#// come bernadetta........... let us skip class together!!!!!!!!!!!!

[pridelessdaydreamer]

She hadn’t meant to scare her on purpose—though, Lin was also aware that sometimes it was part of the course. Mage didn’t exactly make a habit of making herself known before entering or exiting locations (mostly for the ease of leaving, if desired), and to one who’d been successfully avoiding human interaction for who knew how long, perhaps Bernadetta had simply forgotten to keep her ears open?

Or she just startled easily; it could be either or. (Or both.)

All the same, Linhardt is… “‘A sneaky garden snake, but fluffier.’” (So Bernadetta had described.) “Huh,” is all they reply with. A moment passes to ponder what was said.

Then, a nod. If she means my hair, then green isn’t an uncommon color for a snake, even if it’s typically not this precise shade. At the least, it would certainly elaborate what she meant by ‘fluffier.’ “I see.” Moving on:

“Anyways, I’m not going to tell the professors or anything—since nothing bad has happened to you, I don’t see why I should.” Stepping forth to squat down next to the plants, they look over the collection Bernadetta has been caring for, noting each of the various species and their types. “I’m not exactly fond of going to class either, or talking to others all too much.”

(A gentle poke at one of the safer plants.) “I must say, I never expected you to be a gardener though.” A closer look is granted to the closer ones, checking for signs of good care or poor health. “From the looks of it, you’ve done a good job too.”

Then the boy stands up, then finding a spot against the wall and laying against it. With a stretch, he continues: “Don’t mind me though. I’m just here for a nap.”

[ 𝐟𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝 ] : sender has just found the receiver who's been missing for weeks.

“Hello again, Bernadetta.” (Though they do not smile, there is a hint of amusement in their voice.) “I imagine your sudden disappearance was on purpose?”

Lin wouldn’t be surprised if so—with how often Bernadetta took to her lonesome, it was only a matter of time until she vanished without a word. (Or maybe there was a word—just not to the masses of Garreg Mach.)

Of course, it also could’ve been that she was kidnapped and just recently rescued. Linhardt wouldn’t know.

“So, how was your time in perfect isolation?” he continues, hardly taking a moment to pause. “Find any new hobbies? Sculpting, perhaps?”

* for you i would.

i'm learning to become all the space i need.

"more water for you, less water for you—a cute little bug for you, and a sprinkle of fertilizer for your neighbor! wow, that stuff's stinky. almost as stinky as that owen dart guy." and bernadetta gets professor dark's name wrong on purpose just because, a jolly little hmph and hum in tow as she tends to her plant children. so caught up in herself she is that linhardt's presence sneaks up on her like an afternoon shadow.

"eep! lin, li-linhardt!" she sputters, watering pail fumbling in her hands; it jostles between her grasp a few times before she finally catches ahold of it, both arms crushing the tool to her chest with a heavy slosh. bernadetta spins around to him with puffed cheeks and a tiny stomp of her foot.

"bernie almost had a heart attack! how are you so quiet, huh? like a sneaky garden snake, but fluffier!" all huffed without any real bite—if anything she's more embarrassed that he might have overheard her gibberish.

come to think of it, though, linhardt is probably the first person she's really had to speak to in... how many skipped lectures was it now? probably longer than what was socially acceptable. simmering down some, bernadetta sets down the watering pail and fiddles with her thumbs behind her back, swaying in place while avoiding his gaze.

"well, um," she starts, miles gentler and with a tinge of shame, "yes? uh-oh, you're not here to tell me our professors are upset, are you? and instead of new hobbies, it's more like bernie's been hiding with old ones..."

like gardening, an arm meekly gestures. "... but you found me, so now what?"

[crackimagines]

Megumi Sakura as a Professor AU (Time-Skip)

Geez, ya’ll are evil, you know that?

—–

School-Live! AU Masterlist Here

“Five years have passed since Garreg Mach had been invaded.

So much has happened since then. 

The Church of Seiros, Holy Kingdom of Faerghus and the Adrestian Empire have delcared war on each other, meaning that a majority of our students have become people we have to fight.

And k

Megumi’s hand stopped when realized what she was about to write.

(Megumi) “…And kill.”

(Megumi) …Killing the children…

Her students were no longer children, but the fact remained that they had to harm people she cared so much for.

Megumi couldn’t bring herself to finish the journal. 

She had dusted it off after leaving five years ago. She was amazed it was still here after all this time. Though it seemed a little pointless now since she couldn’t even write in it.

With a sigh, Megumi closed her journal and set it back onto the table, cleaning up her desk a little.

Megumi looked off to the window where she had put the new flowers in. 

The ones the Black Eagles class had given here had obviously wilted away, and felt appropriate to replace them to help her feel at ease.

Though truth be told, no amount of redecorating would make everything feel the same. A majority of the Monastery was in ruins with debris from the battle everywhere, and only now were soldiers trying to clean up some of the blood that was splattered here and there.

She remembered the battle like it was yesterday, trying to evacuate as many of the students as she could before making her escape with the rest of the church forces.

Megumi was willing to die for the students if it meant saving them, but luckily it had never come to that.

When Imperial forces isolated her in the monastery, they were planning to keep her prisoner until they realized that she wasn’t a combat instructor, and Edelgard personally came to speak to Megumi.

(Edelgard) “Megune-…Professor Sakura. Thank goodness you aren’t hurt. Men, release her immediately.”

The soldiers let go of her arms and nodded.

Megumi knew the rest of the class was with her, but it seemed Edelgard and Hubert were the only ones who knew she was still here.

(Hubert) “Worry not, we do not plan to kill you…Unless you cause trouble for us, of course.”

(Edelgard) “Bluntly put but…not inaccurate. I would never want it to come to that. Professor Sakura, I can only give you this advice, stay out of this war. This is not an order but…a request from your student. Please.”

Megumi had done a very good job of that, helping out any wounded in the Church. She was never on the frontlines, nor did she think she ever could.

The idea of killing someone was sickening to her, and she refused to even think about hurting her former students.

She only returned to the Monastery because of a promise she made five years ago. The classes and their professors wanted to return in five years for the festival to have a big class reunion. 

They originally made the offer to Byleth, but Megumi was quickly dragged into the discussion, alongside Manuela and Hanneman.

Even though she knew the state of the Monastery, she wanted to keep that promise.

And she was glad she did, because Byleth was still alive after all that time.

A knock on her door brought Megumi back to the present, and she turned to the door.

(Megumi) “Come in!”

When the door opened, she involuntarily jumped seeing Byleth come in. She wasn’t used to his green hair back then, and she certainly wasn’t used to it now.

(Byleth) “Hey, Megumi.”

They both smiled at each other, and Byleth sat down on her bed as she turned around in the chair.

(Megumi) “What do you need, Byleth?”

(Byleth) “I’m just checking up on you.”

(Megumi) “M-Me?”

(Byleth) “It’s good to see you again after all these years but…where have you been?”

(Megumi) “I mostly stayed in Church and Kingdom territory helping out any churches or medical facilities as much as I could.”

(Byleth) “Were you able to find any of our old students?”

Megumi stayed silent for a moment. She had wished to see Mercedes or Manuela or anyone, frankly, but…

(Megumi) “No there���There wasn’t anyone I recognized.”

(Byleth) “I see.”

(Megumi) “Ah, but I’m happy to see you all now! If it meant waiting five years to see everyone healthy then it was well worth the wait-”

(Byleth) “You don’t have to pretend you’re okay with me, Megumi.”

Megumi’s smile slowly went away as she stared at the floor.

(Byleth) “These last five years, you’ve been all by yourself?”

(Megumi) “…Yes.”

Her voice had become quiet all of a sudden.

(Byleth) “And now you’re caught up in this mess too…”

(Megumi) “I…I can’t leave any of our students behind, Byleth. M-Maybe you can convince them to join us! That way we don’t have to hurt them and-”

She looked up from the ground and at Byleth, and saw the face of someone just as broken as she was.

(Byleth) “I want nothing more than to go back to those days, Megumi, but…”

(Megumi) “It’s impossible, I know…”

She looked back at the ground, her vison going blurry.

Byleth noticed that she was shaking now.

(Megumi) “The students, they didn’t deserve this fate…!”

(Byleth) “Megumi…”

Her fists started to curl up as teardrops landed on them.

(Megumi) “Why…? Why do we have to hurt our students?! WHY DO WE HAVE TO KILL THEM?! WHY COULDN’T WE HAVE JUST BEEN ALL TOGETHER?!-”

She wanted to scream more, but her words turned incomprehensible as she started bawling. 

