Work Text:
Jean stepped into her office with an exaggerated sigh, shutting the door behind her and walking over to her desk.
She had just returned from the library, where she had been listening to two women talk for quite some time...Well, talking wasn't the best way to put it. It was more of the librarian consistently teasing a certain woman instead of doing her job.
She couldn't possibly get any work done amongst the chatter— and here she thought the library was supposed to be one of the quietest places in town.
Jean knew Lisa well, and she knew that the woman didn't typically go out of her way to pester anyone as she had just been doing, despite her flirtatious personality; which made it obvious to her as to what was going on here. She just couldn't believe Eula was too dense to realize it. But then again, she wasn't sure if the knight has had much relationship experience... if any at all.
In the past, the two women didn't talk much at all besides for the occasional run in, followed by some expected teasing from Lisa and a scoff from the other. Yet recently, seeing them together became a more common sight, much to Eula's dismay. Lisa seemed to follow her around anytime she got the chance, as though she just couldn't get enough of messing with the poor girl.
Well, Jean had decided she'd had enough. It's hard to get anything done when your closest colleague won't keep her trap shut.
At first, she wasn't sure how on earth she would go about solving this romantic disaster, but upon sitting down at her desk— letting her eyes wander to a few hollow envelopes scattered about— an idea suddenly struck her. Laughing quietly to herself, the blonde took an empty sheet of paper and folded it neatly into one of the envelopes. Afterwards, she took out a calligraphy pen, and after thinking for a moment, addressed the letter to The Jade Chamber down in Liyue. Ningguang would certainly be confused upon receiving an empty letter, but that wasn't Jean's primary concern at the moment.
Letter in hand, the blonde walked out of her office and into the morning sun. She was greeted by the smiling faces of the townspeople as she made her way down the street, she didn't stop to chat, though, for she was hurrying back to the library in hopes that the two would still be inside.
Sure enough, upon entering the otherwise empty library, she saw Eula with her head in a book, desperately trying to ignore the woman beside her who wouldn't stop chatting. Jean scanned the library for a moment, books littering the tops of shelves and scattered about on the floor.
Such clutter... She thought to herself. She couldn't say she was surprised, though. This was nothing out of the ordinary considering that the library was rarely tidy.
She began walking towards them and the sound of her clicking heels echoed throughout the old building, causing both of the women to look up from what they were doing. Jean almost laughed upon seeing Eula's red face peering at her from above the book. It certainly wasn't a likely sight to see the knight so flustered.
"Jean! Welcome back! Just couldn't stay away for long, hm?" Lisa chuckled and stood up from the table she had been sitting on.
"Actually, Lisa, I'm back because I have a job for you," Jean smiled.
The librarians face lit up with curiosity until Jean pulled out the letter and showed it to her, "I need a letter delivered to The Jade Chamber; it's extremely important," she lied, "Could you take it for me?"
Lisa's grin turned to a slight frown and she sulked, she obviously did NOT want to go out of her way to deliver this letter. The librarian had never been a fan of big adventures, long journeys or... walking anywhere that took too long according to her standards. She much preferred to read about said adventures in the comfort of her own home, or in a quiet corner of the library, curled up with a warm cup of tea.
"Well, surely you have others you could ask... I'm a busy woman, dear!"
"I'm sure..." Jean raised an eyebrow and looked around at the empty library before turning back to Lisa.
"Don't fret, I'll get someone to take over for you while you're away," She concluded, "Besides, you need to get out of this old library once in awhile, it's not good for you to be in here all the time! This is for your own good," Jean smirked and her gaze fell on Eula, who had been listening intently to their conversation, "Though of course, It's too dangerous to let you travel alone," The knight quickly looked away as though she already knew what Jean was thinking, but it was too late.
"Eula will go with you to ensure your safety."
Suddenly, Lisa seemed a little more eager to go on this journey. She giggled as she looked back at the blue haired woman, who was too busy glaring at Jean to pay any mind, "Aw, how sweet! My knight in shining armor!" She swooned, standing above Eula and wrapping her arms around her neck.
