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kumeko · 1 year

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Prompt: Modern meet cute (strictly first meeting)

A/N: For @signelchan for the @claudelethgifts! I always wanted to write something based off those immortal Byleth aus, so…took full advantage of your prompt for that. Hope this scratched that meet cute itch!

…

The woman wasn’t charming.

She was certainly pretty, if perhaps a little eccentric. Khalid had seen few people with dyed-green hair and green contacts, but the stranger was certainly pulling off the look. Her tank top and short shorts revealed toned muscles; perhaps she was an athlete of sorts. Standing in front of the ruins of an old tower, her gaze focused on the crumbling arches at the top, there was something charismatic about her lone profile.

Still, even without talking to her, Khalid knew she wasn’t a charming woman. Her expression was cold, distant. She seemed like someone who didn’t laugh much, if at all. The exact opposite of his type, in all honesty.

Yet, Khalid couldn’t look away.

In his ear, the tour guide chattered away about the Garreg Monastery ruins, about the history of the Battle of the Lion and Eagle and the old rulers who fought and died in this place. At eighteen, he’d had just about enough with the school lessons—it was the reason he’d taken the summer to backpack through Fódlan with his best friends Hilda and Lorenz. After all of those essays and exams and the prospect of even more once college started, he was more than ready to take a break. A break from teachers, from parents, from rules and responsibilities.

Hitting on an absolute stranger in the middle of a foreign place with only his wits to help him through? It sounded exactly like the kind of adventure he wanted.

And the kind of action Lorenz would stop. Khalid quickly glanced at the clumped-up tour group. The small group was listening intently, following the instructions on their earpieces as they examined the outline of what used to be a training yard. Lorenz, as usual, was at the front, already trying to correct the tour guide because he’d read up on Fódlan’s history the night before. Long bored, Hilda had taken to chatting up one of the girls on the trip. No one was paying attention to Khalid at the back.

No one had noticed the woman standing by the tower.

As though sensing his mischief, Hilda glanced over her shoulder at Khalid. She raised a brow and even at this distance, he could already read the question on her lips: what’re you doing?

They’d been best friends for only a few years now in high school, but it’d felt like he’d known her his entire life. Khalid had never met anyone who fit so seamlessly with his pranks and schemes, who knew how to play the game just as well as he did. The sparkle in her eyes told him that she was more than willing to join in whatever plan he had now.

However, this was a solo mission. Khalid tilted his head in the direction of the woman. Hilda stared at her for a few minutes before grinning and winking. She pointed at Lorenz and gave a thumbs up, a promise to keep their rigid friend occupied.

Perfect.

Quiet as a mouse, he walked slower, falling behind in the tour group. Parents with their children streamed past, lovers held hands as they idly strolled by. The earpiece crackled as the tour guide answered yet another one of Lorenz’s questions. Bending down, Khalid pretended to tie his shoes.

One.

Two.

Three.

Four.

Five.

Straightening up, Khalid found the courtyard empty. The tour group had already moved onto the next section, the guide’s voice turning into static as they walked out of range. Meanwhile, the woman was still there, still staring at the tower, still utterly alone.

It was rare a plan fell together so easily. Khalid tried not to whistle as he headed over to the stranger.

Like the rest of the ruins, the tower was crumbling on one side, vines and flowers growing out of the bricks. A bird flew through the second floor to a small nest and a squirrel ran up the side. It had been several hundred years since the place had fallen into disrepair and between an earthquake, a fire, and plain old time, the tower had clearly left its best years far behind. Whatever restoration work the rest of the old church received, it hadn’t reached this far yet.

However…it was odd. Khalid paused for a second, his eyes focused on the second story floor. Aside from what he’d read in the pamphlet on the way here, he knew nothing about this tower. Yet, just like the woman, there was something about it that drew his gaze. A niggling feeling tickled the back of his head, like a dream he just couldn’t quite remember.

Like he’d been here before.

Like he’d once known the place.

Maybe Lorenz had told him too much about the monastery on the tour bus here.

