#hapihardt

“Linny, are you sure we should be wasting time down here when there’s a war being fought right now?”

“Oh, this is hardly a waste of time.”

Hapi pursed her lips as she continued following Linhardt down a narrow passage, somewhere in the deep, unexplored depths of Abyss. They were currently searching for a book that Saint Timotheos left behind, with hopes that it would contain some clue as to how to deal with Hapi’s monster summoning problem. That was great and all for her, but she still felt slightly guilty spending time on a personal quest while there was a war going on above.

“Besides,” Linhardt continued, pausing briefly to stifle a yawn, “you’re way more important, and interesting, than the pursuit of war.”

Hapi’s face scrunched up as he spoke. She was important, huh? Just as a point of research to him, no doubt. Sure, they had also become really great friends during the time that they’ve known each other, but that was all they would ever be. And that fact made Hapi’s heart clench, because for some inexplicable reason, she had come to fall quite hard for her weird, unlikely, crest-obsessed friend.

From their first real interaction - five years ago when she had been soaked from being caught in the rain and Linhardt had made her tea while she dried off - she had always thought of him as a really odd person. He was dedicated to his own research and incredibly intelligent, but yet he was also super lazy and nonchalant when it came to subjects and activities that didn’t interest him in the slightest. Hapi, for better or worse, had been (and still was, for that matter) one of those subjects that greatly interested him.

As they spent more time together, trying to get to the bottom of how her crest was causing her sighs to summon monsters, Hapi grew to think of Linhardt as a close friend. She liked how laid back and casual he could be around her, as she was mostly used to people being wary when near her, or just outright avoiding her altogether. They spent many of their free days outside of the monastery, with Hapi lounging up in a tree while Linhardt made himself comfortable below it as they talked about his theories and research.

Sometimes, though, their topics of conversation would shift to other things, such as the many exciting happenings around the monastery, rumors and gossip that were spreading around Abyss, and just anything that they felt like talking about. She had become so comfortable around him that she even fell asleep sometimes when they were talking, and she knew that he had done the same.

When they had reunited five years after the start of the war, she was slightly worried that he might have changed in that time. However, they went right back to their comfortable conversations, as Linhardt had started out by sharing what he had been able to research during his time away from the monastery. It was then that she realized how much she had missed him, and in the weeks that followed, as they talked and enjoyed naps together and fought side-by-side on the battlefield, she slowly came to the realization that she had somehow fallen head-over-heels for him.

So hearing him call her important and not mean it in a romantic way made Hapi’s stomach drop. She bit her lip and turned her head away so that Linhardt couldn’t see the disappointed frown on her face.

“You should watch what you say, you know,” she mumbled, glancing back at him out of the corner of her eye, “Someone who isn’t already used to your weirdness might get the wrong idea.”

“Well, I’m sorry that my sincerity rubbed you the wrong way. I meant what I said, but that’s fine.” Linhardt said, shrugging as he shook his head.

Hapi rolled her eyes as Linhardt changed the subject back to her unfortunate ability. She didn’t think Linhardt had a sincere bone in his body. He was always so nonchalant about everything, why would he think differently about her, other than to satisfy his own curiosity about her crest? It seemed like a waste of time for him otherwise. She was no one special. Actually, she was less than that. She was a freak who summoned monsters with her sigh. Who in their right mind would want to be with someone like her? Her mood soured even more when Linhardt started blabbering in super scientific terms that she didn’t know.

“Blah, blah, blah,” Hapi said, waving her hand in front of her to hopefully convey her annoyance, “I don’t even understand you right now, Linny.”

“You don’t have to understand to appreciate the implications.” he said simply, and Hapi bit her lip again, this time to suppress the urge to sigh in frustration.

“Yeah, yeah. Well, you’re gonna help me understand it all, right? And make this shitty blood curse of mine go away?”

“Me? Well, I guess it should be me. It would be a waste of my efforts otherwise.”

Hapi’s heart clenched at that. Of course, he was only interested in her because of his research. Once he solved the mystery of her monster-summoning sigh, he would grow bored and leave her. It was fine; she was used to being alone by now. However, the fact that her feelings for Linhardt now ran far deeper than just mere friendship made it feel like a knife had been thrust through her chest at the very thought of him not being by her side.

“You know,” Hapi mumbled, suddenly feeling dejected, and she had to bite the inside of her cheek hard to keep herself from sighing because of it, “If you’re feeling tired, we can return to the surface for now.

