#keqing

[ Hu Tao ]

If you were to guess Hu Tao’s favourite fruit, you’d narrow it down to all things red. Apples, strawberries, pomegranates…  The latter had a second layer of death-related mythology to it as well.

But when it came time for you to decide on a new lip gloss, you swiped the cherry-flavoured one. You figured she’d appreciate something sweet yet not overwhelmingly so. Dating the director of a funeral parlour had spice to it after all. Sure, you couldn’t smear crushed-up jueyun chilis over your lips, so you had to settle for the next best thing.

It took you agonizingly long to apply the lip gloss. You’d accidentally leave smudges on your chin and cheeks, not to mention that it didn’t stick for too long and needed reapplying every so often.

And just to foil your plans even further, Hu Tao kicked open the door to your shared bedroom right as you were trying to wipe away a stray blotch.

“Hey, Y/N! Time to go!” She chirped, oblivious to your predicament, before making a dash for you.

“Wait- ah!”

And before you knew it, she had tackled you on the bed and her lips were glued to yours. Kisses with her were always unpredictable.

She pulled away with an audible “mwah!”. You were under the impression that she was going to release you after getting her kiss, but the intrigued glint in her crimson eyes told you otherwise.

“Hmm… you taste funny.” She mused, popping her lips and narrowing her eyes mischievously. “Did Xiangling feed you something sweet?”

“Wha- no. I just got a new lip gloss is all. Do you like it?”

Hu Tao brushed her tongue over her lips a few more times, trying to get a proper taste of the artificial fruits compressed within your lip gloss. “Lemme guess… Strawberry? No? Dragonfruit then! Still no?”

You couldn’t help but smile. You tilted your head to match her playful energy. “Third time’s the charm.”

Hu Tao hummed in thought before sighing in mock defeat. “Oh, man. Let me cheat a little.”

She leaned forward once more to steal another kiss. This time, the tip of her tongue brushed against your lips, more insistently.

“Aha!” She huffed triumphantly upon breaking the kiss. “Cherry! Got it!”

You sat up on your elbows, admiring the traces of red lingering on your girlfriend’s lips. All things red complimented her character in a sense.

[ Ningguang ]

You had been waiting for what felt like centuries for that chatty merchant to finally leave Ningguang’s side. On one hand, you understood that meeting with the Tianquan must be a thrilling occasion for any businessman, and the poor guy wanted to leave a good impression on the richest lady on Teyvat.

On the other hand, you wanted him to get on with it already so you could try your new fruit-flavoured lip gloss on your girlfriend.

You had spent ages trying to settle on a flavour. While you couldn’t guess Ningguang’s favourite fruit, your instincts geared towards the more exotic options. Pomegranate, fruit de la passion, pineapple…

Pineapple it is.

At last, that pesky merchant finally took his leave, bowing repeatedly on his way out. Ningguang didn’t seem irritated in the slightest, and even if she was, her wry smile and half-lidded eyes showed no trace of frustration. Her ability to maintain a poker face throughout even the most mundane of occasions never failed to impress you.

Just as she took her signature smoking pipe out, you stepped out of the shadows, unable to suppress your grin.

She spotted you in the corner of her field view, all coy and unassuming. With a domestic glint in her shimmering eyes, she beckoned you forward.

“There you are. And I was wondering when you were planning on making your grand entrance.”

With a skip in your step, you throned yourself atop her desk, as though you belonged among her priceless china, rare flowers and golden tapestries. You leaned down, puckering up in a silent plea for her lips on yours.

Ningguang raised an eyebrow suggestively, but pressed forward regardless. Such direct gestures were rare coming from you. She figured you must have been cooking something up.

Your eyes fluttered shut as you felt the familiar weight of her lips against yours. What started off as an innocent peck escalated when she swiped her tongue across the seam of your mouth.

“Mhm… Pineapple, is it?” She hummed as she retreated, popping her lips to confirm her suspicions. “I see that the Fontainian brand of lip glosses we just imported has caught your eye.”

Her scaringly accurate intuition had you looking away with a discreet pout. “I wasn’t sure which flavour you’d like. And I didn’t want to ruin the surprise either.”

She huffed an amused laugh, blackened hands settling on your hips and gaze zeroing in on your iridescent lips once more. “No matter, dear. I’ll buy you the entire collection if it pleases you. Then we can try all of the flavours.”

[ Yelan ]

Figuring out Yelan’s favourite fruit was no big deal. On the rare occasions she’d treat herself to a dessert, she always picked something with blueberries. And lucky for you, amongst the illegally transported merchandise she had confiscated from some shady guy was a collection of expensive frut-flavoured lip glosses.

If it were entirely up to you, you’d swipe the entire package. But you didn’t want to create too big of a dent in Yelan’s findings so, you discreetly grabbed the blueberry one while nobody was looking.

Or so you thought.

