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Jean sprinted from her kitchen, heart pounding and eyes wild as she rounded through a doorway and spotted Klee, her charge… sitting next to a flaming pile of papers.
“Klee!” Jean gasped and ran to swoop Klee into her arms. Klee! This young child! Klee, laughing about the flames that appeared from somewhere.
“Klee, what happened?” Jean exclaimed as she sat Klee far, far, away from the fire singing into her low-pile carpet. She turned and stamped it out, her running sneakers smothering the flames and getting coated in ash and singe.
“Klee?” Jean asked once more, spinning to stare at her, seeing the warbling frown and watery eyes. Jean sighed and quickly unlaced her shoes, unwilling to track blackened footsteps across the white carpet.
She sat down next to the little blonde and pulled her into a side hug, letting Klee cry as she patted her back.
“I’m sorry if I yelled, I was worried for you. You must understand, Klee, I’m so worried lately. Where did that fire come from?” Jean spoke softly, upset that she let her voice raise at Klee. Instinct, trying to contain the situation, trying to act fast, and she spoke too loudly.
Klee sniffled, wiped at her nose and eyes, and looked up at Jean.
“I was making a paper plane like Uncle Kaeya showed me…” She trailed off sadly and Jean sighed. But she managed a smile for Klee, to show she wasn’t upset with her.
“Okay, we’ll figure out what’s going on. For now, why don’t you watch something while I clean up, alright?”
Klee nodded blindingly fast, her tears clearing up and a little smile scorching across her face.
“Windrise Warriors?” She asked eagerly and Jean nodded with a soft smile.
“Sure, you can watch that.” She turned the television on and handed the remote to Klee, standing with a heavy breath at the sight of her singed carpet.
Something else to replace, then. Along with a floorboard in the hallway, a couch cushion on a reading chair in Klee’s bedroom, a pair of curtains… and frankly, Jean didn’t include any offended trees in the count.
“I’m horrified! What if she gets hurt? Forget all the little burns I’ve gotten of late, what if she does?” Jean hissed into the phone, standing just outside of the open doorway to Klee’s bedroom, the little child sleeping soundly in her bed.
Jean was hesitant to let her out of her sight at all these days.
“Jean, I… I don’t know! This sounds impossible, surely you understand?” Barbara pleaded, as if she thought Jean were truly losing her mind.
Was she?
Jean frowned, eyes shooting to an errant corner of the hallway in thought.
“Jean?” Barbara called out in the heavy silence.
“Of course I understand how it sounds, but it’s the truth! There are no matches, no lighters, no candles anywhere in this house! I even turned the electricity off for an entire day, Barbara. Still, the curtains went up in flames.” Jean ranted, poking her head back into the doorway to peek on Klee once more.
She’d had more than one nightmare where she awoke, drenched in sweat and fear, at the thought of Klee’s bed erupting into devastating flames in the middle of the night.
“I don’t- oh, Archons Jean, I don’t know! I’ll ask around, but if we look too deep into this people will think things. People will say things.” Barbara whispered.
“It’s Klee.” Jean whispered back, defeated and nearly despondent. She was so nearly out of ideas, out of options. Jean was supposed to be her caretaker, the one that kept her safe, kept her happy… and she couldn’t.
“Oh, Jean, don’t do that. You’re doing your very best, and I’ll be back so soon! And Kaeya and Albedo can always help, you’re not alone! We just have to… figure this out together.” Barbara was always so willful in her optimism. At the very least, it put a smile on Jean’s tired face.
“Alright, Barbara. I’ll speak with Albedo, I think. Perhaps he knows something useful.” Jean nodded to herself, and slid down against the wall, phone to her ear as she thought, perhaps, the floor could be comfortable for the night.
Kaeya frowned at her. And, just in case he thought Jean couldn’t see him, he frowned even heavier and leaned even further into Jean’s space until her field of vision was taken up entirely by Kaeya’s frown
“I’m sorry, Kaeya, I can understand why you’re upset.” Jean said, palms raised to the sky in apology but also a little bit of helplessness.
“Upset? I’m devastated! My hair, Jean!” He held up his long ponytail, now cut to half its size. (Done rather neatly, because naturally he went directly to a salon and had it trimmed after the… incident.)
