Hey there! Long time no see, adulthood is proving to be a greater bitch than I'd have wished for. I recently graduated from college and I am currently looking for any master degree or a job I can work on until I find a suitable and stable future project, so things are quite hectic lately.

But enough of that, I am here to deliver a story, a short one, a two-shot I'll probably post in one go so I don't worry about leaving you hanging. Some of you may be familiar with Genshin Impact, which is quite the big gacha game as of late. I've been playing it for many months now and I am loving it very much :).

I am not a shipper myself, I believe they can get dangerous because people go super hardcore on them sometimes, but the dynamic established by Jean and Diluc is very lovely to me so I decided to write this short self-fulfilling story. The cover art is a commission I made to an artist, if you like her works you can check her out at Mei_Scarlet on twitter or by mei_scarlet_art on instagram.

I must warn you however, that despite this story being mostly about fluff and sweetness, there is also some kinkiness here. This story contains some sensitive topics, mainly sex and BDSM, so if the reader feels uncomfortable by any of those I'd suggest you not to read this. I think it will not be too hardcore but I want you all to know what you are getting into.

As always, remember that I am not a native English speaker, so I apologize in advance if there is any error on grammar or spelling. Now, enjoy the story!


BLOWING A DANDELION

"It's over…" A soft and low voice reverberated through the room, which was dimly lit by the weak flame dancing slowly inside the glass of the lamp on the nightstand. The voice belonged to that of a young woman, currently lying down on the bed, tucked comfortably into its blanket. She was looking up to the stone ceiling, her eyes a little wet from small tears just about to run down her cheeks. Her silver blonde locks covering the pillow in a messy way, as if the woman had been rolling on it restlessly for a few minutes. In her arms was a small book, carefully clinging to it on her chest as if it was a precious belonging. "I can't believe it's finally over…" The woman repeated to herself, speaking softly and saddened.

Jean Gunnhildr, the current Acting Grand Master of the Knight of Favonius, an organization founded centuries ago, whose sworn duty is to guide and protect Mondstadt, the city of Freedom. Many were the people that knew and recognized the many accomplishments and reputation Jean has worked on to the point of becoming the acting leader of the organization. She was kind, hard-worker and firm on her beliefs, everyone in Mondstadt knew and respected Jean. However, what not many people know is that she is an avid reader. Her responsibilities leave her very few moments to catch up with her reading, mainly because the woman pushed herself harder than she should most of the times. But when she could, she loved sparing the last moments of the day reading a couple of pages. She has been collecting many books over a few years by treating herself to buying one every month as a 'good work' reward. There were many genres she liked to read but she had always a soft spot for romance. Ever since she was a child, Jean had always dreamed of experiencing the anxiousness of thinking about a significant one, the butterflies in the stomach at the feeling of love, the subtleness of the small gestures of mutual interest. She was aware of how unbecoming that sounds for a person in her position, that is why she always reluctantly ceased to entertain any idea or daydreaming she could have about romance ever since she accepted being the Grand Master, albeit only in act until the actual grand master returned to Mondstadt.

Despite that, she can't help but to get mesmerized and lost into the words of any romantic fiction she came across, especially the saga she had just finished reading. The novel in her arms was the last volume of the 'Vera's Melancholy' collection, a series of romance novels she was a fan of since the time she read the very first volume.

Jean let out a long sigh as she closed her eyes to calm herself, this was the end of what she felt was the best series she has read ever until today, so she felt a little lost. Sure, she had other books to read, but none would compare to the pool of emotions 'Vera's Melancholy' made her feel, it was like saying goodbye to an important part of her life she had for years until today…

"If only I could have that too…" She whispered to herself, getting lost again into a small fantasy. What would her life be if she was free from her duties? From her responsibilities? Her family name? She wondered how it must be to behave like a regular woman of her age, to be in love and acting upon her feelings. Alas, she had to force herself to stop the fantasy once more, it is not worth to ponder about what will not be.

With one last sad sigh, the woman stood up from the bed, revealing a soft mint green pajamas she was currently wearing. Jean walked to a large private bookshelf she kept in her own chambers, where she nicely put all the book she has been collecting over time, all perfectly placed by either collections or cover colors, she was so methodical and careful with it that the sight of the entire bookshelf was visibly pleasant.

