#that's what it's all about folks

[fe-fictions]

Could you do a little fic with Frederick x F!Robin 🥺? Pretty please 👉👈? Maybe one where Freddy gets really really sick and Robin is just scared because like, you know, she loves him so much, and what can you do when your stuck on a military campaign in the middle of nowhere and your husbands near dead with fever

(I have been working on this story for the last few months...enjoy 18 pages of angst and fluff and sniffling Freddybear ;;; U ;;; )

Frederick did not get sick. His immune system was impeccably strong; practically impenetrable to any disease or virus that would seek to bring him down.

You believed Lissa’s fervent stories about how Frederick would clear a cold with a single sneeze; seeing how your husband took such meticulous care of his help suggested he was as healthy as the myths foretold.

You had only been married a short while; a little over six months, following the few months courtship after you were found.

So it was very new; but it was also the only life you knew. Frederick had quickly gone from being a distrusting nuisance to the one constant in your life.

He was always there with a smile, a kiss or a squeeze of your hand. His patience was unending, and his compassion for your struggles with amnesia was unwavering. There was no normal without Frederick by your side.

But when the journey to Ferox led to a blizzard on top of a blizzard, it was only natural that not everyone in the encampment could weather the cold.

Vaike caught a bad flu first; of course he did, what with insisting on wearing as little warm clothing as possible to show off his glorious body.

Miriel would chastise him as she treated him, though there was very little one could do to sotp help the body heal from natural illness.

Injuries? Sure. Sickness caused by your own stupidity? Not so much.

Chrom quickly set the Shepherds to work to try and stop the sickness from spreading, but the measures he was taking weren’t good enough. There was still a bit of a journey to the nearest village, before reaching the capital city.

For now, everyone was to shelter in place and try their very best to get the fires burning high and hot. With hearty stew prepared for dinner and thick blankets distributed to the soldiers, it seemed like survival from the cold would be successful.

The darkness had made it difficult to tell just what time it is, but you were just exhausted. The final evening counsel had concluded, and you hurried back to the tent. Frederick assured you he’d follow once he finished checking over each of the fires in camp..

A task which normally took about half an hour, seemed to be taking much longer. You busied yourself with insulating the tent (as he carefully taught you), and had a small orb of fire floating safely in the center of the tent.

It was like a personal haven of heat…and you didn’t want to leave it.

At least, not until the tent flap opened, letting in a howl of cold air.

“Frederick, quickly!” You gasped, motioning for him to latch it shut. “It’ll take ages to reheat the tent!!”

“Forgive me, my dear,” Frederick’s voice was trembling as he shivered despite himself. “I am feeling slightly more tired than I realized.”

“You? Tired? Impossible.” You laughed some, but regarded him just the same, eyebrows raised. “You don’t think it’s the weather, do you? Neither of us are really built to withstand freezing temperatures like this…maybe it’s having an impact on your health.”

“My health is fine, as always.” He dismissed the very thought as he loosened the straps of his armor. “I am simply tired from making sure our campfires will last the night. Not all of us know how to do this warming enchantment, after all.”

“If it didn’t cost so much mana, I would cast it for everyone’s tents.” You agreed, rising to help him place the armor on its stand.

“We do need you to preserve as much as possible.” He agreed, “But I suppose I can allow it for our personal tent…for now.”

“Even the strict Lieutenant Frederick deserves to indulge every now and then.” You grinned, passing him his nightshirt before returning to the bedding.

“I suppose it is an indulgence, but the warmth is quite welcome…Ferox feels particularly biting this time of year.”

“Hmm. Cordelia said it’s actually much milder than usual. Which is saying something, given it feels like the temperature’s in the negatives.” You said with a shiver, but Frederick did not seem to notice.

Slowly, Frederick finished his nighttime routine and settled into bed with you, wishing you goodnight with a kiss. But something was…off. Your brow furrowed, making a small noise when your lips parted.

“Darling? You’re…rather warm. Do you feel all right?”

Frederick took a moment to process your words, but seemed unaffected. “I am sure it is only the tent. Come morning I’m sure my body temperature will drop the second we step outside. We should…rest.”

Frederick was asleep in the span of a few breaths. You shook your head, subconsciously noting that his body heat seemed to rise as you followed into slumber.

With a yawn and a stretch, you faced the next morning well-rested and plenty warm. That heating spell was a true work of art; you made a note to figure out methods to expand it to benefit all of the Shepherds.

The dim light seeping into the tent suggested it was just after dawn; time to get ready to face the day. But when you shifted to get up, something solid touched your back on the bedroll.

You turned to find Frederick still asleep beside you.

“What in the name of- Frederick? My love?” You reached for his face, feeling heat simmer beneath your fingertips. Too much heat.

“Frederick.” You called him again, a little firmer, and pushed on his shoulder. His breath was shallower, and he wasn’t responding to you.

“Freddybear, it’s past time to get up. You’re not going to have time to set all the fires!” You pressed, and that seemed to do the trick.

Frederick groaned, squeezing his eyes before they slowly fluttered open. “Mmnh…Robin…?”

