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Ganyu was always a very diligent, hardworking secretary, unwilling to succumb to weaknesses that any mortal had to deal with. Her qilin blood was definitely part the cause, but that didn’t mean she wasn’t dedicated even without that. She was very reliable and focused on her tasks.
But lately there was something… unusual happening with the General Secretary, at least that’s what Keqing has noticed. She seemed to linger for a bit longer in the Yuheng’s office. Or in the hallways, whenever Keqing passed her by, it was like she slowed down for just a moment to throw a subtle look her way. Only to quickly shake herself out of it and continue whatever journey she was making in the name of paperwork. But while on one occasion Ganyu would linger, in other she’d bolt out of Keqing’s office at the speed of light, before Keqing could even ask her what’s going on.
But it wasn’t like she was distracted, the quality of her work did not drop. So there was no problem really, but Keqing couldn’t understand where this strange atmosphere that started forming during their interactions came from. And what to do with it.
Keqing squinted at the soft blush dusting Ganyu’s cheeks when she caught her looking her way. Again.
Perhaps Ganyu was embarrassed about something, and it was very likely that it’s Keqing’s fault without even realizing it. She ponders on her recent interactions with Ganyu trying to locate the source of a problem, but nothing in particular comes to mind.
The strangely mundane questions about what Keqing liked or disliked, rather unrelated to work…
The furtive glances sent her way, only for Ganyu to hastily turn her head away once she realized Keqing was staring back…
Her behavior was strange and questionable. Keqing just couldn’t figure out what was the cause of it, even when thinking through a multitude of possibilities. She felt as if her brain might trip over itself if she ponders on it any harder.
It was easy to see through people in a workplace, the official setting giving Keqing an advantage. But she struggled with fully understanding the nuance of a more friendly and casual social interaction, because people seemed to not be as straightforward as her. There was always some annoyingly invisible rules she was apparently unaware of. And Ganyu was the toughest mystery out of them all. An elusive half-qilin, with her polite smiles but a gaze seemingly deeper than the ocean and hiding more varied tones and hues than the most beautiful sunset.
Keqing was a busy woman. She had no time to fret too long over such matters when the work piled upon her desk in endless streams and stacks, and the myriad of meetings and supervisions she was to attend. But Ganyu’s mysterious behavior was gnawing at her patience.
When an issue arises, Keqing’s first instinct is to tackle it on as soon as possible. There is no point in leaving it for later, especially if it’s something that could possibly hinder on her work.
There was just something going on, and it annoyed Keqing to be the one left in the dark. Until finally, Keqing found herself personally standing in Ganyu’s office, while Ganyu was looking through her shelves of documents, in search of that certain old report that Keqing requested. But that wasn’t the only thing she was interested in, so why not kill two birds with one stone?
“Ganyu,” Keqing starts and the secretary perks up, meeting her gaze in question.
“Yes?”
“Is there uh, is there some problem?” Keqing tries asking.
“Problem?” Ganyu echoes in question with a confused stare. “No, I’m sure this report is here, I’ll find it in just—"
“It’s not about that,” Keqing quickly cuts her off, a little impatient.
She squints. “Have I done something to make you uncomfortable around me? You’ve been acting a little… strange, lately”, she adds somewhat carefully.
“Oh! I apologize if I gave you such impression, it wasn’t my intention.” Ganyu waves her hands apologetically.
Then she sighs deeply, her shoulders deflating a bit.
“I guess… I’ve been struggling with approaching you,” she finally reveals.
Keqing furrows her brows. “Why?” Surely she didn’t do anything improper recently, has she? But it wouldn’t be the first time her straightforward approach in a conversation left the recipient less than pleased. So what is it then.
“Mm. I’ve prepared a gift… for you. It wasn’t a simple task to choose the right thing, but I hope it’s to your liking,” Ganyu says, skirting the question.
She stops searching and brings up something akin to a book, but the brown, sturdy cover didn’t depict any sort of colorful illustration like the novels sold at the market. Instead there were subtle shapes done in the material of the cover. And it had a belt, that secured the whole form of the book.
Ah. So it was probably meant to be some sort of a notebook.
Relieved that she didn’t commit any social guff that upset Ganyu after all, Keqing slowly takes the journal from Ganyu’s hands to inspect it closely. There was a subtle shape of Qingyun peak embossed on the cover. Keqing would recognize that landform anywhere. But there was also a few pretty Qingxin flowers at the bottom and even what appeared to be a sandbearer tree. It all gave off a feeling of something that was put a lot of thought and work into.
“It’s… handmade by you?” Keqing asks curiously. She didn’t exactly expect this from Ganyu, but she has a pretty keen eye for those things.
Ganyu nods. “Mm, yes.”