Byleth hugged her as she continued sobbing. Although the way he was holding her was very awkward, he still tried his best to comfort her.

Five years worth of emotional pain was finally being released, and Megumi finally had someone to be there for her, just as she was there for her students.

Deep down she knew how she was hurting was only the beginning.

Now that Byleth was back, the war had truly begun.

And that meant that the students she loved were going to die one way or another.

Blue Lions

Megumi would’ve been absolutely heartbroken seeing how Dimitri was. How someone so caring and sweet turned into such a bloodthirsty person.

When she first tried approaching him, Dimitri cursed at her, saying that she was a pest.

Like Byleth, she desperately wanted to say something to snap him out of it, but nothing was working.

Although hope of seeing the Dimitri she knew would come back was fading, she still persisted.

When he finally did return to his old self, she was sobbing tears of joy. She cried harder when Dimitri came to apologize to her.

As for the rest of the Blue Lions, she was devastated when the news of Dedue was brought to her, but had the same reaction when Dedue finally found his way back to the group.

She was so proud of the others for the people they’ve matured into, and was happy to lend an ear to anyone who came to her.

Of course, the former Blue Lions class still referred to her as Megunee.

Golden Deer

Megumi was thankful that mostly everyone was kept intact despite such dire circumstances.

When Claude started making snarky remarks as the two waited for everyone else to arrive, including Byleth, she hugged him, needing to hear that her students weren’t affected by the war.

By the time everyone had come back, she was thankful to see them all again. Obviously they had troubles and everything wasn’t perfect, but the fact they all matured and stayed together was the only thing she asked for.

Of course, the former Golden Deer class still referred to her as Megunee.

Black Eagles

Against her better judgement and what Edelgard warned her, she wanted to stay with the Black Eagles class when they returned to Garreg Mach and occupied it.

With the Adrestian Empire essentially fighting everyone, Megumi knew that this path was going to be very bloody and that no happy ending would be rearing its head.

Manuela, Hanneman, Catherine, Shamir, Seteth, everyone she worked with and called dear friends were going to be siding with the Church, which meant against them.

She couldn’t bear to face any of them, knowing they’d call her a traitor. At least that’s what she thought, none of them ever got close to Megumi again, since they were mostly killed at the second battle of Garreg Mach.

Since she had stayed at Garreg Mach, Megumi decided to be something of an emotional counselor for the Black Eagles Strike Force.

Dorothea, Linhardt, and Bernadetta frequented her the most.

Of course, the former Black Eagles class still referred to her as Megunee.

[pokemagines]

thorns. (dimitri x reader)

@akumas-stuff: “can i request some after the time skip dimitri angst from an s/o that went the black eagles route ?? 💕”

a/n: this rlly isn’t dimitri x reader/byleth it’s more uhhh unrequited love dimi x reader/byleth and implied el x reader/byleth.... felt like giving a lil more introspection into that scene at the end of the crimson flower route. h*ck yeah its sad hours boys !!!! --mod touko

SPOILERS FOR THE CRIMSON FLOWER ROUTE !!!!

tw: violence

   the rain pours down on the battlefield, chilling you to the bone. conditions are miserable, with some of your most elite soldiers having to retreat in order to lead away the ambush by the beasts that had suddenly appeared on the battlefield. the sword of the creator strikes true even despite the conditions, cutting through anything that happened to be in its path, determined to see dimitri one last time.

   (later, hubert would confide in you that one of those said demonic beasts was actually your old friend dedue. it stung thinking of how loyal he was, up until the bitter end.)

   you hear edelgard’s shouts as she pushes through the fray, following you towards dimitri. her heavy armor makes her sink into the mud, slowing down her pace. ignatz, your adjutant, implored you to wait up for the other troops who had been commanded to go in after the more sturdy units had taken out the first line of defenses. his advice falls on deaf ears, as you continue to cut your way across the battlefield, unbeating heart fluttering when you think of confronting your old friend here.

   this was nothing like facing claude. claude knew when it was time for his final act in fodlan, and surrendered after a rough battle with his alliance forces. he had more cards to play, a birthright in another kingdom that he had been banking on returning to if all failed here. he exited gracefully, promising to return the kindness that was sparing his life with a pained smile and a quick kiss to your knuckles. you knew that wasn’t the last you’d see of claude, no matter what he said.

   dimitri, on the other hand, had nothing else to lose. he had lost his family, his friends, and was on the verge of losing his kingdom, he had no other choice but to fight. either him or edelgard was going to die here, there was no other option. the two siblings were unyieldingly stubborn -- el had come too far in her beliefs to give up now and dimitri was playing the last card in his sleeve.

   one last enemy soldier stands between you and dimitri, and ignatz hits him between the eyes before you have the chance to strike. 

   dimitri’s eye meets yours, and you feel frozen in place. white-knuckling the sword of the creator, you take a step up to the last piece of ground he was holding. it was over already, even dimitri seemed to know it. all around him were the sounds of his troops breathed their last.

   “was this what you wanted?” dimitri grits his teeth, “we could’ve carved our own path together, professor.” the way he spits your title stings like no wound could ever. “but you chose the way of a tyrant, how many graves had you had to tread over to get to this point?” 

   “it’s no use dimitri,” you know arguing with him would get you nowhere. “we both have different ideals...” you swallow the lump in your throat, ignatz’s call that edelgard was approaching alerts you that time was running out. “i wish... well, it’s too late now. we will see who’s ideals carry them through today.”

   dimitri strikes first with areadbhar, so strong you lose your footing. his fighting style was so different from the boy you met all those years ago. it’s almost funny, you think, back then you were so close to choosing the blue lions house. had it not been for bernadetta timidly asking if you would pick her class because hanneman scared her, things could’ve turned out so much differently. one simple action had changed the course of history forever.

   every blow from dimitri’s lance is one that is aiming to kill. he pays no attention to any wounds that befall him when you get a stab in, and instead keeps bringing down his lance with all of his might. it’s not until ignatz shoots an arrow into his calf that he slows down any, edelgard finally meeting up with you. 

   she shoots you a bittersweet look, a quick slip of her mask reveals just how conflicted she is emotionally about doing this. but, as she turns back to dimitri, her resolve is back. you had won. 

   this is how the story would end: edelgard was crowned the emperor, and dimitri was crowned a martyr. she steadies aymr right above his neck, but he isn’t looking for pity. even now, he puffs his chest out and meets her eyes, as if challenging her to do it. el doesn’t back down.

   she raises her blade, and you feel dorothea squeeze your shoulder as if she’s imploring you not to look. but you can’t turn away, this was the path you chose to walk. you would have to live with the horrors you had created. the sounds of edelgard and dimitri arguing pulls you out of your head.

   dimitri, left with nothing, not even a lance in his hand, finally looks over at you. you can almost visualize the thorns digging into his head as he musters up his final words. “professor...” he says it gentler this time. you feel an arm around your waist securing you to your spot: whether it was ferdinand’s, or hubert’s, or dorothea’s you didn’t know. “will they stop now... will i finally be free after i--” your heart sinks, he’s talking about his hallucinations. dimitri had come to you in the middle of the night at the monastery more than once after being plagued by them. he seems to gather himself again for his final words to you. “i wanted you to be by my side, always. if... if i am granted another life, let me be with you.”

   aymr cuts through the night, a sickening slicing noise as she beheads the prince, ending the blaidydd bloodline for good. like father like son, the gruesome thought crosses your mind. edelgard lets the rain wash the blood off of aymr, then slowly rallies her troops. 

   you walk back to garreg mach in silence, the only sound being the pouring rain and the sound of the strike force’s footsteps. edelgard’s trembling hand grips onto yours like you’re her lifeline.

   “thank you,” she whispers it so that not even hubert, who was standing on your other side could hear. “for choosing to walk with me. i-i... would rather not imagine what would have became of me if i didn’t. you really have saved me, in more ways than one.” you squeeze her hand tight. 

[continuallycrow]

i wanna know (when the pain stops)

Linhardt has 'Good Days'. Linhardt also has bad days.

title from dread by nothing,nowhere.

basically this is what happens when my brain helpfully supplies me with "what if the reason linhardt naps a lot is because he has a chronic illness but they're not really named or recognised in the time period of three houses".

i listened to a lot of nothing,nowhere. and this happened.

can be read as gen or gay aside from the very last line which is gay. caspar and linhardt are both sixteen.

Linhardt always knows, when he wakes, whether it’s going to be a good day. Or at least, a ‘Good Day’. He’s taken to borrowing the air quotes Caspar loves so much when it comes to describing the highs. Mostly because it means he has the energy to do them, and sometimes, it’s the little things.