“Well surely you don’t expect me to punish her, do you? She wouldn’t even understand why!” Jean explained to him. She’d thought about it before, of course. Punish Klee until whatever these transgressions were stopped, but, Klee didn’t even know what she was doing. As if she didn’t realize she was likely the reason for the spontaneous flames. And… in that case, how does Jean explain that to her?
Well, Klee, despite you having absolutely no idea how, you’re setting things on fire and I need you to stop and until you do, you don’t get to play and you have to stay in your room all the time.
Jean was not… Frederica. She did her absolute best not to be. Which included not punishing Klee for things entirely outside of her control.
“This needs to be fixed, Jean.” Kaeya said stubbornly.
“It looks fine to me.” Jean shrugged. Really, it did.
“Not my hair! Klee! You need to figure out what’s going on.” Kaeya rolled his eyes at her.
“Well obviously I’m trying. Do you think I enjoy worrying about her well-being every second of the day?” Jean snapped, and then felt extremely apologetic for her tone. But Kaeya softened immediately.
“I know, it’s terrifying. You haven’t any leads?” He asked in a much softer and kinder voice.
“Not yet. I was hoping Albedo might but… nothing so far.” Jean sighed heavily
“Please don’t hate me.”
The words froze Jean entirely.
Naturally, when your younger sibling says please don’t hate me, it means something terrible is going to happen and it is entirely their fault. Jean felt her whole body tremble, the visceral horror that washed over her, her face blanched, goosebumps rose on her arms-
“Jean!” Barbara called out in annoyance and Jean heaved a sigh.
“What?” She uttered dismally.
“I spoke with…ro…” Barbara mumbled, far too quiet for Jean to understand her words.
“Pardon? Repeat that?”
“I spoke with Rosaria!” Barbara called out, hefty apologies already lacing her voice.
“Ah! Barbara! Why? She’s… she’s so… rude!” Jean complained. Next time she saw the woman, she would surely be in for humiliation and embarrassment.
“I know! I’m sorry, but I wasn’t getting anywhere with anyone else. She did tell me something, though.” Barbara squeaked, still afraid of this breach of trust, but Jean perked up. Suppose, if something very strange and altogether otherworldly were going on with Klee… Rosaria would be the one to know something.
“Alright, what is it that she said?”
“Go to the plant shop on Beach Street, the one with the stacks of books in the window, and ask to see the ‘restricted section.” Barbara instructed, as if reading from a paper in her hand.
“The restricted section? This sounds… unsafe.” Jean said very flatly. As flat as possible, because Rosaria telling her to do something raised her hackles, but to check the ‘restricted section’? Mm, Jean had many concerns. Like for one, why did Rosaria make it sound like a secret sex shop?
“Yes, maybe. But, for what it’s worth, she didn’t seem mean about it? Or… evil. She actually seemed like she was concerned about Klee.” Barbara whispered in shock.
Jean didn’t have many options. Klee’s school had called not long ago to report that the recycling bin went up in flames just beside Klee. Her heart had dropped, she felt the lump in her throat, words on the edge of her tongue to try to explain how…
And the teacher hurried to assure Jean that Klee was fine, they followed all procedures and evacuated the room and put out the fire and they’re checking all the rooms and changing light bulbs, it must have been the light bulbs, you see.
And Jean felt like she’d gotten away with a crime once again. It was Klee, she knew of no other explanation. So Jean also knew, despite how flimsy it was, she would follow Rosaria’s lead. Despite Jean’s opinion that Rosaria likely frightened children as a side job, she was Barbara’s coworker, and she hadn’t done wrong by any of them yet.
She was their only lead at this point.
Jean dressed nicely, no reason not to, she always thought. And she stood at the door to the plant shop, having already deliberated with herself for two hours that morning after seeing Klee off to school.
She thought, I’m about to barge into a place of business and potentially ask something very strange. I should bring something. Most guests bring flowers. I can’t bring flowers to a plant shop. They likely sell flowers. That would be strange.
So Jean had found herself at a bit of a crossroads, and decided on the next best thing… cupcakes from the nearby bakery. She had a box of cupcakes in hand as she stood in front of the door to the entirely unassuming plant shop on Beach Street with the stacks of books in the windows.
Jean sent a prayer to Barbatos, for surely she had lost her mind.
She pushed the door open, the whimsical chime fluttering through the beautiful shop. It was open and airy, of course, to support the rows and rows of flowers and plants.