After gently slipping the novel in with a single finger, her eyes followed lazily the other soft source of light of the room, the moonlight through the glass window. She stood by it, placing a hand on the glass, looking up at the moon longingly for a minute. She placed her forehead gently and closed her eyes as she whispered the name of the founder of the Knights "Vanessa, may the winds guide me through hardships…"

After that, Jean finally walked back to the bed. It was already late in the night, and the woman had to wake up early as always to attend to the many duties she had, she could not afford to get tired, not after a particular incident that occurred months ago…

Jean blew away the torch, leaving only the gentle hue of the moon by the window. She tucked herself again into the blanket and closed her eyes to sleep. Or so she would have wished. She began to roll and shift on her the bed, feeling uneasy. It seems that the end of her favorite collection has upset her more than she was expecting and was now feeling restlessly unsatisfied. After 20 minutes of her uselessly trying to find a comfortable posture, she dug her face into the pillow and groaned weakly. This was going to be a long night…


Next morning came, Jean was already sitting on her own desk at her private office, dark bags under her eyes and a large mug of steaming coffee on her hand. Last night she could not catch any sleep at all, so she dressed in her usual clothes and walked into the office feeling miserable. She was grateful Lisa was able to create a special breed of seeds that seemed to be stronger than her regular coffee long ago, it gave her the stronger punch she needed to push through the day when regular coffee would not do for her. However, her body began to get used even to this special type of coffee recently, so she asked the librarian for an even stronger coffee.

Jean sighed as she relaxed her gaze from the current document she was examining, resting her elbow on the desk and pinching the bridge of her nose, trying to ease the headache she felt.

"Oh, Jean".

As if on cue, the door to her office opened to reveal a well-endowed woman dressed in purple. Lisa, the librarian of the Knights walked into the office carrying a small sack on her hand "You look so miserable, have you been staying late?" The librarian asked in a softer mother-like tone to the acting leader.

"Yes- Well, no… I just could not sleep well last night." Jean tried to look up and offer a gentle smile, despite her tired eyes being a clear proof of her exhaustion. Lisa let out a sigh and smile as well, walking by the desk and letting the small sack on it.

"Here, the seeds you asked for. I must say it was quite the challenge to surpass my previous creation, I even had to ask poor little Sucrose for help!" Lisa let out a small amused giggle, although her eyes shown concern for her boss's state. "Be careful with those okay? Albedo has recently discovered that coffee beans bear some components that can be addictive."

Jean picked up the sack in curiosity as she listened, perking up at the mention of the addiction. That might explain why she slowly needed more of it lately, a matter she should pay closer attention surely. "Thank you Lisa, I will make sure I keep wa-."

Jean's speech was cut short as she felt Lisa squeezing her free hand gently but firmly. The Acting Grand Master looked up to find the librarian looking at her with a gentle smile but with a look full of worry. "Jean, you need to slow down. I mean it. You don't want to collapse again do you?"

Jean looked away and frowned, she knew perfectly well what her colleague meant. Months ago, when the Traveler and Paimon were still in Mondstadt, Jean found herself collapsing from exhaustion right in front of them. Not only that, but she was reckless enough to go absent from her well needed rest, only to be ambushed by an Abyss mage right by the grand tree at Windrise. She knew that, in her weakened state, if it wasn't for the presence and assistance of the Traveler, she would have met a dark fate that day. Her comrades of the Knights prepared a feast for her in appreciation for all of her efforts and she promised to be more thoughtful of her own limits.

She did not mean to back away from that promise, but the people of Mondstadt are still under attack of Hilichurls and Treasure Hoarders daily. The Fatui are still pressuring her while working on shady businesses in the backstage, planning who knows what. And the Abyss order is making further movements while hiding in the numerous abandoned strongholds throughout Mondstadt. Jean did not want to disappoint her friends, but under the current circumstances, she can't let herself fall short any time soon.

"Y-Yes… You're right Lisa, I'll try to relax from my duties okay?" The librarian must have noticed the lack of honesty behind her words, as she simply sighed and released Jean's hand. Lisa walked to the enormous bookshelves in the office to pick up some manuals for her own researches.

"By the way, do you know what the Honorary Knight and Paimon have been up to?" Lisa asked while facing the bookshelves.

"I have received reports recently. It seems they somehow made it to Inazuma a week ago through The Crux." Jean answered while returning to her work, a small smile escaping her lips.

"Inazuma? But it has been closed to the other nations for years! How did they manage to get across the border?" Lisa exclaimed, turning around in surprise.

Jean let out a giggle "I have no clue, but after witnessing their achievements here in Mondstadt and Liyue, there is little they could do to surprise me."

Lisa followed with an equally heartfelt giggle "My, so resourceful. I knew that cutie was special~."

With that, the room fell silent again, both women returning to their own work. Jean was currently making inventory of some confiscated goods from a non-licensed merchant from Fontaine while Lisa was looking through the pages of the manuals she picked up to check if they were correct. After some minutes, Lisa spoke up again.

