pairing: diluc ragnvindr x keqing
tags: fluff, lazy days, established relationship, big domestic, sleepy cuddles~
ao3
a/n: sorry for the delay! i come bearing gifts!
~o~
To be fair, she may have forgotten that he had stayed over the night before, wiggling away from his touch when he sat by the edge of the bed. To be fair, she was only avoiding him like the plague because she knew if she gave in, he’d drag her up and out of the confines of her sweet, sweet bed, dropping dreary tasks and reality overtop her head as if they were a bucket of cryo infused water
(she looks at him anyway; he’s too pretty for her not to)
or, keqing and diluc on a sleepy, lazy day.
~o~
It’s one of those days, one of those rare, lazy days when the world outside was muddied and grey and the world inside was just as ugly.
She has half the mind to disappear under her covers even more than she already has, until not even her head can be seen, or the body beneath rumpled sheets is anything but recognizable. There is still so much to do for the Qixing, so much to do before the day’s out, and yet she can’t bring herself to move, stretching her limbs before staring at the blank ceiling in her room.
Rain, while one of her favourite types of weather, was an absolute shit show on days like this, the yelling from the docks reaching her ears as fishermen and merchants did their best to meet the day’s expectations before the heaven’s downpour became too much. Archons, she’s so ready to go back to bed, covering her eyes with her hands just as the door to her bedroom is pushed open.
She stares, dumbly, at his equally idiotic smile, and her chest tightens uncomfortably at the beautiful red hair that falls past his shoulders. Unfair, unfair, Diluc is so unfair to her, resting the tray she didn’t realize he was holding on the nightstand next to her head. To be fair, she may have forgotten that he had stayed over the night before, wiggling away from his touch when he sat by the edge of the bed. To be fair, she was only avoiding him like the plague because she knew if she gave in, he’d drag her up and out of the confines of her sweet, sweet bed, dropping dreary tasks and reality overtop her head as if they were a bucket of cryo infused water.
(she looks at him anyway; he’s too pretty for her not to)
“This is strange,” he tells her, pushing unruly lavender strands out of her eyes. He doesn't wait for her to answer, however, and she watches as he slides to the middle of the bed so he could fix her in between his legs, fingers moving through her hair. “You usually always wake before me, you know that, Keqing?” he asks, and she offers a half-hearted hum as she grabs the teacup from off the tray. She doesn't have to look at him to know he’s smiling. “There was thunder and lightning earlier this morning,” he adds, making conversation, and she feels her shoulders sag at this fact, his nails barely grazing her scalp. “It’s a shame you missed it. They almost looked purple today.”
She pulls her head away then, turning around so she could look at him properly. Suddenly too aware of the fact that she just woke up, she covers her mouth before fixing him with a glare. “What’s the meaning of this, Diluc?” she mumbles, weary as his fingers curl themselves in the ends of her hair.
He shrugs, donning that stupid smile again. “Nothing in particular,” he says flatly, and she relishes in the healthy, pink coat that stains his cheeks. “I simply decided to treat you today.”
She frowns, unimpressed. “Liar,” she deadpans.
His face reddens as he motions for her to fix herself. Got him. “Alright, fine. It wasn’t my intention to treat you today, but you say some of the strangest things when you’re near awake, my dear,” he admits, and now it’s her turn to blush as he begins to chuckle, bending over to rest the teacup on the nightstand so she doesn't spill it. And then she pinches his thigh, laughing in his stead when he curses.
“And pray tell, Master Ragnvindr, what did I tell you?” she inquires, leaning into his touch.
He pokes her thigh in weak retaliation, before resuming his work on removing the tangles in her hair. He hums thoughtfully, pondering. “Well, Lady Yuheng, you told me, and I quote: ‘Ningguang’s gonna be so mad at me if I don’t finish all my work today, but, bloody hell, I’m tired as fuck and don’t feel like doing --’”
She elbows his stomach before he can finish, rolling her eyes when he begins to wheeze through his laughter. His hands fall away from her hair as he rests his head on her shoulder, exhaling once before calming down. “I don’t sound like that, you little shit,” she spits, but there is no venom in her voice, only love and endearment as he wraps his arms around her waist. Instinctively, she buries her fingers in his hair, teasing the scarlet tresses as his sighs tickle her back.