In one corner, spritzing water over a small and delicate looking flower in a pot, was a woman. Jean instantly turned toward her and faltered in her steps, fingers digging into the cupcake box aggressively.
With light brown hair swept over one shoulder and a far too alluring skirt and tucked in blouse… Jean was about to make an absolute fool of herself in front of this gorgeous woman. She was about to look like an idiot in front of this woman, poised, curvy, oh no.
Jean chastised herself. It didn’t make a difference, she was here for Klee. And so what? If this woman were attractive or not, and by not Jean meant in a way that she hereself recognized would be attractive but not necessarily to her, Jean didn’t think anyone was objectively unattractive (and though Kaeya would argue her for days on that she liked to stick with it) but that’s not the point!
Sure, she felt the sweat that broke out along her neck, under her arms, the nerves that seeped through her limbs, but she approached the woman anyway who was now watching the only patron in her shop being an absolute idiot.
So, the upside, she already looked like an idiot.
“Hello.” The woman smiled, brilliant, blinding, Jean should have fallen to her knees and begged preemptive forgiveness in the face of that smile.
But she put her own smile on, if tight and wavering, and nodded cordially.
“Good morning, how are you?” Jean asked, wincing as her hand crushed the cupcake box a little too tightly.
“I’m doing very well, thank you. Is there anything that I can help you with?” A honey smooth voice to go with her looks, Barbatos did not answer Jean’s prayer.
Jean sighed internally, heavy and unforgiving within her own mind as her smile tightened.
“I am looking for the owner.” Jean ground out, words like stone spilling from her lips.
If the woman took issue with Jean’s attitude, she didn’t show it. She simply smiled just as beautifully.
“That would be me.” She answered.
Jean nodded many times. Too many times.
“Right. I would like to see your restricted section then.” Jean gained confidence, she was sure of herself, she was on the right track.
The woman blinked at her. Her smile… well, it didn’t falter, exactly, but Jean could see how it very obviously was a struggle to keep up.
“This is a plant shop, dear. We don’t have a… restricted section.” And though she sounded kind and patient, Jean’s eyes widened.
“In the back, you have… something more.” Jean insisted, as if the owner of this plant shop on Beach Street just wasn’t aware of what her own shop contained.
“More… plants?” She prompted, finally letting her smile fall, the concern shine through her expression, eyebrows raised.
“More… something. I was told to ask!” Jean exclaimed and instantly stepped back, going rigid. She hadn’t meant to… be so forward.
“Mhm.” The woman hummed, she placed her little water spritzer down on an overly packed shelf, neatly, and paced the dark wooden floor toward Jean. She couldn’t help but notice the flats on the woman’s feet, so silent as she stepped closer to Jean. “And who told you that?” She asked, closer, quieter, a soft and lilting voice that almost made Jean step further away.
“An acquaintance.” Jean answered, and now she had the feeling that it was a set up, a trap, an elaborate prank played by Rosaria because she thought it would be funny to watch Jean chase a wild goose. “You know, I think I should go.” Jean breathed out, all of her hopes plummeting.
“Hold on.” The woman reached her hand out, two fingers pressing against Jean’s upraised forearm with the cupcakes in hand to give her pause. “You seem upset. Can I ask what’s wrong?”
Jean thought she herself was a kind and generous person. As caring as she could afford to be, as she knew how to show, but this woman? With her soft voice, kind eyes, lack of amusement at Jean’s clear gaff? She was magnificent.
“It’s my- my daughter. I’m just concerned for her, and someone told me to come here. It was clearly a prank, I apologize for wasting your time and raising my voice.” Jean spoke clearly, the least she could do was bow out with some dignity.
But the woman spread her fingers, treading over Jean’s forearm lightly before she squeezed once, reassuring.
“Come back with her. Tomorrow. Nine in the morning.” She instructed shortly and Jean furrowed her brows.
“She has school. I suppose she can miss it?”
“Oh right, school. Well then come after. Come whenever, I’ll be happy to sleep in.” The woman laughed to herself, the deep and mysterious air evaporated with her magical laugh.
“The time doesn’t matter?” Jean wondered, possibly more confused than when she had walked in.
“No, I just thought it would sound more ominous. Just bring her here.” The woman waved her hand, finally removing it from Jean’s arm who quickly glanced to check that, despite how it felt, she hadn’t been branded by the woman’s touch. “I’m Lisa, by the way.” She smiled again and Jean’s concerns were gone.