“Good morning, sleepyhead. You’re quite late for your morning tasks. Shall I take care of them so you can rest?” If he was feeling unwell enough to sleep through the first hour of his day, then…

“That’s all right, Robin. I do appreciate the offer.” He dismissed you, rising slowly from his back and starting to stand.

There was a mild dizziness in his steps, as though disoriented from waking up. It had you on your feet behind him, placing a steadying hand to the small of his back.

“My dear, I don’t think you should do anything today. You’re looking a bit unwell, and the last thing I want is-”

“Nonsense. I have never once gotten ill; I am in peak condition, as always.”

“Then why are your eyes so glassy? And why are you struggling to keep your balance?”

“My oversleeping has simply left me disoriented.” He shook his head, “I know my body, Robin. If there is something wrong, I will not ignore it.”

“Unless something more important than your health happens, first.” You sighed, to which Frederick averted his gaze. Guilty as charged. “I know you, Frederick. You have a track record nearly as long as my own that shows you’d rather die than forget to polish Chrom’s sword for the fifth time.”

“I suppose that is true, but you forget that I have had a significant change in my personal life that impacts those odds.”

“And what might that be?” Your hands were on your hips, unconvinced. Frederick smiled softly, closing the distance between you to run handsome fingers along the side of your face.

“I recently married a very caring, attentive woman, whose opinion I value deeply.”

It was your turn to avert your gaze. “Flattery won’t get you anywhere, Lieutenant.”

“Is it flattery if I spoke earnestly? I can assure you, I could not possibly exaggerate my feelings for you.”

“All right, all right. You’ve made your point.” You huffed, brushing his hand away (gently) so as to preserve the remainder of your resolve. “Just…please pay attention to your health. It’s already brutal outside, and if you’re feeling ill, I don’t want you to hurt yourself. You’re all I’ve got.”

“I understand.” He nodded, though he was unable to keep the smile from his lips. He brushed past you one final time, kissing the top of your head while he went.

Your gaze lingered on him even after the tent flap fell closed again. He was pushing himself too hard, and it was clear he wasn’t well. But you decided to trust Frederick; after all, he trusted you in spite of your mysterious origins.

He was all you really knew, now. Frederick’s routine was the one constant, in the throes ofkk battle and the constantly shifting tactics and politics that came with it.

He was always the same. Always performing his duties down to the exact second on his schedule. It reassured you; grounded you.

There was no reason to doubt him.

Glancing at the timepiece he kept in his trunk, it would be a few hours before breakfast. You’d check in on him then.

Surely, he’d be all right to work for a few hours.Frederick was not, in fact, fine to work a few hours.

When you reconnected in the mess tent, you found he had already fetched both your portions, but his was noticeably smaller than yours.

“Freddybear…aren’t you hungry? You’ve been working since dawn.” You noted carefully, sitting beside your husband.

He stared into the bowl, his brow furrowed. “I am not particularly hungry this morning. Perhaps I simply have not put in as much effort today as I usually do.”

You purse your lips, sharing some of your breakfast with him to even the portions out a little more.

“You’re going to need the energy if you insist on doing your daily duties in that heavy set of armor. Although, you could always slow down and rest for the day, just in case…”

“Thank you for worrying about me, but I can assure you I’m fine.” He replied gently, and returned the portion you shared with him into your bowl. “I know your day will be filled with meetings; you’re going to need the strength to withstand all those political battles.”

“That is a good point.” You nodded, “But at last eat one extra bite. For me?”

He exhaled softly, allowing you to rgift him one spoonful of your meal.

“Very well.”

“Thank you, dear.” You grinned, pecking his cheek. “Now let’s eat before our duties drag us away.”

And drag you away, they did; you were plotting out your next steps, knowing exactly where to go in order to avoid Plegian fire and reach Ferox within a reasonable amount of time. The bitter cold would provide more obstacles the longer you waited to take up camp and move it closer to the capital.

The kingdom itself had its share of bandits and vagabonds, which would no doubt become a headache for the Shepherds during the journey northward.

Coupled with the snowfall only growing icier and heavier through the next several days, and you had yourselves a proper race against the clock.

“We’ve already strained the medical tent with the number of soldiers who’ve fallen ill in the cold.” Stahl reported, “Lady Maribelle and Princess Lissa have requested a number of medical supplies, as well as any blankets and winter wear that can be spared.”

“We’re already running low on all of that, as it is…where would we be able to find more?”

“There’s a village between here and Ferox…could we make it there before we get to Ferox, so we can restock and rest?” You wondered, narrowing your eyes at the map.

The faint clanging of sparring reverberated in the still air as the council contemplated the next move. A good reminder that there would need to be a weapons restock in the near future as well.

“Indeed there is; but it would also force us to rework the path to Ferox, as well. It may add an additional two days to our journey when we depart.” Miriel explained, illustrating the wide curve the army would have to take if they went on this detour.

A particularly strong strike of steel hit across camp, followed by an exclamation among the soldiers. Someone must have won that duel handily. The sounds of mock battle resumed in the background.

“It would be worth it, in order to keep ourselves in top condition. I don’t want to risk lives because we were fighting hungry or sick. Chrom, what do you think?” You turned to the prince, who was listening carefully to the deliberations.

