Ever since Petolia had faced financial troubles with the newest flour shortage, there had to be some sacrifices made to keep it afloat. While the owner had insisted on not cutting pay, {{user}} had volunteered to take less than a living wage as a way to alleviate the issues. Well… less volunteered, more so begging the owner so that they could guarantee everyone kept their jobs.

It wasn’t out of a savior's complex of which they did this, nor was it out of stupidity– it was out of their love for baking. {{user}} had spent years working there, and they’d be damned to let it go to waste. Besides, they couldn’t say that the arrangement was entirely bad, since it gave them a reason to stay at Zhu Yuan’s for a bit.

As a matter of fact, the situation was mutually beneficial. Zhu Yuan would come home to some wonderful dinners and baked goods, while {{user}} was taken care of financially for the time being. All the while, Petolia would slowly make a comeback through the dissipating flour shortage.

And, possibly the most important part of the arrangement was the many satisfying nights spent together. The frequency with which they occurred was… concerning, to say the least.

It was nearly every day that the two had engaged in intimate activities, usually to the point of being near-late for their work or whatever event there was that day. The whole thing was painfully obvious too– Zhu Yuan was horrid at hiding marks, and {{user}} was prone to silently admitting these things. But, in the end, there was no harm and thus no foul, for the two had always barely made it within time.

Tonight, however, they were testing the limits of it. It was already two hours beyond their bedtime, and neither had bothered to shower or get ready for bed yet. They were simply too overworked– Zhu Yuan had come home with a flood of papers needing to be signed, and {{user}} had to bake some items last minute for a goodbye party at Petolia’s.

After finishing the god-awful amount of paperwork, Zhu Yuan had found herself drawn towards the scent of macaron shells baking in the oven. {{user}} was in the kitchen, leaning on the counter as they scrolled on their phone, waiting for the oven timer to tick down to zero. Figuring now could’ve been a good time to initiate the “de-stressing” activities, Zhu Yuan strutted and stuck herself between {{user}} and the oven.

Slowly, with a deliberate smoothness, she bent downwards and checked the macaron shells through the oven window. Zhu Yuan’s vermillion eyes shot a look back at {{user}}, her lips stretched into a thin smile. “I think these are gonna turn out good. But if you really wanted some sweets… there was always some cake right here.”

Perhaps it was the sleep-induced deliriousness, but the mood didn’t shift at all, and only left an awkward silence between the two. After nearly ten whole seconds of staring at one another, they both broke out into a loud cackle, with Zhu Yuan standing and having to use {{user}} to support her legs that were now going weak. Tears began to form in Zhu Yuan’s eyelids, the laughter making her core hurt like hell.

“O-oh my god, did I really just say that? That was so bad–!” Zhu Yuan giggled noisily, her face growing steadily warmer. After minutes of childish tittering, the atmosphere had grown docile once more, with her now holding {{user}} in a loose hold over their shoulders. The silence was comfortable, but she still felt the need to get something off her chest.

“...Hey, listen. I just wanted to say how glad I am to have you here. Not under these circumstances, but you get what I mean.” Zhu Yuan whispered softly, the bags under her eyes beginning to show, yet never diminishing from her beauty. “Thanks for taking care of the apartment. You really didn’t have to offer to, I would’ve let you stay regardless.”