Chapter Text
Jeanne heaved a sigh upon settling herself down on the comfortable couch. It was a long day at work, and what a way to end the workweek was a nice warm shower and a quiet night at the penthouse apartment she and Cereza shared.
Speaking of Cereza, the black-haired roommate of hers usually made it home first. It felt strange stepping into the apartment without hearing the other witch's sultry teasing, making Jeanne wonder what her roommate was up to.
She know that aside from hanging out at the bar, Cereza would spend afternoons on shopping sprees. Unless minions of angels from Paradiso got in her way, that'd be a likely reason for Cereza to be out later than usual. Jeanne thought of picking up her phone to call her raven-haired roommate. She scrolled through the phone logs and tapped Cereza's number. The phone rang for a few times and eventually went to voicemail.
You've been naughty. Leave a message and I will get back to you. *KISS*
Obviously, this was the voicemail greeting her friend recorded. Jeanne rolled her eyes when the call went unanswered. Being "friends" was rather an understatement. After the Jubileus incident, Cereza pleaded Jeanne to move in with her, a gesture to attempt rekindling their relationship. Their relationship was a rivalry of sorts—frenemies, if that's how one would put it.
When Jeanne pulled off heroic rescues like going all the way to outer space or becoming a human shield to save Cereza from Gomorrah that had gone berserk, the black-haired witch realized the depth of Jeanne's love for her. After saving Jeanne from Inferno, it had been clear to Cereza that she felt the same way for the platinum-haired woman—making her confess her feelings while on the jet going back home. Jeanne was taken aback at first—as she couldn't believe Cereza felt strongly for her, despite not having remembered the entirety of her life fully.
Cereza was resolute though, and made her feelings known eventually by giving herself completely to Jeanne. Something that both of them will never forget as long as they live. It was the first time for the two of them, especially to Jeanne who spent years of training to be a successor to the Umbran clan. Making love with Cereza felt surreal, something Jeanne experienced for the first time despite living for five or six centuries.
Jeanne was taken out of her reverie upon hearing the sound of the door being opened. Cereza slumped on the floor as soon as she entered the apartment—panting for breath out of tiredness and leaning on the closed door for support.
"Cereza!" Jeanne exclaimed, immediately coming to the raven-haired woman's aid. Cereza tried to help herself, while Jeanne let her arm rest on her shoulders.
"I'm fine," Cereza smiled, despite the feeling of tiredness.
"What happened?" Jeanne inquired, with worry written all over her face.
"I saw a little boy, about to be hit by a car while leaving the boutique," Cereza recalled dashing and pushed the boy out of the way. The boy was saved, but Cereza got dragged and strangled by an angel from the speeding car—much to her surprise. She summoned Gomorrah to finish the angel off; but for some reason, Cereza felt drained after summoning the devourer of the divine.
"Looks like I overdid that summon a bit," Cereza chuckled lightly. Jeanne shook her head as she helped the black-haired with to the bathroom. Jeanne went outside, while Cereza discarded the Umbran battle attire in a snap. The warm water of the tub was inviting, and Cereza let herself relax as she dipped in.
"Cereza," Jeanne called out from outside the bathroom. She wanted to say something, but thought it isn't the right time.
"Jeanne?"
"I'll have dinner ready by the time you're finished," The platinum-haired woman walked away after saying this.
Dinner had always how it has been, with Cereza asking Jeanne how her workday was. Jeanne would tell a story about school here and there, but her mind often wandered elsewhere. Cereza was quick to notice Jeanne spacing out.
"Jeanne? Is something the matter?"
"Huh?" Jeanne looked up and saw the concern on Cereza's face. "It's…nothing."
"Uh-huh," Cereza frowned; she knew Jeanne was bad at lying. "Do you really think that's nothing?"
"Cereza, please." Jeanne was getting irritated, but she did her best to keep her cool. "We're at the table."
The black-haired witch didn't press on further and continued with her dinner. Jeanne continued eating hers, as well…not noticing Cereza's glances at her while she ate her food.
Cereza just finished taking a shower and put on a loose nightshirt. Jeanne was still on her desk, grading a few more papers before calling it a night. The large flat screen TV had already been on, showing an episode of a history documentary. The dark-haired witch had gotten used to her lover's taste in programming, and sometimes asking Jeanne about significant historical events. Events that she didn't quite know as she spent half of a millennium sleeping at the bottom of a lake. As Cereza sat on the bed, she turned to see Jeanne stretching her arms—a sign that she was done with school work.