The clanging outside stopped suddenly. More exclamations.

“While time is indeed of the essence, I feel that Robin’s plan may be better in the long term. We should start making preparations to take up the camp and head north while it is still early in the-”

“Lord Chrom!!”

Ricken suddenly burst into the tent, the frost across his clothes contrasted sharply with the bright red of his face.

“Ricken? What’s-”

“The Lieutenant collapsed!!”

In a breath the whole of the tent was emptied, sprinting to the clamoring crowd that wasw growing at the training grounds. You led the charge, heart thundering faster than your feet could carry you.

Frederick collapsed. Frederick collapsed?

The words were foreign in your brain; you couldn’t make sense of it. The faint glow of healing staves could be seen in the snow. You pushed your way through the rumbling soldiers, confused and concerned.

Deep in the snow, Frederick laid off the side of the field. Maribelle and Lissa were frantically trying to heal him. He was unconscious.

“Frederick-” You reached his side before Chrom could, sliding to your knees beside him. His face was pale, in spite of being inches deep in the snow and ice. “What’s wrong with him?”

“He just dropped in the middle of a fight. I thought he may have been struck, but there aren’t any wounds.” Maribelle explained, words clipped and anxious.

You tore the glove from your hand, touching his face. Instantly you withdrew your fingers, a rush of air leaving you.

“He’s hot.” The staves paused at your statement, both the women staring at you. “H-his skin is really, really warm.”

“But his face is…” Lissa trailed off, brows furrowing. “Wait. Is he-?”

“Surely not.” The pair exchanged a glance. You were moments from shaking someone’s shoulders.

“What’s wrong with him??”

“He’s…he’s fallen ill.”

Pneumonia. A terrible case of it, at that. You were supposed to be relieved that he wasn’t injured; that this was something healed with plenty of herbs, medicines and rest.

But Frederick didn’t get sick.

You remembered the legends of Shepherds seeing Frederick sneeze and instantly cure whatever cold he might have had. Pneumonia was much more severe than a cold, but…surely it couldn’t have debilitated him so badly.

The healing tent was a mess of anxiety behind you, which was hard to ignore considering you were already deeply upset.

“You should not be here, Robin. If the type of pneumonia he contracted is contagious, you may fall ill as well.”

Frederick didn’t react to the voices above him; he was unconscious. The breaths trembled in his lungs, feverishly turning his head side to side on the pillow. Whatever was going on inside of him was tumultuous.

“I understand, but…I cannot leave him when he’s like this.” Your response was given without ever taking your eyes off him.

It was difficult to sit and watch, but the healers were kind enough to allow you to stay by his side while they worked around you. They had drawn his blood, listened to his heartbeat and his breathing, and were checking his fever every hour.

“H-he’ll be okay, right?” You heard Lissa ask from the end of the bed. She was tasked with healing him as well, but given how shaky her hands were, she needed to gather herself. Chrom put a comforting arm around her, but his expression remained grave.

“I’m sure he’ll recover. This may be a difficult fight, but it’s Frederick. I’ve never seen him sick longer than a day.”

“I’ll hold you to that.” Lissa managed a small smile, but she was looking about as pale as your husband currently did. The thought alone made your stomach flip.

“Is there anything that we can do?” You asked Maribelle, “I…I want to stay with him, but I don’t want to be useless.”

“Perhaps fetching some food for yourselves and him will be good. I think all of you could use some fresh air. See if Stahl has the vegetable broth that I requested.”

The three of you left the tent, the biting air a bitter reminder of your current reality. It drew your feet to a stop. Maybe…maybe you shouldn’t leave his side just yet.

“Robin?”

Chrom touched your upper arm. It was difficult to find the words.

“Are you all right?”

“I…don’t know. I just don’t feel like it’s a good idea to leave him.” You glanced back at the tent, “I don’t like the idea of going somewhere and he’s not there with me.”

Chrom motioned for Lissa to go ahead, a little more concerned with his friend folding into herself.

“I’m sorry, Robin. If I realized he was getting sick, I would have ordered him to rest before it got like this. I know how hard he pushes himself.”

“I tried to convince him to slow down - more than once - but he insisted he was fine, and he pushed forward anyways. I believed him when he said he’d take care of himself, but now he’s… I’m just so worried.”

“We all are. This is uncharted territory.” Chrom agreed, squeezing your shoulder. “I can’t imagine how it must feel for you. You’ve been stuck to Frederick like glue almost since we found you in that field.”

You nodded, lips pursed. It wouldn’t do any good to speak out loud your deeper fears.

“He’s…my world.” You admitted quietly, frown deepening. “I don’t think I should leave him.”

“Even if it’s on the healer’s orders?”

“You can bring me back some food too, can’t you?”

Chrom chuckled. “Of course. We’ll be back as soon as we can.”

And so you returned to the tent, feeling a sense of relief that you wouldn’t be leaving Frederick behind for any longer. Maribelle quirked an eyebrow, but did not press any questions as to why you had taken a break that wasn’t longer than a few minutes.

You quietly returned to your seat beside Frederick, whose expression remained contorted in discomfort.

