Archive of Our Own

Chapter Text

Jesse wakes up smiling.

It’s hard to blame her. One second she’s drifting out of sleep, stirring slowly, trying to stay warm. Then the next, she’s remembering the feeling of Petra’s hands on her waist and the warmth of her lips.

Her lips…

Right. They kissed. Twice. Multiple times. Gods.

Jesse’s face heats almost instantly at the thought. Taking a deep breath, she turns over onto her back to cool off. She reaches up to cover her eyes with both palms like that will somehow stop the entire night replaying in her mind; the vivid images are burning behind her eyelids.

Beside her bunk, Jesse can hear Olivia waking up too. And that makes something twist both excitedly yet anxiously in Jesse’s chest because she knows she has to tell Liv what happened. Probably before lunch to avoid anything too awkward.

After a brief silence, Jesse hears Olivia sit up. She glances over to see her friend already looking back. “Morning,” Olivia mumbles, rubbing at her eyes with a closed fist.

“Mm. Morning,” Jesse answers, refusing to sit up just yet. Instead, her brain loops through the moment Petra had cupped her face outside the library. That alone had nearly undone her on the spot. Jesse feels her pulse spike at the thought. She lets out a small noise she hopes Olivia can’t hear and—

Right, Olivia.

Suddenly, Jesse sits up fast, maybe too fast, her slightly-frizzed hair falling into her eyes. She needs to practice her “normal” face.

“You okay?” Olivia asks, catching onto Jesse’s strange behavior.

“Never better,” is Jesse’s response. She continues rubbing her eyes. “Long night studying is all.”

Olivia hums in understanding, and Jesse attempts a neutral expression in the mirror across the room. She looks deranged. Okay. Cool. She must’ve been tossing and turning all night.

“Alone? Where were you?” Olivia inquires, now absentmindedly swiping through her phone.

“The library,” Jesse says back, both hoping and not hoping for more questions. She presses her fingertips beneath her eyes as if she can physically rub the blush out of her cheeks. No chance.

Jesse then responds to the first half of Olivia’s questions tentatively. “And no, not alone. I was…with Petra.”

“Ooh, alone with Petra?” Olivia’s curiosity is instantly piqued. She smiles coyly as she glances up from her phone, watching her shorter friend fidget with the blankets. “That doesn’t sound very ‘alone’ to me. How’d that go?”

Jesse’s heart trips over itself. She can feel the heat crawling up her neck, and there’s no hiding it now. Olivia’s watching her like a hawk, that knowing look already forming on her face.

“It was…” Jesse starts, then stops. Her hands cease all motion, and she allows herself to take a long, soothing breath. “It was really good, actually.”

Olivia’s eyebrows raise. She sets her phone down completely. “Really good how?”

Jesse bites the inside of her cheek, fighting the stupid grin trying to break free again. She loses. Might as well bite the bullet.

“We…may have kissed.”

…

Olivia’s jaw drops, a choked sound comes out, and then she lets out a bark of laughter.

“WHAT?”

And then she continues to laugh, shock visible all across her face.

She’s not very quiet either. “Shh!” Jesse hisses, even though she’s laughing too, heat flooding her face all over again. “Olivia, oh my god—”

“You finally kissed this time? Like, for-real kissed?” Olivia’s practically bouncing in place now, any trace of sleepiness gone. “How? Did you–?”

“Multiple times, actually,” Jesse admits suddenly, and saying it out loud makes this strange weight lift off her chest. Her stomach does a little flip as she goes on. “Like…three times? Four? I don’t know, I lost count.”

Olivia’s jaw drops again. “You lost count?”

Face embarrassingly hot, Jesse covers her face with both hands again, groaning into her palms. “This is so embarrassing.”

“Are you kidding? This is amazing, Jesse!” Olivia corrects, scrambling out of bed and crossing the room to sit on the edge of Jesse’s mattress. She tugs at Jesse’s wrists until she lowers her hands. Their faces are inches apart, enough to ground Jesse but not close enough to overwhelm her.

“Okay, okay, start from the beginning.” Olivia says, clearly ecstatic but keeping it under wraps for Jesse’s sake. “What happened?”

Focusing on Olivia’s gaze, Jesse takes a breath, trying to organize her thoughts even though they’re still a jumbled mess of last night and Petra’s smile and the way she’d looked at her and the softness of her voice when she’d agreed to kiss her and everything. All at once.

Breathe. It already happened.

“We were studying,” Jesse starts, her voice steadier than she feels. “Or, trying to. We were doing good for a while before we…uh,” Jesse sighs, “started talking about Saturday night.”

“The almost-kiss?”

“Yeah.” Jesse nods, fingers twisting in her blanket. “And I just. I don’t know, Liv. I couldn’t stop thinking about it, about her. So I just,” she stops, shrugging lightly. “I asked her to kiss me.”

Olivia’s eyes go wide in disbelief. “You asked?”

“I know, I know—”

“No, that’s…” Olivia shakes her head, her grin a bit smug. “That’s bold, Jesse. I would’ve expected her to ask if she could kiss you.”

Jesse blinks at her friend for a moment, then laughs, a little breathless just remembering it. “Well, she didn’t seem like she was going to make any kind of move I guess. Also, I was terrified,” she adds with some exaggeration, her eyes wide in, well, terror. “Bold is the last thing I’d call whatever that was.”

“Fine,” Olivia crosses her arms. “How about ‘brave?’”

Jesse cringes a bit at that one, but once the idea of it settles, she lets herself relax. “A bit corny, but I guess-”

“Corny? It was a brave act for you to do! What’s so corny about romance?” Olivia argues with an exaggerated, angry tone, her voice raising just a tad. Jesse finds herself shushing her friend again. But by the time she’s finished trying, both girls have already broken into a fit of quiet, breathless laughter once again.

“You are so loud, Liv, I’m gonna hold my pillow over your face to muffle your screaming.” Jesse insists, glaring at her friend in disbelief.

“I’ll stay quiet if you finish telling me what happened. With details,” Olivia adds that last part like it’s a threat, pointing a finger. 

“I will! I will,” Jesse raises her hands, demonstrating innocence before letting them settle in her lap again. Now more relaxed, the rest comes more naturally. “But, yeah. I asked, she said yes, and then…” Jesse’s voice goes softer. “It just...happened. It was perfect. She was perfect.”

Olivia sighs, clearly touched, loving seeing Jesse like this. A brief silence passes between them before she murmurs, “That’s so sweet. Was it everything you ever imagined?”

Jesse huffs a laugh at that. “It was everything I imagined and more.”

“Did it feel like a dream?”

“Kinda, yeah…”

“Was it cinematic? Ethereal? Like heaven on Earth?”

