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Ganyu wouldn’t describe herself as vain, and neither would most who knew her, but self-conscious? Yes, absolutely. It kind of came hand-in-hand with the territory of being a half-adeptus, doubly so when the person-turned-bird (but not really) who served as her mother figure was even worse at holding her tongue than a certain Yuheng.
The thing about being essentially immortal meant that while most of the occasional embarrassing deeds went forgotten, the few memories that stuck did just that, and for an incredibly long time.
Ganyu had made every other adepti (even Xiao, and especially Cloud Retainer) swear on their honor and Rex Lapis’s (including him, as he was also sworn to secrecy) to never speak of nor bring up the incident with the giant monster again. In fact, don’t even think about it, or they’d be as dead to her as that monster (not really, but she’d get very upset, and Ganyu was very much the “favorite child” in their “family”).
Rolling uncontrollably down the mountain because she was a fat baby? Okay, everyone had embarrassing kid stories that could be laughed off (not that she appreciated Cloud Retainer sharing them with the Traveler and Paimon, or anyone else for that matter). She didn’t even want to imagine how other people would react if they found out that a not-so-little and morbidly obese Ganyu had choked a giant monster to death while it was trying to swallow her whole.
If she had known Cloud Retainer would be the one to find and free her, she would have rather been the one that died instead of the monster, but it was not meant to be. For better or worse, she was still very much here, and she had no plans for that to change any time soon.
After all, how would she be able to spend time with Keqing if she was dead? (The zombification of Qiqi came to mind, but the thought was swiftly pushed away in favor of gayer and sexier things to think about instead.)
While Ganyu was definitely self-conscious, she wasn’t insecure. If she was, she wouldn’t even dream of wearing the clothes she usually did on a daily basis. So yes, Ganyu was quite confident in herself, thank you very much.
When she made her way to the Yuheng’s office and caught Keqing looking a little lower and longer than she normally did while greeting her (not that Ganyu was counting the milliseconds), Ganyu inwardly rejoiced at her decision to wear something a little more revealing than she usually did. An impressive feat, if she said so herself (and she did), considering how Ganyu almost always wore a fitted bodysuit and nothing else as a shirt.
“G—” Amethyst eyes dropped low, then hastily rose back up to meet ombre ones. “G-good afternoon, Ganyu.”
“Good afternoon, Keqing,” the secretary replied smoothly, pretending not to notice the way Keqing almost choked herself on words. Long past were the days where an honorific was always appended before the Yuheng’s name. Even when they were at odds with each other, Ganyu still couldn’t brush off the respect she had instilled in herself for members of the Qixing, no matter how much she disliked Keqing at the time.
It took a while before Keqing could convince her to drop the title, and even longer for Ganyu to remember not to say it when addressing her. Now, it was effortless, and she’d been caught a few times calling Keqing just that while she really should have referred to her more professionally.
Truthfully, there were more than a few rumors about the two of them being together. As much as Ganyu wished for them to be true, they unfortunately weren’t. While she knew Keqing was aware of them, she didn’t seem to mind. Whenever people pestered her about it, she’d just roll her eyes and tell them to get back to work. If they had enough spare time to do nothing but gossip while at work, they could be doing something productive instead. In fact, Keqing could think of a few things she needed to get done—
Everyone knew of Keqing’s fiery temper and the workload she assigned those under her, so they stopped trying to ask her for details about any rumors. Luckily for Ganyu, everyone already knew better than to bother her in any capacity. After she had disappeared to Mt. Aocang while having a midlife crisis (could Ganyu even be considered middle-aged?), no one at the Pavillion wanted to be blamed for possibly causing Ganyu to resign or retreat into seclusion again.
Everyone had learned very quickly, Ganyu included (albeit a little later than the others since she was away, but she’d received the message loud and clear as Ningguang’s three secretaries had loudly bemoaned her absence the moment she returned), that she was the sole backbone holding up the entire government of Liyue. Ever since that debacle, the Qixing were working on not relying on their general secretary as much. After all, if even Rex Lapis was not a constant in the ever-changing world of Teyvat, they should prepare for any possible changes that could affect the order they’ve always known.
Hauntingly familiar words, and indeed it was Keqing who personally overlooked the transition of Ganyu’s responsibilities.
Truthfully, Ganyu was a little bitter initially, but she couldn’t find it in herself to argue against it. After all, the bitch kind of had a point unfortunately. So while Ganyu had less work and more free time than before Rex Lapis’s supposed passing, she didn’t know what to do with it. Ultimately, she just started helping out with odd jobs around the office in her spare time, and it just so happened that the most ambitious Yuheng in the history of Liyue (and Ganyu would know) always had work that needed to be done.