The knight tried her best to ignore the woman, along with the blush that was very obviously creeping up on her face. She stood up and closed her book, pushing it to the side.
"...Very well."
The truth was, Eula didn't actually mind accompanying the librarian at all; she would just never admit such a thing out loud. "We'll make good time if we leave now...pack what you need and I'll meet you outside of the library." Eula instructed, taking the letter from Jean's hand and looking at her with that signature 'I'll-get-you-back-for-this' look.
"Whatever you say, captain!"
A few minutes later, Lisa had returned to the library, and was surprised to find Eula already waiting for her.
"Well, you sure are quick, darling! I was certain I'd be the first one here!"
"...I'm not bringing much," Eula said firmly, turning her gaze away from the librarian. She hated how those senseless pet names got into her head.
The knight was carrying only a small bag which held a map, Jean's letter and a couple of other items. As well as her sword, of course, which was held in its scabbard behind her back.
"Lets get going while the sun is still high."
And so, the pair walked through the bustling streets, making their way to the towns gates. As always, Mondstadt was full of life. The knight got caught up watching the townspeople going about their daily lives, and didn't notice someone running by, resulting in accidentally bumping right into them.
"Sorry!— Oh, hello, you two!" They had happened to run into Amber, who adjusted her goggles before smiling at them. Eula sighed quietly at the setback.
"Where ya headed?" The energetic girl asked, peering over at Eula's bag.
"Jean is having Lisa here deliver a letter to Liyue. She had me come along to ensure her safety." Lisa waved and flashed a friendly smile at the outrider.
Amber's eyes widened ever so slightly and she smirked, giggling seemingly to herself,
"Right, just for safety..."
Eula gave her a confused glance, "Yes, what's so funny?"
"Oh, nothing!" The outrider quickly brushed it off, "Anyways, I've gotta run. Safe travels!"
And just like that, she was gone. It seemed that Jean wasn't the only one who noticed the recent tension between the two.
They kept on walking, but Eula was silent. Just what was Amber laughing about? She wondered. Why else would Jean need me to go?
"Something on your mind, dear? You're awfully quiet!" Lisa was looking at her with a grin. It seemed that she didn't think much of Amber's comment.
"..No, I'm fine."
Making it to the gates proved to be a struggle when Lisa kept on getting distracted.
"Oh, look, Diona's over at the Cat's Tail! We should go and say hello—"
"We have to get going, Minci. We'll never make it to Liyue at this rate."
Lisa giggled and ignored her words, "Lighten up a bit, sweetheart! We've got all day."
Truth be told, Eula could use a cocktail.
They made it to the gates and set off at last. At first, the journey was a breeze, despite Lisa's complaints. They had almost passed through Springvale and were making their way down past the Dawn Winery, maybe encountering a few enemies on the way— nothing they couldn't easily take care of.
It was mid afternoon by now, and they hadn't stopped much to rest. Lisa was exhausted.
"Can't we take a break, darling? My legs are killing me..!" She groaned and put her hand on Eulas shoulder, knowing the woman wouldn't be able to resist her complaints much longer, likely out of annoyance.
The knight stopped and sighed, flushing slightly at the sudden physical contact. "...I suppose. Come on, then." She led the librarian to a huge birch tree that was perched on a nearby hill and they both sat down beneath it. She wouldn't admit it, but Eula was glad to rest. The truth was, her legs were killing her. She didn't want to seem weak in front of Lisa, though, so she pushed on.
Eula watched the grass as it swayed in the breeze. Looking over at the girl beside her, Lisa's eyes were closed and her hair was blowing gently in the wind. The knight could feel her face heating up and so she looked away. How embarrassing, she thought.
Lisa laid down on the grass and yawned, "This is the perfect place for a nap, don't you think?"
Eula only rolled her eyes. "We mustn't rest too long, or else we'll end up having to walk the entire night. I don't suppose you want that, do you?" She inquired.