He had turned away from your touch, jerking his head when cool fingers brushed against his cheek. His eyes remained closed; was he having a nightmare?

“I’m here, Freddybear.” You whispered, “I’m sure you can’t hear me, but…I’m not going anywhere ‘til you’re better. Got it?”

You squeezed his hand, resting your head on your other arm while you watched his fitful rest. It wouldn’t be long before the royals returned with food for yourself and your husband, though his was more flavored water than anything else.

Maribelle had moved to take care of his meal, but you were quick to volunteer. Something about letting others take over a task that was clearly meant for you to do felt wrong.

Though to the others, it was a symptom of more worrisome fears.By the time the next evening rolled in, Frederick’s condition grew worse.

The past twenty-four hours saw him in and out of a feverish attempt at consciousness. At one point, your name had passed his lips, but th.

Chrom sent their best horsemen to the village north, requesting clerics who would surely be able to turn his fever around with their expertise.

You were anxiously watching the tent flaps, hoping Chrom would return with an army of Feroxi healers at any second.

“Just hold on a little longer, my love.” You whispered, and held his hand tightly between both of yours. “Help will be here soon. Then you’ll be right as rain, and everything’ll go back to normal. Like nothing was ever wrong.”

His response was little more than a shuddering breath, his brow drawn tight against the pounding ache in his head. You kissed his knuckles, trying so hard to keep your wits.

He was your world. He was all that you knew, and neither you nor any of his close friends had ever known him to fall so terribly ill. What was worse, of course, was the terrible reality that no one could think of what might happen next.

When the clerics finally arrived, Frederick’s condition had already worsened. The shallow breathing was replaced with fits of hard, wet coughs. It seemed to pull him from whatever troubled excuse for rest he’d been getting before.

The coughing sounded heavy, as though his lungs were rattling with every sharp repetition. Your hand was on his back the instant he awoke, doubling over almost as suddenly as his eyes had opened.

“Frederick!” Your concern was quickly overwhelmed by the trio of clerics that were shepherded in by the prince. Chrom looked between you and Frederick, a small flash of relief in his eyes quickly overshadowed with worry.

“He's awake- that’s a good sign, isn’t it?” He commented as he came to your side, a reassuring hand on your shoulder.

“His fever is severe.” The first cleric spoke, already having placed the back of his hand to Frederick’s forehead.

His eyes were glassy; you worried he didn’t know what was going on. Chrom’s fingers twitched.

“It can be brought back down though, can’t it?”

“It will be difficult, milord. Not only that, but it sounds as though the infection has spread deep into his lungs. The coughing should not be this heavy after two days of rest.”

“What can we do?” You asked, deciding to ignore the crack in your voice.

“We will need cold compresses, a bowl of cold water, and an additional bowl of packed snow.” The third cleric instructed, addressing the healer as she joined the growing group. “Could you show us where the medicinal herbs are, Lady Maribelle?”

“Of course. Though I must inform you that I’ve tried every combination I can think of to address the ailment.”

“We have brought our own supply of herbs local to Ferox, though we assumed you would have most of the base roots and herbs we will need to combine them with.”

“That would be correct.” Maribelle’s chin lifted, clearly proud of herself for maintaining the stock. She nodded to you, “Not to worry, Robin. We’ll have him back to normal in no time, now that we’ve got some proper help.”

You turned your attention back to Frederick, whose expression was a mixture of exhaustion, pain and confusion.

“Dearest?” You touched his cheek, the flushed red and sharp heat nearly catching you off guard. “Frederick, darling, did you hear them?”

A non-committal noise was about the best he could do before another coughing fit took hold. Your hand left his face to support his back again, a vain attempt at helping him.

“Milady,” One of the clerics addressed you, “It will be more efficient for us to work if we are allowed to occupy the whole space. I’m afraid we must ask you to leave.”

You glanced back at your husband, chewing the inside of your cheek. “But you will keep me informed if anything changes, yes?”

“You will be the first to know. Thank you for your cooperation.” They guided you out, Chrom not far behind. He seemed a little more at ease than you did, though you couldn’t imagine why.

“They sure know what they’re doing, don’t they? They’re not wasting a second.” Chrom said, sealing the tent behind you. “I only wish we were able to return with help sooner; I’ve never seen him in such dire straits.”

“But he will be all right?” Your response was shaky enough to be more of a question than a statement of fact. Chrom could hear it in your voice; you were well beyond anxious.

“Yes- yes, of course he’ll be all right! Frederick’s got the fortitude and the stubborness of an ox. He’s not going to let something like this take him down.”

“Thank you, Chrom.” Your whisper was met with a kind smile, and an elbow offered.

“May I escort you back to your tent?”

When he left you to your own devices, there was little else to distract yourself from the worrying besides scribbling nonsense on parchment.

It did at least serve to occupy your thoughts for an hour, though it was far from productive.

A few maps were drawn that would no doubt have to be re-worked, some personal notes that you couldn’t seem to read the words you were writing…

With a sharp sigh, you pushed away from your desk, opting to do some tidying around the immaculate tent instead. Something to keep your mind from worrying. Anything to stop fretting for a single second.

“Lady Robin?”

Perhaps not.

