#when you are not allowed to imagine let alone approve of other ways of lif

[subtract-me-from-your-heart]

Tbh I would need a substantial amount of proof in order to believe an evangelical Christian could be a good therapist

[ao3komorii]

The Last Hope of a Fallen Prince (FEH Lif/Reader)

This is the last of the Fire Emblem oneshots I’ve written, so enjoy! :) Lif is definitely my fav FEH guy for obvious reasons so I wanted to write a nice story for him! The only other Fire Emblem thing I have right now is a semi-written Sylvain oneshot, but I’m not sure when I’ll get around to finishing it.

For clarity purposes, Reader in this story is Kiran from Lif’s world, not from the main FEH world, but still no names or name blanks are used. Also, to make things easier on everyone, Lif is always referred to as Lif and Alfonse is referred to as Alfonse even if other characters address Lif by his other name. Also, there is smut at the end! ----

You had held out hope, but you felt your heart shatter as Hel’s scythe swiped across Sharena’s back. Alfonse’s cry for his sister rang out loudly in the otherwise deathly quiet battlefield in time with your gasp as Sharena’s body hit the ground. You weren’t given a moment to process the loss of your fallen friend when Alfonse screamed your name from across the battlefield at the same time as you felt a looming presence behind you as a scythe was lowered to your neck, gleaming with sinister purple energy.

“So pitiful,” Hel remarked dispassionately. “You had no chance against death.”

Alfonse was still running towards you, his sword drawn as tears streamed down his face. But Hel was death, and death did not care to give any fighting chances. Death would take lives unfairly, and one last cry of your name from Alfonse was the last thing you heard before the scythe was brought back into your neck, ending what little fight you had left as Hel let you fall limply to the ground, her job done and this world conquered of its resistance to her nature.

“We won’t be able to defeat Hel unless we can get Líf’s help,” Anna admitted reluctantly. “I wish I could think of any other way.”

“I don’t know how to get through to him,” Alfonse lamented. “I know that we’re the same person, but I couldn’t imagine serving Hel. I fear that the other me’s heart may be out of our reach.”

The group looked around, in low spirits, but nobody volunteered any ideas. At least a few minutes passed in this deep mist of looming defeat until the princess of Askr raised her head suddenly, staring ahead at the summoner and alerting Anna’s attention.

“What is it, Sharena?” Anna asked, a hand on her friend’s shoulder.

“Summoner!” Sharena exclaimed. “I have a plan that may be tricky, but it could be our last hope of reaching the Alfonse of this world.”

Sharena looked over to her brother, who looked troubled, but nodded back to her. “You have been able to summon heroes from any point in their lives, right?” she asked the summoner, and received a nod in reply.

“But we’re nowhere near the summoning stones!” Alfonse protested.

“And who could we summon that can convince Líf to help us?” Anna added.

Sharena smiled confidently at the others, but kept her focus on the summoner. “Even without the summoning stones, your Breidablik connects you to other worlds, so couldn’t it connect you to your other self?”

“You’re saying that she should try to summon the summoner from Líf’s world, when she was still alive?” Anna probed, thinking about it for a few seconds before a fire ignited in her eyes. “That could work! After all, if he’s anything like our Alfonse, Líf must care for his summoner a great deal. She might be the only one to make him see reason!”

“Anna!” Alfonse protested, face red with embarrassment.

“That’s what I was thinking!” Sharena replied excitedly. “My brother would do anything for her!”

Anna and Sharena grinned at each other, feeling hopeful for the first time in a long time, while the embarrassed prince and summoner stared anywhere but at each other, cheeks warm. While she looked at the ground, the summoner considered this idea. If she could reach her other self, just before she was killed by Hel… it could save everyone. Líf would not listen to her, but he was determined to save his own summoner. She would give it a try, she decided, raising Breidablik as the heroes around her all fell silent, hoping their summoner would be able to pull off a miracle.

Sharena was gone, taken cruelly by Hel’s scythe that had already taken so many lives. Before you could blink, she was upon you, blade poised to take your life. Alfonse could not stop this, you knew that much for sure. You closed your eyes, too scared to look at Alfonse as tears rolled down your cheeks. You opened your eyes again as the scythe advanced on your neck, Alfonse screaming your name, but then everything around you dulled slightly.

As Hel swung her scythe towards your flesh, you felt a hum from your Breidablik, hanging at your side. You quickly reached down to touch it, and as soon as you did, you felt a pull. In front of your eyes, you saw a light so bright that it made you close your eyes in fear of being blinded. And above all, you felt that someone needed your help, that they just needed you to reach back towards them with your Breidablik. Your only other option was certain death, and so you reached back, straining yourself to make the connection between you and the mysterious force absolute.

Your body felt light for a moment, and you had no idea what was happening. You opened your eyes only when the aggressive light surrounding you dimmed, and then you finally opened your eyes and realized that you were not in Hel’s clutches anymore. Your first thought was that you had died, that this was some heaven where you could be with your friends again. But then you caught sight of a familiar figure, one you had only seen before in mirrors or clear, reflective ponds.

It was you, surrounded by Anna, Alfonse, Sharena, Eir and all the other heroes you had come to know as friends and allies. Your eyes stuck on Sharena especially; you had just watched her die, she should be dead. You took a staggered step towards her, then another, and then just ran at her, wrapping your arms around her as she cried out in surprise. She raised her arms to hug you back, and allowed you to stay like that for a moment before you pulled apart. You were so happy to see all of them, but were met with sad, pitying gazes, which made you feel like you were missing some important piece of information.

