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disastermages · 4 months

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[read it on ao3]

“Do you remember how we first met?” Ningguang is careful about the way she asks the question, her hands balled into fists against Beidou’s bare chest, her head pillowed against her shoulder. Beidou’s fingers graze up and down her back, it’s the only way Ningguang knows she isn’t sleeping.

Those fingers draw to a stop in the middle of her spine, Beidou’s thumb digging in without the force it would take to actually hurt.

“You threw a rock at my head.” Beidou answers simply, “Is that what you’re thinking about with such a serious look on your face?” They’d been children then, not that either of them got much of a chance to be children. Beidou had been hellbent on her own survival and Ningguang had walked all over Liyue, from the harbor to wharf, selling her wares just so her family might have a little extra money. Ningguang hadn’t thought about why she decided to throw a rock at Beidou back then, she just felt compelled to do it. Something that Ningguang hadn’t had a word for back then had masked itself and paraded around as childhood cruelty.

“I threw a rock at you because I thought you were pretty and I wanted you to look at me.” The truth doesn’t come out easily, her eyes focusing hard on the expanse of skin between where she lays and Beidou’s shoulder. She can still faintly pick out where she’d sunk her teeth into Beidou earlier, a punishment for straying so far for so long. She doesn’t expect Beidou to snort and laugh, but she isn’t surprised either. The only reason she still sits up on her elbows is because she knows Beidou expects her to.

Ningguang lets Beidou follow after her, the blankets falling away from the both of them as Beidou sits up and holds Ningguang against her chest, one arm draped over her back while the other hand brushes hair from Ningguang’s face. Ningguang can’t stop herself, she’s already reaching for Beidou with both hands outstretched. “I thought you were dirty and loud and I didn’t want you to look at anyone but me.” Beidou’s cheeks are warm in Ningguang’s hands, her thumbs tracing over her lips.

She’s always been possessive and selfish, but both of those things took new levels when it came to Beidou. The rest of the world could look, Ningguang wouldn’t care just so long as Beidou never looked at anyone else. Men and other women alike, none of them were allowed to have the kind of warmth Beidou looks at her with, it was Ningguang’s to keep like a hidden treasure.

Beidou’s fingers splay wide against her back, tangling in Ningguang’s hair and tugging at the ends as she’s pulled in, their lips crushing together. It lacks the desperation and the heat from before, but Ningguang still moans into it. She can still taste herself on Beidou’s tongue. She’d ridden Beidou’s face for what seemed like forever as a punishment for sailing so far away from her reach. Beidou had proven her apology by digging her fingers into Ningguang’s thighs, holding her in place long after Ningguang had granted her forgiveness. Beidou had left Ningguang aching and bruised. Beidou took Ningguang into her hands and made her tender in ways no one else could. Ningguang knows she should hate her for it, for knowing her so well and so completely, but it only makes her want to keep Beidou closer. It only makes her more selfish.

Ningguang sinks her teeth into Beidou’s bottom lip to prove it, shifting herself over until she straddles Beidou’s thigh. “NingNing’er,” Beidou teases, a drop of blood clinging to her lips before Ningguang leans in to lick it away, “you’re acting like I’ve ever so much as glanced at anyone else.” Ningguang hates that nickname, she hates that Beidou uses it so fearlessly, she hates that Beidou is already dragging her back and forth over her thigh before she can object. “I’m only interested in treasures, after all. You said so yourself, didn’t you?”

“Liar.” Ningguang sighs and wraps her arms around Beidou’s neck, pressing herself closer. She grinds herself harder against Beidou’s thigh as a punishment, wrenching the control away from her all too quickly and biting her own lip. “You brought back that girl from Inazuma and acted like you were over the moon for her.” They hadn’t been children back then, but they still hadn’t been old enough to know better just yet. They’d still been young enough to play games of the heart with each other. Ningguang can’t claim full innocence either, she’d played with Beidou more than enough all on her own.

Two of Beidou’s fingers drag slow, heavy circles over Ningguang’s clit as a grin blossoms on her face, “I forgot about that. You looked like you wanted to claw her eyes out.” The memory of Beidou pulling that stunt felt as if it were a lifetime ago now, it was before Beidou was a captain, it was shortly after she’d started making her way, Ningguang hadn’t been the Tianquan then, either. A kiss, light and feathery, lands against Ningguang’s cheek as a moan slips past her lips.

“I was going to.” Ningguang says it without an ounce of guilt. That girl had known what she was doing, she’d even had the audacity to look smug while she hung over Beidou, her arms around her waist rather than around her neck the way Beidou preferred. She’d done everything wrong and Beidou had still brought her all the way back to Liyue. “What were you thinking?” There’s hostility in her voice as Ningguang catches Beidou’s wrist and drives her hand forward, needing to feel Beidou inside of her. Beidou’s thumb picks up the abandoned post her fingers left, the three appendages working in tandem to soothe Ningguang’s temper.

“You broke my heart, Ning. What else was I supposed to do?” The wound is old, long since scabbed and scarred over, but there’s still something tender and painful in Beidou’s eye when Ningguang pulls back to look at her, her hips going still and her arms tensing around Beidou’s neck. It gives Beidou the opportunity to snatch control away from her yet again and push her down onto her back. Ningguang spreads her legs and wraps her thighs as tightly around Beidou’s waist as she can manage. It’s a silent plea for Beidou to stay, to not get up and walk away from her, for Beidou to stay where Ningguang can reach over and feel her too warm body and lay her head on her chest.

Beidou’s fingers and thumb are still damp with Ningguang’s slick as Beidou wraps her hands around Ningguang’s wrists, pinning them to the bed while she looks down at Ningguang. The expression on Beidou’s face would be unreadable to anyone else, but to Ningguang the hurt and desire mix into something tumultuous, like crashing waves during a storm, like a hurricane about to deliver itself onto the shores of their hearts. “I lived for your letters. At every port we stopped at, I hoped that you’d written to me and that you’d sprayed the paper with your perfume so I wouldn’t have to try and remember what you smelled like when I held you in my arms.” Ningguang had convinced herself that she was the cruel one, but what other name is there for the way Beidou grinds them against each other? “I thought about you day and night, about how we were going to get married just as soon as we’d saved up enough mora.”

Ningguang can’t help the way her body jolts in response to Beidou’s weight against her, moans ripping out of her faster than she dares stop them. “Beidou,” Ningguang tries, but Beidou interrupts her with a snap of her hips and the tightening of her hands. Ningguang thought she knew what agony was, she thought it was waiting through storm after storm, hoping against hope that Beidou hadn’t been dragged to the bottom of the sea. She thought agony was repeatedly peeking through a door she’d slammed shut.

“I knew your mother hated me, that she thought I would ruin you. I just never expected you to agree with her. I never thought your next letter would say that you couldn’t marry me. I never thought you would send your engagement necklace back.” It hadn’t been easy, Ningguang hadn’t taken off the pendant since Beidou draped it around her neck. The noctilucous jade had been heavy, but it had been Ningguang’s prized possession once. She thought sending it back to Beidou would kill her, or if it didn’t, it would kill Beidou instead. The thought alone almost made her keep it.

Beidou’s throat catches, dragging out something between a moan and a sob as she hangs above Ningguang, her breasts starting to bounce as she picks up the pace of her grinding. “You wouldn’t even tell me why, you sent back all my letters without even opening them, Ningguang.” They never talked about it. It was an unspoken agreement, it was the kinder thing for both of them, at least Ningguang had thought so. “I couldn’t even get you to see me when I got back.” Beidou’s words get tighter and tighter the closer she drags the both of them to orgasm, her grip on Ningguang’s wrists loosening and then tightening again at intervals.

“What… What did you do with the pendant after… after I sent it back to you?” Ningguang asks, breathless but still desperate to know. She’d always wondered, but she’d never been able to ask. Not until now.

“I threw it into the ocean.” There’s an angry edge to Beidou’s voice, angry enough that Ningguang thinks it might be a lie, that the pendant might still be laying in the bottom of Beidou’s desk drawer aboard the Alchor, waiting for the day it would be returned to Ningguang’s hands. “I was too drunk to care.”

Wrestling her hands free, Ningguang drags Beidou down for a proper kiss, before the anger has a chance to sink in fully. Beidou would stay away out of spite if it did. Ningguang couldn’t bear that. She barely survived it all those years ago.

Her kiss is Beidou’s undoing, it often is, but Ningguang clings to Beidou through it, refusing to let her pull away again. Her nails dig into Beidou’s back and her scalp as Ningguang comes hard again, she’d already lost track of how many times Beidou had brought her to orgasm, though her mind still goes thick and sluggish as if it were the first time.

For a long moment, Ningguang wonders if Beidou has gone sullen, her eye angry and her mouth refusing to open, but then she feels it. Something hot and wet burns against her shoulder and Ningguang tightens her arms where they lay instinctively.

She would marry Beidou now. She would wear the green and gold wedding robes and the heavy crown atop her head. Ningguang would buy Beidou three more ships as a wedding present because she could. But the Beidou who would hold Ningguang’s hands in her own and ask her in a soft voice, both of her eyes shining, if she would marry her is gone. That guileless Beidou lays at the bottom of the ocean with the pendant she’d worked day and night for three months to buy.

Ningguang had drowned her and then she’d fallen in love with Beidou all over again. She’d accepted and loved this new Beidou who’d never let their knees brush while she asked for her hand. Before she can stop them, tears spill out of her own eyes and drip onto the top of Beidou’s head, her breathing turning loud and rough.

“Ning?” Beidou calls, her voice wobbly, but strong as she fights past Ningguang’s arms. “Oh fuck, Ningguang, I’m…” Beidou starts, but trails off, her hands reaching for Ningguang before stopping and restarting again. They didn’t do this with each other, it was how Ningguang liked it. Beidou’s hands, callused and wonderful, find Ningguang’s cheeks and wipe away the tears.

