Archive of Our Own ^beta

“Hey, cutie!” Gilda swallowed her nerves with the cheerful cry, gift heavy behind her back. She thanked her foresight to ask Nel for waterproof wrapping. “Feeling good today?”

Maritte grinned up at her from the enchanted bench, where green flowers sprouted to follow her touch. The flame of Gilda's heart spread to her cheeks.

The sun itself could never hold a candle to your warmth...

“Yeah, today's lovely! Would you like to sit with me?”

Her chest buzzed as she gazed down into expectant eyes, as welcoming as the sky and bright as a bonfire. Could Maritte hear the way her heart hammered, see its rhythm in her neck?

With a swift nod, she ducked her head, pulled the present into view. Maritte's eyes widened slightly. Their fingers brushed as she accepted it, and it was all Gilda could do to not drop the thing in shock.

“That's very sweet of you. Can I open it now?”

“Please do!” rushed from her lips before she could think. As if her face weren't red enough already. “I-If you want to, I mean.”

The air chimed as Maritte giggled, or perhaps it simply glowed brighter. Gilda feared her heart might just stop at the bliss on Maritte's face. The wrapping was dealt with quickly, and floated across the ground in a carefree dance.

Relief halted the lightning in her veins as her paramour smiled down at the box. She had poured every shred of her affection into that cake, the tangy boysenberry swirl the perfect complement to the sweetness of white chocolate. While the heart shape meant many things for them both, Gilda hoped that it was enough to convey her meaning, that Maritte could sense what she felt.

As she regarded it, she chortled, then her eyes snapped to Gilda's. “Do you have a fork?”

The flame on her face no longer held her anxious little hope, but proclaimed her embarrassment. Had she not already seen it happen, she almost wished for the ground to swallow her up.

How did I forget the fork ?! I was just so excited that I zipped right over!

“N-no, sorry...” Her arms returned behind her back as her foot trailed remorsefully through the grass.

So I can't see her reaction to it? I'm such a fool !

“Say, Gilda.”

Her head rocketed up to meet her eye once more. The last of her hope held tight to her tongue.

“Would you join me in the great hall?”

A sigh rushed out of her hard enough to guide the wind, and as her hand glided down her hair, a nervous chuckle followed suit. “It would be my pleasure.”

And once again, Maritte has saved the day!

“Do you wanna skate with me? You wouldn't believe how fast I can go!”

Confusion clouded Maritte's features for a moment, before they relaxed, eyes glittering like stars. “I'd love to! Lately there's been no time to try new things, so it'll make a nice change of pace.”

Three weeks later, after much preparation, Gilda marched her through the woods.

Remarkably clear skies framed the crisp air. Fortune assumed the form of a frozen lake, polished ice thicker than their boots. Gilda dropped onto a snow-covered log, skates bound to her feet in a flash. As Maritte perched at her side, fumbled with her own, Gilda dropped to her knees before her. The attention on her work mingled with her magic, exciting and comforting all at once, as she tied her skates for her. Triumphant hands curled at her hips as she admired her handiwork.

“You look great in those!”

Maritte smiled as she pulled Gilda back onto her feet, lurched unsteadily onto her own. Hands matching the flame of her feelings tightened in hers for support. “Thank you. Now, how do we do this?”

“Just relax and follow my lead.”

Fingers locked, Gilda guided her movements with hushed tones and light tugs, confidently stepped backwards onto the ice. Maritte followed her forward, tension lessening each time she stopped going nowhere. With enough gentle coaxing, she was finally able to let go of Gilda and glide about on her own.

Now the fun truly starts!

“Watch this!”

Gilda darted ahead, and a brief crackle sent her flying. She leaned into the speed, carved tracks beneath her through arcs and spins, twirled around Maritte in a few different poses. Giggling sprinkled the air with bliss, spurred her to try ever more daring tricks.

Out of nowhere, a rock clipped her skate. With a yelp, Gilda tumbled, summoned lightning to keep her aloft. Static crackled as it formed a net between her face and the ice. Whilst it shielded her from the damage the ground offered, it did nothing for her speed. Wobbling arms spread wide as an anxious foot dipped through the haze. The instant her toe touched the ground, inertia seized her, spun her around until she grew dizzy. A fluffy wall painfully caught her torso as she came to an abrupt halt.

Head spinning, she groaned, clutched at it instinctively. Whatever she had landed on was warm and solid. As her gaze regained its focus, she gasped, scrambled off of Maritte. Worry forced embarrassment into a pit of nothingness as she offered her hand. “Are you okay?!”