“Summoner!” Anna addressed you. “There’s something we must tell you.”

You were feeling on edge, and stared at Anna warily, which she took as a sign to continue. “We’re from an alternate world to yours, and you’re the only one who can save our world.”

You reeled back in surprise, unintentionally meeting eyes with your other self, who removed her hood to let you see that she looked exactly like you. Sharena looked uncomfortable, but she stepped closer to you, and looked like she was forcing herself to speak up.

“Your world was destroyed by Hel. She left only my brother and Veronica alive, and she told them that for every person from our world they killed, one person from your world would be saved.”

“Alfonse…” You couldn’t believe it. “He serves Hel?”

Alfonse also stepped forward as his name was called. “I cannot imagine it myself, but the other me could not handle the loss of his world and is unwilling to help us fight Hel.”

“He goes by Líf now,” Anna added. “And while we do not have the power to bring your world back, we think that you are the only one who can convince Líf to help us defeat Hel once and for all.”

This was all so sudden that you were having a hard time processing everything. You couldn’t believe your sweet, kind Alfonse would serve Hel, but in your last moments in your world, you saw the devastation in his eyes. This did not seem like a nightmare of Hel’s creation, so you had no choice but to take them at their word. If Líf was the only thing standing in the way of Hel’s defeat, then you would do anything in your power to convince him. You would make him see that he was not alone.

“I’ll help you,” you agreed.

“Thank you!” Sharena cheered. “He may not be from my world, but he is still my brother, and I don’t want to see him do this to himself any longer.”

“Then we move out!” Alfonse announced. “If we venture further into Hel’s domain, Líf is sure to make an appearance.”

As everyone separated and prepared to move out, Anna approached you with Eir by her side.

“I just wanted to warn you, you may not recognize what your Alfonse has become,” she said sadly. “It has been years since his world perished, and he has grown, warped by Hel’s influence. But no matter what he looks like, you must remember that he is the same man he was when you last saw him.”

Eir bowed her head slightly to you, face full of sorrow. “I am deeply sorry for the pain my mother has caused you,” she apologized.

“It’s not your fault,” you replied. “But I’m just scared to see what is left of Alfonse. I don’t know if I can get through to him.”

“Hey, are you doubting an Anna-approved plan?” Anna joked, forcing a grin on her face. “If you can’t convince him, we’ll make another plan. But everyone here believes in you!”

You couldn’t help a small smile; Anna’s enthusiasm really was infectious. And she was right; if you gave up here, that meant that you were giving up on Alfonse too. You would save him, you would make him see reason. You were nervous to see for yourself exactly what had happened to him in the years that had been seconds for you. As gloomy as the situation seemed, the more you thought about it, the more you wanted to see him.

“We’re ready to march out,” Alfonse announced, startling you as you hadn’t even realized that he had approached your group.

“Right, I’m going to make sure we’re not low on any supplies!” Anna said, giving you a smile and a wave as she went on her way, Eir looking between you and Alfonse before hurrying after Anna.

You stared at their backs as they left, and Alfonse slowly approached you. When you finally looked over at him, he had pity in his eyes, but held your gaze. You felt mixed feelings as you stared at him; he looked like your Alfonse, at least the last time you had seen him only an hour ago, but he wasn’t of your world. You were the stranger here, and while everyone had been kind to you, you felt lonely.

“I’ve talked with him before… the other me,” Alfonse said as you both turned your heads to watch Anna conduct her final checks on the supplies. “He’s doing what he thinks is right. That is the only way he has to reconcile things in his own mind.”

“I can’t imagine how things have been for him,” you admitted. “For me, it’s been no time at all, but he’s gone years without anybody.”

“I’m sorry that we are asking so much of you,” Alfonse said. “But the way he is now, Líf will not listen to us. Someone from his world, someone important to him like you is the best hope we have.”

You were embarrassed to hear him speak so openly about your importance to Líf. The Alfonse you knew had a lot of trouble being open with his emotions, but maybe it was easier for him to talk about because he technically wasn’t speaking about himself. You were sure that both of you felt awkward; it was hard for you to see Alfonse, but know that he wasn’t the Alfonse that you knew, and he clearly didn’t know how to comfort you, likely blaming himself in some way for his other self’s actions.

Alfonse’s attention was drawn away from you when Anna signalled him forward as the army began to march out. He started forward, but then stopped, remembering that you were still there. They had a battle to fight, so you couldn’t take even more of his time.

“Go ahead, I’ll be fine,” you told him, and he looked reluctant, but nodded and headed to meet Anna at the front of the army.

You followed behind, staying in the middle of the pack. You noticed stares from the heroes around you, but nobody approached you. You knew that they were all uncertain of what to say to you. You looked exactly like their own summoner, but unlike her, your world and everyone you cared about here was dead, all but Alfonse. You didn’t blame them; you wouldn’t know what to say to you either.

“I really think you can do it.”

You hadn’t noticed Sharena approach you, but she matched your pace to walk by your side.

“I know that we’re not from your world, but we’re all by your side,” she added. “It doesn’t matter what world you’re from, you’re still my friend!”

