Work Text:
Perfect days don’t come often, though when they do, they are meant to be savored.
A butterfly, adorned with intricately patterned red and black wings, takes this sentiment to heart. She had spent the entire crisp, clear morning fluttering from flower to flower. Her favorites were the plum blossoms, and they happened to be at the peak of perfection at this time of year. After taking a last sip of sugary sweet nectar, she rested atop one of the soft petals, content with her meal. A gentle breeze pushed its way past her, but the wind was so polite that instead of bothering her, it invited her to take flight. She leapt into the air, gliding on a smooth current before flapping her wings.
Aside from drinking the sweet nectar of plum blossoms, the butterfly loved soaring through the air on gentle days such as this. The tickle of the wind on her wings, and the breathtaking feeling of being absolutely weightless in the air never grew old to her. She remembered how, back in her days as a caterpillar, she had prayed to the stars to someday be able to soar through the skies like the graceful butterflies that were able to pass her sluggish form in less than an instant. There was a yearning in her heart that couldn’t be quenched by simply climbing to the tallest branch of a sand bearer tree. She wanted more. She needed more. Weeks passed, and suddenly, like magic, her wish was granted! All she had to do was sleep comfortably inside a cute little house she made and poof! She had beautiful, functioning wings!
Ever since that day the yearning in her heart melted away and she had felt nothing but nourishing joy. She didn’t know how long this was going to last, but she wasn’t going to waste a single second of her miraculous lifetime.
As she soared across the plain, she spotted a flash of beautiful color. Automatically, her instincts told her to approach it, and as she grew nearer, she recognized the wings of another butterfly. This one looked very different from herself, but strangely, the patterns and colors she wore paired with the other’s quite nicely. This butterfly’s wings were bright red, with golden lines and spots, creating a pattern that was even more intricate than her own. It was impressive, and the butterfly intended to shower the other with compliments for their exquisite design.
The butterfly landed softly in the grass next to the other, and peered at them cautiously, before experiencing the sinking realization that this beautiful creature was injured. There was a tear in her wing that couldn’t be spotted from an aerial view, but this left the butterfly unable to fly, nonetheless.
As the unharmed butterfly approached the other, she noticed a small group of ants, making their way towards the flame-colored butterfly’s trembling form. A rare flutter of anxiety grew in her chest, and she took to the sky again, now with a sense of urgency, before diving back down. She swerved up at the last minute, sending a gust of wind in the direction of the ants, and sending them flying.
She landed in front of the other butterfly, and felt the bloom of pride she felt fade into sadness.
A butterfly with damaged wings is as good as dead.
She glanced around, not really sure of what she should do. Should she leave them there and let nature take its course? Should she bring some food? Should she try to move them? Is she even strong enough for that?
Her eyes fell to the creature before her, and their eyes locked. The other butterfly had a wise, intelligent gaze, and though it was laced with sadness, it gave off a feeling of warmth, as well. There was a sense of mutual understanding in that moment. They both knew what this injury meant.
Though they had met only moments before, the cheerful butterfly with wings black as night felt the same heartbreak she would feel if she was losing her closest companion. Or, at least, that’s what she imagined it would feel like. The other butterflies typically avoided her, as they took her unusual coloring to be an omen of death. Perhaps they were correct.
She nodded to her new companion, and took off to find some food and water to bring back.
The injured butterfly watched her go, certain that her savior would never return. The encounter left her exhilarated, but as the other butterfly left, she felt hollow disappointment carve into her thorax. She lowered herself closer to the ground. With her destroyed wing and bright coloring, she stood out from the long grass like a sore thumb. She knew there was little time left before she would be devoured by ants or picked up by a bird, and though she had accepted her fate before, something shifted her outlook now.
She perked up as she caught sight of the black wings she thought she would never see again. The butterfly was weighed down by a small flower she was carrying with her feet, and it caused her to sway in the wind. As she watched this strange creature, clearly insane enough to drag an entire flower across a field to feed a death-bound comrade, something bloomed inside of her that she had never felt before.
It was then that she knew she would live forever.
