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It had been a long day and an even longer evening—which was saying something for the Darknight Hero himself. Yet today and for the people here, he was, of course, Diluc Ragnvindr, Master of the Dawn Winery.
He rolled his head to the side a few times to loosen his stiff neck and went to meet Elzer and Adelinde, who were convening in front of the main entrance.
"Master Diluc!"
They both perked up, looking tired but content.
"So, everything went well? Have all the guests left?" Diluc asked them with a polite nod.
Adelinde curtsied, a habit she would probably never give up, no matter how many times he asked her to.
"Yes, Master Diluc. I just checked all the rooms inside, while Ernest made his rounds over the grounds. Everybody has left, and the main rooms have been cleaned up," the head maid reported.
"Great job. Make sure everyone gets a bonus tomorrow for their hard work, Elzer," he instructed the man, while nodding in acknowledgement to Adelinde.
"Yes Sir, consider it done," Elzer replied with a slight bow. "The celebration of this year's vintage was a great success. The guests praised its original flavor profile and unparalleled richness over and over again. Word will spread, and sales will flourish."
"Splendid. We'll go over everything on the morrow. Get some rest. Both of you. I'll do another sweep of the perimeter and close up."
For a moment, they seemed insistent on helping him, but his expression must have shown either his determination or his exhaustion. Maybe both. In any case, they conceded without protest, said their goodbyes, and left.
Finally, alone.
Diluc took a deep breath, letting the warm air of the summer night flow into his lungs. Slowly, he rounded the house once more to make sure that truly all the guests had left. It wouldn't be the first time people were left behind in their drunken state or tried to stay on purpose to catch the Dawn Winery's master for a private word, much to his dismay.
Tonight though, to his great relief, he didn't encounter anyone. He stopped at the top of the terrace's stairs overlooking the vineyards. The moon was bathing the landscape in its bright silver light.
Maybe he should stay on alert, lest someone might use this event as a distraction to cause havoc in Mondstadt. Yet, he found himself uncommonly tired. Could he let that be someone else's problem just for tonight?
Just as he thought about the possibility of someone using the situation to their advantage, he saw movement in the shadows on the balcony above him. Immediately, he was on high alert, squinting upwards, and ready to leap into action.
Yet, what he heard was a soft, familiar laugh.
"Relax, it's just me."
Jean's warm voice traveled on the wind towards him like it always did.
He looked up at the first story as she stepped into the moonlight, her bright hair reflecting the silver glow. After a calculating look, a small grin snuck across his face as he took a short run-up to scale the wooden column up the balcony. He jumped over the handrails and stepped closer to Jean, trying his best to stare her down.
"How did you get up here?" he asked her with a stern face and arms crossed in mock outrage.
"Well, you know there is a door right behind us," she retorted without batting an eye, swirling her wine glass leisurely between her fingers.
"But that is just so much less fun, isn't it?" he asked her, a smile tucking at the corner of his mouth.
"I can't argue with that," she said, her face lighting up as well.
"Though I, on the other hand, have to argue with your statement," Diluc countered.
Jean's brow wrinkled, yet before she could inquire about the meaning of his words, he had already continued.
"'It's just me' doesn't feel sufficient if the Acting Grand Master herself is gracing me with her presence."
Jean looked at him in surprise before she turned to the side.
"I hope it's okay I lingered," she murmured.
"Of course. You're always welcome here," he found himself replying immediately, and after a moment, he realized how deeply he meant it. As much as he had been looking forward to being alone, this felt nice. It had been a while.
"Thank you," she said, her posture relaxing visibly.
"How was the event?" she inquired, after a short pause.
"Apparently, it went splendidly." He shrugged.
"Hm, I wouldn't have expected anything else." She smiled, taking another sip. "It's a very delicious vintage, I have to admit."
"I'll take your word for it." Diluc returned the smile and leaned his elbows on the railing.
"You look tired, though," she added.
"Charming, Master Jean." He cocked an eyebrow at her.
Even though there was no bite in his voice, she scratched her nose in embarrassment, a gesture she had apparently not lost since their childhood. A warm feeling sparked in his chest at the familiar yet almost forgotten sight.