After fixing yourself up in some alleyway, you decided to head towards Feiyun Slope in hopes of pleasantly surprising your girlfriend. But by that point, you’d really ought to know better with her sneaky antics. Because just as you were about to pass by another alleyway, a pair of hands reached out to pull you in the shadows.

Had it not been for the familiar white fluff of her coat, you would have thought you were being kidnapped. Raising your head, you met with Yelan’s feline-like emerald eyes. Her smirk betrayed nothing if not amusement.

“There she is. Where are you off to, little weasel thief?” She teased.

The best answer you could give her was the gentle press of your lips against hers. She didn’t hesitate to lean into the kiss, gloved hands tilting your head ever so slightly. You pulled away with a satisfied sigh.

“I just wanted to surprise you, is that so wrong?”

Yelan tapped her chin with her index finger, gaze lingering on the iridescent layer of blue coating your plush lips. “Ah, so that was your plan all along. You know, you could’ve simply asked me to buy you the blueberry one.”

You raised an eyebrow sarcastically. Yelan of all people was recommending the easy route? That’s no fun.

“Yeah, right. You would’ve stolen it too.” You countered.

She laughed, tugging at the fleecy sleeves of her coat, a stark reminder of how it ended up on her hands. The irony was not lost on you. “You know me well. But next time, leave the mischief to me. Can’t have you getting in trouble as well now, can I?”

You settled for simply rolling your eyes. Trying to pull off petty crimes was much more exciting with Yelan following you around. She was no better example herself after all.

[ Ganyu ]

Hazy mornings were something you had come to appreciate. All thanks to Ganyu’s serene presence, curled next to yours like a lazy cat, lips slightly parted and chest heaving with soft breaths. The occasional bleat would escape her before she’d nuzzle her face against your abdomen like a newborn lamb.

It was all too much for your heart.

And while you’d usually wake her up with a kiss on the tip of her nose, you decided to switch up your routine, just this once.

Clumsily and lazily, you pressed the tip of your new lip gloss against your lips. Unable to reach for your pocket mirror left on the dresser, you were positive you had wound up looking like a clown, but you couldn’t risk crawling out of bed and waking your girlfriend.

With a sigh of resignation, you tossed the lip gloss tube aside and turned to Ganyu. Still sleeping like a rock, it seems. With a deep breath in, you leaned down, finding purchase on her thinly parted lips.

“Mornin’ sleepyhead.” You whispered, making sure the taste of artificial fruits rubbed off on her.

Ganyu shuddered a little and her hand twitched. Her closed eyelids fluttered like a butterfly’s wings and she let out a hoarse grunt. The words escaped her before she could even fully open her eyes.

“Is that… vanilla?” She mumbled.

You raised your eyebrows in surprise. Even before her brain could fully reboot, her senses were as sharp as ever. Comes with being an Adepti, you supposed…

“Bingo. Clever you.” You teased as you lightly poked her temple. She groaned at this and with sluggish movements, she slowly sat up.

In the misty morning light, her cerulean blue hair formed a messy halo around her horns, an abnormal body part of hers few had the grace of handling - yourself included. She drew in a deep yawn and rubbed the fuzziness away from her downturned eyes.

“New lip gloss? I was planning on buying you one for our anniversary.”

“Aww…” You cooed before throwing your arms around her and pulling her in to pepper vanilla-flavoured kisses all over her drowsy face.

“How did you know my favourite fruit though?” She uttered amidst her shy giggles.

“Vanillas are all you ever eat, silly.”

“You’re not wrong…” she admitted as you gently pushed her back against the pillows, looking to coat her skin in a thin layer of vanilla. Not that she minded.

[ Shenhe ]

Shenhe was not quite ready for extravagant romantic gestures. Not at the time at least. So, you made sure to always look her in the eyes, to make slow movements, to ask if she was okay with it. It was like cozying up to a wounded animal in a sense.

Trying your new lip gloss on her was no different. It was no opening to something grand, it was just an innocent gesture you hoped she would enjoy. You had managed to find her favourite flavour after all.

As usual, you found her wandering about in the city, discreetly observing each and every passer-by and trying to ignore their inquisitive stares. It was obvious she was still an outsider to Liyue’s society. But by God, she was trying to fit in.

With a characteristic whistle, you drew her attention. Her head snapped to meet your warm smile and she approached you gingerly.

“Yes?” She uttered.

Maintaining your soft expression, you raised a hand to cup her cheek. Having adjusted to your gentle mannerisms, Shenhe’s shoulders slumped in relief. While she seldom admitted it out loud, she enjoyed those chaste kisses during the day.

You both leaned in to collide your lips against each other. And only a few moments later, Shenhe pulled back, touching her lips in amazement.

“Your lips… they taste different.” Her voice was reminiscent of an echo.

“Like what?” You asked with an innocent tilt of your head.

“Like… fresh mint. How is this possible?”

