her undress and put on something else for her... Put in a different light, didn't today sound like Feixiao was harassing her?

Blue eyes blinked as the thought hit her like a truck. She was extremely confident that she had at least a generally good read on how Stelle was feeling, and she thought herself to be helping, but... In an objective sense, she could see how someone could find the situation objectionable. Some angry mother storming through the door like she'd experienced in her younger days with Yukong's mother in their more immature days. Speaking of, who exactly was Stelle's parent? Admittedly, Feixiao's knowledge on the inter-personal relationships of the Express was lacking.

Well, she could just ask Jiaoqiu to make some inquiries about it. Nothing creepy or invasive at all, of course. Just a few questions about allies of theirs, to help her understand their relationships better. In fact, it didn't have anything to do with Stelle at all, it was just something she should have known from the start. This was a responsible use of her information network as a General. Yep. Absolutely.

...

Alone for the first time since she'd met the woman who'd brought her here, Stelle stood alone in the changing room. It all felt more than a little surreal. Now finally in quiet room on her own, she had some time to process how the day had gone so far.

Having gotten almost zero sleep last night, she'd gone for a walk, spent some time alone, and then was wooshed away suddenly. Why was any of this even happening? Did she just get caught up in the whims of a general that was hard to handle? It didn't feel that way. The comfort she'd felt today was a much needed relief. The power the woman held to read her thoughts, acting as a wall between her and the darker parts of herself.

It all felt a little silly. She supposed she should just be glad for the opportunity. If she was suddenly taking her along on this strange day, she must do this often? How many other women had been taken to this shop, and been guided to this changing room? This wasn't... all just an elaborate attempt at her body right? Why would someone like her even want Stelle's body anyway?

Her mind went to that feeling when Feixiao was staring at her. The intensity. No. That wasn't the look of someone who had bad intentions for her. While not an expert at reading people, Stelle was very confident that the feeling behind Feixiao's gaze was real. A piercing warmth that seemed to burn away the bad feelings that were invading her heart. Like she could see through all of the chaos in her head and see who she truly was, no matter how small she felt in that moment.

With a long, deep breath, she began changing.

...

It had taken long enough to change that Feixiao began to feel a pervading sense of worry entering her body. Her instincts told her to check on her, but interrupting the young woman while she was changing was a line that the general foxian to cross.

When the door to the changing room finally opened, Feixiao's back tensed, worried about what she'd see, until that feeling immediately disappeared and was replaced by something else.

Stelle stood nervously, wearing a sleeveless white dress that fell to her thighs, black belts around the hips, with a popped collar. Her Express Ticket was clipped to said collar, with a brown bag slung over her shoulder. On top of that, was a cropped jacket very similar to her usual much larger one, that only fell to her waist. The top of the jacket was popped out to show off her bare shoulders, the inner-yellow lining of the jacket matching her golden eyes.

Thump...

Feixiao nearly stopped breathing, unaware of the warmth on her own face starting to show as she stared. From the moment they met, Stelle was very clearly a pretty young woman. It looked like she was someone who tirelessly perfected her look, even when the visual style was fairly messy. But this was... new.

Really, the point of this trip was the help the young woman gain some self confidence. There wasn't any real reason beyond that. It also wasn't like she was suddenly a different person in any regard. Yet here she felt young she was a teenager again as her chest tensed as she stared at Stelle. Was this attraction? It definitely was. Feixiao wasn't one to be clueless of her own feelings when she felt them clearly.

There were a few years where she'd dated Yukong pre-war back when they were much younger, before Feixiao had moved on to lead armies, and Yukong had found her own family and child. Though this feeling was completely undeniable, and revealed a much more blunt reality.

It wasn't that she'd suddenly caught feelings after seeing her change clothes. That would be ridiculous. No, it had simply been such a shock that it made her realize what she'd been feeling since they met. Feixiao had been so focused on taking care of her and calming her down that she hadn't even bothered to process how she actually thought about her.

Had she actually taken Stelle out just because she was interested in her in that way? Feixiao was not that type of person. Well, at least, not anymore. She was many many years beyond her woman-chasing days.

Especially when it came to someone who was vulnerable, like Stelle was, with whatever she was dealing with, it was a particularly poisonous practice. Vulnerable to affection, people who were shown it were easily misguided and manipulated.

Feixiao found herself looking back up at Stelle for a moment. 'Her face looks so soft... I want to touch her... though it's oddly close... '

The woman in question, had made her way over after being stared at, and the general had a shocking and unusually dark expression. It was the first time that Stelle lost the sensation of warmth she felt behind the stare. However, it didn't seem malicious. Instead, the gorgeous fox seemed... hurt? The usual shadows she felt inside herself quickly made way for something else. Worry.

Now in front of her, Stelle reached out and gently touched Feixiao's arm. "Are you okay?" It was frustrating she couldn't think of anything else to say, but her concern was very real, and thankfully, it struck home.

Feixiao blinked a few times, now staring and properly seeing the Stelle that was standing in front of her. A stark contrast to her prior sense of distress, the golden eyes looking at her were filled with concern for her. How long had it been since she'd seen someone worry about her like this? There almost seemed to be a pure innocence behind the worry, as if it was the most real feeling in the world.

However, it did the exact opposite of resolve Feixiao's problem. As she saw golden eyes drawn with genuine concern for her, she felt her heartbeat picking up much faster. The feeling of Stelle's hand on her arm now felt much more electric. Still, it gave no room for argument. Despite making the problem she was stressing over worse, it seemed to clear her head enough to get her back to her senses. Yeah, this wasn't the time to think about such things, and now she'd shown an embarrassing side of herself to the woman in question.

"I'm alright, I'm sorry for worrying you. I was just so taken aback by how beautiful you are that my brain short-circuited." And bam, back to how things should be, with Feixiao on the advance. Of course, with someone so easily flustered it was simple. Seeing Stelle's cheeks light up like a tomato, pull her arm back, and look away.

