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Xinyan needed everything to be perfect. The perfect night, the perfect location, with the perfect lighting, and a perfect dress, all for the most perfect girl. She had finally worked up the courage to ask Xiangling to the Lantern Rite, and now she had to work up even more to ask her to be her girlfriend.
Xiangling had always seemed so surreal to Xinyan, like it was impossible for someone to be so incredible. Xinyan loved Xiangling’s strength, her tenacity, her passion for cooking, her bubbliness...she was totally head over heels. Xiangling’s bright eyes and sparkling smile when she accepted Xinyan’s invitation to the Lantern Rite only set Xinyan’s plan more in concrete even when she had been uncertain. She was going to do this. Set up the perfect date to ask Xiangling out. Easier said than done, but Xinyan hadn't gotten to the mentally-preparing-herself-for-rejection stage, so she was in denial as long as everything was perfect. Which it wasn't.
'Sorry kid, rough seas ahead. All the ships gotta be delayed,' Beidou informed Xinyan, sighing. The sun was beating down in Liyue Harbor, and the famous Captain of the Crux Fleet was leaning against several cartons of liquor, taking a long sip from her flask, muscles rippling in the light. Xinyan stared up at her in deft disappointment.
'Seriously? It's so sunny out here, how is it stormin' in Inazuma?' whined Xinyan, feeling absolutely crushed.
'I don't know what to tell ya,' Beidou put the flask down and sighed again, so massively that Xinyan felt her fringe ruffle. 'You coulda settled for a different plant, like a calla lilly, or even those funny Mondstadt mushrooms that grow on the side of-'
'No, dendrobiums were the only choice,' Xinyan said firmly, 'They're the only plant Xiangling never had access to after the Vision Hunt Decree because they're so expensive, and the first shipment since the decree has been delayed!' Xinyan breathed in sharply after her ramble, and slumped her shoulders, disheartened. Her dress had arrived, a stunning hanfu in black and red, swirling with beaded dragons and silk flowers and Chongyun and Xingqiu had expertly hand-painted the paper lanterns she was going to surround the bridge in, the bridge she had convinced Yanfei to seal off so the two of them could be alone. But the giant bouquet of dendrobiums, the piece de resistance, was delayed.
'Yknow, asking someone out doesn't have to be the most perfect occasion,' Beidou said, licking her lips, about to take another swig of liquor. 'Want to know what I said when Ningguang first told me she had feelings for me?'
'You thanked her?'
'I thanked her,'
----------‐--
The bright sun had been dwindling out of sight for a while, bleeding across the sky in a brilliant red. Beidou's 'reassurance' had only rattled Xinyan further, and the time marching ever closer towards the designated confession time wasn't helping in the slightest. The night had arrived so fast, and Xinyan hadn't seen Xiangling since the previous day, when she had offered the invitation.
Xinyan liked to think she kept her crush on Xiangling low-key, she never caught herself blushing at Xiangling's touch, and she definitely knew she wasn't as obvious as Xingqiu and Chongyun’s endless pining. She almost felt under prepared, as if seeing Xiangling's face for the first time in 24 hours could suddenly kill her. To be fair, Xiangling's face was cute and round and doughy, tanned lightly from all her adventures across Teyvat, so seeing it all made up for the lantern rite might be fatal to Xinyan.
The stupid dendrobium shipment was still nowhere in sight, and Xinyan would know, she had checked the horizon every 30 seconds for the past hour just in case. The plan hadn't completely fallen apart, but a large crack had appeared in it. Xinyan nervously fiddled with her hair that was falling down her back with a slight sheen that took Yun Jin the application of multiple products to achieve. The hanfu had a light large-sleeved jacket over it, not heavy enough to block the chill drifting over the bridge.
The sudden draft left Xinyan with the feeling that she really was quite alone, when a bobbing figure appeared in the distance, outlined by the luminous glow of the about-to-be-released Xiao Lanterns.
Her brain was flooded with panic as Xiangling drew closer. Xinyan tried desperately to keep her cool, then shrieked when a cold hand patted her arm.
'Qiqi! You scared the livin' daylights outta me!' Xinyan sighed in relief, as the small, grey-skinned girl stared up at her with piercing pink eyes. Xinyan's heart suddenly rose as she noticed the humongous bouquet Qiqi was holding, it was bigger than Qiqi herself, looking like a small gust of wind could topple her over. The dendrobiums.
'Uhhh... sorry to.... interrupt...' Qiqi stated, an expression of confusion crossing her face, 'These are .... for you,'
'How in Teyvat did you get these? I thought the shipment was-'
'Shush. Your girl... she is coming,' said Qiqi bluntly, handing over the pink explosion of flowers. Xinyan bowed in thanks profusely, but Qiqi waved her hand is dismissal and trotted back over the bridge.