“Jean. I’m Jean Gunnhildr.”
“I’ll see you tomorrow then, Jean.” Lisa grinned and slowly lifted her hand once more, settling it down over Jean’s fingers that were doing their best work to crush the cupcakes. “For me?” She asked, playful, teasing, and Jean could only nod.
“Thank you.” She winked as she slid the box from Jean’s hand, ushered Jean to the door, and bid her farewell.
Jean stood in front of the plant shop on Beach Street with the stacks of books in the windows and the absolutely alluring shop owner inside… empty handed and wondering how she could possibly handle speaking to that woman again. She placed her hand over her heart, feeling the heavy beat, the thudding in her chest that resounded up through her ears... and she blew out a very heavy breath.
“Are you ready, Klee? Make sure you’re polite, and we must let her know how grateful we are for her help.” Jean spoke slow and measured to Klee, both standing before the plant shop, ready (wondering) exactly what this little trip would entail.
“I’m ready.” Klee nodded, her face so focused, so much like Jean.
Jean stepped forward and knocked, noting the closed sign on the door. Not the typical hours posted, Jean saw, and she twisted her lips in concern once again. She’d been through a rollercoaster of emotions lately with all of this and just hoped something other than complete humiliation would come of this venture.
The light flicked on in the shop, otherwise dim in the early evening of Mondstadt, and Jean could see the silhouette of someone approaching.
Hopefully Lisa, she thought.
The click of a lock, chimes on the door, it opened, and there she was. Lisa’s smiling face. Wearing a soft-looking sweater, worn in jeans, she looked so much softer than the day before. Jean smiled goofily, surely.
“Welcome back, Jean. And you,” Lisa crouched down, squatting low to smile at Klee, “What’s your name, cutie?”
“Klee!” The little blonde exclaimed, arms flinging into the air and Lisa laughed in response.
“Wonderful to meet you, Klee. My name is Lisa, I met your mother yesterday. Would you like to come in?” Lisa stood and held the door for them and, once again, an absolutely brilliant smile on her face. As if she knew what was going on, she knew how hard this was, how Jean’s stomach was curdling at that very moment and she was doing everything in her power to ease it.
“Thank you, Lisa.” Jean nodded in thanks as they stepped through the door, lights off save for a back row near a door. The restricted section, Jean thought, surely it had to be.
“We’ll be heading back there,” Lisa murmured to Jean as Klee wandered about between plants and Jean desperately desperately pleaded that nothing horrendous happened. “I’m shocked she’s so young!”
Jean turned in surprise to look at her. “What’s wrong with that? Is that bad? I still don’t-”
Lisa cut her off with a hand against her shoulder and remarkably kind eyes boring into her own.
“That’s alright, Jean. It’s not unheard of, but it is uncommon. I promise, I’ll explain everything, to you and Klee.” Soft and melodic, Jean calmed instantly.
“Oh, okay. Thank you.” Jean smiled back, and though she calmed, she still had nerves tingling under the surface of her skin. Because of Klee… or Lisa? “Klee, over here, please!” Jean called as Klee went to the far end of the store and Lisa and Jean were waiting by that particular door.
Klee hurried over, nearly tripping over her own feet but she caught herself and slid alongside Jean with a polite smile.
Lisa smiled back at them and motioned to the door.
“This is… the restricted section, so to speak.” She laughed lightly and Jean felt herself blush in embarrassment. “Now, it’s going to be a bit of a shock at first, but please give me a moment to explain everything.” Lisa spoke softly, trying to pacify whatever jolt they would both receive.
Jean nodded and Lisa slowly opened the door, granting them view of… what looked to be the back room of a plant shop. They stepped through slowly, Jean’s frown firmly in place as she glanced around and nudged Klee along. Plants, on the floor and on tables and shelves, and floating.
Floating. Jean’s eyes widened and her jaw dropped open.
Some of the plants, neatly displayed in beautiful and elegant planters, simply… floated in the air like balloons.
“Oooh!” Klee exclaimed with glee and ran to dance under one of the plants.
“Klee!” Jean reached out but Lisa waved her off.
“The thing is… some of us are gifted, Jean. You know, otherworldly gifts.” Lisa hinted and Jean nodded slowly. “It’s unique to find that gift so young, such as Klee, but, also…” Lisa trailed off, biting her lip, looking at Jean in concern.
