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The heat from the cup of coffee she was holding works wonders in replacing the warmth of the sun, just as it sinks under the horizon. Orange and yellow hues dance around the skies painting a reflection of true peace and tranquillity, capturing Jean’s undivided attention. The quiet rustling of the wind is soon accompanied by light, skipping steps, however, growing louder and louder as they inch closer.
“Grandmaster Jean!” A giggle, so full of the innocence of a particular child that Jean’s lips tug into a smile at the mere thought of her. Looking down to the side, she sees small hands clumsily adjust the red hat on her head before she beams up at her.
“Hello, Klee,” Jean smiles, reaching down with one hand to brush a stray strand of hair off of the young girl’s face. “How can I help you?”
“Me- me,” so short of breath from what Jean assumes was running around everywhere, Klee puffs her chest up and drags in a long, fresh breath of air, “Me and Mr Kaeya have gone around and asked the knights questions!” she proclaims. Klee looks down at her hands, putting down a finger for each name she lists off, “We’ve asked Amber and- and Huffman and Timaeus too! Oh, and we’ve also asked Miss Eula!” Klee giggles and looks up at Jean, eyes squinting with the width of her smile, “We even went down to the tavern and asked Master Diluc!”
Jean’s lips curve into a smile that mimics the intention of Klee’s and nods her head slightly, “Have you now? What have you been asking them?”
Klee seems to take a second to remind herself of it before jumping up on the spot, “Who their first love was!” She clasps her hands together by her chest and swings her weight from one foot to another.
Jean chuckles, putting down her cup on the railing, “Oh, wow. What have they said?”
The girl twiddles her thumbs and looks off to the side in thought before smiling again as her memory seems to catch up with her. “Well, Amber and Eula said each other and that was really cute — I actually saw them kiss! Amber had to stand up on her toes because Eula is so tall. Oh, oh, and Timeaus said he met this really nice lady the other day when he went to Liyue with the traveller! Huffman said he hasn’t fallen in love yet, which I think is kinda sad because he’s like a grown-up and he should have someone to love but he doesn’t so that’s like not good for him.”
Jean chuckles and shakes her head, “Huffman can love whoever he wants whenever he wants Klee, let’s not rush people.”
Klee huffs and pouts but her mood isn’t drenched for long as she springs back into a grin, “Diluc said that the first thing he loved was his pet turtle and that’s weird,” Klee pauses for a moment and shrugs, “But he’s weird so I don’t know what I expected.” The girl lets out a giggle before cocking her head to the side, “Kaeya said he loves me, which I think is the only right answer.”
“Well,” Jean laughs along with her, “I think a lot of people in Mondstadt love you, Klee.”
“They better do!” Klee claps her hands together and jumps up, adjusting the bag on her back before her eyes widen, “Oh yeah! I’m here to ask you a question as well!”
Jean nods, “Go ahead.”
“Who was your first love?”
Her smile falters for just a second before she shakes it off, “Do you want to know what I think?”
Klee nods enthusiastically and she seems almost entranced as she watches Jean speak.
“I think she was really pretty — the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen, actually.”
Klee gasps, putting her hands on either side of her face, “Was she? Tell me about her!”
Jean nods, “I believe she was. She almost always smelled like lavender, and she radiated as much warmth as the sun does. She was like my anchor; she was a place I could call home and someone I trusted my entire life with.” Jean smiles fondly. “I was happy with her – I was content with shouldering all the stress in the world if it meant I could come back home to her embrace every day.” A sigh. “She made the best tea in the world — she always used to have such fancy flavours on her from every corner of Teyvat, and she used to brew them with such delicacy I could taste the love as I drank it.”
Jean eyes the cup of coffee that’s dropped in temperature by that point and gives a short laugh, “I don’t think I could ever measure up to what she could do.”
Mouth agape, Klee watches as Jean looks out to the sky, elbows resting on the railing, “What was your favourite part of her?”
Jean gives a hum of thought before looking down to the metal band around her ring finger, “I think it was her smile — she had the kindest smile, most gentle face in the history of all the seven nations. Everyone loved her; she provided care and knowledge to everyone in Mondstadt and to you too, Klee.” Jean looks down and she watches as the girl’s face drops at the realisation.
A quiet, hurt whisper, “You’re talking about Miss Lisa, aren’t you?”
A hand comes down to pet the girl’s blonde hair, “You’re such a smart girl, Klee. You’d make your mother proud.”
“I’m only smart because Miss Lisa always taught me to be,” Klee pouts, “I miss Miss Lisa too, Grandmaster Jean.” There’s a moment of silence and with the nature of a child, Klee asks, “What did you two do? Did you get married?”
Jean smiles and nods, “We did get married — it was the wedding of her dreams. At least, I hope it was. She deserved it, deserved all I had to give her and more.” Jean’s face drops and she can’t muster up the courage to look Klee in the eyes as she utters the next few words, “Unfortunately, she passed away a few months after the wedding but- but,” tears form in the corner of her eyes and so many repressed and locked up feelings swell up in her throat, “But my time with her will always be the happiest I will ever have.”
“Well,” Klee gently takes Jean’s hand in hers and tugs on it reassuringly, “I’ll help you find someone else you can love.”
Jean chuckles and uses her free hand to wipe away the sorrow dripping down her face, “It’s okay, Klee. I don’t think I want to love someone else for a while.”