Hecate and Pippa practically sprinted back to the castle after their morning training on the great lake that lay on the academy grounds. The conditions had been wet and wild, not entirely what they had hoped for. However come rain, come shine, their performance was tomorrow and they had only just managed to finish the full routine. But for now a hot shower was in order so they bundled their way into the changing rooms and into the shower room. The shower room consisted of eight separate cubicles, each one had a curtain which pulled across for privacy.
Soon the room was filled with the steam from showers, which only remained hot temporarily, despite every heating spell the girls could remember, and the sound of Pippa singing songs that Hecate didn't really know the lyrics to but tentatively joined in at the chorus anyways, Pippa made her feel brave like that.
As the water became tepid, the luke warm, then eventually just cold and the tiles were graced with pools of muddy coloured lake water and flecks of green grass from their sprint back, Hecate could see Pippa's feet underneath the cubicle walls, She cursed herself for looking and hugged her arms around her gangly body, desperately trying to will those thoughts of Pippa, of her best friend away. She never for one second considered the possibility that she herself was being watched. To Hecate's secret dismay Pippa turned to leave her cubicle after switching the water off, she thought she should do the same, not wanting to be late to her afternoon classes so she switched off the water and turned to get her towel. When she turned she saw the figure of someone behind the curtain, the material blurred the specifics but it was someone with warmer skin than her own and blonde hair, shorter than her, and with a sprightly frame. Pippa Pentangle. She was stood facing Hecate, only the curtain separating them, staring at each other up and down. Finally, breath shaky and hand even shakier, Hecate reached out and took hold of the curtain, she pulled it back slowly to reveal her naked friend behind it. Friend? Surely this meant they were something more?
Pippa looked at Hecate for a silent confirmation which she received by way of a shy nod, she quickly stepped into the cubicle and pulled the curtain closed again. Hecate couldn't look anywhere other than Pippa's face, she wanted to, but she couldn't.
'Hey Hiccup' said Pippa after a while
'Pippa', Hecate spoke softly and quietly, not wanting to taint the moment with pointless words or delay the inevitable.
Pippa's hand lingered on her friend's pale cheek before cupping her chin and drawing her in, planting a kiss nervously on her lips, it was strange; she'd never seen Pippa nervous before. The two parted immediately and again Pippa, characteristically, was the first to speak but her words came out meekly.
'Sorry, I shouldn't have-'
Hecate cut her off, 'No'; she stumbled forward finding the strength for both of them and kissed Pippa, right on the lips. She closed her eyes as their lips met. It was like the most explosive magic, having Pippa's lips around her own and in that moment nothing else seemed to matter other than that they were locked in each other's kiss. Each unwilling to be the first one to pull away. It was beautiful. They eventually broke the kiss, only for air, they stood for a minute in each other's arms, and despite all the shame and guilt Hecate had once felt, she knew that this was so right, so real, skin on skin.
Eventually Pippa pressed one last kiss on to Hecate's collar bone, 'See you in a while my Hiccup', she smiled and left the cubicle, holding on to Hecate's hand as she walked as far as both their arms would extend before letting it drop. Hecate was left standing alone in the shower cubicle unsure of whether she was crying or whether it was just water from her wet hair that was now dripping down her face. She slid down the tiles on the wall and sat on the cold, wet floor. Her mind was racing, playing over Pippa's words, 'my Hiccup', she couldn't articulate it yet, but the feelings she was experienced on that day which had terrified and thrilled her in equal measure would continue to burn inside her long after she made the decision to bolt, for another thirty years until their next encounter.