"How goes the midterms checking?" Cereza inquired, patting on the bed as an invitation for Jeanne to join her.
"Completely done." Jeanne replied, heaving a breath. "Although, I must say that some of the students improved, a lot of them still did pretty badly during the exam. Sometimes I feel awful that I haven't done my best. But I know I did my part when it comes to letting them learn."
"Oh, Jeanne…" Cereza scooted closer to Jeanne, who sat on her side of their shared bed—letting her head rest on her shoulder. The gesture was warm and comforting. It was what Jeanne appreciated the most about her lover. Cereza wasn't a person of words and liked to show things through action. She would do everything and anything to make Jeanne feel valued. The pixie-haired witch would make breakfast, pack a delicious lunch for Jeanne every day, helped in the house, and kept it tidy. When Jeanne felt down, Cereza would be there to embrace her…which made her feel safe and loved.
"Is it the reason for spacing out earlier, love?" Cereza whispered, trying to bring up the incident during dinner. She had one hand on Jeanne's back, rubbing it as a means to comfort her.
Jeanne shook her head and breathed heavily. "I've got a lot in my mind."
"Do you want to talk about it?" Cereza ran her fingers through Jeanne's silky hair.
Jeanne's first instinct was to shrug it all off. However, seeing the tender and concerned look on Cereza's eyes gave it all away. Despite all that bravado when putting that Bayonetta facade, she knew Cereza could show concern like anyone else.
"I'm scared…" Jeanne's voice was dry. She turned away from Cereza, not wanting her to see how vulnerable she was becoming.
"Scared of what…?" Cereza's facial expression softened as she asked this. She wrapped her arms around the long haired woman's waist from behind, nuzzling her cheek onto the platinum blonde locks.
"Of many things," Jeanne's eyes were brimming with tears, her face still turned away from the black-haired witch.
"But what scares me the most…is losing you again. Each time I think about you fighting off angels without me by your side and if…and if…" Jeanne's heart was like a dam, ready to burst at any moment. She hadn't really talked to Cereza about the incident over the holidays. It wasn't usual for the silver-haired witch to pour out her emotions. Given that she had to be hard as a rock during her rigorous training as an Umbran successor. Being emotional was always considered a sign of weakness.
Cereza, on the other hand, understood what Jeanne meant. Instead of words, she tightened her hold and kissed her hair, letting her know she completely understood and cared.
"I'm so scared if an infernal turns on you and I'm not there…" Jeanne was completely crying at this point. Her body shook as the emotions were all put out there—raw and unfiltered. Cereza still had her hold on her, planting kisses on the crook of her neck to soothe her.
"I'm…so sorry, Jeanne." A whisper escaped Cereza's lips. "Don't worry, I promise I'll be careful. I just…want to do whatever I can to make you feel better."
Jeanne turned around and faced her black-haired lover, with tears in her eyes.
"Just stay close to me, please."
Cereza grabbed both of Jeanne's hands, laced her fingers in between hers and kissed them. "I intend to."
Jeanne tucked herself underneath the covers, with Cereza embracing her. The platinum-haired woman buried her face onto Cereza's bosom, feeling the steady beat of her heart.
"I love you." Cereza kissed her forehead, mumbling the words there—which Jeanne heard clearly nonetheless.
"Even though I'm… I'm a…" Jeanne stammered.
"Shhhh…" Cereza interrupted her, the hug tightening and her hands soothed her lover's back.
"I've looked beyond that, Jeanne. You've done everything to protect everyone. Even when Balder had his hold on you, you've protected me. You're not whatever your thoughts are telling you."
The black-haired witch came close and kissed Jeanne on the lips, long and deep. She pulled away moments later, their faces close and foreheads touched.
"It's my turn to do the same. I will protect you."
Cereza woke up first, like how it usually goes. She was careful not to wake Jeanne, who still slept underneath the sheets. The look on her lover's face was peaceful, which made her smile. The dark-haired witch kissed Jeanne's cheek, which caused a smile to form on the latter's face, yet remaining asleep despite the gesture.
Such a sleepyhead.
"Good morning, love." Cereza whispered. A thought of making a fantastic breakfast to kick-start the weekend came to mind as she got out of bed.