If she had any sense left, Ningguang would push Beidou away and kick her out for the night, but she can’t, she might die if she had to watch Beidou’s back get smaller and smaller as she walked away from her again. Instead, against her better judgment, Ningguang leans into Beidou’s hands and breathes hard to try and pull herself together, her eyes squeezed shut.

“That girl from Inazuma,” Ningguang starts, her chest still heaving, “it wasn’t because you…loved her, was it?” They aren’t young anymore, Ningguang won’t beat around the bush. She forces herself to say the word. “You only carried on with her because you wanted to bother me, didn’t you?” No matter how old she is, the memory still makes Ningguang feel juvenile enough to froth with jealousy.

Beidou could have done more with that girl from Inazuma, she could’ve played the game longer. She could have let that girl lean in closer and kiss her neck like Ningguang did, she could have sat her in her lap at Wanmin Restaurant like she used to talk Ningguang into doing and she could have held her tight around the middle, but she hadn’t. The second Ningguang had stormed over, cold indifference in her eyes towards the girl, Beidou had let herself be dragged off and pushed against the wall of some alley. Ningguang had intended to argue and raise her voice, she thought she was shaking with anger, but she’d collapsed against Beidou’s chest and realized too late that she’d been shaking with envy and heartbreak all at once.

“I don’t even remember her name, Ning.” Beidou answers and Ningguang can’t find a single lie in the depths of her eye. It shouldn’t soothe her as much as it does, but a knot works itself loose from between Ningguang’s shoulders. “She wasn’t you, that’s all that mattered to me back then, and it’s all that matters to me right now.”

The girl’s name had been Haruka, and she’d thrown a fit when she caught the two of them kissing as though they were the only two sources of air for each other in all of Teyvat. Ningguang doesn’t feel an ounce of guilt for keeping tabs on her even after she’d gone back to Inazuma.

“How fickle the great Captain Beidou is.” Ningguang says, her thumb tracing over Beidou’s bottom lip as it swells. She’d been cruel, but she knows Beidou can handle it, she knows how much Beidou looks forward to it.

Never again would Ningguang deprive her of it.

#beiguang #beidou/ningguang #beidou #ningguang #genshin impact #genshin impact fanfic #genshin fic #angst #smut #hurt/comfort #classic lesbian cruelty #the smut is really there as a side salad for the rest of the meal #the rest of the meal is angst #elyse put the classic lesbian cruelty in my head and now i cant get over it #bc it describes it perfectly

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boba-butt · 1 month

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#fanfic #fanfiction #fic #wlw #video games #genshin impact #genshin #beiguang #beidou x ningguang #ningguang x beidou #beidou #ningguang #angst #liyue #Inazuma

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yuniemaki · 1 year

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Read on ao3 Art: @vappon-art Series: Genshin Impact Words: 5k Rating: T Pairing: Beidou x Ningguang hanahaki disease

Summary:

Beidou smiles, rubbing the crease between her white brows. “You’re awfully pensive today. Gonna miss me?”

Yes, she thinks. She will miss Beidou with all her heart and all her soul; she will feel like a moon without the stars, like a sea without a shore.

“No,” she says.

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illumeew · 5 months

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north star | beiguang

Summary: More’s the pity that phoenixes are few. Captain Beu has witnessed enough battles to know what it feels like to win some, and to lose some. But as she watched her North Star fall, the fragileness in her was inescapable, and so did the light in her eyes, fighting to stay alive.

Tags: slight angst, open ending/no fixed ending, cliffhanger, very descriptive words used/in paragraphs

A/N: hey! this one's a short one; a drabble, and the names and terms used here are counterparts of the actual ones from the game itself, so i will be providing a vocab list at the end! (its bc i submitted this for my literature class and had to use other names!) although not knowing the new terms won't affect your reading ;3, enjoy!

The sounds of the boat paddled to the rhythm of the wind’s howls, and under the abyssal sky did the pale crescent moon glow amongst a blanket of stars that stretched to infinity. The night has yet to cease, though fragments upon fragments of the day began to twinkle in the far east. The sea bore not a single one of the orthopteran crickets, but in a way, that was all that filled Captain Beu’s ears.

The wind nipped at her bare arms and shoulders, skin paling at the icy bites, followed by another zephyr howl from the sky. Since the sun dawned through her window, the captain felt a sense of unfamiliarity with the world once her heel met the wooden boards of the Falcor ship, a loud ‘krrriiiinnggg!’ echoing in the confines of her body, as she took in a whiff of the enigmatic air.

One word from her men saying they were nearing Ilyue’s borders had Beu rushing to the wheel, yelling at those in charge of the pit to crank the speed. The anomaly within her was something she couldn’t ignore any longer; not with both that and Ning circling her mind.

The ship’s passed the vicinity of Guangyao Shoal, and Beu’s sudden spike of nervousness wouldn’t go away any the less. The unexpected change of behavior in the captain shook the Falcor Fleet with an unexplainable fear.

Beu’s hands, dextrous and skilled yet brutish and battered, held onto the wheel like sap. Her ruby eyes were trained forward, sharp and serrated—like the tip of her greatsword—and they glowed like blood red sapphire.

Roughly, she swerved right.

` The ship’s passed the vicinity of southwest Guizho. The fore of the Falcor raised slightly above the waves, its speed gradually increasing by the minute, all the while Beu’s trepidation has yet to go away. Above them was a blank sheet of dread with an air of despair, yet a scent of resolve was present, wavering and faltering, faint but beating.

She looked down at the wooden floorboards of the deck where she stood and maneuvered the boat, breathing senselessly; harshly; carelessly. She was unmoving, her feet nailed to the ground, head hung low unknowingly of defeat or regret.

Despite the ill-lit sky, she felt as if the night got darker.

She looked up from the ground, her head rising up just in time for her men to warn her about the rising waves pulling them from the front. She yelled for the sails to be pulled as she continuously spun the wheel to avoid conflicting with the raging tides.

Barely but successfully, amidst the wallowing sea, an array of joyful cries were heard. Though what anomaly was behind the relentless attacks couldn’t have been the rainbow after the storm. She thought, ‘Ning’s safe. I know she is.

‘This isn’t happening right now. I must be dreaming.

'…

'Yeah. I’m dreaming.’

But she felt her heart race and hands tremble—something she knew should’ve happened earlier. If not for the overwhelming feeling, she would have noticed her palms sweat and her breathing erratically shaking, and the topaz gem on her ring fading slowly. She would have noticed.

“Dàjiě.”

“Not now, Zua—”

“Ning… Ning’s up there, and she’s about to do something she’ll regret.”

A/N: hey! you may be a little confused with the terms used in this drabble, so here's a vocab list!

beu – beidou ning – ningguang zua – kazuha chamber amethyst – jade chamber guangyao shoal – yaoguang shoal guizho – guili plains falcor – the alcor flagship falcor fleet – the crux

also i just realized that the kazuha character was already in this scene even though this scene was inspired by (and takes place during) turning point in chapter i: act iii - a new star approaches, but oh well..

hehe, thank you sm for reading!

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writingintohell · 9 months

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It was like a dream. The nation had been saved from Osial, a primordial being that dwelled deep, deep in the ocean’s grasp. Ningguang heaved for breath, golden eyes blown wide with the shock of seeing such a great force of Geo emerge from her hand. The feeling of Rex Lapis’s strength surge through her had blown Ningguang away, making her feel like she had been riding on the high of power, but now that the monster was gone, that rush of adrenaline was leaving her. Combined with the power of the Adepti, the beast had been heaved back into the murky depths, where it would remain until the dirt cracked and crumbled and split into two until there was no more dirt to split.

The Anemo Yaksha as well as other Adepti such as Cloud Retainer and Moon Carver had already returned to their domains and abodes, but others such as Madame Ping, Ganyu, and Yanfei had returned to the harbour to help to do damage control and aid civilians in the face of their panic. Yanfei had laid a gentle hand on Ningguang’s shoulder (even though she may have had to go up onto her tiptoes to do so) in an attempt to comfort her, but both Ningguang and Yanfei knew that this was not going to be a situation that could be resolved through ensuing taxes were collected on time and chatting with clients at the market.

Sure, Liyue had been saved (although many people had been knocked back by the great tidal wave the beast collapsing produced), but at a great personal cost to Ningguang. Her home, her office, the place that she lived and breathed in like it was a second skin was sinking slowly like a pebble into the abyssal depths of the deep. Her people, her workers were all safe, but the memories, the nights spent laughing and drinking with Beidou, were all submerged, only left in her mind. A pain wrenched its nails into her chest, and it was only when a pair of calloused hands reached up and wiped away the tears that traced their way down her face that Ningguang realised that she had been crying.

The fearsome captain of the Crux, one of the most well known ships, who’s crew had carried those far and wide, looked at Ningguang with sympathy in her eyes. The electro vision on her hip pulsed softly, its power seeping through into Beidou, her claymore cracking with residual energy of an attack she had launched against some rouge hilichurls. The silence between the two of them was not uncomfortable or awkward, but more like a soothing hug at the end of the day, the gentle caress of lips on a forehead, the calmness of hearing the other’s breath, and the knowledge that both of you were alive, and together. The Captain trailed one hand down Ningguang’s arm, pulling her in close to her chest, the smell of sandalwood and salty water seeping into Ningguang nose.

The fur of Beidou’s coat didn’t help either, tickling Ningguang’s face, and she stepped back, sneezing into her elbow. Her outfit was ruined anyway, debris and mud splattered all over. Snot was not going to do much to make her look unsightly. The crack of thunder that split the sky made them both look up, and the gentle sound of the rain coming down brought a sigh to Ningguang’s chest. Instead of ushering them both inside however, Beidou picked up Ningguang’s hands and began to slowly dance around with her, the brunette’s head resting in the crook of Ningguang’s neck, the pirate Captain’s leather boots thumping hard against the grassy plain compared to Ningguang flats softly squishing into the sodden ground. As Beidou spun them both around with a dramatic flourish that could have only been learned through many, many dances, Ningguang had to laugh, regardless of the tears and rain staining her cheeks.