It's at that moment that it clicks. Jesse’s brows furrow, a smile creeping back onto her face. “If you don’t shut up—”

And there it is, Olivia’s laugh, loud and bright and whimsical and contagious in all the ways a good laugh is. Jesse can feign annoyance all she wants; Olivia will always be able to make her laugh.

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry. You just had this look on your face.” Olivia giggles, holding a closed fist over her mouth to stifle the sounds.

Jesse shakes her head, smiling helplessly as she picks at a loose thread in her blanket. Across from her, Olivia's grin slowly loses some of its teasing edge as she settles down again. The laughter lingers in her eyes, but there's something warmer underneath it. The excitement is still there, but neither of them feels the need to fill every second with jokes anymore. Jesse is plenty relaxed.

They sit there for a moment, quiet. Olivia’s expression eventually shifts into something more sincere. “So, what now?”

That’s the one question Jesse’s been trying not to ask herself since she woke up. Since walking back to her dorm last night, even. She thinks for a moment, eyes drifting toward the window. Beyond it, the soft morning light slowly creeps across the room. “I have no idea,” she admits quietly. Her phone sits on her nightstand, screen dark. No texts yet, but it’s still early. Petra’s probably not even awake yet. “We didn’t really talk about what it means. We just—”

“Kissed a bunch and called it a night?”

Jesse laughs despite herself. “Yeah, basically.”

Olivia laughs too, then tilts her head, studying her. “Well, do you want it to mean something?”

Jesse doesn’t even have to think about it. The answer is so immediate it almost surprises her. “Yeah. I do.”

Olivia, clearly amused by the swiftness of Jesse’s response, opens her mouth to say something back. But she doesn’t get the chance to; it’s at that exact moment that Jesse’s phone suddenly buzzes, prompting both girls to look over.

Jesse sits completely frozen, her heart hammering. No way Petra texts right as I’m thinking about texting her, right?

Olivia follows her gaze, then looks back at her with barely contained excitement. “Well? Check it,” she urges.

Jesse reaches for her phone slowly, like it might bite her. The screen lights up.

Petra:

morning :) u up yet?

Jesse’s breath catches. Relief and nervousness and something warm and giddy all crashes into her at once. Olivia leans over, reading the message upside down. “Texting you first thing in the morning? Cute.”

Jesse’s already typing, fingers moving faster than her brain.

goodmorning!

and yeah lol i just woke up

what’s up? :)

Jesse nearly sets her phone down, but the response comes almost immediately.

wanted to make sure last night wasn’t a dream lol

Her heart swelling with glee and a smidge of pride, Jesse finds herself subconsciously agreeing with the sentiment. She can’t stop the smile spreading across her face; not that she’s trying to.

also, still meeting up for our walk?

“What’s she saying?” Olivia asks, trying to peek at the screen again. Jesse tilts the phone so she can see. Olivia reads it, then looks at Jesse with the most annoyingly smug expression. “She’s already worried you’re gonna ditch the routine. Jesse, she’s down bad.”

“Shut up,” Jesse laughs, but she’s already typing back.

definitely not a dream :P

and yeah ofc!!

Petra loved a message sent.

okay sweet

see you soon <3

Jesse finds herself staring at the heart in Petra’s text a little too long. She snaps herself out of it soon enough.

You loved a message sent.

She sets her phone down carefully, like it’s something precious. When she looks back up, Olivia’s watching her with this soft, knowing smile. “You’re really into her, huh?”

Jesse doesn’t even try to deny it. She shrugs a shoulder sheepishly. “Yeah. I really am.”

“Then stop overthinking it!” Olivia says, standing up and heading back to her side of the room. “Go meet her, talk to her, figure it out together! I mean,” she scoffs, “you two already kissed.”

Jesse nods in agreement, taking a deep breath. She too stands up and turns toward her closet; her eyes land on the analog clock on the wall that all student dorms come with by standard. Thirty minutes, give or take. Enough time to look like she didn’t spend half the night thinking about her.

Jesse stares back at her hanging clothes blankly, already struggling to piece something together. She needs something easy. Something that doesn’t look like she’s trying too hard, but also something that maybe, if she’s being honest, she’ll want Petra to notice.

“Also, Jesse?” Olivia calls over her shoulder, facing the other direction as she changes into a clean shirt.

“Yeah?”

“I’m happy for you.”

The sincerity in Olivia’s voice makes warmth spread through Jesse’s chest, cutting clean through the nerves. For that brief moment, she stops and lets herself relax as she processes her friend’s kind words. “Thanks, Liv.”

And then she turns back to her closet. 

Okay, focus.

———

Petra wakes up to an empty room. Glancing over, she can see that Stella’s bed is made. Well, close enough, anyway. Either she left early or never came back last night. Petra doesn’t bother questioning it.

She turns her head back over and stares at the ceiling. Then last night comes back, and she stops staring at the ceiling, her eyes falling shut.

The recollection of everything slowly seeps in, bouncing around Petra’s head at first. Then it’s everywhere, hot and tingling underneath her skin. She remembers the quiet of the library, so overwhelming that she’d felt the need to mention it. She remembers Jesse agreeing with her and shifting closer. She remembers the way Jesse had just asked for that kiss, plainly and without any of the hesitation Petra would’ve expected or even needed.

Petra rolls over and presses her face into her pillow. She’s not embarrassed, she just needs a second. After a few, she rolls back over, sighs heavily into the stale dorm air, and reaches for her phone. She wonders if Jesse’s awake yet, if she woke up thinking about it too, or if she slept fine, unbothered. She does always seem to carry things more lightly than Petra does.

Petra eventually stops wondering and finally texts her, swallowing her nerves, subtle as they may be.

morning :) u up yet?

Hitting send, Petra sets her phone face-down on the mattress and sits up, something else coming to mind. Lukas.

Petra sighs again. She’d honestly been so caught up in everything, in Jesse, that she’d more or less shoved that particular thought into a closet and closed the door. Lukas will definitely want updates. But she doesn’t even know what label to put on what happened! All she really has to say is “we kissed” and “I nearly combusted on the spot.”

Admittedly though, Petra does feel a twinge of excitement, imagining Lukas’s reaction. He’ll be proud, that’s for sure.

Her phone buzzes. Petra grabs it.

goodmorning!

and yeah lol i just woke up

what’s up? :)

Something in Petra’s chest loosens, and she smiles to herself as she types up her response.

wanted to make sure last night wasn’t a dream lol

And it’s kind of true. Petra hasn’t felt this way for anyone, at all, in a long time. She wants to hold on to it for as long as it will last. If that means pointless “goodmorning” texts each day, so be it. 