You unlatched the tent flap to find one of the village clerics standing in the whipping ice and wind. His expression was more grim than the weather.

“It is about your husband’s condition.”The pair of you returned to the healing tent within minutes of his status report. Frederick’s fever wasn’t breaking.

His condition hadn’t improved even after the intensive care he’d been receiving for the last hour straight. Even in the state he was in, with the efforts the clerics had already put in, his fever should have reduced by at least half a degree.

Instead, the rate he was going suggested he would not make it through the night if nothing changed.

It sucked the air from your lungs.

Returning to Frederick’s side didn’t give any comfort. You were at his bedside, this time determined not to leave him until you knew he was okay. His hand was tightly grasped between both of yours, feeling the heat that seared through his fingertips. His skin was so pale, and his breathing was labored.

“I am sorry, Lady Robin. We have informed the Exalt and his sister, but have instructed them to stay away from the tent so that we can continue to monitor him with little distraction. But given you are his spouse, I thought you should be the only exception.”

“Please…” The sound of your voice was foreign in your ears. When had it become so broken? Your fingers tightened around his hand, your knuckles white. “Please, help him.”

“My lady, we will do all we can, but there is little else-”

“There h-has to be something.” You hissed, fighting so hard not to let the dam break. “I can’t lose him. Not like this, he- I-I don’t have anyone else.”

The cleric’s lips drew into a thin line; this was the fearless Ylissean tactician, bearing her soul to a complete stranger. A man who you saw as holding his life in his hands.

“We will do what we can.” He repeated, gentler. “I do not wish to frighten you., but it is important that you know…and that you may need to prepare for the worst.”

There was little in the way of a response. Instead the cleric moved away, closing the fabric that provided some privacy in the tent so that you could be alone with him for a little while.

Silence filled the space, your thundering heart overwhelmed by the howling winds pounding the canvas with ice and snow. The tent was warm, at least, but it did not stop the shivers running up and down your spine. Though the trembling had a different source.

“Frederick…” Your forehead fell on his shoulder, a grimace twisting your lips. “Frederick, please- don’t do this. I need you. I need you to get through this, I-”

A sob caught in your throat, desperate and raw.

“Y-you’re everything to me, you know that? Y-you’ve been there since the first day…you’re in my very first memories since I woke up in that damn field. And you are my one constant…my one truth. I don’t…”

You swallowed thickly, pulling back to gaze upon his face. He looked so pained.

“I don’t know how to live without you.”

You drew his hand up to your lips, kissing his knuckles once, twice, three times as hot tears overflowed.

“Please, love…do not go where I cannot follow.”

Soft whimpers were somehow able to escape, the fragile prayers an echo in your heart. The silence was deafening, interrupted only by the muted cries of the knight lieutenant’s beloved.

There was nothing else to do but wait.

Agonize…and wait.

The first thing that registered in your mind when you awoke in the quiet of morning…was that your back ached terribly.

You groaned, recognizing that you were not asleep in your cot, but had slumped over on a less than comfortable stool. Frederick would surely scold you for falling asleep in such a way- it was simply terrible for your physical health to slump over on your seat for hours like that.

His name flitting through your thoughts was able to pull you from the drowse. The reason you were sitting at all was because you were in the healing tent. Watching over your husband.

“Frederick-” Your whisper was hoarse and a crackled attempt at speaking. Blearily you searched for his face in the darkness.

It was far too dark- was it even really morning? You fumbled with a small spell tag, hastily casting a small Ember spell.

An infant flame flickered to life in your palm, allowing your eyes to focus on your prize.

The lieutenant was still asleep. Your jaw clenched, feeling a lance of fear in your heart; he was asleep, wasn’t he?

Shaking fingers reached for his face, finding heat beneath your touch.

No…not heat. Warmth.

He was warm.

“Frederick…! Your fever-” You rose abruptly from your seat, pressing your ear to his chest to confirm your hopes. His heartbeat was still there.

Breath filled his lungs.

He made it through the night.

“Oh-- oh, the healers-!” You burst from the enclosed space, extinguishing the ember as you called for the clerics’ attention. There were two still shuffling about in the early morning, startled by the noisy tactician.

“My lady-?”

“His fever broke-!” You blurted out, pointing lamely back to where your husband slept. “H-he is still alive!”

It was all you could do to follow after the pair, who hurriedly went to confirm your exclamation. One took up Frederick’s hand, pressing his wrist to feel for his pulse. The other touched his forehead, confirming he was indeed no longer boiling.

“He has made it through the night.” They declared, relief passing over the three of you. It was impossible to contain your joy, all but collapsing beside him and sobbing with immense joy.

You clung to his hand, pressing as many kisses as you could while the healers politely left to procure more medicine to treat him once he woke.

Though you could care less if they stayed or went- Frederick was alive!

He would remain asleep for a few hours more, despite all the ruckus around him. Chrom and Lissa were promptly informed of the state of him, and you were soon joined by two tearful royals who crammed into the little space beside you.

So that, when Frederick finally did open his eyes again, he found himself surrounded by three blurry, smiling, ridiculous figures.

“Frederick?” Lissa spoke up first, blue eyes shining bright with hopefulness. “Can you hear me? You feeling any better?”