A ‘Good Day’ begins with sleep, late enough that the morning rising over Garreg Mach is bright enough to creep in through the drapes, but not late enough that Edelgard is knocking on the door, demanding in shrill tones that he “better not be about to skip a lecture again!” It means he can wake up, swallow whatever potion or herbal tea Professor Manuela wants him to try this month, and dress in his own time. He replaces the burned-out candle from the night before, puts away the book he was reading before he fell asleep, and straightens the bedsheets, sometimes tucking them in if it feels like it’s worth it. He pulls the curtains aside and the day streams into the room, illuminating the dust motes, the sun warm on his hands. He dares to think, perhaps, that today will be fine.

There’s time for breakfast, even, sometimes, and he can walk there. The monastery grounds hold his many fellow students, clustered in pairs and groups talking, or walking alone to their duties and classes. Annette and Mercedes bid him quiet good mornings in unison as he passes, and he responds with a greeting and small smile in return. He meets Ashe under the arches, and they walk to the dining hall together, the grey-haired boy spinning a tale of Alois and the stable cats, and as Linhardt listens to his chatter and not-too-distant birdsong, he wishes all days would be like this.

Later, he is the last to their classroom for Professor Byleth’s lecture, but only by seconds, since Petra spots him from across the courtyard and sprints for the door - and of course, he understands why, because he’s late so often it would be an insult to the professor to walk in behind him. As it turns out, though, they both arrive before the professor himself. Linhardt slides with almost ease into his seat at the desk he shares with Caspar, and it’s as though the shorter boy’s whole demeanor lights up. “Lin! You made it.” Caspar beams, and Linhardt’s chest blooms with warmth. “Of course,” he replies, like it’s the simplest thing in the world. And really, it should be. Making it to class before the cathedral bells ring is supposed to be the easy part of academy training. Punctuality is a simple request, if he listens to what Seteth says.

Caspar only seems to grin wider. He scoots closer to Linhardt on their shared bench, and then Linhardt is being hugged. It surprises him every time, the affection that Caspar is so willing to give him. Others treat him like he’s made of spider-silk or blown glass, afraid to so much as bump into him in the hallways or land more than a tap during training. And of course, it’s sensible, for the most part. But it’s like Caspar can read him at a glance, and the embrace is the perfect amount of pressure, of warmth. So Linhardt allows himself to melt for just a moment, closing his eyes and finding the right way to return the gesture. For a few seconds, he forgets the dull ache behind his eyes, the heaviness in his limbs that even the short walk over from the dining hall has brought. All he knows in that short moment is Caspar.

“Your heart’s beating fast,” his friend whispers, shattering the spell. “My heart is always beating fast,” Linhardt reminds him gently. It’s one of the first things to slip Caspar’s mind, if he’s going to forget anything. He laughs a little as he pulls away, but stays sitting right by Linhardt’s side. It’s a good thing he takes notes with his right hand, while Linhardt uses his left. “Of course. I’m sorry.” “There is no need to be.”

Professor Byleth chooses that moment to stride in, and what could become of their conversation is lost to the respectful silence that sweeps the room. “Good morning, Black Eagle house.” A chorus of greetings in return. “We will begin today by recalling the sword blocking technique we studied last week. Ferdinand, if you would join me here…”

On a ‘Good Day’, Linhardt’s notes are neater than Caspar’s. His script is small, neat, slanted to the right in neat lines across his pages. On a ‘Good Day’, there are no ink spills or broken quills. There is simply the professor’s voice, and Caspar by his side, and when he’s asked to stand and demonstrate Recover on Edelgard as one of Bernadetta’s arrows goes awry, he’s more than happy to do so.

----

It stands to reason, of course, that after a streak of ‘Good Days’, and better days, and average-but-not-terrible days, the black clouds will come at their worst. And it’s just typical of Linhardt’s luck for it to all come tumbling down, just as he was beginning to hope he might feel better one day.

He first wakes to the bells chiming early morning - exactly what time, he can’t tell, because each toll sends what feels like earth-shattering pain through his head, radiating down his spine. It’s only because it’s early and the dormitory walls are thin that he finds it in him to grit his teeth, to hold back the cry that so desperately wants to tear out. He pulls the blanket over his head, but even the small movement is enough to bring hot tears to his eyes. It isn’t supposed to be like this, it’s incredibly rarely like this, but when it is, every time feels worse than the last.

He searches his mind for something to blame, to bury his head in the pillow and curse until his lungs give out. But there’s nothing there, nobody to spit at, because everything they’ve been doing, to try and help… it’s been working. Manuela’s latest syrup, infused with fresh herbs from Dedue’s small patch in the greenhouse, has had all but cured his headaches, pushed back the constant looming nausea to a level where he’s been eating three regular meals for weeks now. He’s been putting on a little healthy weight - putting on muscle , much to Professor Byleth’s delight, his hands hardly shake at all when he draws back the string on a training bow - and attending all his classes. He takes up weapons at the training ground and works to a programme devised just for him by the professors and Edelgard. A little more every day. Just three nights ago, he accepted Caspar’s offer of a duel after hours, and damn near knocked him across the classroom with his first successful Cutting Gale. He sleeps through the night, and only naps once a day, if at all.

He’s been getting better.

And yet, now, he’s powerless to do anything but lie motionless on his stomach, alone in his room. With the blanket pulled over his head, his feet and ankles are exposed and freezing. He’s always struggled to retain body heat, but the thought of moving to resolve the problem is too much. It’s all too much. So he shivers, and slips in and out of restless sleep, waking with tears drying on his cheeks more times than he cares to keep count of.

Daylight comes, and brings with it the soft sound of rain at the windows, because, well, of course it does. Linhardt’s father once hypothesised that his pain changed with the weather, and while experience has only served to prove that wrong time and time again, (he skates on the monastery pond with the others when mid-winter allows, and more than once has been bedridden as his friends frolic in the Blue Sea Moon sun - he missed Caspar’s sixteenth birthday, and is sure the regret will never leave him) it does seem that whenever the rain comes, so does the deep-set ache in his bones. He doesn’t see himself falling asleep again, at least not without a heavy dose of healing magic and another new potion or balm to try, and he knows that sooner or later, someone will come looking for him.

He doesn’t wait long. The thing about Edelgard is she seems to have a sixth sense when it comes to members of her house missing class. She must have a routine. Checking the infirmary, passing Bernadetta’s door to haul her, kicking and screaming, to the classroom, and then, coming by Linhardt’s room. Her sharp rapping at the door and the accompanying command of “Linhardt! Up!” is too much, too piercing, too painful. “Edel… please…” His lips are cracked, throat sore just from the effort of forcing out the words she probably can’t even hear. “I know you’re in there. Wake up!” When he doesn’t reply, she only goes on. “Come on, Lin! You’ve been so… spirited lately. So much better. I will not have you fall back to old habits. Open this door, before I open it myself.”

He knows she means it, and he doubts he’d be able to stand even if she gave him all day to do it, so he’s not surprised when the door flies open, hits the door with a thud, and reveals the princess in the light it lets in. She’s wet through from the rain, a sure sign that she’s made her way here without Hubert, as her advisor would insist upon carrying an umbrella for her. It wouldn’t do for a noble lady to catch a chill, of course. Something about that thought makes pained laughter spill from Linhardt’s mouth. How he wishes he could, one day, simply catch a cold and have that be the worst way his body could betray him. Edelgard strides in, and for a moment Linhardt fears she’s going to snatch the blanket right off him and order him to his feet. But as she blinks, her eyes adjusting to the darkness in the room, he watches her face soften, in familiar concern, and then even more familiar, pity.

Normally, he would despise her pity. But in this state, he’ll take what he can get.

“Again?” she asks, the anger in her voice melted away, replaced by a whisper. He closes his eyes against the disappointment in hers, and confirms, “Again.”

The Black Eagles all know of Linhardt’s affliction, though the Empire doctors don’t have a name for it. There was no way to keep it from the other students, either, though he suspects they think they know more than they do. He tried, of course, at first, to keep it hidden. Even lied to Caspar, whom he hadn’t seen in a year or more, and told him it was getting better, under control. Fainting at the steps up to the entrance hall within a week of enrolment had not been one of his finer moments, and had sparked a lot of questions and prying eyes. But by now, the students surround him with support, for the most part. He knows he frustrates them at times, with his constant exhaustion, his inability to concentrate or remember the point of conversations or the passages of the books he pours over, again and again, desperate to retain the information through the fog in his mind and the tears in his eyes. Sometimes it’s hard to remember a lesson, or call back a moment in battle. And it angers him, let alone them.