"It's all good, Jean. I'm just teasing. You're right. It was exhausting."
"I can imagine. How many future Miss Ragnvindr did you meet today?"
A short laugh escaped his lips at the unexpected remark. "More than I'd like. I think I lost count."
He buried his face in his hands with a loud sigh.
Suddenly, he felt a hand patting his shoulder.
"Poor Luluc. It must be tough to be so rich and good-looking. Such a burden."
He snorted against his will and cocked his head towards her.
"You think I'm good-looking?"
Even in the moonlight, he could see the blush spreading over her face while she took another big sip in a valiant but futile effort to cover it up.
"Hm, did you say something?" she answered, still not looking at him.
Oh, how she must be beating herself up right now for not having come up with a better retort on the fly.
Yet he wasn't sure he still knew her well enough to keep this on the fun side, so he decided to stop his teasing.
And yet, Archons be damned, he had forgotten how easy it was to fall back into their old rhythm.
"It's been a while…" he said, without being able to specify, but Jean seemed to catch his meaning right away.
"Yeah, you're right," she answered with a wistful sigh.
After a moment, she smiled at him and raised the glass in a toast, "To the new vintage, Master Diluc. It's truly extraordinary."
She took another long sip, the glass now almost empty.
"That was genuine, just to be sure…" she added with another bright smile, the moonlight barely enough to show her little dimples.
Diluc swallowed.
"Thank you, Jean. I didn't spot you in the crowd before, but I'm glad you came."
She blinked at him, her eyes widening slightly before she turned to look out over the vineyard.
"Of course. I wouldn't miss it, even if I wasn't expected to attend. I promise."
"Thank you," he said, as he followed her gaze to the landscape stretching below them.
Golden fireflies danced through the rows of grapevine in an almost magical display. A few huge crystalflies were scattering their silver shimmer over the scenery, mirroring the stars above them. A gentle breeze was blowing through their hair, providing a welcome refreshment after the hot summer day.
"How drunk are you, by the way, if the wine is so tasty?" he asked.
"Ha ha, don't worry, I'm just a little tipsy," she grinned.
"Is that so?" He raised his eyebrows at her.
"Oh, do you want me to prove it to you?"
Before he could answer, she had already put her glass down, climbed on the small wooden balustrade of the balcony, and taken a few well-balanced steps. In her heels!
"Okay, okay, I believe you, get down!" he called out.
She jumped back down with effortless elegance and leaned her elbows on the handrail next to him, her arm brushing slightly against his. When he turned his head, he saw that she was looking at him with a gaze so intense that it almost made him shiver.
"What's the matter?" He turned away to face the view in front of them once more, feeling like those big eyes could pierce right through his carefully built facade and strip him down to the core.
Strange how someone whom he had not spent time with properly for years could still make him feel like this.
"Nothing…" she murmured.
He looked at her out of the corner of his eyes and, to his surprise, saw her fidgeting with her sleeves. Interesting.
He turned back towards her.
"That doesn't seem like nothing, Jean. Tell me."
She looked up at him, her movement bringing their faces close together, but she did not seem to mind. On the contrary, her eyes flickered over his face as if she were trying to decipher a complicated report regarding the safety of her city.
He noticed his cheeks heating and cleared his throat. Jean startled backward but immediately regained her composure.
"I didn't stay as Acting Grand Master. I stayed as Jean."
He waited patiently for her to continue as she seemed to struggle to find the right words.
"I have a… request. As your friend. But if I tell you, you have to promise me to take it seriously," she continued.
This was getting more interesting by the second.
"Of course."
"I mean it. No matter if you agree to it or not, you're not allowed to laugh or make fun of me, or I'll tell everyone in the city how you lost a bet at the tender age of fourteen which resulted in you running around through the snow-covered streets of Mondstadt with no clothing other than a big wool cap to hide your red hair and identity."
He cringed at the memory and looked at her with a painful smile.
"Did you have to go that far?" He sighed.