“Thanks, Sharena,” you replied as you both began to walk up a desolate hill.

“I know the other me would want us keep your spirits up!” she said resolutely. “Just leave it to your best pal, Sharena!”

Her cheerfulness was helping you feel better. You needed to keep your morale up if you were to get through to Líf. But you worried about what he was like now; would he even listen to you, or recognize you? Your Breidablik had disappeared the moment you had been teleported here, and you didn’t know if he would take you at your word that you were you. A part of you also worried that he would just attack you upon seeing you. You had no idea at all what to expect.

“What does he look like?” you asked Sharena what you had been wondering for a while.

Sharena furrowed her eyebrows; not upset, but in a way that you felt she wasn’t sure exactly where to start. Her lack of an immediate answer made you assume the worst, your mind coming up with dozens of gruesome scenarios.

“Is he…” You almost didn’t want to say it. “A zombie?”

Sharena’s eyes widened. “Oh… no! Not in the rotting flesh way at least!”

She cleared her throat, looking you in the eyes as she answered. “Well, he’s older… he looks at least a few years older. I always thought he would look more like father when he got older, but…”

You nodded politely and Sharena sheepishly apologized for getting off track. “There is a lot that you will have to see for yourself, but just remember that he is still the same prince that hid in his room when he had to wear his hare outfit!” she giggled. “At least I assume he had one in your world too!”

“He did,” you confirmed, a smile lighting your face at the memory.

“He’s too awkward!” she teased. “I had to trick him into leaving his room!”

“His bunny ears were so cute,” you added.

“I know!” Sharena agreed. “Very worth the fight I had to put up to get him to wear them!”

As you walked along, the scenery changed even further. You supposed that maybe you would recognize this place if it looked like it did years ago, but the land was poisoned with death, warped away from familiarity. The grass was dead and grey, crumbling into dust under your feet. Hel had drained the soul from this place, and wouldn’t stop her conquest unless you stopped her. You would have to believe that there was a way to kill death. You didn’t want these heroes and their world to suffer the same fate as yours had.

The next hill opened up to a large valley, a river flowing down the middle that was bordered by trees on either side. You were observing the livelier than usual scenery when the silent march was interrupted by some cries from the back of the army.

“It’s an ambush!” you heard, and Sharena immediately drew her lance as she turned to face the group of dark mages that had gathered for a sneak attack from behind you.

“Get to the valley!” Alfonse shouted, rushing over to the back while Anna began leading the troops to a better position, all rushing down towards the valley.

The order’s mages launched a counterattack, which allowed Alfonse and Sharena to take the mages down cleanly. You followed behind Anna’s group; you figured that it would be safer for you to be with the majority of the army. In your haste, you stumbled on a dip in the hill and fell forward, tumbling down a few feet, which ended up being a good thing as a blast of dark energy sailed over your head and impacted the area where you had just been.

You looked up, startled by the sudden attempt on your life to see enemies emerging from the opposing hill that overlooked the valley. You realized immediately that you were all sitting ducks running into a trap. The rest of the army had gotten fully down the hill, and hadn’t noticed the threat yet. You had to warn them.

“They’re on the hills!” you screamed desperately. “Get to the trees!”

Anna looked back at you, nodding quickly before giving the order for the army to set up a vantage point in the large outcropping of trees in the valley. With a resounding cry, the enemy troops began to rush down the hills, and you realized that you had to move. You heard Sharena shout your name, and you stumbled to your feet as she and Alfonse ran down the hill towards you.

Sharena helped you down the hill as Alfonse rushed to meet the coming enemies with the rest of the army. You looked up at the charging troops of the dead as they approached, wanting to find Líf with your eyes, but you didn’t see anyone who looked anything like Alfonse.

You did however notice a woman with long flaxen hair who seemed to be staring directly at you, even from all the way across the valley. You wanted to point her out to Sharena, but when you looked back, the mysterious woman was gone. You turned back to Sharena as you both entered the trees to make your way to regroup with everyone, mind still on the woman. You saw a flash of green, and only heard Sharena’s cry before she tackled you to the ground, the spot where you had just been scorched and your cloak singed at the ends by sparks from the powerful magic.

Sharena was up in an instant. “Thrasir!”

Looking at the mage up close, her hands glowing with green energy, you were scared. Without even Breidablik to defend yourself, you were a clear burden on Sharena in this fight. Alfonse had gone ahead of you, so you and Sharena were alone here. Sharena pointed her lance at the impassive woman, who stared past her at you, her stare unnerving you. Why couldn’t you shake off a sense of familiarity as you looked at her?

Sharena blocked the first blast of magic, but it was clearly a losing battle. Thrasir targeted you with her magic, and it was all Sharena could do to block the spells before they got to you, not gaining any ground in the fight because she had to protect you. You tried to dodge her attacks, but it was as if Thrasir could predict your movements before you made them, getting closer to hitting you with each blast.

Sharena was having a hard time keeping up, and one well-placed feint from Thrasir finally caught Sharena in her chest, throwing her onto her back. You rushed to her, but found that she had been knocked unconscious. The woman didn’t seem to care to finish her off, her predatory eyes locked directly on you. You wanted to help Sharena, but you would have to believe that she would be okay. If you stayed here, you would die. This way, you could at least lure the mage away from Sharena and give her a fighting chance while you ran for your life.