From there, Petra asks about their walk and they sort it out quickly; easy as it always is with Jesse. Petra then sets her phone down and gets up to get herself ready. She’s still smiling even as she makes it to the mirror.

———

Petra gets there first, which she blames on leaving slightly too early and not on the fact that she was eager, because she wasn’t! She was just ready to go. Swear.

The redhead tucks her hands in her pockets and waits, her eyes watching other students cross the main courtyard. Jesse comes around the corner maybe a minute later, red hair clip in place and bag dangling loosely over both shoulders. Petra sees her out of her peripherals at first and has to turn her head fully to get a proper look. She starts making her way towards the shorter girl slowly.

Jesse doesn’t look up right away, tapping away at her phone. In the brief seconds that follow, Petra’s chest does the same thing it’s been doing since meeting Jesse exactly a week ago today. She’s getting used to it. Mostly.

Jesse finally looks up, makes eye contact with Petra, and slows. Petra slows too, and for a moment they’re standing there with only three feet between them and silence. Neither of them quite knows how to start, it seems. 

Petra starts to get uncomfortable after three seconds becomes four. Say something!

But instead of that, Petra’s body makes a decision slightly ahead of her. An urge buzzing beneath her skin, she steps even closer, bringing just one hand up to gently cup Jesse’s face. Jesse goes completely still. Her eyes go wide, a blush barely visible beneath her cheekbones. Petra registers this as her being surprised, not unhappy—and so she leans down and kisses her.

It’s soft and brief; nothing more than a tender “hello” as if expressed through a kiss. But the gesture clearly has an effect on Jesse beyond that of a simple greeting. Petra feels her melt against her, soft hands reaching up to mirror Petra’s motion of cupping her face. 

Petra’s cheeks are probably scorching-hot to the touch, but she can’t find it within herself to care. Jesse clearly doesn’t care, given the way her thumbs start delicately rubbing soothing circles just beneath Petra’s ears. This feels so nice.

Petra isn’t sure who pulls back first, but after what feels like minutes, their lips part. Jesse’s eyes flutter open. Her cheeks are undoubtedly pinker than before, and noticing this, Petra becomes aware that her own face is absolutely worse. Realistically, though, there’s nothing she can do about it.

Watching Jesse regain her bearings, Petra laughs a little, short and sheepish, rubbing at the back of her neck. “Sorry. Too much?”

“No!” Jesse says, breathless. It’s immediate and with zero hesitation. “Not at all.”

“...Okay.” Petra takes a breath, relieved. Internally though, her heart still feels like it’s spinning on a swivel. She can’t remember the last time she kissed someone like that, just because she could. She stands up straighter and runs a hand through her hair, an anxious habit of hers. “Good. Well.” Another breath, “Hi, I guess?”

Looking up at Petra fondly, Jesse laughs, soft and bright. “Hi.”

Then, just as Petra is turning to start walking, Jesse hooks her hand around Petra’s arm. She tucks herself against Petra's side, and the taller girl nearly freezes on the spot, barely managing to follow through on her turn. Jesse does it like it’s something they’ve always done, and it makes Petra’s whole body feel like it’s on fire. Especially the half of it that Jesse is pressed up against.

Regardless, two start walking. Jesse is the first to say anything.

“How’d you sleep?”

Petra's breath hitches at the basic but also nerve-wracking question, simply because of the fact that she hadn’t fallen asleep for a while, just thinking about everything from the library to outside. Sleeping hadn’t exactly been peaceful either; Petra is absolutely certain that she saw Jesse in her dreams at least twice last night.

“Eventually,” is Petra’s response, prompting Jesse to huff with laughter.

“Yeah…I think I stayed up for like, an hour. Just laying there.” Jesse affirms, her tone curious as if recalling something so peculiar. But Petra knew that Jesse knew why she didn’t sleep well. She also knew why Petra didn’t sleep well. They both did.

They cross the biking path, falling into step when they weave their way around a cluster of students heading the opposite direction. Petra nearly trips hopping the curb, too focused on making sure she doesn’t jerk her arm around too much or accidentally pull Jesse one way or another.

Jesse doesn’t say anything else for a minute, and Petra eventually realizes she should be the one to say something next. She thinks quickly. "Stella wasn't in the room when I woke up," she says, after a moment. "Like, her bed was made and everything. I don't think she came back last night." 

Jesse glances up at her, surprise visible on her features. "Really? Where do you think she was?"

"No idea." Petra shrugs. "It’s already happened twice. I never bothered questioning it."

"Is she in a sorority or something?"

At that, Petra opens her mouth, automatically wanting to say “yes.” But then, she pauses and really thinks about it, her mouth closing shut. She doesn’t open it again until Jesse quirks an eyebrow.

"Honestly? I don't know." Petra answers. While the notion is unsurprising, it also isn’t exactly backed by concrete evidence. Not that Petra would ever bother to find any. "I don't think so? I just know she can put away an impressive amount of alcohol for someone her size."

Jesse makes a sound. “I see why you stopped questioning things then.”

“Yyyyyuuuup,” Petra drawls, sighing and shrugging simultaneously. "She's fine, though," she says. "She always turns up eventually."

Jesse seems to accept this, humming in acknowledgement and not pressing any further. At least, not in conversation. Petra can still feel her ‘pressing’ closely to her side. Not in a clingy or needy way, but in an affectionate way that has butterflies fluttering around in her stomach.

They walk for a bit in easy quiet, and eventually Jesse's building comes into view. Neither of them says anything about it, but Petra feels this sinking feeling in her gut at the fact that their walk is almost over. They slow as they reach the path leading up to the entrance, and Jesse lets go of her arm. Petra feels the absence of it immediately.

"Well," Jesse says, turning to face her.

"Well," Petra says back, her smile warm yet slightly solemn. She really didn’t want this to end, even if they’d most likely be seeing each other again within the next few hours.

Jesse just looks at her for a moment. There's this expression on her face—thoughtful, a little soft around the edges, and slightly shy. Petra watches her and waits, because she's learned by now that Jesse is probably about to do something.

Sure enough, Jesse suddenly steps forward, closing the little space that’s left between them. Then, without much warning, she brings her arms up, wrapping them around Petra’s middle, and hugs her.

Petra goes completely still, save for her having to lift her arms. She instinctively brings them around Jesse in turn, but it definitely takes her a second to process before she can properly hug Jesse back. She lets her arms come around Jesse more fully, getting herself comfortable. Then, she exhales, slow and quiet, and the tightness she’s been carrying all morning just goes.