"It has been a while since I had the opportunity to bring that up." Jean grinned and shrugged.
He smiled despite himself and held out his pinky.
"I promise, I won't laugh or make fun of you," he said solemnly.
Jean looked at him, surprised, before she chuckled and hooked her own pinky into his to shake his hand.
"Well then… Guess I have to tell you now." She averted her gaze once more and started to wring her hands again. "Maybe request isn't the right word. It's more of a favor I want to ask. Or maybe more of a… well, doesn't matter, right?"
She paused, took a deep breath, and grabbed the handrail tightly, probably to stop the nervous fidgeting. He had seen her do that before, many years ago, when she had started taking on more and more of her duties.
"Here goes nothing."
He waited for her to continue, knowing it was no use to ask anything more or rush her; on the contrary.
"No strings attached, no feelings involved, and just once for the experience, Diluc—" She turned towards him, her spine straight, her eyes locking onto his, "Will you give me a kiss?"
Diluc froze. For a moment, he was sure his ears had deceived him, yet her words were still ringing in his head, crystal clear.
He looked at her, searching for a hint as to what had caused this question, yet her face was unreadable to him. So he asked.
"Why?"
She cocked her head and smiled, as if she had expected the question. Which she probably had.
"I'd rather not say beforehand. But I promise it has nothing to do with you in that sense. Let's just say… I want to be kissed. And you're the only person I feel safe enough to ask."
Diluc swallowed, entirely at a loss for words.
"You can think about it, of course. I don't want to pressure you. Maybe… I might lose my courage in the meantime, though…" Her voice trailed off to a whisper.
He felt his heart beating faster. Kissing Jean? Shouldn't that feel weird? Yet when he looked down at her, his gaze lingering on her familiar features and her slightly parted lips, the only thing he found was a sense of anticipation blooming in his chest.
"So, just to make sure: no strings attached. No further expectations. No feelings involved," he stated.
"Yes, exactly."
She nodded, a glimmer of hope darting over her face before she managed to school her expression.
"Okay," he nodded once.
"Okay?" she asked, her voice betraying her surprise.
His lips twitched as he crossed his arms.
"I find your terms acceptable. It's a peaceful, warm summer night, the most important event of my business this year went exceedingly well, and I'm here with an old and dear friend, whom I haven't spoken to in quite a while. Why not? If you thought I'm not amenable, why ask?"
Jean scrunched her face and scratched her nose.
"You're right. So we're in agreement?"
"We are." Diluc nodded. "You don't want me to promise I won't tell anyone?"
She smirked. "Who would believe you?"
He laughed out loud, shaking his head.
"Again, you prove that you're the clever one of us."
Jean chimed in with his laugh. It seemed to relax her a bit. Good.
"So, like right now?" he asked, surprising himself by the softness in his voice.
She seemed to hesitate for a split second, but then nodded resolutely, and turned towards him. Yet she was looking anywhere but him and wringing her hands in front of her.
He stepped a bit closer and clasped her hands between his.
"Please tell me with your words, Jean."
At that, she looked up and met his gaze. Her back straightened as she held onto his hands. He saw the calm determination wash over her, as he had observed countless times before, yet never from such closeness. He wished for more light, to be able to see the ocean-blue of her eyes, yet he dared not break the strange magic of the moment.
"I'm ready. Please kiss me, Diluc."
He inhaled sharply, trying to deal with the unexpected rush of excitement her words had caused.
He stepped closer until their bodies were almost touching. Slowly, he guided her hands to rest on his hips, all the while his gaze remained fixed on her face to watch out for even the slightest hint of hesitation. Yet, none came. Jean bit her lower lip, and her breathing seemed a bit irregular, but the look of determination in her eyes continued to shine brightly. She followed his lead dutifully, her fingers clutching onto his coat with a firm grip, her body swaying closer.
He swallowed again, moved by the trust and vulnerability his old friend showed him in this unexpected situation.
Carefully, he placed one hand on her upper arm while he lifted his other hand to gently cup her face. His thumb trailed across her cheekbone. A slight shiver ran through her body, but she did not flinch and continued to look up at him.