You turned and fled, hoping that Sharena would forgive you. You didn’t hear footsteps behind you, but you knew that Thrasir was coming after you. She had easily herded you away from the rest of the army, so you would have no help unless you could get back there or someone found you. At this point, you weren’t sure which scenario was less likely to happen.

Trees around you fell to her magic as you desperately tried to dodge her attacks. You had evaded her so far, but it was at the cost of your stamina. Your chest heaved, throat burning from the effort. You were starting to slow down, and Thrasir used that to her advantage. You stumbled back, scrambling to get out of the way as Thrasir felled several trees which landed in your way, blocking your path entirely. You turned back, on your hands and knees, to watch as Thrasir approached you. You were caged in with no hope of escape. You wouldn’t even find Líf before you died. The other you’s attempt to save her world and defeat Hel had ended before you could say even one word to Líf.

You didn’t want to die here, but you couldn’t bring yourself to even look at her, burying your face in your hands as you sunk into despair for everyone who would suffer because of your death. You had let everyone down, and it was too much to take. You felt the intensity of her power as she charged it up to end your life, the wind whipping intensely around you and knocking your hood off of your head. Thrasir released the blast with a triumphant cry, and you apologized to everyone in your head for letting them down.

“You…!”

You were alive. You felt little sparks of pain, but nothing had hit you straight on. You hesitantly uncovered your eyes, immediately noticing the large figure in front of you, back turned to you and cape fluttering in the residual wind. You looked past him to see Thrasir, who looked angry.

“You’re weak!” she spat. “You know that you must kill her!”

The man did not reply, but her words made him glance back at you quickly, so quickly that you couldn’t get a good look at his face.

Thrasir glared fiercely at you, and then looked back to the man. “If you do not kill her, I will. Remember what is at stake here.”

She wasted no further time with you, moving her hand quickly and summoning a portal that she stepped into, disappearing in an instant. Your fear didn’t disappear, but you felt some tension release as there was one less imminent threat on your life. This man had saved you, but you didn’t know his motivations. You were expecting him to turn around and finish you off, so you were surprised when he conjured his own portal, all without turning to face you.

“Wait!” You didn’t know why you called out to him, but something in you drew you to him.

He finally turned, and his eyes were bright red, but you knew those eyes anywhere. You shakily stood up, body on autopilot as you moved towards him. Every step that you made towards him caused him to retreat further away from you. Was he just going to run away? He entered the portal without saying a word, and you sprinted after him, barely making it in before it closed, not knowing where it was sending you.

The feel of stale air hit you as you gasped for breath, the stress of going through the portal hitting you hard. While you were struggling, the man just ahead of you looked fine. He hadn’t turned back to look at you, but you weren’t going to let that stop you.

“I knew you would follow,” he said, and you weren’t sure what to think of his new deeper voice, tone gravelly from the weight of several hard years on his soul. “You were always too optimistic for your own good.”

He clearly assumed that you were the you from the other world, and it hurt to see him speaking about you in the past tense. You had been dead to him for years, and your heart broke for him. You didn’t know what to say, but you had to say something, had to let him know who you really were. You weren’t sure what to call him, so you decided to start out slow so that you wouldn’t throw him off the emotional deep end immediately.

“Líf…” you said, and he stopped walking away from you at the sound of your voice.

He stood still, and you took the opportunity to walk closer to him. As you did, you noticed that your surroundings seemed familiar. It was a dilapidated castle hallway, banners and portraits on the walls ripped but familiar. So this was what had become of the Askrian castle. It was broken and crumbling, much like the man who stood before you, bearing the burden of his lost world and dead loved ones. The burden of knowledge had been hard on you, but it hadn’t been years for you like it had for him.

“I should kill you,” he growled. “I need to kill you. It’s the only way.”

“You don’t understand, I’m not–”

He finally turned around, and you were shocked into silence as you finally saw the full extent of what Hel had done to him. Sharena had been accurate in her limited description, but hadn’t gone far enough in emphasizing the stark differences in the prince. His eyes glowed unnaturally red, his hair so long that it reached his neck. He was taller, broader than you remembered him being, the colors he now wore leaving no doubt as to who he served. And you couldn’t ignore the most startling part of his new appearance, his spine and ribs being visible, swathed in a ghastly blue light.

His hand was on his sword, but he seemed to be struggling to draw it as you stared each other down. You couldn’t let fear stand in your way, so you walked closer, even as he drew his sword, looking like a wounded animal. This was your only chance, and you weren’t about to let it slip away.

“Alfonse, I–”

“That is not my name anymore,” he snarled self-deprecatingly. “I threw Alfonse aside when I became this beast.”

You noticed a bright light begin to shine at his side as you approached. One step closer allowed you to discover that it was Breidablik… your Breidablik. He had kept it with him after you had died. He noticed your stare, looking down at himself to see what you were looking at. As soon as he saw the legendary weapon’s gleam, his head snapped up to look at you in confusion.

“Alfonse,” you tried again. “That’s mine. The summoner of this world brought me here right before Hel killed me. I’m–”

Your words were stifled by a loud clang as Líf’s sword slipped from his grasp and fell to the floor. You couldn’t wait any longer and rushed to him, wrapping your arms around him as he slumped to the floor.