A soft noise was just about the only thing he could manage, brow furrowed in confusion as he tried to gather his bearings.

He wasn’t exactly sure what was going on, only that he didn’t exactly feel fantastic.

However, he could definitively say he felt better now than he did a while ago. And judging by the worried expressions that were surrounding him as his vision focused, he wasn’t the only one who thought that.

“Darling,” You called to him softly, squeezing his hand. “Do you need anything? Should I get you some water, or. Something to eat?”

He squeezed your hand back, albeit weakly. “Mmn…water…”

“O-of course! Just a moment.” You looked back to Chrom and Lissa, light in your gaze for the first time in days. As if you were saying “Hear that? He wants to drink something!” with your face.

“Why don’t you stay here while we go get him some water, instead? You’ve suffered long enough at his side; you deserve some joy, instead.” Chrom suggested, and took his sister’s hand.

Frederick watched them leave with sleepy confusion, turning his attention back to you.

“You…were suffering…?”

“Freddybear, you were really, really sick. It was pneumonia.” You explained, “One minute you seemed fine, and the next you collapsed during training. You were barely conscious, a-and the fever you had almost killed you.”

A grim understanding crossed his face, seeming to wake him up a little more. “I see…I didn’t realize…”

“I’m sure you didn’t think it was as bad as it was, but…the clerics had informed me you may not have made it through the night.” The red around your eyes betrayed the softness in your tone. You reached your breaking point.

Your husband’s hand shifted around yours, threading his fingers between your own as close as possible.

“I had a dream…you were crying.” He breathed, “Praying.”

With a trembling lip, you shook your head, looking away in a feeble attempt to withhold the tears from escaping.

“Did you say I’m…your one…your one constant?”

With a shaky sigh, you nodded, squeezing his fingers again. “I did, because you are. I rely on you more than anyone else, Freddybear. You’re the one person I can always count on to…to be there. More than anybody. That’s…why I w-was so upset.”

“I didn’t know,” He coughed much drier and softer than before. You made a move to help him, but he shook his head, opting instead to maintain his strengthening grip on your hand.

“I didn’t know you felt so strongly about me.”

You weren’t sure if that was a sob or a laugh that you barked out, but it was there all the same. “Frederick, of course I feel that way about you- I married you! Did you doubt my love wouldn’t extend to trusting you, too?”

‘T-that is not what I meant. It seems my thoughts are still…a bit muddled.” He shook his head, looking troubled. “ I mean that…I did not know you relied on my presence so much.”

“It’s only natural, isn’t it?” You insisted quietly, leaning down so that your head rested on the thin pillow inches from him. He stared into your eyes, his still-blurred vision focusing enough to show the sorrow in your eyes. “I can’t recall what life was like before the valley. And you’ve been there since day one, for the good and bad.”

“You said that to me, too. I remember.” His whisper was met with a bashful smile, and your fingers gingerly brushing along his cheek. “So it really wasn’t a dream. I…I am so sorry, Robin. I frightened you so…”

You blinked rapidly, and shook your head. “You didn’t know it would end up this badly. All I can ask is that in the future, y-you take better care of yourself. I don’t know I can survive another situation like this”

“I will.” He promised, leaning into your touch with a happy sigh. “Thank you…for looking after me. It makes me feel even more grateful that you are my wife; to think you would stay so loyally at my side, despite my own foolishness.”

“I am a pretty wonderful wife, aren’t I?” You mused, allowing the tension to ease with a spot of humor and some well deserved laughter. You kissed Frederick’s forehead, tenderly brushing the hair from his brow. “I will go and find Maribelle, so we can discuss what your recovery will look like from here. And I’m sure Chrom and Lissa have already gotten that water by now.”

Frederick could not bear to take his eyes off you, watching as you rose from your place beside him (with one more kiss for good measure), to retrieve the listed parties.

It filled his exhausted heart with such warmth and joy, to know that you loved him so deeply. That you needed him so terribly.

If he was honest with himself, he knew it would be the exact same nightmares and fears running around in his mind that you had to struggle through. Sinking back into the cot, he stared up at the ceiling, determined to prevent such a horrific experience from ever being repeated.

And, while he was at it, thinking of the perfect way to woo his dear wife’s heart back. Thankfully it would not be difficult to achieve.

[poorly-drawn-mdzs]

Expertise can't help you here.

[teresiel]

Forgot to share with the world that passing out Pokemon cards on Halloween w/the roommate led to a child SCREAMING "this is the best house YET!!!!" , with the screams getting further and further away as he ran off. This is all after the whole things was nearly called off due to sudden snow.