"That's... no need to be so excessive... I'm really thankful you found me such pretty clothes, I'll make sure to buy them." Stelle fidgeted a bit. Hearing someone call her beautiful so sternly made it hard to properly think. Thankfully, at least on a surface level, whatever the foxian had been stressed about had faded.

"What? I think you might be misunderstanding something. First of all, and most importantly, the beautiful thing is you. The clothes are just something for a beautiful woman to wear. Second, I'm not going to take you all this way, have you wear what I picked, just to make you buy them. I'll be getting these for you."

Stelle hadn't seemed to consider the possibility that they were getting things to gift her, rather than just shopping together. "T-That's- That's not necessary, you don't need to go that far for me."

"To be honest, little Miss Express, it would be rude of me to not at least buy you the outfit after having you come all this way with me. They do say accepting gifts is also a form of hospitality."

"I suppose I'll gratefully accept then... if it's really alright... " Stelle supposed today really must be her universe-appointed princess day. She couldn't help but wonder if the Aeons gave everyone one princess day or something, considering how different it all was.

Feixiao made her way over to a small display nearby, before taking three small gold-tinted hairclips. "One final touch, if I may." She reached out, before placing the clips into Stelle's hair, two crossed over, and one straight.

Meanwhile, as Feixiao was placing them in her hair, she couldn't help but feel her chest tensing tightly. She'd never been doted on this directly before. It was completely foreign sensation, so she had no idea what to make of it. Was this happiness? It felt fundamentally different. Like a form of happiness, adorned specifically with blue eyes and white hair...

The two simply stared at one another for a short while after the clips were in...

Feixiao cleared her throat to break the silence, looking away first. "Well, now that we've gotten what's needed, we should probably call it a day." God, Feixiao needed to get some distance and clear her head before she ends up kissing her.

Stelle felt her heart sink slightly. Of course, the day was going to end eventually, but it's abruptness made her wonder if she did something wrong. "R-Right... thank you for today... I definitely won't forget it... "

The two stood in silence for a bit longer, neither actually starting to walk toward the door to leave, despite neither staring anymore. This silence lasted longer than the last.

"He-"

"Wel-"

They both spoke at the same time, stopping, before the two of them started letting out a small laugh in response. Stelle was the first to follow it up. "You go."

"Actually... hold that thought." Feixiao turned, but rather than walking to the door, she walked over to another area of the store.

Stelle simply stood in place, unsure what to think, but happy it wasn't ending, knowing full well she'd probably never see the woman again. However, contradictory to her thoughts, Feixiao brought back... shoes. "What's this?"

"Running shoes, pretty good ones too." The foxian held them out proudly.

Golden eyes blinked in confusion as she stared at the box. "You want to get me... running shoes?"

"Exactly. I'll be running tomorrow morning too, how would you like to join me?" Feixiao showed off a charming smile, showing her teeth. Glad she'd seemingly found a solution to the problem both of them were struggling with.

"You mean, I can see you tomorrow?"

"Exactly, and more after that if you want. I run almost every morning, so I wouldn't mind meeting in front of the place the Express is currently staying. Though I don't want to pressure you. If you don't-"

"I'd love to!"

Chapter Text

"So, what does everyone have on the to-do list today?" March's chipper voice was half-muffled by the sound of her chewing waffles Dan Heng had made for the crew. Mostly for the sake of them not having to deal with the lottery box that was Himeko's cooking.

It wasn't always bad, but Dan Heng gladly took up the mantle for the sake of avoiding the chance that they'd be eating some spicy food he'd never heard of first thing in the morning. It hadn't come without some difficulty, the clueless redhead not wanting to burden him with the task. However, his stern tone had quickly quieted those concerns.

"Can you try to talk without chewing, March?" Dan Heng held back a sigh as he cut his own with a knife in a fairly delicate manner. "Speaking of, is it any good?"

The first to reply was Himeko, who immediately gave resounding approval. "They're wonderful, thank you so much for making breakfast for everyone." There was a nod that soon followed her words from Welt, eventually followed by march talking, while chewing, again.

"They're pretty good, but could you put some blueberries in mine next time?"

"I don't think the waffle-maker would accommodate that well, but I could try." Well, at least he never had to worry about March withhold her actual opinion, so he could reasonably assume that they weren't just buttering him up. Not that there was much to the process, considering most of the work was just making batter.

Before long, Himeko stood from her seat. "You know what goes great with waffles? Coffee, of course. Would anyone care to have a cup?" A calm atmosphere immediately dropped to an internal panic as Himeko made her way toward the coffee machine. Like her morning heels held the weight of ten thousand suns, each click toward it made each of the members of the Express go more and more pale.

After a deep breath in, Welt finally spoke, starting by clearing his throat, since he half-thought his voice would crack under the pressure he felt otherwise. "On a side note, has Stelle slept in late today? While it's not too strange, considering she had to share a room with you, it's pretty strange for her not to be here for breakfast." Currently they were using Welt's room as the Astral Express meeting place of sorts, since it happened to be the biggest, with a table that could fit all of them.

"Hey!!! What's that supposed to mean?! Anyone would be honored to sleep next to a cute girl." No longer chewing, she was facing him fully, a pouty look on her face. Welt just let out a sigh as March continued to actually answer the question. "But no, she wasn't there when I woke up. I figured she woke up first. Though come to think of it, she wasn't there when I woke up after falling off the bed either."

There was another very quick shift in atmosphere as Welt's lips parted slightly as he processed the information, eyebrows furrowing partially hidden behind his glasses. Himeko, had frozen in place by the coffee machine. Instead of pressing the button to start the white device, her thumb quickly began anxiously rubbing against the handle to the empty mug in her hand.

While March didn't always catch everything, she wasn't COMPLETELY socially unaware. Seeing the two of them react that way, she was quick to continue. "What's wrong? You two look worried. She does weird stuff all the time doesn't she? And the War Dance is over, so there shouldn't be anything to worry about... y-you guys don't think she's in trouble right?" The constantly energetic face was quickly turning to a mix of concern and guilt.