"..Hmph! I suppose you make a good argument, dear!"
Eula stood up and instinctively held out her hand for Lisa to grab. She cursed herself when she realized what she was doing, knowing the woman would make some sort of smirk remark on the gesture.
The librarian grinned, happily taking the knights hand and standing up alongside her.
"Why, how sweet! Thank you, darling~"
"...It's nothing. Let's get going."
The two kept walking for a considerable amount of time, and, despite Lisa's complaining, it was quite the peaceful journey. The weather had been excellent throughout the entire trip, besides the occasional windiness. They could only hope the clear skies would last throughout the duration of the journey.
Looking at her map, Eula decided the quickest way to Wuwang Hill, their next destination, would be by cutting through the small beach near the Winery, so they began making their way down.
The beach was peaceful and secluded. Listening to the waves crashing against the sand and the sounds of the seagulls who flew away upon seeing them, Eula could almost say she was having a good time.
...That was until something had gotten in their way.
Down by the edge of the beach, a large camp of Hilichurls were blocking their path. Some were holding bows or clubs, while others went empty-handed. Foolish creatures, Eula thought bitterly. In the midst of the camp stood a Mitachurl, wielding a huge axe and towering above the rest.
This was the only way to their destination if they didn't want to swim around; and frankly, neither of them were at all in the mood.
It was nothing they had not dealt with before, just an annoying hinderance. Eula sighed quietly and reached for her sword, starting towards the creatures still oblivious to them, "Come on, Lisa. Let's take care of them quickly."
But instead of following her, Lisa wavered and stood back with a weary grin plastered on her face. "Ah, would you take care of them for me, dear? I'm just so very tired, I can hardly lift a finger..!" She sulked, giving the knight a worn out look and exaggeratedly laying down her bag as though she couldn't hold it any longer. They both knew very well that she could.
Eula stopped and rolled her eyes but the librarian only chuckled, "I mean, unless you can't do it on your own, then I suppose I'll help you—"
"Of course I can!" The knight interrupted. She didn't wait for another word from Lisa, instead, she began marching straight towards the camp of Hilichurls, sword unsheathed. Truthfully, Eula didn't mind doing it on her own. A chance to impress Lisa made it somewhat worthwhile.
I'll show her, she thought, and I'll make these sorry Hilichurls pay for blocking our path!
Lisa watched from the sidelines as Eula took on the mass of hilichurls, cheering her on as though she was a cheerleader at a high school football game.
The knight's bladework was certainly noteworthy, the mage observed. She took care of every enemy swiftly and with much precision, despite lugging around such a hefty blade. Lisa had never taken Eulas strength into account before. It was impressive; maybe a little attractive, too.
With a powerful strike to its side, Eula finished off the Mitachurl and sheathed her blade once more. She looked up when Lisa began clapping for her, an embarrassed red blush spreading across her face. The librarian got up and walked through the now empty camp— meeting Eula at the other side.
"My my, captain, I'm impressed! You almost had me blushing!" she laughed.
"Ah— It was nothing, really," Eula looked away, falling victim to Lisas teasing.
"I suppose I'll have to think of a way to reward you for helping me out, hm?" Lisa winked at her and she felt her cheeks burning. She almost lost her mind right there, but managed to keep her composure.
"...That won't be necessary, Lisa, it's quite alright."
"Alright then. If you ever change your mind, we'll be together for awhile!" Lisa chuckled at her own joke; Eula not so much. She had never met someone as forward as the flirtatious woman, that being said, she often had a hard time responding to her gimmicks; as well as attempting to figure out why they affected her so greatly. That, of course, was something Eula would rather die than admit to.
Looking up at the sky, Eula realized that the sun was beginning to set, and they needed to be on their way. And so, they set off once more. If they kept a steady pace, they would be able to reach the nearest inn by nightfall.