“What’s wrong?” She asked desperately and Lisa held her hands up.
“No, it’s just that, typically, it’s inherited. It’s incredibly uncommon for a child to simply obtain a gift like this, but you don’t seem to be aware of any of this.” Lisa said softly.
“Ah, well, Klee- she isn’t exactly… biologically mine.” Jean stuttered, uncomfortable for both herself and Lisa at the same time. Lisa, understandably, gasped, her eyes widened and she reached out for Jean’s elbow.
“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to imply anything, really-” Jean cut her off out of decency to clear the air.
“It’s quite alright, she’s aware anyhow. Her mother… well, I suppose maybe this explains some things?” Jean realized, thinking back to Alice, her oldest friend, always in a rush to be somewhere, to seek something. Always odd.
“Is there a way to get in touch with her? It’s quite useful to have someone at home to help.” Lisa wondered quietly but Jean shook her head.
“I can… write her, but no guarantees.” Jean shrugged, realizing that she certainly wasn’t making Alice out to be a great person, (and she had her shortcomings, like realizing she simply couldn’t be a mother, but she wasn’t bad, per say.)
“Right. Again, I apologize. Now, I suppose the best way to put this is… I can teach her. Admittedly, it’s not what I do, this is simply a store for various materials and artifacts that many gifted would find useful, but… I can help.”
Jean stared at Lisa in surprise.
“You don’t even know what she can… do.” Jean grasped at anything, anything that would maybe put a pause to this because she already felt insane and this was… so much more.
“Someone told you about my store and you looked on the verge of a litany of breakdowns yesterday, I glean she certainly can do something.” Lisa tilted her head with such a welcoming smile that Jean was absolutely compelled to be far more understanding of this newfound magic.
“So, Rosaria?” Jean asked hesitantly.
“Ah, are you friends with her? Lovely woman.” Lisa said airily and it was possible that what threw Jean more than learning that a potted plant could float, was that Rosaria actually helped her.
“Not exactly.” Jean sighed and looked around for Klee, finding her still hunched under a floating pot and staring up at it, ready to catch it for it would surely drop. “So, what can you do? How do you teach her? Like a magic tutor?”
Lisa laughed and waved Jean to follow her across the room where they stopped at a large standing mirror, nearly Jean’s height.
“Watch.” Lisa placed her hand to the mirror, fingers flattening against the surface, and she made several motions across it, repetitive, before it simply… ceased to exist. The frame stood, the reflective surface of the mirror itself was gone. Rather, it was a doorway.
A doorway to an entirely new room.
That had PEOPLE in it!
Jean couldn’t even comprehend what her face was expressing at that moment, a mix of shock, surprise, awe, and… the exact opposite of all of those at the same time because of course this was a thing.
“This is my actual store, you could even say this little plant shop is a front.” Lisa laughed lightly, she must have been so close to Jean, leaning in, voice directly in her ear.
Jean turned to blink vacantly at Lisa.
“Hello, Mona! How’s business?” Lisa called instead of focusing on Jean’s dumbfounded look. A young woman on the other side of the mirror-door turned at the question and raised her hand.
“Good! Too good, we’re almost entirely out of hyacinth root and that frog lady bought all of our lily totems and said she’d come back for more whenever we get them in. We should order them separately from our next routine delivery.” Mona rattled off and Lisa listened calmly.
“Wonderful. I won’t complain about business.” Lisa shrugged and turned back to Jean. “Would you and Klee like to come in?”
“Come in where?” Jean asked incredulously. She could peer through into this room, and she could also spot the door at the far end of that room, a door that very much looked to open to the outside.
“My shop, of course.” Lisa laughed.
“Yes, I see that, but where is your shop? If I step through this mirror, am I still in Mondstadt?” Jean asked petulantly. She wondered if there was a how-to guide to handle your first introduction to magic, to gifts and people yelling about plants and frog ladies.
“Mm, well, no.” Lisa shrugged. And she subsequently made absolutely no move to elaborate as she smiled pleasantly.
Jean could have argued, she could have grabbed Klee’s hand and walked out of this shop, she could have done a lot of things. But, Lisa had been kind and welcoming and quite obviously the only glimmer of hope for Klee’s (and Jean’s) predicament. Jean would have been a fool to walk away from this. (That didn’t include Lisa’s… charm, either.)