For a moment, all he could do was stare at her slightly parted lips before he pulled himself together.
He leaned in, stopping right before their lips would touch, to allow Jean a last chance to change her mind.
She smiled softly, wordlessly acknowledging his intention, before she closed her eyes and bridged the final gap.
Her lips were just as warm and soft as he had imagined.
When had he imagined this? he thought, confused. Yet it slipped his mind immediately as he focused all his attention on Jean's reaction, ready to abort at any moment, as he started to kiss her in earnest. He began to move his lips slowly but deliberately, his mouth slightly parted.
For a moment, Jean was completely still before she started to mirror his movements.
As he pulled her a little closer, he suddenly realized that they had failed to clarify how long or intense this kiss was supposed to be. Despite this, he could not bring himself to pull back just yet, and to his relief, Jean made no sign of moving away either.
She tasted so sweet, the Dandelion Wine still lingering on her breath. A strand of her silky hair was tickling the crook of his neck while he breathed in the intoxicating smell of a fresh spring breeze over a flower meadow—Jean's smell. It instantly made him feel like a teenager all over again. How could he have forgotten this?
Before he had consciously processed what he was doing, he had already lifted his other hand to cup her face as well, gently tilting her head to deepen the angle.
Not only did she follow his lead, but immediately raised her arms and hugged him around the neck, pulling him even closer.
He hurried to oblige her silent plea, his lips pressing down more heavily now, moving in a slow but steady dance—as if they had never done anything else.
Diluc's heart was pounding, a rush of excitement coursing through him, only comparable to the thrill of getting a jump on his enemies in the dark alleys of Mondstadt.
It took all his willpower to hold on to a sliver of restraint, while his whole body seemed to scream at him to let go and get lost in this kiss. He picked up the pace.
It was intoxicating.
He wanted to drown in it.
He—
Jean gasped to catch her breath.
Diluc immediately pulled back. He instantly regretted it as Jean dropped her hands and straightened up. Her lips were glinting from the moisture his kisses had left, her face was flushed, and she stared at him with big eyes, blinking rapidly.
She raised a hand to her lips, a soft smile spreading over her face, her eyes still wide.
"Sorry, I forgot to ask how…" Diluc shifted uneasily, scratching the back of his neck. "I hope that wasn't too much," he vaguely finished the thought.
"Oh no, not at all… Sorry, I—I also didn't think about…"
He was entirely certain now that Jean was blushing hard. Yet she held his gaze and continued, "It was perfect, don't worry, Luluc."
His heart clenched as he heard the old nickname the second time tonight, after such a long time and after a kiss, nonetheless.
A KISS?!
Had he really just kissed one of his oldest friends and the Acting Grand Master of Mondstadt?
As Jean's smile dimmed, Diluc realized he had simply stared at her without a reply.
"Oh, great, I'm glad to hear that. I think so too, I…" he trailed off, at a loss for words.
What did one say in a situation like this?
He leaned back on the railing and looked out into the night sky.
"So, will you tell me why now?" he asked, to fill the silence.
"Oh, right…" Jean murmured.
She settled in next to him once more, albeit with more distance between their bodies.
"Do you really want to know?" she asked.
"Only if you want to share," he answered, trying hard to remain calm and not to show his immense curiosity.
"I do, you deserve to know. It just might be a bit… silly. I haven't said it out loud before."
"I won't judge. I promise," he tried to reassure her. "But you really don't owe me an explanation at all."
"Thank you," she shot him a soft smile that made something inside him flutter unexpectedly.
"So, you know I'm still reading these romance books. A lot." She paused, averting her gaze once more. "And somehow, a few weeks ago, I realized I turned 25 this year, and I don't even…"
She failed to finish the sentence until she buried her face in her hands and mumbled, "I don't even know what it feels like."
He waited, but as she remained silent, he tried to clarify, "Don't know what what feels like? To be in love?"
She scoffed, still hiding her face.
"Ha, I wish. Yeah, that too. But I meant what it feels like to be kissed."
His eyes went wide as her words sank in.