Jesse is warm, and she smells so sweet. It’s something floral that Petra has never been able to name. And she fits against her in a way that makes Petra feel like maybe she’s been meant to find this girl all along. Maybe this is where she truly learns what it means to love and feel loved.

She rests a hand between Jesse’s shoulder blades and doesn’t say anything, because there’s really nothing to say. She only holds Jesse closer, just enough to let her know that whatever this is is real.

Jesse stays for a moment longer. Then she pulls back just far enough to look up at Petra, her cheeks pink once more.

“See you at lunch?”

Petra swallows thickly. She wants to kiss her again.

“Yeah,” she says. “See you.”

Jesse smiles at the confirmation before she steps back. She turns and heads up the stairs without looking back, her bag bouncing lightly with each step. Petra stands there for exactly three seconds longer before turning away too, her heart pounding against her ribs.

…Fuck. I should’ve just kissed her.

———

Axel is already there when Petra gets to class, hunched over his desk and scrolling through his phone. He glances up when she drops into the seat beside him.

"You're early."

"You were literally here first?" Petra counters confusedly.

"I'm always early." Axel huffs, pocketing his phone. "You're usually not."

Petra ignores him and opens her bag, retrieving a notebook, binder, and pencil. Axel watches her like he's trying to figure something out, then apparently decides he’s bored and pulls out his own stuff. She appreciates that.

Her phone suddenly buzzes. Petra picks it up in no rush.

Goodmorning

So was the walk with Jesse super awkward orrrr?

Petra stares at it. One corner of her mouth pulls up despite herself.

no

Really?
Not even a little?

we’ve obviously talked lmao

Okay
So what happened?

Petra feels that twisty, tingly sensation of anxiety and excitement altogether start trickling down her spine. A part of her wants to rip the band-aid off and get this over with. Another part of her wants to keep all of this a secret for just a little longer.

nothing happened

we just talked

Petra, "not even a little awkward" after

everything that went down is not nothing

Just tell me!

Petra sets her phone down as the professor walks in, placing his laptop and other supplies on the lectern at the front. She opens her notebook and watches the smartboard come to life. Her phone buzzes again. In zero hurry once again, Petra eventually reads Lukas’s text.

Hello?

i'm in class

Okay and?

Petra exhales.

i'm not texting it to you

WHY

because i'm not

What could have possibly happened

that you can’t text me about?

Petra that is so unfair

She puts her phone away entirely this time as the professor starts talking. Axel writes something at the top of his page that she’d already missed; she glances over to see that it's the location of their first exam. That would’ve been bad.

Petra writes the building and room number and stares at it. Her pocket buzzes within that same second. Then again. Then again. Geez.

She lasts about four minutes, once again tearing her attention away from the professor to pull her phone out of her pocket and read Lukas’s ridiculous pleas for an answer. Petra glares at the notifications, considering it for a moment, and then, ever-so-slightly, she caves.

okay, fine

what's in it for me?

Lukas’s typing bubble disappears entirely for probably the first time in the past five minutes. It takes one more minute for him to eventually write back:

I’ll fund your vending machine trips all week

Petra’s eyes light up at that. Usually she has to restrict herself on how often she stops at those; it’d be nice to have a week-long vacation from that. 

She types back before she can think too hard about it.

deal

i kissed jesse

Axel glances sideways at Petra as she drops her phone back onto the desk again, face-down. There’s an oddly long period of silence, minus the professor’s yapping, that passes before Axel says anything. "You good?"

"Fine," Petra says back just a little too quickly. It’s at that exact moment that her phone starts buzzing against the desk continuously, rattling slightly with each notification. Axel looks at it, then looks at Petra.

"Is that Lukas or Jesse?"

"Lukas," Petra mutters.

Axel nods slowly. "...About Jesse."

He says it like it’s a fact, but truly he’s questioning it. Petra doesn’t bother answering him right away though, picking her phone back up. She immediately turns her messaging haptics off.

WHAT

FINALLY

Wait like last night??

Pls answer me

PETRA COME ON

I am so proud of you Petra

How did it happen???

She locks the screen and sets it on her lap, staring up at the ceiling with a sigh. "Yeah," she says, to Axel's earlier question. "It's Lukas." She purposefully doesn't answer the second half of that question.

Axel just smiles. "Nice."

———

Jesse is writing in her note headers when she hears Lukas make a choked sound beside her. This prompts her to look over at him confusedly.

“You okay?”

He's staring at his phone with a closed fist over his mouth, his eyes wide, and his lips curled in what seems to be a smile, though Jesse can hardly tell. She's never seen this expression on him before. Clearly he’s looking at something either exciting or horrifying.

"What's up?" Jesse presses. At that, Lukas whips his head up and suddenly flips the phone over so fast it skids slightly on the desk. He catches it with his free hand, although he does end up accidentally slamming it against the desk in his haste.

The sound of it makes Jesse and other nearby students wince. It was unnecessarily loud.

"...Nothing!" The laugh that comes out of him is about a full octave higher than his normal voice. "Just…inside jokes. Friends. High school." A pause. "Friends from high school."

Jesse stares at him. "What?"

"Old inside joke," he says, waving a hand. "One of my old friends from high school brought it up. You know how it is."

Jesse continues staring.

"It was funny," he adds. "That’s…why I laughed."

"Oooookay," Jesse says slowly, turning back to her notes. Weird, but whatever.

Lukas is quiet for approximately forty-five seconds after that. Jesse hears his phone buzz again, and she watches him pick it up through her peripherals. She hears a sharp inhale through his nose and then the sound of his thumbs typing rapidly in response to whatever, whoever, was making him act all weird.

Jesse keeps writing. What was that thing Petra had said?

“He also tends to be an awful texter. Honestly, I’m shocked he even owns a phone.”

So whoever has him checking his screen every thirty seconds and going pink in the ears is notable. The list of candidates is short, and a small part of her already knows. But for now, Jesse keeps these observations to herself.

———

Petra has her phone tucked between her lap and the underside of her desk now, completely disinterested in the lecture and more focused on her text exchange with Lukas.

I need more details

Like you actually kissed her?

Our Jesse? The one you dropped

the ball on the first time?

Petra reads this with a scoff out loud and a roll of her eyes. This guy.

she's not "our jesse" you idiot
and yes

PETRA!!!
When? Where?

also i did not drop the ball on anything

we got interrupted

We can debate that later

we kissed in the library last night
more than once

Petra can practically hear Lukas short-circuiting from across campus. Imagining the look on his face right now makes her laugh out loud by mistake, but thankfully not too loudly. Only Axel really hears her, and he merely gives her a glance.

More than once?
I am so PROUD PETRA

will you calm down

I am calm

I’m just processing

Petra this is huge for you

You haven't liked anyone

properly in over a year

Petra grumbles under her breath.

it's not that deep

It is

But okay

Are you guys together now or what?

