Title: dance lessons
Rating: G
Fandom: Fire Emblem Three Houses
Relationship: Annette Fantine Dominic/Lysithea von Ordelia
Wordcount: 855
Short summary: Annette has lost some confidence so Lysithea hopes dancing will help.
Over the past few days Lysithea noticed that Annette was putting on a brave face during the council meetings, but when the others weren’t around her smile was missing and her singing had stopped. With a few clues from Caspar and the others, Lysithea soon figured out that Annette had lost confidence in herself as a good leader and teacher. As much as Lysithea wanted to help Annette, she needed an idea that wasn’t magic or studying or baking, because Annette would just say that Lysithea was better. Now who could she consult…oh, there was Hilda!
“What’s up, Lysithea?” Hilda asked as Lysithea caught her attention. “You usually don’t approach me.”
Lysithea sighed. “Annette seems down on herself. Hilda, what do you think I should do to help with her confidence?”
Hilda bit her lip. “Maybe have her help you with something you aren’t good at?”
“Like what?” Lysithea went over in her head things that Annette liked to do that she was no good at. “Singing?” It was the first thing that came to mind.
“No, you aren’t that bad at…” Hilda perked up suddenly. “How about dancing? And you could do it together!”
“I’m not really interested in…” Lysithea paused, her cheeks reddening as she processed the rest of Hilda’s suggestion. Dancing together would mean standing close to each other and Annette putting her hands on…
Hilda laughed. “Have fun and thank me later!”
After Hilda left and Lysithea’s face returned to normal, Lysithea sought out Annette, finding her cleaning her room. On the way over she had brainstormed ways to convince Annette to spend some of her time dancing, considering there was no upcoming ball to look forward to and neither were training for the dancer class…
“Lysithea! Sorry for the mess…” Annette greeted with a sheepish smile.
“It’s fine.” Besides a few books on the floor, there wasn’t that much of a mess. Not compared to some people’s rooms, anyway. Lysithea carefully stepped over one of the books on the floor, placed there temporarily as Annette had been dusting her shelves. “I was hoping you could help me with something.”
“Help?” Annette seemed surprised.
“Well, um, the professor said I should do some dance practice.” Lysithea was internally sweating as she made up this lie. Well it wasn’t completely a lie, but not something the professor had said recently, so it was more like a fib. “They said it would help my stamina, speed, dexterity, and… So teach me how to dance.”
“Me?” Annette shook her head. “I’m not as good as Dorothea or…”
“But you’re the one I want to dance with,” Lysithea said, her cheeks reddening. “Because you’re my f-“
“Of course!” Annette quickly picked up her books and dropped them on her bed. “I’d love to.” She then grabbed Lysithea’s hand. “Oh, maybe some music…”
“You can just hum or sing,” Lysithea suggested quietly, hiding her face as her blush deepened. “I like your voice.”
“O-okay!” Annette sounded embarrassed but pleased. “Stand still and I’ll get you into position first and…”
The intimacy of Annette putting her hands on Lysithea’s shoulder and waist made Lysithea tense up initially, but just from the shock of the touch. She matched Annette’s concerned face with a smile, encouraging Annette to continue, even if her heart was beating fast. She knew Hilda knew about her feelings for Annette, but it didn’t mean this was all fun for Lysithea, and yet… When Annette finally started guiding her, sweeping her up into this world of small steps and shared smiles, when a turn failed and Lysithea ended up on top of Annette clumsily and their noses touched and Lysithea’s lips were so close to Annette’s… Did she have the confidence to…?
Annette laughed nervously. “Sorry about that! I—”
Lysithea stopped Annette’s words with her mouth. It wasn’t the best timing or the right moment, but it had been enough beating around the bush. She liked Annette so much, and she just needed Annette to know and stop apologizing.
Lysithea was about to pull away when she felt Annette tug on her body with the hand still on her waist and the other hand moving up into her hair. Lysithea felt all of Annette in this kiss: physically, emotionally, spiritually. When they had to break apart for air it felt like a bond had formed, even if their lips and their bodies separated for a moment. Without speaking Lysithea and Annette both got back on their feet and shared a smile.
“Shall we continue?” Annette might have said, or Lysithea might have imagined those words said aloud in Annette’s sweet voice. Either way they continued to dance forgetting time and place, rhyme and space. Although this was supposed to be a thing to raise Annette’s confidence, Lysithea was glad she finally trusted in her own self as well. It seemed like anytime she helped Annette with something she always learned something from Annette too.
Well, she would have to thank Hilda later, but for now Lysithea was content to just revel in the moment, dancing with Annette to the beat of their joined hearts.