[benevolenterrancy]

Scholarly peak is catching up on recent literature

[undeadoracle]

There's something I can't quite put my finger on about sebastian and his relationship to gender. how all of his conversations with the women companions are thoughtful and respectful even when they clash on the subject matter, but his conversations with the men companions are mostly just him getting mocked or berated. how every single figure of significance in his personal quest is a woman: Mrs Harriman, flora, elthina, even leliana. The chantry is a matriarchal environment where men aren't allowed to rise past a certain rank or perform certain jobs, and he seems completely unbothered by that.

he canonically used to spend a lot of time in brothels, but never mentions having any male friends. part of the trauma of his upbringing is that being born a boy made him irrelevant and unwanted at home. he's the only romanceable companion with no desire for men. Isabela asks if he used to be a woman, and varric accuses him of being a crossdresser. he's not interested in learning to use a sword; he wants to learn how to cook. the only time he ever speaks with any fondness for any man is his grandfather. i'm not really saying he's trans coded, i don't get that vibe from him, but the fraught relationship he has with manhood + his clear preference for the company of women over other men is . . . something.

[starry-bi-sky]

my martha knight au in a nutshell:

Danny/Martha: see up here?

Danny/Martha: *taps skull*

Danny/Martha: intense psychological damage

-----------

Danny/Martha: *upon finding out she's pregnant*

Danny/Martha: oh my god i cant be a mom, I'm fifteen and homeless--

Danny/Martha: im going to be a terrible mother--

Danny/Martha: i live in a cAR--

Danny/Martha: what if the baby inherits my powers? Oh no--

-------------

Danny/Martha post giving birth: i've only had Bruce for a minute and a half but if anything were to happen to him i won't even need to fuse with Vlad, I'm razing this goddamn planet to the ground myself

Danny, to Baby Bruce: you are the last remaining thread of my sanity. I'm going to give you the world :)

---------------

Danny/Martha prior to getting pregnant: Fuck it, if everything in my life has led to this moment, i'm allowed to make one stupid decision. I'm getting drunk and getting laid

---------------

Danny/Martha while Bruce was a toddler: i swear to fucking god i am going to kill the next person who talks to me--

Bruce: hi mommy!! i brought you something!!!

Danny/Martha, immediately flipping on a dime: hi baby!! what do you have?

Bruce, a weird child like his mother: a spider :)

---------------

Danny/Martha, talking to Falcone after he made an unsavory comment at her and Bruce: If you ever come near me or my son again, I will dig up your shithead father's corpse and make you eat his skin.

Danny/Martha: do you understand me

Falcone:... crystal, ma'am

---------------

Danny/Martha new in Gotham: *getting mugged*

Danny/Martha: *grabs man's arm*

Danny/Martha: I AM GOING TO BREAK YOU IN HALF LIKE A TWIG, FUCK BOY, DO YOU HEAR THE WORDS COMING OUT OF MY MOUTH--

(she then proceeds to terrorize Gotham's night life for the next extended period of time, mostly unintentionally)

---------------

Danny/Martha: Danny Fenton?? No. you must be mistaken, my name is Martha Knight.

Danny/Martha: this here is my littlest knight, Bruce.

Danny/Martha: I made him all by myself :]

[stealingyourbones]

Out of all of the people The Ghost King Phantom expected to relate to, it definitely wasn’t the scrawny red headed photographer of the Daily Planet. Jimmy Olsen has gotten so many temporary superpowers over his time being Superman’s friend. Hell, he once gained a 4th dimensional being’s reality warping abilities when he was given said dimensional being’s powers during a fight. Sure there’s a dozen or so heroes with the same amount of powers he has, but none as suddenly granted to them as a all powerful god that can relate to a teenager.

[bunnyboy-juice]

NO MORE ASSOCIATING THINGS WITH FEMMES ONLY BECAUSE THEY ARE PINK!HYPERFEM FEMMES ARE GREAT AND I LOVE YOU CAMPY FEMMES WHO EMBODY PINK BUT ALSO JESUS CHRIST CAN YOU GUYS NOT GO MORE THAN ONE DAY W/O TRYING TO SHOEHORN FEMMES INTO BEING ONLY PINK UWU BABIES. I AM FEMME AS IN GRASS AS IN DIRT AS IN TREE BARK AS IN WEEDS SPROUTING THROUGH THE SIDEWALK CEMENT. FEMME AS IN GENDER NONCONFORMITY AS IN FUCK YOU MY FEMININITY IS WHAT *I* SAY IT IS. FEMME AS IN DEPTH AND DARKNESS AND WARMTH AND TERROR. FEMME AS IN CAVES. FEMME AS IN LIGHTNING. FEMME AS IN AN AMALGAMATION OF TRAITS THAT I HAVE DECIDED ARE FEMININE REGARDLESS OF WHAT SOCIETY SAYS. FUCK IS IT THAT HARD TO UNDERSTAND?!???

[elany]

Yk what I want? I want a very early stages post canon labrumisu, but from Chilchuck's POV.

Imagine mister 'interparty romance is the devil' visiting court just to see these three circling each other like a pack of uniquely unhinged cats. And of course he sees it immediately, he's nothing if not perceptive and he's seen this happen so, so many times before. Kabru is hardly subtle in his fascination with Laios, who trusts him in turn more than nearly anybody else. He can see how close Mithrun and Kabru still are, even when there's little reason for the former captain to even stay in Melini. He can see where this is going. And he can see the disaster it's gonna end up in.

So he's just staring at them in horror, trying to figure out what in the world the dynamic here even is and glaring daggers at Kabru all the while for seemingly being the linchpin of this entire bullshit situation. King, his adviser and a fucking foreign noble?? Who thought THAT was a good idea! Is nobody else seeing this?? (no lol) Why is nobody objecting to this politically unsound love triangle that could literally ruin the kingdom they've only just established??

