I should warn that this story will contain some spoilers, so be aware of spoiler alerts. When I played and finished Atelier Firis (with the DLC added), I couldn't help but be inspired by Heintz's ending. I was annoyed that the end part was cut off when it looked Firis was about to confess. So I took that and made this one-shot, because I really wanna ship those two.
The Confession
A faint and distant howl cried at the night sky once the rays from the sun had vanished on the horizon. Firis was ready to wrap up another day of travelling and collecting materials. She wasn't alone though, she had Liane, Ilmeria and Shanon. But it wasn't all girls either, the boys were around as well. Oskar, along with Levy, Kald and Heintz were with them too, but at another part of the big area.
The area in question was one of the campfires at Travelers Grove where they had chosen as to place down the portable atelier that was gifted to Firis by Sophie, an alchemist she looked up to the moment she learnt about it back in Ertona. Sophie couldn't be with Firis as she was away on a date with a guy she had been seeing who goes by the of Martin and Plactha was at Risenberg with the city's Mayor on important business that wasn't relevant to the group.
Since meeting Firis and Liane, Heintz had began to develop a new kind of feeling that he hadn't felt before, a sense of fondness was growing, as if he was beginning to wonder whether Firis would like him as much as he began to like her. This however did not go unnoticed by the others. Liane was the first to notice Heintz being friendly to Firis a little more in recent times.
Tonight however, Liane had formed a clever idea into her head in order to try and get Firis and Heintz to say thier feelings, but away from everyone else.
"Alright, here it goes." Liane said to herself.
Firis was sitting by the campfire with Ilmeria when Liane came by.
"Firis, can I have a private talk?" Liane asked her.
Firis looked up. "Sure, Lia. What about?"
"Well, it's kind of personal, I'd like to speak in private."
Firis looked at Ilmeria who nodded. "Go on, Firis. The marshmallows aren't done yet."
Responding with a smile, Firis and Liane left and went inside the atelier tent. Granted, it was still a shock to see how huge it was on the inside, almost like a small cottage, but that was what made the atelier itself magical in its own way. No one pondered how it was made, it was something that Firis planned to ask Sophie about another time.
"We can talk here, Lia." Firis said.
"Thanks." Liane replied. "I've been curious about something for a while now."
"It is to do with me?"
"Yeah." She debated to choose her words carefully, but then thought of saying it right out. "Is there someone you like?"
Firis was almost taken back. "Who I like...well, I like all my friends."
"I know that. I meant as in thinking of someone you really like, maybe a boy?"
"Oh! Well umm..."
"It's okay, Firis. You can tell me anything. After all, we're sisters." Even though we're not blood-related.
Firis grew a smile. "Yeah...umm, there is someone I like."
"I had a feeling you did. So who is the lucky guy?"
She blushed. "Well...it's Heintz."
"Ah, that's interesting. Have you two hanged out together?"
"Yeah, we once went on a monster quest in a forest not far from here and when it was all quiet, I began to think of a few things about him."
"That's perfectly normal, sis." Liane was smiling, her plan was on a roll. "Did you tell him?"
"I tried to, but..."
*Flashback*
"Heintz...I...I...I li-"
*GRAWR*
"Oh crap! Watch out, Firis!"
*End Of Flashback*
"We got attacked again and I didn't get a chance to finish my sentence."
"I see." Liane said. "Well, I would like to help you out."
"Lia...you've done so much for me..."
"I know, which is why I'm going to give you a little push."
"A push, how?"
"Just leave it to your big sister."
"Okay."
There was a knock on the door.
"Hey, you two, marshmallows are ready!" Ilmeria called.
The two girls left the Atelier and joined by the campfire with toasted marshmallows impaled on wooden sticks.
"They look nicely done." Liane said. "This was a good idea, Shanon."
Shanon who had her knight helmet off began going all shy. "Oh...th-thank you."
"Seems that she's just as shy as I am." Kald said.
"We can all be shy from time to time." Heintz added. "Even I act like it sometimes."