Leaning up, Ningguang whispered in her partner’s ear.

“I didn’t know you knew how to dance, Captain.”

Looking down at the gorgeous woman in front of her, Beidou smirked, a hand coming up to caress Ningguang’s cheek.

“When you’re out on the sea and the crew has drunk far more than they should have, dancing does ensue.”

“I thought your crew was proper and prim, Beidou,” Ningguang said teasingly.

Beidou threw back her head and laughed before sputtering and shaking her head, trying to get the rain water out of her nose and her mouth, causing Ningguang to crack up laughing. Two people, hopelessly in love, dancing and laughing in the rain like their worlds hadn’t come crashing down around them like a phoenix turning to ash. Nestling her head in Beidou’s chest, Ningguang, reached out and wrapped an arm around her dance partner’s waist before clutching her right hand to Beidou’s left as they two of them swayed and dipped and twirled together in the rain, the rising light of the sun embalming them both in a heavenly ray of gold and brown, fitting for the land of the earth god. The sunrise brought out flecks of brown and white in Ningguang’s eyes, making them look like a deposit of ore, fitting for the leader of the Liyue Qixing. Beidou’s eyes, on the other hand, seemed to have flecks of magenta and blue pulsing in them, looking just like the tormenting sea below them.

The rain began to move on, slowly fading away, until eventually the two of them were left standing amongst puddles and debris, with ruined clothes, shoes, and hair. Despite all that, the world seemed to be setting itself into rights again. The warmth of the risen sun shone down upon the two of them, the heat grounding them both in the present. Smiling softly, Beidou extended an arm, inviting Ningguang to loop her arm through. Nodding slightly, she wrapped her arm through Beidou’s arm as the two of them began to walk towards the town. The day had been a nightmare, but now all of Ningguang’s dreams were starting to come true. Ningguang leaned her head into Beidou’s arm, tugging on it slightly, causing the Captain to look down. Beidou cocked her head, puzzled as to what Ningguang wanted.

“So, Captain, tell me more about these shenanigans on the Crux.”

A smile played on Beidou’s lips. “Well, there was the time that a certain samurai got absolutely wasted to Celestia and beyond, and started rather passionately kissing a red-haired detective from the Tenryou commission. I found them the next day wrapped in each other's arms amongst the barrels of beer and wine. Shikanoin, Kazuha said his name was. Tricky bastard, that red head, able to get information outta you without you even noticing.”

Turning her head slightly, she smirked at Ningguang.

“Much like a certain leader of the Liyue Qixing.”

Ningguang laughed, shaking her head. “Yelan is much better at finding out information about people than I ever could be, and a lot better at getting it out of people as well.”

Beidou leaned in and murmured intoNingguang’s ear, “I’m not sure, a certain Geo user might be very good at getting things.” The blush spread across Ningguang’s cheeks made Beidou laugh, but there was a certain element of pity in her eyes that they both noticed but neither commented on, for fear of ruining the moment and turning the other against herself.

The clack of their shoes against the pavement of Liyue Harbour sharped Ningguang’s vision, seeing Hu Tao and Zhongli talking. Well, Zhongli was talking, Hu Tao was waving her arms around wildly and dancing in circles, clearly thrilled about something. Ningguang hoped it wasn’t the potential deaths caused by Osial and the fall of the Jade Chamber. That would be a step over the line, even for someone like Hu Tao, who handed out flyers for funerals to elderly people as they strolled around the town looking for goods. Chef Mao had frequently made complaints about the flyers depicting a coffin and a price tag being stuck up outside of his shop driving customers away.

Shaking the pesky work-related thoughts out of her head, Ningguang and Beidou continued to walk together. Seeing Xingqiu, Chongyun, and a certain hero of Liyue along with Xiangling help to hand out bowls of the pyro user’s ever famous Black-Back Perch stew to those who had been at the forefront of the blast of the death of Osial. Xingqiu and Chongyun seemed to be awfully close, Ningguang noted. The son of the Guild Manager of the Feiyun Commerce Guild and the heir to a clan of well-renowned exorcists seemed to send each other glances between handing out bowls of stew. A new romance seemed to be blossoming in the Harbour, Ningguang mused.

Beidou shook Ningguang’s arm, startling her out of her thoughts, and she blinked back into focus, with a frazzled looking Keqing , Ganyu trying frantically to calm her down (to little avail), and Yanfei being generally chaotic coming into view. Keqing hurried forward, her concern for Ningguang’s health prevalent in her eyes and demeanour. The two Adepti behind her walked quickly towards Ningguang and Beidou, but with slightly less panic in their eyes over a fundamental pillar of their society being destroyed. The usual day at work. Beidou smiled gently at Ningguang.

“I guess this is where we say goodbye then, for now at least.”

Looking down at her shoes, Ningguang cleared her throat and nodded, attempting to keep her composure in front of her work associates. But before she could say a single word, Beidou leaned down and wrapped her arms around Ningguang, pulling her in for a kiss, lips locking together. The silence that enraptured the two of them was warm, and soothing. Breaking the kiss, Beidou pulled back and winked at Ningguang.

“I’ll see you around, Lady Ningguang.”

Turning around, the Pirate Captain began to walk away, heavy boots thudding into the group. The three members of the Liyue QiXing waited until Beidou was gone before Yanfei squealed, dancing around. “Lady Ningguang, you didn’t tell us you had a girlfriend!” The smooth voice of a familiar intelligence officer sounded from behind Ningguang. “Beidou’s her wife, actually,” Yelan smirked.

The wide eyed members of the QiXing gaped at Ningguang for a hot second, before they began to bombard her with questions. Waving her hand, Ningguang laughed.

“Let us go to Wangshu Inn. We can discuss what to do next, and discuss…other things as well.”

Ganyu opened her mouth to speak, but Yanfei piped up.

“Ms Ningguang, what about inviting Beidou along to dinner? Wouldn’t she like to come and eat as well?”

Ningguang’s heart warmed at Yanfei’s inquiry.

“Thank you Yanfei, but I think that Beidou will be beginning to set up her yearly competition to weed out new members to join the Crux. I wouldn’t want to disturb her, I know this is an important event for her.”

Ganyu smiled softly.

“You two do care for each other deeply, don’t you Ms Ningguang.”

Ningguang chuckled at Ganyu’s statement.

“We’ve been married for four years, Ganyu, I would hope that we do.”

This sparked laughter from all five of them, with Yanfei skipping along, bugging Keqing and Ganyu as she went as the three of them walked on ahead. Yelan moved to follow them but paused, turning to Ningguang with the invitation to walk with them in her eyes. Ningguang cocked her head, indicating for Yelan to go on, and Yelan agreed, turning and making some snarky comment to Keqing that caused her to giggle.

As Ningguang’s four associates began to walk on ahead of her, Ningguang allowed herself a small, private smile.

Everything was going to be ok, one way or another.

#beigguang #beidou #ningguang #genshin impact #genshin #ningguang x beidou #beiguang #genshin fluff #genshin angst

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69misato69 · 1 year

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Madder (Ningguang x Beidou) ✦ 2k, fluff and angst

archive of our own ✦ twitter

masterlist pinned on my profile !

true love conquers all, almost.

cw: blood, injury, death

mature themes, view at your own risk

Beidou adores everything about Ningguang, and it certainly isn’t breaking news to anyone in Liyue. It’s written on the way she looks at Ningguang, on how she blushes with her every touch even though they’ve been married for nearly a decade.

But what makes Beidou fall in love with Ningguang over and over again every single day is the aspects of her that she never reveals to anyone else.

A fit example is her fondness of animals. After the city settles into a quiet night, Ningguang always takes Beidou with her to the streets with a giant bag of cat food, gathering the tiny residents around them and feeding each and every one with utmost care.

She separates the kittens that aren't strong enough to fetch their own food from the crowd and feeds them with her own hand.

Beidou always watches in awe how the cats lick at her fingers, gratefully swallowing the food and grinding against her legs to be pet, it isn't only sustenance that they long for, after all.

They need love. Even when they are starving, they never pass on an opportunity to get headpats and belly rubs from Ningguang.

And during the day, none of them even look in her direction. This alliance is a secret, and the cats are as discreet as the Lady of the Jade Chamber.

Beidou sits with her on the pavement, surrounded by an army of secret fluffy comrades. Ningguang is no different from them with the way she leans on Beidou's shoulder under the moonlight as tails wrap around their arms and colorful fur tickles their noses.

They take their time naming every new member and welcoming them to the family.

Oftentimes visitors of the Jade Chamber, colleagues, business associates, anyone that has formal ties to the Qixing deem it appropriate to bring flowers as a gift.

Though Ningguang accepts them gracefully, she spends the evenings ranting at Beidou about how cruel it is to just rip them off from life itself.

“Don’t you think they look prettier where they belong?”

She finds nature mesmerizing, spending a considerable amount of her time gazing out the window or going hiking with Beidou to admire it close-up.

Whenever Beidou wants to make fancy plans for her birthday she always refuses, they end up going for a picnic almost year and plant sunsettia seeds in the woods together.

"Even after we're gone, our children will reap the fruits of these trees."

Ningguang lays on Beidou's lap as they feast on delicious dishes made by the talented Chef Mao and a fruit basket, courtesy of Keqing and Ganyu.

The skirt of her white dress gets stained with the grass and the soil as she pushes Beidou off the blanket as well.

"Does my lady wish to be rolled off the hill on her birthday?"

"Not if I roll you off first."

"Bring it on!"