Petra glances up at the board. She doesn’t know.

don't know
we didn't really talk about it

Oh here we go again

Petra nearly blocks him on the spot, but she resists. Instead, she watches as her leg starts bouncing rapidly, anxiously. Annoying as he may be about it, Lukas is right. “Here we go again” is only appropriate; Petra really needs to get better at getting closure when it comes to Jesse. But it’s so difficult when Petra's left fumbling over her own words just looking at her.

She eventually responds:

yeah

even on our walk this morning

we didn’t ask about that 

You guys better talk about it

TODAY

The all-caps coming from Lukas earns a snort from Petra. She shakes her head.

i know lukas

Like seriously!

Stop dancing around it!

Especially post-kiss!

i said i know

Petra sees Lukas pause his typing for a minute. Then:

I’m super happy for you Petra, seriously

Petra smiles at the message despite herself.

thanks lukas

im rly happy too

:)

———

He's on his phone again.

Jesse noticed it the first time, wrote it off. Noticed it the second time, same thing. This is the third time in ten minutes that Lukas has glanced down at his lap, read something, and made some small involuntary face before resetting. He's not obvious about it—at least he thinks he isn't—but Jesse is sitting close enough to catch the slight tension in his jaw every time, or to hear his little laughs or scoffs or other strange noises.

He also hasn't written a single thing in his notebook since the lecture started.

She watches him read something and go pink again, this time not even hiding the fact that she’s looking. He sets his phone down on the desk this time and makes an actual attempt to pay attention. He picks up his pencil and looks forward, but Jesse isn’t buying it. "Lukas," she murmurs, cautious not to disturb the class.

Lukas looks over at her. "Yeah?"

"What the hell are you doing?"

“Wh–” Like a deer in headlights, he glances around the room confusedly, then at the board, then back at her. “Watching the lecture–?"

"Oh yeah?" Jesse presses. “What’s it about? Without looking at anything but your notes.”

Lukas pauses, then slowly looks down at his notebook. Completely blank. He sighs.

Jesse raises her eyebrows. “Exactly.”

Lukas deflates, a defeated smile forming on his face. "I'm mostly listening, okay? Just got distracted by my phone, I guess." He shrugs, “It’s okay, though. I’ll catch up.”

Lukas catching up with the homework preview is the least of Jesse’s concerns. She watches him for one more second. "It's Petra, isn't it?”

The expression, or rather, expressions, that cross Lukas’s face are genuinely impressive. Five different things at once, cycling too quickly to catch. His mouth opens and closes. He laughs once, short and utterly unconvincing. Then, he fumbles. "I– why would you– that's–" He then stops himself. "I can't confirm or deny anything."

Jesse holds his gaze. “You just confirmed it, Lukas,” she states point-blank, voice still hushed just enough.

Lukas presses his lips together. For a second, he looks like he might actually try to argue. Jesse watches the thought occur to him, watches him realize how hopeless it is, then watches him give up entirely. His shoulders sag.

“Yeah, okay,” he mutters.

Jesse feels some relief wash over her at finally getting it out of him. Then, she gets anxious. What was Petra saying?

“So?” Jesse inquires, “Are you texting her?”

Like a sad puppy, Lukas glances at Jesse sideways like he’s ashamed of the act. “Yeah.”

“And?”

This is when Lukas pauses entirely. It’s only a moment or two before he turns to face Jesse in full. She watches him, confused but curious. There’s an excited glint in his eyes now, but there’s also something quieter underneath it, something more genuine. He fidgets with his pen as he watches Jesse back for a moment, a small smile forming on his face. Then he says, hushed and a little earnest: "Really, really happy for you two. Petra especially." He pauses briefly. "But you too, Jesse."

For a moment, Jesse, stunned to be hearing that for the second time today, just stares at him. Even if Jesse and Lukas aren't super close yet, Jesse can tell that he means it; she can tell that there's no performance in it, just Lukas being exactly who he is. Not that she expected anything less. But it definitely feels good to have somebody express that they’re really, truly happy for you in life. Two people at that!

She exhales slowly, a soft smile forming on her face. "Thanks, Lukas."

He nods, then turns back around in his seat. They don't say anything else for a while after that. The lecture keeps going and Jesse picks her pencil back up. And Lukas, for the first time since class started, actually writes something in his notebook.

———

After class, Jesse and Lukas make it to the dining hall a few minutes before the others. They drop their bags at the usual booth and head up to get food without much discussion. Jesse gets a sandwich, a salad and an iced tea from what’s becoming her favorite restaurant in the dining hall. Lukas gets two slices of pizza, of course.

They're halfway through eating by the time Olivia appears, tray in hand, sliding in next to Jesse with a cheerful enough greeting. Petra arrives a minute behind her, dropping her bag under the table and settling in once Lukas moves aside to make room.

She catches Jesse's eye when she sits down. Jesse feels warmth move up the back of her neck and focuses on her sandwich.

The conversation finds its footing the way it always does with the four of them, bouncing between whatever comes up. Lukas mentions something about the media club; he’s really enjoying it. Olivia complains about her schedule. Petra steals some of Lukas's fries as payback for last time. Jesse is just starting to actually relax when Olivia suddenly sets her fork down, tilts her head, and looks directly at Jesse with the most transparent expression she owns.

"So," she says pleasantly. "Anyone have an eventful night?"

She punctuates this with eyebrows. Both of them, raised and waggling with absolutely zero subtlety.

Across the table, Petra goes red so fast it's almost impressive. Lukas's eyes go wide and he suddenly becomes very interested in his pizza. Jesse feels heat flood her face. She reaches over and whacks Olivia on the shoulder.

"Liv!"

Olivia dissolves into laughter immediately, covering her mouth with both hands. Jesse groans, catching Lukas making eye contact with her across the table, wide-eyed, caught, doing a very poor job of looking oblivious. "Seriously?" Jesse says, more hushed.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry," Olivia manages between laughs. "I was just teasing."

Jesse rolls her eyes. Of course Liv would want to fuck with her now. But the annoyance doesn't stick. It can't. The entire situation is too absurd; everybody at this table knows. But Jesse does not want it to be the topic of conversation. She cannot handle that right now. And based on the look on Petra’s face, she can’t either.

"Anyways," Jesse says, setting both palms flat on the table in a “this is over now” gesture. She looks across at Petra, who is still visibly pink but recovered enough to look like herself again. "Speaking of eventful nights. Did you ever find out what Stella got up to yesterday?"

