#dragonhcrt / o6

[fellstcr]

⚔️ // byleth blinked as wynter snuggled into her lap . at first , uncertainty bid her hand hesitate . but the little one was something of a kindred spirit in his own right , and so she found her hand gently petting the creature between the ears as it soaked in her warmth . the silence was comfortable . but , it would not last . for there was something on byleth's mind .

a strange sixth sense , ignited — and in truth , had been lit for quite some time .

"marcellus . . .?" byleth asked , keeping her eyes locked upon little wynter as she spoke, "may i ask you about your . . . other form?"

@dragonhcrt / starter call !

[fellstcr]

⚔️ // afraid? "no."

to be afraid of dragons ... meant to be afraid of lady rhea . and of seteth , and flayn . yet they were all not so different from herself . they were familiar . just like the faded memories of stone - carved temples and the heat of bonfires flickering in the crisp air , laughing bubbling from her chest as her feet ACHED from dancing and dancing the night away with her beloved children .

"from what i have seen , there isn't anything to be afraid of . those who i have met are good people . like you . i don't see why fear has to be an option ."

Marcellus can see through her eyes. He does look away to save Byleth from feeling a certain way. Whether that was feeling some form of vulnerability or shame or anything. Though....He didn't think she had to feel such things. She deserved to be proud of what she was no matter...

"You don't have to be able to change form to be a dragon." He turns back to look at her and smiles, "you're dragon enough if you have the blood of one inside of you. Are you afraid of it, by chance?"

[fellstcr]

⚔️ // silken hair , so similar to my own , lady rhea had said . both your hair and eyes are unmistakably . . . , flayn had trailed off . even SETETH had eluded to more . ( it is obvious to me now that you are extraordinary . )

she knew what they were now . or . . . perhaps it was FAR MORE APT TO SAY that the knowledge of their true selves had always slumbered within her . awakened by the sight of the immaculate one's broad white wingspan as she soared across the battlefield .

and still , byleth found herself HESITATING ; frozen in place at the mere prospect of putting that feeling into real words .

" . . . i'm . . . i'm not so sure it's my place to answer that question." she began slowly , picking at the words as though carefully choosing beads to string . "that is to say : i can't turn into another form like you can . or like lady — . . . like someone else i know . so whatever it is you seem to see in me that makes you feel that way — i . . . it must be a coincidence."

Her guffaw and raise of her hand actually stir Wynter and he nearly decides to move right off of her. Instead, when he sits up, he moves on her lap and repositions himself on her in a much more comfortable way. Belly up.

"Well," Marcellus starts and takes another sip of his tea. He places the cup back down and continues, "What do you think of your dragonhood? You do have it running through your veins, don't you? Dragon blood, I mean."

[fellstcr]

⚔️ // he was hiding something . a silent tilt of the head paired with byleth's diminutive frown . but all too quickly , marcellus pivoted on her entirely ..

"—me???" byleth guffawed , hand raising to hover over her chest . "what about me?"

He had thought he'd be able to tell her why he feared being a dragon. That the fear was connected to his father. THAT his father's selfishness was the sole reason for the immense power that Marcellus had. The burden of the world on his shoulder was because of the power. He thought he would be able to tell her that he didn't feel confident in carrying this huge responsibility, but instead...

Marcellus rolls his shoulders back, sitting tall and grinning a playful grin, "Because I am WAY too huge. If I'm not careful, I'd accidentally crush anyone nearby."

Wynter's ears twitch and he lifts his head to get a look at Marcellus before yawning big and curling up into a tight ball on Byleth's lap. He continues his little engine purr.

"What about you, Byleth?"

[fellstcr]

⚔️ // scared...?

in a white - hot flash , an OBJECTION swelled within . that he be frightened of such a form ! pah ! it said , with a righteousness that stunned her own hand still with its intensity . at the same time , a FOREBODING chilled her bones . it was part of him . as so it was for the immaculate . WAS HIS FEAR MISGUIDED?

"why are you frightened?"

Taking a seat in front of her with his own cup, Marcellus prepares his as well. Instead of sugar, he pours a drizzle of honey, and no cream was added into his. He uses this time to think about her question. Stirring the tea, humming in thought, and then looking to Wynter whose tail actually wraps itself loosely around Byleth's leg. The tip of his tail taps gently in a rhythm of being petted.

"It's," Ah, he thought he had been ready to answer her. He chuckles at himself. For finding it hard to describe the feeling.

"Well, I don't think I have a preference for what I choose." He didn't feel like he was lying. He wouldn't dare lie to Byleth anyway, but there was something. "Hmmm, but I think deep down I am a little scared of my dragon form," as he says this, he pinches his fingers nearly together and winks. "It's nothing too bad though."

[fellstcr]

⚔️ // byleth thanked him and carefully spooned a few lumps of sugar and a spot of cream into the drink , watching as the dark amber mellowed into a calming coffee brown . as she awaited it to cool , she turned her attentions back to wynter .

she suddenly felt as though marcellus' gaze was a little sharper , all of a sudden . as though a strange current had tumbled its way down her back , and left her with the fizzling aftermath . the goosebumps settled eventually . and byleth had hardly a name for the feeling .

so she kept her eyes locked down .

"what's it like?" she asked eventually. "i mean . . . do you prefer it?"

Wynter's purr is a soft growl. His tail flicks at the tip lazily as he lounges happily on Byleth's lap. He's always been a fan of her. While with most if not EVERY being he's come into contact with he was protective of his friend and kept people at arm's length, Byleth was probably by far the only one that he's felt super close with. It helped that their color palette was close to each other!

He soaks up being petted and pampered by the woman.

"Hm?" Marcellus hums in question to his name being spoken. He's pouring Byleth her favorite tea that he keeps stashed in his cupboard.

"You mean my dragon form?" he slides her cup to her and looks at his partner. "What would you like to know?"