Some time later, when the sun had nearly gone down and the moon was beginning its ascension into the sky, the two were making their way through a marsh which they needed to pass in order to reach the inn. It gave them more trouble than they would have liked, mud sticking to their boots and slime around every corner.
Eula pulled out her map, "We're in the vicinity of the Wangshu Inn, it's just up ahead!" she said, continuing to trudge through the murky climate. Lisa wasn't so positive. "Thank goodness.." She sighed, "I can't do this much longer!"
The women finally made their way out of the marsh and back onto dry ground. Thankfully, the mud hadn't gotten anywhere apart from their shoes, but Lisa complained about it nonetheless.
Much to their relief, the two only had a short ways to go before they reached the Wangshu Inn, for the moon was high in the sky at this point. A few minutes later they saw the building in the distance, and Lisa was more than relieved. In all honesty, Eula was, too. At the moment, she could think of nothing she wanted more than to lie down and fall asleep.
When they finally made it to the inn, they were immediately greeted by multiple dogs who were aimlessly wandering about; as well as a few cats, one of them even sitting itself right upon the receptionists counter. They sure do like their animals here, I suppose... Eula thought to herself. She, personally, could never allow such a thing; but she didn't dare to say so out loud.
Upon walking up to the counter, they were greeted by a woman who they could only assume was Verr Goldet, the Boss of Wangshu Inn. Eula had never gotten the chance to meet the woman in person, but had heard much of her.
The woman smiled warmly at them, "Welcome in! How may I assist you two tonight?" and the cat sitting beside her on the desk peered at them, as though welcoming them also.
"One room with two beds, please," said Eula, "Just for tonight."
"No problem, that will be 2000 Mora for your stay, please."
Eula reached into her bag for the payment and quickly ran into a problem. She did not bring as much Mora as she thought she would need. They had already spent some on food along the way, and the knight wasn't expecting the inn to be as expensive as it was. And so, she desperately turned to Lisa— who was too busy playing with the cat on the desk to notice Eula's distress. She was extremely embarrassed having to ask the librarian for Mora, but she was desperate, so she swallowed her pride.
"...Lisa, did you bring any Mora with you?"
Lisa shook her head and smiled sheepishly.
Damn it, she thought to herself before turning back to Verr Goldet, an embarrassed grimace spread across her face. This was the second time she'd have to swallow her pride today.
"I apologize... I don't seem to have enough. Are there any, ah... cheaper options?"
"Well, you could do a room with a single bed for 1000. Does that work?"
Eula knew she could afford that, and besides, what other choice did she have? So, reluctantly, she paid the woman and the two of them began walking to their room. Of course Lisa wouldn't leave her alone about the 'one bed' situation.
"So, there's only one bed, huh, captain? Are you sure you didn't do that on purpose?" The librarian chuckled and Eula could feel her cheeks growing warm, "Well, maybe if someone had brought some Mora we wouldn't be in this situation.." she grumbled, loud enough so Lisa could hear.
"Aw, it's alright, dear, I dont mind! If you wanted to sleep with me, you could've just asked!" Eula's eyes widened and she was about to protest before she was interrupted, "Hehe, you should've seen the look on your face just now! I'm only messing with you, lighten up a bit!"
The knight shook her head and ignored Lisa's teasing, but her face was still a noticeably bright shade of red.
The two finally made it to their room and set down their things. Lisa set her bag beside the bed, while Eula put hers further away on the floor. Lisa gave her a confused glance.
"You can take the bed. I'll sleep on the floor."
Lisa scoffed and shook her head, "No, no, that simply won't do! You take it, dear, I can sleep down here," she insisted, taking her things and moving them to the floor beside Eulas.
"Lisa, really, it's fine—"
"I said no!"
Neither of them would allow the other to sleep on the floor, so, eventually, they decided to share the bed. It was big enough for the both of them, but awkward nonetheless; for Eula, at least. Lisa didn't seem as though she minded whatsoever.
