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Jean was great.
Honestly great is a vast understatement. It is nowhere near the correct adjective to describe her, though frankly it is impossible for just one word to encompass all that she is. Jean is charming, chivalrous, sweet, and manages to be both unfairly cute and unfathomably hot. She and Lisa have been officially going out for weeks, and Jean always shows up on time to pick her up, wearing button ups that show off her cut-by-Barbados arms and dress pants that make her ass look illegal, sporting a dashing smile and holding a bouquet of whatever flowers she deems fitting for the night (roses, cecilias, and once, boldly, dandelions.) Everything has been perfect; Jean has been perfect.
So why won’t Jean just kiss her already?
Every night ends the same way. Jean walks her back to her apartment, both of them wearing matching smiles after an evening of enjoying each other’s company, stops in front of her door and then…
Nothing.
Every. Single. Time.
Jean just looks at her with a bashful smile, says “I had a wonderful evening, see you at breakfast tomorrow.” And leaves.
At first, Lisa thought that maybe Jean didn’t want to rush things, but it has been WEEKS. Weeks of staring at Jeans kissable lips without knowing what they taste like, it’s a form of torture. Lisa wants to kiss her so bad that it physically hurts, and she knows that the sentiment is not one sided. Anytime they interact, Lisa catches Jeans expressive baby-blues staring directly at her lips. She KNOWS Jean wants to kiss her. So why won’t she?
The question of why is one Lisa cannot figure out, so instead she’s decided to take action. She simply just has to make herself so irresistible that Jean can’t help but finally kiss her. And sure, maybe this whole thing could be solved by communication and simply just asking Jean, but that would be far less fun. And admittedly, Lisa wants to take some time torturing Jean.
So, she wakes up earlier than usual the next day to set her plan into motion. She spends extra time on her makeup, ensuring to accentuate her lips, and if she chooses to let her cleavage show more than usual today, then that’s no one’s business but her own.
She walks into the Knights of Favonius headquarters with purpose in her steps, and one goal in mind. She makes her way towards the Grandmasters Office without any stops and enters without knocking.
Jean looks up from her work, startled at first by the sudden intrusion but calming once she sees it was just Lisa.
“Good morning, Lisa.” She says, sporting an effortlessly charming smile that honestly shouldn’t be possible to wear this early in the morning.
“Good morning to you too darling.” Lisa spoke as she made her way towards Jeans desk, a bit dejected that Jean has made no acknowledgement of her appearance.
“Let me finish this and we can head to breakfast, is that okay?” asks Jean with a bashful expression, as though she is asking Lisa for the biggest favor in the entire world.
“Of course, that’s fine dear.” Sighs Lisa before taking a seat near Jeans desk and sulking over her failed plan. She absentmindedly crosses her legs as she’s thinking of new ways to entice Jean, then hears a pen drop.
“Oh um- my apologies” mutters Jean, reaching down to pick up her fallen pen. It was then that Lisa decided to pay extra attention to Jeans mannerisms. After years of carefully hiding her emotions, Jean has become hard to read. But not for Lisa. She doesn’t know how she didn’t notice before, but the tips of Jeans ears are flushed red, and she is keeping a deliberate focus on the work in front of her. As though she’s trying to avoid looking at Lisa. Not to mention the fact that committing an act as clumsy as dropping a pen is something the younger woman is far too careful to normally let happen.
An impish smile makes its way onto Lisa’s face as a new plan sets motion inside her head.
“Jean dear, is something wrong?” she asks with feigned concern.
“No, everything is fine.” Jean says, finally lifting her head from her work and making a clear effort to not let her gaze stray from Lisa’s eyes. “Why do you ask?” she continues with a curious expression, tilting her head in a manner similar to that of a big puppy.
“Oh, it’s nothing” Lisa replies with mischief in her eyes “Its just. I noticed you’re turning red dear, are you perhaps coming down with something?”
The blush from Jeans ears spreads to her cheeks at those words and her eyes widen drastically.
“N-no! I just- “Jean starts, before being cut off by Lisa removing a glove and pressing her bare hand against Jeans forehead.
“Hmmm… you don’t feel warm.” Lisa mumbles, as though she is carefully examining Jeans health.
“I- I’m fine!” Jean stutters while pulling away from Lisa’s outstretched hand, her face somehow a few shades redder than before.
“Well, you don’t have a fever…” Lisa starts “but that doesn’t explain your other weird behavior.” She finishes, hand over her mouth as though deep in thought.
“Weird behavior?” Jean questioned, looking startled. “What weird behavior?”
“My knight, you’ve hardly looked at me at all today!” Lisa exclaims with an exaggerated pout. “It’s enough to make a lady think you don’t care, not very befitting behavior of a knight my dear Jean. Don’t you think?”
“WHAT no!” Lisa doesn’t think she’s ever heard Jean speak with such urgency “Of course I care Lisa! I care about you so much that it’s frankly overwhelming at times. It’s just…” Jean looks away and the flush that had faded from her face returns at full force. She looks close to tears and Lisa decides to finally take pity on her.
Lisa gently cups Jeans face with her gloveless hand and watches fondly as Jean leans into the touch.
