Chapter Text
When Beidou first saw him, he was worn. Tattered clothes covered in splotches of mud and what looked suspiciously like blood, desperate eyes, and a shattered vision grasped tightly in his fist; he looked fresh off of a battlefield, both soldier and civilian, all tear tracks and calloused hands. As he pleaded for admission to the Crux, she had to admit his determination was laudable, and so she took him aboard as a member of her crew. That was only half of the reason, of course. The other half was more personal.
Someone needs to take care of this boy.
She’d never considered herself much of a parental figure, but seeing the boy (Kaedehara Kazuha, as he had so eloquently introduced himself) learn his first knots and settle in among the others, Beidou felt filled with a sort of maternal pride. His manner of speech was a welcome addition to the crew of misfits; though some found it irritating at first, his flowery language reminded her of Ningguang and she clearly found it hilarious, so they quickly came to terms with it. He was permanent.
Late at night, a crewmate could occasionally see them strolling on the deck, solemnly fixed in conversation. The topic of such conversations ranged widely, from small talk to their respective homelands to wistful memories of those long passed. Beidou would sit by him as he told the tales of his past, fond smiles slipping onto each of their faces. She listened carefully to every admission of Kazuha’s – as wordy as he was, he didn’t seem fond of sharing personal information. That was understandable; she, as well, had many things to keep hidden. Ningguang, of course, was not one of those things, and she found practically any instance to wax poetic about the woman. Beidou noted that Kazuha seemed to find those stories most entertaining.
As they opened up the two grew practically inseparable. Needless to say, Beidou would be needing adoption papers as soon as she arrived in Liyue.
—
Question of the day: How Do You Convince Your Wife (Who You, Admittedly, Forgot to Inform About The Situation For Several Months) To Adopt A Child?
Apparently, without much fanfare. Beidou had prepared herself for a stern lecture as she entered the Jade Chamber, child in tow, but her reception was quite the opposite. To her surprise, Ningguang herself greeted her at the entrance, a rare (but very much enjoyable) occurrence for possibly the busiest woman in all of Liyue. Beidou smiled widely.
“Babe! How have you been lately? I know it’s only been a few months, but I swear it felt like –” Swiftly pecking her wife on the lips to silence her, Ningguang turned on her heel to kneel in front of the unexpected guest. Ningguang. Kneeling. Beidou hadn’t seen that since their proposal. What is going on today?
“And who might you be, child?” she asked quietly, a soft smile on her face. ( Woah, new expression, file that away for later– ) After a few moments of silence, Beidou looked away from her wife to find Kazuha frozen, staring at her with a desperate face that just screamed what do I do you never told me she was the Tianquan PLEASE HELP. Oops. Silently apologizing to the blond-haired boy with her eyes, she jerked her head in Ningguang’s direction and smiled.
Taking a steadying breath, Kazuha looked back at the kneeling woman. Somewhat nervously but still with his constant diplomatic edge, he began, “Kaedehara Kazuha, Tianquan. It’s truly an honor to make your acquaintance. I’ve been traveling with Beid- I mean, the captain of the Crux for some time now, and have heard quite wonderful things indeed about you; I see you live up to every praise granted.” Not meeting her eyes, he dipped into a seamless (if rather unpracticed) bow. That’s my boy, Beidou thought, glowing with pride. It must’ve shown as well, since she heard muffled laughter from Ningguang’s direction.
“Oh my, you needn’t use such formalities,” the taller woman said, rising to her feet. “The two of you are clearly close, and any friend of Beidou’s is a friend of mine.” Kazuha visibly relaxed at that. “Shall we move to a more private setting to discuss further? My office should suffice.” Shooting a humorous look at Beidou, she began to stride down one of the many elaborate hallways, the two confused pirates stumbling after.
—
“Hold up, you knew about Kazuha?!”
Elegantly sipping her tea, Ningguang waited for the wonderful (and very loud) woman in front of her to calm down (and sit down, preferably. Take her hands off the table, at the very least; Beidou tended to underestimate her strength, and that was not a bill she wanted to front). As she glanced up, her wife got the hint and settled back into her chair, clearing her throat. She gently placed the cup down.
“I think it’s quite obvious that one so influential as myself should keep an eye on all political movements, even if they happen to be –” Kazuha flinched as she flicked her eyes in his direction, “Unrelated to Liyue. Also, I must admit to keeping an eye on my lovely wife.” She turned to the woman, threading their fingers together. “You don’t oppose to that, do you?”
“You planted people on my ship?” Beidou laughed incredulously. “Are you kidding? You’re seriously the best, babe. Does this mean I can put people in the Jade ch-”
“No.”
“Aww, not even a few?”
“No.”
“You wound me!”
“My sincerest apologies for breaking this up, but isn’t there a more important matter to discuss?” Kazuha interjected, shrinking into himself as the two snapped their heads in his direction. “...As long as it wouldn’t be a bother.”
Ningguang cleared her throat and straightened her (already very neat) hair, turning to completely face the boy and avoiding Beidou’s reaching hands. “No, it’s no matter. You’re exactly correct.” Ignoring her wife’s pouting face, she opened a drawer and splayed a series of papers across the desk. “This should be sufficient. I’ve signed everything, so it should be rather quick.”
Watching Beidou’s eyes widen as she read through the documents, Ningguang’s lips stretched into a grin. She expected the surprise, but frankly, this was so much more fun than she anticipated. A bit of silence later, as the two children at the table (one overgrown and one slightly malnourished) took in the new information, she schooled her face into something more serious.
“Of course,” she added, clearing her throat, “This is only if you are open to the idea, Kaedehara. It’s completely understandable if you aren’t fond of it, but Beidou and I have been considering such an option for a while–”
“We have?”
“ – and you would, I believe, be a perfect addition to our surroundings. My wife is clearly very partial to the idea, and I have no doubt we could reach some semblance of a – well, of a family, if you would be willing. It is completely your choice.”
Kazuha remained quiet for a few moments, eyes lowered to the paper grasped in his hands. Ningguang studied his appearance as she awaited his response; the clothes would have to be replaced, of course – she could have a replica made with the recent import of Inazuman silks from Beidou – and he needed a good washing, but his overall countenance was that of a noble. Not surprising, she knew, due to his origins, but definitely suitable for the (potential) son of a Tianquan. Now, about that “potential” bit –
“Okay.”
It was so quiet she almost missed it, barely a whisper, but it was said nonetheless. Beidou and her exchanged a glance before the more energetic moved closer and put an arm around the boy’s shoulders. “Really?” she asked, a genuine smile growing on her face. “Are you sure? I want nothing more, but are you okay with me being your mother? I mean,” she nervously chuckled, “you’ve seen how much of a mess I am, I don’t know if I’d be – I don’t know, are you –”
Kazuha raised his head at that. “Of course I’d be okay with that!” he almost shouted. At her surprised look, he flushed and corrected himself, “uh, I mean, I’d be truly honored to be your… your son. Thank you, truly, for this wonderful opportunity.”
His eyes widened as Beidou pulled him into a tight hug. Ningguang leaned back into her chair and smiled. This was going to be a wonderful arrangement.