Petra, clearly grateful for the redirect, answers without missing a beat. "Still no idea. She only called me asking to water her plant this morning and I didn't ask. Hasn't called or texted again since. She sounded fine, though.” Petra reaches for her coffee. “Happy, actually, which means it was either a great night or she's planning something."

"Maybe she has a secret boyfriend," Olivia offers.

"Oooh, or girlfriend," Jesse adds. Petra makes a noise into her cup.

"With Stella," she says, "I genuinely wouldn't rule out either."

As the group settles back into its usual rhythm, Jesse continues to eat her sandwich and listen, contributing as she pleases. But underneath all of it, her mind keeps drifting. She looks at Petra across the table, laughing at something Olivia’s just said. Jesse feels this warm, slightly terrifying thing that she's been carrying around since the library last night and probably longer than that if she's being honest.

She wants to actually talk about it. Not the kissing, not the logistics of what happened, but the thing underneath all of that.  What it is, what they're calling it, whether Petra wants what Jesse wants.

Jesse thinks she does. She's almost certain she does. But almost certain and actually knowing are two different things, and Jesse would very much like to actually know. Unfortunately for her, the idea of bringing it up thrills her and terrifies her in equal measure.

Jesse picks at the edge of her sandwich. She could ask Petra to hang out instead of studying tonight. She has that calc project she has to work on, and Lukas is her partner, but they're barely into the material and it's not due for another week. Plus, she could get her half done in a couple of hours if she actually focused. And Lukas wouldn't care if she missed a day! In fact, Jesse’s fairly sure Lukas would actively encourage her to blow it off, given everything he knows.

Jesse feels herself start to daydream. They could go back to the library. Study, or pretend to study, sitting next to each other for hours not doing much of anything, which at this point Jesse would take happily.

Or, they could just. Not do that. Not the library. Maybe just somewhere quieter? One of their dorms, maybe?

Jesse’s face warms slightly at the thought, and she swiftly reaches for her iced tea to take a long sip. Okay. Maybe not that one yet.

But later tonight, she decides, they're definitely hanging out. She'll figure out the details later.

———

Petra is halfway out the door of her last class when her phone buzzes. She hadn’t received a text from Jesse at all since before lunch, so her heart immediately twists with anticipation when she feels the vibrations. She slips around a cluster of students lingering near the exit and pulls her phone from her pocket.

my class isn't over yet :(

A smile immediately tugs at Petra's mouth.

but when it is

do u wanna meet me outside my building?

Petra slows to a stop in the middle of the sidewalk.

your building?

The typing bubble appears almost immediately.

the one my lecture hall is in.

i wanna go somewhere tn :P

Petra’s chest gives another excited little flutter. Jesse making plans? For them? It’s like we’re girlfriends already.

how long until ur class ends?

like fifteen minutes?

i’ll be there :)

The heart reaction appears almost instantly.

Petra stares at it for a second longer than necessary before finally continuing on her way.

–

Ten minutes later, Petra stands outside the building's main entrance. She leans against the wall beside the doors, phone in hand. Students drift past in both directions; some leave the building, others head inside. The evening air is cool enough to be comfortable, and the campus is alive with the familiar sounds of people finishing classes and figuring out where they're headed next.

Suddenly, her phone buzzes.

omw

Immediately, Petra feels her stomach flip.

This is ridiculous. They're literally seeing each other. That's all. They even kissed! And yet, the anxiety persists. I must’ve really forgotten what having a crush is like.

Petra locks her phone and slips it back into her pocket. Three minutes later, the doors swing open. Petra looks up, and there she is. Jesse emerges from the building ahead of most of the crowd from her class, backpack slung over both shoulders as she pushes through the door. Behind her, students begin filtering out in larger numbers through the neighboring exits, filling the steps and sidewalks.

For a second, Petra just watches. Then the memory of yesterday rushes back all at once, and she feels her skin start getting hot under her clothes.

The smile that appears on Jesse's face as she spots her isn't especially different from any of the hundreds Petra has seen before by now. But now Petra knows what it means. Now she knows Jesse is truly happy to see her too.

Jesse makes her way toward her, and Petra does her best to act normal. "Y’know, I'm beginning to think you don't actually sit through these lectures," she jokes as Jesse reaches her.

Jesse laughs. "Well that’s a serious accusation."

"Well? You were out of there suspiciously fast."

"What if I sat near the door?”

"Liar."

The easy familiarity of their banter settles Petra's nerves somewhat. Only somewhat. Jesse doesn’t respond right away, merely laughing at Petra’s name-calling, and so Petra decides to go ahead and find out where exactly Jesse plans on taking her.

"So," she says, adjusting the strap of her bag. "Library again?"

Jesse shakes her head. "Actually, I had something else in mind."

Petra raises an eyebrow. "Something else?"

Jesse nods toward the street. "You remember that diner we went to?"

Petra almost laughs. "Yeah, of course." How could I forget?

"There's a café a couple buildings down from it." Jesse continues, gesturing with a pointed finger. “They looked like they had good stuff.”

Petra thinks for a second before vaguely recalling seeing one.

"I also noticed they had outdoor seating," Jesse says. "Figured it'd be a nice spot to hang out."

Petra blinks down at the brunette, processing. The realization that she’d just been asked on a date, their second one at that technically, settles warmly in her chest. Unable to help herself though, Petra lets a grin tug at the corner of her mouth. "You really have no interest in studying, huh?"

Jesse smiles back, no hesitation. "Not in the slightest." She answers with complete confidence, one eyebrow lifting in a way that's equal parts playful and unfairly charming. "So?" she asks. "You in?"

Petra looks at her, like, really looks at her. Bright eyes, an easy smile, and the effortless image of a woman who apparently knows exactly what she wants. Somehow, Petra finds herself a little more enamored by Jesse each day.

"Absolutely," she says.

———

The café is quieter than Petra expects. Not empty, just quiet. The outdoor seating area sits beneath a handful of trees just beginning to show hints of autumn, their leaves occasionally stirring whenever a breeze rolls through. The afternoon sun hangs low enough to be pleasant instead of oppressive, casting everything in a warm golden light.

People pass by every few minutes. Students, couples, someone on their e-bike or scooter. The world continues as normal, but Petra, meanwhile, is having a difficult time behaving normally at all. She sits across from Jesse at a small metal table, trying very hard not to smile every time she looks up. It's not going especially well.

The waiter returns with their drinks. Both ordered vanilla lattes. "Thank you," Jesse says as the waiter sets the cups down.

"Of course. If you two need anything else, please feel free to come find me inside.” The waiter says courteously before disappearing through the cafe’s doors. 

Once he's gone, Jesse wraps both hands around her cup and smiles. "I still can't believe you let me talk you into getting that." She gestures towards Petra’s cup with a jerk of her head.