But now, Edelgard perches at the edge of his bed, he can feel the slight dip in the mattress as she settles there. She’s hardly the most affectionate of his classmates, but still, he appreciates the warm touch of her fingers on his icy skin, as she draws back his tangled hair from his face and ties it loosely with the ribbon he lost at some point in his sleep. He whispers a thank you, but the words are lost once they pass his lips. “You’re welcome,” Edelgard tells him anyway. “Are you absolutely certain… no. No, disregard that. You are clearly too unwell to come to classes.” She sounds as though she regrets even going to ask. “I cannot stay. But I will fetch your medication, and send for Professor Manuela the moment she is available. And some extra blankets.” Her presence is suddenly lost, but only for a moment, and he can smell sweet-mint. Too exhausted to even consider sitting up, he allows Edelgard to pour a small dose of the syrup into his parted lips, and somehow, swallows it without choking. She rearranges the blanket to cover him properly, and in lieu of a cool rag to cover his eyes, finds a small towel and lays it there, to block out the light. “Rest, Linhardt. Do what you do best.”

He hears the door close, and with the help of the medicine, manages to pass out again.

He guesses it’s mid-afternoon when he next wakes properly. He’s been roused a couple of times, first by Professor Manuela with some stronger medication and a couple of magical tests to make sure this is just another relapse, and not something that’s going to spread through the academy like the flu that did this time last year. When she’s sure it’s just him, she leaves, and the second time he wakes coherent, and she’s brought blankets from the infirmary, which he’s infinitely grateful for. He manages to thank her, and she gives him cool water to drink. When she tries to coax him into eating, though, he manages a few bites of something plain and unidentifiable before the dizziness overcomes him once more and he drifts off again.

He recognises the smooth heat of white magic before he even opens his eyes. He expects Manuela again, but instead finds Mercedes in a chair at his side, her brow knitted together in concentration as she casts healing spells over him. He watches her for a while, almost transfixed by the spirals of light bridging the space between them, until she notices he’s awake and closes her hands. “Linhardt.” She’s always so at ease, it puts his mind to rest too. “How are you feeling?” He takes a moment to answer, first assessing the state he’s in, and then deciding whether it’s worth lying to her. “Quite dreadful,” is the reply he ends up giving, with a rueful smile. “Though better than this morning. Warm, at least.” It’s a little easier to speak, easier to breathe. “Such is the way these things go, I suppose.” She stands up and picks her way over to his desk, bringing back a steaming teacup. “You absolutely must drink this. While another remedy is brewed, this will help.” The tea smells familiar, and Linhardt tries to focus on that instead of how much his body protests as Mercedes helps him sit up.

He insists on holding the cup on his own. Something about having a fellow student there, even if she is practically Manuela’s apprentice, brings a little shameful heat to his cheeks. “Angelica?” he asks, after a long moment inhaling the steam. “For nerve and joint pain.” Mercedes practically claps, which he thinks is ridiculous, because he’s a healer too. What kind of a healer would he be if he didn’t know the uses of simple herbs? He smiles anyway. “My favourite kind. Thank you, Mercie.” It’s slow, but he raises the cup in shaky hands and takes a sip. It’s perfectly warm, and brewed just right, and as he  drinks, he feels a little more human again. It clears some of the clouds in his mind, at least.

Mercedes sits with him until the cup is finished, and she talks about the weather - it’s still raining -  and an incident in the courtyard involving Ferdinand and a cat exactly the colour of his hair. It makes Linhardt smile, her insistence on filling him in on the day he’s slept away. She tells him Ashe and Annette are making sweet buns for dinner, and she’ll be sure to have someone bring him a plate, since there’s no doubt in either of their minds that he will see this day out in his bed. And when his tea is finished, she takes his cup and goes to help him lie down once more, but he pushes her away, albeit gently. “Not yet. When I want to sleep again, I will call for someone, if you leave the door ajar.” “If you’re quite sure, then of course. But I doubt that will be necessary. Your house have been quite desperate to see that you are recovering,” she tells him, still smiling. “Professor Manuela insists only one visitor. Perhaps two, if they’re quiet. But last I heard, Caspar was willing to spar someone for the honour, so…”

Despite everything, that idea is so undisputedly Caspar that it makes Linhardt laugh, for the first time all day. “Let him come. No, tell him I requested him, specifically. The others can wait.” “Of course. I’ll pass the message along, I’m sure he’ll be with you shortly.” She beams. “Take your syrup before bed, as usual. The new blend should be brewed by morning, Professor Byleth has been working on it all afternoon. I hope you feel well again soon, Linhardt.” As promised, she leaves the door open just a little on her way out, and he’s left to wait for Caspar.

He listens to the rain on the window for a while, and hopes that every set of footsteps to pass his room will be his blue-haired friend. Just as he’s wondering whether he should have asked Mercedes to pick out a book for him, though he doubts he’d be able to focus his eyes enough to read more than a few lines, the air fills with the sound of running boots on wooden floorboards, and Caspar comes rushing in in a flurry of cold air and wet clothes, though thankfully without his armour and weapons, so at least Linhardt knows he hasn’t come straight from a training session. “Lin!” Caspar’s excitement at seeing him takes over for a moment, and Linhardt winces at the sudden noise, enough to be visibly uncomfortable if Caspar’s reaction is anything to go by. The shorter boy presses his hand to his mouth and mumbles out a muffled “I’m sorry!” before getting his volume under control. “I’m sorry,” he says again, once he’s taken off his academy jacket and hung it on one of the hooks on the wall. He takes Mercedes’ vacated seat by the bed, and perches on the edge of it. “Hey… I missed you today.” The easiest smile of the day makes its way onto Linhardt’s face. “Hey, Cas. I missed you too.”

They talk for a while like that. Caspar takes off his boots, and the warmth of the room dries his hair, leaving it fluffy. His hand creeps across the blankets, and when Linhardt notices it getting close to his own, he moves to close the gap, entwining their fingers. Caspar always worries about being too rough when he’s like this, yet Linhardt still hopes that before tonight ends, he’ll get to feel his friend’s arms around him. Caspar hasn’t hugged him on a bad day before, and he’s too proud to ask for it, even though he thinks, or perhaps hopes, that it might take some of the edge off, the same way it does on the days he makes it to class, or the library, or the pond.

“Come closer,” Linhardt hears himself say, later on when the candles have been lit and the exhaustion is setting in. He can see that Caspar is tired now too, and most likely uncomfortable, leaning in to talk in the dim light and still sitting on that awful chair that Linhardt hates because it makes his back kick up a fierce complaint any time he tries to work in it. “I can’t move the chair any more, Lin,” Caspar points out, trying anyway. He drops it back to the floor with a thud, and Linhardt smacks his hand lightly. “Ow. You can get on the bed, you know. Idiot.” It’s a fond insult, and accompanied by a tug at his wrist, there’s no doubt that he does, in fact, want Caspar there beside him, quite desperately. Caspar frowns. “There’s not a lot of room. I don’t want to hurt you.” “When have you ever hurt me before? You won’t. I trust you.” “You trust me more than I trust myself, you know.”

“I know I do.” Linhardt pats the bed. “We’ll figure it out. Come on.”

Caspar looks as though he’s fighting an internal battle for a moment, but he sighs and relents, and moves from the chair to the space at his friend’s side. The pillows are all propped up, and he sits against them. He’s right, there isn’t much room for the two of them, but Caspar is short for his age and Linhardt, despite everyone’s best efforts, is thin for his height, so they’ll make it work. And Caspar is so warm, so familiar, that it’s all Linhardt can do not to collapse against him and, though he’s too proud to beg, beg to be comforted and held.

Because really, that’s what it all boils down to. To Linhardt, Caspar’s presence is safety, sanctuary. It means a hand to grasp onto when it all gets to be too much, an arm around his waist when he grows weak with fatigue, a voice in his ear that tells him it’ll all be alright, even if it doesn’t seem in the moment like it will be. Sharing the bed with him is awkward and painful, but if it means they can be this close, he won’t so much as whimper.

It’s a surprise when Caspar sighs, exasperation evident in his voice. “Lin, you’re hurting. Come here.”

And he’s resting on Caspar’s chest. His friend may be shorter than he is, but when they’re pressed up together, and muscle tension has Linhardt curled in on himself to be most comfortable, the difference is barely noticeable. He lets out a shaky breath, and cuddles closer, and to his delight, Caspar’s arms wrap around him and he cuddles back.

For a moment, the room is quiet.