"So, what have you been up to then?"

"Nothing we should worry about. A few reports of lost cargo from Liyue's merchants, recent sightings of Hilichurl camps near Springvale, a small quarrel at Cat's Tail Tavern…"

Lisa let out an amused giggle. "Not that, silly. I mean what kept you awake last night."

"O-Oh, I see". Jean pondered the question for a few minutes, Lisa was one of the very few people that knew of Jean's particular appreciation of romance novels, but she struggled to say she was upset over reading the ending of a story. It sounded silly to her the more she thought about it. "I just… read the last part of 'Vera's Melancholy', and I guess it left a great impact on me."

"Oh right! That was your favorite collection, am I right? I'm sure it must have been a delightful grand finale correct?" Lisa asked as she turned to her boss with an amused smile.

"It surely was…" Jean answered with another gentle smile, her eyes getting lost into nothing in particular as she recalled every single word of the last chapter in the entire collection. Soon, her smile died out a little, so she blinked and looked back to the librarian. "I guess I am just sad I won't be hearing anything else from the misadventures of dear Vera."

Lisa finished up picking her books, holding them over one arm as she pinched her chin with her free hand, deep in thought. "But I recall you still have other books you've been wanting to read lately, is it not?"

"It is. But most of them are primarily research papers, chronicles or a collection of columns, and the few of them that are novels don't have one or two that particularly stands out from the rest." Jean let out a sigh as she returned to her task at hand, examining and signing documents and reports that needed to be processed. "It seems that I can't really make up my mind on what do I want to read next". She let out a weak chuckle.

Unknown to her, since she was looking down at her paperwork, Lisa had let out a mischievous smile, the librarian coming up with an interesting idea. "Perhaps what you need is an experience with a little more spice~?" She asked, a sultry but subtle tone in her voice.

Jean looked up again, noticing the sudden but usual playfulness of the librarian. "What do you mean?"

Lisa spared a quick glance at the door before walking up to the desk again, speaking in a softer voice "See, I might have something to help with that book craving you have now. Plus, it should do wonders to help you relax my dear Jean~."

Jean raised an eyebrow, this kind of behavior was not unusual from the librarian but Jean knew that she was up to no good whenever she got like this. Jean simply looked at her with a suspicious gaze, to which Lisa let out another amused giggle. "Come on, don't give me that look! It is not something you should worry about, promise."

Jean sighed, Lisa seemed genuine in her words despite her playfulness, so she played along. "Alright, what is it?" On cue, the librarian walked to the door and opened, looking back at Jean in an inviting manner.

"Follow me. Don't worry about your work, we should be back shortly."

"Wait, what are you-" Lisa walked out of the office, not letting Jean ask or protest about her proposal, so the acting leader sighed, she could not do much but to do as she says. Jean left her paperwork on the desk and began to follow Lisa, locking the door to her office in the way. They both headed towards the library, as she could have guessed from what Lisa was hinting at previously. Jean followed Lisa to the lower floor of the library, where she could spot a few people reading or studying, like an old scholar, the young girl Ella and the aspiring knight Noelle, everyone focusing on their own stuff to pay attention to the newcomers.

Jean noticed then that Lisa was walking to a door at the furthest wall of the library, a door she knew too well. "Wait, the restricted section? Why are we coming here?" Jean knew this door led to a room restricted only for Lisa to access, it was here where she kept her own selection of books that were prohibited to disclose to the general public. Ancient magic tomes, papers and volumes of knowledge and research from her time in Sumeru, or cursed spells sealed in a book, all range of literature that Lisa kept away really carefully. What could be in there that Jean could use to relax?

"You will see my dear, all in due time~" Lisa stated vaguely, taking out the key to the room and opening the door. Jean followed her into the room, and to her lack of surprise, the room was underwhelmingly ordinary. It looked like a regular private office, nothing really worth mentioning. She was not sure why she was expecting something like a gloomy vault, but knowing the kind of person Lisa is, she was sure the librarian would find it very bothersome to look after someplace bigger than a simple office. 'Perhaps I read too many fiction works', she thought to herself in amusement and embarrassment.

"Wait here, and make sure you do not touch anything okay?" Lisa commanded softly but firmly, surprising the Acting Grand Master. The librarian walked closer to one of the bookshelves and began to trace the several covers with her finger, mumbling to herself "Let's see… Where did I put it again?"

Jean waited idly, glazing around in curiosity, wondering what kind of knowledge the great scholars of Sumeru could have put into these tomes. "As I expected, the place looks very tidy. You were always very meticulous when it comes to keeping the library in check". Jean praised as Lisa kept looking through the books.

