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Ningguang has just settled in bed with a book when she hears the door to her penthouse opening, and the only sounds that follow are a bag being dropped to the floor and keys placed down on the console. She listens, but she doesn’t hear much else; no sign of the bathroom door being opened and closed — which means that Keqing showered at the gym before heading home. But if she already showered, there’s no reason for her to not have announced herself and made her way to bed like she usually did when getting home late.
Finally, the bedroom door opens and reveals an exhausted Keqing, hunched over and dragging her feet. Before Ningguang can even ask about it, her girlfriend flops down on the bed and crawls all the way to her body, resting her weight on Ningguang’s legs, burying her face in her stomach.
They remain quiet for a moment, as Ningguang places her book back down on her nightstand and runs her hand through Keqing’s long hair. Its lavender colour and the blueish hues have always fascinated her, and her hair is kept silky smooth (thanks to all the treatments that Ningguang spends money in), making it perfect to the touch. And it only takes a few seconds before Keqing starts humming in content.
“Are you going to tell me what's wrong?”
In response, Keqing emits a sound that is vaguely similar to a groan, but muffled against her belly, it's impossible to identify it. Ningguang remains patient, and instead of pushing for an answer, she starts undoing the two small buns on top of Keqing's hair — she knows her girlfriend loves the hairstyle, but she also knows that she hates to have to undo it and brush her hair before bed.
Ningguang is done with the last hairpin when Keqing finally looks up, a small pout on her pretty pink lips.
“Are you ready to share now? Did something happen at the gym?”
“Beidou and Shenhe were there,” Keqing mutters as she sits up, straddling Ningguang's legs.
“I thought you liked working out with them since they have similar workout routines to yours?”
Still pouting, Keqing nods, but she quickly lowers her head to avoid meeting Ningguang's eyes. Something definitely happened at the gym earlier, but it seems like it won't be easy to make Keqing talk about it.
“Were they too busy to… what is it called? The thing when you lift weights… Spot for you?” Ningguang inquires, pressing a hand to Keqing's cheek, caressing soft, warm skin with her thumb. The girl only leans against her touch, but still somehow manages not to look at her.
“No, no,” she mumbles, her voice lower than before. “Beidou helped, like always.”
As Ningguang moves her free hand up to grab Keqing's face, the girl dodges it swiftly and lies back down on top of her, this time burying her face in the crook of her neck. What a precious little thing she is when she gets embarrassed — truly the most adorable girlfriend Ningguang could have ever asked for.
She wraps her arms around Keqing's body, but soon enough, her hands start rubbing her back in slow circles. Ningguang will never cease to be impressed by just how muscular that tiny body is.
“They wanted to arm wrestle.”
Ningguang pauses the movements of her hands over the length of Keqing's back only for a second, and she waits, quietly, for her girlfriend to tell her the rest of the story, but no other word is pronounced. Meaning that Keqing doesn't want to talk about what happened, meaning that she accepted, and lost.
“Oh,” Ningguang lets out. “But you know they are different from you, love.”
“Yeah, yeah, they're built different. I know, I know,” Keqing mumbles into her neck, and Ningguang can feel her rubbing her forehead against her skin — the poor girl is embarrassed and exhausted. “But I… I keep feeling like I'm not strong enough for you.”
The notion makes Ningguang frown, so she takes a moment to think, to consider what to say. No matter how silly it may sound, it is how her girlfriend feels, it's something that she needs to respect — to try to understand.
“Keqing?”
Her lover hums.
“Have you ever carried me in your arms?”
“I do it all the time and you know it.”
Ningguang smiles as she tightens her embrace around Keqing's body. “Indeed I do.” A little kiss is pressed to her neck before she can speak again. “And can you support me after a long day at work or after I've dealt with terrible people?”
This time, Keqing doesn't respond immediately.
“Well, yes. I can. I have.”
Ningguang kisses the side of Keqing's head.
“Then you are strong enough for me. Don't compare your strength to theirs just because their arms are bigger than yours, idiot.”
A finger stabs her in the ribs as a protest, and Ningguang gives Keqing a playful spank in return.
“Can we sleep like this?”
“Love, you may not be as big as Beidou or Shenhe, but you aren't light either.”
“Asshole.”
“I know you like anal, but you don't need to bring it up all the time.”
“Shut up!” Keqing groans. “Shut up and just hug me instead of speaking nonsense!”
“Happy to oblige.”