Work Text:
Liu Mingyan huffed as another yell alerted her to more people coming through the front door to join the already packed room. The fact that her stick-in-the-ass brother had actually been convinced to hold a party here shocked her to her core. Shen Qingqiu and Luo Binghe certainly had more talent in swaying him then she ever gave them credit for.
Despite the unwelcome interruptions, combined with the general annoyance of people interrupting her baking to either flirt with her, try to steal food, or both for the bold ones; she continued on baking. Making Halloween themed pastries was always her favorite part of the holiday and she would be damned if drunk frat boys ruined her plans. She did still kind of want to block off the kitchen now, though.
Usually she would be just in comfortable pajamas with pumpkins all over them or something, but since people were actually going to be seeing her, she had decided to dress up. Along with a veil she usually wore in public, she had decided to say fuck it and dress up like the Pirate Princess from an old children’s costume she and her brother liked to watch. Honoring her first crush and all that. Besides, she thought it was better than the Little Red Riding Hood trio her brother and his boyfriend’s had going on. Especially since Luo Binghe looked too silly and too much like a puppy.
Speaking of the devils, and they shall appear.
She tried to look annoyed when the trio approached her, and apparently succeeded with Shen Qinqiu’s guilty look at her mountain of goodies. His boyfriend’s did not share the same sentiments, with Luo Binghe even going as far as to try to steal a muffin. Luckily, her brother smacked his hand away.
“Having fun?” Liu Qingge asked, keeping his expression neutral even though he was definitely making fun of her. She followed in his footsteps expression-wise, and could see Shen Qingqiu get more and more nervous while keeping the youngest away from her food. The scene would have been hilarious (well, it actually was), but she refused to break.
“Halloween parties are so dumb, I cannot believe you were defeated by puppy dog eyes.” Liu Mingyan replied, turning back to the oven. Her brother sighed.
“It wouldn’t be dumb if you stepped away from the oven and stopped stabbing people who come too close to said oven with a fake sword.” Liu Qingge replied, entirely unimpressed.
“Ah yes, I will just go buddy up with some of the drunk men you have invited.” She replied sarcastically. At least this made her brother look disgusted.
“Just find a hot pirate to hit on to pass the time.” He shrugged. She scrunched her nose but then raised an eyebrow.
“What did you do?” Liu Mingyan grabbed her fake sword, getting ready to stab him. A glance around the room showed her that the other two troublemakers had fled, and with a few of her bat cookies too. She glared at her brother who was pretending to be innocent.
His next words were cut off by loud voices yelling down the hallway. She instantly recognized one as Luo Binghe, but the other took a few more seconds to process. Her jaw dropped and she looked at her brother in betrayal.
“You didn’t.” She lifted her sword, smacking him in the side. He didn’t even flinch.
“Go check, I’ll watch your precious oven.” Liu Qingge leaned against the counter with a yawn. She looked between him and the oven before deciding, fuck it, and doing as told. She put her sword back in its sheath, exiting the kitchen and heading towards the front door, where the voices were still yelling. The scene that greeted her was not surprising in the slightest.
In a fierce standoff with Luo Binghe, who was being held back by his boyfriend that was not in the kitchen and yet was still stirring up mischief, was Sha Hualing. Also known as Liu Mingyan’s reluctant friend and even more reluctant crush. Dressed as a far too “sexy” (read: publicly indecent) female version Captain Hook. How lovely.
Liu Mingyan sighed and face palmed, giving herself a few seconds more of peace, before surging forward to grab her friend’s arm. Sha Hualing looked at her, an expression of surprise on her face for a second before fading into a smile. She took a second to send one last glare towards Shen Qingqiu (more specifically, Luo Binghe since he wouldn’t let her look at the other) before giving Liu Mingyan her full attention.
“Mingming!” Sha Hualing yelled, throwing her arms around her friend. If not for the fact Liu Mingyan had trained herself to be used to Sha Hualing’s dislike of clothing and therefore the fact she usually didn’t have much on, she would’ve been done for in that very moment. A gay little puddle on the floor. However, practice made Liu Mingyan less of a disaster. She hugged her back, smiling softly.
“Sha Hualing.” She greeted, pulling away from the embrace. Sha Hualing pouted at the formalities, but grinned after a second.
“Your brother invited me, saying you holed yourself up in the kitchen again!” Liu Mingyan sighed to herself, mentally cursing her brother. Of course he would pull this. What a little shit (read: she loved him very much).
Liu Mingyan grabbed her hand (it wasn’t romantic, shut up) and led her to the kitchen. Her brother smirked behind her friend’s back as Liu Mingyan glared at him and shooed him away. He took a cupcake for the road (or Luo Binghe).
Sha Hualing grabbed a cupcake herself before hopping up onto the counter by the oven, staying far enough away that she was safe from any burning.
“You’ve really been at this for a while.” She commented, smiling softly. Liu Mingyan nodded, also giving her a small smile.
“I do this every year. I usually just stay in pajamas, but my idiot brother got convinced to hold their friend’s party here.” The end of her sentence was accompanied with an annoyed grimace, which made Sha Hualing laugh.
“Puppy dog eyes?” She asked, leaning forward. Liu Mingyan nodded again.
“I’m glad he invited you, though I didn’t want to bug you.” Liu Mingyan admitted, blushing softly.
“I’m glad too, even if I had to smell a mutt getting in here.” Sha Hualing huffed. Liu Mingyan laughed.
“You really don’t like Shen Qingqiu, hm?” She prompted.
“That’s not it! I even complimented him this time! Luo Binghe took it personally for some fucking reason and-” Sha Hualing set herself off on a rant. Liu Mingyan continued baking, paying rapt attention to the story while just appreciating having her there with her.
Hours later, when the party guests had all gone home and she was finally in her beloved Halloween pajamas, a passed-out Sha Hualing on the futon next to her in the living room, Liu Mingyan thought about next year and what the two of them would get up to. She reasoned that it didn’t matter, as long as Sha Hualing was there with her she’d be happy.