Khalid shook his head. This wasn’t the time to be thinking about this. The woman didn’t react as he stood next to her. Up close, her moss green hair appeared to glow. He’d helped Hilda dye her hair pink a few times, but he’d never seen a dye like this before. That was for the best—if Hilda ever found out, she’d glow in the dark for the rest of her life.

And that would make it impossible to sneak around at night.

Clearing his throat, he said, “That’s an intense look. See something up there?”

The woman shook her head, though she didn’t turn his way. “It’s nothing.”

A one-liner. It didn’t give him much room to maneuver. Well, Khalid liked a good challenge. He scrambled through his memories for all the random facts Lorenz had nattered about on the walk to the bus. “I heard this was a god’s tower—guess he’s not doing a great job if it’s looking like this.”

“She,” the woman corrected softly.

Khalid raised a brow, not following. “She?”

“It’s the goddess tower. And the goddess…” She paused, her expression darkening. “She could only protect so much.”

“I guess that’s why she isn’t worshipped anymore, then,” Khalid replied blithely, sensing his opening and taking it. Maybe she was a history buff. He could only hope she wasn’t a religious zealot. “Kinda hard to believe in a goddess who can’t even protect herself. You know her name?”

“Sothis.” The woman bit her cheek before quietly mumbling, “She had never really been a goddess in the first place.”

“Sounds like you were there. You know a lot about this place?” Khalid paused before adding slyly, “Teach.”

“Teach?” The woman flinched at the nickname. Maybe he’d jumped the gun there. “You—”

As she turned to him, she froze mid sentence, her eyes wide, her lips parted. Her breath hitched. It was like she’d seen a ghost. Had they met before? Khalid had always had a good memory, for people, for places, and even if it had just been in passing, he’d never forget seeing hair this green. Her hands were fisted but her stance wasn’t aggressive. However they’d met, at least she didn’t seem to hate him.

“Try not to stare too hard, you might tear a hole through me,” he teased, trying to lighten the mood.

It was enough to snap the stranger back to her senses. She tightened her jaw and averted her gaze. “You shouldn’t be here,” she said curtly, her tone clipped and tight.

“Ouch, prickly aren’t you?” Khalid winced. He’d been wrong then. They’d definitely met, and he’d definitely done something wrong. He could only hope it wasn’t too egregious.

Ignoring him, she pointed to the path behind him. “This is a restricted area. You’re not allowed to wander on your own. You have to return to your tour group.”

“But I’m not on my own.” Undeterred, Khalid smirked and leaned forward. “And it looks like you’re without your tour group too.”

“That…” The woman hesitated and he could almost see the gears in her brain moving. Whatever else she was, she wasn’t a good liar. “I have permission.”

“As a tour guide? Or do you do work here?” Khalid pressed, trying to keep the smile out of his voice. Maybe it was a little mean to push like this when it was obvious she was scrambling for an excuse, but he couldn’t help himself.

“I…I help out.” The woman frowned before gesturing for him to leave again. “You need to get back to your tour group.”

“Alright, alright. Could I have your name then?” Khalid asked, holding out a hand. If Plan A failed, there was always Plan B. “So I can leave a note on how helpful you were?”

The woman hesitated once more, biting her lip. She stared at his hand, troubled, her own hand opening and clenching. After a few seconds, she sighed and shook. “Byleth.”

Progress. Though the name didn’t ring a bell either. Khalid smiled. “Nice to meet ya. I’m Khalid.”

Once again, Byleth’s breath hitched, her posture stiffening. Her hand gripped his tightly. “Khalid,” she breathed.

“Don’t wear it out now,” he joked.

“You…” Byleth’s teeth sunk into her lip once more and she retracted her hand quickly. Her eyes glimmered with an unnamed emotion. “You need to get back to the group.”

There were so many puzzles to unravel here. Even if he hadn’t known her name, she had clearly known his. It was time to change tactics. He pivoted, raising a hand to shield his eyes as he scanned his surroundings dramatically. Making a good show, he pretended to search for his tour group. Fortunately, they’d already moved on to the next spot, so the space behind him was empty. “I would but they’re not there anymore.”

Byleth studied their surrounding, her frown growing deeper as she realized he was right. “If you return to the main path, you should be able to catch up to them.”