“You… you died, so long ago…” he stammered, so quietly that you could barely hear him.

“I’m alive… they saved me,” you reassured him. “The last thing I remember was you calling my name, with Hel’s scythe at my neck, and then I was here.”

Líf did not reply, but by the shaking of his body, you could tell that he was crying. You patted his back, and gradually his arms came up to wrap around your waist, his armor cold against your body. You stayed like that for a while, arms around each other, until Líf stood up, brining you up with him.

He conjured another portal, and you quickly grabbed his hand, partly worried that he would leave you again. He didn’t resist, leading you through the portal and into a very familiar room. It had been yours, back when you had lived in this castle. Everything was where you had left it, but covered in a layer of dust from lack of use.

“I come here when I need to think,” Líf admitted quietly.

You tugged on his hand and pulled him to sit at the edge of your bed with you. You wanted to comfort him with your words, but you knew nothing you could say would erase the years of pain and loneliness he had endured. You leaned over to rest your head on his shoulder and felt him freeze up. It made sense; you had never been so touchy with him before this, and you doubted that he had any affectionate contact in the years since Hel’s conquering of your world. The thought made you want to spoil him with affection, and so you leaned further into him, placing a hand over his chest, your palm against the transparent plate that covered his abdomen.

He eventually relaxed into the contact, putting an arm around you and letting you snuggle into his side. You could feel him physically release some of the tension he had held onto for years; he had you back, at the very least. But you couldn’t forget why you were here.

“Their world needs you,” you said softly, and Líf sighed.

“I know…” he admitted. “But helping them would go against Hel. If I do that, we’ll never get our world back. I’ll never see Sharena again…”

The thought was too painful, and you felt the anguish radiating from him. All you could see were his eyes, and you longed to look at the rest of his face under his jagged mask. You pulled away from him to stare into his eyes, placing your hands on either side of his mask while asking for permission with your eyes.

He nodded ever so slightly, closing his eyes and allowing himself to be bared fully to you as your hands found the latches of his mask and gently pulled it from his face. The lower half of his face was the same pallor as the rest of his face, his lips pale and cheekbones a little more prominent than they had been when you had last seen him. His eyes opened once again as his mask was removed, but he wouldn’t look at you.

“I wanted to see you again… but I didn’t want you to see me like this,” he said, and you could hear the sadness in his voice. “What I let Hel do to me… it’s shameful.”

“Alfonse, I don’t care what you look like. I just want to be by your side,” you replied earnestly.

“I don’t deserve your kindness,” he said simply, staring at his lap.

“You do!” you protested. “You did this to yourself because you had no choice! You did this to save everyone Hel killed. All this proves to me is that your kind heart hasn’t changed.”

“I don’t have a heart anymore. It died the day I lost you, Sharena… everyone. The Heart’s Rite doomed us all.”

Your words weren’t reaching him. No matter what you said, it wasn’t enough to bring him out of his own thoughts. You desperately wanted to show him how much you cared, so you would have to be brave for him. With your heart beating rapidly in your chest, you grasped his chin, titling his head to face you. He stared at you finally, his sadness turning to a startled longing as you leaned in closer to him, so obvious about what you were intending to do that there was no room for misinterpretation. You gave him the time to reject you if he wanted to, but he didn’t, closing his eyes at the same time you did as your lips met with his.

He was cold, but the warmth of your skin slowly started to seep into him as you kissed. You were surprised that he was kissing you back considering how hard he was on himself, but it made you happy nonetheless. You had never worked up the courage to kiss him before, despite harboring a rather large crush on the prince pretty much since you had met him. Despite his current scary exterior, he was so gentle with you, as if he was afraid you would crumble under his touch.

You pulled back from him as your feelings for him overwhelmed you. He kept his eyes closed, chasing your lips until you placed a finger on his mouth, his ruby red eyes opening to look at you with silent questions evident in his expression.

“I love you,” you told him, giggling at his shock and embarrassment as he tried to hide his face from you.

“What are you doing?” you asked him, and he dropped his hands in his lap, but was still too shy to look at you.

“I… I never thought…” he stammered, and it was all you could do not to openly laugh at him. As intimidating as he tried to be, he could never fully discard the awkward nature he had always had.

You had already confessed, so you might as well go all the way in on the chance that it could help him further return to you. “Pretty much since I met you, Alfonse. You’re so handsome and kind, and you care so much for your people…”

“I’m not the same man I once was,” he answered gruffly.

“Is this your way of telling me that you don’t return my feelings?” you asked, hoping that you could trip him up and get him out of his haze of self-deprecation. You knew Alfonse, and you knew that he would never kiss anyone that he didn’t have feelings for. You desperately hoped that this part of him was still the same as it had been.

As usual, he fell right into your trap. “No, I… I do love you, but–”

“But nothing,” you interrupted coyly. “If we both like each other, then you should kiss me again.”

You successfully flustered the prince into speechlessness, the tiniest flush permeating his pale cheeks. He stared at you again, his eyes drawn to your lips, and this time he was the first one to lean over to kiss you. You knew how hard it was for him to be vulnerable, so you would make the most of this. A small part of your mind knew that your allies were waiting on you to bring them Líf’s help, but all you wanted in this moment was to comfort him. You would ask him again when romantic tensions were less high.