Then, quietly: “thank you, Diluc,” she whispers, bashful as he smiles against her skin.
“Any time, Keqing,” he replies, the sound of the rain hitting the window only seeming to dull as time went on.
It’s one of those days, one of those rare, lazy days when the world outside was muddied and grey and the world inside was just as ugly.
She still wants to disappear under the covers where not even the Qixing will find her, and the desire to run away from her responsibilities and become a hermit still rears its ugly head in the back burner of her mind. But in truth… In truth, they barely seem like good ideas compared to spending the early morning in the arms of her lover, his steady breaths serving as an anchor as the sky continues to weep with no signs of relenting.
(it almost seems pathetic to her, to place so much faith and trust in a man she barely gets to see, and yet she chooses to revel in it, eyes slipping shut as gravity pulls them under.)
pairing: diluc ragnvindr x keqing
tags/cw: unabashed fluff, very soft, forehead kisths UvU!, teasing, smiles, i don’t know how to tag anything
ao3
a/n: please enjoy it!
~o~
“You may call me ‘Mrs. Ragnvindr’ when you are positive you are completely, perfectly, and incandescently happy.”
He paused, staring, before sending her the sweetest smile he had graced her with all day.
“Then, how are you today, Mrs. Ragnvindr?”
or, diluc and keqing spend time in the fields above the winery.
The sun played tricks on his hair and she found her attention glued to the bright strands rather than the words falling off his tongue.
They were sitting in the fields that overlooked the winery, having walked up the paths before resting here. The afternoon breeze was crisp, yet warm, welcoming as she hummed to show she was at least hearing what he was saying. It wasn’t something they did often, no, they had no time for leisurely strolls and impromptu picnics, spending most, if not all, of their time inside his manor where they could remain undisturbed until she had to leave.
She sighed, weary. She didn’t want to leave Mondstadt yet, for two weeks in her eyes seemed to have gone by too fast.
He must have sensed her upset because she jumped at the feeling of his hand sliding underneath her chin, turning her head so she was looking at him. His smile was so soft when she met his gaze, gloved fingers pushing lavender strands out of her eyes before falling into the space between them.
“What’s wrong, Keqing?” he asked, and she allowed her eyes to flutter shut as she indulged in the comfort of his voice.
“Nothing,” she lied, smiling gently when she heard him laugh, quiet as if he didn’t want to wake her from her thoughts. “I was just reminded that I must leave you soon,” she continued, and he gestured for her to continue. “I don’t want to leave you yet, Diluc,” she told him. “Two weeks is too short. I think I must ask the Tianquan for more time.”
He chuckled and she relished in it, watching as the sun made the sparse freckles on his cheeks darker in its light. “You shouldn’t worry about that now, Keqing,” he said, and she offered another non-committal hum as her head lolled to the side. Her chest tightened when he took her hand in his own, his thumb caressing her palm. “Besides, it is better to dwell on the time we have together now than what we don’t, my dear,” he teased, “my lovely, lovely wife,” he added, grin broadening at the flush that covered her face.
She pulled her hand away from him, glaring even as she struggled to fight the smile on her lips.
“I am not your wife yet,” she said flatly. “You may call me ‘Mrs. Ragnvindr’ when you are positive you are completely, perfectly, and incandescently happy.”
He paused, staring, before sending her the sweetest smile he had graced her with all day.
“Then, how are you today, Mrs. Ragnvindr?” he asked, and she gawked as she felt the blood rush to her cheeks, crawling down her neck and colouring her ears as he laughed again, a sweet sound she was so thankful he allowed her to hear. He pressed a kiss to the top of her head then, lingering for a moment before pulling back, eyes gentle as he cupped her jaw again. “I am always happy with you, Keqing.”
Her words. “Always?” She can’t find them.
“I can’t ever recall a time in which your presence made me sad,” he affirmed, and she blinked in surprise before mirroring his expression.
