Work Text:
It's never really a good idea to bring Lakan and Maomao to the same public event, yet the meetings of the named clans is such an important event this time around that Lakan simply could not be allowed to sit it out. Wrangling the man on a regular basis is one thing, one he is glad yet apologetic to leave to Rikuson and Onsou during work hours, even if he has to run off to help out on occasion when his honoured father is was acting the particularly stubborn menace to the general population of the Outer Court (or, unfortunately, the Inner Court); wrangling him without any of the servants at the house or any of Lakan’s subordinates, on his own, is quite another. Erfan might be along as a bodyguard, but in the end there are parts of the event that he can not be present for, annoyingly enough.
And so, Lahan had enlisted Maomao's assistance. She had protested and even hissed at him like a feral cat as she mercilessly crushed his poor toes beneath hers, making sure to put as much of her weight into it. Through wincing and whimpering, he had pulled out a rare foreign herb, one technically supplied by the Moon Prince but oh so expensive that is hurt Lahan’s heart, because the Moon Prince wanted the La clan at this meeting, to see if something was afoot among some of the Zodiac clans. Lahan, too, is invested, as he had found some particularly interesting numbers– he breathed a sigh of relief as Maomao had shifted her attention to the box with the herb, but even as she had agreed (with plenty of annoyance and another of her insulting nicknames turned at him) she had given his toes another purposeful stomp, before retreating to start to mentally prepare for being around Lakan for an extended period of time.
The meeting is supposed to run across the next few days, a mix of business and pleasure, of finding new connections and reforging old ones.
That being said, people steers clear of the La clan's designated table, both on accounting for the wily old fox that happens to be the head of the clan, and then due to the reputation of poisonous activities that the daughter gets up to, and because of Lahan's own reputation of being so skilled at unearthing and exposing financial misdeeds to the light of day. The children on their own might be somewhat approachable, if reluctantly so, but with the famous Grand Commandant Kan present (though not paying attention, as usual) barely anyone even glances their way for more than exactly three seconds. At least it spares both Lahan and Maomao the pain of having people try to ingratiate themselves; Lakan provides a welcome buffer against introductions to marriage partners, though Maomao is growing decidedly more and more agitated the longer the night trickles by nonetheless.
Because Lakan has brought his go board out, has it placed without ceremony or consideration onto the table still ladened with food, and he has propped his elbows on the table, chin leaning into his hands like he's a young girl with no manners. He has a silly smile on his face, and Lahan can imagine flowers dancing around him. Lakan only has eyes for Maomao, and he's prodding her to play with him. He wants to play the night away with his beloved daughter who so rarely allows him near her, but she isn't interested in entertaining him. Instead, she drinks cup after cup of wine, and glowers in annoyance at both men at the table. Lahan, for his part, is feeling the hopelessness weigh on his shoulders. If they're both like this, there's no way that they can work out what's going on.
Maomao looks like she considers her drink, and she considers her father. Lahan shakes his head, murmuring a warning don't at her. He knows that she's considering giving father her wine, but even the tiniest sip is going to send Lakan off into dreamland for far too many hours. Then work would officially be over at this whole event, and the waste of money and time would be a fact. Maomao comes with a counter-offer, but it's hardly better.
I'll settle on punching him in the face just once, then. Lahan groans, and begs her please, don't, even as she explains that it'll get a load off her shoulders.
How in the world did great-uncle Loumen, such a calm and kind man, manage to raise her for her to become such a violent apothecary?