"You haven't—This—What—This was your first kiss?! Why didn't you tell me?" he spluttered.
Her head jerked up.
"What would that have changed?"
"I don't know! But… I—I would have—" He ruffled his hair, struggling to make sense of the thoughts and emotions rushing through him.
She stared at him, her brow furrowing before she took a step to the side.
"Shit, I—I messed up, didn't I," she stammered.
"Jean—"
"No, you're right. This was a bad idea, I didn't think at all about how this would make you feel to find out, I know that you always want to do your best—"
He stepped forward and hugged her close.
"Jean, please. Breathe."
He felt her stiffen, but before he could react and let go, she melted into his embrace. He dimly noticed the strange fluttering feeling was back as well, but for now, he had to focus on Jean.
"It's okay. I get it," he whispered into her hair. "You did nothing wrong. On the contrary, I feel very honored that you trust me—not only with your secrets but also with your first kiss."
"Really?" she murmured, her face still pressed tightly to his chest.
"Yes, I swear. I wouldn't change this for the world."
As he said the words, it hit him how true they were. The thought of Jean asking someone else the same favor made his skin crawl. He hugged her tighter.
"I'm sorry I reacted so badly. That's entirely on me, Jean. You did everything right."
He rubbed a few soothing circles onto her back.
"No, it's okay, I get it…" Jean answered immediately.
"But I don't want this to be how you remember your first kiss, my little dandelion squire," he added.
He heard her chuckle at the old nickname that he had used to tease her with so many times, so many years ago.
He loosened one of his arms to gently lift her chin.
"How are you feeling?" he asked, trying his best to look at her with all the comfort he wanted to offer her.
She took a deep breath, like it was the first one in a while, before she answered.
"It's okay. I think I was probably a little overwhelmed by all of this, but… Thank you for your words. That helped. As long as you don't regret it…"
"Far from it, Jean."
A tentative smile formed on her face, not enough to show her dimples, but still beautiful, especially from such closeness.
"As you love solid proof so much, how about I show you?" He let his gaze linger on her lips to make sure she caught his meaning. "I really want you to have a positive memory of this moment."
"I do, I promise, but…" she trailed off, staring at his mouth.
He cocked his head, and a small grin took over his face.
"But?"
"I wouldn't mind the proof," she smiled her tiny smile, the one that made her eyes sparkle.
He leaned down, carefully cupping her face between his hands once more.
This kiss was different; he didn't get lost in it. On the contrary, he tried his hardest not to, instead committing every little detail to memory.
Her warm breath grazing his skin, the softness of her lips, the way her body leaned into his, slotting into his form perfectly, like a lost puzzle piece. It was an unhurried kiss, slower and softer than the last one.
Diluc didn't know how much time had passed when they both finally pulled back.
Out of impulse, he pressed a soft kiss onto her brow before he dropped his hands.
He was relieved to see that Jean seemed relaxed and was smiling.
"Solid proof," she said, winking at him.
He grinned, dimly wondering when he had last smiled so much as this evening. He couldn't even say.
"I'm glad," he answered with a slight bow, teasing yet still earnest.
Silence settled over them. Peaceful at first, but with each passing moment, they were inevitably bound to reach the realm of awkwardness.
They looked at each other, both at a loss for words, until the call of an owl made them flinch.
"Right, I should get going, it's really late, and you must be exhausted," Jean said, straightening her blouse.
Diluc nodded in reflex, yet the thought of seeing Jean leave made his heart sink a little. After all, this was a moment that would never come to pass again.
"Thank you, Diluc," she smiled and stepped forward to hug him quickly. He wrapped his arms around her, yet before he could pull her close, she had already moved away.
She stepped through the door into the dark house.
He hurried to follow her and light some candles, yet the moonlight streaming through the windows seemed to be enough for her to hurry downstairs. When they reached the front door, she stopped him.
"It's okay, I'll get home safely. Don't worry, Luluc. Rest."
Before he could protest, she had left the winery.
Diluc stood in the empty foyer, trying to wrap his head around everything that had transpired.
Would he ever be able to?
What a strange, strange night.