“Better?” Caspar murmurs into his hair, so close and yet so soft it makes Linhardt jump. “More than better. Nearly perfect,” he admits, not sure when he closed his eyes, yet making no effort to open them. If this is a dream laced with medicine and pain, he doesn’t want it to end just yet. Caspar laughs quietly, and Linhardt feels the sound go right through him, flooding his veins with warmth and bliss. He decides he doesn’t ever want to move from Caspar’s embrace, right here in his bed. “Good. That’s good. You gonna be okay?” Linhardt yawns. “Oh, absolutely. I promise.”

“You wanna go back to sleep?” “It won’t help.” “Does anything help?”

“You do.”

“Me? Sure you’re not feverish, Lin?” Caspar is laughing again, and Linhardt feels like his heart might swell right out of his chest. “I don’t know how I do. But you’ve always got me.”

“Don’t leave,” Linhardt hears himself murmur. “I’ll sleep, but don’t leave.”

He hears the smile in Caspar’s voice. “I couldn’t, even if I wanted to.” And perhaps Linhardt imagines the kiss to his hair, as slumber pulls him in once more.

[loyalflutist]

Stony Expression (F!Byleth x Edelgard)

Rating: General Audience Archive Warning: Major Character Death Category: F/F Summary:  It's a compliment to Byleth. Any sort of emotion beyond the generic smile and cheeky attitude never saw the light of day, even in extreme situations. But in her life, there were only three people who saw through her facade.

A/N: RIP, I had an idea after reading the screenshots of dialogues from Byleth in Fire Emblem Heroes. Decided to write a somewhat... heartwarming... not really... kind of work? (We need more Mama Edelgard, if you know what I’m saying.) Hope you enjoy the work! 

----

“Gosh, don’t you think the professor is scary, Dorothea?”

“How so?”

“She’s never shown any sort of emotion to us!”

“Um… why are you so bothered about it? Isn’t that the point of keeping cool-headed?”

“It is, to an extent.”

“What do you mean?”

“I heard that when her dad died last week, she didn’t even shed a tear!”

“Whoa. Talk about creepy.”

“You sure you’re telling the truth, Ferdinand? You always seem to blow these situations out of proportion.”

“Um, duh, Casper. I’m sure someone else can attest to it.”

“I doubt so—”

“I did.”

“Lindhardt? YOU?”

“I saw it with my very own eyes. Mmgh… I’m gonna skip class and take a nap, ‘kay?”

“HEY! Don’t you leave us hanging like that!”

“Geez, why are you so loud, Petra?”

“U-Um… don’t… you think we should be… you know… comforting her?”

“I would, Bernadetta, but Teach is clearly keeping her guard up. I mean, just… look at her right now.”

Caspar, Dorothea, Ferdinand, Lindhardt, Petra, and Bernadetta shot a glance at their professor. In the classroom where lecture won’t start for another fifteen minutes, the early birds were given the treat to gossip, jest, and horseplay. The perfect occasion for learning about the hottest rumors too. Today, Ferdinand brought up a rather morbid rumor—No, it wasn’t even a rumor. It was facts about their professor, Byleth.

They kept an eye on Byleth. The young woman in her early 20s fingered through the worksheets behind her desk. Based on their observations, their instructor remained the same. Diligent in her duties, attentive to her colleagues, and always there for her students. That’s the Byleth they knew all too well. However, Ferdinand wasn’t wrong from his remarks. The Byleth they envisioned was a bit more… reactive. Byleth’s stony expression and lack of anything beyond her rare, cheeky attitude painted her in a different light. Strange is a euphemism about the older female. Cold-hearted as a dysphemism about the ex-mercenary.

‘ I’m used to it. ‘

Byleth was not oblivious to their dagger-like stares. It pierced her exposed skin and armor without a moment of hesitation. Despite the mental remark, her shoulder’s muscles became rigid, hidden by the worksheets tossed onto the wooden podium.

‘ They’re just like everyone else. ‘

The male student was not wrong with his impression of her. Her father, whom she looked up to so dearly, died in the heat of battle. It was supposed to be a practical lesson in warfare for her students. The once-a-week “field trip” the staffs put together as part of the Officer’s Academy curriculum. Tragedy hardly described the scene that had befallen them.

Byleth and her father were chaperones and commanders of last week’s trip. A simple mission of pushing back the rebels that dare disrupt the peace near the monastery. It was the usual skirmish to counter any troublemakers and doers. Little did they know of the rebel’s leader. It was an old-time friend of theirs back when they were mercenaries. An older male roughly the same age as her father now stood on the opposite end. They tried to reason with him. The students were uncertain of their role in the fight. He rejected their proposal with a spear thrust into her father’s chest.

The spear

that

pierced

his heart.

It was a complete blur afterward. Byleth knew she didn’t lose her composure. That would be disastrous for the remaining troops and students left on the field. In lieu of fury, she coolly commanded the units to defeat the rebellion. Victory was easily achievable… but at what cost?

She shook her head and refocused her attention to the present time. From the far back, the green-haired spotted Edelgard and Hubert make their entrance into the classroom. The chatters from the other Black Eagles simmered down at the appearance of the two intimidating figures. Both the noble Edelgard and commoner Byleth made eye contact. Byleth smiled. Edelgard’s cheeks reddened before hurrying to her assigned seat at the front. Hubert narrowed his eyes at the professor and seated himself in the back. As if the death of her father hadn’t occurred, her classroom ran exactly as how it should’ve operated. Even the addition of a romantic relationship that recently sparked between Edelgard and Byleth didn’t disrupt the natural order for education.

It was

all so normal.

Like he

never

died.

Was this… really what she wanted though? Did Byleth want some sort of validation?

“Good morning, everyone.”

Byleth’s mature voice rang throughout the premise. If there were any remaining whispers and giggles, they were hushed by the more responsible scholars. She approached the podium. Then, with both hands lightly gripping the surface’s edge, she scanned her surroundings.

Nothing out of place. (Right?) Lindhardt was also present, which was a bit of a surprise. Byleth had lowered her expectations ever since he skipped class for a nap in the garden. The fact that he was here was a huge plus. That amusing idea screeched to a complete halt when he began to nod off. The corner of her lip twitched. At least he did try to come to class…

As for the others… Ferdinand was eyeing the white-haired rival with a small smirk. He twirled a feather between his index and middle finger, eyes twinkled in excitement. A typical reaction from their competitive relationship. Petra toyed with her hair and rolled her eyes at the sight of Ferdinand’s obvious reaction about their future lord. Casper stifled a yawn, elbows on the table and chin resting on the palms of his hands. Bernadetta had beads of sweat fly out of her head as her thumbs toyed with one another. Dorothea sat at the front like an obedient puppy. Maybe a bit too obedient since she was clearly shooting heart eyes at the professor in a playful manner… And then there was Hubert. Oh, Hubert. He was always a loyal servant to Edelgard. The man is kind, but ever since Byleth started a private and secretive relationship with the noble, he has been awfully overprotective with the young lady.

Byleth suppressed a sigh. She closed her eyes and, after counting to five, reopened them and flashed her signature smile.

“Let’s review some materials from last week. It doesn’t hurt to get a little refresher after the long three-day weekend.”

The three-day weekend that was partially due to her absence to quietly mourn for her father. Byleth had disappeared from existence to visit his grave. Accompanied by the ever-so-noisy Sothis that she can only see, speak, hear, and touch, the two paid their respect. Numbness. Byleth felt numb during those three days. No—she still felt numb right now.

“I’m surprised you can still hold yourself together, mortal,” Sothis muttered. She crossed her arms and looked up to the female. “But don’t hold it all in. The bottle is going to explode one day.”

Sothis was one of the few individuals who saw through Byleth’s brick-like features. The second person is her father.

She lowered her gaze. Soon, the woman got down to her knees and reached out to touch her father’s tombstone. His name will forever be immortalized on the thick slab of rock. Unfortunately, it won’t be immortalized for a reason worth celebrating.

“…leth.”

The ex-mercenary now found herself staring at an empty desk. This shared office with other staffs not prestigious enough to earn their own office (like Byleth), who were crammed into this one area. Her father was one of them, yet he never complained. In reality, he had actually enjoyed it. The daughter would always hear his jolly laughter and gruff voice echo from within. Students unfamiliar with his booming personality were in for a shock every single time they walk past the room. To Byleth, she welcomed it. After all, he is her father and she is his daughter.

Most of his supplies were placed in a rusted chest box. If there were any supplies to begin with, that is. Her father was not one to possess many materialistic items, save it for his clothes, weapons, armors, and whiskey. There wasn’t even a family portrait in his possession! He was always a firm believer that memories were picturistic enough. Seeking nostalgia? Dig even deeper into the memory zone. Forgot about it? It was probably not important enough to remember!