You reached into your pocket, revealing the tube of lip gloss with a sketch of a mint stamped on the label for emphasis. “I remember you like mint, so I bought this. Do you like it?”

Shenhe twirled the tube in her hands, gaze going back and forth between it and your moist lips. At last, she closed her fingers around it like a prized possession.

“I did. It reminds me of home.”

The sheer honesty in her flat voice had your heart melting within your ribcage. You couldn’t help but smile triumphantly when she carefully wrapped her arms around your waist to pull you closer.

“I’d prefer it if you wore it more often. … If you don’t mind, of course.”

You nodded ecstatically and placed your hands on her shoulders. “I’d be more than happy to, my dear.”

[ Keqing ]

To be fair, waiting for Keqing to take a break was a bad idea. She had a habit of getting completely absorbed in her work. And while you did admire her commitment as the Yuheng of the Liyue Qixing, her workaholic tendencies worried you.

So, what better break than giving her a taste of that new lip gloss you bought?

With a timid knock on the door and gentle footsteps, you slipped inside her office, bearing a tray with a steaming cup of tea and a small plate of flower cakes. Upon seeing your tender hands enter her working space, Keqing lifted her head with a warm smile - which quickly turned into a frown the moment her neck produced a very audible crack.

You both hissed in unison at the sound. Your hands flew to her rigid shoulders, looking to massage the tension away. “That sounded painful.”

She allowed herself to melt beneath the soft pressure of your hands. Her eyelids had grown heavy all of a sudden. “It’s fine. It happens all the time.”

Her nonchalant tone of voice couldn’t fool you. You smacked her hand away before she could even reach for her pen. “Nuh-uh. That’s enough for now. You need a break, missy.”

Keqing really wanted to protest; you could see it in her defiant gaze. But she knew there was no defying you. You were the one who had talked her into setting healthy boundaries in her work life after all.

“Fine. But those scrolls need to be revised by tonight.”

You rolled your eyes before leaning down to peck her on the top of her head. “Yes, yes… for now, how about a little energy boost?”

At first, Keqing assumed you were referring to the botanical tea and flower cakes. But then, she noticed the faint layer of purple smeared over your waiting lips. With a spark of curiosity, she threw her head back and upon colliding her lips with yours, she wasted no time darting her tongue out.

When she pulled back, amusement was written all over her once fatigued expression. “Grapes? I see you’ve been paying attention.”

You swiped the excess grape away from the corner of your lips with a smug grin. “Of course I have. Who do you take me for? Some kind of intern?”

Her hand caught yours just as you were retreating, fingers interlacing together instinctively. She sat upright, buzzed up by the sweetness lingering on your lips. Her usual stern expression had thawed away in favour of a more playful one.

“Where do you think you’re going? Least you could do was finish what you started.”

[ Beidou ]

Stops in Inazuma were few and far between, given the dangerous thunderstorm that isolated the nation from the rest of Teyvat. Even a seasoned pirate like Beidou couldn’t risk lingering in treacherous waters for too long. So, you’d swipe whatever exotic product caught your eye the few times you got to dock at Ritou. Packages of mochi, traditional fans, combs with flowers glued to the base…

And to your surprise, a tube of watermelon flavoured lip gloss.

You had spent ages looking for something more adventurous than oranges and strawberries. And you knew your captain would appreciate a flavour as exhilarating as the chaotic waves she had long learned to tame.

It was a quiet day on ship, evident by the sight of Beidou lounging in her cabin as her crew went about their mundane routines. She was slumped on her chair, feet propped up on her mahogany desk and arms crossed like someone’s grandfather. Her chest rose and fell with soft breaths, eyelids fluttering every so often.

Pressing your watermelon-layered lips in a thin line, you tip-toed inside, careful not to step on a few particular wooden planks that creaked annoyingly loud. Upon reaching her sleeping form, you braced yourself and leaned forward.

It was just a quick peck on the lips. Nothing more, nothing less. But when you pulled back, you were met with Beidou’s barely contained smirk.

“Boo, you’re no fun.” You pouted.

She laughed and finally opened her eyes. “You know I can’t help it, babe. You were so cute, trying to be all mischievous.”

She sat upright and flicked her tongue over her lips. A spark of familiarity crossed her sly expression. “And you got a new lip gloss? What’s that? Watermelon?”

You thumbed at the excess lip gloss smeared on the corner of your lips. “You like it? I got it from a shop in Ritou.”

Beidou set her feet down and opened her arms, a silent invitation for you to perch yourself upon her waiting lap. You wasted no time plopping down on your rightful throne and similarly so, she wasted no time wrapping her arms around you.

“Like it? Babe, you know anything that comes from your lips tastes amazing.”

“Yeah, but do you actually like the flavour?”

She tilted her head, feigning thoughtfulness with her thumb idly rubbing circles on your hip. “Hm… I’m not really sure. Let me get another taste, will you?”