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Masks are the only essential necessity at occasions such as this. Never let anybody show who you are, they told her, and she promptly kept her word. The champagne bubbling in her glass was almost as tasteless as the people around her. Jean understood the reasons behind the dull, the irritating and the slimy. All of them were part of a bigger scheme within the company. Nobody within this room had even a smidgeon of empathy in their bones, and she could sense it from a mile away. The way they laughed, talked and drank. The way they eyed every waitress and woman in the room, her included.
The tight-fitting red party dress that Lisa lent her was making Jean feel uncomfortable. She wasn't used to so many people staring at her legs, or other body parts. She guessed that was the fate of someone who only wore baggy clothing within and outside of work. People would naturally stare at what they previously thought was unknown or unreachable. She was the exact type of person who would supply that, given how pathetically introverted she was.
Jean swirled around her glass again. It was more interesting to look at the liquid than to actually engage in conversation or dancing. The blaring old pop music made the entire event feel more like a graduation prom rather than a firm party meeting. This is what happens when younger people climb up the corporate ladder; though even she admits that this was most likely the only con with that. If she were to dance to this, she needed a partner, perhaps a high school sweetheart she was supposed to marry right after prom, just so it'd feel somewhat natural.
Not that she'd find anyone like that anytime soon. Not in this room. Not with these people.
Finally looking up from her comfortable point of half-floor, half-eye level, her gaze met the most astonishing red eyes. Fervently burning, something in them akin to fire. The hair that accompanied them was of a similar hue, the man behind them stunningly handsome. A picturesque statue of Helios in her mind, wearing a white suit with golden accents. A true sun within the dullness of the room. He easily outshone any of them, even the marble floors could not compare.
He was coming this way.
Jean felt her face burn almost as much as his eyes did from afar, and she watched intently as he almost unceremoniously tripped on his way to her. She had to hold her snicker in behind her glass, almost spitting out her champagne. The man probably grumbled but didn't stop approaching, closer and closer, steadfast in his large paces, sturdy with his posture. It looked like he was dancing rather than walking, for he was too graceful with it.
He stopped short right in front of her, like a penguin would stop in front of something. Strangely upright, a little bit awkward, but adorable nonetheless.
"Good evening." Jean smiled at his presence with ease.
"Good evening to you too, miss."
They both seemed to stare at each other for a second too long.
"So..." She rocked on her heels, a bit antsy yet exhilarated all the same. "To what do I owe the pleasure, mister...?"
"Diluc. Diluc Ragnvindr, miss."
She extended her hand tentatively, seeing as he was more or less frozen in place. As if snapping out of his panic with an even larger dose of it, he gently picked it up and kissed it. Jean was going for a handshake. Time seemed to stop, and her lack of reaction probably made the man in front of her distressed enough to quickly let go of her hand. The apology was mumbled through his hand, as it attempted to cover his own flush.
"That was- I'm sincerely sorry, that was extremely inappropriate of me, I shouldn't have-"
"It's- It's alright!" She squeaked out. "I didn't expect you to be such a gentleman, but it's not bad or anything! I'm just surprised."
A small moment of silence passed. She heard him take a deep breath, before smiling softly. She saw it through his fingers and hand regardless, just like she saw his blush before that.
"Then," his other hand extending, "do you want to dance?"
After the initial shock waned, Jean composed herself. She had to get her head back into the game, even if it really wasn't a game; not like it would be if it were anyone else she was talking to. Thinking for a bit, exaggerating her movements, she decided to tease him. "You don't even know my name."
It didn't seem to work. "I already gave you mine, so, if you would be so kind to tell me yours; I'd be much obliged."
"Would you kiss my hand again if I did?"
That seemed to have struck a chord. "Uhm, only if you'd want me to."
"It's Jean. Jean Gunnhildr, kind sir." She put her hand in his and dragged him to the dance floor before he could do anything that would embarrass both of them even more. "As for the courtesy, it's alright. There's no need to be formal, I think, now that we have been properly introduced."
A chuckle resounded from him, as they got into position to dance, and he was right in front of her. "I believe that to be true as well."
The conversation flowed from there on. Throughout the silly dancing, and the swaying with each other on the last sentimental song, the two of them were got along quite well. Jean almost forgot that she had called Kaeya to pick her up from the party an hour ago, before he ended up calling her to verify. Reluctant, she told him she would be out within 15 minutes, and turned to Diluc to apologize. He interrupted her before she could speak.
"Duty calls?" He naturally reached out to take her empty glass of champagne. "I completely understand. Then you must be going, I believe."
"Wait, before I go, can I- uh. Can I see you again?" Her heartbeat was pounding within her chest, on to her brain and face, filling them with the colour of her dress. "I had a really nice time with you tonight. I don't want this to be the end."
A sheepish grin crossed his features. "While I would want to say something poetic like 'We shall meet if fate allows us to', or something like that, I, unfortunately, don't have the personality for it. The true reason why I can't give you my number, as you so subtly implied, is because I am horrible at remembering it, not to mention taking it with me where I go."
Her giggle caught him off-guard, and together they ended up laughing harder than they should.
"It's okay!" Jean said through her gasps. "I'll just write mine down on a paper, and you better not lose this, you hear?"
"Yes ma'am!"
After their bout of joy, came the imminent bittersweetness. She knew it wasn't the end of their time together. It wasn't as if she wouldn't see him again. But there was something magical about such a first meeting. Something indescribably charming about the way the two of them bounced off of each other, somewhat of a bubble covering both of them within champagne-tinted dreams. Her red dress and his white and golden suit. His red hair and eyes, and her blonde and stormy ones. They were a scene to behold, together, at a party that was duller than anything.
Diluc. Diluc brought life into it, and she wondered whether he could do the same to her own life. Perhaps then she could feel as if she was truly living and breathing.
Jean didn't want to burst the bubble of fantasy, not even as she scribbled down her number and put it in the front pocket of Diluc's suit. Not even as she waved and looked back like 3 times, as if she had a schoolgirl crush, before she finally disappeared out of his view. Not as she sat down in Kaeya's car, 10 minutes later than she said she would because she prolonged her walk to it, thinking about Diluc.
She was utterly enchanted, and she didn't want to break his spell. Not when she was enjoying it so much.