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It had been almost five years since Hilda had last visited Garreg Mach Monastery, and by now she was pushing towards her mid-twenties. Before she left, Hilda, along with her other classmates, promised to reunite on this day at Garreg Mach. They should have been celebrating the Monastery’s Millennium Festival, but instead, they faced the reality of the war that raged around them in every direction.
Hilda had arrived just in time to help fend off a crowd of bandits with her classmates, along with their professor who had returned after vanishing from the Battle for Garreg Mach. Having taken the Monastery as a base of operations for the Alliance and reuniting with the forces of the remnants of the Church of Seiros, they could finally hold a celebration for their reunion.
Scrapping up the remaining resources left in the Monastery, the festivities could commence. Everyone gathered in the Dining Hall, chatting amongst one another enjoying food and (somewhat) fine wine. Hilda wandered around the room, drink in hand, from one group to another. Though Hilda had seen many of her old classmates over these past five years, mostly for diplomatic reasons, she was still interested in seeing how everyone had aged.
There was one person amongst the others in the room that caught Hilda’s eyes— Lysithea, she had grown to be taller than Hilda, even without the heels the young woman now wore. Another thing was her looks— her hair had grown longer, she has begun wearing makeup, and all her features had grown more intense with age.
Lysithea had matured into quite a fine woman, and Hilda tried to turn her eyes away from her, but her short dress clung in all the right places, giving away just enough to cause Hilda’s mind to wander.
Hilda remembered when Lysithea used to get frustrated in Hilda’s beauty lessons, but it seems that Lysithea had finally taken those lessons to heart. Hilda also remembered how her heart would skip a beat each time Lysithea smiled at her, but she never imagined actually being attracted to Lysithea. Hilda had always told Lysithea that men would be falling at her feet if she followed her lessons, but instead of men falling at Lysithea’s feet, Hilda was the one that wanted to fall to Lysithea’s feet and cater to her every need.
Maybe it was the liquid courage in Hilda’s hand, but she couldn’t help but saunter over to Lysithea who was chatting with Lorenz.
“Look who decided to join us,” Lorenz said as Hilda drew close to the pair.
“Look who didn’t cower back to his father supporting the Empire,” Hilda stated with a smirk, causing Lysithea to almost choke on her drink as she held back a laugh. Lorenz scoffed, turning his back and walking away, leaving Hilda alone with Lysithea.
Hilda nervously took a sip of her drink, her eyes meeting with Lysithea’s for a second before Lysithea looked down at the drink in her hand.
“So… you’re still using the same floral oil I gave you before the war.”
“I mean it’s a new bottle, but it still smells delightful, I saw no reason to change it. I see that your outward appearance is immaculate as ever.” Lysithea said with a smile.
Hilda could feel her heart skip a beat, just like she remembered. She tried her best to search for what to say next, but all she could seem to get out was, “I could say the same about you.”
“Well, it is all thanks to your help.” Lysithea flashed Hilda another small smile before taking a sip of her drink.
Hilda’s mind seemed to halt to a stop. She had never felt this nervous talking to anyone before, but something about Lysithea gave her a feeling that she hadn’t felt before. She was nervous, but Lysithea’s voice was like a lullaby, and her beauty was radiant, she couldn’t help but smile— “I think I could use a bit of fresh air.”
“I’ll join you,” Lysithea took a step toward the door Hilda was already heading towards.
“There is no need for that,” Hilda said, quickly turning around to try and stop Lysithea.
“I insist,” Lysithea stated as she walked around Hilda and out the door, leaving Hilda dazed in a cloud of her fragrance. Hilda quickly gained her composure and followed Lysithea outside, taking a deep breath before going through the door. Lysithea leaned against the wall near the door and Hilda moved to the other side of her to lean against the wall as well.
“So, do you want to tell me why you are having problems talking to me?” Lysithea asked bluntly, as Hilda’s back hit the wall.
Hilda coughed, the unexpected question with the force of the wall took all the wind out of her lungs. “I’m afraid I don’t know what you mean.”
Lysithea rolled her eyes at the obvious lie. “Hilda, you aren’t fooling anyone. You have always been very… talkative.”
“I don’t know if that’s an insult or a compliment.”
“Well, I quite enjoy your conversation, but what I’m getting at is that you can barely hold a conversation with me. You normally go on and on about makeup and all the new ‘trends’ around Fódlan. So what’s changed?”
“You,” Hilda coughed out under her breath.
“What did you say?”
“Nothing.”
“Hilda, just tell me,” Lysithea crossed her arms in annoyance.
“Fine. You— You have changed. You’re taller than me, you wear makeup, your clothes are divine - you’re beautiful!” Hilda couldn’t help but blurt out the thoughts that had been picking at her brain all night.
“I know. I did it to impress you.”
“Wait, what?” Hilda couldn’t help but jump in surprise.
“Well, you spent most of our time giving me all these tips about how to make myself more mature, more attractive— like you— and I followed your advice. Hilda, I have always thought you were beautiful— I never denied that. I just hoped that one day you to view me the same way I view you.”
“And, how exactly do you view me?” Hilda asked, filled with curiosity and a warmth from Lysithea’s heartfelt words.
“Do you really want to know?”
“Yes,” Hilda reassured.
“I have always viewed you as attractive and unobtainable.”
“Unobtainable?” Hilda questioned Lysithea’s choice of words.
“Are you really that oblivious? Hilda, I like you. I have since the moment I saw you.” Lysithea explained, making sure to put her feelings out clearly.
“Oh.” This was the only thing Hilda could get out, she froze. Lysithea had just admitted her feelings and all Hilda did was freeze. Her brain processed the thought of Lysithea having a crush on her all this time.
While Hilda had only recently thought about Lysithea in this way, she couldn’t deny that she felt things about Lysithea that she couldn’t fully explain yet, but she wanted to explore these feelings with Lysithea— if she would have her.
While Hilda was processing her thought Lysithea took a deep breath, turning to go back inside, believing that Hilda truly would never share her feelings.
Hilda reached out and grabbed Lysithea’s wrist. “Wait!”
Lysithea turned around, shock conveyed on her face.
“I like you too!” Hilda couldn’t explain her feeling fully yet, but she knew the words she spoke were true. Hilda’s face became flush at the reality of what she had just done, admitting her feelings to someone that felt the same way— it was exhilarating.
“You do?” Lysithea questioned, her face still full of shock.
“I do!” Hilda exclaimed, moving her hands to the Lysithea’s face, raising herself up on her toes to place a gentle kiss upon the woman’s lips.
Lysithea smiled raising her hands to hold Hilda’s in her own and Hilda’s heart once again skipped a beat. “Then let's make it through this war— together,” Lysithea said squeezing Hilda’s hands affectionately.
“Together,” Hilda agreed with a smile as Lysithea leaned in till their lips meet again in a lock of mutual passion. The pair then spent the rest of their reunion outside, chatting and sharing kisses.