You let the kiss go at Líf’s pace, and he kept things slow and gentle, cradling your jaw with one hand, careful not to prick your skin with his armor. His longer hair tickled your cheeks as you pressed yourself as close to him as you could be without sitting in his lap. He leaned into you further in response, his other hand sliding into your hair. You lost track of time, and soon he began to feel tiredness creep up on you. You wanted to stay awake and keep kissing him, but Líf felt you start to droop and pulled back. He gently maneuvered your body back until you were laying down on the bed.

“Rest,” he told you softly.

“Will you–” You were too worried to voice the question out loud, scared of the answer.

He looked down at you tenderly, moving some hair from your face. “Yes, I will stay here with you.”

You smiled, crawling under the covers at last, one hand creeping out from underneath them to hold one of Líf’s hands as you relaxed enough for you to fall asleep.

Líf watched over you as you slept, keeping your hand in his as if you would disappear if he let go. No harm would likely come to you anyways; Thrasir knew that he came here occasionally, but she would not intrude on him. She wanted their world back as badly as he did, and they had come to trust each other over their years of servitude under Hel. He had to admit that he found himself wanting to do what you had been asking of him, even though it would mean going against Hel and losing his only chance to save his people. He had been a monster for so long that he hadn’t been able to see a way out, not until you came. He just didn’t know how he would explain himself to Thrasir.

He found himself staring at your lips as you slept peacefully. He still couldn’t believe you were really here, and that you could find it in your heart to love a creature like him. He had not said it out loud, but he had loved you for a long time. All these years he had spent missing you, and you were finally returned to him.

With you here, he dared to hope. He had reserved himself to being Hel’s servant in order to save his world. He had been confined to this reality for so long that he had lost sight of any other possibilities. Hel was immensely powerful, but could she really be the only being in existence that could bring a dead world back to life? Your presence had reinvigorated him, and he felt himself begin to believe that there may be other ways of accomplishing his goal.

When you woke up, he would tell you his decision. He would no longer be Hel’s puppet and damn another world to the same fate as his. Having you by his side reminded him of who he once was, and now that he had you back, he wouldn’t let you go. He would help his other self end Hel’s reign of tyranny, and free himself of his bindings to her at last.

He hadn’t seen you in so long, and you were just as beautiful as he remembered. Every time he thought of you before today, all he could see in his mind was Hel’s scythe ending your life while he was powerless to stop her. As much as he wanted to think of the good memories he had with you, the trauma of you dying before his eyes overpowered all other thoughts of you. He had always wondered what you would think of him if you saw what he had become. He had anticipated a rejection of all that he was now, but you had accepted him and his faults without batting an eye. He didn’t deserve you, but now that you were here, he would make himself someone worthy of your love.

Just staring at your sleeping face helped to stave off his more depressing thoughts. He had truly missed you; he had not been able to sleep ever since he had become like this, but just being beside you while you slept was good enough for him. He felt like he had watched your face for an eternity before you began to wake; he had been so unaware of the world around him for so long that his brain didn’t register time very well anymore. He had to assume that the Askrian army had defeated the attacking forces and would have noticed your absence by now. As soon as you were ready, he would open a portal to take you back to them so you could all join together to take Hel down once and for all.

You were so tired that you didn’t even dream. Or maybe it was an effect being in the realm of the dead. You still felt tired, but you couldn’t sleep forever, not when the Askrians of the other world needed you. You slowly opened your eyes, noting Líf’s eyes on you immediately.

“Alfonse,” you said fondly before you could stop yourself, but paused at the cloudy expression that overtook his face. “I’m sorry I keep calling you that without thinking.”

He shook his head, smiling softly at you. “I don’t mind when it’s you.”

“Okay,” you agreed happily, sitting up in the bed and leaning over to kiss him.

Líf froze up in surprise; he clearly still hadn’t gotten used to the affected from you even after all the kissing you had done earlier. You assumed he was still having trouble believing that this was real. You pulled away to look at the dazed expression on his face and giggled.

Líf cleared his throat awkwardly. “I, uh, decided. I will help the other Alfonse.”

You felt an immediate sense of relief; you weren’t sure if you could convince him, even being from his world. You would go to help them either way, but it would make you more confident to have him by your side. You would show Hel that she would not get away with destroying your world. Everyone you had lost deserved to see her fall. Even though it would not bring them back, you had a chance to save another world and change its fate.

You knew that time was of the essence now that you weren’t too exhausted to stand. You pushed the covers off of yourself, standing up and adjusting your now-dusty cloak. Líf gave you one last smile as he reached down for his mask. He easily affixed it back to his face, and you were unable to supress a bit of sadness now that his face had been hidden from you again.

You watched as Líf reached down to his side, removing your Breidablik from its place and handing it to you. “If we are to defeat Hel, you’ll need this.”

You accepted the legendary weapon, noticing its pristine condition, not seeing any new dents or scratches in its surface. Líf had taken such good care of it, you noted fondly.

“I kept it with me,” he said, and you looked up from Breidablik to him. “It’s shameful to admit, but I would talk to it as if it were you.”

You stepped forward to wrap an arm around him. “I’m here now. We’ll beat Hel together.”

“What happens then?” he asked. “If Hel is dead, will I disappear as well?”

“I…” You didn’t know the answer to his question, and knew that false promises would do him no good. “I hope not. I don’t want to lose you.”

