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Many people would say that Hilda was lazy. That wasn’t true at all, she just preferred to spend her time doing things she enjoyed rather than wasting it on chores. So it wasn’t all that uncommon for her to try and get someone else to do one of her chores, especially those that required physical labor. She needed to maintain her girlish figure after all. She almost always avoided training and she certainly wasn’t the first person anyone would go to for help. Except perhaps Marianne, though more often than not the other girl would do something by herself rather than ask anyone for help. And that was fine. Hilda appreciated that Marianne avoided giving her any extra work, but sometimes that also meant Marianne pushing herself far too hard.
People might also say that Hilda wasn’t a very good friend. A friend should be there for anything their friend needs, not just what’s easy or convenient. Of course, Hilda thought she did a perfectly good job of helping out her friends. She may not have been too keen on physical labor or tedious tasks, but if they needed someone to talk to, to help them with clothes or makeup, or just to keep them company she would be the first to offer her help. The biggest problem with only helping a friend when they asked, was the fact that Marianne hardly ever asked.
The truth was, Hilda wouldn’t mind doing a bit extra for Marianne. She’d never felt that way about anyone else, but there was something about Marianne that just begged Hilda to take care of her.
The class had just finished a brutal string of exams. The physical exams had come first and those had been a breeze for Hilda, but now that they’d finished the written exams her head felt like it was going to explode. That was certainly enough thinking for the rest of the year, right?
From where Hilda was laying her head on her desk, she could get a pretty good view of Marianne. The other girl was pretty as ever, hair neatly arranged in a crownlike braid with a few curls escaping to frame her face by her ears. Her skin was completely flawless, something Hilda greatly envied, except of course for her ever present under eye circles. It wasn’t uncommon for Marianne to have sleepless nights, though she’d never told Hilda why. Still, Hilda was pretty sure the eye bags were worse than usual.
There wouldn’t be classes for the next several days, which would give everyone ample time to rest, but the question was whether Marianne would actually rest or not. Any other day she had free time she was always in the stables or off somewhere else making herself useful, almost like she didn’t think she deserved to get any rest. Hilda frowned, that wouldn’t do. Marianne was already stunning, but imagine how pretty she could look if she was properly rested.
She leaned further onto the desk, angled clearly towards Marianne to get her attention. “Mari. Let’s have a sleepover.”
Marianne blinked back at her, stunned silent for the moment. In all honesty, Hilda was almost as surprised herself. She’d been to several sleepovers at the monastery before, but someone else was always the host, so she only had to show up and look pretty.
“We can go to dinner, then soak in the baths for a bit, and hang out in my room for the night. You don’t have to, but I’d love to have your company.” That was true enough. Hilda never got tired of being around Marianne. Pretty much everyone else would get on her nerves from time to time or just be too much trouble, but never Marianne.
It was clear from the look on Marianne’s face, the ever so subtle frown and creasing of her eyebrows, that she was worried about being a bother. She often told Hilda she was too much trouble and no matter how many times she was told otherwise, it never stuck. Still, she also wouldn’t want to disappoint Hilda. “If you don’t mind.”
“Of course not! I invited you!” Instantly revitalized, Hilda stood up, reaching out to take Marianne’s hand and head towards the door. She paused just long enough to let Marianne pick up her things, before heading toward the dining hall.
Dinner was spent in a mostly one-sided conversation. Mostly complaining, but there was so much to complain about! Those written tests had been absolutely awful. Hilda was pretty sure at least half of it had never been covered in class. Why did she need to know this stuff anyways? She might have been good at the physical exams, but that didn’t mean she liked them. It just wasn’t worth getting all sweaty. Not to mention three boys had asked her out this week - one trying three times, but none of them had interested her at all. Thankfully she’d grown immune to the pathetic looks they used to try and sway her long ago.