Petra glances down at her latte. "I can’t either.”

“Hey,” Jesse reassures, “it still has coffee in it."

"Barely."

"It literally does," Jesse laughs. “Just take a sip. You’ll live.”

With one last glare at the unfamiliar drink in front of her, Petra relents, sighs in defeat, and takes a sip.

Unfortunately, it's actually pretty good. She's not giving Jesse the satisfaction of knowing that, though. Jesse seems content to assume victory anyway.

After taking a few sips of her own latte, Jesse eventually asks, "So."

Petra knows that tone. "So?"

"Think you're ready to balance classes and actual work now that the semester's finally starting?"

Petra exhales quietly. The question earns a genuine moment of thought. She watches a couple walk past on the sidewalk before finally shrugging. "I don't know, honestly."

Jesse nods, waiting.

"But I also know I'd be pissed at myself if I didn't try."

"Good answer,” Jesse compliments, making a face that reads as “that’s fair.”

Petra snorts at that. "Kinda basic, but thanks."

"Sure,” Jesse lifts her cup. "But it can still be true."

Petra considers that. "Yeah, I guess." A brief silence settles between them after that, one like the many they’ve shared within the week they’ve known each other. It isn’t awkward. Just thoughtful.

Petra traces her thumb along the side of her cup, discovering that she actually has more to say. "I mean..." She pauses thoughtfully. "Like I've said, the goal is to have my own shop eventually. And having a degree would definitely help, so…” Petra shrugs, “I don't think I've got much of a choice."

"Hm. Well,” Jesse leans back slightly. "I'd argue that you do have a choice."

Petra raises an eyebrow.

"But," Jesse continues, "I also agree that a degree would look really good on you. Plus," she adds with an encouraging smile, "you'll learn something useful here, no doubt."

"Yeah,” Petra smiles into her drink. "That's what I'm hoping for." The redhead takes another sip and lets the sweetness of the beverage settle on her tongue. It’s unfamiliar, but pleasant. She could get used to having this particular drink, in moderation, she thinks.

Petra is so lost in thought over the damn latte that she nearly misses Jesse addressing her.

"Hey, Petra?"

"Hm?" Petra looks up from her position staring intently at her coffee. She can see it in Jesse’s eyes that she wants to laugh, but she doesn’t. I probably look ridiculous. Sit up, Petra! 

"Was I too...forward last night?"

In the middle of straightening herself up, Petra freezes. The question throws her off completely.

Jesse lowers her cup, having taken a nice big gulp from it after asking that question. "Like, did things go too fast?" She tries to clarify, clearly anxious about what Petra’s response will be.

Despite the weight of the question, Petra's answer comes easier than even she expects. "Not at all, Jesse."

Jesse's shoulders visibly relax almost instantly, and Petra smiles, feeling the need to keep going. "Honestly, I needed to be snapped out of-" She trails off briefly, searching for the words. "Whatever I was doing." A quiet laugh escapes her. Jesse laughs too.

"I definitely-" Heat immediately begins climbing into Petra’s face as she thinks about what she’s about to say. She looks away, then back. "I mean, I really wanted to kiss you, if I'm being honest."

Jesse immediately laughs a second time. Not mocking, but relieved. Almost sheepish, too. She tucks a strand of hair behind her ear before taking another sip of coffee. "That's a  relief."

Petra's smile grows. "Yeah?"

"Yeah." Jesse sets her cup down. "Because I really wanted to kiss you too." She pauses, then adds: "If you couldn't tell."

Petra laughs at that, and Jesse joins her. And for that moment, neither can stop smiling. The joy of finally being with the person you have feelings for, of enjoying spending time with them, it's unmatched. Petra barely manages to stop herself. When the two do eventually settle, though, Petra finds herself staring down into her coffee. Thinking. And thinking. And thinking.

The question has been sitting in the back of her mind since yesterday. Since before then. The flirting, the almost-kiss, the actual kiss and then…this. Part of her worries that asking it might ruin something. Another part knows she'll keep wondering if she doesn't.

Eventually, she gathers her courage. "Okay. Now's my turn to ask you something,” Petra declares, clearing her throat.

Jesse raises an eyebrow while lifting her cup. "Okay,” she takes a sip. "Shoot."

Petra swallows. Then asks, point blank: "What are we?"

The words leave her mouth before she can second-guess them. Immediately, Jesse pauses, and Petra's stomach drops. Not enough to make her feel any kind of dread per se, but just enough for anxiety to begin creeping in around the edges.

Jesse slowly lowers her cup onto the table. Her gaze never leaves Petra's face, and suddenly Petra becomes intensely aware of everything. Her heartbeat. Her hands. The warmth in her cheeks. She doesn't think Jesse is about to reject her. Not really. Nothing about the last twenty-four hours suggests that.

But still. This matters.

Eventually, Jesse murmurs, "Well..." A small smile touches her lips. "I think that depends."

Petra waits. Jesse tilts her head slightly. "What do you want us to be?"

Petra immediately huffs a laugh. "Oh, come on." She gestures helplessly with both hands. "What are my options?"

Jesse laughs, and the tension breaks instantly, much to Petra’s relief. "Okay, okay." Jesse shifts in her seat, straightening up slightly, getting comfortable and making Petra pay attention. Which admittedly, wasn’t difficult to do when it came to Jesse. "I'll tell you what I want."

Petra's heart skips. Jesse smiles. It’s nothing smug, or coy, or teasing. Just soft.

"I want to kiss you again, for one."

Both of them instantly laugh. Not loud ones, but gentle, sheepish ones. Petra covers part of her face with embarrassment. Jesse keeps going. "But I also want to go on dates with you. Romantic or not."

Petra's smile slowly softens then, watching Jesse go on. "I want to hold your hand walking to class." Jesse pauses. "Or walking anywhere. I want to hold you like I hugged you earlier." Her voice grows quieter. "Over and over."

Already, Petra can practically hear her own heartbeat. Seemingly thinking of more to say, Jesse glances down briefly, then back up. "I was actually thinking earlier about how I wanted to put a heart next to your name in my contacts."

That one hits harder than Petra expects. Jesse smiles nervously, seeming to sense her reaction. Then, she finally says it. "I want to be your girlfriend, Petra." Her voice is noticeably softer now. Definitely shy. The smile remains, small and hopeful. "I really, really like you."

Petra stares at her. For a moment, words fail entirely. Then she smiles all over again. The bashful, helpless kind she can never seem to control around Jesse. Her hand finds the back of her neck automatically. The same-old nervous tell that Jesse probably knows by now.