“This is way more walking than I’m used to, and I’ve lost some sleep over this. But you’re way more important than…” Hapi rolled her eyes as he trailed off. Not this again. She wanted to be happy hearing those words from him, but she couldn’t be, knowing that he only said them because she was valuable to his research, and not because he was being sincere about liking her as a person.

“Oh, that’s right. You don’t like me when I’m being sincere.” Linhardt continued, and Hapi had to bite her tongue this time to suppress the long, drawn out sigh that she so desperately wanted to let loose on him.

“It’s not that I wouldn’t like you to be sincere,” she said, crossing her arms over her chest as she turned her chin up at him, “It’s that I don’t believe you’re actually being sincere in the first place.”

“Oh? Hmm…” Linhardt fell silent at that, and his brows furrowed as he stared at the ground, seeming to be deep in thought. Hapi was grateful for the silence, and they walked on with only the sound of their footsteps to listen to for a while. The silence didn’t last forever, however, as it was broken when Linhardt smacked one fist into the palm of his other hand and stopped walking.

“Aha! I’ve got it,” he said, nodding as a satisfied smile crossed his face. Hapi stopped a couple of steps in front of him and turned to look back at him with a curious eyebrow raised.

“What is it?” she asked, bracing herself for whatever weird thoughts that his brain had come up with this time.

“I’ve just figured out...the perfect way to prove my sincerity to you.” he said, and Hapi just stared at him blankly for a moment. She then rolled her eyes and turned her back on him, gritting her teeth to stifle her annoyed groan. She was starting to grow irritated with the fact that Linhardt kept bringing the subject up, as it just reminded her of her festering, unrequited feelings for him.

“Ugh, Linny, just drop it already and-” Hapi moved to turn around so that she could glare at Linhardt while chewing him out, but the rest of her grievances were reduced to a muffled squeak of surprise when she suddenly found his lips pressed against her own. He...He was kissing her? Right now. On the lips. Linhardt’s soft hands had moved to cup her face, and she was having a really hard time forming any sort of coherent thought at the moment. She was frozen in place, her eyes wide as she stared at the flawless skin of his face as he continued kissing her.

It seemed like an eternity, but it was still too soon when Linhardt broke the kiss, but his face lingered before her, close enough that their noses brushed and Hapi felt the warmth of his breath on her lips. Her face felt like it was on fire, and her heartbeat was roaring inside of her ears. Her mouth fell agape, but she was still so flabbergasted that no sound came out. Linhardt’s beautiful blue eyes scanned her face carefully, before they locked onto hers, while a mischievous smile crept over his face.

“Hmm, you still seem a bit...unconvinced,” Linhardt mused, his eyes never leaving hers as he trailed his fingers along her jawline until he had her chin held between his thumb and forefinger, “I guess it can’t be helped. I’ll just have to persuade you a bit more.” Even if Hapi had wanted to protest, she was given no time to do so as Linhardt’s lips were quick to capture hers once more. He was kissing her…again??? Hapi was even more shocked now, so much so that she was surprised that her heart hadn’t given out yet. Her arms had finally decided to move, and she lifted them with the intent of placing her shaky hands on Linhardt’s chest, and her eyes slowly slipped shut.

However, as soon as her eyes were closed, the warmth of Linhardt’s lips against hers vanished, and his hands fell from her face. Her eyes shot back open to find him yawning, and he shook his head.

“Well, if that didn’t convince you, then I’m not sure what will.” Linhardt said, shrugging as he turned and started walking down the corridor again. Hapi gawked at his retreating back for a few moments, before her eyes narrowed and she grit her teeth. He was just going to walk away without an explanation? She sure as hell wasn’t going to let that happen.

“Oh no you don’t! Get back here!” Hapi raced down the corridor after him and grabbed Linhardt by the arm, stopping him in his tracks. He turned to look back at her with a confused eyebrow raised.

“You really need to tell me what the hell that was all about, right now,” Hapi said, panting a bit as she tried to catch her breath.

“I’m not sure what you are referring to,” Linhardt said, bringing his free hand to his face as he yawned.

“You know damn well what I’m talking about! Why did you...kiss me?” Hapi said, her impatience getting the better of her as she huffed with frustration. Linhardt blinked at her a few times, before shrugging nonchalantly.