“It’s just what dear?” Lisa speaks softly between them, letting the words leave her mouth as though they’re a secret only to be shared in this office between the two of them.
Jean brings her own hand up to Lisa’s on her face and holds it there while she sits and tries to gather her thoughts.
“I like you a lot Lisa.” Jean finally speaks into the silence. “I like you so much and you look very pretty today,” she continues her face getting redder with each word “and I apologize greatly for making you feel as though I didn’t care. I’ve avoided looking at you because I fear I would not be able to stop if I started. You are… amazing, but you are so much more than your beauty Lisa and I never meant to take advantage of your comfort around me to objectify you.” Jean speaks the words in a rush, and the look in her eyes is one of genuine remorse, as though she actually thinks she’s done something wrong.
“Silly girl…” Lisa whispers into the space between them with a fond smile, reaching her free hand up to cup the other side of Jean’s face “You have nothing to apologize for.” Lisa was going to continue speaking but Jean cuts in before she can.
“I do though.” She says, gently grabbing Lisa’s wrists and pulling them back from her face slightly “you don’t have to act as though my actions have had no effect on you Lisa. I took advantage of your kindness and-”
“Jean you’re ridiculous.” Lisa interrupts before Jean can go off on another tangent apologizing for her supposed transgressions “I like when you look at me, my knight.”
“You- you do?” Jean questions, releasing her grip on Lisa’s wrists and instead gently holding each of her hands within her own.
“Yes Jean. There is no one else in Teyvat I’d rather have admiring me.” Lisa gives Jean’s hands a squeeze as she speaks “Don’t you realize I dress up for you?”
“For me?” Jean looks at Lisa as though she can’t believe the words, like Lisa has just given her the most precious gift that anyone could ever receive.
“Yes Jean, for you.” Lisa takes a moment to rest her head against Jeans before speaking into the silence once more. “And I mean, if you have to apologize then I do as well, because really Jean you are the most handsome woman I’ve ever laid my eyes on. I spend more time in a day fanaticizing about those muscles of yours than I do working.”
“L-Lisa!”
“It’s true! Honestly Jean you need to take Lumine’s Kamera and start plastering pictures of yourself across Mondstadt” Lisa speaks with a smile, knowing her teasing is getting to the taller woman “that would certainly attract tourists.”
“LISA.” Jean reprimands again, the blush on her face darker than Lisa’s ever seen it.
Lisa decides to finally stop teasing Jean and return to her seat. They sit in silence for a bit while Jean continues to work, and an idea forms in Lisa’s head to finally get the answer she craves.
“Y’know Jean,” she starts, gaining the Acting Grand Masters attention “I think I know a way you can apologize to me.”
“Apologize? But you said- “
“Why haven’t you kissed me?” Lisa finally speaks the words into existence, and after weeks (though honestly, more like years) of mutual pining, Jean has the nerve to look shocked by the question.
“I… hadn’t realize you were interested in that.” She speaks the words carefully, as though she is unsure of how to handle the current situation.
“Jean, we’ve been going out for weeks. And that’s not even mentioning the will-they-won’t-they thing we’ve had going since I returned to Mondstadt- “
“The what?”
“- and I was pretty sure you wanted to kiss me too but your reaction is making me doubt that.” Lisa says, feeling suddenly guilty for her previous assumption.
“No! I- I did I mean. I do!” Jean takes a deep breath to gather her thoughts then continues “I do want to kiss you Lisa I just, didn’t want to assume anything…”
“Then why didn’t you ask?” Lisa questions in response.
“Honestly? I couldn’t imagine you wanting to kiss me.” She says honestly, and as much as Lisa wants to cut in to disprove her, she knows this is something Jean needs to say. “I’ve never been in a relationship before. I’ve never had the time for it. My mother raised me to be the dandelion knight. My days consisted of training, studying, and not much else. I’ve never… I’ve never felt the way I do now and… I guess I didn’t think you’d ever want to kiss someone like me.”
“Someone like you?” Lisa softly replies to Jeans heavy confession.
“Someone who… has no experience” she answers.
“Jean. Whatever experience you have or don’t have doesn’t matter to me.” Lisa says as she rises from her seat to stand by Jean. “All that matters to me is you. I don’t care about what you’ve done, I care about who you are.” She continues, reaching her hands back up to their previous place, cupping Jeans face. “I want you Jean. I want you in any way that you’ll allow. Being a part of your life is the most precious thing in the world to me. Being the one person you’ll accept help from is the greatest privilege I have. Seeing you with your hair down and your smile carefree was all I ever needed to want you.”
Jean looks stunned at the words, and if Lisa’s eyes aren’t mistaken (they never are), tears are shining at the corners of her eyes.
“Then…” Jean softly speaks, lightly resting her hands on Lisa’s hips. “May I kiss you?”
“Please.“ Lisa says the word in a single breath and Jean wastes no time in finally connecting their lips. And Jean was right, she has no experience. The kiss is clumsy and awkward, but its also slow and soft and perfect.
It’s the best kiss Lisa’s ever had.
And besides, she knows she’ll have plenty of time to teach Jean.