So Jean would suck it up, deal with how uncomfortable and terribly foreign this all was, because ostensibly, it would lead to Klee being safe.
“Klee!” Jean called out, turning briefly over her shoulder to see Klee still quite enraptured by that floating plant. She laughed at the look of awe of the little girl’s face. “Come here, please?”
Klee scurried over, eyes wildly bouncing between Jean and the mirror-door and the plants.
“Klee,” Jean knelt down to speak quietly to her, “you know how we’ve been dealing with all those little fires? And how we haven’t quite been sure of the cause?”
Klee nodded enthusiastically.
“Well, we think, perhaps, you’re the cause.” Jean said gently, but it was obvious that that terrified Klee, her eyes grew round and teary, her excited smile slipped quickly and Jean rushed to comfort her. “It’s alright, you didn’t mean it! I know that, but Lisa here, she’s going to help us. You can do extraordinary things, Klee, and she’s going to help.”
Klee sniffled but it seemed she wouldn’t break into tears yet as she looked up at Lisa, her still remarkably kind smile.
“Miss Lisa?” Klee wondered quietly, to which both Jean and Lisa nodded very encouragingly back.
“Of course, I’d love to help you, Klee. I think you’re quite special, and you can join some of my other students.”
Jean stood with a single eyebrow raised.
“I thought you said you don’t teach?”
Lisa, this Lisa who had been nice and welcoming and quite charming and sure of herself, blushed. Jean felt giddy at the sight.
“I don’t! Professionally.” She practically defended herself. “I just, there are plenty of young children who need help, and I certainly wouldn't turn them away.” She seemed so embarrassed and Jean laughed at the thought.
“Alright, apologies. That sounds awfully nice of you.” Jean said gently which only served to deepen Lisa’s blush.
“Would you like to come in?” Lisa said once more, rushed. Jean nodded and placed her hand on Klee’s shoulder.
“Come on now, and be careful.”
They stepped through, Jean and Lisa hunching slightly, and it really was just a doorway. They entered the other side of the shop, a few customers milling about and absolutely unphased by the sudden appearance of newcomers.
This side of the shop, it was clear how much more fantastical everything was. A broom was floating along the floor and sweeping up spilled plant soil, a book was flipping its pages for a customer to find whatever item the catalogue proffered. The lights themselves were simply some kind of glowing crystal.
“Let’s think of today as a simple introduction to our world.” Lisa started, motioning around the shop at the variety of trinkets, baubles, plants, and other materials. “And then, let’s say a few weeknights and maybe Sundays, we can start your training.”
Jean looked to Lisa, her kindness overwhelmingly apparent, and she looked down at an overwhelmed Klee.
“I think that sounds wonderful. What do you think, Klee? Would you let Miss Lisa help us?”
Klee looked up at the two of them, her eyes bouncing back and forth, before she finally nodded ever so hesitantly.
“Yes? I think we’ll have fun together, Klee.” Lisa winked which served to calm Klee greatly, pulling a happy smile from her as she nodded with more certainty.
“We’ll have fun, Miss Lisa.” She stated with all the seriousness of a child, and Jean grinned at the two of them, placing her hands on Klee’s shoulders in excitement.
“Now, look here. This is a dehydrated windwheel aster flower that I’ve had sitting around for some weeks. Do you know what we’re going to do with it? Razor?” Lisa asked patiently.
He thought for a moment, brows heavily furrowed and lips pulled into a frown. Klee was quite obviously ready to answer in the event that he couldn’t, rocking in her seat and pursing her lips to keep quiet.
“Hydrate it.” He rushed out, and Lisa smiled enthusiastically back at him.
“Exactly! We’re going to rehydrate some flowers, using a few bowls of water. This spell requires a verbal and physical component. Watch me, we’re going to work on the hand motions first.”
Lisa made a series of hand movements, short and quick, and repeated those a few times as Klee and Razor watched her. Then she slowed, went through each gesture painstakingly detailed for the kids who watched raptly.
Jean laughed in astonishment at the sight. She had groaned upon realizing that this whole magic thing included classroom lessons because Klee wasn’t exactly the best at paying attention. Or staying still. Or keeping her mouth closed, but! Learning about magic with Lisa and even Razor held her attention so easily she forgot to be disruptive.