Over the next few months, the two were inseparable, save from the times when the uninjured butterfly left to gather food. She built her love a little shelter of leaves and twigs just big enough for the two of them to wander around and stretch their wings a bit, that protected her from the elements. They dug a small well together to collect water. They spent every moment they could together, and even though the unharmed butterfly had the ability and the freedom to take to the sky she loved so much and never look back, she never did. She had something better now.
They had months and months together, but as winter grew closer, they both knew their time together was coming to an end. There was no way the injured one could migrate to a warmer climate, and without one, there would not be the other.
Please leave! Save yourself! The injured butterfly begged, frustrated that the one she loved so much was being so illogical.
But I am so looking forward to watching the first snow of the season with you, the other responded serenely.
And so they both stayed, and when the first snow fell, they remained, huddled together in their shelter, savoring the feeling of the other’s wings, the faint lingering smell of flowers and fruits from seasons passed, savoring their last, perfect day together.
When death finally came, it arrived gently, taking them both in a warm, gentle sleep.
——
Hu Tao was in some hot water at the moment, and honestly, she was the only one she could blame.
Old man Zhongli had told her over and over that she shouldn’t make so many morbid jokes on the city’s bulletin board. He was all “the people of Liyue don’t appreciate your humor” this and “they will hold you accountable for this someday” that, however, Hu Tao never paid any mind to his warnings. She had just assumed he was being a stick in the mud, and that there were other kindred spirits out there, like Xingqiu, who appreciated her comedic jests. However…the people of Liyue drew a line when it came to jokes about a certain Lord of Geo.
She honestly didn’t know how this turned itself into a court case. Sure, one of her future clients (and by the looks of it, it would be the near future) saw her joke and fainted in shock. It was unfortunate that she broke her hip in the process, but Hu Tao could hardly see what she had to do with it. It wasn’t like she was going to need that hip for much longer, anyways.
She knew what she did was wrong, but she didn’t deserve to be persecuted like this. If it weren’t for her profession, she was certain she wouldn’t be facing such harsh consequences.
As Hu Tao sat at her desk, brooding about her unpleasant situation, Zhongli had somehow entered the room without her even noticing. He cleared his throat, causing her to jump in her seat.
“Archons! Zhongli! Don’t scare me like that!”
Zhongli chuckled, before placing a sheet of paper on her desk. His face fell as he turned his thoughts back to business. “You should contact this woman. She is the most renowned lawyer in Liyue, and she has just offered you a steep discount for her otherwise extremely expensive services.”
Hu Tao grabbed the paper and looked it over skeptically. It was a letter from Yanfei, an extremely successful and extremely busy lawyer that operates her firm across the street. She caught sight of the price- only one quarter of her regular rate- and raised her eyebrows. “Why such a generous discount for me specifically? Does she do this for everyone who makes it on the first page of the newspaper?”
Zhongli shook his head. “I don’t believe so. Perhaps she is a fan of your humor. Though I can’t imagine she wasn’t offended by your joke, what with her father being so close to Rex Lapis.”
Hu Tao cringed, remembering that Yanfei’s father is, in fact, an adeptus. “Do you think she may be setting me up? What if she does poorly on purpose?”
“Oh, she’d never do that. She has a reputation to uphold and she seems to dislike conflict and petty revenge. I would accept her offer, as this is quite the bargain.”
Hu Tao stared at Zhongli, who remained stoic as ever. “I trust you. I will write her a letter now.”
——
Hu Tao stood outside of Yanfei’s office, shifting from foot to foot as she rehearsed what she would say, or, more accurately, how she would explain herself before a certainly rage-filled half-adeptus.
Why did she agree to this, anyways? It was obvious Zhongli probably has some kind of “in” with the adepti. She was probably being set up, and she was walking willingly into-
A woman with bright, friendly green eyes that held a wise and intelligent gaze abruptly opened the door, halting Hu Tao’s panicked musings. “Hello! You must be Director Hu from the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor. As I’m sure you know, my name is Yanfei, and I will be your legal advisor until this unfortunate mess blows over (it won’t be long I’m sure.) Oh! Where are my manners? Come in, come in!” The woman ushered a shocked Hu Tao in, led her down a short hallway, and into a charming little room full of books. Hu Tao had to watch her feet, lest she trip over one of the towering piles that reached almost all the way up to the ceiling.