They run around barefoot in the grass until the sun sets, getting soaked by the leaves dampened by the heat and humidity of the summer, until every item of clothing they have on turns viridescent and their legs give out.

When they return, Ningguang is usually sound asleep inside Beidou's arms, exhausted yet blissful. Beidou changes herself and her wife into comfortable clothes and slips into bed next to her.

"Happy birthday, my love." she whispers before they drift off to sleep together on every night of Ningguang's new year.

Beidou stops by the Jade Chamber whenever she has the chance, and Ningguang, the ever so busy Tianquan of the Qixing always makes time to sit down with her among the crushing amount of work that needs to be overseen.

After a rather formal greeting they enter a private chamber, and Ningguang hugs her so tightly every time that Beidou feels her ribs bend a bit.

"I missed you."

She wraps herself around Ningguang's waist as they stay in a loving embrace, communicating without sparing any words.

During the summer, whenever Ningguang gets a day off, they head for Luhua Pool and wind down at the beach. Ningguang is always the one to rush into the cooling waves first.

She kicks off her shoes and swiftly slides off the dress she wears over her bathing suit.

"Beidou!" she yells and waves from meters away, "Come on! The water's great!"

And how can Captain Beidou refuse such a sweet invite? She catches up to Ningguang as she floats on her back on the surface of the water, calm and serene.

But the second Beidou joins, Ningguang turns into an absolute rascal. They race to the nearest boat and back, returning to shallow waters in exhaustion as Ningguang splashes hand-made waves on her face.

"Hey!" Beidou retaliates, sending a bubbling froth towards Ningguang as they battle fiercely and burst into laughter every five seconds.

Beidou fights fair and square, but Ningguang loves to play dirty. She often tricks Beidou into thinking the water stings her eyes, taking advantage of her sympathy to get in another blow.

Beidou doesn’t fall for it anymore, but she still comes close anyway. What if she ignores it the one day when Ningguang is truly hurt?

Captain Beidou, Queen of the Crux Fleet, she rules the seas but drifting along the water with Ningguang is much different than the time she spends on her ship fighting tooth and nail.

It's peaceful and tender.

Ningguang cups her cheeks and pulls her close, wrapping her legs around the Captain so easily when they are weightless in the water.

Beidou licks the salt off her puffy, reddened lips as they kiss over the setting sun.

Summer nights in Liyue are not so far off from the days in terms of heat, so even when night falls, it's easy to stay warm.

Before the darkness engulfs the beach, Beidou catches some fish for dinner as Ningguang builds a small campfire.

She always comes back with the same proud expression on her face, grinning with her eyes closed, holding the fish by its tail with one hand and giving a thumbs up with her other hand.

"That's enough for ya, milady?"

It amazes Ningguang how she hunts them with her bare hands, quite literally swimming after water creatures and winning.

It's at times like that when Ningguang realizes how Beidou only ever lets her win their swimming races.

After carefully cleaning and seasoning the fish, they set it over the fire and cuddle close to the flames to dry themselves off.

Though it’s tempting to sleep when the exhaustion of the day washes over them, they usually chat until the first rays of sunlight. They leave the matters of Liyue and the Crux outside of their bubble of comfort and instead reminisce about the old days, cracking jokes and tearing up, cuddling and kissing over a bed of sand.

Ningguang’s loud snorting resonates over the empty space. The unhinged, joyful sound of laughter that only Beidou is blessed with.

Among all the other things that Beidou feels truly favored by the archons to have the pleasure of witnessing are Ningguang’s abominable drunk singing, her yell of victory after heated chess matches with Beidou compared to how she extends her hand gracefully against all opponents other than her wife, her incoherent mumbling at night, how she curls up on the couch in her office when she’s too tired to go up to their room.

The way she speaks eloquently and moves elegantly, how she gets the ingredients everywhere when they bake heart-shaped cookies to celebrate Valentine’s Day, how she writes for hours and switches to her supposedly "non-dominant" hand.

Remembering all of this hurts more than the fatal wounds painted across her body as Beidou struggles to breathe in Ningguang's arms.

She feels tears wet her cheeks from above. Ningguang's sadness dribbling down to her face and streaming off her cheeks, as if she cries for both of them.

Beidou winces in pain while she reaches up to wipe her tears.

"Hey, hey… Nothing to cry about." she coos to put her at ease the best she can.

A loud sob escapes Ningguang as she shakes her head to the side, "I don't know—how to... Beidou..." she brushes the strands of hair away from Beidou's face, "I need to get you to safety, now."

A bitter smile forms on Beidou's lips, she feels her end fast approaching, and though Ningguang chooses to delude herself, she is as aware as Beidou that this is the last time they are in each other's arms.

"Leave me, save yourself, okay? I don't have—much time left..."

Ningguang shakes her head in disbelief. This is the first time a battle throws her off, the first time she loses composure, not her first loss but the one that will always burden her heart with sadness and yearning.

Beidou hisses, no matter how much it hurts, she raises her hand again to cup Ningguang's cheek, "Don't rush to where I'll end up, okay? I'll wait for you."

Ningguang holds her close, sobbing quietly as both of their clothes get soaked in the blood that surges from Beidou’s wounds. "Don't you dare rush to come see me." Beidou smiles, "I'll wait, even if it takes forever."

"Beidou—"

"Do you—hngh—remember the night of our wedding, Ningguang?"

Of course she does. The day they had snuck out of their own wedding because it was loud, filled with obnoxious people that were just there to fulfil a formal obligation, and taken off to the mountains.

They had walked on the grass barefoot under the moonlight with their high-heels in their hands. When they had sat down to watch the moon dip into the sea beautifully, Beidou had turned to her and asked—

"Did we forget our vows?"

Ningguang had frozen in shock, of course not Beidou, how could we forget our vows, she had wanted to answer. But, Beidou was right.

The "most important" part of the ceremony had been skipped.

So, Beidou had taken her hands in her palms and gazed into her eyes affectionately.

"Well then, Ningguang. I vow to be as accepting and protective for you as the moon is over the sea. I vow to dedicate my life to illuminating our path together, and to act as a beacon of hope for you in desperate moments. I'll be the keeper of your secrets and the concealer of all that you deem a flaw, even though you’re perfect to me. And well, you can't see me up there all the time, the sun has to get some spotlight too, right? Hah… But my vow is to make you feel my presence in your heart, always and forever."

It was the first time words had truly failed Ningguang. Beidou had spoken like the people she had always mocked in romance novels, yet it felt genuine, from the depths of her loving heart.

Even though Beidou was an open book, there was still a hidden side of her, reserved only for Ningguang, the love of her life, the shining sun and the illuminating moon, the soil that nurtured and the wind that swept all her worries away.

The sea, with its merciless waves and calming ripples, to Beidou, all of it was her. The place that healed her heart and put her at ease, safe from the chaos of the outside world. The world that Beidou loved conquering, but not more than returning to Ningguang’s arms.

"I—promised you." Beidou grows too weak to keep her eyes open, she fights with the last ounce of her strength so she can still look up at Ningguang.

"I'll keep it." her chest heaves with the strain of speaking through her pierced lungs. No matter how much it pains her, she speaks up over the roaring of their approaching opponent.

"I love you, Ningguang."

Rain washes away the blood and tears and Ningguang's lips find their way onto Beidou's.

A kiss so tender yet powerful that it could almost forestall mortality.

But, it can't.

So Ningguang does the only thing she is capable of, she stands before the beast, unyielding and unwavering as thunder rumbles loud enough to silence the shattering of her heart.

Beidou lays her eyes on the final glimpse of the woman she will always love.

A weak smile dampens with the last tear she sheds as Ningguang summons a million daggers of gleaming jade, suspended in the air and eager to surge forward with the strength of all her rage and grief.

Her ferocious eyes light up the darkness, a loving gaze now tainted by bloodlust.

#genshin impact #genshin fanfic #beiguang #beigguang #genshin ningguang #genshin beidou #ningguang x beidou #beidou x ningguang #genshin wlw #wlw #wlw fluff #wlw angst

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abyssalfreefall · 1 year

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Look At Me, Perceive Only Me

Pairing: Beidou/Ningguang (Beidou) Rating: Teen Summary: Ningguang traces Beidou’s footsteps within the Captain’s quarters of The Alcor—yearning, recalling, missing Beidou. Even though Beidou was right there, on the other side of the door, albeit paying more attention to her crew; her visitors; and her hearty companions; who had all arrived in celebration of another one of The Crux’s achievements. Ningguang had received the invitation from Beidou herself, enclosed in a special envelope embroidered at the seams in gold and red, just the way she knew the Tianquan would have liked.

Yet here she was, alone, in the Captain’s quarters, acquiescing to the company of none but her own tobacco pipe and a pirate’s ashtray. She lit and lit her kindling ablaze, without restraint, as though to set her unhappy, ugly self on fire; to burn her desire to ashes; anything at all, as long as her suffering would end and she could rise again from the flames.

Tonight, Ningguang had wished to be seen only by Beidou, to be perceived only by the woman she loved.

ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤ—

Read on AO3! https://archiveofourown.org/works/43963482

#genshin impact #genshin fanfic #beiguang #beidou #ningguang #genshin #they are married #hurt/comfort #angst with a happy ending

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cadriona · 2 years

Link

Rating: M

Pairing: Beidou/Ningguang

Summary:

Beidou is named after a star- Beidou is a curse. This, perhaps, has proven itself one too many times.

Hurt no comfort, inspired by taro’s art here

TW: blood, major character death, minor gore(?)

