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The flat is awfully quiet, and worry settles in Ningguang’s guts as soon as she pushes the door open, though she knows just what to expect getting back from work. She has been worried all day long at the office; Keqing never does well on days off, especially when she is meant to rest and get better. Still, Ningguang takes the time to shed her jacket and hang it up along with her handbag before moving to the living room.
Keqing is not there.
The first thing Ningguang notices after the absence of her girlfriend is the blanket balled up on the couch—Keqing has spent some time in the living room today, a suspicion only confirmed by the laptop on the coffee table, still plugged in and charging. And while Ningguang hopes that her girlfriend merely watched a few episodes of a show or a movie on her laptop, she knows better. The next thing that catches her attention is the phone on the couch armrest. Charging as well. Which can only mean that Keqing hurried out of the living room and forgot to take her phone with her in her rush to escape a scolding. That stubborn idiot…
“For someone so obsessed with action movies and video games, you would make a terrible spy,” Ningguang announces as she makes her way to the bedroom.
All she hears in response is a groan coming from the blanket burrito sprawled on her bed. Keqing looks just as ridiculous as she does adorable, lavender hair and feet sticking out from either side of the fluffy blanket—she has done a poor, hasty job of hiding herself and pretending that she has been resting in bed most of the day. That poor girl… much too honest to lie properly to Ningguang. Adorable, sweet little Keqing, incapable of lying, and of lying down when she is sick.
“Keqing, stop faking it.”
After a somewhat awkward silent pause, Keqing starts squirming in her blanket burrito, head popping out as she finally manages to sit up in bed. Her hair is an absolute mess, a far cry from her usual intricate styles, and she looks beyond exhausted. Dark, deep circles under her eyes, complexion still a shade too pale to look healthy. All Ningguang wants is to hold her in her arms until she feels better, but before she can do that, she has some very necessary scolding to do. No matter how exasperated she is though, she sits down next to her girlfriend and starts rubbing her back through the thick, soft material of the blanket.
“Care to explain what your laptop and phone are doing in the living room while you’re doing a bad job pretending you’ve been taking a nap in bed?”
“I was just getting restless,” Keqing mutters, a poor defence for her rebellion, but nothing could make more sense to Ningguang. “I swear I didn’t work that much.”
“Should I go check your laptop for myself then?”
Keqing turns her head so fast that Ningguang worries she pulled a muscle, and her eyes are wide open. Ningguang takes it as a very panicked “No!”. She is now certain that she would find page after page of proof that her girlfriend has spent most of the day working from her laptop. She doesn’t like that Keqing can never find a way to nap and chill, no matter how attractive she finds her strict work ethics.
She should scold her, make sure that she doesn’t once again repeat the mistake of failing to chill and pushing herself too much, too far, but Keqing looks so pathetic that it’s cute and irresistible. Ningguang’s number one weakness.
She wraps her arms around Keqing, pulling her closer, and presses her lips to her forehead.
“Let’s go cuddle on the couch and watch a movie,” she says, giving her girlfriend another kiss, “I’ll make you a cup of warm tea and fix us some snacks.”
When Ningguang steps out of the kitchen, it is with a large bowl of popcorn and a plate of muffins—taken right out of the freezer (even if she has never been a huge fan of freezing baked goods, sometimes it is rather practical, and right now, it is very much useful because she has no time to bake, and little intention to focus on something that isn't her beautiful, beautiful girlfriend).
Keqing is balled up on the couch, still wrapped up in her blanket, scrolling mindlessly through Netflix, her purple console controller in hand. Ningguang refuses to bother her when she has already failed to rest all day, so she moves the laptop to make room for their snacks herself. She makes a quick run back to the kitchen for their drinks of choice—a cup of tea for her, while Keqing asked for a hot chocolate instead.
“What are we watching? Have you decided yet?”
“We're watching an animated series, actually,” Keqing responds, smiling weakly at Ningguang, “it's called Arcane.”
“All right. I'm going to hate it, am I not?”
The question makes Keqing laugh, a sound that spreads a sense of relief through Ningguang’s mind and body. Her girlfriend has been bed-ridden for the most of three days, and it is comforting to see that despite her obvious inability to take care of herself (or to let Ningguang take care of her), she is clearly starting to feel much better now.