So, less general work but more with Keqing. A few years ago, this situation would have sounded like a nightmare, but now that she found Keqing absolutely dreamy…
A hand waved itself in front of her face, and the secretary suddenly found herself staring at the Yuheng’s face. Oh no, she didn’t look too pleased with Ganyu.
“Are you feeling okay, Ganyu?” Keqing’s pretty features were marred by concern. “You’ve just been standing there unresponsive for a bit.”
Ganyu shook her head to try to completely clear her mind from the internal monologue she was having over her unreasonably sexy and bitchy boss (although she was considerably less bitchy to Ganyu since they’d first met). Now that it was interrupted, she forgot what she even came here for.
Keqing clicked her tongue. “I told you to stop overworking yourself. Come on, you’re really overdue for your afternoon nap.”
Oh right, that’s what she was here for. Keqing had somewhat recently purchased a small bed for her own office specifically for Ganyu to sleep on. An actual bed just in the corner of the room, because a couch didn’t provide the same support a bed would offer, and Ganyu’s own private office had far too many things in it to fit a bed inside.
Ganyu barely registered the fact that Keqing had taken her hand and walked her over to it, only realizing what had happened after she was already snuggly tucked in when Keqing finally let go and brushed blue bangs out of her face.
“Sleep well,” Keqing whispered, and Ganyu swore she felt a kiss pressed to her forehead before she returned to dreaming of Keqing, this time in a more literal sense.
Sweet dreams, my sweet rain.
Usually, when Ganyu woke up in the Yuheng’s office, she would feel completely revitalized and at peace. As a young and feminine aristocrat, Keqing was very fond of perfumes, and while Ganyu usually couldn’t care less for such artificial aromas, she’d grown to enjoy and find comfort in the one Keqing used. Maybe it was because of the Qingxin extract it contained, or maybe it was because she’d grown to associate the scent with the person who wore it.
This time, however, she could smell something else in the room. Another perfume intermingling with Keqing’s, one made from materials not native to Liyue, which wasn’t super uncommon to smell in the Yuheng’s office whenever she had to meet with foreign diplomats. Judging by the strength of it and the voices that became clearer as she came to her senses again, they were still here discussing things.
Ganyu slowly sat up and stretched, noticing how the chatter had died as two pairs of eyes turned to look at her. Her eyes immediately locked onto Keqing’s, who looked at her with a neutral expression but with a fond sentiment in her eyes.
Then Ganyu turned her attention to the stranger in the room, who offered her a sheepish smile. And as hopelessly attracted to Keqing as she was, Ganyu’s eyes also looked a little lower than she probably should have, and then a lot lower than she definitely should have. In her defense, the woman was wearing an incredibly revealing and interesting outfit. If she had noticed Ganyu staring, she didn’t show any sign of it.
“Sorry, cutie. Did we wake you up? We were trying our best to be quiet.”
Ganyu was still in the middle of waking up, so she didn’t catch the way Keqing twitched in her seat, nor did she register what she was just called. In fact, she couldn’t do much but stare blankly as she waited for her mind to catch up to her body.
“I told you, Lisa, she’s a heavy sleeper. We didn’t wake her, trust me,” Keqing answered on her behalf, and Ganyu’s gaze turned back to look at the Yuheng.
And look she did. Keqing had very cute lips, and her airy voice could be very soothing to listen to when it wasn’t hardened by the need for authority. It’s a shame Ganyu always took such a long time to become alert again if there wasn’t any imminent threat. Right now, the words coming out of that pretty little mouth were going in one ear and out the other.
…
Ganyu squinted, just slightly.
Was Keqing’s smile always that strained?
Lisa giggled knowingly. “Well, I think I’ll be taking my leave then. I’ll make sure these files are on my beloved’s desk as soon as I get back to Mondstadt, although I might force her to take a nap before I let her review them. In fact, I might steal your idea and get her a bed for her office too. It’s nice to see you’re so thoughtful when it comes to your own wife.”
“We’re not married yet,” Keqing replied nonchalantly. “As much as I’d like those signed as soon as possible, maintaining a proper work–life balance is more important. Do send the Acting Grandmaster my regards.”
“Of course. Take care, sweethearts.” Lisa daintily waved her fingers at Ganyu, then blew a kiss at Keqing before leaving the room.
Ganyu blinked. Hard. Oh, now she was definitely awake.
She watched as Keqing waved with a smile on her face before turning her attention back to Ganyu.
“Did you sleep well?”