It wasn't too crazy to see Stelle suddenly gone doing something, but it HAD been a strange time. She considered Stelle a very close friend, so if something happened to her and they didn't know until now just because she assumed...

Himeko was the first to answer. "It shouldn't be anything like what you're imagining March, we're just a bit worried about making sure she's gotten to eat a proper breakfast. I'm going to go out and check on her just to make sure."

It didn't completely assuage March's concerns completely, but she trusted Himeko beyond a shadow of a doubt, so didn't linger on it too long. "Alright... "

Setting down the mug in her hand, Himeko immediately started making her way to the door. Her hand reached out to the handle, but it turned before she could. She reflexively took a quick step back, the door opening.

Stelle blinked, staring at four pairs of eyes staring at her as she finished opening the door with one hand, a box of shoes in the other.

"Uh... do I have something on my face?"

After a moment of silence, March was the first to pipe up. "Haaaeeehh?! Cuteness alert! What the heck?!" She quickly left her seat and ran over to check out Stelle's new look.

Oh, right. She's almost forgotten it was the first time she'd ever worn anything in front of the others.

Himeko's voice quickly followed, taking another step back from the door. "March, sweetheart, how about giving her room to get inside?" With a short exhale, she stepped forward, reaching out as she took the shoebox from Stelle gently. "Here, let me take this and put it on the table. Dan Heng was nice enough to make breakfast, come join us."

Stelle soon made her way inside as March stepped aside, still ogling her look. Of all of them, Dan Heng was the only who stopped looking at her and went back to eating once the door was shut. By the time she'd made it over to the table, March was now getting to the table Himeko set the shoebox on, taking a peek inside.

As Stelle took a seat at the table, March's voice quickly filled the room again. "I knew it! New outfit, new shoes, you definitely got up early for a shopping spree! You should have told me!"

A nervous laugh from the stellaron holder soon followed. "Well, I didn't really plan on shopping, but it just turned out that way, sorta... "

Himeko had gone back to finishing her coffee, as March sat back down, shoving more waffles into her mouth before the pinkette replied. "You know, that's fair. I've definitely been out and about and gotten the shopping-need before. Sometimes it strikes you when you least expect." She soon followed it with an affirmative nod.

The mature woman who was now watching her favorite drink slowly fill her mug soon followed it up. "We're just glad that you managed to make it in time to eat with everyone."

Another nod from March as she kept going soon after. "Mhmm! Miss Himeko was about to go look for you too, so it was great timing! Oh-" She caught that it probably wasn't something they were planning to mention, too late, which wasn't uncommon. Both Dan Heng and Welt looked to March, letting out small tired sighs.

Stelle herself soon questioned the words, a bit confused. "Look for me? For breakfast? You don't have to go that far... You can just eat without me, I'm not really needed... " She soon felt a particularly poignant finger from March pushing into her cheek.

"Nuh-uh! Do you know how many waffles would go to waste?! That's like, a crime against humanity. Oh the poor waffle humanity being breached by you. You gotta be here." March showed off a bright smile shortly after swallowing. "Heh-Heh~"

Dan Heng soon followed it. "When I make food, it's always portions for five. Perhaps due to old habits, but it's one I'm unable to break. Four people would never be able to finish it."

Welt gave an affirmative nod. "While we don't want to pressure you, for the sake of the poor food, your presence is a necessity."

Himeko's hand gently set itself down on Stelle's shoulder, smiling down at her reassuringly. "It will never be a Astral Express meal without you, and there's no one in the galaxy who could replace you."

The outpooring of love from everyone around her was something Stelle could never be more thankful for. Being so cared for was something not everyone had, but even at the center of it all, she couldn't help but think someone else would be more deserving of it all.

...

Before long, everyone had sat back down, eagerly continuing their meal as Stelle at with them. It was only now, surrounded by her Express Family, that she felt comfortable enough to even realize she had been hungry for a long time. She quickly began eating.

March finished her plate before anyone else, unsurprisingly, turning to Stelle who was quickly catching up to Welt. "Oh yeah! So, Stelle, I never thought you were the type to buy cute fancy clothes. I love the look, but still. It seems like I'll have a proper battle of cuteness on the Express now. May we battle in as many underhanded tactics as required to outdo each-other."

As March was imagining various make-up related battle plans, Stelle casually dropped a bombshell. "Ah, actually... someone bought them for me."

Welt dropped his fork as Himeko began coughing on the sip of coffee she was drinking. Welt's expression was that of a father who just found out his daughter met a boy for the first time. "Is that so... "

March didn't give Stelle time to respond properly, "What the heck?! Why didn't you start with that, that's not shopping, that's a date!"

If the implication didn't solidify it, Stelle's blush that quickly overtook her face definitely would. "That... it wasn't- I mean, it wasn't like that... " Her gaze shifted down to her lap.

The verbal assault from March continued. "You're blushing! You're like super blushing right now! It totally was a date! Who was it?!- Woe is me, next Dan Heng will meet somebody, and I'll be a third wheel forever."

Stelle did her best to stop it, but her own reaction was undeniable. It really wasn't a date, as far as Stelle was concerned, but she couldn't but be bashful at the sudden thought of thinking of it that way.

A fingernail firmly, and repeatedly tapped against a white coffee cup in a steady slow pace as Himeko wore a scary smile. "Let's not berate the poor girl, March. Though I would appreciate it if you'd let us know who this person who you were shopping with is."

...

After a pseudo-interrogation, they all had finished breakfast, and Stelle had made her way to her room to finally sleep, while March and Dan Heng left to explore the Luofu to pass time, as March was loudly ranting about how crazy it was that Stelle was going on dates with a bigshot now. A talk that could not be stopped by Stelle telling her she wasn't, or Dan Heng only giving one-worded responses the entire time.

