Delightfully taking a spoon full of her peach sorbet Marianne can't help the happy feelings that spring up inside her as she enjoys one of her favorite meals.
Turning towards her left she had hoped to share in her enjoyment with the person sitting with her.
Instead, Hilda who many would consider being Marianne's best friend. Had a look of annoyance across her face. Curious as to what could be troubling her friend she tries to grab her attention.
"Umm… Hi- Hilda?"
Hilda's stare morphs into a pout and under her breath, Marianne believed she may have heard the words. "Stupid songstress."
"Wh-what? Songstress?
Instead of confirming what she heard Hilda continued to ignore her and was now mindlessly picking at her sorbet. Eyes still looking far away.
Seeing as Hilda wasn't going to give her an answer directly Marianne instead looks to see what's gotten Hilda's attention.
Following her line of sight leads Marianne across the hall where sure enough sat the golden deer's newest recruit Dorothea Arnault and she was sitting with Professor Byleth.
Glancing back to her friend Marianne tries once more to get Hilda's. "Umm Hilda has Dorthea done something to upset you?"
That seemed to finally snap Hilda from her trance."Hmm, what?" Turning and seeing that it was Marianne. "Oh uh… nope!" With a tilt of her head, she smiles at her classmate. "Geez Marianne, what gave you a crazy idea like that?"
"Um..." Marianne's eyes darted between her friend and where Dorothea and their professor sat.
"Well." Nervously Marianne rubs her hands together. "You haven't touched your peach sorbet and you've just been staring at Dorothea."
Dame. Have I really been that zeroed in on them?
Not wanting to lie to her friend but also trying to keep some things to herself Hilda decides to share a few half-truths.
letting out a sigh of frustration she leans back into her chair. "The thing is… well you know how the Professor's been tutoring me after classes right?"
Marianne nods her head.
Sending a glare towards the other side of the room Hilda elaborates.
"Well ever since Dorthea transferred to our class it seems like all the professor's free time has been devoted to her!
After all this time why did she have to show up when I finally figured out I like him.
"Ugh, it's so frustrating!" To emphasize her feelings Hilda drops her head onto the table.
Before adding her two cents Marianne can't help but give out a small giggle at her best friend's antics.
"Well, maybe the professor is just trying to help her better adapt to our class. I'm sure it's probably daunting for her to make a switch like this."
As quick as lighting Hilda sits straight up and looks at her friend. "Oh come on Marianne don't be so naive!"
At Hilda's outburst, Marianne shrinks in on herself. "I mean it's like they've been glued together! Choir practice, sharing tea, even when out on missions there side by side!"
"If this was her first week in our class I'd understand but it's been like this for a whole month."
Hilda points across the room. "I mean just look, she's practically sitting on his lap."
Marianne takes her eyes off Hilda to glance over to their professor and Dorothea. While what Hilda said was an over exaggeration in regards to Dorothea sitting on their teacher's lap. Marianne couldn't deny she was sitting awfully close to Professor Byleth.
Staring back at her friend Marianne did find it strange how heated and impassioned her normally lazy and aloof friend was acting when it came to this.
"I-is our Professor spending time with Dorothea that much of a problem?"
"Of course-"
"It is if you have a crush on him."
Not expecting anyone to insert themselves into the conversation, both girls jump and quickly spin to see who it was.
Hilda, unfortunately, had an idea of just who it was.
Oh no please not him.
Nonchalantly leaning on the wall behind them was none other than their house leader Claude Von Reagan staring at them with mirth in his eyes and a smirk etched across his face.
Crush…was it that obvious!?
"C-crush?!" Marianne's face turns a shade of red as she frantically begins looking back and forth between her best friend and the professor.
Hating that cocky look on his face Hilda crosses her arms. "Please Claude, didn't anyone tell you not to go and spread baseless rumors?"
Claude raises a brow "Baseless huh?"
Shrugging his shoulders Claude decides to play his hand. "Well in that case I guess you won't mind our dear Professor taking more of his time to help Dorothea practice a dance routine."
"Dance routine?!" Marianne and Hilda's confusing repeat in unison.
Shaking off her confusion the pink-haired girl urges the house leader to clarify his statement. "Claude, what are you talking about?"
Feigning shock Claude places a hand over his mouth. "Ms.Goneril don't tell me you've forgotten that The White Heron Cup is next week."