"I really like you too, Jesse." Her grin grows. "And, yeah..." The warmth in her chest feels almost unbearable. "I'd like that too."

Jesse’s smile visibly brightens, and the words simply hang between them for a while. Petra doesn’t mind it at all. It’s quiet, but every unspoken word says a million things. Petra thinks about everything Jesse had said and loves that she agrees, that she also wants those things.

After a while, Jesse’s shoulders slump forward as a sharp exhale falls past her lips. “Ah, thank god.”

Petra makes a curious face, then barks a laugh upon realizing. “You thought I was going to reject you after all of that?”

“Petra, I just confessed, like, twenty things to you,” Jesse insists, waving a hand dismissively. “I was nervous! Cut me some slack…”

Petra knows she isn’t one to talk when it comes to being nervous, but she also loves teasing Jesse. Regardless, she doesn’t give Jesse too much of a hard time this time. She merely takes a long swig of her coffee. “Well, for what it’s worth?” She waits for Jesse to make eye contact with her before finishing. “In no universe would I have ever rejected you. Especially after that."

Jesse’s blush deepens, and she lets her smile soften as she gazes at Petra affectionately. At first, Petra thinks she might say something back, but instead, she slowly reaches across the table and turns her hand over. Petra looks at her open palm blankly for a moment before realizing.

An invitation.

Petra doesn't hesitate. She slides her hand into Jesse's with ease, finding the resulting warmth soothing. Jesse's fingers immediately lace through hers, and they both rest their hands on the table. Petra looks down at their joined hands and feels another helpless smile pulling at her mouth. Across from her, Jesse looks exactly the same.

It’s at this moment that, for the first time all day, Petra stops worrying about what comes next. For now, this is enough.

———

By the time they leave the café, evening has settled comfortably over campus. The sky is painted in deep shades of blue and gold, the last remnants of sunset lingering. Streetlights have begun flickering to life one by one, casting warm pools of amber across sidewalks and brick pathways. The air has cooled considerably since earlier, carrying the crisp promise of autumn that always arrives after sundown.

Students still wander across campus, though the crowds have thinned. Some head towards dorms and others toward late classes. A few sit scattered across patches of grass, laughing beneath the glow of nearby lights around their open laptops and scattered notebooks. It’s the kind of evening that makes Jesse want to slow down and take her time. Thankfully, Petra seems to have the same idea. Their hands remain linked as they walk at a relatively slow pace. It’s a noticeably slow pace, and they’ve also never held hands like this before, but neither of them has acknowledged either since leaving the café and Jesse doesn’t want to be the first.

Neither of them has let go, either. Jesse isn't complaining.

They make their way through campus quietly, the silence only interrupted occasionally by snippets of conversation or the distant hum of traffic beyond university grounds. Jesse finds herself smiling for no reason. Or rather, for too many reasons to count.

A week. That's all it's been. Just over seven days ago she'd been hauling boxes into a dorm room she'd never seen before, wondering whether she'd made the right decision coming here. Seven days ago she'd barely known anyone other than Liv. Then she met Lukas. Then Lukas had introduced her to Petra. And now she was walking across campus holding Petra's hand. Her girlfriend's hand.

Jesse squeezes Petra's hand slightly. The redhead glances over, and Jesse just smiles. Petra smiles back, but neither says anything. They round another corner and Jesse's building eventually comes into view. A few windows glow warmly against the darkening sky, and students are moving in and out through the front entrance.

A strange sense of relief settles over Jesse. Not because they're here, but because they're here. All of the questioning and uncertainty is gone. No more of circling around feelings they both already knew existed. No more guessing. Just them.

Jesse's stomach flutters at the thought. She's excited to see where this goes. To see what dating Petra is actually like. To learn more about her, make more memories with her, to see how far this takes them, to—

"Jesse?"

Jesse blinks herself back to reality. "Yeah?"

"We're here."

"...Oh." Jesse glances at her surroundings, muttering, “Right.”

Clearly, she'd gotten a little lost in her own thoughts. Petra's amused smile tells her she wasn’t particularly subtle about it. Jesse laughs softly. "Sorry."

"You seemed preoccupied."

"I was."

Petra’s expression softens to that of concern. "Thinking too much?"

Jesse smiles at her reassuringly. “You could say that,” she pauses. “But not for the wrong reasons.”

Petra probably doesn’t know what that means, but she chuckles anyway. The sound warms Jesse immediately.

For a moment, they simply stand there beneath the glow of the entrance lights, neither quite ready to leave. Jesse considers her options for a few moments, then turns to look up at Petra. She waits for Petra to look back before lifting her arms. Petra's smile softens, and without hesitation, she steps forward.

Instantly, Jesse wraps her arms around Petra’s waist while Petra's settle around her shoulders. The two embrace for the second time, and Jesse feels an incredible comfort wash over her. The hug is warm, so incredibly warm. Jesse presses closer without thinking. Petra feels solid beneath her arms, safe and familiar. Jesse closes her eyes, just for a second. Maybe longer. The world fades into the background for a good while, though, and Jesse is perfectly content like this.

All Jesse can focus on is Petra. The steady rise and fall of her breathing, the warmth of her body. Jesse smiles into Petra’s chest; she could stay here forever.

Unfortunately, eventually, they have to pull apart. Slowly, Petra leans back. Jesse lifts her head. Their eyes meet, and Petra starts to move away. Not far, though. Just enough.

Because before she can get any farther, Jesse leans forward and kisses her.

Petra makes a small noise of surprise, and Jesse nearly laughs against her mouth. But Petra is kissing her back within the second, having merely been caught off guard.

Jesse's heart practically trips over itself. She’d almost forgotten Petra was such a good kisser. She reaches up, fingers brushing lightly against Petra's jaw. The kiss lingers, unhurried and gentle. It’s everything Jesse had been imagining all afternoon and somehow even better all at once.

Eventually, they separate, neither very enthusiastically. Jesse takes a small step backward, already smiling. "So..."

Petra laughs quietly, simply waiting to see what else Jesse has to say.

"I’ll…see you tomorrow?"

Petra's smile widens. “Yeah,” she affirms. "As always, Jesse."

The butterflies in Jesse's stomach return with full force. She really likes when Petra says her name.

"Okay, then." She starts backing toward the entrance. "Night!" She waves.

Petra lifts a hand. "Night!"

Jesse then turns and heads inside. She makes it all the way through the front doors, all the way across the lobby, and all the way to the elevator, before finally giving up and smiling to herself like an idiot.

That kiss replays in her head immediately. Then the café. Then holding hands with her. Then everything else.

Jesse ducks her head, unable to stop smiling. This entire night had been just as good as the last.

She could definitely get used to this.