present
for baizhu week 2026 day 6 | birthday + desserts/sweets
Usually, Qiqi tended to return a tad later, when he was already done brewing the tea and in the middle of either fetching some cups (if that hadn’t been taken care of beforehand) or downright serving it. That day, though, Baizhu had barely settled the teapot over the stove when she joined him, carefully carrying a box in her hands like a girl on a mission.
“Good morning, Qiqi.” He greeted her with, smiling softly. “I see you are ahead of schedule today.” And, of course, he had an inkling of what her reason for it was.
Plus, even if he hadn’t, such a reason was going to be revealed soon.
“Good morning, doctor Baizhu.” She replied, intense focus writing all over her demeanor. “Happy birthday.” Qiqi also said, with the pride she always had in herself when being sure she had succeeded at remembering. “I wrote it down in my notebook, and have been checking the calendar every day.” There it was, just in case he had any doubts.
“And you did a great job, Qiqi! Thank you.” Baizhu lost no time in assuring her. It wasn’t until she secured the box by placing it on the floor with utmost care, though, when he accompanied his words with a hug he carried out by kneeling beside her.
“Thanks.” Qiqi replied, hugging him back. “But you have to see your gift too.”
“Well, of course. What is it?”
“You have to see it.” She simply insisted, breaking the hug only to point at the box with maybe not over the top insistence, but still it was enough for him to understand she was pretty impatient to see his reaction.
And so, Baizhu proceeded to indulge her, but not without ruffling her bangs a little before scouting closer to the box and opening it.
Inside, there were a bunch of smaller boxes and bags, each one containing a sample of different sweets from foreign regions such as macarons from Fontaine and dango from Inazuma; she must have enlisted the Traveler and Paimon for help, and the small note that could be found neatly folded at one corner confirmed it:
‘We collected everything, so this is technically a gift from us too, but Qiqi’s still the mastermind behind the idea, and so the merit has to keep being hers.
Happy birthday!’
“I love it.” Baizhu swiftly told the girl after folding back the note and storing it inside one of his pockets. “Now, I’m going to need assistance in trying them all, so what if we start sorting them out so they are all ready when the tea is too?”
“Yes.” Qiqi nodded, her eyes gleaming.
(also on ao3.)