“I will fight until Hel is no more,” he promised, offering you his hand. “And then we can truly be free.”

You took his hand as he summoned a swirling portal that was the same deep purple as the accents on his armor. This was real. You were going to fight your most important battle yet.

“They have entered Hel’s castle, but they will need us if they are to win. Veronica may cast the Heart’s Rite, but it will take your weapon and the other summoner’s together to kill Hel,” Líf explained.

You nodded, feeling worries creep up that you tried to push down. You squeezed his hand; you had Alfonse with you again. You would have to believe that you could do this. You couldn’t leave your allies waiting.

Líf stepped towards the portal, and you suddenly felt like you didn’t have enough time with him. You wanted more, you wanted to be selfish. But you had to do this.

“Alfonse, I love you.” You wouldn’t go into a battle with such an uncertain outcome without telling him one more time. You hoped that it wouldn’t be the last time.

“And I love you,” he replied, his voice sounding the tiniest bit distorted due to the mask, but the emotion in his voice was clear.

You needed to keep your nerve up, so you followed him into the vibrantly-swirling portal… and straight into an inferno.

Swords clanged and magic flew from all around you. Hel’s army of the dead was relentless in their efforts to keep the Askrian army from reaching their leader. You had appeared to the side of the battle; closest to you was Sharena, who was flanked by a few heroes as they attempted to fight their way through a squadron of armored units. They were so focussed on their goal that they didn’t see a lone dark mage sneaking up to hit the princess of Askr from behind.

You gasped, gripping Líf’s arm as he zeroed in on the same thing you were seeing. “Stay safe and find the other summoner,” he said, drawing Sökkvabekkr and dashing at the mage.

You watched as Líf easily cut down the mage, surprising Sharena, who grinned happily when she saw who had come to her aid. You had to take your eyes off of their reunion to focus on your own goal; you had to reunite with the other summoner before the Heart’s Rite was completed. You couldn’t see her in the mess of fighting, but if it were you, you would likely be at the back of the army, giving commands from a safe distance. You mentally wished Líf would stay safe as you turned and ran into the crowd of heroes.

It didn’t help that there were a lot of tall figures in the heroes’ ranks; it made finding one girl much harder when you couldn’t see past the armored ranks of your allies. It was all you could do to avoid being hit by the magic flying in either direction. You weren’t sure if the heroes around you realized you weren’t the other you or not, but they let you weave around them as you searched.

There was a commotion at the back of the throne room as the final few soldiers surrounding Hel were taken down, and you caught sight of the summoner at last as she and Veronica advanced towards Hel. You cursed internally; you had been heading in the completely wrong direction. The army began to close in on Hel, which made the crowd condense further, leaving you no room to get over there.

Hel addressed the heroes that stood just in front of her. You could see Alfonse, Sharena and Anna all with their weapons at the ready, but couldn’t hear what Hel was saying. Just at the edge of the crowd were the summoner, Veronica and Eir. You became even more frantic as Líf stepped beside Alfonse’s side, Sökkvabekkr at the ready. You noticed that he looked around for you, but didn’t see you at your counterpart’s side. You wanted to scream and tell him that you were here, but you knew that your voice wouldn’t carry over the crowd.

“Please!” you begged, shoving at the unmoving soldiers in your way. “Please let me through!”

A radiant glow began to emanate from Veronica as she began the Heart’s Rite that would allow Hel to be killed. You weren’t a warrior, didn’t have the strength to push people out of your way who were too busy watching the scene up front to notice you. You were on the brink of tears you were so frustrated; if this plan failed because of you…

Your cloak was tugged at from behind, and you turned back to see Thrasir just behind you. Your first reaction was to jerk away from her, but she raised a finger to her lips and you stilled, staring warily at her.

“Come with me,” she said, gesturing with her eyes to the portal just behind her.

You must have looked hesitant, because she glared impatiently at you. “The Heart’s Rite is almost complete. If you don’t get up there, Hel will not die.”

“But why?” You couldn’t fathom why Thrasir, who had attempted to take your life before would be helping you.

“I did not notice before, but you are our summoner, are you not?” she replied. “Hel had used everyone for too long. I lost my brother because of her. I will not let this chance escape me.”

She could be lying, but if you stayed back here, the battle was lost. You nodded at her; you would have to take the chance that she was offering you. You had no time to waste to give it any more thought. She turned, heading into the portal, and you followed right on her heels.

“Bring death to that which cannot die!” Veronica’s voice rang out loud and clear as you and Thrasir appeared next to her.

“Now!” Thrasir hissed, and you drew your Breidablik just as your counterpart drew hers.

Side by side, you aimed your divine weapons at Hel, who was locked in place by Veronica’s magic. Together, you fired true, striking Hel in the center of her ghostly chest. And then the woman who had taken everything from you was no more. Hel’s body shuddered as she fell apart into dust.

You stared at the empty space where she had been. It almost didn’t feel real that she had been defeated. Everyone was glancing around at each other, embracing each other in relief that it was finally over.

Your focus was drawn to Líf as he dropped to his knees and your mind assumed the worst. You dashed over to him, startling the heroes around him as you also dropped to your knees.

You cupped his face in your hands, forcing him to look at you. “Are you okay?” you asked him, desperately hoping that Hel wasn’t the only thing that had been keeping him alive. You couldn’t bear to lose him, not when you had only just found him again.