“By…”

Byleth sat on her mattress, her knees held close to her chest. She hugged them and stared at the somewhat decorated wall. Unlike her father, she allowed a bit of flair to settle in her personal space. Student notes were pinned to the wall. Some portraits and doodles hung alongside with them. One of them was a portrait of everyone in the Officer’s Academy. All three houses were together, and all of the staffs stood for the shot. It took the artist more than five hours to get them squeezed into this magnificent art. The process was excruciating but worth it.

It was the only physical piece of evidence she has in memory of her father. Her heart clenched at the thought of his death. Flashbacks replayed over and over in her head at the time of his doom. She nearly scoffed at mental torment. How much longer was this going to go on?

It

was going to

keep

on

going.

“Byleth.”

The older female blinked. Warmth enveloped her entire being in one swoop. Frantic, she rapidly examined her surroundings—until Byleth considered the context of her current situation. Edelgard held her seated mentor in an embrace. The two were safely hiding in the professor’s now-closed office. It was still early evening where students ran amok in the monastery. Musical melodies from talented choir members faintly trickled through the glass windows. A light breeze ruffled nearby leaves of a tree. Birds chirped alongside with the singers as an accompanist. It was a pleasant day.

Well, it was supposed to be for the two. Edelgard fingers began to run through her lover’s hair, nails satisfyingly brushing the scalp. She planted a gentle kiss to Byleth’s head.

“It’s okay to show what you’re feeling, Byleth.”

No—That wasn’t right. It wasn’t Byleth’s nature to show her feelings to the public. The stony expression, the bland reaction to extreme situations… those were compliments. She’s been told that she lacks emotion since she was a little girl! Even the Black Eagles think she is cold-hearted and cruel in the face of battle! Many of the students and paid troops think of her as an anomaly. Byleth thinks it’s natural.

But when it came to grief this strong, Byleth felt her heartstrings tug. For once, she wanted to let someone know about how she felt. It’s not an easy feat, though. The other half of her rational personality scream that she keeps it to herself. There was no use in burdening others of her sorrows and mourns. The death of her mother was a shining example of this. Besides, even if she did try to open up, she couldn’t. This nature of hers was just too ingrained into her system.

Edelgard continued to smooth through Byleth’s hair. In response, Byleth buried her face into the noble’s abdomen. The aromatic scent blossomed in the teacher’s sensory nerves. She gradually wrapped her arms around the student. Byleth deeply inhaled. A shaky exhale. At that instant, the floodgates from her lacrimal glands came loose as she felt her respiration shudder. The mentor slowly shook her head against Edelgard.

“Why did he have to die?”

She bit her lower lip hard. Eyelids stiff, throat scratchy, a choking cry erupted from her lips.

“I should’ve died in his place!”

Edelgard simply ran her fingers through the green locks, her eyes focused on her girlfriend. Soft “shh”s emitted from her lips as she planted another tender kiss on the head. Small whispers of “you’re going to be okay” and “I’m here for you, Byleth” sprinkled during the breakdown. It caused great agony to the empire’s upcoming lord to feel powerless for her teacher. However, unlike Byleth, who beat herself up, Edelgard’s emotional and mental health was far more resilient. Could it be because she was able to properly grieve when the time came? To release her anger unto others in an appropriate manner? Perhaps. For Byleth, she had always held everything inside.

“Oh, I miss him so much!”

She curled her fingers inward and dug her nails into Edelgard’s clothes. A slight wince from the student went unnoticed as she continued to wail uncontrollably. It was so unlike Byleth. If anyone else were to witness this, they would have assumed a trickster replaced Byleth with another person!

This is no good. Byleth is breaking free from her nature. She shouldn’t be venting, let alone blast her emotions to another person… even if that person is her significant other. Yet it was too late for Byleth. She became oversensitive from being honest with her feelings. The fear. The sadness. The grief. Out of all the people that saw through her façade, for Edelgard, she was the third person in her life to have seen through her stony expression.

[three-houses-text-files]

bernadetta/byleth

c-s support + paired endings + night of the ball

c

NPC: Thank you, Lady Bernadetta. I will take my leave. Bernadetta: Oh, good. Bye! Uh, good-bye! B: Finally… Oh, that was awful. Just terrifying.

>What's going on?

>What's terrifying?

B: Ah! Please don't sneak up on me like that! B: It was nothing big. That lady just wanted me to show her around a bit. B: But strangers are just so nerve-racking. B: That lady asked me to show her around. I tried to be polite, but strangers are just so nerve-racking.

>You've never seemed scared of me.

B: Oh yeah? How about when I first met you and I wouldn't come out of the corner or even uncover my face? B: Actually, now that you mention it, it's funny. Once I started talking to you, I stopped feeling scared. (pre-skip) B: Now that you mention it, I think you're right. I don't know if I ever have felt scared around you. (post-skip) B: I wonder why… B: You know, Professor, you might be the first person I've been able to speak to normally since I got here, and I have no idea why.

>I'm glad, regardless.

B: I'm happy about it too! B: When we first started out here, we had to do drills... outside. I skipped those every chance I got. B: It's a terrible idea—going out in the forest with all these people you don't even know! B: Thanks to you, though, I can actually make it through class now. I'm grateful for that. B: I don't know what I'd do...if you weren't here...

>It's all right.

B: Sorry... I'm OK... B: I am OK. I'm doing just fine. I feel safe here, thanks to you.

>By the way, was that you singing in the greenhouse?

B: What? B: Y-you saw that? Why would you see that?! You were watching me?! B: That crosses the line, Professor! Singing? Me?! Why would I be singing? I'd never be singing! Ah! I've never been so humiliated! B: Useless! Worthless! Unmarriageable! Augh!

>...

——————————————————————————————

b

B: Great weather today. Perfect for shutting yourself inside, don't you think?

>I think I'll head outside, actually.

B: Oh, you go right ahead. I'll be right here.

B: The better the weather, the less crowded it is in here. I can't pass up having all this space to myself.

>Definitely.

B: I'm glad you get it. With great weather like this, there'll be no one inside to bother us.

B: I love feeling like I'm all alone in the world...

>What made you such a recluse?

B: Oh, that. Well, I guess I can tell you, Professor. B: My father's obsessed with money. He's only ever seen me as bait for a rich husband. B: To train me to be a good, submissive wife, he'd do things like tie me to a chair and leave me there all day, challenging me to stay quiet. B: I tried hard to do as he asked. Honestly, I did. B: But before I knew it, I just couldn't bring myself to leave my room anymore.

>Why not?

B: I just had this overwhelming feeling of fear all the time. No matter how hard I tried, my father never thought I was good enough. B: After that, it was just constant scolding. He couldn't say two words to me without mentioning how useless I was. An unmarriageable girl. B: My life was isolated to say the least. I wasn't allowed to play with other kids, let alone make friends. Soon, I stopped wanting that. I was happiest alone. B: But even that made him mad. And when he tried to drag me outside, I kicked and screamed so much I seriously hurt myself. B: He's calmed down a bit in recent years. His constant torment was replaced with complete indifference. He mostly acts like I don't exist now.

>How did you end up at the monastery?

B: If you can believe it, I was basically kidnapped. B: My mother ordered an attendant to stuff me in a bag while I was sleeping. By the time I figured out what was going on, I was already here. B: For a while, I was sure I was going to die. B: But here I am. Look at me...still breathing. B: Ah, I'm sorry! I didn't mean to get you down, talking like that about my past! B: Just forget everything I told you. There's no point in talking about myself anyway. B: Idiot! Oh, this is why everyone hates you, Bernie!

>Don't worry about it.

B: You're the only one who would ever say such a kind thing to me, Professor...

>Thank you for confiding in me.

B: What? N-no, it's not...

B: Oh, Professor! How can you be so kind to me?! I don't deserve it... B: I'm sorry! Please don't look at me!

——————————————————————————————

a

B: I can't believe how long it's been since I left home. Since I was dragged out of the house, I mean. B: Five whole years. It's weird to think about.

>Weird in what way?

B: At first, I remember I was desperate to go back, but now, it's the opposite.

>Do you want to go back?

B: No! But if you'd asked me that five years ago, I'd have said the opposite.

B: I have friends here, and I have you. B: The monastery's become a second home to me. B: Back then, I never would've dreamed a day like this would come.

>I'm happy for you.

B: It's all thanks to you! You've given me a second chance at life! B: If not for you, I never would have gotten used to leaving my room, let alone the monastery. B: Maybe the battlefield's just dulled my senses. B: I'm much better with strangers and new places now though. I don't panic nearly as much as before.