#beidou #ningguang #beiguang #cadri's writing #fanfic idea #listen i am perishing in this beiguang drought and im dragging you lot with me #angst #hurt no comfort

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sillyghostspace · 19 days

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"The Distance Between the Sky and Sea Isn't That Far After All" - Ningguang x Beidou

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Author's Note: Beiguang is one of my favorite ships from Genshin :3 They can be both fluffy and cute or just a lot of sexual tension. Here's a bit of fluffy version of their relationship :D

Summary: The morning comes, and what Beidou thought would be another peaceful day after that celebration of Lantern Rite becomes quite an eventful day when she wakes up on Tianquan's bed. She doesn't know the reason--or more specifically, she forgets. The one and only thing she remembers is her last night's encounter with Ningguang, dressed in that elegant azure gown. Wanting to know what happened last night, she confronts Ningguang....

Genre: Fluff, a bit of angst

Word count: 10k

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It’d only been one night since the fireworks to commemorate Lantern Rite soared high to the sky. Their sparks illuminated the dark blanket alongside the stars, far above everyone’s reach. Following them were the lanterns cast by the people of Liyue, flying beyond the horizon to create such a majestic sight—one that was worth waiting for each year.

To say it was beautiful would be an understatement. Everyone who attended the festival had a smile on their face. The festive ambiance with the cheerful murmurs was comforting, to say the least.

For Beidou, however, the scenery that’d taken her breath away was none other than a certain woman, clad in an elegant orchid’s evening gown, which made the sky itself gasped. She stood near the Jade Chamber’s entrance, and in that entire moment, what entered the captain’s view was only the Tianquan—breathtakingly beautiful, much more than the treasure every pirate was dreaming of.

Because of that sole reason, now when she woke up in the very same bed that the Tianquan usually used, she couldn’t hide her puzzled expression. She blinked twice, and when the scenery didn’t change—still that white king size bed—she knew it wasn’t a dream.

“Ningguang!”

Beidou shouted, and every time, her voice echoed back across the Jade Chamber. She was in the main hall. Whipping her head left and right, she found someone—Ningguang’s assistant.

“Baishi!”

“Y-yes?!”

Baishi’s body twitched in response as Beidou’s voice startled her. If it weren’t for her reflex, her glasses would already lose to gravity. She turned around to face the captain, but she didn’t expect to see the state Beidou was currently in.

“C-Captain Beidou, y-your c-cloth—!”

“Hmm?”

With her usual nonchalant attitude, Beidou checked out her own body. Something was covering her, of course, but it was just a simple white robe without the lace. That meant her cleavage and abdomen were fully visible for Baishi to feast on, and if Celestia wished to, a tiny slip wouldn’t be impossible. Yet, Beidou closed the gap caused by her robe in a split second, not giving Baishi anymore fan service.

“Oops! Almost,” Beidou said. “Sorry for that. Also, care to tell me where Ningguang is?”

“S-she is outside….”

“That woman….” There was a bit of growl in Beidou’s voice. She looked at Baishi one more time before showing her usual ‘leave it to me!’ smile. “Thanks!”

“Y-you’re…, welcome….”

Beidou left the scene in a hurry. Baishi, who was still standing on the spot, had her mind stunned by the previous sight before her. For her, it was another fuel for her imagination that would give her more sleepless nights in the impending future.

It was just a few meters and turns here and there to get to the Jade Chamber’s entrance. Once she opened the door, the breeze gave her a cold greeting. Her dark brown hair fluttered against the wind, but as someone who’d danced with a much harsher hurricane, she paid little to no attention to it.

What captured most of her gaze was the lady sitting on a wooden chair with a set of glasses and cups placed on a table. A white qipao, meticulously coated with yellow and gold patterns, covered her body. Even then—with clothes or not—such a body would still mesmerize anyone who was lucky enough to cast their gaze onto her. Her long white hair that passed her waist was also beautifully done.

Before Beidou could call out her name, the Tianquan already turned her head around. She smirked, staring at the captain who was approaching her—especially when her untied robe demanded attention.

“Oh my,” Ningguang said. Her gentle voice was loud enough for Beidou to hear. “I didn’t know the Uncrowned Lord of the Ocean love a such a daring appearance.”

“Good morning to you, too,” Beidou said, ignoring the other woman’s little remark.

There was only a chuckle. “Why don’t you wear something more appropriate and then come back here? Can’t risk of getting a cold, can you?”

“Compared to the breeze you feel while sailing? Nah, this one is much weaker. You’re the one who needs to wear warmer clothes.”

“I appreciate your worry, but worry not. Similar to how the sea is Captain Beidou’s territory, the sky is where I breathe.”

“Talking high and mighty, ey?”

“I’m just simply stating the fact.”

Beginning the day with that kind of banter was something to be expected between both of them. Beidou smiled and sat across the table, right on the Ningguang’s opposite side. She saw no need of changing her clothes even though that robe could give up and fly away at anytime.

And of course, Ningguang didn’t mind that view at all.

“Care for some tea? I reckon it to be a nice way to start the day, don’t you think so?” Ningguang asked before sipping on the porcelain glass gifted by none other than the captain of the Crux. The way she handled that precious item was as careful as she could—treating it just like another treasure in her possession.

Beidou noticed that, and although she’d tried her best to remain stoic, the corners of her lips couldn’t help to twitch. She rested his right arm on the table while leaning her head forward. Ningguang, who sat in such a refined position—straight back with closed legs—now was challenged by Beidou, who crossed her legs without any care of the world.

“Do you really need to ask?” Beidou said in a playful tone. “Wine is obviously the answer here!”

“Consider that to be done.”

Everything had been set beforehand, including the wine bottle as requested by Beidou, as if Ningguang’d predicted it. Then again, with how their relationship worked over the years, knowing at least that much wasn’t an enigma.

Ningguang traced the wine bottle with her fingers before taking it and pouring the liquid into an empty cup. Beidou watched as the cup now being filled with an enticing pool of red-ish liquid.

Beidou took the cup and washed her throat down in one gulp. It was audible, and Beidou’s sigh of satisfaction followed the sound.

“That hits the spot!”

Her cheer put a smile on Ningguang’s face.

“So,” Ningguang said. “Will you be back sailing soon?”

“Not really. I’m planning to stay for a while. Some of my men are dying to see their families, lovers, friends….Couldn’t call myself a captain if I didn’t fulfill their wishes, could I?” Beidou looked toward the blue sky around her. Although its color was different from the wave splashing against her ship, Beidou found it to be enchanting as well. “Besides, the festival is far from over, right? Can’t hurt to enjoy the festiveness from time to time.”

Ningguang stared at Beidou with both eyes wide open—an unusual reaction from the Liyue Qixing. “I thought Captain Beidou only favors the sea and all of its thrills.”

“Sea is still the number one for me, though! It’s not my blood to deny that.”

“Is that so?” Ningguang said. “If that’s the case, then care to walk along the streets with me?”

Beidou raised her eyebrows. That sudden invitation from Ningguang was certainly worthy of her attention. Then again, instead of answering it straightforward, she used the opportunity to tease the Tianquan. “Are you proposing for a date?”

That smirk plastered on Beidou’s face showed how confident she was with that tease. She was expecting a curt response from Ningguang—something she’d have done all the time.

This time, however, it was different….

“Yes, I’m proposing a date.”

….Too different that Beidou had no idea how to react.

“So, what do you say?”

Ningguang didn’t break the eye contact even for a second. At a bare minimum, Beidou knew that Ningguang was a calculating person, and sometimes, her nature to use what she deemed as useful within her eyes made her quite manipulative. What she appeared to be might be one of her ways to get what she needed for.

That side of her, in this moment, wasn’t present—at least according to Beidou. The Captain herself believed her instinct that every last bit of word spoken by the woman before her was genuine.

In the end, it was she who lost the battle of wit.

“….Let me get changed first.”

When they went down, the merry atmosphere that hadn’t died even for the slightest greeted them. One glance was all needed to see the joyous occasion that had taken place in this city—Liyue Harbor. The streets were bustling with people, from children running and chasing each other to elderly merely enjoying the scenery.

Ningguang and Beidou were walking side by side. It was really a sight to behold. With little to no effort, they’d attracted the attention from the people around them. That was something to be expected, however. After all, they both had the reputation that echoed across the land of Teyvat—one ruled the sky and the other ruled the sea. It wouldn’t be strange to see the admiration those people had within their eyes upon seeing both of them being so close.

“So, where are we going?” Beidou asked.

“Walking together isn’t enough for you?”

“That’s not what I meant….”

The conversation ended there with Beidou kept glancing at Ningguang, trying to sneak inside that woman’s mind only to get nothing. Knowing that the person next to her hadn’t been so blunt and direct before, Beidou was left puzzled, with a big question mark hovering above her head.

Beidou accompanied the illustrious lady through several stalls, checking on the goods or games they were selling. Ningguang did all the talking. She gave her praises for they who used their precious time to uplift the Lantern Rite’s spirit to a higher height. Of course, the delight they experienced warmed their hearts more than what they’d expected. One word from the Tianquan was enough to paint a smile on their face for days.

It still confused Beidou why it was only her who got the different treatment. Hence, uncomfortable with the silence, she tried to reach the root of the problem.

“Ningguang, tell me this….Did something happen last night?”

“What makes you think so?” Ningguang asked, still avoiding Beidou’s line of sight.

“I’d assume that waking up in your place is a pretty big evidence.”

“And is that a problem? It’s not like that was your first time sleeping in Jade Chamber, isn’t?”

“Well, not on your bed, right? Sleeping in Jade Chamber and in your bed are two totally different things—let alone wearing a bathrobe which, and correct me if I’m wrong, had your scent on it.”

“You should’ve made it more specific, then. The way you answered my previous question could be interpreted in different manners.”

“Fussing over the details again….” Beidou sighed. “At least I’m relieved knowing it’s still you.”

Beidou thought everything had started to get better between them. She was still adamant to figure out Ningguang’s weird behavior this day when suddenly, someone approached her. That person looked like a merchant. A smile was beaming from his face. One look was all it took to see the excitement in his eyes just from standing right in front of the Tianquan.

“E-excuse me, sorry for bothering your time, b-but I aspire to become a merchant like you, Lady Ningguang. May I ask for some of y-your time?”