The entire time Marianne listened quietly. She’d occasionally smile and even once laughed. Hilda loved Marianne’s laugh. She didn’t really make any sound, but you could see it in the movement of her chest and shoulders. Hilda’s favorite part were the wrinkles that formed at the edges of her eyes, something that was never there when she gave the fake smiles she often did when she insisted she was alright.
At the bathhouse, Hilda was quick to claim one of the private rooms with the large bathtub for them. It wasn’t nearly as large as the communal bath, but she preferred the privacy and it was certainly big enough for just the two of them. She wasted no time pulling off her clothes so she could sink into the bath. The hot water felt so good on her muscles which were beginning to ache. No doubt she would be incredibly sore tomorrow.
Marianne settled into the water beside her, leaving some distance between them, while still staying close. It had taken time for her to become so comfortable around Hilda. The first few times Hilda invited her to the baths she’d outright refused. Next, she would sit on the opposite side of the tub and Hilda had to close her eyes when she got in the bath. Now though, she was comfortable enough to sit beside her. Sure she’d get embarrassed if Hilda stared at her, which only happened on occasion, usually when she was washing her hair.
Hilda couldn’t really help it. Marianne’s hair was so pretty!! And surprisingly long, far longer than one might have thought seeing her usual updo. Hilda’s hair was almost as long, but something about it just wasn’t as pretty. It was still pretty, of course, nicer than anyone else at the monastery, but just not a match for Marianne’s. Today though she wouldn’t get the opportunity to admire it as both girls had washed their hair only the day before.
The pair soaked for a while in comfortable silence, before finally starting to wash up. Once everywhere she could reach was clean, Hilda turned to Marianne, giving her the puppy-eyed look that always got her anything she wanted. “Mari, can you wash my back for me? My arms are too stiff from the practical tests today.” That wasn’t a total lie, they were stiff, just not stiff enough that she couldn’t reach her own back.
Marianne giggled softly, taking the washcloth from Hilda. She never said no. How could she when Hilda looked so cute? Hilda returned the favor, then the girls were climbing out of the bath to dry and dress.
Back in her room and in her pajamas, Hilda lay on her bed, clutching her pillow to her chest and wondering what they should do next. She hadn’t really thought it through this far. She should have considered that while they soaked in the baths, but she’d been too busy paying attention to Marianne. Just thinking about how pretty she was, how much she enjoyed talking with her, and the times they’d spent together in the past.
At sleepovers with Dorothea and Annette they would often do each other’s hair and makeup, but Hilda was pretty sure Marianne wouldn’t want to put on makeup only to have to take it off in a few hours before they went to bed. She could probably braid her hair, but what would they do after that?
Hilda considered it for a moment before it came to her. Skincare! It was similar to doing her makeup, but it wouldn’t need to be taken off in the end. Plus she could ask Marianne about her skincare routine.
“Mari~~ Can I braid your hair? We can pin it up tonight and in the morning your hair will be wavy!”
Marianne considered for a moment. “I’ll just put it up again in the morning.”
“You could wear it down for a little while, right? Just for me. We don’t have classes.” Hilda sat up to look at Marianne, lip sticking out in a slight pout. The look always got her whatever she wanted. She supposed she should feel a bit guilty for manipulating Marianne this way, but it was completely harmless. Convincing Marianne to do something she was unsure of was one thing, but she’d never force her to do anything she really didn’t want to.
Marianne looked away quickly, cheeks heating up. She knew exactly what Hilda was doing and she loved it. Hilda would pout to get her way with others, but this look, far more honest, was reserved for her alone. “Okay. I can wear it to breakfast at least.”
“Yay!” Hilda cast the pillow she’d been holding aside before pulling Marianne into a hug. “You’re the best Mari.”
After considering for a moment, Hilda gave Marianne a pillow to sit on on the floor, while Hilda would sit on the bed. Marianne was nine centimeters taller than Hilda, so doing her hair while they were both on the bed would have made it more difficult to see, not to mention more work for her arms. She carefully removed the pins for Marianne’s hair, feeling around to make sure she didn’t leave any behind.