The anger! The distress! The despair when he first sees Laios getting all giddy when Mithrun so much as talks to him. Because hell, now he can't even blame the entire situation on one pretty boy insisting on having fingers in every possible pie, on political and personal level both!

And then they just. Quietly get together. All three of them. And Chil's just watching from the sidelines in complete bafflement because he's invented infinite worst case scenarios for how this will implode in all of their faces and destroy their friend group and topple the entire country and--

Instead they do. This. He'd be relieved if he wasn't so goddamn mad that he's spent months worrying about this shit just for them to resolve it in the least dramatic way possible.

Fuck this, he's taking a holiday.

[navree]

Incorrect, the fact that Biden has dropped out and a candidate with history of supporting medicare for all and being more receptive to a ceasefire in the I/P conflict has made me go from "I cannot morally support the Democratic nominee" to "I am voting for the Democratic nominee despite the fact she isn't perfect in every respect." I'm really happy this played out. The Dems for the most part abandoned the old Obama platform and it feels like its possible an actual progressive agenda could come to pass in my lifetime.

Kamala 2024!

If you weren't going to vote Democratic in this election before Biden dropped out you're a dorkass loser who does not care about any of the issues you're yammering about here and also a fundamentally bad person, and I hope you get run over by a bus.

But you got one thing right in all of this gibberish, Kamala 2024.

[alevens]

zolu is maybe one of the easiest ships i've ever liked. they're dating, except when they're not, they're best friends even when they're kissing and they're still captain and first mate when they aren't. they hold hands, they hug. they have sex. they don't.

Luffy can hold Zoro's katanas and Zoro can hold Luffy's strawhat and no one bats an eye. one says "You're so cool!" and the other says "You're strong" and it's just another way to say "I see you, this is why I follow you/this is why I trust you". it's not seeing each other for a long time and still knowing how the other's steps sound like against wood and sand. the captain runs and the first mate follows. it's always "Zoro and the others" and "Where's Luffy?"

if they're just friends, if they're something more, if they don't have a label for it, at its core, it's just about how they get each other. they understand how the other's mind works. however you view them, it doesn't erase they fact that they love each other in a way they don't love other people.

[telesilla]

Not gonna go out on this limb on a 25k post, but maybe it’s okay that kids today don’t know as much about using an actual computer as we do/did? Is it useful knowledge? Of course it is. So is using a sewing machine or being able to rebuild your VW with a copy of that one book every VW driver used to have. That’s not the right question—most practical knowledge is useful after all. The question should be “is it relevant to the way people live right now.” “How to Keep Your VW Alive” is a timeless fucking classic; my ex and I kept our copy long after he sold his VW. But I’m not buying a copy now because it won’t exactly help me keep my VW ID4 on the road.

And it’s funny, because I tend to read along with those posts and nod my head, because back in my day we HAD to know all that computer stuff. And then for some reason today, I remembered a conversation my mom and I had with my grandma in the mid 70s when I was a teenager. Grandma made my mom’s wedding dress. She worked at a department store doing alterations on foundation wear, which if you look at 1950s foundation wear, you’ll realize was both necessary and difficult. So she was shocked when I said most of my friends didn’t know their way around a sewing machine. “But how do you make sure your clothes fit?!” Well, Grandma, people don’t wear heavy foundation wear any more and clothes don’t need to be as tailored as they did back in the day—it’s 1975 and the only alterations I need to do is hemming my flares so they just touch the floor when I’m wearing platforms.

Now you can back up and look at the broader picture, the one that says, but your car should be repairable by you as long as you have clear instructions, and you should be able to alter your clothes or make your own, and yes, you should know how to organize the files on the desktop of your laptop. But the fact that for the most part it’s become easier and easier to just not do those things (if they can be done at all) isn’t exactly the fault of Kids Today. And it’s certainly not meeting them where they are or even trying to understand why they feel they don’t need that knowledge if, instead of looking at why they don’t have it and maybe even don’t need it, you just decry their lack of the Deep Wisdom.

[poorly-drawn-mdzs]

Having the Pool Dream again, handsome?

[benevolenterrancy]

("Always. Continuously. With increasing apprehension, and decreasing hope. I will love you if I never see you again, and I will love you if I see you every Tuesday. I will love you as a corpse loves the beak of the vulture. I will love you no matter what happens to you, and no matter how I discover what happens to you, and no matter what happens to me as I discover this." -- paraphrased from The Beatrice Letters, Lemony Snicket)

[msmargaretmurry]

"how many drinks would it take for you to kiss leon draisaitl?" (x)

[razrogue]

Folks should be mindful when engaging with Black creator's OCs through appreciation type stuff (gifts of fanart/fanfic/etc).

If you're unsure if you're capturing the essence/appearance/personality of their OC, ASK!

I understand wanting to surprise a creator with a gift because you want to show your appreciation for their OC. But that gift is harmful when the creator sees you've whitewashed their OC or applied stereotypes or tropes that aren't a part of the character.

When in doubt, ask