With them gone, Himeko and Welt were left alone in the room, an eery silence overtaking it for a while as neither of them went anywhere. Welt was the first to break the tension.

"A Xianzhou General is not what I expected. I'm not sure what she's playing at, but in the best case scenario, it's not out of the question that it was just an attempt to thank us for our help with the recent issues the Luofu has been facing." His tensed shoulders relaxed slightly.

Himeko clicked her tongue in frustration. "You saw her reaction, Welt. That hardly something I'd call best case, since you know what that would lead to. The last thing she needs right now is more emotional weight holding her down. It's already been a struggle for her to avoid showing it on a surface level. If this got bigger and then came crashing down?"

A deep sigh left Welt's lips, looking down at the table. "She's not in a state where she'd take heartbreak well. Needless to say, I'll take a proper look into it and see if I can figure out what's going on. Before we make any concrete decisions, I'd like to find out the General's intentions. Worst case, we can accelerate the schedule and leave the Luofu early."

Upon hearing Welt would be investigating, Himeko finally relaxed a bit. "I'll go and try to have a talk with her. A real talk." The woman set down her mug, staring at the half-full cup blankly. How long had it been since she'd made a cup of coffee she hadn't finished?

...

Checklist! Teeth, check! Pajamas, check! Empty bed with no one else to wake her up, check!

The exhaustion that Stelle had been feeling was finally catching up to her, drowsiness sneaking up on her like an ocean hidden behind a curtain. However, just as she was about to lay down, she heard a few soft knocks on her door.

"Hello?"

"May I come in?" Himeko's voice sounded particularly gentle.

Despite her desire to sleep, Himeko was someone who Stelle would never hesitate to accommodate. She quickly made her way over to the door and opened it for her, letting her in. "Is everything alright, Miss Himeko?"

"I just wanted to talk with you for a little bit."

"Is this about the stuff from earlier? Really, March was just being stupid, I've met her like one time seriously."

"Stelle." Himeko made her way to the bed, sitting down on the edge, before patting next to her. "This isn't about that. Well, not entirely. Please come sit."

Stelle could feel her chest tighten. If there was something else, what could it be? Had she actually messed something up for the Express like she thought, and she was about to get kicked off? Well, actually, maybe that was for the best. It had been very quick, and she wasn't really sure what Trailblazing actually entailed. Was she even any good at it?

Before long, she sat next to Himeko on the bed, but rather than getting into conversation, the woman next patted her lap. It took a few moments for Stelle to even realize what she meant. "Is that really okay?"

"Please."

Oh boy, this was actually that serious after all. Stelle nervously laid down, resting her head on Himeko's lap. Once she had, Himeko's hand began gently petting her head. Stelle felt like her entire body was building to explode, but the woman's gentle and loving hand did seem too slow it considerably.

"Stelle, Welt and I know you've been having a really hard time."

Oh.

Well, I guess that should have been obvious, even if Stelle didn't think it was. To be honest, she thought she'd been doing a good job at hiding it all. She didn't want to bother the Express and give them more to worry about. In the end, it was silly to assume she could hide anything at all from the two.

They were both pseudo-godlike figures to Stelle. Himeko always had a reliable maturity to her, like no matter what situation they were in, she'd always no the way to get them out safely. Welt was similar, but in a completely different way. His gaze looked like it could see through the nature of the universe. If Himeko was the one who knew the path to safety, Welt was the wall that would swallow anything that dared to try and seriously harm them.

While Stelle had no true understanding of the words, and wouldn't think of them herself, she knew the feelings she felt. Words that would never enter her mind, but remained true nonetheless. A mother, and a father.

"We were waiting for you to talk to us about it yourself, because we didn't want to intrude on things you found personal. However, lately, it's been getting worse, hasn't it?" Himeko paused, "We're so glad we found you, and we're so glad you decided to join us. However, just because we ride a fancy train, doesn't mean that Trailblazing is easy. You don't have to force yourself if you feel like you can't keep up with March and Dan Heng all the time. March is a remarkably resilient girl. She loves the adventure and the danger. Dan Heng, despite looking young, has a vast and historied experience that goes beyond just the Express."

Himeko shifted her gaze upward to the ceiling as she continued to stroke Stelle's head. "There are dangerous enemies ahead of us as well. You have a very special and unique power, but that power isn't the reason that we want you on this journey with us. When things are moving too fast, or you need a break, we want you to take a break. You don't have to worry about slowing us down. We're all together, and we'll always be together. So at a minimum, I want you to come to me when it gets bad. Can you do that for me?"

There was silence.

"Stelle?"

Himeko looked back down, brushing the silver hair away to expose Stelle's sleeping face. She blinked a few times, not sure how much Stelle had actually heard. However, her hand never slowed, letting Stelle sleep on her lap. "Must not have gotten any sleep at all... "

...

...

"Hey, I want you to look into someone for me."

"I see. Should I bring them alive or dead?"

"No! Not like that!" Feixiao let out a sigh as she stood across from Moze, the stoic man simply staring back with needlessly determined eyes. "I'm serious, this isn't an enemy, no hurting. Just contact the military office for all their confidential information on the Astral Express."

Moze gave a firm nod, "I understand, I'll learn everything I can. Is there anything in particular I should watch out for?"

The foxian's hips shifted back, leaning on the railing as starskiffs flew by behind her. "Well, most importantly, whatever they know about a young woman named Stelle and her relationships."

"I see. I'll keep a close eye out for any suspicious relationships. Should I take extra care to check with the prior records of her interactions with the attackers on the Luofu?"

Feixiao blinked a few times, turning toward the man properly. "What? No. Look, don't do anything weird. Only what I asked." She thought her herself for a few moments. "Also, no matter what, don't do anything like confronting Stelle in person. I don't need you freaking her out."

"Understood."

Chapter Text

BEEP BEEP BEEP

...

BEEP BEEP BEEP

...