"Ah please, you're too kind Jean~." Lisa giggled proudly. "I am merely doing my job, which I take very seriously despite how easy-going I might look to the others." Lisa added, stopping briefly as she looked down to nothing in particular. "I have to remind myself the consequences of my ambitions anyway…" She added almost in a whisper.

"What's that? I didn't hear you". Jean commented a little worried after seeing the librarian mutter under her breath. Lisa simply tilted her head back, her motherly smile returning to her lips.

"Nothing dear, I am merely speaking to myself". Jean felt uneasy about her answer but decided not to push it further. "Ah, here it is~!" Right then, Lisa extracted a single book. It was fairly smaller and thinner than the huge tomes that the bookshelves brandished. It was simple in design, a plain wine color and no backside text, the only thing that could make it recognizable was the title written in the middle of the cover with a dirty golden color. Jean picked up the book with curiosity and read the title out loud.

"'Slime's Embrace'?" Jean raised an eyebrow. "Is this supposed to be… an essay on slimes or something?"

Lisa giggled as she shook her head. "Not quite, it is just a novel really. No magic awaiting to get triggered or cursed spell, just a simple work of literature~". Lisa swore with an amused but honest smile.

"Well, I must admit it is a rather… strange title for a fiction novel if it is" Jean wondered aloud, but there was another matter she was more curious about "Hey, why is it here then? There must be a good reason for you to keep this book in the restricted area right?"

"Correct~" Lisa put a finger over her lips, it seems the topic was striking a certain sweet spot on the librarian that Jean could not exactly pinpoint. "See, this novel was quite the best seller in Sumeru a few years ago, although it was short lived. It was not long until the novel was censored and forbidden from its publication and distribution. I was able to purchase a single copy before that and I've kept it very close ever since~."

Jean gave the book another surprised and somewhat fearful look, what kind of horrendous story could it tell to end up censored? "It is nothing gruesome Jean, do not worry" Lisa answered the unspoken question with a gentle smile, seeing the distressed look on Jean's eyes.

"But… I-If that is the case then why would they need to stop its production?"

"Let's say… its story managed to 'stir passion' among many of its readers~. I had read many mature novels and essays in my life but this book leaves very little to the imagination~" Lisa answered while rubbing the book's cover with her gloved fingers tenderly, as if it was a fragile and delicate valuable item.

Jean found no words to answer with, instead looking down at the book with bewilderment but extreme curiosity. "W-Wait, are you seriously suggesting me to read a sexual novel?" The Acting Grand Master was not unfamiliar with the topic, despite never actually having had sex in her life before. She had very few time to even care about any love relationships, so the carnal act was almost always out of her mind, but she was familiar of it thanks to the many books she had read. As such, Jean never thought of herself as a sexually active person, she did not mind any sex scenes on her novels but she found little excitement of her own.

However, right now she was holding a book that, according to Lisa, made many of its readers get crazy over it. She could not help to feel a little intimidated.

"I'm just telling you to give it a try, just for tonight~. If you don't like it you can return it to me by morning, no harm done!" Lisa answered, trying to relieve her boss.

"And what if I like it…?" Jean dared to ask.

"Well~ You may keep it until you finish it". Lisa offered a mischievous wink. "I'm sure it will at least help to distract you from your work. And who knows? Perhaps you might end up picking up a trick or two from it~. Just make sure to return it once you are done okay?"

Jean looked down at the book once again, reading the title over and over again on her mind. It was not a big deal anyway, Lisa already said it was just a plain and ordinary novel without any curses or spells to worry about. Nothing forced her to finish it up if she didn't like it, aside from a slight feeling of commitment she would surely have once she begins.

At last, the Acting Grand Master nodded. It could not hurt to at least try, right?


The day flew by uneventfully, something the Acting Grand Master was thankful of. No civilians ambushed by Hilichurls, no Fatui conspiracy, no Klee making explosions by the city's lake… For once, Jean was able to let out a sigh of relief the moment the sun has set and she finished her duties for the day.

She was currently sitting by the window, enjoying a relaxing cup of tea, her blue jacket hanging from a coat stand by the door and her boots sitting by the bed. Despite her own discipline and love for being productive, she also enjoyed these moments of tranquility, even if she was currently making a mental schedule for the next few days' tasks.

"Hmm, come to think of it, I have not heard from Master Diluc lately. I should pay a visit to Angel's Share soon, to see how he's doing". Jean said to herself as she smiled, remembering the mentioned red-haired man.

