Thirst | JENLISA

Chapter 18

Jennie is the first to wake up, around the time the sun starts to rise. It's convenient how that works out. She glances over at Lisa, who's lying on her side, curled up in an adorable little ball, and then she glances up at the uncovered window and the way the light is coming through it, noticing that Lisa is clearly not in any danger of being incinerated by the sun. But that doesn't stop Jennie from rolling over, wrapping the blanket tightly around her and Lisa, becoming her protective big spoon.

She pulls Lisa closer to her, one arm draped over her waist, the other looped under her neck, where she finds one of her hands and intertwines their fingers together. She buries her face in Lisa's hair, relishing in the scent and in the fact that her vampire is safe, before drifting back to sleep.

She wakes up again, not much later, to Irene and Rosé being loud and obnoxious together. They're laughing at something that Jennie thinks probably isn't even that funny, and she tries her best to tune them out, as she keeps her hold on Lisa, still sleeping in the same position. The vampire gives a soft mewl before pulling Jennie's arms tighter around her, holding her hand right back and sending a shiver down Jennie's spine.

"Are you awake?" Jennie whispers.

"Hardly," Lisa says, but makes no motion to move. Jennie's grateful that the least sunny spot in the living room also happens to supply them with a bit of privacy, because she knows Irene and Rosé would never leave her alone about spooning with Lisa.

But of course, that happens anyway. Irene is walking out of the kitchen when her eyes land on them. "Wow, someone's cozy. If I'd known, I would have set up the air mattress there myself, or suggested you guys miss out on our sleepover in favor of Jennie's bed."

Jennie sits up with a groan, reluctantly letting go of Lisa's hand. "Unnie, look, this is the least sunny spot in the entire living room. I just want Lisa to be safe. I was...blocking her from the sun."

"With your body?"

"And the air mattress placement..."

"And your body." Irene reiterates, a sly grin spreading across her face. Jennie shoots her a look. "Say what you want, but, it doesn't really look like either of you mind very much."

Jennie shrugs and turns to look at Lisa, who is totally pretending to be asleep. She's tempted to use the hand still resting on Lisa's waist to tickle her, but she doesn't even want to know what Irene would say, considering she's still standing there looking at them. "If you don't like it, you can go," She jokes, but there's more truth there than she wants to admit.

"Oh, you'd like that wouldn't you," she laughs. But Jennie just blushes. "You know I just like to pick on you. Besides, I know I've been... apprehensive about it, but Lisa's growing on me, you know? And I want you to know that I'm okay with it. You deserve to be happy."

She already knows the answer, but she blurts the question anyways. "It?"

"Yeah, Lisa and you." Jennie stares blankly at her before she adds, "You know, together."

And if Jennie thought she was blushing before, it's nothing compared to right now. She frantically looks back down at Lisa. Maybe she isn't faking it. Maybe she really is asleep. But she sees the corner of her mouth twitch upward ever so slightly, and it's all the answer she needs. Great, thanks Irene. "We're not... It's not like that."

"I know you're not, but I know you--"

Jennie interrupts with the first thing she can think of. "Unnie, can you make sure Rosé saved some coffee for the rest of us?" She smirks at her. "Please?"