“Call me ‘Mrs. Ragnvindr’ after we marry,” she said after a moment, gaze glued to the grassy patch in the distance. “For I am unsure if I will be able to handle any more of this if you call me that every day.”
He smiled again and she sunk into his embrace when he opened his arms for her.
“I’ll keep that in mind, my heart, my love,” he said quietly. “I’ll keep it in mind just for you.”
pairing: diluc ragnvindr x keqing
tags: fluff, domestic, kisths because what is luqing without kisths, i don’t know how to tag this again...
ao3
a/n: please enjoy it!!
~o~
“Why don’t you come to bed with me. Then you can wake up refreshed and at ease.” He smiled and it felt as if her heart now refused to beat, as if time itself no longer wished to move, the thud in her chest and their breathing overwhelming her senses.
The man hummed, tilting his head to the side. Scarlet nearly obscured his eyes from view. “I’m going to kiss you now.”
She stuttered, face covered in a furious blush as her brain struggled to catch up with his words. “I don’t know why you haven’t already.”
or, diluc uses his mastermind to coax his lover into sleep. kind of.
~o~
The night, as always, was cool as she worked, a calming breeze filtering through slitted windows. Hair strewn around her head, she pinched her brow as she reread the lines that began to blend into each other. It was frustrating to have to sift through these papers so late into the night, sleep tugging at her eyelids even as she did her best to fight it off. Annoyed and irritated, she really did crave her bed, and yet here she sat, staring at silly letters and proposals on a somber Mondstadt evening.
“Keqing?”
His voice somehow managed to cut through her the myriad that was her thoughts, the sound of a door creaking on worn hinges accompanying it. With a sigh, she placed her pen down beside the paper she had intended to write on, watching as he crossed the floor to where she sat behind her desk. His gaze was scrutinizing, telling, and she found herself willing to adhere to the command he hadn’t even given.
She exhaled as he slid his hand underneath her chin, the warmth from his fingers slowly but surely easing her frustrations away. It was embarrassing, but she knew whatever held her attention a moment ago was nothing but buried memories in the back of her mind, his thumb indenting small circles onto the skin of her cheek. He turned her head this way and that, and to her surprise and his own, she didn’t fight him, too enamoured with the scarlet that tumbled over his shoulder in the familiar way she has long since come to recognize.
Her haze cleared over at the scent of fresh calla lilies and cecilias.
“You’ve just come from the shower?” she asked, quiet, curious as she moved to catch the hem of his sleep shirt in her grasp.
He laughed and she frowned. “No, I showered a few hours ago. I told you, remember?”
In fact, she did remember, though she was positive he had gotten up to leave only a few minutes ago. At her lack of silence, his smile slipped off his face, replaced with slight concern. “Shouldn’t you be coming to bed now?” he pressed. “It’s almost two in the morning. Haven’t you finished your work?”
She blinked, turning away from him to look at the clock that hung above the hearth. Indeed, he was right, the hour hand slowly finding its way towards the two on the clock face. Bashful, she shrugged as she tried to pull her head out of his grasp. “But of course. I was simply… reminded of some other things I had yet to finish. And since I was already working, I thought it wise to utilize the energy I already had,” she explained, amethyst finding the scarlet in the yellowed lamplight.
“And have you finished that work?” he continued, and she scoffed at his childishness.
“Diluc don’t be ridiculous. You know how long going through all these papers takes,” she scolded, ignoring the way her heart lodged itself in her throat when he ran his thumb across her bottom lip. She swallowed her nerves, unimpressed with the way her words shook. “Just give me another half hour and I’ll join you.” The smile that pulled at the corners of her mouth was almost genuine. “I promise.”
He pursed his lips then, and she found her fingers abandoning his person to twist the fabric of her dress in her hands.
“But Keqing… you know how you are. If you don’t sleep now you’ll be a pain in the morning,” he said, leaning down so his face was a few inches from her own. She already knew her lover was a tease when he wanted to be, staring into his beautiful crimson irises as his nose bumped her own. “Why don’t you come to bed with me. Then you can wake up refreshed and at ease.” He smiled and it felt as if her heart now refused to beat, as if time itself no longer wished to move, the thud in her chest and their breathing overwhelming her senses.