Maritte herself groaned faintly, accepted her aid. When she was on her feet, she dusted herself down, seemed thankfully unharmed. Gilda released a breath that had trapped itself unknowingly in her lungs.

“I'm fine. What about you?”

Serious eyes burned into her heart, and only now did Gilda feel her cheeks flush. She patted herself down, winced slightly at the blossoming bruise, but offered a heartfelt smile regardless. “I've had plenty worse! I should've paid more attention.”

I only wanted to impress you...

Maritte straightened Gilda's headband. Adrenaline gave was to a light sting as her fingers found a tiny cut at her eyebrow. Pale lips pursed as Maritte concentrated, then the pain had vanished in the blink of an eye.

Giddy delight fuddled her mind and overshadowed the dizziness as her arms wrapped snugly around her frame. The scent of ash tickled her nose as it burrowed into her collar. “Maritte, your first healing spell! I'm so proud of you!”

A damp hand clung to her cheek until it slid down her neck. Shivers wracked her body at the icy touch. Misty breath clammy at her ear, Maritte leaned in to return her embrace. “I'm glad you're safe.”

Gilda could only smile as she savoured the tender warmth.

“You know, I'm glad we did this.”

Steam drifted lazily from the mug between blue mittens. Gilda blinked, soaked in the sight of Maritte's features bathed in firelight, eyes aglow with a single colour as they returned the siren's call.

“The last time I camped out was when I first came to Ikenfell. Before that, it was Saf's first summer vacation. So it's been a few years since I last went camping properly.”

Gilda set her mug down, shuffled to bask in her friend's warmth. She followed suit, her own gaze on Maritte's mug as well, as though it bared the universe for them.

After a few minutes, her head landed lightly on her shoulder. From its tilt, she could just make out a star above dark treetops. Maritte shifted to accommodate her, a sturdy arm around her waist. Had they not kept a brisk pace all day, Gilda's heart would have begun to race, but with the comfortable chill of the night, it was too peaceful to cause a fuss.

“To be honest, I didn't expect you to say yes. You've been so close with everyone, and you seemed happy last I saw, so I suppose I thought you didn't need me.”

Maritte tightened her grip, and with it, Gilda's breath caught. Long hair fell into her face as Maritte rested her cheek atop her crown; heat dusted her own.

A quiet sigh, then a welcoming hum. “Who said I don't need you? I know we haven't been able to spend much time together lately, and if you hadn't asked when you did, I would have brought you here myself!”

The rise of her eyebrow shifted the hair from her face, allowed her to see the dark outline of Maritte's adorable nose. “Really?”

Maritte's soothing voice thrummed against her ear as she confirmed her decision. Try as she might, she couldn't listen forever. Heavy eyelids dragged her down, and as she began to slump, her friend's words slowed pleasantly. She felt herself drop, but a soft mass caught her fall. Zips interrupted Maritte's tone, before she was enveloped in fluff, where a firm heat guided her head to join it. That heat slid down her cheek for but a moment before sleep claimed her.

“Hey, Maritte?” The wind itself seemed to sway with Gilda, forearms pleasant where they folded in the groove of her back. “I was wondering, since we learned how to share our magic, would you like to experiment with it?”

Maritte glanced up from the table, pen in hand. A pensive expression twisted her features. “What did you have in mind?”

“Care to try your hand at making clouds? It's pretty basic stuff, but I feel like my new powers will help!”

A light hum filled the air, Maritte's subsequent grin bright enough to light up the sky. “Let's do it!”

Wind sailed about her as Gilda surged into the sky, fist raised in triumph. Sparks flew in an arc around her like a new dawn. Maritte's laughter tinkled around them, tinged with heat that struck Gilda's heart like lightning. She floated down gracefully, leg raised behind her as a ballerina might, pirouetted for good measure, then hovered above the ground before her. At this height, if only Maritte returned her affections, they could share a perfect kiss.

Maritte drew closer, mismatched eyes sparkling as they always did upon finding something new, and Gilda held her pose as her breath refused to leave her throat. She paced around her slowly, arms folded behind her back in a gorgeous mirror of her usual style, then stopped before her with all the command of a born leader. A tuft of fringe tickled her forehead as she leaned in. Gilda's lids shut quickly, unable to face the excitement. Like when they went camping, a hand guided an errant curl behind her ear, lingered hot on her cheek.

A warm nose bumped hers, followed by a giggle. Maritte drew away as Gilda's brows furrowed, sharp eyes wide with shock. “Wh-what?”

“Sorry.” Maritte's grin stretched unrivalled as her brightest feature. “You're a fun height right now. Saf and I used to do that when we were kids, if we wanted to settle an argument, or were about to undertake something neither of us had tried before. Think of it as a bit of good luck!”