The trembling in his voice showed how nervous he was. He must have been waiting for this opportunity to arise in his palm, and the moment it appeared, he seized it without looking back. It interrupted Ningguang and Beidou’s supposed “date”, but after seeing his expression, Beidou sighed and kept her mouth shut. The Tianquan wasn’t hers. Who was she to steal what might be the only chance he got?

I get that….I really do, but damn you, Ningguang….Aren’t you the one who wanted to walk with me?!

No matter what, in her deepest feeling, Ningguang was the one person she didn’t want to disappoint. It contrasted her usual easy and outgoing demeanor, of course, but she couldn’t help it when it involved someone important to her.

So waiting was the only correct option here….

….At least that was what she expect.

“Forgive me. Although I do appreciate your enthusiasm, I only intend to enjoy the festival to the fullest. Nothing more. I’m afraid that business talk is something I rather avoid at this current time.”

Ningguang refusing that young man’s request wasn’t in Beidou’s mind, but she just did exactly that. The young man was in shock, too. It was clear he didn’t take that into his heart.

“I p-promise you this won’t be a letdown, I swear. Please.”

Panicked would be appropriate to describe his behavior now. His desperation grew stronger with every word coming out of his mouth.

“….As mentioned earlier, I—”

“J-just several minutes! It won’t take much of your time, so I’m begging you. Please, Lady Ningguang!”

‘No’ wasn’t in his vocabulary. What had appeared to be an excited young man filled with aspiration turned into an annoyance—not just for Ningguang, but also to the surrounding people. It didn’t take a long time before they became the center of attention. Those who were witnessing the scene agreed on how much that young man was bothering the crowd. That statement was even truer for Ningguang, the person he spoken directly to, and also for Beidou, who’d been clutching her fists this entire time.

The more he let out his voice for everyone to hear, the angrier Beidou got. She was mad. That young man fulfilled the criteria of people whom she felt didn’t deserve any of her respect. It was because of Ningguang’s kindness that allowed him to breathe in so much air near her. Beidou believed that the task of pushing him away would be hers.

However, one more time, the ruler of Jade Chamber defied Beidou’s expectation yet again.

“Does it hurt yourself to hear what other people have to say?”

There wasn’t the slightest hint of kindness in Ningguang’s voice. Her gentle expression shifted into a hostile one. It petrified the young man, making him speechless as the disdain look on the Tianquan’s face already conveyed a thousand word worth of an answer.

“Am I obliged to satisfy a request from someone as selfish as you? I don’t think so,” Ningguang said, now expressing contempt with her words. “Let alone having an audience with me, you—who can’t take any rejection whatsoever—don’t even deserve even a single second of my time.”

She uttered every single word with weight that could make someone tremble on their spot, and although her words weren’t just for that young man to hear, she didn’t hold back. There were no mincing words with her. It was a pressure, for sure, as everyone felt as if those words were aimed at them.

The only one who formed a smirk on her face was Beidou—witnessing yet another charm from the wealthiest women throughout Liyue.

While getting mesmerized by that sight, Beidou was caught off guard when someone snatched her wrist. It was Ningguang, who had broken out from the circle of humans surrounding her.

“Our date isn’t finished, correct?” Ningguang said. “Let’s go.”

Ningguang took the brown-haired woman by her hand—or wrist, to be exact. The crowd made a way for them without uttering a single word, still bewildered by the spectacle they’d just witnessed. When Beidou turned around, everyone was still looking at them—except for the young man who Ningguang’d rejected. His head was facing downward. Although she couldn’t make out the expression left on his face with her eyes, she had an idea about what it was.

“You sure that’s okay?” Beidou asked.

“What do you mean?” Ningguang answered back with another question.

“Saying what you said. I get that you’re annoyed, but don’t you feel bad for him? He was even being persistent enough that he begged for your attention.”

“The word you’re looking for is stubborn, not persistent. And to answer your question, no. Not in the slightest.”

There was no hesitation with her answer. She didn’t even look back.

“He did admire you, though.”

“And he did annoy me as well, including wasting my precious time,” Ningguang said. “The moment someone stepped over their boundaries to force me against my will, I’ll consider it as a harassment. As simple as that. That person was one of the cases.”

“Even though they can come out hating you in the long run?”

Beidou’s question prompted Ningguang to stop on her track. They were out of the spotlight now, as only a handful of people were around them this time, minding their own business. She looked right at Beidou’s eyes.

“I’m just telling you that for today—and just for today—nothing will be as important as our date.”

For a moment, Beidou’s cheeks heated. Those daring words blew stronger than the gust of wind on the sea.

“Wait,” Beidou said. One of her eyes twitched. “You can say that, but you haven’t answered my question!”

“I’m clueless to what you’re talking about.”

“Bah! Playing dumb won’t do the job!” Beidou could see Ningguang hiding her face behind a folding fan. “Something did happen, right?! I’m not that dumb, Ningguang.”

“Maybe not dumb, but muscle head? That sounds more appropriate.”

“Aren’t you being crafty with your words? And also stop hiding your face!”

It was Beidou’s turn to seize Ningguang's hand and pull it to the side. She couldn’t resist it. She wasn’t arrogant enough to battle the Captain of the Crux in pure strength. Her arm that held the fan was inching away from the previous spot. Slowly but surely, her face was hidden no more.

And it was an expression Beidou would have never guessed.

“You….You’re smiling?”

“What are you talking about? “ Ningguang chuckled. “Is it bad for me to smile?”

“….Does that mean you��re having fun?”

“I am. You’re scaring me with these questions.”

“S-sorry. I just thought I pissed you off or something….”

“Is it a surprise that I enjoy your company?”

For a brief moment, her expression was that of an innocent kid—the mask of the Liyue Qixing wasn’t there, only Ningguang. That was exhilarating for Beidou. She felt like she could stare into that view as long as she wanted, and in her case, it would be for eternity.

“Oh my….Is it just me or am I seeing two lovely ladies flirting with each other?”

All of a sudden, another voice greeted them. It felt just like a dejavu where Beidou’s chance of conversing with the person before her eyes found yet another interruption. When she looked to the side, there was a girl staring at them. A playful smirk painted her fairly youthful face. A pleasant scent accompanied her appearances. Not too strong nor weak—it was something that Beidou, who wasn’t the type to get into perfume, could wear maybe one day in the future.

“Who might you be?” Beidou asked, having less than one clue about her identity.

“This is Miss Ying’er from the Scent of Spring,” Ningguang answered.

“Pleased to make your acquaintance, Captain Beidou.”

Ying’er bowed a little, making a formal gesture to greet the visit from those two lovely ladies.

“And also Happy Lantern Rite for both of you,” Ying’er continued. Her shop was also decorated with some lantern, although as the sun was right above their heads, there was no need to use that for an additional light.

“Happy Lantern Rite to you as well.”

“Likewise, Ying’er.”

Beidou answered, followed by Ningguang. The latter had put on her mask again. It seemed to Beidou that Ningguang showed her unfiltered self only to her, and because of that, she became much more conscious about it now.

“So,” Beidou said, trying not to get that into her head too much. “This is the place you want to visit?”

Ningguang looked at her and smiled. “No, it was just a mere coincidence we stumbled upon her shop.”

“I see….”

“Ah, Lady Ningguang, the things you ordered are already here.”

“So you really have an appointment here, don’t you?!”

Again, Ningguang just looked at her and smiled. This time, though, it turned into a somewhat more mischievous. Only after that when she turned around to see the shop assistant for the second time.

“Thank you, Ying’er. May I see them now?” Ningguang put her right palm flat on the hair.

“Of course, Lady Ningguang. However, I apologize if the inside of the shop is still messy.”

“That’s nothing to worry about.”

“Your kindness flatters me.” Ying’er yawned after saying that. “It’s just the shop was much more crowded than what I’d expected. It was a festival, indeed, but my preparation was lacking. Then again, taking care of that many people—although it was the first—felt incredible.”

Beidou made an expression as if she’d just witnessed another Jade Chamber getting destroyed to a thousand pieces. As much as she was unrivaled in the midst of the raging sea and furious storm, her experience in romance wasn’t enough to make her immune to such a suggestive. Hence, Ying’er’s quite provocative language caught her off guard—just like when Ningguang’d told her about her wish to make a second Jade Chamber.

“Is this really a shop that sells vases?” she asked

“….Sorry.”

“What does that even mean?!”

“Just ignore her. Not even I can stop her.”

“So you’re saying she is a formidable enemy?”

“Come on, both of you.” Ying’er’s voice made them look at her again. “I don’t mind a bit of flirting, but if you keep continuing, my lonely self will get pretty jealous. Besides, if your flirting gets even more intense, I’m afraid that you two need a private place to do…, that. Of course, if doing it public is more of your thing, I don’t dare to question what our Lady Tianquan likes.”

Ningguang sighed again. “Her doing that is just the same as breathing. It’s better to think nothing about it or you will find yourself in a more awkward situation.”

As soon as they entered the shop, Beidou found herself to be surrounded by fine works of vases with distinct patterns and details. Despite of her tendency to speak nothing but suggestive phrases, the proof of her craftmanship was all over the place.

“Here you go, Lady Ningguang. This is for you, and the other one is for your beloved partner here,” Ying’er said, while handing two small boxes that could fit within her palms one by one.

“Thank you.”

Ningguang took them with so much care. From how she moved, Beidou could tell that dropping those items—which were still mysterious to her—wasn’t an option. Bold violet hue coated one box while the other had an elegant yellow gold coating.

“Beidou,” Ningguang said, stealing Beidou’s focus from the objects. “Hold this for me, please. No need to open it yet.”

“….Okay.”

The one Ningguang handed to Beidou was the violet-colored box. Taking a closer inspection of it, Beidou noticed subtle patterns that spread throughout its surface. Its texture told her how much effort had been put into making the box, let alone what was hidden inside. That fact alone made her more curious.

