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Lillie turned around, for the seventh time in five minutes. Her shoulders rose, the deep breaths she was undoubtedly making being clearly visible even from behind.
"That's it… I'm really going now…" Lillie said again. Selene took in a breath of her own, realising just what it was Lillie wanted.
"Lillie," she said, a slight firmness to her voice surprising the both of them. Lillie turned back, her expression losing what little determination it had mustered.
"Yes, Selene?" she asked, stepping slightly closer.
"Why do you want to go back to your mother?" Selene asks, making up most of the distance herself.
"It's… she's my mother, Selene…" Lillie said. It sounded far less confident than the first three times she said it.
"But is that what you want, Lils?" Selene asked. Lillie stepped back slightly, and Selene hesitated, just for a moment.
"…Selene… I… she's my mother…" she said. Selene considered herself, before looking into Lillie's eyes and seeing the conflict deep within them.
"And look at what she's done for you. A lifetime of constantly second-guessing your every move isn't made up for by a single dance in the rain," Selene said, stepping forward and running a hand along Lillie's arm. Lillie shivered, but didn't pull away.
"Selene… whenever you touch me like that… I feel this… warmth in my chest…" Lillie said, looking up with a mix of nerves and curiosity. Selene smiled, nodding.
"I feel the same way about you. Is it a good feeling?" Selene asked. Lillie nodded, and Selene pulled her in closer. Lillie gasped slightly, but Selene merely affirmed her grip.
"Selene…" she murmured, her cheeks flushing red as her gaze dropped down.
"There comes a time when a child is ready to want things for herself rather than relying on her mother. My mother let me out into the world for my Island Challenge now. And you're older than I was when she made that call. Lillie… I've loved travelling around Alola with you. And… if you want to be a Pokemon Trainer… I'd love to join you, the way you joined me," Selene said. Lillie's mouth fell open, her breathing speeding up as her mind began to race with the possibilities raised by the offer.
"Me… you're the strongest girl on this entire archipelago! You have so many options for what you want to do once you finish your Trials…" Lillie said, her eyes wide. Selene reached up, taking a hold of Lillie's chin.
"I want this one," she said simply. Lillie felt tears welling up in her eyes, choking back a weak protest.
"I know it's been hard for you. Your mother never wanted you for who you were, Kukui and Burnet never understood you, and Nebby never listened to you. You deserve better. I want you to want better. And I'll do my best to be better," Selene told her, her fingers tracing Lillie's chin. Lillie looked down, a choked sob coming out.
"Burnet took me in… She's…" Lillie started. Selene nodded, running her hand down Lillie's hair.
"I know… she meant well. I'm not judging her. But… there's a reason you want to be like me, isn't there…?" Selene asked. Lillie nodded.
"You… you're so strong… and… and pretty…" she said. Selene giggled, turning red herself. She turned away, and Lillie took the chance to step back.
"Selene… Oh, why not?" Lillie said, lunging back forward. Rather than drawing herself into a hug, she seized Selene's face, drawing it forward, before kissing her squarely on the lips. Selene's eyes widened, but before Lillie could lose her nerve, Selene took her head in her hands and started holding her in place, returning the kiss.
"Se… Selene…" Lillie mumbled, and Selene let her out of the kiss. The two of them paused for breath, Lillie nursing her lips slightly.
"Sorry… I just… I read a lot about it, and… I thought it was what we were building up to…" Lillie mumbled vaguely.
"It was," Selene said. She brushed her hand against Lillie's face, and Lillie didn't draw back this time.
"Girlfriends?" she asked.
"Girlfriends," Selene said, nodding firmly. She stepped back, before letting Nebby out of its Poke Ball. Nebby stepped closer to Lillie, and her eyes widened softly.
"I'll keep Nebby for now, teach it how to battle and control its power… but once you've got some experience with your own Pokemon, he's yours. Or perhaps 'ours' is the right word…?" Selene asked. Lillie let in a small gasp, as Nebby nuzzled underneath her palm. He'd never done that as a Cosmog…
"You'd… but there's no way I can handle being a Trainer to a Legendary Pokemon!" Lillie exclaimed. Selene chuckled.
"You remember when me and Delphine first met, back when she was a Popplio?" Selene asked, picking up her Primarina's Poke Ball and tossing it up idly. Lillie nodded, remembering Selene's somewhat clumsy first moments trying to figure out where exactly she ought to touch her.
"That was my first time touching a Pokemon… ever. Even the family Meowth stayed with Mum most of the time. Do you really think I'm more capable of handling a Legendary Pokemon?" Selene asked.
"But that's… that's different. Tapu Koko recognised you…" Lillie stammered. Selene shook her head.
"Tapu Koko recognised a silly little girl that ran out onto a rickety bridge to help a pretty girl," she explained, pausing to smirk as Lillie blushed at being called pretty. "It might've been more interested in Nebby, anyway," she added to the end. Lillie had no argument to that one.
"…You… you thought I was pretty… the whole time?" Lillie asked. Selene blushed, brushing a hair out of her face.
"Well… yeah. Alolans look out for one another, but I'd hardly plunge into the Aether Paradise for just anybody…" she said. As Lillie's thoughts drifted back to how her mother treated her as a child, the fresh memory of Selene hugging her here and now pushed that memory back down.
Her path was clear.