“Oh, that. Well, it’s rather obvious isn’t it? You didn’t believe that I was being sincere when I said you’re important to me, so I thought that kissing you would clear that right up.”

“Linhardt,” Hapi said, her voice deadly serious as she let go of his arm, “I...really need to know what you mean by that. Like, spell it out for me. Please.” She watched as he rubbed at his arm, his eyes avoiding meeting her own. Curiously, when he finally did look her in the eye, Hapi noticed that his cheeks were slightly pink, a stark contrast against his pale skin.

“I’ve...been thinking about the future quite a bit lately, mostly about the many things that I could do after the war,” he said, his eyes never leaving hers, “The various possibilities are endless and ever changing, but the one thing that remains constant is...you.”

“Huh?”

“During our time spent together, it seems that I have become quite enamored with you, Hapi. I simply cannot imagine a future for myself without you in it. That kind of future would be rather dull and empty, after all.” Hapi stared at him, her jaw falling agape. What the hell was he saying? That he couldn’t live without her or something? Before now, she would have never imagined those words ever coming out of his mouth, and aimed at her, of all people.

“Ugh, y-you can’t just say those things!” Hapi blurted out, her cheeks burning as she tried to contain her flustered state, with little success.

“Why? Is it because you become so flustered that you stutter and your face flushes the cutest shade of red?”

“Yes!”

Linhardt laughed at that, and Hapi pouted at him, but on the inside she was jumping for joy. She really should have expected him to pull something like this. He was a pretty weird, unconventional guy after all. Sharing their first kiss in the dark, dank depths of Abyss seemed rather fitting for the two of them.

“Well?”

“...Well what?” Hapi tilted her head at him, confused, and he sighed and rolled his eyes.

“How do you feel about me, Hapi? It hardly seems fair that I’ve confessed my feelings without hearing a response from you.” Linhardt said, and Hapi felt her cheeks heat up again as she averted her gaze to the floor.

“Er, well...I just-You see...Ugh! I feel the same way about you, alright?” Hapi said, hiding her face in her hands. Gods, this confessing of her feelings thing was way more embarrassing than she would have thought. Her face scrunched up when Linhardt chuckled, but the smile on his face afterward made Hapi’s face soften, and she ended up smiling as well.

“That wasn’t the most spirited confession, but I guess that will do.” Linhardt said, and Hapi just rolled her eyes at him, “I am a bit surprised to hear that you do feel the same, though. If I had known that, I would have told you sooner.”

“Wait, you mean that you’ve felt this way for a while now? Then why did you wait to tell me?” Hapi asked, hoping that he wouldn’t ask how long she had gone without telling him the very same thing.

“Oh, I was just waiting for the right moment, I suppose.”

“...And that moment was now, when we’re prowling around in the dirty depths of Abyss? That’s not very romantic, Linny.”

“Oh? Should I take it back then, and wait for precisely the perfect moment to do so?”

“...Nah, you’re good.” They both laughed at that, and Hapi watched as Linhardt turned and began walking ahead.

“Well, come on then. We should get moving.” he said, glancing back at her briefly before turning his attention to the path ahead. Hapi didn’t follow right away; she was still trying to figure out if this was all just an elaborate dream or not. If it was, she was going to kick her own ass when she woke up.

“What’s the matter, Hapi? Are you too tired to go on?” Linhardt’s question snapped Hapi from her thoughts, and she realized that he had walked back to where she was standing. He smiled as he reached out to caress her cheek with the back of his hand, causing her to inhale sharply.

“Or, are you perhaps hoping for another demonstration of my...methods of persuasion.”

Hapi narrowed her eyes at Linhardt as he laughed, but a sly grin quickly crossed her face. Without warning, she grabbed him by the front of his shirt and yanked him forward, her lips crashing roughly against his before he knew what hit him. His startled noise was short-lived, as he quickly recovered and eagerly returned the heated kiss. Hapi smiled against his lips, and only pulled away this time because she sadly needed to breathe in order to keep on living.

“You,” Hapi said, pausing briefly to admire the rare view of a red-faced Linhardt, “are the worst, Linny.” Linhardt blinked at her for a moment, before barking out a laugh and shrugging.

“I suppose I am,” he admitted, grinning as he took Hapi’s hand, “Come now, the secrets of Saint Timotheos won’t unravel themselves, you know.”

“Yeah, yeah.”