“Hi, Jean!” Amber called out as she came bounding into the store, quickly closing the door behind her to get away from the rain. It was a lazy, drizzling Sunday which seemed perfect for staying indoors, the greens of the shop plants almost glowing under the lights as the sound of rain pattering on the roof practically lulled Jean to sleep.
“Hi, Amber. Is your shift starting?” Jean asked pleasantly. Amber, one of Lisa’s employees, had been very welcoming and excited to meet Klee and the two would spend nearly hours chattering away about anything and everything.
“Nope. It’s all Mona today. Lisa asked if I would stop in to go through some of the basic spells the kids have already learned, almost like a quiz.” Amber laughed at the thought of the children’s misfortune as she settled down next to Jean and pulled out her own notebook.
“Wow, I didn’t know they’d be quizzed.” Jean smiled at that, how thoroughly Lisa was trying to ensure they learned and knew how to control their talents.
“Mhm, Lisa won’t let you go with subpar skills, she’d be so embarrassed.” Amber hummed as she glanced through her notebook for whatever it was she was taking classes for.
“Did she teach you too?” Jean asked.
“Yeah! I have very limited talents, but she made sure I learned everything I needed to.” Amber grinned excitedly, happy to share that Lisa helped her too.
“That’s really wonderful.” Jean nodded and watched the children once more, recreating Lisa’s hand gestures on their own with corrections made by her every now and then. Jean sat in silence with Amber for the rest of the lesson, watching happily as the kids seemed to understand and started practicing on their own dehydrated flowers.
“Excellent work you two!” Lisa congratulated them both after they had worked through a number of flowers each, with varying degrees of success. “Alright, that was a very good job for today, but we’re not quite done. Amber is going to walk you through some spells that you’ve already learned and she’s going to make any corrections that you may need, okay?”
Lisa spoke so calmly and encouragingly to them each, smiling and doting in ways that would surely only stoke their passion for learning in the future. Jean watched, enamored with the way Lisa interacted with them, with how Klee responded to her so joyously. Klee adored Lisa thus far, she loved her enthusiasm and her brilliance, and Jean completely understood why.
Lisa and Amber switched spots and Jean was ashamed to say… she was far more focused on Lisa than watching Klee’s progress with Amber.
“Hi.” Jean breathed out when Lisa sat next to her, folding her hands on the table they were at and glancing toward Klee and Razor every now and then.
“Hello, Jean.” Lisa laughed, seeing as how Jean had been sitting there for the past hour.
“How are they doing? Are they, on track or…” Jean trailed off, trying to focus on the reason she was there and not, just, staring at Lisa.
“First of all, there isn’t really a track. Klee is young, remember? And second, they’re both doing quite well, thank you.” Lisa smiled, and then tilted her head slightly in intrigue. “You ask about the both of them quite often, not just Klee.”
Jean thought about it, only briefly, and then shrugged. “Well, Razor is her friend. She likes him and he’s nice to her. I may as well.”
“That’s very nice of you, that’s all.” Lisa sat up and nodded toward the others where Amber was nodding along as Klee and Razor both demonstrated their skills. “I don’t think you’ll have much to worry about, Jean. She’s wonderful, and very smart. You should be proud.”
Jean watched Klee then, her childlike wonder as Razor completed some spell and made small sparks crackle in the air.
“I am. Of course I am.” Jean said surely.
Their months continued on with Klee’s teachings, Jean sitting in when she could and occasionally, leaving Klee with Lisa at the shop. Though she had worries, which had nothing to do with Lisa’s capabilities, she saw Klee’s excitement to be with Lisa and learn from her.
It was a wonderful thing to see Klee thrive, and Lisa never even seemed bothered by having her around the shop.
“She’s very helpful around the store, Jean. It really is fine if you’re ever running late.” Lisa had told her one evening after Jean had sprinted from the train to pick Klee back up after a meeting ran far longer than expected.
Truthfully, at that moment, running into the shop out of breath and apologetic, Jean knew it then. She had flung the door open and spotted Lisa and Klee immediately.
Klee was sitting on a stool as Lisa showed her how to pot a small succulent plant the good old fashioned way. Klee was giggling and spilling soil all over the table while Lisa didn’t mind one bit as she pointed out what to do next.
And Jean had been quite certain that she had fallen, at least a bit, for her child’s magic teacher.