Marianne’s hair was already somewhat wavy, but not evenly. The braids that went over her head like a crown had much tighter waves than the rest, which were only very loosely wavy. Once all the pins were removed, she ran her fingers through her hair, removing any tangles she found. Next, she took her brush and worked her way from the tips of Marianne’s hair to the crown.
“Your hair is so soft!! I’m rather jealous.” She was only half joking.
“I’m sure yours is soft too, Hilda.”
“Maybe so, but not as nice as yours.”
Hilda’s fingers in her hair felt like heaven, especially when her nails scratched her scalp. Marianne almost wished they could stay like this forever.
Hilda was gentle as she separated Marianne’s hair into sections and began to braid it, more so than she usually was. It wasn’t that she wasn’t usually gentle on purpose, she was just rather strong and often forgot to be careful. Thankfully she hadn’t ever broken anything too important, though that was partially due to always getting someone else to handle the delicate tasks. It was also just so much extra work to be careful, but it was worth it for Marianne.
Once Marianne’s hair was in six even braids, Hilda pinned them to her head, much like the braid crown she wore during the day, though not nearly as neat. Satisfied that they would stay in place, she ran her fingers over Marianne’s hair, checking to be sure no pins were sticking out enough to be uncomfortable when she slept.
“I know you don’t usually do as much skincare as me at night, but could I do yours tonight?” Hilda had never actually done anyone's skincare, but if it meant getting to spoil Marianne she was more than willing to try.
“What does that entail?” Marianne’s lips turned down in a nervous frown. She wasn’t opposed to the idea, but she’d seen Hilda go through her own nighttime routine often enough to know it could be a very long process.
“First you take off any makeup. Then you apply a few products to keep your skin moisturized and help with any imperfections. Not that you’ll need that. Your skin is already perfect. I’ll do mine along with you.”
Marianne was quite sure her skin was not perfect. The huge bags under her eyes were the biggest blemish. “And you’ll put everything on my face?”
“Mhm. Only if you don’t mind, though.”
Marianne couldn’t quite see why Hilda would want to do that for her, but if it would make her happy it was worth putting up with. “Okay.” The grin Hilda gave her already made it worth it.
“Great! I’ll take off my makeup. You aren’t wearing any are you?”
Marianne shook her head. She’d never really worn makeup, except a few times back home when one of the servants did it for her on a special occasion. She didn’t have the patience for it, nor the time since she often woke for class with little time to spare.
Despite how Hilda had made it seem, she was just as beautiful without her makeup. Yes, you could see the texture of her skin, a bit of redness around her nose, and a pimple on her forehead, but none of that took away from how beautiful she was. It was all perfectly natural. Her bone structure was still lovely and her lips, though a bit smaller, looked as soft as ever.
“I already put on toner, so I’ll do you next.”
Hilda’s words brought Marianne out of her daze. She’d been staring, but thankfully Hilda hadn’t seemed to notice. The cloth Hilda pressed to her face was cool and damp. She ran it over Marianne’s face, then set the cloth aside.
“Next is moisturizer.” Hilda took a blob of the cream, and spread it on the tips of her fingers, before reaching out to place her hands on Marianne’s cheeks. She massaged the cream in gentle circles. The gentle touch was heavenly and a bit of disappointment settled into Marianne’s chest when she pulled her hands away. Hilda spread the same cream over her face, though far less carefully.
“I don’t really use this in the summer, but I know you can have dry skin from time to time. So I’ll use a facial oil on you for some extra moisture.”
Marianne wasn’t sure why she needed something else for moisture. Hadn’t the moisturizer handled that? Still, she wasn’t going to turn down an excuse for Hilda’s hands to be on her face again.
Hilda massaged the oil into Marianne’s skin just as gently. Her skin felt so soft under her fingers, smoother than any person's face had a right to be. She took her time, far more than she did on herself, tracing each of Marianne’s features. Her hands trailed over the edges of her thin, cute lips, the contours of her cheeks, up her jaw, over her cheeks and nose.