The man hummed, tilting his head to the side. Scarlet nearly obscured his eyes from view. “I’m going to kiss you now.”
She stuttered, face covered in a furious blush as her brain struggled to catch up with his words. “I don’t know why you haven’t already.”
He huffed and she copied his disgruntled expression. “You were just complaining about all the work you had to do. Why then, knowing the cause of your distress and lack of sleep, would I disturb you?”
She fought the urge to slap him. “You’ve been disturbing me for the past five minutes, Diluc,” she deadpanned, biting the inside of her cheek when he chuckled.
“You could’ve told me,” he countered, though the playful edge in his tone had long since vanished, replaced with a quiet reverence that fogged her mind.
Reaching upwards, she pulled his hand away from her face, relishing in his unabashed surprise when she grabbed his chin in return. Gone was the man who had appeared so dead set on teasing her, exchanged for red tinged features that could’ve rivaled the hair on his head. “I thought you were going to kiss me,” she quipped, pressing her thighs together when he crouched beside her seat.
“I thought we were going to bed,” he whispered, though she didn’t pay it any mind, swallowing any further complaint as she closed the distance he took too long to cross.
pairing: diluc ragnvindr x keqing
tags: light angst, introspection, long fights/short tempers, angst with a happy ending, they’re okay i swear
ao3
a/n: haha, please enjoy it <3
~o~
It was stupid to be angry, he thought, pinching the bridge of his nose as he focused on relaxing the hold his anxieties had on his chest. It was foolish to ponder over something that happened hours prior, foolish to light a match when he knew how short their wicks were. And yet he -- they -- did it anyway, regret seeping into his frame as his shoulders slumped and his expression fell.
or, diluc ponders the remnants of a disagreement.
~o~
It was very easy, almost too easy, to realize when something had happened between the two, the tension that hung above their heads seeming fragile enough to shatter if one of them even dared to breathe.
The breaths that left him were tired and heavy-laden, accented with what could only be exhaustion as he watched raindrops slide down the window. The weather was relentless and unforgiving, merciless as it pounded against the side of the manor. He liked to think they were reminiscent of his emotions, of his feelings, of the frustration he felt as his brows furrowed together, a heavy sigh slipping past his lips as he pulled himself up.
It was stupid to be angry, he thought, pinching the bridge of his nose as he focused on relaxing the hold his anxieties had on his chest. It was foolish to ponder over something that happened hours prior, foolish to light a match when he knew how short their wicks were. And yet he -- they -- did it anyway, regret seeping into his frame as his shoulders slumped and his expression fell.
He felt his heart skip a beat when he heard her moving around the study, the grip he had on his slacks tightening just a tad. He listened as her bare feet padded across the flower, stopping at what he assumed was her desk before fading away. She didn’t say a word, she didn’t have to, and still he found himself wishing she said something, wishing he turned around to acknowledge her presence and pull her towards him in an effort to beg for forgiveness.
(forgiveness for what? he can no longer remember, only dwelling on the memories of her voice rivalling his own, of the spit and venom that laced his tone as they looked at each other in ways he had hoped they never would)
But he didn’t, swallowing the lump in his throat as the door creaked again, a telltale sign that she was leaving.
He fingered a loose string on his sweater, watching as children ran and kicked through the mud outside. Kaeya would say this was when he should apologize. Kaeya would say they were both in the wrong and it would take more work on his part to ever get back into her good books. And, Archons , he knew his brother was right, knew that just standing here and watching the rain fall was only allowing the problem to fester into something more. One would think with this knowledge he’d finally bring himself out of his standstill, though, in reality, he couldn’t bring himself to move, dejected as he stared at his reflection in the glass.
His eyes widened when he felt her arms wrap around his torso, her small, slender fingers tangling themselves in the fabric of his clothes as she pressed her cheek against his spine. He must have missed her while he was buried deep in his thoughts, unaware of the happenings of the world around him as she snuck up on his person.