BEEP BEE-

Feixiao's fingers wrapped around her phone, lifting it off of her bedside table and rapidly pressing her thumb against the screen to turn the alarm off without having to look. After a few tries, the alarm stopped, and she was left in the usual morning silence. Bright blue eyes crept open to a dark room, the sun having yet to rise. While Feixiao considered herself a morning person, that didn't make the first five minutes easy.

The usual five minutes of mindlessly laying in bed without moving in an effort to not fall back asleep, to start her usual... day.

Usual?

Today was anything but usual!

Feixiao sat up in her bed, clicking the power button on her phone, before the bright screen lit up the dark room again. She had someone to meet today~

The foxian woman quickly stood from bed and made her way to the shower, her hand thumbing through music on her phone as she turned the hot water on.

The morning felt like it flew by. Skipping her early morning treadmill run to wake herself up, since frankly, the thought of meeting with Stelle already had her plenty awake. How long had it been since she felt like this? There were more than a few people who had chased Feixiao in the past, though she'd never felt quite like this before, even when she was experimenting in her younger days. There was a time where she'd often go for women, and got a bit of a reputation because of it, but it was always for something physical. Even her time with Yukong was mostly for fun.

Unlike usual, the thought of trying something sexual wasn't at all what she wanted, especially with Stelle as vulnerable as she was. Instead, what would usually be pictures of a bed was a strong pull to... hold her? She wanted to hug her, and hold her close until her arms couldn't anymore. Damn, Feixiao really wanted to know what it would feel like to hold Stelle. She wanted to see Stelle's sleeping face, and hear about her worries.

Gods, her lips... She couldn't help but want to touch them. Even if just with her thumb. To kiss them.

What was she even doing. Feixiao buried her blushing face in her own hands. She was too old to be standing around her kitchen thinking about things like this, blushing like a school girl. Is this what love felt like? It was far too early to tell, and it wasn't like the foxian had a point of reference to compare it to. Something she could worry about later, there was no need to give a name to feelings so soon.

It was then that she heard a ping from her phone, taking a look at the-

"You've got to be kidding me."

A group message Jing Yuan, summoning her and a few others to the Seat of Divine Foresight. Today of all days! Well, she'd just have to text Stelle and let her know their run would have to wait until tomorrow. She opened her contacts, scrolling through as shoulders drooped. So much for her morning.

And scrolling back up. And back down. Wait... No...

She'd never gotten Stelle's number! How could she even forget something like that?! Had she actually been too dumbstruck with new feelings that she's just sent Stelle off with some shoes and no way to actually contact her?

Yes.

Triple check contacts again?

Still yes.

"Shit... "

...

...

The cost of being one of the two people in charge of all of the logistic and social connections of the Astral Express, was that Himeko was a busy woman. Not that she minded. It was better to keep your mind occupied than to sit around and loiter after all.

Himeko set the documents down. Stelle had been in surprisingly high spirits in the morning, which was great news, though the Feixiao concern had yet to be addressed. She hadn't come back for lunch, but that wasn't strange for any of the crew. March especially loved eating out and trying different places around the Luofu.

The redhead stood, making her way out into the more public halls, before walking down some steps and out the door to get some fresh air. Himeko got more than a few glances by people as they passed, but she was no stranger to that. She would often deal with problems, to the point of expecting them.

What she wasn't expecting, was silver hair pulled into a ponytail. Sitting on a bench near the entrance, was the young woman of recent concern. Considering how often Stelle dressed the same, it was hard not to notice the change. She wasn't in her usual outfit, nor the dress. Instead, she was wearing shorts and simple shirt, the white undershirt her jacket often covered. As noticed, hair pulled up in a ponytail, and brand new running shoes on her feet.

Himeko made her way over quickly. "Stelle?" The newest trailblazer was often very attentive to Himeko when they spoke, but for some reason Stelle just kept staring down at her shoes.

Despite her strange behavior, Stelle's actual voice didn't have much emotion behind it, negative or positive. "Hello Miss Himeko."

"What are you doing out here? Are you okay?" Himeko was visibly concerned, not that Stelle could see her at the moment.

"I'm okay. I'm going for a run this morning, so I'm just getting ready."

Himeko took a sharp breath in, before moving in front of Stelle, and crouching down so they were eye-level. "Stelle, it's almost evening. Don't tell me you've been sitting out here all day... "

"It's alright. It's my fault, I didn't ask when our morning run was supposed to start." Stelle's eyes were locked on her new shoes, rolling her ankle idly.

There was a pause, "Let's go inside, Stelle. Can you help me prepare dinner?"

"I can't. If I'm not here and she comes by, I'll miss our run."

Another pause, Himeko biting her tongue from saying something too harsh about the foxian who clearly wasn't present. Confrontation didn't seem like the best choice for Stelle right now, so she just needed to create an excuse for now that wouldn't have her sitting outside all night. "Are you sure it was today? It must have been tomorrow."

"Oh... you're right, it must be tomorrow. How could I be so forgetful."

Himeko's mouth opened to stop her from blaming herself, but getting into it right here seemed like a bad idea. It could be handled later tonight. "So let's go inside and make food for everyone." She took hold of Stelle's hand, who finally looked up at her, pulling her to her feet and guiding the young woman back inside.

After guiding her up the steps of the complex and to the series of rooms the Astral Express was using, Stelle was set to more than a few tasks, including some chores that didn't really need to be done in order to keep her mind occupied. It had become beyond clear that this situation with General Feixiao needed to be addressed sooner than later.

An hour passed quickly, before more familiar voices could be heard entering the home.

"I'm just saying, there's much more charm to a game you can hold in your hands, above that of other old retro media." Welt spoke with a nostalgic tone. "These days everything is digital."

March's voice followed shortly after, "Why do you have the most energy when you talk about old nerdy stuff... You've been talking about it for twenty minutes."

"I'm pretty sure things went digital long before our lifetimes... " Dan Heng let out a sigh as he followed the other two, shutting the door behind them.

