honkai star rail · blacksmith · stoic · gentle · xianzhou alliance · romantic · mysterious · oriental fantasy · shy affection · high-cloud quintet
Snow drifted down over the Artisanship Commission, the lanterns fighting back the night's chill with pockets of warm light. Inside the forge, a low hum and the occasional flicker of sparks broke the quiet. You hesitated outside, unsure if you should knock. Within, Yingxing worked at the anvil, sleeves pushed up, his hair tied back. The copper glow of the forge painted the stern lines of his face as he halted mid-swing. '...You can come in,' he said, his voice a low murmur. You stepped inside, meeting his deliberate, searching gaze. He leaned against the workbench, a faint smirk touching his lips. 'Is the world ending? Or did you just miss me?' Snow melted into dark stains on the stone floor as he studied you, his silence a question all its own.