Melancholic
It was no secret that I was a fan of Rock n' Roll. Xinyan introduced me to rock n' roll when we first met, and naturally, I got hooked since she rarely shut up about it.
It wasn't a secret either that I tend to incorporate the genre in school activities. Last week, I invited several amateur musicians from Fontaine to perform on campus as a sort of breather before exams started, to mixed success. Hardly wasteful. The student council had a budget the size of a government bank; this was surplus. The school director seemed to enjoy it, as did half the student body. Others were still hesitant, but they're slowly coming around.
What can I say? I like breaking free from the mold.
Of course, all this meant I held the infinite gratitude of the president of the Rock n' Roll club herself. Xinyan barged into my classroom with an expectant expression on her face, shrimp sandwich in tow.
I accepted the sandwich with a look akin to that of a proud pet owner— not that I'd admit it out loud. "Hello. What can I do for you?"
Xinyan smiled back grievingly. "Not beatin' around the bush are you, Keq?"
"You know how I am."
I had a few flashcards left to review for the next test. It was mathematics, so there was no way I was letting Aether score higher than me again.
"Am I good to go?" Xinyan asked. Her meek voice rarely ever came out. It only happens when she's particularly troubled about something.
"You're good," I answered, going back to my cards. "The student council approved the budget yesterday. You may rent any recording studio as you see fit— simply hand us the receipt."
As I said: I'm a fan.
Xinyan sighed in relief. "Oh thank goodness… I thought I was gonna have to practice on the street again…"
'Again?'
Reasoning that it probably wasn't important, I turned to Xinyan and mustered up a half-smile. I had a reputation of being a cold, ruthless bitch to outsiders, but Xinyan was a friend. Her dejected responses worried me.
"What's wrong?"
Xinyan looked away. "...Promise you won't laugh?"
"I never laugh."
That brought a chuckle.
"Hehe, Sounds 'bout right." Xinyan took a deep breath before continuing. "You may want to start eating for this one."
In hindsight, I regretted my choices in life. I would never have stalked someone so obnoxiously annoying if I knew for a fact they'd eventually become one of my closest friends. Relevant to the current situation, I regretted ever considering the thought of inviting said obnoxious person when all it would bring was everlasting pain and torment.
I was being dramatic. I honestly didn't care— but Aether being Aether, he barged into my life choices before I even had the chance to say no.
"Are we there yet?" Aether asked. For the record, I was aware he sounded like a five-year-old on his first limo ride.
...It's because he was.
"Keep the windows down," I chided. Thankfully, Aether obeyed. "We're in a neighborhood where people don't look too kindly on teenagers in sweats and jeans."
Aether wore a sporty black and yellow hoodie and cargo pants to go along with his sneakers— all brand-new, as far as I can tell. I told him to at least try and look presentable. This was the best I could have expected, I supposed. While not at all unusual to me, his outfit just screamed ordinary.
To my right, on the other hand, sat Xinyan. Posture petrified, one might assume she was the perfect doll from the layers of make-up whitening her face. Girly dress taut, she shot me a fading smile as her eyes darted to and fro the windows.
She was nervous. No idea why.
As for me, I went with my standard casuals: a violet sweater and a long white skirt. The morning weather seemed perfect for a coat, so I wore one too. You wouldn't have to worry about being snubbed if the folks didn't see you in the first place. Just a little advice from someone in the know. It hardly mattered anyway.
The car stopped in front of large jade-encrusted gates. Swinging open with a metallic creak, it opened up to an utterly gargantuan courtyard. Bright green ledges lined every seam, and marble statues of Rex Lapis stood vigilant at every corner, greeting guests with their unmoving stare. We rounded about a wide circular fountain, taking in the sights. A summer breeze brought with it the scent of blooming flowers, painting the entire courtyard in a grand bouquet you could never find anywhere else.
Most of those flowers were lavenders— my favorite.
Soon enough after the brief tour, the three of us stood before a mansion. The design incorporated the traditional Liyue architecture, modernized with an aim for practicality. Over five times the size of my apartment building, you'd need extra hands to count the windows on the front side alone. That was roughly 26 rooms spread across two floors— minus the basement/s and attic.
To grasp the scale of it, imagine a child in a shopping mall. Now imagine each room of the mall was roughly the size of a small house, and that each floor had an armada of maids scurrying about like shoppers. That child could get lost— which was exactly what happened when I used to live here.
...Yeah.
In place of an armada, two maids came to greet us at the door. One was a kind-faced young woman with braided hair that helped her look more professional. She bowed elegantly, as was to be expected of the head maid. "Welcome home, Lady Keqing."
I sighed. "It's a pleasure to see you again, Katheryne."
"The pleasure is all mine."
"Is my father…?"
Katheryne shook her head.
The younger of the two maids bowed after, squeaking in an eager voice I didn't recognize. She looked to be my age, albeit a bit shorter and younger and dressed similarly to Katheryne.
Although, for some reason, she also seemed to be wearing… armor? Gauntlets and a breastplate similar to that of a medieval knight.
"It is an honor to meet you, Lady Keqing," the young maid(?) said. "Should you encounter any problems at any point throughout your stay, please do not hesitate to call me, and I will be delighted to provide you with my full assistance."
"Erm…"
"Yes, starting right now — what do you need?
"This is Noelle," Katheryne helpfully answered. "She will be under your services starting today. As understaffed as we are at the moment, Noelle will be more than enough to fulfill your needs."
What did that mean?
More importantly— where did she go?
"You must be Lady Keqing's guests. Please allow me to carry your belongings to your rooms."
"Woah—!"
The second I took my eyes off her, Noelle procured the bags from our respective persons and effortlessly hauled them all over her shoulder. All of them.
"Follow me inside, if you would," the undaunted maid said, already halfway up the steps. You would never expect such a short girl to lug around so much stuff without breaking a sweat. Was she even human?
"Katheryne…"
She nodded in satisfaction. "Noelle's the best of the best. I hope she can be of use to you, Lady Keqing."
"Right…"
Why do I get the feeling that I need it?
Although this is still mainly a Keq/Aether fic, this is the start of Xinyan's subplot, so more focus on her. Expect another surprise guest joining the cast pretty soon.
As for Fischl fic, haha kill me I dont wanna write the angst yet.
PS Goodluck to all Baal pullers!