Dan Heng had noticed. Though his stoic nature often made it hard to read him, your lack of rest hadn’t escaped his attention. The others had fallen asleep one by one, but you were still awake. He'd caught glimpses of you moving around in the dim light, a faint glow from your tablet or a book lighting the area. His concern was quiet, but it was there, and he couldn’t ignore it any longer.

One night, he rose to check on you. His steps were soft, the silence of the train carriage making his movements even more deliberate. When he found you curled up in a chair, eyes red from lack of sleep and focused intensely on a book you hadn’t even realized you were barely reading anymore, he sighed quietly.

“[Name],” he said, his voice low but gentle. “You need to rest.”

You blinked, surprised by his sudden presence, but you offered him a tired smile. “I’m fine, really. Just a few more pages.”

Dan Heng didn’t respond with words but instead, with a rare softness, he approached you. His hand gently brushed the book from your hands, setting it aside. You hadn’t even realized how tight your muscles were until he helped you stand up. His steady presence and the comforting warmth of his hand on your back guided you toward your room. His calm demeanor contrasted with the exhaustion that clouded your thoughts, and you felt a fleeting sense of relief.

Once you were settled, Dan Heng sat beside you on the edge of the bed. “Get comfortable,” he said. His voice was a whisper, like a secret meant only for you. Slowly, he rubbed your scalp with a quiet, steady motion, his touch firm but soothing. You felt the weight of your worries and fatigue slowly begin to dissolve under his care.

“Rest, [Name],” he whispered again. “You’ve done enough tonight.”

And, for once, your body listened, surrendering to the soft lull of his presence and the calm of the moment. As your breathing steadied and your mind drifted toward sleep, you finally let go.

The night had slipped by unnoticed, and you once again found yourself wide awake. You couldn’t help it—sleep had become a distant concept, something you could never quite reach, no matter how much your body begged for it. The weight of unfinished work, the quiet sense of unrest, it all kept you anchored to the present.

Jing Yuan had noticed your quiet restlessness on several occasions over the past few nights, but tonight, his concern was more evident. He woke to find you still sitting at your desk, staring at a piece of paper that hadn’t seen any progress for hours.

“[Name],” he said softly, leaning against the doorframe. His eyes, sharp as always, softened with concern. “You’re still up?”

You turned your head to face him, a tired smile tugging at your lips. “Just finishing up a few things…”

Jing Yuan let out a gentle sigh, stepping into the room with the kind of authority that made the air feel lighter. “I don’t think you’re finishing anything tonight,” he said with a hint of playfulness in his voice.

Before you could protest, he moved towards you, his large, warm hand resting on your shoulder. “Come on. You’ve done enough for one day.”

He didn’t give you much room to argue as he gently guided you from your chair, his touch firm and reassuring. His calm demeanor was a balm for your frazzled nerves, and, though you resisted a bit, the weariness was catching up with you. Jing Yuan led you to the bed, where he softly coaxed you to lie down.

Once you were settled, he took a seat beside you, resting one hand on your scalp and rubbing it gently. The motion was slow and deliberate, designed to bring comfort and calm. His deep voice, filled with the kind of quiet wisdom only time could provide, began to speak softly, his words flowing like a lullaby.

“You’ve been carrying a lot,” he murmured, his fingers tracing patterns along your skin. “But tonight, you don’t need to carry it all. Let it go. You’ve earned this rest.”

You felt his warmth seep into you as you listened to his words, letting the calm settle over you like a soft blanket. Slowly, your body relaxed, and the exhaustion finally caught up to you. With a final, soft whisper of reassurance, you closed your eyes, letting Jing Yuan’s steady presence be the last thing you remembered before sleep finally took you.

[Header credits]

The flicker of candlelight was the only sound in the room, save for the occasional rustling of papers as you worked late into the night. Zhongli had retired for the evening hours ago, yet still, you sat at the desk, eyes glazed from too many hours spent staring at the same documents. You hadn’t realized how tired you were becoming, or how much your body was protesting until you heard his voice.

“[Name],” Zhongli called softly from the doorway. His amber eyes, always kind and filled with wisdom, held a hint of concern. “Why are you still up?”

You smiled wearily, pushing a strand of hair behind your ear. “There’s just so much to do…”

Zhongli stepped into the room, his presence like a steady wind, gentle yet unwavering. “You’ve done enough for one night.”

You opened your mouth to argue, but he gently laid a hand on your shoulder, stopping you. His grip was firm yet comforting, as though to reassure you that everything could wait. “Come now, let’s get you to bed.”

With his guidance, you found yourself standing and following him, your body moving on autopilot. Once you reached the bed, Zhongli didn’t hesitate. He sat beside you and placed a hand on your scalp, his touch soothing and methodical, as though he had done this countless times before. The sensation of his fingers gently rubbing your scalp, combined with the soft sound of his voice, was like a lullaby you had long forgotten.

“Sleep, [Name],” Zhongli murmured. “You’ve earned it.”

There was no need for more words; his calm presence enveloped you. He didn’t rush, didn’t push. His steady hand continued to soothe you, the warmth of his care melting away the stress that had clung to you for days.

As the minutes passed, you could feel the exhaustion that had been building up finally catch up to you. Your mind quieted, and the world seemed to grow softer with each passing second. When you finally closed your eyes, Zhongli’s steady presence beside you was the last thing you felt before sleep claimed you fully.