And even if she might dislike whatever Keqing wants them to watch together, Ningguang is more than willing to make an effort for the woman she loves. At least it’ll keep Keqing busy enough that she won’t be thinking about work for a couple of hours—it is nothing short of a miracle in and of itself.
It has been about twenty minutes now, and Ningguang hasn’t once paid attention to whatever is going on on screen while Keqing is entirely absorbed in the action of it. Ningguang prefers observing Keqing and trying to figure out what is going on inside her pretty head.
“Share the blanket with me.”
There is no protest to Ningguang’s demand, not even a small groan or a whine. Keqing is quick to tug at the blanket and wrap it around Ningguang’s shoulders, scooting closer to her on the couch to make sure that they comfortably share the blanket.
Unsurprisingly, it doesn’t take much time before Keqing rests her head on Ningguang’s shoulder. Without saying one word to try and justify the gesture.
“You didn’t nap at all today, did you?” Ningguang asks, though she already knows the answer to the question. “You’re exhausted.”
“It’s really not that bad…”
That might be one of the worst lies Ningguang has heard from her girlfriend—Keqing's voice is much raspier than usual, words dying in her still sore throat. Ningguang pretends not to worry when Keqing clears her throat and coughs. And her eyes are still bloodshot… It's a good thing that this evening marks the beginning of the weekend; at least Ningguang will be home all day long to ensure that Keqing is well taken care of.
“Why are you so against resting even when you need it?” she asks against her better judgement. “And don’t tell me it’s because you get restless. If it was just about that, you would play video games all day instead.”
Keqing emits a sound that is somewhere between a groan and a whine, something that tells Ningguang just what she needs to know—Keqing could have spent all day relaxing and playing the games she enjoys so much, but she chose not to, chose to work instead. Ningguang can understand the workaholic tendencies, she is barely better than her girlfriend when it comes to these things, but she understands when it is time to stop.
She grabs her by the chin, forcing her to look away from the screen. Keqing seems confused for a moment, but Ningguang holds her gaze until Keqing's expression softens and falls. There's obviously something weighing on her.
“You can tell me the truth, my love, I will not judge you for the way you feel.”
Ningguang kisses Keqing on the forehead and lets go of her chin. Keqing doesn’t move her face away, instead nuzzling into Ningguang’s shoulder and scooting closer still to her body, throwing her legs over her girlfriend’s lap.
“I just feel useless,” she mumbles, “I feel useless and insignificant.”
Instead of trying to find the right words, Ningguang remains quiet and waits, listening carefully. The last thing she wants is to risk saying the wrong thing when Keqing is opening up and most certainly feeling vulnerable by doing so.
“People think I’m just a rich kid, some… obnoxious spoiled brat. I have to work so hard all the time just to prove that I deserve everything I have.” Her voice trembles and cracks, and when she presses her face to Ningguang’s neck, it is easy to guess that it is to hide that she is tearing up.
She holds her and keeps her close, a hand at the small of her back and the other cradling her head. Keqing's breathing calms down quickly, with only a few intakes of air. Ningguang runs a hand through her hair, combing her fingers through messy locks.
“You're the most hardworking person I have ever met,” she assures, kissing her forehead, “you are worthy and deserving, and I don't say that because I'm your girlfriend. I've always thought you were amazing. Even if you're an evil little brat.”
The light slap to her stomach in response to her words is expected, and Ningguang can only chuckle. When Keqing looks up at her, there is a soft smile on her lips. Her adorable, precious girl. Ningguang cannot remember ever not being infatuated with Keqing—even from the first day they met at the office, there was just something about her.
“What?” Keqing questions, frowning, looking mildly annoyed and confused.
“What?”
“You're staring at me like— like…” she stutters, struggling for words in the most adorable of manners.
“Like what?” Ningguang questions, smirk stretching her lips. “Like I love you?”
“Gross.” Keqing groans and shoves at Ningguang's shoulder, but there is still a soft, fond look on her face. “I love you too, though. But stop being gross.”
Ningguang kisses her cheeks, her nose, her mouth, the corner of her lips, again and again, until Keqing whines and squirms and struggles to free herself. She only lets go once she is satisfied.
“Can we watch the show in peace now?”
“Can I get a kiss first?”
“If it can shut you up long enough for me to finish an episode, then yes.”
Ningguang grins.
She has won.