and there it is, a mark of the divine | JENLISA

Chapter 4

It works, for a moment, as Lisa needs to let go so she isn't dragged down with her. But she's able to calculate where Jennie's going to come up for air, and she's there to meet her before she surfaces.

"No fair!" Jennie laughs again as she emerges, breathless this time, almost flush against Lisa's body.

Strands of her wet hair are plastered to her cheeks, and Lisa can't help but laugh along with her. "Your hair— it's just..." She reaches out, gently smoothing them back. Her hand lingers briefly, her fingertips touching Jennie's jaw before settling on her bare shoulder.

With any other person, the moment would come and it would pass. Likely awkwardly, and likely with Lisa not laying a finger on them, her hands firmly at her sides. Except, Jennie's giving her such a profound stare. It's almost wondrous, how Jennie looks at her like she's truly never seen another human being before. Like she's just been dropped from the sky and has been stumbling through the woods for years, searching. Like her eyes are tractor beams and Lisa just keeps drowning and drowning and drowning.

"Thanks, Lisa." Her tremendous, world-altering expression gives way to something far less mythical: a coy smile, her brow relaxed.

Lisa tries to focus on the way the docile waves bob them up and down. She tries to focus on how Jennie is successfully treading water when a few months ago, she couldn't even float. She tries to focus on anything other than Jennie's eyes, which are somehow obsidian but also sparkle like diamonds in the sunlight. She tries to focus on anything other than her lips, which have parted ever-so-slightly, just enough to send Lisa's world spinning off its axis.

"How are you feeling?" Lisa asks, her voice as gentle as the rolling waves.

The spell isn't broken, not entirely. Jennie continues to gaze at her, study her, even, and she doesn't move away in the slightest. "Better. You were right. And this morning... you always seem to know what to do."

"I only did what felt right," she tells her. "I don't know if you've ever spoken to anyone... about your nightmares, and you can tell me if this is entirely out of line, but I can help you. Find someone, I mean."

Jennie finally averts her gaze, letting it wander across the water's surface. "Oh."

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have assumed—"

"No, no!" Jennie reaches out to her, taking her arm. "I just... I hadn't thought about it. I've never been able to afford anything like that. Hell, I've never been in one place long enough."

"Well, if it's something you're interested in, I am more than happy to help you," Lisa offers. "There are plenty of jobs around here, especially in summer— you can work on the visa you have, right?"

"Yeah. Yeah, I can work, but Lisa... I'm living in your house. If I get a job, that money is going to you."

Lisa shakes her head. "This is more important than that."

"Lisa..."

"Jennie, I'm not taking your money."

In a very Lisa-like move, Jennie lets out a heavy sigh. "You don't have to do... any of this."

"I know." Lisa frowns slightly. Perhaps she's going about this all wrong. "If it makes you uncomfortable, we can drop the subject and I won't bring it up again."

Jennie shakes her head, slowly, her eyes still not meeting Lisa's. "Not uncomfortable, just... where the fuck did you come from? Seriously? How the fuck did I get here and find you?"

There's a slight, involuntary upturn of Lisa's lips. "You think too highly of me."

"That's... not even possible. There's no 'too' anything— there isn't even a limit," Jennie tells her, the slight awestruck look in her eyes only lingering as she manages to meet her gaze.