Work Text:
“I think I know of a little treat we could both enjoy!”
Hu Tao’s voice filled the room in her usual upbeat morbidness. Yanfei looked up from her paper work.
Hu Tao seemed particularly excited. Not a second's rest passed before she placed her hands upon the table and spoke again. “It’s important to enjoy life while you still can, ya know?”
There was a smile on her lips, the corners tugged up too much to be innocent. Some scheme was in play here, and Yanfei knew she would soon find out one way or another.
“What is this treat?” Yanfei inquired, an air of professionalism and caution to her tone. She didn’t mean to be in business mode around Hu Tao, but knowing her, perhaps she should always be on guard.
“Oh don’t be like that!” Hu Tao let out a soft grumble. “It’s nothing that’ll break a contract. In fact, it’s quite ordinary really.”
“Then what is this ordinary treat?”
A shine appeared in Hu Tao’s eyes. “Go to a new cafe with me?” Any reply Yanfei went to make was immediately cut short by Hu Tao’s continuation. “A new place serving ‘mondstadt specialties’ just opened up, and I really want to go!”
The slightest sigh left Yanfei’s lips. “Sorry. I’m far too busy to leave my desk today. I got a new urgent case, and it’s taking more time than I expected. Such is the way with domestics.”
“Can’t you have even just a little break?”
Yanfei shook her head.
“Not even for a treat?”
Yanfei shook her head again. She wanted this work done, and it was a particularly time-consuming task thanks to both parties involved having a lot of bad blood. Why can’t everyone just get along?
A little pout appeared on Hu Tao’s face. “If you work with no breaks you’ll break your body faster.”
She was getting harder to handle. Yanfei started to feel a tinge of guilt. There was no doubt Hu Tao was doing it on purpose to make her feel bad but it worked.
“How far is this cafe?”
The rain cloud cleared, replaced by innocent sunshine as Hu Tao reveled in the fact she was going to get exactly what she wanted.
“Not far!”
Yanfei grimaced. “I really don’t have time for—”
“This could be your last hour.” Hu Tao cut her off with cold conviction. Her still voice rested on the air, gently pulling at strings. “Do you really want to waste it sorting legalities of petty domestic disputes rather than enjoying a treat?”
It took a few seconds before Yanfei accepted that Hu Tao had won. “If you’re really going to treat me then I suppose I have to concede.”
Hu Tao let out a little giggle before she headed straight to the door and waited. She soon started to tap the tip of her shoe on the floor. Yanfei set aside her work, it would be fine for a little while she supposed. Perhaps she would just have to work a little later tonight?
They wandered along the streets of Liyue Harbor and Yanfei started to wonder how long “not far” was exactly. Hu Tao was humming to herself as she walked along before going over to look at a poster. Getting distracted would only waste more time, but thankfully she returned a second later muttering something.
“Everyone else’s ‘buy one get one free’ offers seem to work...”
Yanfei reached out, patting her head quickly before flashing her a smile. “They just don’t see the importance of what you do because they are scared.”
“It’s really not that scary.” Hu Tao sighed before a gleam appeared in her eye. “Unless a new curse of malice has started to plague the land.”
Yanfei said nothing, she waited for Hu Tao to carry on but instead both of them fell silent. They walked in that peace, Hu Tao seemed contemplative. Perhaps she was considering the possibility.
“Ah! It’s over there!”
Hu Tao’s words broke them from their static as they hurried their pace.
The building didn’t quite fit in with the rest of Liyue Harbor, they had tried to merge in the aesthetics of Mondstadt and it kind of worked but not quite. Opening the door, the rest of the cafe looked nicer, settling more comfortably into a clear northern theme. The place was rather busy, being newly opened it wasn’t a shock that others had come to try out some of its drinks.
Sitting down at a table, the two waited. Yanfei had only gotten herself something small, a refreshing dandelion and windwheel tea. Hu Tao on the other hand had decided to get food, wanting to try their Tea Break Pancakes. Apparently they were made with a splash of valberry extract that would create a unique and tasty flavor.
Yanfei braced herself for how long this outing would take.
Things eased when their order arrived. Yanfei smiled as she took a sip of her tea and began to finally enjoy this break. If she was honest, she did need some rest. The case was getting a little too intense for one sitting.
“Thank you,” Yanfei spoke, taking another sip of her tea. “My work was getting… overwhelming. This little break is nice.”
Hu Tao quickly chewed down a bite of pancake to give a response. “I wouldn’t want you dying from overwork anytime soon, even if it’s good for business.”
Yanfei rolled her eyes. “Be as dark as you like with your word choices, treating me like this is sweet of you.”
“I just said it was a treat.” A little giggle filled the air. “I never said I was paying.”
Yanfei blinked for a second. Years and years of legal training, and she had missed this simple wording. There was nothing binding Hu Tao to cover the bill. She had let her guard down, and now her mora had been taken advantage of.
Yanfei knew she shouldn’t reward such mischief, and she could probably find a loophole or two, but looking at Hu Tao, she couldn’t bring herself to argue.
“Alright, I’ll make it my treat then.”