“Hilda?”
It took Hilda a moment to come back to her senses and realize she had been staring. She had done so well until now! The whole time they were in the bath she had managed to resist, but being face to face like this and so close was just too much. “Sorry, Mari. You’re just so cute I got distracted.”
“I’m hardly cute enough to look at for long.”
“Of course you are!” Hilda pouted, taking Marianne’s face in her hands. “You’re the prettiest person in the whole monastery. Yes, even prettier than me!” Even Hilda hadn’t expected the last part, but she knew it was true. Marianne was the prettiest person she’d ever seen, the only one to ever really catch Hilda’s attention.
Oh. Hilda’s cheeks heated as she realized the deeper meaning behind her words. Marianne just looked back at her, wide-eyed. Unable to bear the attention anymore, Hilda looked off to the side, though her hands didn’t fall from Marianne’s face.
In for a penny in for a pound.
“I really mean it, Mari. You’re the only person that’s ever really caught my eye. Sure there have been plenty of other people I found attractive, but you’re the only one who took my breath away.” It was so embarrassing to say, but it was true. “Not to mention it's just so easy to spend time with you. I never get tired of your presence.” She paused, taking a deep breath and burying her face in her hands. This was too much. Surely Marianne was uncomfortable by now, but when Hilda looked up Marianne was still looking at her, her own cheeks a vibrant red.
“Hilda….”
“I guess what I’m trying to say… and I just figured this out myself… so you can definitely say no or take some time to think on it… but I like you a lot. As more than friends.” Hilda’s hands, now in her lap, held onto the hem of her nightgown with an iron grip. Now she’d done it. She’d ruined everything. What sort of idiot tells someone they love them mere moments after realizing it themselves?
“You mean it? Really? Someone like me…”
Those last three words were enough to change Hilda’s mood entirely. Marianne wasn’t worried about what she’d said, no, she was worried that she wasn’t worthy of such feelings. “Of course, I mean it, Mari! And yes, someone like you. Someone sweet, kind, gentle, and supportive. I know you don’t believe in yourself, so it’s probably hard to understand how I can think so much of you, but if you give me the chance I’ll do my best to show you.” Hilda had to fight back the urge to look away. The emotion behind the words was just too much, but Marianne needed to see how serious she was.
Marianne watched her for a few moments before her eyes fell to her lap. The wait for her to speak felt like forever. “Okay.”
“Okay?”
“You can show me.”
All the tension in Hilda’s body melted away at those words and she lunged forward to pull Marianne into a hug. The other girl squeaked in surprise but returned the embrace shyly. When Hilda pulled away, she took Marianne’s hands in her own. “So, that makes you my girlfriend now right?” The title felt perfect on her lips.
“Yes.” Marianne couldn’t believe it. Hilda was her girlfriend. It had to be a dream, but Hilda’s firm grip on her hands told her otherwise.
Hilda couldn’t stop grinning. She couldn’t wait to tell the others. Would Marianne want the others to know? That was a question for later. Now that the nervous moment had passed, the work from the day finally caught up with her. Her limbs felt heavy and she could barely keep her eyes open. Any further details would have to wait until morning. “We can talk about it tomorrow. Let’s just go to bed for now.”
Marianne nodded. Her smile was only the slightest upturn of her lips, but to Hilda, it was brighter than the sun. “Can I be the little spoon?”
“So forward, Mari~~.” Hilda was only teasing of course. That was how they usually slept when they spent the night together, either that or they lay facing each other if the weather was just too hot. She climbed off the bed to put everything away, going around the room to blow out all of the candles except for the one by the head of her bed, which she blew out only once she was in bed.
Somewhat awkwardly thanks to the darkness, they settled into bed. Hilda draped her arm over Marianne’s waist, pulling her as close as possible. They had done this before, but tonight it just felt even more special. “Night Mari.”
Marianne placed one of her hands over Hilda’s, holding them both to her chest. “Good night, Hilda.”