Eula went into the bathroom to change into her nightly wear, while Lisa did so simultaneously in the bedroom. When the knight walked out wearing a t-shirt and plaid pants, Lisa couldn't help but giggle, for she had never seen her so informally dressed. The librarian herself, however, wore nicer clothes to bed; a cozy matching pajama set which kept the same purple colors seen in her daily outfits.
She was already settled in, sitting up on the bed and brushing through her hair before setting the brush down on the nightstand beside her. Eula sat down next to her as she was doing so, and flushed when Lisa turned to smile at her, directing her gaze elsewhere and clearing her throat, "Ahem— Don't get any funny ideas.. and please, get plenty of sleep tonight so you'll have energy for tomorrows travels. I am not looking forward to hearing your complaints." Lisa only giggled at her annoyance and lied down amongst the soft pillows, stretching her arms and yawning dramatically, "You don't have to tell me twice!"
She closed her eyes for only a brief moment before opening them again due to the disturbing sound of pillows being moved and shifted about. Upon opening her eyes, she was greeted with a pillow right in front of her face. Sitting up, she realized that Eula had placed multiple pillows between the two, and was continuing to do so, creating a barrier between them. Lisa couldn't say she wasn't disappointed.
"... Is that really necessary, dear?" She inquired, staring down at the woman who had now begun to settle herself back into bed, "...Yes," Eula looked back at her before shutting her eyes. The librarian chuckled once more and shook her head. The knight was surely stubborn, she'd give her that.
"You certainly are a character, Eula," she said, lying back down, "Goodnight, dear."
"...Goodnight."
For Eula, falling asleep proved to be unusually difficult. Usually, she had no problem. In fact, the knight had trained herself to fall asleep early so that she would always have enough energy for the day to come, and it was quite late by now.
But with so much on her mind, considering her current situation, it was impossible to get any shut eye.
She tossed and turned relentlessly until she finally felt her eyes grow heavy. But, upon closing them and beginning to drift off to sleep, she was interrupted by an obnoxious noise. Eula's eyes shot open and she sat up to look at the girl beside her. Lisa was already fast asleep, and she just so happened to be a snorer.
She wasn't too loud, Eula would give her that, but it certainly wasn't preferable considering the fact that she was already having trouble getting to sleep.
Great, thought Eula sarcastically, Just what I needed.
The knight laid back down and covered her ears with the sides of her pillow in annoyance. It did not prove very useful. Eventually, she decided to simply try and ignore it, and she shut her eyes once more.
It took quite some time, but she finally got to bed; albeit getting much less sleep than she originally intended.
The next morning, Lisa was the first to wake. Typically, Eula would have woken up far earlier, but she was clearly exhausted, so Lisa let her sleep in. She just looked too peaceful to wake up!
The librarian took her morning slowly, as per usual, not even bothering to worry about the long day ahead. Instead, she brushed through her hair and made herself a cup of chamomile tea. She sat by the window of the small room and watched the people passing by; truthfully, there were more animals than people in sight.
She sat there in comfortable silence until she heard the rustling of sheets behind her.
"Mm... what time is it..?"
Lisa stood up and walked over to Eula, who still looked extremely tired, "Look who's finally awake! Good morning, dear." She chuckled, sitting down on the end of the bed and sipping her tea, "Sorry for not waking you, I wanted to let you sleep in."
Eula rubbed her eyes and looked at the time, it was nearly 10:30 in the morning.
The knight shot out of bed, almost spilling Lisa's tea, "You should have woken me! We've wasted too much time already... Hurry and get dressed so we can go!" Eula hurriedly grabbed her clothes and made her way to the bathroom, shutting the door behind her.
The librarian rolled her eyes and got up slowly, still taking her sweet time, despite Eula rushing her along, "Calm down, won't you? The day is long, we'll be just fine!" she said, taking her clothes and laying them out on the bed. Eula opened the door and sighed upon seeing Lisa still comfortable in her pajamas, "We'll be walking all night at this rate. Get changed, please."