The group gathered in the living area, comfortably taking seats around where Himeko was already sitting. Both Himeko and Welt gave each-other a glance, a small signifier they had something to say to one-another that was better off spoken in private.

"Oh gosh, if I don't refresh them, my pictures are going to expire." March said, getting a confused glance from more than one person in the room.

Dan Heng was the first to respond. "That doesn't make any sense, the photos from your camera do not have an expiration date. Well, at least not for a few thousand years if we're talk-"

"OH WOW, MY PICTURES ARE GOING TO EXPIRE so I had better go L-E-A-V-E T-H-E R-O-O-M." Her shoulder struck Dan Heng's arm, who quickly caught on.

"You sure have a way of being subtle in the least subtle way possible." He let out a sigh.

"Whose fault is that. Surely you have something to do too." March stared at him intensely. Moments after, she grabbed his arm, pulling him up from his seat and pulling him toward the hall.

Dan Heng replied in a monotone. "Wow. Yes. I should sort the archives again. From my hotel room that doesn't have access to them, because we aren't on the express."

"Can't you at least make half of an attempt?"

"Again, your pictures are not going to expire."

Their voices quickly faded into their respective rooms. Himeko was at a bit of a loss for words for a few moments, before a small smile crossed her face.

"When did they get so good at reading us?" Welt mused, still looking at the hallway.

"Probably all the times them sticking around led to us giving them half of the work." Himeko lifted her coffee to her lips, taking a sip.

Welt leaned back in his seat, taking a deep breath. "Where is Stelle?"

"She's taking a shower, after sweating from sitting in the sun all day and doing some chores around here."

"Sitting in the sun?- No, I assume that's part of it. You can go first."

Himeko shifted forward, "She was sitting outside all day today. If I hadn't gone out there by chance, she would still be there now, waiting since this morning to go on a run with you-know-who. So I hope you found something to make this situation easier."

Welt was silent for a short while, his finger tapping against his knee. "We should give her the benefit of the doubt." His eyes shifted from the hall over to Himeko, face holding a stern expression. "-is what I would have said. But I have some bad news. It doesn't make things easier, but it does give some clarity. The first thing is that I did some digging into this General Feixiao, and found some less than pleasant things considering our context. She has a long and storied history with women. Apparently, she's something of a Xianzhou playboy and womanizer."

Himeko visibly tensed, the implication clearly unsettling and upsetting her. Welt continued. "The other matter is that there was an investigation done through officials about us. More like a pulling of information from their private database, but it was done nonetheless."

The redhead bit her tongue for the moment, if only to hear the full story before letting herself explode. "Just pulling our information to figure out who we are?"

Welt took a deep breath in, "Not quite. More specifically, it was targeting Stelle and all of her personal relationships."

There it was, the nail in the coffin. Not only was a powerful Xianzhou womanizer coincidentally around Stelle, but she was running actual investigations to figure out who all of the people in her life were? It painted a pretty clear picture. Himeko's hand was clenched so tightly around her coffee mug that it was threatening to break. "Let's have a long... talk, with Miss Feixiao."

...

...

"This stupid piece of shit is obviously aimbotting! Fucking losers with no lives." Silver Wolf's fingers angrily pulled the trigger as she died yet again, lifting the controller to throw it, before begrudgingly stopping herself and lowering it.

"Wolfie, don't you love cheating in the games you play?" Kafka walked over behind the couch Silver Wolf was sitting on. "Just yesterday you were talking about how pathetic server security was."

"That's completely different! It's not funny if I'm not the one doing it." Silver Wolf spoke as if it was supposed to be obvious.

"... Right."

"Don't give me that look. You're not going to be so smug when you find out about your little silver lily."

Kafka's eyebrow raised, playful expression turning to a serious one. "Ho? You have some fun news?"

"You told me to tell you if anyone got too close, and we finally got a shipping flag with a hot fox."

A few blinks soon followed. "A... shipping flag? Am I supposed to understand you?"

"It's like, when two- forget it. Some super hot fox woman was flirting with her hard. Carried her princess style. The whole falling-for-each-other package." Silver Wolf tossed the controller onto the couch next to herself.

Kafka soon went quiet, taking a few steps in thought before she responded. "Looks like I'll have to go have an early harvest, before the little stellaron gets stolen." The woman's tongue slid across the purple lipstick on her bottom lip. She could feel the corners of her lips turning upward.

"... You're doing it again."

"Excuse me?"

"That disturbing, creepy stalker-ass face you make when you find someone to play with. You send a chill down my spine, and I'm not even the poor chick you're thinking about. Don't show that face to other people, you'll get arreste- What are you doing?"

Kafka held the internet router of the hotel room they were staying in in her hand.

"By creepy and disgusting I obviously meant sexy. Weird stalkers are all the rage these days, it's in fashion. I'm sure people will love your gross-AAH!"

Kafka dropped the device, letting it smash into the ground, the television screen quickly losing internet connection.

Chapter Text

"You are acting different than normal." Moze's voice broke the silence.

"Am I?" Feixiao's eyebrow raised as the two of them stepped out of the meeting hall.

"Usually, you are wearing your 'I need a drink' face after long meetings. Right now you are wearing your 'Jiaoqiu is making steamed salmon tonight' face." His tone was flat and emotionless. "Ah... actually, it's changed to your 'I'm annoyed because you're right' face."

Feixiao's eyebrow twitched in irritation. "If you talked this much around people other than me, you might be able to get some friends outside of working hours."

"It's changed again, to your 'Go be someone else's problem face.'" Refusing to add anything at all to signify whether it was all satire or not, he simply stared at his foxian boss. "Factual remarks aside,-" Her eyebrow twitched again, "-I finished looking into that one woman you told me to check."

Feixiao's expression immediately shifted to one of interest and curiousity, "Yeah? So what did you find?"

"She is the newest member of the Astral Express. I was unable to find an exact time, but it was definitely under three years. She has no known family or history to verify." Moze brought his hands behind his back, placing the back of his hand in the palm of another while they walked.