“Sure—” Khalid took a big step forward before stopping. He turned back to her. “I’d be alone then.”

“It’s fine,” she replied, her frown deepening.

“I wouldn’t want either of us to get in trouble. Maybe you could help me find the group?” he fished.

The woman scowled, as though she knew just what he was after. Despite that, she exhaled deeply before nodding. “Fine. I’ll take you to them. Do you remember what part you were on?”

Not only had she taken the bait, but she’d even given him the best opening he could hope for. Khalid pointed in the opposite direction that the guide had gone. “The library, I think.”

-x-

As they walked, Khalid was certain of exactly three things about Byleth: she was a terrible liar, she was the least sociable person he’d ever met (and that included his grumpy former classmate Lysithea), and she knew these ruins like the back of her hand. If he pointed and asked about even the most random-looking pile of bricks, Byleth would tell him exactly what that place was. Maybe she was a tour guide on vacation or a historian.

Actually, that made four things he knew about her—despite her distant demeanor, she was considerate and helpful. Even when he’d slowed his pace, feigning exhaustion, she’d matched his speed. All the while acting the part of a guide.

It was a fact Khalid took full advantage of. Crouching, he pretended to tie his shoes next to the chalk outline of a building. “Wonder what used to be here.”

Byleth didn’t even pause before replying. “The greenhouse.”

“A greenhouse?” Khalid stood up quickly, trying to stand a little taller to take in the shape of the outline. “They had one of those back then?”

“Of course,” Byleth replied, standing at the boundary of the building’s outline. “For fresh food.”

“I mean, of course, but…” There was just something very modern about a greenhouse. He’d never considered just when the first one had been made. Or how long they’d been in use. It didn’t feel like the kind of thing one would find centuries ago. “Did they grow poisons there too?”

Byleth snapped her head to stare at him. While she didn’t say anything, her lips twitched, her eyes full of unspoken mirth.

Mildly embarrassed, Khalid resisted the urge to look away. “What?”

“Poisons?” she asked.

He rubbed the back of his neck, his skin warm. Now it felt like a stupid question. “Since there was a war and political fractions, it sounded like something they’d use here.”

“I see.” Her lips twitched again, and she muttered, “Some things don’t change.”

There was something unnerving about her gaze. She wasn’t looking at him, not really. “What doesn’t change?” he asked.

Byleth pursed her lips and gave him a long look. Shaking her head, she started walking. “The route shouldn’t change. They might be in the monastery,” she said, changing the subject.

It was obvious and blunt and Khalid had seen kindergarteners with more subtle skills. But if he pressed now, she wouldn’t respond. Patiently, he trailed after her. “Maybe.”

There was a cobbled path up a gentle sloping hill, the rocks well worn over time. On his left, a series of small rooms in a low, one-story building. On his right, the walls of the main building, in somewhat decent shape. Byleth paused as they passed, staring at one of the small rooms, its door long rotted away.

The room wasn’t any different than the other ones. Khalid paused beside her, not sure what she was looking at. “Let me guess—storage?”

“Dorm rooms,” Byleth corrected. Her expression softened. “Mainly for commoners.”

While he didn’t remember much about the tour, he did remember this small fact. Khalid grimaced. “I thought this school advocated for equality amongst students.”

“You’re right,” Byleth replied softly, still staring at the hole. “Views and practice don’t always align. You taught—” She cut herself off, tearing her eyes away. “Let’s keep going.”

You taught.

He couldn’t unhear that. This was their first conversation. He reached forward, grabbing Byleth’s wrist and gluing her in place. An electric current ran up his arm and through his spine, a sense of déjà vu for something that could never have been. “Have we met before?”

“No,” Byleth replied quickly. Too quickly. Even without her other responses, her body language had already given away the truth.

“On the street or—” Khalid pressed, not letting go.

“No,” Byleth interrupted, yanking her arm free. She stared at him, then down, rubbing her wrist. Softly, she uttered, “You…just look like someone I used to know.”

He could hear the heartbreak in her voice, the misery in her eyes. A death. A painful one. “Oh.”

She didn’t say anything and they stood there, silently staring at the ground.

