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The company party had been dragging on for hours, people had started to get drunk, and Keqing didn’t quite enjoy her time. As one of the higher ups, her attendance was a must. She was fine with the dinner, she was fine with the first few drinks, but now she found herself uneasy.
An arm slung around her shoulders, and as the scent of alcohol got to her nose she scrunched it up. It was her boss’ wife, which made sense. “You look so tensed up, even Ningguang has relaxed,” Beidou pestered with a joyful grin stuck on her face.
“Not my type of setting, plus I have work to do,” Keqing excused herself as she lifted Beidou’s arm off her shoulders. Her heart was pounding just thinking about staying this close to her for longer.
Beidou only leaned closer to her with a smile. “Ahhh, leavethem for tomorrow, girls like you deserve a break as well!” she chuckled as Keqing stared at her a bit shocked, her cheeks getting pink.
“Your wife is watching, please back away, I wouldn’t want to cause an argument,” Keqing was trying to be as polite as possible, but she would explode if Beidou did anything with her. She gently grabbed Beidou’s jaw and yanked her to look at Ningguang, who was staring at them with a light glare. Though, to Keqing’s surprise, Beidou only laughed.
“She can’t be serious, she knows I love that booty, she trusts me,” Beidou sounded so cheery, so confident, and so, incredibly, awfully proud. Of courseKeqing knew they trusted each other. It was her who had slipped up about her insane crush on Beidou during the night of their wedding. Keqing would be angry too.
After Keqing’s expression didn’t change for the cheerier, Beidou gave her a weird face and got ready to leave. “Fine, fine, just… try and relax a bit, look,” she pointed across the hall, and Keqing followed her finger. “Even Ganyu is letting a bit loose.” Beidou said, before making her way over to Ningguang, who almost visibly relaxed.
Keqing slouched as she realised she was finally free to calm down. Beidou was right, maybe a few drinks wouldn’t hurt. Maybe. Keqing sighed as she made her way to get herself something to drink.
She did feel a bit more relaxed after the alcohol entered her body. It was freeing in a way, to start feeling light and giggly. Keqing started feeling like the night could not get worse, and her mood was only improving. She forgot about Beidou for a moment, and let herself have fun.
It was all brought crashing down when her eyes landed on the happily married couple swaying together and showing each other affection to no end.
Keqing froze for a second. She watched them for a moment. A little creepy, but she could not get over the way Beidou looked at the woman she truly loved. And dear archons, whom Keqing refused to believe in, but confided in them with gay anyway, did she think that should've been her.
Keqing wanted away. Her eyes were starting to water and her cheeks reddened in anger. She needed some cold air, so she quickly made her way outside.
The cool fall wind blew through her hair, and her feelings started to get to her even more. Maybe it was being alone, or maybe it was Kazuha, who appeared next to her in the blink of an eye.
“There’s other fish out in the sea,” was the first thing the male let out of his mouth, and Keqing felt vulnerable. Anry even. How did this man know. “I saw the way you looked at her.” It was almost like he was reading her mind.
“You’re insane.” Keqing felt so defensive of her emotions, especially since Kazuha was very close with Beidou. “And what about it, even if I like her?” She scoffed as she watched Kazuha’s expression, even for a small chance to read him like he reads her.
“You’re just making yourself really miserable.” Kazuha shrugged. He really, really felt like ruining her night, or so Keqing felt like. She was getting so ready to punch him, not literally. “She’ll never be yours, she’s not into cheating…” He just scratched his nose a bit.
“Couldn’t you have said it in a more painful way? I’m a masochist,” Keqing spat at him sarcastically and got ready to leave. “You think I don’t know that?” She was so tired, refusing to listen to Kazuha any more.
“It felt like the best way to get to you.” Kazuha admitted, ready to leave with her as well. “I have a friend in Inazuma, he’s really fun, if you want a distraction?” Kazuha suggested, now genuinely wanting to put his energy into helping her.
Keqing shook her head, no. “I’ll just drown myself in work, it’s whatever.” She stated. She just walked inside, and quietly passed Ganyu, who came to check on her. She just pointed at Kazuha, which confused the other. Keqiing wasn’t bothered enough to explain and shook her head again, making her way to the drink table.
Maybe, just maybe, drinking more could take the stupid, useless feelings away.
Not everyone could get the most gorgeous human being ever walked on earth, or the bravest, most courageous… Not everyone was Ningguang, and as Keqing took more sips from her drink, she could only sigh.