At the same time, Ningguang opened the gold-hued box. It had a hinged lid, so its upper part prevented Beidou from seeing what it was. Instead, she gazed at the smile Ningguang had on her face. It was like the one she’d seen before Ying’er came into the conversation—genuine and sweet.

“Beidou, lend me your hand.”

“Hmm? Like this?”

Beidou stretched her right arm forward. She put her palm flat facing the roof. Not knowing the implication behind Ningguang’s request, Beidou assumed that the position didn’t matter. But what Ningguang thought was different. The Liyue Qixing grabbed Beidou’s hand and flipped it over—now her palm was facing the ground. It surprised Beidou a little, but what happened next shocked her even more.

Ningguang placed her hand under Beidou’s. It was such a gentle touch that Beidou almost didn’t sense. Her eyes were fixated on the Tianquan. They were so close—too close for Beidou’s own good.

And the moment she looked down at her hand, specifically her fingers, there was a ring.

“This is….”

Beidou couldn’t take her eyes away from it. It felt comfortable, as if the ring was made for and only for her. The gold color reflected the lamp inside the shop. Its surface was so clear and smooth, even Beidou could see her face on it. And yet, to say its design was simple would be an understatement. There was a carving of a phoenix’s wings on both sides. It looked majestic, just like a firebird soaring high into the sky with nothing to hinder it.

To make it even more stood out was the blue-ish jewel embedded right in the middle of the ring. It sparked colors that could make anyone looking at it mesmerized. What made it matter the most was its raw material, and just with one glance, Beidou knew what it was—noctilucous jade. Not even Beidou, who lived far from the luxury, could say it didn’t strike a chord in her heart.

“That looks good on you,” Ningguang said. “What do you think, Ying’er?”

“Do you really need my comment, Lady Ningguang? I’m sure mine isn’t that different from yours.”

“I agree. It looks marvelous.”

Those compliments created a storm within the leviathan Haishan’s head. Her cheeks were even redder than before. Handling this situation was much more difficult than her crew’s drinking habit in daily basis—especially when she was one of those drunkards.

“Wait, wait, wait! Is no one going to explain what is happening here?!”

Ningguang and Ying’er stared at each other. While Beidou was confused over the entire situation, the other two ladies also showed a puzzled question—as if they weren’t the ones who didn’t understand Beidou’s question.

“Is there any need for a further explanation here?” Ying’er was the first to answer. “I’m sure Captain Beidou understands what the ring in your ring finger implies. With that being said, though, I believe Lady Ningguang also needs one that suits her, don’t you think?”

After hearing the shop assistant’s words, Beidou cast her gaze on the other box—still on her hand and unopened. Again, she blushed.

“We don’t need to do it now. I owe her an explanation, after all.”

So we’ll do it either way?!

“Sure, it’s Lady Ningguang, after all, who owns Captain Beidou.”

“Don’t phrase it like that.”

“I apologize. I just can’t help to tease both of you.”

“At least you’re honest now….” Ningguang couldn’t count how many times she’d sighed today. “We’ll go now, then. Thank you, Ying’er. I appreciate your help.”

Ying’er just smiled. She seemed enjoying these two visitors of hers—almost thinking them just like newfound toys.

“I’m just doing my job, Lady Ningguang. Please enjoy your rings.” Ying’er’s smirk grew even more ominous. “Fortunately, they won’t hinder in your more private and….I suppose, more intimate moment.”

“Hey, Ningguang, let’s leave!”

“Have a nice day, you two.”

As if Beidou’s fight-or-flight response reacted to that of a danger named Ying’er, she took Ningguang’s hand and ran away. The shop assistant only waved at them as her visitors for today disappeared from her sight.

Outside, Beidou kept complaining.

“That woman wasn’t right in her head! I’m surprised that you could tolerate her that much.”

“Well….Let’s just say my previous experience with her did the job.”

“What do you mean by—”

Beidou wanted to finish her sentence, but she remembered the ring right on her finger. It was enough to embarrass her, and the next thing she noticed was the purple box still in her palm. That thing, although was way smaller than her, intimidated her.

She let go of Ningguang’s hand. “Here! It’s yours, right? I’m not good at handling something expensive like this.”

Acting dumb was the one choice left for her to do. To her no surprise, Ningguang didn’t buy that awful acting. Someone as honest and direct as Beidou wouldn’t be capable of creating any sweet lies. It was the only time she cursed her personality that she’d loved this entire time.

Either way, her attempt turned out to be futile. Ningguang raised her right arm and stopped at chest level. The back of her hand, the part she showed to Beidou, looked insatiable. She became more aware of those things, not knowing it deserved a praise or not. While at it, Ningguang’s fingers danced in the air, inviting Beidou to do something.

“You want to give it back to me, correct?” Ningguang said. “I believe there’s a better way to do it.”

“No, no, no. Just take the box.”

Beidou shoved the hand she used to hold the box. Ningguang stared at it for a few seconds. For a moment, there was silence. The woman in front of Beidou dropped her face, looking more somber than before.

“Do you hate it?” Ningguang said, pointing at the phoenix Beidou had on her ring finger.

That gesture made Beidou look at the ring. “That’s….That’s not what I meant.”

“Seems like you’re adamant about it, though,” Ningguang quickly responded. “However, none of this is your fault. I did force my own agenda to you, don’t I? Ying’er and…, the ring….It must make you uncomfortable.”

“But that doesn’t mean I hate it!”

Beidou clicked her tongue. She didn’t dare to look Ningguang right in the eyes. There had never been a time when she had to consider the words she was about to say.

Not to her crew.

Not to her friends.

Not to the people she met along the way.

Never.

But she couldn’t do it now.

Or rather….

….She didn’t want to.

“It’s just….Crap….”

The pained look on Beidou’s face caught Ningguang’s attention. She softly smiled. “Maybe it’s better if we change location for now. Shall we return to Jade Chamber, maybe?”

The sun was setting. The saying of “time passes quicker when you’re having fun” was true in this situation, as both Ningguang and Beidou didn’t realize how many hours they’d spent down in the city. Right now, they just arrived at the Jade Chamber. Each of them stepped a foot to Ningguang’s personal floating castle. Near the entrance were three of her assistants—Baishi, Baiwen, and Baixiao—all of them dressed in red.

“Welcome back, Lady Ningguang,” all of them said together. “We’ve prepared your bath.”

“Thank you, but I will take it for later.” Her voice sounded so gentle in their ears. “For now, please leave us alone.”

Ningguang took one step to the side. That allowed them to see their boss’ esteemed guest, who was standing right behind her the entire time. It wasn’t the first time they saw the captain of the Crux. She’d visited Jade Chamber for several occasions, and in those moments, the opportunity to strike a conversation with her came in front of them. As far as they knew, Beidou was everything but passive. Just like the tides which swept everything on their way, her energy was boundless. She led everyone with a full belly laugh that sounded, weirdly enough, awe-inspiring.

“As you wish, Lady Ningguang.”

It was the reason it only took an instant for them to understand how serious the matter was. Baiwen and Baixiao, more specifically, shared their concerns in their own hearts, wishing nothing had befallen Ningguang and Beidou.

Baishin, on the other hand, was the only secretary who noticed one new detail that hadn’t been there when those two women left the Jade Chamber.

It was, indeed, Beidou’s ring.

After that, the only thing she needed was her ability to connect the dots and imagine. Those would be sufficient enough. The concern she felt towards them was way more different from the other two’s. Heat was rushing inside her head from one point to another. It burned her nose, but she didn’t mind it at all.

T-this day has been so blessed! D-Dear Archon, thank you so much!

No one heard the gratitude she had for the being she called out in her head, and it was certain that no one needed to hear that. What she would do in the following hours as well….This was for Baishi and only for her.

Her secret would be safe here.

Ningguang and Beidou watched those three—each one of them with different sets of idea in their mind—wandered off and disappeared into the building.

They were alone now, without any eyes or ears prying at them. No one spoke a single word, though. The silence was all they could hear, echoing right in their ears with every passing second.

After a while, the Jade Chamber’s owner paced toward the edge. Beidou saw it as the distance between them increased. She couldn’t make out the face Ningguang was making. She didn’t want to know what it was. It was the feeling of dread which froze her legs on the spot. The dread of seeing a disappointed or sad look on Tianquan’s face.

But ignorance was the last thing she wanted. The last thing she wanted would be an interaction that destroyed their relationship. Right now, she believed that this very same moment might become what she feared of if nothing was done.

Thus, Beidou decided to swallow the discomfort in her heart. She made a fist, curling her fingers into the shape of a ball. As the seconds passed, she squeezed harder until her nails dug into the skin on her palm. It wasn’t the act of a mere self-harm. The reason behind that was the sharp pain Beidou desired to snap her mind back into place. With that, she reminded herself of the most important thing she could do now.

No need to overthink it. Only by taking a step—even just a single one—she could look at Ningguang face to face, staring at her graceful yet striking red-colored eyes that could be mistaken with polished gems.

She broke the ice trapping her legs before. Every step felt so light now, and before she knew it, she was behind the Tianquan already.

“Ningguang.” There was less than a meter gap between them. “I’m sorry.”

“What are you apologizing for?” Ningguang said. She had her arms dangling on both sides. “As far as I understand, you did nothing wrong.”

“That’s not it.”

At first, Ningguang was clueless about Beidou’s response. She didn’t have time to process it, however, when she felt a sudden yank on her wrist. The pulling force coming from her behind forced her to turn around as well, and in that spontaneous reaction, Beidou’s face entered her view—that serious and determined look which distracted the already confused lady.

“What are you—”

“I’m actually apologizing for this.”