In contrast, Yanfei bounced through the room behind the desk with ease, obviously having done this hundreds of times before. She plopped herself into the plush armchair chair behind her handsome wooden desk, and cracked open an enormous book.
Hu Tao watched her in awe, as she found the correct page almost immediately without the aid of a bookmark. Her heart leapt in her chest as Yanfei looked up at her with a confused expression.
“You’re welcome to sit, Director Hu.”
Hu Tao laughed nervously. “Of course!” She hurried into the chair on the other side of the desk obediently, her heart still racing, and her face now burning with embarrassment.
Yanfei didn’t seem to notice Hu Tao’s skittishness, as she returned to her book without a second glance. “So, let’s get down to business. I believe this case shouldn’t be too difficult to resolve as you didn’t actually do anything. It says right here that in order to be charged with reckless endangerment, you have to be the direct cause of the injury, which you were not. I have confirmed with Baizhu that the woman that is suing you is actually anemic, so there’s no way to tell if she collapsed because of your post or because of her own bad health. We most likely won’t have to go to court at all.” She took a breath, and looked at Hu Tao expectantly.
Hu Tao only stared at her in shock. She had never met anyone who talked more than she herself did, and she honestly wasn’t sure how to react. After a moment, she realized she should probably respond. “Wow, that’s amazing! H-how did you find out she’s anemic? I thought that kind of information was…you know…”
“Confidential? I have many many connections that help facilitate my research. And it’s not entirely illegal, as there’s nothing explicitly stating that I can’t accidentally catch a glance at the label on others’ medication. It’s a simple mistake, after all.” Yanfei let a small smirk pull at the corners of her lips.
Hu Tao blinked at her. Wow, she goes through a lot of trouble for her clients, she thought to herself. She took a deep breath, hoping to calm her still-pounding heart. “That’s impressive. Do you do this for all of your clients?”
Yanfei chuckled, pausing a moment before responding. “Only for clients that have a good sense of humor.”
“Huh? You’re not mad?” Hu Tao didn’t realize she said that out loud until a burst of Yanfei’s bright laughter hit her ears.
“I have to admit, I didn’t appreciate the joke about our dearly departed Rex Lapis nearly as much as the others,” she stopped to let out a giggle. “But I’m not mad! What, did you think I was going to unleash the wrath of the adepti on you?”
Hu Tao glanced nervously to the side. “Uh…of course not!”
Yanfei laughed again, and wiped away a tear before continuing. “I’m sorry if I scared you, that really wasn’t my intention. I just thought it was ridiculous you were being persecuted over a harmless joke and figured I should do something to help. I may have also wanted an excuse to finally meet you in person.”
“I-I’m flattered…I didn’t realize I had a fan. You can have an autograph, if you would like.” Hu Tao relaxed into her chair, but there was still a furious blush coloring her face.
“No need! I’ll need you to sign some papers anyways.” Yanfei swiftly pulled a contract out of her desk and slid it across the table. “Sign here, here, initial here, sign here, initial here again, sign here again, and you’re done!”
Hu Tao only sat there and blinked at Yanfei. She really did seem kind of like Zhongli, but a lot cuter and a lot more fun. “Do you mind repeating that slowly?”
“Whoops! Sorry, sometimes I forget that not everyone is familiar with this process. So, sign right here…” Yanfei patiently pointed to each spot Hu Tao was supposed to sign, and waited for her to finish before moving on to the next one.
“All done!” She clapped her hands together and leaned back in her chair. She looked around, and gasped when she looked out the window. “It’s already dark outside?? When did that happen?”
“Did I make you miss an appointment?” Hu Tao stood to leave, but Yanfei waved her back down.
“No, I have nothing else planned for tonight, I just didn’t realize I was keeping you so late.”