Firis looked at Heintz and this made her blush a little.
After a few minutes with enjoying toasted marshmallows, there was a distant growl which got Heintz's attention.
"Hm? What is the matter?" Levy asked.
"I sense an incoming monster from the bushes over there." Heintz answered before getting up. "And I'm gonna put a stop to it."
"Oh my! B-b-be careful." Shanon lightly warned.
As Heintz dashed off, Firis couldn't help but worry. So after a pat on the shoulder by Liane, she got up and followed him, leaving everyone wondering why she was going.
"Wait, Firis!" Levy called. "My wonderful burgers are almost done!"
"You and your burgers..." Ilmeria muttered.
But Firis was already far away from earshot as she rushed onwards to catch up to Heintz.
"Don't worry, everyone." Liane assured. "I have great confidence they'll be back."
"Ugh! This monster is strong, I didn't see this coming." Heintz groaned.
*GROWL*
"But I'm only getting started, bring it on!"
*GROWL*
Heintz sidestepped to avoid the attack, the monster in question was a wolf with an unusual spiked tail.
"This would be easier if I could distract it."
Then as if luck would have it, the monster was blasted a step back by a shot of magic.
"Where did that come from?"
"Heintz!" Firis called as she turned up with her staff at the ready.
"Firis!"
*GROWL*
"No time to explain, let's defeat this monster together."
"O-okay."
Finding a dose of confidence, Heintz rushed alongside Firis and the two got ready to attack in unison.
*GROWL*
The pair struck first and heavily wounded the monster.
"Alright, time to finish this!" Heintz exclaimed as he swooped in to deliver the finishing blow.
*GROWL*
The monster roared before falling to its side.
"We did it!" Firis exclaimed before she hugged Heintz tightly. "We won!"
"Woah! Firis!" Heintz was surprised by her sudden affection. "You're kinda...holding me tight."
"Oh, sorry...it's just that." She gulped. "I was worried for you."
"You were?"
Firis began blushing. "Y-yeah...because...I like you!"
"Wait...you like me?"
Is this what Lia meant by giving me a push? "Y-yes...umm...d-do you like me?"
Heintz was a little surprised to see this happening, he thought back to when Firis was interrupted the other day and he began putting two and two together.
"Ohhh...well, I haven't learnt a lot about stuff like that."
Firis's blushing was gradually increasing, but she didn't want to lose this chance again. "That's okay, I can help you."
"Yeah, if you really want to, then I guess we can make it work."
"Yeah!" Firis smiled and not thinking of her actions, she took Heintz's hand and lightly squeezed it. "Can we go back now?"
"Okay, but umm..."
"Together?" They both said in unison.
The two of them laughed before walking back to the group.
What they didn't notice was that Liane was watching behind a large tree and had seen it all, a big smile was on her face.
"That's my sister. Good on you, Firis." She said quietly and proudly.
Walking back to the camp, the others had been waiting for a while.
"About time you two got back." Ilmeria. "Huh? What the?"
"Oh." Shanon added. "You two are holding hands?"
"Y-yeah." Firis answered, blushing all the while.
"You seem to be alright as well, I assume you took care of the monster?" Levy asked.
"Yep, we beat it together." Heintz responded.
"Hm, where did Liane go?" Kald asked.
"I'm right here." Liane showed up by the Atelier tent.
"Anyways, shall we call it a night?" Firis asked.
The others were in agreement as most of them got into thier own smaller tents whilst Liane went inside the Atelier tent.
Firis and Heintz were the only two left standing outside, the two were shy, but they were confident enough to wrap up into a close hug with smiles. Firis has had many adventures, but this was a new chapter in her ongoing mysterious journey. She now had someone to share it with on a level that could one day make them...a couple.
THE END
And there we go, it wasn't anything over the top or dramatic, just a nice and interesting one shot which I enjoy doing from time to time. :)
Oh and I've never tried toasted marshmallows before, I wonder what they're like.