What caught Ningguang’s attention in an instant was the gorgeous, well-crafted ring box Beidou had in her grip. The women before her eyes opened the box, revealing the beautiful violet hue ring which would shimmer under the dark. Although possessing the wealth one could only dream of achieving, Ningguang’s admiration for that ring’s beauty was genuine. Her eyes sparkled, and her heart throbbed.

“Give me your hand.”

That request almost sounded like Ningguang’s words when they were in Ying’er’s shop. Beidou rested Ningguang’s hand on top of hers before raising it until it was high enough. Then, as her hesitation faded away, Beidou put the ring on Ningguang. This time it was a dragon having its tail coiled around the ring’s body while chasing the sun symbolized by the crown jewel of that ring—its jewel. Similar to the one attached to the eye patched-woman, the size was perfect. Taking it off and putting it back in wouldn’t be a problem.

“Done.”

The flawless ring was now resting on Ningguang’s finger. Vibrant gold color stared back into her eyes. She was overwhelmed with the desire to look at it for longer, observing every detail her pupils could figure out.

“….How do I look?” she asked.

“Stunning.”

Not a single sign of hesitation Ningguang could find from Beidou’s answer. From those eyes that kept checking out on her and that one single word spoken from the bottom of her heart, Beidou was serious—more serious than ever.

“Is that so?”

Ningguang clasped her hands with the left one blanketing the other one. Her palm soon concealed the ring. Even so, she still could feel it. It was still there, hugging her finger tightly. It was the feeling of comfort which she wouldn’t let go for anything else. As her hands ascended towards her chest, the tension between them tightened the grip. Every bit of her movement revealed the layer of emotions she’d been trying to hide for the entire day.

And at the present time, she couldn’t hold them back anymore.

They burst like an overflowing damp.

So she began to utter every little conflicting thing stuck in her mind.

The reason behind the date she proposed.

“Beidou, what….What do you think of me?”

Her voice wasn’t as confident as before. In fact, the usual imposing color in her voice wasn’t present.

“Yet another strange question coming from you today….” Having given Ningguang’s ring already, Beidou put her hands on her sides. “Well, let’s see….”

Beidou closed her eyes. Her feet went restless, hitting the ground with weak stomps. She had her arms crossed. The white-haired women waited patiently. Realizing that her question was quite an abrupt one, waiting was the least she could do.

It took a bit of time before she spoke again, now with the answer to Ningguang’s questions.

“You’re a hard worker, has an absurdly good work-ethic which—still to this day—baffles me. Everyone admires you. I don’t think you know how many people turning you into their role model,” Beidou said, still thinking up some words to continue. The moment she mentioned that last part, she remembered the poor young man from a few previous encounters. “I think you’re a wonderful person.”

“….You think too highly of me.”

Although those were certainly high praises from the Captain who had her own secret fanbase living under her radar, Ningguang’s expression conveyed a reaction opposite to the norm. Not an ecstatic joy bubbling inside her, but one more solemn.

Noticing that, Beidou took her turn to ask. “Are you displeased with what I said?”

“That’s not it….I very much appreciate it. It’s not easy to say those embarrassing words out loud. Maybe only Captain Beidou has the quality for that.”

“Your ‘compliments’ are the ones that have a certain quality of their own….”

Ningguang let out a chuckle. “But in the end of the day, those superficial things wouldn’t last, don’t you think so? When the heaven and earth flip over, they will dissipate into nothing.”

“….They still count, Ningguang. No matter how much you downplay them, none of them is useless. Not even close.”

“Do you think so?”

Beidou’s answer was a nod. Not a single word was needed to convey her sincerity with that answer. Ningguang’d expected that answer. For her, it was the most Beidou-like answer.

“You’re bright, Beidou. Dazzling. Sometimes it blinds me, and yet, looking away is impossible….” Ningguang murmured. “In reality, the things you said about me are what I aspire to be.”

There was a smile on her face, but it was just to mask the blunt pain hitting her chest.

She then continued. “Behind the curtain, I’m weak. Like everyone else, I’m vulnerable…, and maybe even more than most people. The burden of having Liyue on my back pushes me down every single day. I got exhausted, stressed, sick, and that’s—”

Ningguang wanted to lay bare everything in front of Beidou. The date was for this—for her to gather the courage required to convey her worries and weaknesses. She’d decided. No denying or delaying it more than needed.

For that same reason, it wasn’t a surprise to see her bewildered expression when she returned her gaze to Beidou, who had a disgusted look.

“I see. That’s why you asked me for a date….” Beidou’s sigh was the loudest so far, beating even Ningguang’s. One would say it reverberated across the tall mountains and steep cliffs in Liyue. “I know you’re pretty narrow minded, but this is just on a whole another level. You need to get glasses as soon as possible. But that won’t cure it, I suppose.”

Her words gave another slap on Ningguang’s cheek. Not to anyone’s surprise, that rubbed her up the wrong way.

“Beidou, do you understand the severity of this?” For the first time today, Ningguang raised her voice towards her partner. “The era of human is here….I believe that, or believed that, to be more exact. Even when we fought Osial and Beisht….I was trembling. I’m not that strong. I can grief, and I certainly have struggles which keep me awake at night. There’s not a single day passes by when I don’t doubt myself.”

Although it was faint, Beidou heard a trembling in Ningguang’s voice. The Tianquan cast down her eyes. She hoped that by closing her eyes, the problems inside her fragile heart would vanish. That hopeful thought, however, was too good to be true.

Facing the reality was all she could do.

When she was about to tilt her head up, her eyes fell towards Beidou’s hand. The ring was still there, and in that split second, something gentle and comfortable patted her heart. But one more thing stole her attention—this one wasn’t as good as the previous one.

“Your hand is bleeding….” she said.

Beidou pulled her right arm toward her face. On her palm was a hint of wound in the shape of a line. From the look on it, the length wasn’t much different from her nail.

“Oh, this must have been because of my nail. Don’t worry about it.”

It didn’t sting. She’d dealt with hundreds or even thousands of pain much more unbearable than this. Still, she couldn’t push away the concern reflected in Ningguang’s eyes. The Tianquan pulled out a napkin. With a gentle push, she wiped the blood.

Beidou was looking this whole time. Being so close like that, just one step away before they collided with each other, made her unable to look at something else. Ningguang’s face was so clear. Her smooth and fair skin could make anyone jealous—the unparalleled beauty.

“You’re such a worrywart, Ningguang,” Beidou said. They were almost done with the blood. “What you said applies to everyone else! Doubting is in our blood. Besides….I knew from the get go that you’re acting tough.”

It was such a coincidence that Beidou’s question happened after Ningguang stored back the napkin. “Are you serious?”

“More than you know.” Beidou smiled. “You might be gifted, but more important than that is your compassion for others. You’re scared? Everyone does. But you’re brave enough to step forward. Did you forget? The reason Liyue still stands until now is you. And if not for you and your sacrifice, this town would become nothing more than a ruin.”

The wind came out of nowhere, blowing these two girls’ hair to all directions. But it wasn’t strong enough to hinder any of their conversation.

“You didn’t think me as a disappointment?”

“Not even once. You’re just a hard worker. Too hardworking, actually.” Beidou shook her head to the left and right. “But it’s also the reason why everyone admires you. The Tianquan of Liyue is everything but nothing. So take more pride in yourself.”

Those affirmations were simple, but they worked. Ningguang could feel her back easen up. The weight was still there. In fact, nothing changed about the weight. It still burdened her back, no matter how much she tried. The one who changed was Ningguang. She was more willing to accept who the role that she had given herself to.

“Never have I thought that there would be a time when you’re the one comforting me….And yet, I can’t be mad at it. That’s so you, Beidou.”

“Just leave me alone.”

She chuckled. “Thank you. Though, there’s something else I want to talk about. May I?”

“I kind of guessed it already, so just go for it.”

“You’re strangely very perceptive for these things….” Ningguang took a deep breath. “I want you to stay here with me in Jade Chamber.”

“No can do.”

It was an answer Beidou didn’t even need to think about again. An hour, a minute, it didn’t matter. The answer would still be the same, and despite her being rejected, Ningguang’s smile didn’t disappear.

“I also guessed that answer.”

Across the horizon were the colors red and orange blending into one scenery that could still be someone’s breath away.

“Similar to how Jade Chamber is your passion, sailing sea is mine. I can’t describe the feeling of it with mere words, but I know I won’t exchange it with anything in the world.”

Joy and excitement painted her eyes. It was the level of enthusiasm no one could get unless they were in love with whatever it was. Beidou’d fallen in love with the sea. A part of her soul was the waves running amok beneath her ship.

For her, that was life.

Ningguang was aware of that. She knew the result, but she’d still taken the shot.

“Then again, it’s not like this will be the last one, right? Besides,” Beidou showed the ring on her finger. “This won’t separate us at least, right? That’s why you bought this for me. To be honest with you, having something matched with someone else wasn’t really my style, but—”

“Beidou, it just means I want to marry you.”

“W-what?!”

Beidou had anticipated everything but that answer. The bluntness Ningguang portrayed almost turned her into a completely different person.

“I-is that a joke?”

Ningguang didn’t answer it right away. She walked towards the building, passing Beidou, who still stood there and dumbfounded.

“Who knows? You can be the one who decides,” Ningguang said. “Also, let’s do it again tonight.”

“That’s—Wait! What do you mean by that?!”

“Same thing as last night.”

“So something happened?!”

Beidou followed her from behind, feeling so much embarrassment just because of that statement alone. Ningguang, on the other hand, had her lips curled up into an adorable smile.

At last, it was an eventful day for them. Just like a forge, it strengthened the bond between them, turning it into something harder to break. They might have to separate again in just a few days time. For months, there wouldn’t be any company from their other half.

But that wouldn’t be any problem.

After all, in the end, they would meet again. The phoenix and dragon would see each other.

And after they intertwined their fingers, locking arms with such joyful expression on their faces, they knew nothing would separate them again.

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