“For what it’s worth, I didn’t help you simply because you were so attractive.” Lisa pointed out one day, out of the blue, absolutely zero prompting.
She and Jean were sitting on stools and leaning against the little island within Lisa’s magical store as Mona helped Klee to practice a specific incantation.
Jean frowned, not sure if she had heard those words correctly. She turned to look at Lisa who was still focusing on Klee.
“Pardon?” Jean breathed out.
“I didn’t have quite the introduction to this world either. I just… earned my gift one day and set off on my own. I can’t bear to see kids who don’t know how to handle their talents, they inevitably cause accidental havoc or lose it entirely. I really wanted to help Klee, so you’re aware.” Lisa said it all so offhandedly, as if she hadn’t called Jean attractive just a moment ago. But Jean felt herself relax, her smile grew soft.
“Not even for a moment did I question your kindness, Lisa.” Jean said warmly, reaching her hand out to place on Lisa’s forearm. “It was obvious from the start that you were simply an incredibly generous person, and that’s why I trusted you.”
Lisa finally fixed her gaze on Jean, the uncertainty clear in those beautiful eyes, but she smiled thankfully.
“Now, I’m not saying your looks didn’t help.” Jean shrugged, watching Lisa’s eyes widen briefly before she rolled them and swatted at her. Jean laughed back, feeling the tension and concern evaporate between them.
“You sound as if you had ulterior motives.” Lisa sniffed haughtily, lifting her chin in the air.
“I am absolutely here with ulterior motives. Klee? Never heard of her.” Jean spoke seriously, mouth a firm line. She cracked instantly though, and with another soft smile, told Lisa the truth. “I know you did this for Klee, and I greatly appreciate all that you’ve done. She’s been happier, and she’s safe now, and that’s all I ever wanted. Still, separate from that, from how much you’ve helped us, you’re a remarkable person, Lisa. I would love to take you out on a date if you would allow it.”
Lisa blew out a breath and looked back at Jean with what could only be described as ethereal beauty, knowing and wondrous all at once.
“And here I was, thinking I would have to ask you.” Lisa shook her head fondly before she smiled enough to wrinkle the corner of her eyes. “I would certainly allow you to take me out. That would be lovely.”
Jean grinned, wide and unrestrained because there was absolutely no reason to hide her joy, her excitement and enthusiasm at the prospect of dating Lisa. Lisa, incredibly charming and kind and giving for no other reason than because she wanted to be.
“Perfect.” Jean nodded, and though Klee and Mona cheered, it muffled in her ears as she couldn’t take her eyes off of Lisa.
Jean closed and locked the window tightly, shivering from the chill that had blown in from it. Soon enough, she’d have to get the fire going with the way winter was bearing down on them. Luckily Klee was a rather experienced fire starter, Jean laughed to herself.
Then she yelped and jumped because, just at the back of her heel, she felt heat lick at her skin.
“Hey!” Jean whirled around, ready to berate Klee for something they had absolutely already discussed was not allowed, but instead, she was met with Lisa, leaning against a doorway, laundry basket propped on her hip, and an alluring smirk on her lips.
“Hey, yourself.” Lisa winked. Jean gawked at her before glancing down to her heel to see the little reddened spot.
“You shocked me?” Jean asked.
“Oh? I’m so sorry, I must have slipped with how heavy this basket is.” Lisa hummed lightly, uncaring, innocent.
“That basket of clothing there is far too heavy for you?” Jean asked casually, pacing across the room toward Lisa.
“Mm, so heavy. I think I need help.” Lisa pouted and leaned her head against the doorway, staring sadly at Jean as she stepped closer. She quickly relieved Lisa of the laundry basket, placing it on the floor and slipping her hands around Lisa’s waist easily.
“I would hate for you to overexert yourself.” Jean murmured, tugging Lisa closer and nosing at her neck.
“Thank you, that’s so very generous of you, Jean.” Lisa responded by slipping her hands underneath Jean’s shirt, flattening them against the small of her back and sighing in Jean’s embrace. “I think, perhaps, you should also help me to the bedroom?”
If Jean could see Lisa’s face, she would surely be smirking. But Jean didn’t look up, she simply sucked a surprise kiss against Lisa’s neck and swooped her up in her arms, Lisa laughing loud and carefree all the while as they headed off toward the bedroom and left the laundry basket quite forgotten.