Xiangling was running towards the bridge, beaming and waving vigorously to Xinyan, who was still trying to keep her cool. Then remembered with a pang: she might be rejected. How would it look, presenting a massive bouquet of stunning flowers to the girl who just rejected you? Insanely awkward.
'What was that all about?'
Xinyan took another double take and whirled around to see Xiangling beaming up at her. She was wearing a spotless yellow hanfu made of clean, comfy cotton, and a hairpin dripping with crystal beads, which matched the iridescent tassels falling from her sleeves. Xinyan's legs turned to jelly as the realisation hit her like a ton of bricks; this was going to be much harder than she anticipated. Xiangling looked her up and down with her golden eyes, like drops of honey.
'Wooow...' Xiangling breathed, 'You look... incredible, Xinyan,'
'Ah.. thanks! You look amazin' too...yellow really suits you,' Xinyan babbled, hoping she didn't sound too awkward. Xiangling seemed to take to compliment well, blushing modestly and smiling.
Xiangling really did look great in yellow. The glow of the lanterns bathed her in golden light, illuminating her soft features in contrast to the harsh black of the twilight sky. The fire in Xinyan’s heart glowed too, the embers burning away her nerves. Her chest felt warm, and suddenly her hands did too as Xiangling took them in her own.
'So what's the occasion? And what's with the giant cotton candy?' The blue-haired girl giggled, gesturing to the hidden bouquet behind Xinyan's back.
Well, it was now or never.
'Dendrobiums, for you,' Xinyan could feel her cheeks turn two shades of red darker as she peeled her hand away from Xiangling’s grip. The simple touch had felt so good, it seemed to cure the aching Xinyan had held for so long, but only momentarily. Falling for Xiangling felt like drowning in an ocean, an ocean that smelled like jueyun chilis and cinnamon, and gave you the warmest hugs when you felt down. An ocean with golden eyes that sparkled like treasure at the simple sight of frilly pink flowers.
'REALLY?' Xiangling squealed, jumping up and down on the spot. Xinyan nodded shyly and tried to present the flowers to her before they were crushed in a tight hug.
'Ah- be careful-' Xinyan barely got a sentence out to protect the bouquet before Xiangling smashed her lips against Xinyan's. The kiss was the clumsiest in the world, Xinyan could still feel Xiangling grinning into her lips and Xinyan hadn't taken a breath, so she was awkwardly trying to stop their noses bumping so she could breathe. It only made Xinyan feel warmer inside- and outside as a deep blush consumed her face. Xiangling peeled herself away, still smiling, but more sheepishly.
'I- what-,' spluttered Xinyan, gasping for air.
'Ah! I'm so sorry I should have asked!' Xiangling squealed, 'You see Hu Tao was yabbering about something she heard from Yanfei that you asked her for a bridge for some romantic thing-which happened to be the same bridge you invited me to- which is actually the bridge we're standing on-' Xiangling stopped rambling suddenly and blushed, 'so I kinda assumed you liked me...'
'Uh, you're not wrong,' Xinyan decided there was no point in delaying it, and took a deep breath to deliver the words she'd been dreaming about saying for months, 'I really do like you, Xiangling. A lot. I think you're really cute, and fun, and creative, and I admire you so much-'
'D'you wanna be my girlfriend?' Xiangling blurted out.
Xinyan was shocked, but couldn't hold back her laughter. 'Nooo, I was just gettin' to that part!'
'I'm sorry! You were saying all these sweet things and I got all flustered!' Xiangling buried her face in the dendrobiums.
The awkwardness had melted away, and the two girls chuckled until their stomachs hurt on the lantern-lit bridge.
'Oh my archons, I didn't answer your question!' Xinyan gasped, wiping away her tears.
'No, no, you say it!' said Xiangling suddenly.
'Ah- really?'
'Of course! You started it!'
Xinyan's heart swelled, glowing, about to be popped like a water bubble. Not from rejection, but from happiness.
'Xiangling, do you want to be my girlfriend?'
'Of course!' Xiangling's face broke open in a broad grin and flung her arms around Xinyan, delivering a peck on the cheek. Xinyan wasn't used to the sudden girlfriend-y affection, and her knees melted like butter.
'How could I refuse a girl who gives me expensive Inazuman flowers?' Xiangling picked up the bouquet, which had fallen during her excitement, and stared lovingly up at Xinyan (who didn't know how much more of Xiangling's cuteness she could take before she turned into a puddle).
'You're only being with me for the flowers?' Xinyan clapped her hand to her mouth and feigned a tragic expression, earning a giggle from Xiangling.
'Nah, they're just a bonus,' mumbled Xiangling, resting her head on Xinyan’s shoulders, eyes drooping. Their hands were intertwined, the tips of Xinyan's fingers pressed in the dips of Xiangling's knuckles. Perfectly, just as Xinyan had planned.