>Could you go somewhere new by yourself?

B: A new place? All on my own?

>I have some independent work for you, then.

B: What? Independent? As in, alone?

B: That sounds like a tough assignment. Where did this come from all of a sudden? Hey, hold on...

B: You're teasing me, aren't you?! B: Please don't joke around like that anymore! It's torture for me!

>All right, all right.

B: You're still not taking me seriously! I mean it. Promise me you won't do that again!

>I can't commit to that...

B: Come on, Professor! I'm begging you! Please promise me you won't do that again.

B: Friends respect each other's feelings, don't they?

>OK. I promise.

B: Good... I'll hold you to that. B: You're absolutely not allowed to send me out anywhere on my own! Got it? B: You would need to come with me. If you're with me, I can go anywhere in the world.

>I'll follow at a distance.

>I'll be with you in spirit.

>We can ask another professor.

B: No, that defeats the purpose! Why can't you get what I'm saying?! B: I thought we were finally getting close. Guess I'm not good enough for that though, am I? B: I'll let you have this one, but you'd better be ready for next time! B: Oh, that's enough. I need some time alone...

——————————————————————————————

s

B: How did you know I was here?

>I thought you might be hiding.

B: You know me too well. That's exactly what I was about to do.

>I've been looking all over for you.

B: Huh? All that trouble just for me?! The truth is... I've been shutting myself away again.

B: Once I got to thinking about the war being over, a lot of my old fears started to return. B: I'm afraid to go home...afraid to see my parents... B: I don't know what to do! Please, help me!

>Come with me.

B: Wait! Where are we going?! Don't make me go! B: The Goddess Tower? What are we doing here? B: This is it... We're all alone... The perfect time... You're going to kill me, aren't you?!

>I would never do that.

B: All right, I've made my peace, and for what it's worth, I'm glad it's— Wait, you wouldn't? B: Of course you wouldn't. I'm not even worth killing, am I? B: I knew it all along. I'll go lock myself away now...

>I love you, Bernie. I want you to have this.

B: Wh-what did you just say? Is that...a ring?! B: Well, um... This is, um... What kind of ring is this? B: When a man gives a woman a ring, it usually only means... Is that what this means? B: I...I don't know what to say! B: I accept! Of course I accept! B: This means...I'll be able to shut myself away in peace again. B: You can go off doing your hero things, and I'll hold down the fort!

>Don't I get a say in this?!

B: What?! Don't tell me you'll want me to keep leaving the house!

B: Fine, but in that case, I have a favor to ask.

>That's not happening.

B: No, come on, please! You just won't let me off the hook, will you?

B: In that case, I have a favor to ask.

B: There's a reason I've been able to cope with going out of the monastery so much. B: It's because I've been with you. B: I'll never completely get over my anxiety...or my fear of strangers...or my compulsive need to run and hide. B: So whenever you tell me to go outside, I want you to come with me. B: Wherever we go, whatever we do...I want us to be together, always.

>That sounds perfect.

B: Because when I'm with you, I feel... B: Wait. Did you agree? You mean it?! Ah, you're the greatest! I...I love you so much! We're going to be so happy together!

——————————————————————————————

paired endings

After ascending to the throne as the first leader of the United Kingdom of Fódlan, Byleth announced his marriage to Bernadetta. Many were concerned that the new leader of House Varley would do little more than hide, but she in fact followed the new king wherever he went and provided him with constant counsel. She never did overcome her shyness, however, and it is said that aspiring advisers who frightened her were quickly turned away. Because the ones she liked performed well in their service to the people, Bernadetta was widely believed to have a discerning eye. (golden deer + church route)

After taking on the role of archbishop of the Church of Seiros, Byleth announced his marriage to Bernadetta. Many were concerned that the new leader of House Varley would do little more than hide, but she in fact followed the archbishop wherever he went and provided him with constant counsel. She never did overcome her shyness, however, and it is said that aspiring advisers who frightened her were quickly turned away. Because the ones she liked performed well in their service to the church, Bernadetta was widely believed to have a discerning eye. (blue lions route)

Almost as soon as Byleth and Bernadetta were finally wed, the battle against those who slither in the dark began in earnest. Many were concerned that the new leader of House Varley would do little more than hide, but she fell in alongside her husband and followed him everywhere, fighting to bring lasting peace to Fódlan. Forced to throw herself into one terrifying battle after another, Bernadetta developed such a tough character, it is said that absolutely nothing could frighten her. (black eagles route)

——————————————————————————————

night of the ball

B: Ah! Wh-what's that?! B: Ghost?! Is it a ghost?! Don't eat me!

>Calm down, it's OK.

B: It'll eat the skin right off my bones and no one will ever— Huh? Oh, it's you, Professor. What a relief.

>It's just your professor.

B: I knew it! I said, Bernie, this place is haunted, you'll just get eaten by the ghost of some dusty old professor or— Oh. Oh, it's you.

>You can relax now.

B: Right. I'm better now. Thanks. But try not to scare me like that again, please... B: With the ball happening tonight, I was sure there wouldn't be anyone here. B: And from far off, you look... Well, you kinda have a spooky silhouette. B: I guess you haven't heard the legend?

>Legend?

B: Oh, so if a couple swears a vow on the night of the ball, the goddess grants their wish?

>That's amazing! Is it true?

B: I guess that's the sort of thing you miss when you spend all your time avoiding people. B: But wouldn't it be nice to spend some time alone with a nice guy in this lonely tower, cut off from all the rest of the world? B: Anyway... B: Oh, Professor! Since you're here and all, could I ask you for a favor? B: As you probably know by now, it's my lifelong dream to live in solitude forever... B: So could you help me to swear that vow?

>Nice try.

B: Saw right through me, huh?

>I can't promise that.

B: Guess you're right. It probably wouldn't work out so well for me, would it?

B: Ah, well. No use complaining. B: Actually, I'm happy I got to see you here tonight. Even if it was just by coincidence. B: Would you mind staying a little longer? B: It's nice and quiet, and the sky's really pretty. I quite like the atmosphere. B: On a night like this, being out in the open doesn't seem so bad...

[gascon-en-exil]

FE16 Black Eagles (Edelgard) Liveblogging

Chapters 15-16. The plot, among other things, explodes.

I was wondering where all the Eagles character paralogues were, and all of sudden come Chapter 15 three of them get dumped on you. Edelgard’s is a fight on the border against Nader and the Almyran remnant. Wyvern riders are unusually overpowered in this game, even as enemies. They’re not a unit type one expects to be so fast. Hubert goes back to the Sealed Forest to save Those Who Slither from their own failed creations. Both of these paralogues play up Hubert’s own talent for slithering in the dark: the first because it’s heavily implied that he poisoned Hilda’s brother so he’d have to rely on the Empire to push back the Almyrans, and the second because he’s been investigating Those Who Slither on the side all the while your army is being strong-armed into doing their bidding.

Petra and Bernadetta’s paralogue meanwhile has been the first map on this route that I haven’t seen before, a heavily forested section of Brigid. Bernadetta’s role there is almost completely random, but it comes together in the end in a way that feels satisfying. The chapter itself on the other hand features a cheap fakeout win condition, thankfully avoidable via Divine Pulse, and another appearance by the OP Catherine.

Playable kills: Flayn and Seteth from the church, Felix and Ingrid from the Lions. Now that the Alliance portion of the story is done I notice that Raphael and Lorenz skipped out on showing up this time, along with Marianne who doesn’t appear in the Lions’ Part 2 either. Actually, I’ve read that she’s the only playable character who doesn’t appear in Part 2 at all unless she’s in your army, with the implication that her depression and/or the dark story surrounding her Crest killed her or drove her to suicide in the timeskip. That’s...something.

I’ve also read that if you don’t recruit Shamir and Alois they show up in Chapter 15 to be killed...and that Manuela and Hanneman only do so on the Lions route in Dimitri’s paralogue for some reason. Weird.

I can confirm that the dark merchant does not sell Dark Seals. He’s only available in the second to last exploration month of Edelgard’s route, so you can’t get much use out of him anyway. Sucks for Hubert, but if I’m understanding correctly how you can buy classes with Renown the next time I use him I can just certify him for dark mage that way and get one seal for dark bishop. 

The brevity of this route sticks out more and more the closer I get to the end. Not so much for the story which is moving along at a brisk pace to match Edelgard’s resolve and concrete goal in contrast to Dimitri throwing everyone off with his unresolved personal issues, but for the gameplay. A bunch of my units aren’t going to make it master classes at this rate, and I’m tempted to not even touch Edelgard’s emperor class when it randomly becomes available after Chapter 15 (seriously, her armor just arrives from the capital? Are we timing lord promotions by the speed of parcel delivery now?) because there’s no timing and making her armored is kind of awful.