“What is the occasion? I don’t recall doing anything grand that’d call for a gift of gratitude either,” Keqing asks, taking a look at Ganyu. The journal remains her gloved hands, firmly but gingerly held in place.
Ganyu smiles lightly, making an expression that looks like she’d disagree with such statement, but she doesn’t elaborate.
She shakes her head instead and says, “I've heard my colleagues say that among humans, birthdays are very special and are important occasions to be celebrated.”
Oh. Right.
Keqing blinks at her. “I must admit; I’ve forgotten it’s my birthday.”
“So you did,” Ganyu giggles gently. When her amusement settles down she adds, quieter, “but I, um… I remembered. And here we are.”
The fact that the general secretary would remember a specific date shouldn’t be surprising, yet it still does throw Keqing off guard. Because what was the reason for it, really? It’s no important Qixing meeting, no special business to attend to – no date of true importance in the matters that concerned the half qilin. At least as far as Keqing knew.
Truthfully, she doesn’t even recall ever telling Ganyu the date of her birthday.
Keqing’s curiosity in the gift won over however, so she opened the notebook. As someone who enjoyed shopping, judging the quality of a product with her own eye was something quite important. It was part of why she liked it so much, to be able to choose what she deemed the best from countless varieties.
She flicked through the blank, light beige pages ready to be filled with her own thoughts that are yet to be voiced. The whole notebook seemed simple enough.
But there was something else to it.
To know that it was created by Ganyu’s hands was something that added a whole new layer of worth to what Keqing was holding now.
Unable to decipher the motivations of Ganyu in spending time and resources to create this, specifically for her, Keqing finally reached the end of the notebook.
Something in particular caught her interest there. A few loose pieces of paper were tucked in between the last pages and the cover, with what seemed to be portraying flowers, in various stages of their bud opening. In quick judgement Keqing recognized glaze lilies that grow on the terrace. The lines seemed light and flowy, perfectly fitting for the delicate flora they were supposed to shape.
She could recall seeing Ganyu kneeling next to them on the patch of grass, late at night when she was sure to be one of the last people to leave the pavilion. Ganyu’s melodic humming was quiet on the chilly air of a starry night, with the moon illuminating her soft blue hair. She always seemed at peace like this, although a little sad sometimes. Melancholic maybe.
“Ah,” Ganyu fidgeted with her blue ends of a sleeve. “I apologize, it must have slipped in by accident.”
“So they’re not part of the gift?” Keqing asks, glancing at her with sharp eyes. The subtle smile pulling at the corners of her lips indicated mirthful intentions behind the question.
“Not exactly,” Ganyu admits, lightly scratching at her cheek. It seemed a bit flushed and warm under her fingertips, Keqing notices.
Keqing looks back to the drawings in her hands, admiring the skill it must have taken to bring such beautiful pieces to life. Despite the sketchy nature that lacked color, she’d see no problem in proudly displaying them in her house, perhaps pinned to the wall. Or at least storing them somewhere in a place she could easily reach, always ready to be admired by her eye.
“A shame really.”
“Mm… if you like them so much then you may keep them,” Ganyu responds with a hint of amusement.
“Really? I only joked, I wouldn’t want you to give more than you’d like,” Keqing brings her eyes back up to meet Ganyu. “The notebook is already enough.”
Ganyu giggles, way more relaxed than when this whole conversation started. “Consider it an extra.”
If it's put that way... Keqing won’t argue with that.
“Thank you again. I’ll make sure to put it to good use,” Keqing promises truthfully. “And those are lovely pieces of art,” she adds with a smile. It seemed like not only she received a neat gift, but also learned something new about Ganyu today.
“Please,” Ganyu dips her head, cheeks flushed. ”You flatter me.”
Keqing clicks her tongue. “You know I don’t flatter people.”
“I know.”
Their eyes meet again and it feels as if the time came to a stop, the air in the room still and warm from the sunlight making it's way through a window. Just Ganyu standing there, looking at her, and Keqing looking back with the precious gift tucked in her hands. The silence was strangely comfortable.
Then Keqing clears her throat.
“Um, can I get my report now?” she asks.
Ganyu opens her mouth, then closes it. “Of course. How could I forget…” she immediately turns on her heel, returning to her wooden shelf full of stacks of papers.
“Here.” When Ganyu hands in the paper she regards Keqing with a strange look, something between amusement and exasperation.
Keqing feels her cheeks warming up. She realizes that maybe her phrasing sounded a bit too harsh.
She awkwardly clears her throat again, and explains, “I didn’t mean—I just wanted the report too. I need it.”
Ganyu chuckles softly. “I know that as well. It’s just how you are.”
With those cryptic words and a bright smile she sends Keqing off, who walks back to her office a little dazed, with a whole new haul of papers. Way more than what she came there for.
And with a nice, comforting warmth settled in her chest.