Work Text:
"Are you ever going to let me go to work?"
The blonde's voice was light as she teased her husband, her fingers wrapping around his wrist gently as he cuddled her from behind on their bed. Both of them were laying on their sides- Jean more so for comfort than anything else- as Diluc played with her hair that cold winter morning.
It was far from uncommon for the pair to be awake for a while before she headed out for work, and when it was the middle of February, she wasn't particularly eager to get out of bed and into the chilly air. She'd already been sick earlier that morning, and she was less than enthusiastic to have to feel that same cool air again, but she didn't want the knights to think anything was wrong with her in showing up late.
"Isn't cuddling better?" he returned simply in a whisper, his lips millimeters from her ear. Her cheeks were dusted pink from the affection, and although she tried to break away from his grasp, one of his arms was still wrapped around her waist, so she was easily overpowered by him. It was pointless to try and fight against him based on pure body strength alone; he was much more muscular than she was.
"Diluc," Jean sighed, leaning back into his touch when it was clear he didn't want to let her go. She ran her fingers through his long, soft hair, brushing the tips of it against her own cheek. "I love you, and I love cuddles with you, but I already took yesterday off. Everyone is going to worry that something is wrong if I don't show up today. I don't quite want them to know yet." She kept her voice soft, not wanting to scold him as much as she just wanted to gently remind him that they had duties.
Diluc grumbled a complaint, but released her from his grasp. When he let go, she rolled to her other side so she could face her husband, reaching to touch his jaw and give him a quick kiss on the cheek. "I'll give you plenty of cuddles tonight, okay? I already promised I'd start taking things easier at work so I don't put any strain on the baby."
"I understand. I trust you'll be safe, love. And we'll still meet for lunch today, right?" He took the hand she'd reached for him with and kissed it delicately, as if she was fragile.
"Of course we will. Things aren't going to change that much just because I'm pregnant, Diluc. We still have a while until there's any major changes we'll have to face," she laughed, finally getting to her feet to prepare for work. It was a little intimidating to think about having a baby, but she was happy nonetheless. She knew Diluc would be a great father, and she knew he'd be by her side through it all, so she couldn't be too upset. Her only worry was how others would react; they'd only found out two days ago, and she hadn't been to work since she'd gotten the news. She didn't want to be taken less seriously as a leader just because she was having a baby, so she didn't want to tell them about it quite yet, but she feared that even being away for just one day was already going to make everyone suspicious of her unexpected leave.
"I was only checking," Diluc defended with a slight pout as he put his hair up into its normal ponytail. She started to get into her normal routine of putting on her work clothes, but when her eyes fell on the upper half of her outfit, she froze. She figured Diluc must've expected a reply from her, which was why he'd stepped closer to her to take her hand carefully "Jean?"
"I… don't think I can wear my uniform," she admitted after a moment, her shoulders sagging slightly. She hadn't touched it for almost two days, and it had completely slipped her mind that a corset would likely put too much pressure on her womb. She didn't know what she could do, then- it would be much too obvious that something was wrong to the other Knights of Favonius, and she certainly didn't want all of Mondstadt to know they were having a baby. It would immediately put a target on their backs from any threats, and it would also put more attention on them than she'd like- she hated the idea of the nation doting on her.
"I don't think that will be an issue." Before Jean could reply, Diluc had pulled a jacket out of their closet. It kept the same color scheme as her grand master uniform, and the tail still extended to a similar length. It looked like it could be buttoned up as well, which would make it easier for her to wear more comfortable clothing underneath.
"What's this?" she asked, feeling unusually touched about the gift. She wasn't much for presents, but the fact that it resembled her normal attire as best as it could while being an alternative to the corset made her flush.
"It's a jacket I had tailored for you," the winery owner explained as he stepped over, helping her put her arms in the sleeves of it over top of her nightshirt. "I immediately figured wearing your corset wouldn't be a good option until after the baby is born, so I submitted a request the other night to get a special coat made for you as soon as possible. You can tell the Knights that your old uniform is ripped, but it's being fixed, and this is a temporary solution. Or, if you'd prefer, you can say that it's winter and I needed you to have an extra layer, so I made you wear this overcoat." She relaxed as she buttoned it up, admiring how well it fit her. It was perfectly crafted, and she could only assume he'd gotten her measurements from Lisa to create it.
"Diluc, I… thank you." She wished she could find what she wanted to say, but even years later she found herself getting flustered in front of the love of her life from time to time. It was such a sweet gesture that proved he'd put plenty of thought into their situation, and it made her feel more cozy than the new outfit itself did. Her heart fluttered, prompting her to reach up and softly plant a kiss on his lips. She proceeded in embracing him, listening to the sound of his heartbeat. "Thank you for putting so much thought into this, Diluc. I love it- and you, but you already knew that, didn't you?" she teased lightly, gazing up at him. It made her smile a little wider to see him so at ease, each movement of his so tender, the feeling of him stroking her hair and holding her head close to his chest.
"I know. I love you too, as always. Even if I'd prefer cuddling in bed, as you said, you should probably head out to work now. We wouldn't want anyone finding out," he remarked, and she eventually pulled away from their embrace to nod.
"I'll change shirts, but then I should go," the grand master agreed, undressing and switching out her nightshirt for a more professional one, even if it would barely be seen underneath her other layer anyway. By the time she'd started to study herself in the mirror to make sure she wasn't too sloppy, the redhead had also gotten into his bartending clothes for that day. He started to tie the ribbon into her hair so it could be a ponytail like it normally was.
"Be safe on your way to work. I have to find something before I go to Angel's Share." Diluc placed both hands on her shoulders, placing his lips to her forehead. Jean adjusted the collar of his shirt and then straightened his tie, beaming at him. She vividly remembered them doing the same thing years and years ago as knights when they'd gotten inside from the rain after a mission- he'd fixed her bow, and she'd helped fix his wrinkled cavalry captain ensemble. Some things never changed, it seemed.
"I will," she promised, and as she made her way out of their home and onto the path to the Knights of Favonius's Headquarters, she felt the same type of warmth she felt everyday; it was an undeniable feeling, an unshakable relief that she had been right all along in marrying Diluc, and there was no one who could tell her otherwise.
She knew she'd made the right choice in letting herself fall in love with him again, and she didn't regret it one bit.