Khalid rubbed the back of his neck. He shouldn’t have asked. Not like that, at least. Cracking a smile, he tried to lift the mood. “But he wasn’t as handsome, right?”

Byleth stared. A ghost of a smile crossed her lips. “The opposite.”

“Ouch.” That was twice that she’d stung him, but he couldn’t even get mad or feel hurt, not when she was brighter, the colour returning to her skin. “You really know how to kick someone when they’re down.”

“I’m not kicking anyone,” Byleth said, her lips twitching again. She was trying not to laugh, he realized.

“Liar,” Khalid muttered, grinning. Maybe he should make that his new goal—getting her to actually laugh out loud. As they walked past a set of bigger rooms, he pointed and asked, “Noble dorms?”

“No, classrooms.” Byleth pointed at one, then another. “Blue Lions. Black Eagles.” Her breath hitched as she pointed at the last classroom. “Golden Deer.”

It didn’t feel like she was reciting history, but rather memory. As though she’d lived through those times. As though she knew what this place had looked like in its peak. As though she knew this whole ruin.

Lorenz wasn’t the only one who’d spent the night cramming up on history.

“Apparently I had an ancestor there,” Khalid replied. He would have looked into it more if he’d realized he was going to talk about it. “I think he was a house head.”

“Yeah…” She closed her eyes. “You resemble him.”

“I didn’t even tell you which one,” he said, half-jesting, half-serious. “Stalker?”

“There’s a museum at the end of the tour,” she replied, opening her eyes, staring at him in the same way she had looked at those classrooms. As though he too were a relic out of place and time. “You look exactly like the Golden Deer leader, Claude.”

“Oh.” Well, that was a simple, obvious answer. Not that he bought it.

Sounds of gravel crunching and a low chatter filled the space. They’d caught up to the tour group and Khalid looked up to see stragglers turning a corner ahead of them.

“You won’t get lost now,” Byleth said softly as she picked up the pace.

Privately, Khalid wanted to swear—he’d been getting somewhere with her. Slowly, but surely. As he turned the corner, he spotted Hilda and Lorenz standing under a tree, Hilda fanning herself as she glanced idly around. Spotting him, she waved, and Lorenz turned to shoot him a suspicious stare.

“Yeah, I guess I won’t,” he said, turning to Blyth. “Thanks—”

She was already gone.

He wasn’t sure if he should be insulted or hurt.

-x-

Hilda snuggled up to Khalid as he sat in the ratty old seats in the auditorium. If there was one thing he’d learned so far from his first year courses, it was that they were all held in giant rooms that could hold a hundred at least. A far cry from high school and its tiny classrooms.

“Can’t believe you signed up for history as an elective,” Hilda grumbled, leaning against him, her head already resting on his shoulder. “You don’t even like history.”

Well, he couldn’t really say he’d joined it because he couldn’t stop thinking about that woman he didn’t pick up. It had been weeks and Khalid still turned whenever he spotted a bright green, half-expecting Byleth to just pop out of the shrubbery like the ghosts she knew so well.

“Neither do you,” he replied, trying to get comfortable. The seat felt too hard and too soft at the same time. “I thought you wanted a bird course?”

“Lorenz is here—stealing his notes makes it a bird course,” Hilda replied with a grin. She shivered and rubbed her bare arms. “Fuck, it’s cold here.”

“Get a jacket next time, or—” His words died as he heard a click and turned to the doors at the front.

Green.

“Hey, isn’t that lady the one from the tour?” Hilda whispered, squinting as she stared. “How’d she dye her hair like that?”

“Yeah,” Khalid whispered, sitting a little straighter as Byleth walked to the front of the room. She was several rows down, but he could see her expression was as blank as ever.

Setting down her papers on the podium, Byleth cleared her throat. “I’m Byleth, your Fódlan History 101 professor.”

He’d been right, she was a history buff.

Khalid grinned. At least now he could get her number.

#claudeleth #fe3h #claude von riegan #byleth eisner #claude x byleth #fire emblem three houses #lorenz gloucester #hilda goneril #fanfic #I am a little rusty on my claude T_T #but this was fun to do #claudelethexchange

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