At this reminder Hilda pails.
"Yeah the Professor didn't have to but he felt like asking me for a second opinion, and after some debate, we believed that our newest deer would be the perfect candidate."
Turning Claude glances across the room, the Professor and Dorothea were still chatting away. "Yep, sooner or later he'll ask her to represent us at the cup."
That last part of Claude's news fell on deaf ears as Hilda was processing her thoughts.
This is terrible! I've hardly been able to spend any time with him and if he chooses that…that temptress for the white heron cup then I'll completely be left in the dust.
Hating the feeling of helplessness Hilda clenches her as fire burns from deep within.
No… No! I'm Hilda Valentine Goneril dammit and I won't lose! Dorothea, you may have your eyes on him but unfortunately for you girl, the professor belongs to me!
Snapping out of her thoughts Hilda shoots straight up from her seat.
"Claude. Marianne. Sorry but I have to go, see you guys tomorrow."
Her peach sorbet is all but forgotten as Hilda leaves the dining hall and heads to her dorm.
Concerned for her friend Marianne can't help but voice her worry. "Is she going to be ok?"
Chuckling to himself as he sees his pink-haired classmate leave Claude does his best to assure the timid healer. "Don't you worry Marianne our Hilda is just finally starting to take some responsibility for herself."
The next day.
Since accepting the position of professor, Byleth had experienced many strange and new feelings. A recurring source of these new emotions was one student, in particular, that had caught his eye on many different occasions and for many different reasons and it seemed like this student again would give him a new feeling.
Hilda, his lazy, beautiful Hilda had just volunteered to do something that requires effort and to his knowledge on her own accord with no prodding whatsoever.
To say that he was shocked would be an understatement.
"Hey Professor, what's with that look!"
Shaking away his initial shock, Byleth had to make sure he heard her right. "I'm sorry Hilda I don't think I heard right, You want to be our representative for the white heron cup."
"Of course. Why the look of surprise professor?"
"Oh well… you do realize this requires you to do things like dance don't you, can you dance?"
Feigning hurt Hilda clenches her heart and turns away. "Professor, you don't believe in me. You're soooo mean."
"Sorry sorry I didn't mean anything like that I'm just curious why the sudden interest is all?"
Appreciating how quickly he tries to make her feel better she turns toward him smiling. "You should be sorry, after all, I'm a delicate flower."
Remembering that he asked her a question She quickly changes gears and moves to enact her plan. "Oh but anyways, Claude informed me that you were going to let Dorothea take the position, and the idea of her doing it just kept bothering me."
Tilting his head Byleth cant help but wonder why something like this would effect his lazy student. "It did?"
Of course, I don't want to share my Byleth time with her.
"Ahem." Clearing her throat she sets her mind back on track. "Yes, well you see professor if Dorothea competes then the other houses are just going to assume that you recruited her to win the cup. But if I enter the challenge. Then there won't be an asterisk on our victory when I win seeing as I'm a homegrown golden deer." To emphasize her point she flips her hair over her shoulder and proudly flexes one of her arms.
With her pitch done Blythe takes a moment to consider her words. While it was true that if he chose Dorothea then their victory would undoubtedly be assured. However, if he chose Hilda then that meant he could spend time with her and, he may not know why but he enjoyed spending time with her, she made him feel…good?
Quickly he tries his best to suppress these giddy feelings to better conduct his business. If Hilda was going to be the house's dancer he had to make sure she'd commit to the work that went into it.
"…Okay you'll represent us."
Letting out a loud shout of victory Hilda rushes to Byleth's side pressing herself into him in a great big hug.
"Yes! Thank you, professor, you won't regret this!"
Trying to shake these strange warm feelings caused by her close proximity Byleth clears his throat. "Yes, well I should hope not because Hilda if I think you're not giving me your all during our practice, I'll switch you out…got it?"
His threat only causes the lazy girl to roll her eyes and the smile on her face to widen. "Yeah, yeah, Professor, I hear you."
Locking her arm in between his Hilda starts dragging him into the courtyard to begin practicing. "Geez Professor, you really make a girl work for what she wants, you know?"
"Huh, what was that Hilda?"
Trying to contain her giddiness Hilda quickly changes the topic. "I said maybe if we finish practice early we can go to the dining hall and share some peach sorbet."