A quiver ran through Gilda's lip before it finally stretched into something familiar. Magic crackled over her skin as her intensity reached its peak.

“Are you looking to make this a challenge?”

Laughter cascaded from her lips like a waterfall as Maritte shook her head, hair barely moving at her neck. “If we're supposed to cooperate here, then no, I'm not. But maybe I'll duel you again some other time – if I enjoy today.”

“I won't let you down,” Gilda promised solemnly.

In a heartbeat, she snatched her hand, urged her to run alongside her. The wind bit at her cheeks and ears, fringe tickling her brow as her headband threatened to fall. A pleasant burn coursed through her limbs as they beelined for the labs.

Maritte leaned against the doorframe, one hand on her knee as she caught her breath. A gorgeous pink accented her hair where it spread across her cheeks. “Why did... we have to run?”

“Aren't you impatient to try it out?”

Her heart faltered as she realised she may have gone too far, but as Maritte straightened and pulled her hair into a ponytail, her usual confidence framed her face in its stead. She took Gilda's hand gently, gestured to the room with her free arm. “Well you're not wrong. Now, what do we need?”

Gilda hoped the sweat forming below her wrist would not be too off-putting as she guided Maritte to a cupboard. From it, she gathered a conical flask, a stand, and an empty vial. She handed the latter to her friend as she set up the equipment. “Could you fill that up from the tap over there, please?”

“Sure! It's not the first time I've used this place.”

As Maritte strode to the taps, Gilda gazed adoringly at her through the flask. Her image was distorted, arms longer than they were and ears much larger, and Gilda couldn't help but giggle. It bubbled up uncontrollably as Maritte half-turned, her smirk curled up the sides of her eyes in the reflection. Gilda dabbed the tears from her own as she tried to rein it in.

“Sorry! I wish you could see yourself through this thing!”

Maritte hunched over, crouched until she peered up at her through the glass. A light snort blew her hair from her face. “You don't look too bad yourself. Now,”she lithely approached, bicep warm where it brushed her sleeve, “walk me through it.”

Drawn from their magic like a fish on a line, all the hues of fairy floss, a dense mist began to form between them. Orange at first, streaked through with rays of sunshine and cherry, the cloud coalesced into a vivid pink. Mesmerised, Maritte reached into it, where spindly strands clung to her fingers. As a young child, she had expected clouds to feel like this, soft fur or a feathery pillow, but the result still came as a surprise. Foggy days came for Fall and twilight alike. All it ever was was damp, heavy air, she knew, and yet...

“How are we doing this?”

Gilda scooped a fluffy pile from the core, juggled wisps between her fingers as her heart reignited. A pirouette shaped the wisps into a ribbon around her. As a spark of her power rippled along it, the pink deepened, her dress its only rival. It followed her fingertip as she scrawled symbols in the air. At its peak, it gathered in the form of a heart, complete with a lightning shimmer.

A glance to Maritte set her cheeks ablaze, where keen eyes scrutinised her handiwork. Gilda flourished for good measure, focused on the thrum beneath her skin to calm down, a stark parallel to the jitters Maritte's smile brought.

“With our powers, of course! It's easier to do with a friend though.”

Her pulse thundered in her throat as Maritte idled behind her. She pressed against her back, breath a call to arms along her neck, to study the heart closer. Gilda directed a lightning bolt at the far corner of the room, unwilling to lose the moment to nerves.

“Something caught your eye, cutie?” she ventured, voice pitched. Anything to steady herself.

Maritte's palm brushed her bicep as she reached for the cloud. A bonfire crackled pleasantly as she touched the heart, closer to a mattress now. Shivers crawled down her spine.

“I'm still so new to this whole magic thing that this still feels incredible. It's so... happy. Is this what the Summerstone felt like to all of you?”

Gilda spread her fingers wide, braved resting her arm against Maritte's as she stretched towards the glass. “Yeah, it was just like this.”

Maritte tucked herself against her side. “So... it was made from love as well as pain?”

A thoughtful hum reverberated in her chest as her mind raced to answer. “It makes sense, right? How else could it be so... fulfilling?”

Long hair tickled her neck again. Maritte's gaze zipped along her skin, a smirk no doubt on plush lips. Gilda's heart could rival her own speed in battle as it beat fiercely in her chest.

“Any particular reason why you shaped it that way?”

Gilda jumped away from the probing, an airy laugh high in her throat. “Is it so bad to like cute shapes? Your sister turned everything into hearts too!” 

A purr rumbled in Maritte's throat, and her arm looped around her for the first time in awhile. “That's true.”