"Like she's an orphan?" She idly bit the inside of her cheek in thought.

"Not quite. Everything about her is completely unknown. The only history on record is her history with the express. Almost like she appeared out of nowhere. I have some other suspicions, but I'll wait until I can confirm them."

"Alright, what about the rest of the Express?"

"From what I could tell, they are coworkers mixed with friends. It's possible that the girl could be staying with them because she has nowhere else to go. Himeko the Navigator, and Welt the Senior Member are the leaders of the current Express. March 7th and the incarnation of Imbibitor Lunae are junior members currently in training of sorts. Based on their achievements, probably often left alone to learn through doing."

Feixiao loosened her jaw, letting go of her own cheek in the process with a sigh. There was a few moments of silence before she spoke, "So just friends and coworkers? Do any of them seem flirty?"

Moze paused, blinking a few times as his footsteps stopped. "Flirty?"

Feixiao stopped with him, turning to face him properly. "Yeah, you know, like are they particularly close? I've seen images of them, and I recall them all being fairly attractive people."

After taking some time to process, he answered. "No, I don't recall any mention of any of them having a romantic or intimate relationship."

"What about with someone not in the Express?"

Moze paused again, a bit taken aback at how persistent the questioning was. "No, there was no mention of any sort of romantic or intimate relationships with anyone... " Just as Feixiao looked like she was going to start walking again, Moze continued, with a voice a bit more firm than normal. "Are you getting back into old habits?"

"Old habits?"

"Was this investigation to see if you could get a night wit-"

"No! Gods, no." Feixiao let out a groan, burying her face in her hands for a few seconds, as her cheeks lit up a light shade of pink. "Look, it's nothing like that." Her head turned and hands dropped, seeing Moze rapidly typing on his phone. "What are you doing?"

"I am telling Jiaoqiu know there is an emergency. You blushed in response to a question I asked you, I think you may have fallen seriously ill." He said matter-of-factly.

Feixiao stared at the man blankly as he was typing. "Yeah, I'm pretty sure it doesn't matter how much you text him, he won't be able to see it."

The hands that were rapidly typing a paragraph started to slow down until they came to a complete stop. "Oh." Jiaoqiu losing his eyesight was going to be an adjustment for everyone, it seemed. "I will go tell him in person then." Without another word, Moze left Feixiao standing there alone, who just watched him leave in disbelief.

Another sigh left her lips. "Forget it, I have somewhere to be."

...

...

As the sun was setting, heels stepped up to place the Express was staying, seeing a beauty with bright red hair standing outside. Feixiao approached the woman, giving her a small wave that wasn't returned. "Miss Himeko from the Astral Express? I believe we've met very briefly during some meetings before, but I don't think we've spoken personally before." Feixiao's lips parted slightly as she looked at the woman.

Himeko stood unmoving, her expression gold as her bright golden eyes held a piercing gaze, like she was trying to melt Feixiao where she stood. It was in that moment that Feixiao would feel it. The investigation was both pointless and wrong. The golden eyes that were barely hiding their glare, were the eyes of an angry mother. It was a look Feixiao wished she didn't know already, though it'd been a very long time since she'd seen it.

The foxian woman stared back passively, not contesting it, but also not looking away. "It seems like I've upset you. I'm sorry I wasn't able to make it this morning, I got a morning meeting I couldn't miss that ended up lasting all day."

Himeko's arms crossed over her chest, clearly unimpressed, finally speaking. "What do you want with Stelle, General Feixiao?" A pointed and direct question.

Feixiao's mouth opened, but no words came out at first, thinking on the best way to put it. "I want to get to know her better."

The navigator's eyes narrowed slightly. "Do you think it's appropriate for you to be buying women younger than you dresses upon first meeting them?"

Feixiao hesitated. The woman wasn't wrong, it was strange. Still, having seen how happy Stelle seemed, it didn't feel like the wrong thing to do. "Not generally."

"I don't want you seeing Stelle anymore."

There it was. Feixiao was again at a loss for words, and it hit like a truck. She shouldn't see Stelle? Never? She'd spent the entire meeting today thinking about being able to the young woman once it was over. While she didn't know what future was in store for them before now, to cut it off so suddenly felt like a knife into her heart. And even then, the woman continued.

"We know about your history. You're too mature for her, and even assuming you have good intentions, that isn't what she needs right now. Stop whatever your plans are, and we'll pretend they never happened, out of respect for the hospitality the Xianzhou has shown us so far."

Feixiao could feel her entire body tense. This really could be the end, the cold sweat and chills, the empty feeling in her core that made her feel like she was going to pass out. Ah... had she truly fallen in love so quickly? Feixiao had never been truly in love with anyone, so she couldn't be certain. Still, she knew she hated this feeling. She didn't even have anything to argue against the woman.

"Goodbye, General."

Feixiao felt her breath hitch, like a glass was falling and she needed to catch it before it would shatter. "Wait... " She bowed her head and torso. "I think you're making a mistake."

Himeko blinked a few times in disbelief. Of all things, she didn't expect an esteemed general of the Xianzhou to be bowing to a visitor, not really sure how to process it. No doubt it wasn't something the other leaders of the Xianzhou would be happy about.

Feixiao continued. "Please give me a chance to convince you. Whatever you heard about me, it's long since passed. Just let me discuss this properly with you, and if you still think Stelle would be better off without me spending time with her, I will never come back again."

In reality, Himeko had no real power over the general. At least not here. There was nothing she could do stop Feixiao from going where she wanted, aside from leaving the ship entirely. She was silent at first, staring at the bowing woman, the fox staring at the floor. The silence was stiff, but the navigator would eventually break it. "Follow me."

The foxian let out a sigh of relief, standing back up to see the woman's back walking into the building they stood near. Staying a few paces behind her, she followed Himeko inside, and up some steps to the place the area the Express was residing. The two would make their way into one of the rooms, opening to a living-room where Welt sat on the couch reading comics.