Ganyu sniffed sharply and grimaced. Ugh, the perfume that woman wore was so damn strong. While humans wouldn’t be able to smell it anymore after a few minutes, it’d probably take a few hours before it completely faded away for Ganyu, and that couldn’t come fast enough.
Ganyu frowned as she replayed the brief interaction in her mind. It almost was like she had come in here intending to seduce the Yuheng. She even blew a kiss at Keqing. The audacity. That was supposed to be Ganyu’s job (not really, but she had made it her own personal and private mission).
The secretary had thought she was successful so far, but maybe she was wrong. Everyone in Liyue already believed Keqing and her were dating since neither of them denied the rumors (a selfish decision on Ganyu’s part, even though she knew she should probably tell them the truth), so she never thought she’d have any rivals when it came to Keqing. But that woman wasn’t from Liyue, so how would she know about that (false) rumor? (She didn’t need to know it was wrong though.)
“Ganyu, are you feeling sick?” The mattress sank a little from the pressure of Keqing’s weight as she sat beside the secretary, and Ganyu had never wanted to be an inanimate object so badly before (or ever) in her entire life.
“Who was that?” The question escaped her before she could even process what it was she said, and Keqing was left gaping in shock at the unexpected forthrightness.
There’s an unpleasant feeling in the center of her chest that only grew more intense as Ganyu watched Keqing struggle to come up with something to say in response.
“That’s Lisa,” Keqing started slowly, sounding both suspicious and nervous. “Officially, she’s just the Librarian for the Knights of Favonius, but she came here on behalf of her wife since she’s too busy as the Acting Grandmaster to come to Liyue in person right now.”
Ganyu visibly relaxed when Keqing mentioned Lisa being married, a fact that did not go unnoticed by the Yuheng.
“Oh.” There’s an awkward pause as Ganyu cleared her throat loudly. “I… I see.”
Keqing studied her, and Ganyu felt a little more than just self-conscious under such a scrutinizing and intense gaze. Then magenta eyes lit up in understanding, like a light bulb was suddenly turned on inside her purple-haired head. Keqing almost seemed… amused. Her lips were tightly pressed together, like she was holding back a laugh.
“Wait, are you jealous?”
No, Ganyu thought bitterly. She was not jealous. That would imply she thought someone else would take Keqing away from her. But that wasn’t the case, was it? As close as the two of them were, Keqing didn’t belong to her, nor were they even together like that. She’s positively envious, and it’s because Ganyu wished it was only her that Keqing would pay attention to instead.
So Ganyu shook her head because that wasn’t the right term to describe how she felt. “No, it’s not that.” If only it was…
“Sometimes,” Ganyu continued quietly, “I must remind myself that I must share you with the rest of the world—that it wouldn’t be fair to everyone else if I kept you all to myself.”
Keqing’s expression softened at the admission. “Well,” she said with a small smile, “The rest of the world isn’t my girlfriend, so you’ve got that going for you at least. No reason for you to be jealous of anyone else when you’re the only one who catches my eye, but don’t think I didn’t see you checking Lisa out,” Keqing teased. “Honestly, I was also feeling a little jealous.”
“Yeah, you’re right. I’m sorry,” Ganyu sighed forlornly, then froze.
Wait a minute.
“It’s fine. Truthfully, I looked too, so I guess we’re both hypocrites. It was kind of hard not to stare, but you’re much more my type. Even if we’re taking things slow, our relationship is just as valid and meaningful as any other.”
Keqing pressed a kiss to a stiff Ganyu’s cheek, then smiled at her girlfriend (???) with a faint blush dusting her own.
“Well, I should really get back to work. I hope you’re feeling better now, but if you’re not, feel free to take the rest of the day off. Love you.”
And Keqing got up to do just that, and Ganyu decided that yes, maybe she should take the rest of the day off.
Apparently, they really were dating all this time, and the only one who didn’t know (somehow) was Ganyu. Her, and—
Ganyu paled, and she certainly must have appeared to be extremely ill from that alone.
Cloud Retainer must never learn about what happened. She would undoubtedly discover that Ganyu was dating Keqing eventually, assuming she didn’t already know about it too (oh dear, did she know?), but she must never know about how Ganyu herself didn’t even know. In fact, no one had to know about her obliviousness because Ganyu would quite literally never be able to live this down. Not Cloud Retainer, and especially not Keqing. Not even Rex Lapis himself or the wrath of the rock could pry the shameful truth out of the secretary.
While she couldn’t truly hide the story of the giant monster from everyone, this was one secret Ganyu was determined to take with her to the grave.
Now… how would she figure out when their anniversary was without giving herself away?