Every time I think I can't fall deeper in love...

They quietly regarded their work as Gilda relished the touch, lost themselves to the sensation. When had she last felt so comfortable?

“This one looks cute too.”

“Gilda, I couldn't.” Despite her protests, Maritte smiled openly, a lovely green looped over her arm.

Gilda continued to rummage. Hangers noisily scraped the racks, a cacophony almost sweet in its enthusiasm. “Hurry up and try it on!”

With a tsk of amusement, Maritte returned to the stall. Satisfied with her finds, Gilda caressed a short pink number that hung from her wrist, clutched the sunshine and sky-coloured dresses to her chest. As Maritte slid the curtain back, a gasp fell from Gilda's lips.

“You. Look. Stunning! I wasn't sure it would work, but that green suits you well. And the fit? It's perfect!”

Her heart zipped in her chest, skipped several beats, as a gorgeous blush dusted Maritte's cheeks. She swept her flowing sleeve experimentally, where residual heat left a shimmer in its wake. It cascaded past her wrist with the same elegance as her hair. A layer of sheer floated over her hips , accentuated by purposeful steps.

“Since you look that good in a long dress, should I put these back?”

Pink cheeks darkened to a pale red, her hair whipped around her with the furious shake of her head. That green-clad arm reached welcomingly forward. “No, I'll try them.”

Gilda's cheeks burned as she closed the distance, lay the clothes atop her palm. Only the butterflies in her stomach kept her fingers from closing around it. What would Maritte think?

Her arms dropped to her side, swayed idly in time with her hips. She spared her flashiest grin as she willed her eyes to follow suit. “Take your time, cutie!”

Maritte's confidence bolstered as the curtain screeched behind her .

Shelves lined with vibrant or sparkling clothes barely distracted her as she waited. Perhaps she could still find a dress for herself, if she looked long enough. Silks, cottons and velvet tickled her hand as she trailed it along the shelves, but her mind continued to conjure visions of Maritte's new clothes.

She spun around the second the curtain screeched once more. Maritte turned a slow circle, hands clasped over the bow at her stomach, blush just as dark as before. Gilda drank in the sight of her with more enthusiasm than strictly necessary.

“Wow! You look great in everything, don't you?”

Laughter with all the force of a whirlwind answered her. With a grin and a wink, she had vanished from view. Gilda clutched her chest to keep her heart from beating out of it.

Am I seeing things? Did she really just wink at me? Does that mean... I have a chance?!

Braver at the notion, she rested against the wall, hands on her hips. Bliss fuelled her voice as she called to her. “If there's anything you want, will you let me pay for you?”

Maritte's adorable head popped out from the curtain first, soon followed by her usual attire. “Only if you're sure. I wouldn't want to put you out.”

“Of course I'm sure!” Lightning crackled between her fingers. “Now, hand it over – whichever one you want!”

Her friend peeled the short one away from the pile. Gilda's brows rose, but she dutifully seized the chance, skipped to the counter to pay. A pleasant burn warmed her cheeks as she opened her purse.

“Hey, Maritte?” Gilda's legs dangled from the bench, idly swung as though blown by the breeze. Stars in her eyes shone even brighter than those overhead. “Do you know the significance of this place?”

Maritte nodded solemnly, where an inkling of Gilda's intentions coiled hopefully around her heart. “Rook once mentioned it was a romantic place. So, would I be right to assume that...” A gentle smile warmed her face as she rested her cheek on Gilda's shoulder. “You'd like to go on a date?”

From where she lay, Gilda's face could rival her magic, a furnace of thoughts. Her pulse thundered nearby, rapid and strong, visible in bursts of beautiful sparks around her chest. She trembled slightly, gulped hard to collect herself. When she finally spoke, her voice held an air of uncertainty, overshadowed by unshakeable hope.

“S-so does that mean... you will??”

Warm laughter bubbled through her, and she braved throwing an arm around her back. Gilda cuddled close, rested her cheek atop her crown, a nervous smile lost to soft hair.

“Yes. I'd love to try.”

Pink lightning crackled around them, danced around their feet, but by now, Maritte was used to the sound. For the entire time she had known her, Gilda had never been able to keep her excitement in check. If anything, it was reassuring to have a constant, a true measure of her mood.

Voice subdued, words were murmured into her hair. “Thank you, Maritte. I promise I won't waste this chance!”

Overcome with courage, Maritte entwined their fingers, cheeks tingling as she felt a similar flare wash over Gilda's. Her friend all but melted at her side, smile pressed into her hair. The action made her heart skip a beat, and as she held her tighter, she knew that she'd made the right decision.

I'm really glad I fell for you too.