Lisa turned around and began unbuttoning her loose shirt, not bothering to step into the bathroom to change. It was Eula who had come up with that idea in the first place, and Lisa didn't care enough to do so. When the knight turned around and realized what Lisa was doing, a gasp escaped from her mouth and she immediately flipped back around.
"Ha- Haven't you any decency...?! At least warn me!" Her face was beet red, it was quite the hilarious sight.
Lisa scoffed, "Oh, you'll be fine. You can't even see anything!" That was the truth. She was facing the other direction, away from Eula's view. "What's the big deal? Nervous?" She chuckled.
"Oh, please, you know thats not.." she lost the words, going silent for a moment before clearing her throat, "Ahem, anyways, just hurry on so we can get going." She said, quickly changing the subject.
When the both of them were finally ready, they gathered their belongings and made their way out of the inn, thanking Verr Goldet as they walked past the front desk.
And just like that, they were back on their journey. Thankfully, they didn't have long to go until they arrived in Liyue, where they could rest in the city after having delivered the letter.
Eula yawned and Lisa couldn't help but notice how tired she seemed...and looked, too. Her eyes were heavy with sleep, and she was much snappier than usual. "You seem awfully tired, did you get enough sleep last night, dear?" Lisa asked, looking over to examine the woman's face.
"Ah– yes, I slept fine. I'm just not used to waking up so late, that's all." Eula lied. She was going to tell Lisa how her snoring had kept her up, but she felt too bad. And besides, there was nothing to be done now. She just had to pull through.
The remainder of the journey was quite easy, and in just a couple hours time, they had finally arrived in Liyue Harbor. Neither of the women had ever actually been to the city before. They had only heard stories from those who had. It was certainly a beautiful place; much bigger than Mondstadt.
Lisa found herself getting distracted, and wandering aimlessly around the city. Eula attempted to redirect her attention back to the letter, but she eventually grew curious as well. Soon enough, the both of them were strolling casually through the city, having almost forgotten about their reason for coming.
Unfortunately, they couldn't try much of the local food, as they didn't have much Mora left to spare; but just the sights were amazing nonetheless. Fishing boats lined the shoreline, the streets were lively and bustling, and there were markets everywhere you turned.
People sold all sorts of things in Liyue, a much bigger variety than you could find back in Mondstadt.
Looking up at the sky, Eula noticed a ginormous building floating high above,
"Ah, that must be the Jade Chamber!" She tapped Lisa's shoulder and pointed to the structure in the sky.
"It's a shame that we aren't allowed up there," Lisa said. Eula nodded, she could only wish she was. She would love to see the inside of the Jade Chamber for herself. "The man we're looking for should be somewhere around here..." She trailed off and scanned the area before her eyes came across an older gentleman with a black mustache, standing beside an odd looking crystal platform.
"There. I'd bet that's him." The knight said, walking towards the man with the letter in hand. Before they had left, Jean had told them how to go about delivering a letter to The Jade Chamber, and the man who would bring it up for them. Eula could only assume by Jean's description that this was him.
"Excuse me, sir, might you be Bu'yun?" Eula spoke and the man turned to face them, as though not seeing them beforehand,
"Indeed I am. What can I do for you?"
She held out the letter for him to take,
"I have a letter for Lady Ningguang, from The Acting Grand Master, Jean, in Mondstadt. Please, get this letter to her as soon as you can." Eula stated, almost as though she was bossing him around.
Bu'yun nodded curtly and took the letter from her hand, studying it for a brief moment before tucking it away. The pair was about to walk away before he spoke again, "Did you come all the way from Mondstadt?"
They nodded.
"Safe travels, then."
"Thank you." Eula gave a small smile and the pair walked away. It didn't take long at all before Lisa spoke again, despite being quiet during their interaction.
"You certainly know how to get what you want, darling. I like that!~" Lisa teased, grinning at the woman who turned away bashfully.
"Don't flatter me, Lisa. Even you know that was nothing."
The librarian only laughed, and the two continued their walk through town together, forgetting of the long journey that lie ahead of them.