Welt's eyes shifted upward, visibly surprised to see the two entering together, before quickly leveling himself and shifting to the side on the couch. Himeko took a seat beside him, as Feixiao sat on a chair across from the couch. Welt's eyes shifted toward Himeko, unsure how the talk had gone so far.

The redhead broke the silence, "So what is it you want to say so badly? Do you have a speech about how Stelle should be able to make her own decisions?"

Feixiao subtly shook her head as she responded. "No, I have no doubt that you know Stelle, and care for her. You've also known her a lot longer than I have. I have no right to say that I get what she needs better than you." Welt seemed surprised, while Himeko had little reaction, her fiery eyes still staring her down.

"Yet you said you thought I was wrong. Are you going back on what you said earlier?"

"No. I don't have the right to say I know what she needs better than you, not that I don't have thoughts of my own. If you think I'm wrong and misguided, I will accept it." The foxian's woman stared back at Himeko, not breaking eye contact. Like two blue gems being melted under the heat of the sun, but showing no sign of faltering. "I don't have a lot of experience with real relationships, but I'm fairly certain I have feelings for Stelle."

"What kind of feelings?"

"I'm not entirely certain yet. However, I know I want to spend time with her. I know that I want to protect her."

"Sounds like you'd make good friends."

"That's not what I want. I want to kiss her. I want more than friendship."

"Do you want love?"

"I don't know yet, I've never been in love before, and we've only met recently."

"Never been in love, but you've certainly been with a lot of women. I find it hard to believe you're so innocent."

"Stelle isn't just some woman, and it's been a long time since then. I was young and impulsive."

"Trying this hard to pursue someone you've recently met sounds awfully impulsive to me."

"You're right, maybe it is. Maybe I'm still impulsive, but it isn't the same as back then."

Welt was looking back and forth between the two women, a bit astounded at the sheer bluntness of the conversation that the two women were having. He couldn't get a word in, not that he needed to. There was no doubt that he trusted Himeko's judgement.

"Stelle is fragile. The last thing she needs to add to it is relationship drama. Feelings are complicated, especially in the case of love. Love isn't something that only heals people. Jealousy is poison, and betrayal is ten-fold. Stelle needs to learn to love herself before she'll be ready to love someone else and handle all the issues that come with it."

"I will take responsibility."

"Taking responsibility for a broken vase doesn't put it back together. I'd prefer it never breaks at all."

Feixiao paused, taking a deep breath. "The vase is already broken. I want to help put the pieces back together."

"It doesn't need to be you who picks up the pieces."

"I want to help, if you'll let me."

"How do you intend to do that?"

"By reminding Stelle that she isn't a vase. When she gets lost, she needs someone to remind her who she is. I see now that I'm not the only person who can help her do that, but I want to be there for her. Please."

Himeko leaned back in her seat, finally breaking eye contact and looking down to her coffee cup that had been sitting out a bit too long, from before she'd gone outside. "You can support her without a relationship."

"I'm not so arrogant I think it's a given she feels the same way about me. Even if she doesn't, I still want to support her. However, if she does feel the same way about me I feel about her, I'd be happy, and I don't think it'd be wrong to take things more seriously."

Himeko went silent, looking back up at Feixiao with a more calm expression than before, lowering her guard before it escalated even further. "What if I offer myself instead?"

Feixiao tensed, clearly caught off guard for the first time in the conversation. "What?"

"I'm saying that I'll offer myself to you if you forget about her. People say I'm a desirable woman."

Feixiao's jaw tensed, her confusion quickly turning to frustration.

Himeko's tone sounded entirely serious, "Are you interested?"

The foxian slammed her arm down against the armrest of her chair, breaking the wood and arm of the chair from the force of the impact.

"THIS ISN'T ABOUT SEX!" Feixiao found herself getting genuinely upset as she shouted, and even as she tried to calm herself down, she wasn't able to. "What if Stelle heard you say that?! Do you think she'd be happy?! She'd probably get physically ill at the thought." Just on instinct, Feixiao's sharp canines were bared as she shouted, like a wolf bearing it's fangs. Something that would happen any time Feixiao got genuinely upset. She stood from the seat as she continued, looking down at Himeko now. "She needs people supporting and building her up, not sacrificing themselves for her! I get that I did some stupid shit when I was younger, but it's not like that's all I am! If you care about Stelle as much as you seem to, don't ever make a disgusting offer like that again. Not to me, and not to anyone else." Her throat let out a low growl, before the room was filled with silence.

Himeko herself seemed unphased, just calmly watching the outburst as if nothing was happening at all. Was this what she wanted? Do get Feixiao to snap to prove she had a short fuse? The redhead looked over toward Welt. "What do you think?"

Welt's eyes closed, a small smile crossing his lips. For the first time since Feixiao arrived, he spoke. "I think the concerns I was getting hung up on were unfounded. You're right, Miss Feixiao. I heard some things about you and assumed wrongly. I'm sorry." His tone was genuine.

Hearing his voice, Feixiao found herself quickly calming down, before falling back into the chair with a broken armrest. "Don't apologize, I get it."

"No, someone should apologize when they're wrong. Just because intentions are good, doesn't mean that someone is exempt from making mistakes." His eyes opened, "I'm still not sure this is the best idea, but I believe you care, and that's enough for me. I can't say I'm pleased about getting investigated though."

Feixiao paused before responding. "You're right. I'm sorry. It was a stupid thing to do, I don't know what I was thinking."

Himeko let out a sigh, before interjecting. "As much as you discarded the notion of Stelle making her own decisions, it is the truth. We don't own her, but I'm sure you understand the position of power you hold over her. If at any time I begin to suspect you're using it for ill intentions, I will call an orbital laser to turn you into ash."

"I hope you'll try talking to me before going straight to orbital weapons... "

Himeko let out a chuckle. "No promises."