Her thoughts were interrupted once she recalled her newly acquired book. With a look of intrigue, she looked to her satchel, which was currently hanging from one of the bed's posts, the book sitting and waiting inside. If she was being honest, she felt a little reluctant to read it after listening to Lisa's opinion on it. She was aware that the librarian had 'big' tastes, but to the point of the book being censored? Was it really that extreme?

Before she could think of an answer, Jean already found herself walking to the satchel to retrieve the book and look at its cover like if it held the secrets of Teyvat. "It can't be that interesting, can it?"

Jean nodded to herself. She was overthinking this, it was just a book anyway! It's not like Lisa deliberately gave her a cursed book, those kinds of mischiefs were more typical of Kaeya. Thus, Jean finally set her mind and sat back on the chair by the window, letting the cup of tea down and finally opening "Slime's Embrace", beginning her reading.

From what she could tell from its first pages and chapter, it told the story about Johanna, a young girl who hailed from a poor family from a fictitious town. Wanting to help her parents and family, she went to the city to look for a job and earn some money. She eventually ended up working as a maid in a mansion of one of the most powerful families in the city, where she managed to secure a good income for her parents.

The young heir of the family, a man known as Dillan, was the one who met her and decided to hire her into the mansion's staff. In fact, the young heir named Johanna as his personal maid and assistant.

Jean smiled dearly at these first pages, this scenario was quite cliché and predictable as it was, but she was not picky about it when it came to reading fiction. She simply enjoyed the stories as they were, specially its character interactions, even more so when romance was involved. She was ashamed to admit it, but she was cheesy like that.

What she wondered though, was how in Celestia could a story so ordinary be censored. Jean was aware that she still had a lot of chapters to go through, and her imagination was running wild with possible twists and events that could mess up such a normal set up.

Once the first chapter was over, she noticed the sky was already dark so she decided to change into her pajamas and head over to the bed. She was feeling excited about her new book so she allowed herself to read some more before going to sleep.

As the story progressed, Johanna was slowly falling in love with her young master, who treated her quite dearly and with respect despite the difference in their status quo. Dillan introduced Johanna to a particular research his family was developing. Apparently, they were investigating the applications and properties of slime's goo to create a flexible but resilient material, and how could they use their findings in further technologic advances. Johanna was fascinated by the idea, but what she was not aware of is that her young Master was conducting a research of his own.

One day, Dillan asked Johanna to join him in his private quarters, where he showed her the results of his own investigations. He developed a material similar to ropes and bandages, made of this sticky but tight substance. He asked her if she would allow him to test the items on her, to which she accepted, trusting in her master's intentions, despite being a little fearful of the situation.

What transpired next was something Jean could not put into words. Dillan proceeded to wrap and tie an almost naked Johanna with the mysterious substance, and the young maiden was being very descriptive about how it felt on her. The substance was soft to the touch, yet so restrictive to let her move. It hugged her skin tight, which made her feel helpless and exposed to her master, who seemingly looked at her like a predator does on its prey. But Johanna described these events as if, deep down, she was enjoying these new sensations and experiences, growing even closer to the master she loved.

Jean could not understand how she was feeling. Every ounce of tiredness she was bearing before going to sleep, disappeared quickly when the story picked up. She was gripping the book very tightly, reading each and every word very carefully. Before she realized, she managed to read almost half of the book, finally understanding what was so 'dangerous' about the book. Suddenly, she felt a heat growing over her body, as her hand slowly reached down to her panties. She even bit her lower lip to make her focus on something else than the overwhelming heat in her most feminine spot.

Jean was not a woman prone to pleasuring herself. Outside of that first time out of curiosity most people have when they are younger, she could still count with a single hand the times she touched herself. However, something in this story was making her feel like this, and she could not stop herself from it despite how deeply she breathed to calm herself.

As she continued reading and teasing her holy entrance gently and slowly, she realized a frustrating fact: This was going to be another long night indeed…

To be continued…


And that's a wrap for the first part ;)

You can take this a small starter for the big meal that is the second half.

Gotta say, I tried to make a pun with '50 Shades of Grey' adding something from Genshin Impact while coming up with the book's title. Nothing came to me so I went with something more generic, so there it is.

By the way, if you are wondering about the Traveler, I left their identity vague enough for you to fill in whoever you wish to fit in. Both Aether and Lumine are canon in my opinion, so I left it vague so everyone feels included. I know it's not a relevant point in the story but I've grown tired of that worn out and stupid argument.

As always, leave a review if you liked it! I love reading your opinions and suggestions on the matter, and it motivates me to keep doing better ;)

Have a nice day!