Story/Character observations

Chapter 15 opens with a bizarre interlude of Byleth coming upon Edelgard in her room at night, and an attempt at humanizing her by...telling us that she draws pictures of Byleth. That’s not even organic Avatar worship, come on. From what I remember her A support is more of the same, so I’m not holding out much hope for her big bi S rank.

Thankfully her two dorky subordinates salvage the character-based charm of this route. Ferdinand pokes a hole in the fourth wall and asks Byleth if they’ve thought about a world in which they chose another house or chose to side with the church, and while I can see the similarities with Conquest constantly dumping on Corrin’s choice this incident is isolated enough that I’m not feeling condescended to. Ferdinand’s A support with Byleth reveals that the first king of Faerghus - you know, the one with the very close *nudge nudge wink wink* friend akin to Felix - had a second very close friend who was just as indispensible but didn’t desire notoriety and so didn’t make it into many history books. Ferdinand compares this to what both he and Byleth are to Edelgard (I imagine this support is phrased very differently if gotten on any other route), but my mind went right to Kris, the shadow Avatar at Marth’s side who got left out of the original game historical accounts. While I believe that Byleth’s ending on Edelgard’s route actually is fairly out of the public eye, in other routes they’re either the archbishop or the ruler of the united continent. Byleth is very much not that type of Avatar who can just disappear at the end because how else could they sleep with the whole cast?

I can’t forget about Hubert either. Apparently he’s the one who gives Those Who Slither their infamously unwieldy name - thanks a lot, Hubie - during his investigations on how to out-evil them. When he’s not doing that he’s engaging in absurdly cute support conversations with Ferdinand where they’re both blushing and exchanging gifts with romantic music in the background. I also noted that they’re one of the couples who get special meal dialogue that evolves along with their supports. See, this is what I mean when I say that M/M and F/F subtext are on completely different playing fields. Dorothea will just come out and ask Manuela if they can live together and forget about finding men, or give Ingrid a ring and joke about owning her, etc. For the guys it’s watching them sputteringly make friendly gestures toward one another while blushing, or make promises to die together, or insist on the other using their given name (but in private!) to indicate that there’s going to be dick touching.

Nader dies during Edelgard’s paralogue. In combination with Judith’s death in Chapter 13 I think this is meant to indicate that this is the one non-Deer route that does not feature a large Almyran invasion after the credits roll. Even if you choose not to kill Claude as I did, without any of his close allies (who are also his parents, in the case of those two?) the implication is that he won’t have the strength to pursue his own dreams of continental conquest. Good on him to outright admit that he has them to Edelgard, though.

Speaking of the game admitting things that otherwise only go implied, let’s talk about those explosions. The Black Eagle Strike Force feints toward Fhirdiad but moves instead to conquer Arianrhod, with Edelgard and Hubert’s target being specifically Cornelia. Cornelia in this route hasn’t betrayed Faerghus to the Empire yet, but according to Arundel she was planning to as a member of Those Who Slither despite lacking their characteristic pallor. Arundel responds by using “pillars of light” - more likely those anachronistic ballistic missiles seen in a church route cutscene - to blast the fortress into oblivion and kill a bunch of people inside.I’m ignoring how petty it seems of Arundel/Thales to nuke a valuable military installation just to get revenge on Edelgard for killing a minion who was going to help Edelgard do what she’s about to do in the last two chapters anyway. No, what fascinates me about this situation is how Edelgard and Hubert immediately spin this for the rest of their army, saying it was Rhea’s doing and using it to motivate the Strike Force to conquer Fhirdiad as quickly as possible. Ever since I got her C support I’ve been curious as to why Edelgard harbors so much personal hatred for the church when Those Who Slither were the ones responsible for torturing her and her siblings for Crest research. Here she’s deliberately making that misdirection, which....doesn’t answer my question at all but does at least demonstrate that the writers are aware of it. How it will all play out, or if this is something that only makes sense when considering information learned from the church and/or Deer routes is yet to be determined.

Looking at this from the perspective of the Strike Force though I can see why they’d need some additional pushing to get invested in how evil Rhea is. She’s done very little so far to follow up on her creepy authoritarian vibes from Part 1, and the scene of her grieving Seteth and Flayn’s deaths only makes her regain some sympathy because of how personally she takes their loss. They have to be saving it all up for the finale. There will have to something to the antagonists we’re about to fight, because so far DImitri in this route has been even more of a non-entity. Of course I know that Chapter 17 brings not one but two flavors of gay tragedy, but in-universe I doubt anyone on the Strike force is squeeing over the Tempest King and his very devoted vassal.

[crackimagines]

Black Eagles Farewell Quotes (FE: Three Houses)

So, while I was playing Three Houses for the BE, I realized that this game was basically becoming Trails of Cold Steel (Sen no Kiseki), and I felt that the reason for the timeskip was a bit rushed.

it also wasn’t heartbreaking enough to get separated for me lmao

The below is an alternate take on how the time-skip began, and more importantly, the student that Byleth spent the most time with would have something to say specifically to them, just like how in Cold Steel, the person you bonded with the moment said farewell when you were forced to leave.

TLDR: Alternate take before the time skip

WARNING: Spoilers for Black Eagles below cut!

Byleth flew down the stairs after being blasted by Rhea in her dragon form, underestimating how powerful she was.

(Byleth) “Tch...! I...I WON’T LET YOU NEAR MY STUDENTS!

Byleth rushed forwards ready to take her on, but fell to their knees, unable to go on any further.

“Jeez, even on the brink of death you’ll still go that far for them, huh...?”

(Byleth) ?! “...S-Sothis?”

(Edelgard) “PROFESSOR!”

Everyone ran up to Byleth and got in front of them, drawing their weapons out.

(Byleth) “What are you all doing?! Get out of here, I’ll fend her off-”

(Edelgard) “That’s not happening, professor! You have to live, no matter what!”

(Byleth) “But...!”

Edelgard - "My teacher...You protected me even when I attacked you and the class and...And that is something I will forever remember. Now, I will be returning that kindness. Don't worry about us, I promise to you as emperor that our blades will not break, and our lives shall not fall until we are again by your side!"

Hubert - "I've had my doubts when I first met you, though I'm assuming you knew that. Although you have certainly gained my admiration throughout this year, it was back in the tomb you've gained my trust. Now I humbly request that you trust us. Heh, don't worry, professor. We'll be fine."

Bernadetta - "You're not dying here! I-I'm going to be honest, professor. I'm so scared I could run but...You taught me to stand my ground! Because of you and the others, I can stop running away from the face of danger and...I will use all you taught me to protect everyone, professor!"

Ferdinand - "I doubt you'd just die that easily, but like hell I am going to take the risk. What kind of noble would I be if I were to let something happened to my professor? I, Ferdinand Von Aegir, swear upon my household that I will protect you and my classmates! And don't worry, I haven't forgotten your words. I'll be sure to come back alive as well!"

Dorothea - "Hah, I didn't imagine myself to be in a scene straight from one of my performances...! Although it's not a lover this time, it's someone just as important. I won't let you get hurt, so you have to get out of here...Hey, don't give me that face! Think you're gonna get away from this radiating beauty THAT easily? I'll be back for you so we can have some tea together, so remember that!"

Linhardt - "Oh, what a bother I SUPPOSE I could help you live fight another day...Heh, don't worry. As fond as I am for my naps, you helped me grow fonder of my classmates. Including yourself. I may not be a fighter, but I won't rest until we see you again. No one's going to die on my watch."

Petra - Professor, I will hold most importance of protecting you and the class! You taught me so many things of...about Fodland, and my beloved classmates! You'll will not die on me, not when I have much to learn! P-Please...do not worry about us, you'll see us again. I promise."

Caspar - Hah, showtime! You've saved my butt plenty of times, so now time to show them everything you taught me, professor! All this strength to become the greatest warrior? Now its going to become the greatest shield, for everyone and you! I'll tell you about this fight when I see ya again, and don't you be saying any cheesey crap! You ARE going to see all of us again!"

Before Byleth knew it, they felt themselves being drawn away, watching them fade out.

(Byleth) “WHAT?! NO, LET ME STAY DAMN IT!”

(Sothis) “Come on, we have to go before you’re killed!”

(Byleth) “LISTEN TO ME! THEY NEED ME! NO, NO! LET ME STAAAAAY!”

And in the blink of an eye, Byleth saw them all disappear as they were pulled into a void of blackness, and eventually passed out.