“It’s fine! Thank you again for the discount and for helping me out with all of this. It’s a huge weight off of my shoulders. Is there anything I can do to repay you?”
Yanfei thought for a moment, tapping her finger on her lip. Her face lit up when she finally thought of something. “Take me to dinner at your favorite restaurant in Liyue!”
Hu Tao stared at her in shock. “L-like a date?”
“If you want it to be,” Yanfei responded, a smile playing at her lips.
Hu Tao nodded, the red stain of a blush making its way from her cheeks and down her neck. “I think that would be nice, but I don’t really go out to eat…”
Yanfei raised her eyebrows at that remark. “Oh, of course! I’m sure the auspicious director of the Wengsheng Funeral Parlor is much too busy to indulge herself in those ways.”
“Are you making fun of me?”
“Not at all! I’m sorry if it came off that way. I genuinely value the work you do. Few people in Liyue have the guts to pursue such a profession.”
Archons, was it getting hot in that room? Hu Tao thought so, as the fiery heat that was trapped under her hat began to make her sweat. “Thank you,” she responded shyly. “I was born into this profession, but it still is hard work. That’s why my consultant, Mr. Zhongli, ends up doing much more than what’s in his job description to help out. He usually makes meals for the both of us.”
“That’s so sweet!” Yanfei’s eyes lit up. “You’re so lucky! I wish I didn’t have to stumble around in the kitchen after work every day.”
“Well, there’s usually always leftovers, so if you would like to avoid your nightly kitchen stumbling, I would really like it if you could join us.” Hu Tao couldn’t help but smile, proud of how smooth she was, and charmed by Yanfei’s infectious grin.
“I would like that, as well. Shall we go?”
——
“Welcome back, Director Hu. I trust your meeting with Yanfei went well,” Zhongli asked from the kitchen that was tucked away into the corner of the funeral parlor. Once the two women entered the room, he finally turned around to face them, and a look of surprise crossed his face. “Oh! She’s here!”
Yanfei giggled. “I hope it isn’t too much trouble, but I was wondering if I could join you two for dinner tonight? Director Hu told me this is her favorite restaurant.”
Zhongli chuckled under his breath. “Of course! However, if Director Hu was struggling to find ideas, she could have always come to me for restaurant recommendations.”
“Yeah, yeah, yeah, I know,” Hu Tao jested, rolling her eyes. “I just figured since you’re already making dinner, this would have the shortest wait time.”
Zhongli had his back to her again, as he was tending to the soup he was making, but Hu Tao knew he was probably holding back a laugh or rolling his eyes or making fun of her in his head in some way. It wasn’t her fault that this was the first time she had taken anyone home…
Hu Tao led Yanfei to the sitting area of the parlor, and they sat awkwardly on the hot-so-comfy couch that was honestly meant to be more of a decoration than anything someone should sit on.
“Does Mr. Zhongli always make you dinner,” Yanfei asked, swinging her legs.
Hu Tao shrugged passively. “Most of the time, unless he’s meeting with clients for dinner.”
Soon enough, their dinner was ready, and they sat at a small table in the kitchen.
“Well, I will take my meal home if that’s alright with you. I’m sure you two would enjoy some privacy.” Zhongli headed towards the door, taking his bowl of soup with him.
“You should stay! I’ve heard you’re knowledgeable in all things, and I wouldn’t mind putting that to the test.” Yanfei smiled at him, leading him back to the table.
Zhongli chuckled. “Well, I wouldn’t say I’m knowledgeable in all things. For example, the Anemo Archon from Mondstat. I know little to nothing about him, and I couldn’t care less.”
A violent gust threw the window open, and Yanfei shrieked, clinging to Hu Tao’s arm.
“Whoops. I shouldn’t make jokes like that,” Zhongli laughed as he closed the window.
Hu Tao laughed along with him, gazing at Yanfei, who was still attached to her arm. “Are you alright?”
Yanfei realized how tightly she was gripping Hu Tao’s arm, and a blush spread over her face. “Oh, yes. I’m fine. The timing was just a little…”
“I understand. Strange things like that do happen here from time to time,” Hu Tao giggled, before clapping her hands. “Let’s eat!”