The surprise quickly melted away into understanding when she exhaled, shaky as she opened her mouth to speak. “Don’t say anything,” she said quietly, and he nodded as he allowed his head to rest on the cool, foggy window. It wasn’t much by any means but it was something, he decided, covering her hands with his own. In time, he knew they would figure it out eventually, in time, he knew they would be able to sit and talk about it.
No good thing came to those who chased after it hurriedly, and so, for her sake and his, he was willing to wait.
pairing: diluc ragnvindr/keqing
tags: more fluff, light angst, reunions, mild introspection
ao3
a/n: please enjoy it <33
~o~
There were always many things on his mind whenever he saw Keqing, but none were ever as strong as the desire to simply look at her.
But there were times, quieter times, when all he ever could want was to be with her.
or, keqing returns to the winery.
There were always many things on his mind whenever he saw Keqing, but none were ever as strong as the desire to simply look at her.
No matter how many times his eyes surveyed her frame, she never failed to steal the breath from his lungs. Perhaps it was the way she carried herself, back straight as she stood at a height that could barely rival his own. Perhaps it was the way her hair fell over her shoulders, lavender and lilac staining the smooth, marble of her skin whenever she tilted her head. Or perhaps it was the way she smiled, eyes creased at the corners as a full, toothy grin was bared to the world in hysterics or sarcasm.
(in truth he wasn’t picky; so long as she was smiling for him)
Even now he found himself staring, watching as her surprise melted into something he refused to name as she met him halfway.
“Diluc,” she started, looking at him from under her eyelashes as she caught the lapels of his coat in between her fists.
“Keqing,” he finished, rewarding himself in her soft smile as he felt his heart lodge itself in his throat.
He leaned down to kiss her then, chuckling against her lips when she sighed. Kissing her was another thing he thought of whenever he saw her, his hands finding her waist as she brought her own to his shoulders. He loved to meet her like this, eyes slipping shut in timid, innocent kisses that still managed to send his mind reeling and render his heart asunder.
When she began to tangle her hands in his hair, he took it as a sign to pull away. Despite her arrival, there were still things that needed to be done before he could fully bask in her presence, a gentle smile gracing his features as he looked her over. And yet he swallowed when her beautiful amethyst gaze fell to mouth, pink parted in a breathless whisper as she drew him down to her level again.
He groaned when she hummed, his nails bound to break through the cloth of her dress with how tight he was holding her. If he did such a thing, he knew she’d never forgive him, her patience wearing thin as she bit his bottom lip. A part of him wanted to tell her that this wasn’t the time, that they’d have the entire evening to themselves if they just got their work done now, but how could he when she was discovering the cavern of his mouth as if she forgot it, when her eyelashes tickled his cheeks as she raised her hand to cup his jaw?
Keqing…
And so he allowed it, allowed himself to indulge in the way her body fit perfectly against his. He was a mess but he was hers, so in truth he didn’t mind, a broken sound falling past his swollen lips when she finally, finally stepped back on the flats of her feet.
He didn’t move as she ran her thumb across his mouth, observing the baby pink lipstick on her finger before wiping it off on her dress.
His cheeks were dusted with pink at her words, nodding along to a promise only he understood.
“I’ve missed you horribly,” she said quietly, lacing their fingers together. Still, she sent him a lopsided grin when she gestured over at his desk, pecking his cheek before fixing her dress. “Finish your work up first,” she added, and he stared, dumbly, as she reached up to straighten his cravat. “I’ll be in the vineyard if you need anything.
There were always many things on his mind whenever he saw Keqing, though most times, none were ever as strong as the desire to simply look at her, his lips pressed thin as she sauntered out of his study.
But there were times, quieter times, when all he ever could want was to be with her, he mused, sinking into his seat as he pinched the bridge of his nose. There would be no work, no noise, no distractions, just them as they thrived and reveled in nothing but each other.
He shuffled through the paperwork halfheartedly, frowning when he realized the amount he had to go through.
Though… if it meant he could be with her later, finish with her later, he was more than willing to tackle the task, a soft smile pulling at the corners of his lips as the sound of her laughter filtered through open windows.