“So, Mr. Zhongli. Do you have any funny stories Director Hu may not have the courage to tell me about,” Yanfei asked after swallowing a mouthful of soup, a smirk playing at her lips.
“W-what’s that supposed to mean?” Hu Tao cried indignantly, nudging her on the shoulder.
“You know, like when you take someone home and your mom starts flipping through your baby pictures with them. That kind of stuff.”
“I apologize. I have no such baby pictures to show you.” Zhongli began. “However, I do remember when a certain someone stole Xinqiu’s notebook because she was cross about losing one of their rap-battles.”
Yanfei’s face lit up. “You have rap battles with your friends? Can I join sometime? I need to polish my skills if I ever want to make a rap career a reasonable backup plan.”
Hu Tao struggled not to spit out the soup in her mouth. She swallowed painfully and was finally allowed to let out a laugh. “Yeah! I warn you though, Xingqiu plays dirty, and he’ll come after every person you love.”
“Sounds exciting!”
They continued with the banter long after their meals finished, sharing stories about their daily lives, hobbies, and anything else they could think of. Zhongli seemed to be having a good time, too, but he retired for the night long before Yanfei and Hu Tao did, and they continued talking late into the night. Somewhere along the way, they moved themselves outside, taking seats on the steps leading to the funeral parlor, the warm lights from the still-bustling streets of Liyue illuminating their faces.
“Say, Yanfei. Can I ask you a question?”
Yanfei perked up. “Sure! What is it?”
“I know you said you offered me a discount because you liked my sense of humor, but is that really the only reason? Did you happen to have this exact scenario in mind?”
Yanfei laughed nervously, rubbing the back of her neck. She has been caught. “Maybe. I wasn’t expecting Mr. Zhongli to cook for me or anything, but I was interested in spending some time with you.”
Hu Tao looked away, slightly flustered. “Why do you want to spend time with me, specifically? Seems ironic for an immortal half-illuminated beast to want to spend time with someone who is constantly surrounded by death.”
Yanfei raised her eyebrows, and Hu Tao could see her retreat into her mind, absorbed in her own thoughts. “There is something that drew me to you, but it’s a bit…strange. Do you believe in reincarnation?”
It was Hu Tao’s turn to be surprised. “I’m not sure. Why?”
“I’m not sure if it was a dream or a memory, but I feel like I’ve met you before. From what I can recall, you made a great sacrifice on my behalf. I’m not certain it really happened, but I would like to return the favor if I can.”
Hu Tao nodded silently. “So you’re repaying a debt?”
Yanfei bit back a smile. “Not quite…this is a little more selfish than that, I think. I got to spend some time with you, after all.”
Hu Tao hoped Yanfei couldn’t see her blush under the dim lights from other buildings, but given the way Yanfei was affectionately smiling at her, she probably could. “Well, just in case we were close before, we should probably get reacquainted now. Y’know, just to be safe.”
Yanfei giggled, sliding her hand on top of Hu Tao’s. “I think we should, too. Just to be safe.”
Hu Tao leaned in, her heart racing faster than it ever had before. She snuck a quick peck on Yanfei’s cheek, pulling away immediately as though she was trying not to get caught.
Yanfei looked at her with wide eyes, before bursting into laughter.
Hu Tao felt her face go red. “Don’t laugh at me! I got caught up in the moment!”
Yanfei took some deep breaths in between giggles, wiping a tear from her eye. “Sorry, that was just so cute! Come here.” She cupped Hu Tao’s face with her hands, pulling her in for a real kiss.
Hu Tao had never experienced this sensation before. That never stopped her from giving Xingqiu advice on kissing, but now she realized it was much different than she imagined. Yanfei’s mouth was soft and warm, and that invited her to deepen the kiss. After a few breathless moments, they pulled away, smiles on both of their faces. There was a glowing warmth building in Hu Tao’s chest, and in that moment she really did believe that they had known each other for a long, long time.
Perfect days don’t come often, though when they do, they are meant to be savored.