“I…” he panted. “It feels…”

His head dropped onto your shoulder and you realized that his forehead against you felt feverish. What was happening to him? His head felt heavy as he leaned more of his weight against you, and you sat down properly so you could support his body.

You placed a hand on his chest to keep him somewhat upright as you tried not to panic. You called his name softly, but you couldn’t see any signs that he even heard you.

“Is he…?” Sharena asked as she dropped to her knees beside you, Alfonse just behind her looking worried.

“I don’t know…” you replied shakily. You didn’t know what you could do for him, if there was anything you could even do for him right now.

He was so feverishly warm, you felt like you were burning up just from being in contact with his skin. You realized that his chest felt clammy under your hand, and you reeled back to look at him just as Eir gasped from beside you.

“Mother’s influence…” she whispered.

Your suspicions were confirmed as you realized that your hand was resting on the skin of his chest. His chest that was now fully opaque, no longer alit with a ghostly glow, his ribs no longer visible. You hastily propped his head up to take off his mask, his cheeks flushed with life again. He wasn’t dying, he was coming back to life.

“With mother gone, her power has stopped influencing him,” Eir explained. “Death taints his skin no longer.”

Líf’s eyes slowly fluttered open, and he grunted in surprise as you hugged him tightly as soon as you noticed he was awake again, feeling his once-again-human skin against yours. He realized almost immediately, looking down at his mostly-bare torso on display from his death armor, and your heartbeat rang out in your ears as you noticed that his eyes were back to their original crystal blue. He was truly free of Hel’s corruption at last.

He held you tightly against him as he sobbed into your shoulder. Everyone around you dispersed to give you space, rallying the troops to return to their own world. You pet his hair and he slowly relaxed until he was no longer shaking, but still held onto you tightly.

“Aren’t you cold?” you teased him, running a hand along his stomach, watching as he shivered under your touch.

He pulled back from you just far enough so he could see your face, a soft smile on his face. “I haven’t felt the cold in years, so it is a welcome change.”

That’s right. You had to assume he was essentially a walking corpse for years left with nothing but his pain for company. But now he didn’t even seem bothered that his entire abdomen was on display, something that was flustering you as you saw a noticeable increase in musculature from when he was younger.

He looked confused by your sudden refusal to look at him, and moved closer to you, but found that you still wouldn’t look at him. Without the distraction of defeating Hel, you had nothing to keep your embarrassment at bay. You weren’t sure how you were so confident earlier in your room; it wasn’t as if him turning fully human again changed your relationship or who he was. But right now, him cupping your jaw to make you look at him in front of the entire Askrian army was sending your embarrassment levels skyrocketing.

“Are you hurt?” he asked, his tone sincere and so full of concern for you that it made you feel guilty.

You reluctantly met his eyes, cheeks so warm you were sure that you looked like a sweaty mess. You still didn’t answer him, unsure of what to say, and he scrutinized your expression, looking for any sign that you were injured. Finding nothing but your blushing face, he leaned in, closing his eyes as he got close to your face. There were so many people around you, and it was all you could think about, and you froze in place, your eyes wide open.

“What’s wrong?” Líf asked, opening his eyes, his lips mere inches from your own.

“N-nothing…” you stuttered.

He raised an eyebrow, grinning flirtatiously with a challenge in his eyes. “Then kiss me.”

When did he get so bold? You tried to pull back to look around and see if anyone was watching you, but Líf’s hand on your cheek held your head still, staring into your eyes with a determination that unnerved you. “Kiss me.”

You knew that people had to be staring, but he wasn’t letting up, so you leaned in to give him a quick kiss. Líf predicted your plan, his hand that was on your cheek sliding into your hair to keep your mouths locked together as he slid his tongue along yours. His eyes were closed, but yours were wide open with shock. He kept the kiss going for a few more seconds before pulling away, and the air was pierced by the sound of a wolf whistle.

“I hope that you’re taking notes, Alfonse!” Anna teased the prince, who was looking anywhere but at you and Líf, who finally let you disengage yourself from him.

“Well I think it’s sweet!” Sharena added.

You and Líf finally stood up, and he leaned down ever so slightly to whisper in your ear. “I’m sorry if I embarrassed you. It’s just been so long since I was fully human.”

You couldn’t find it in yourself to be mad at him. Not after all that he had been through. You both watched as the army dispersed; the healers tending to the injured as the mages began to set about creating portals back to their Askr.

“What do we do now?” you asked quietly.

“I don’t have the answer to that either,” Líf admitted. “I still intend to save our world, but without Hel…”

“I’ll go wherever you go,” you told him resolutely. “We’ll find a way to bring everyone back.”

“I couldn’t help but overhear–” You both looked over at Anna as she approached you. “You both are more than welcome in our Order of Heroes. You too, Veronica. Er, I mean Thrasir.”

You must have looked hesitant, because Anna grinned widely. “Hey, we owe ya one, and I don’t like owing people!”

Alfonse stepped up beside the commander, his eyes on Líf. “I want to help you… Alfonse. Please come back with us. We can help you find a way to restore your world.”

Líf stared at his other self, the two having a mental conversation for their ears only. You wouldn’t mind going back with the other world’s heroes, but you would defer to Líf. You trusted him immensely, and without Hel’s influence, he was free to pick whatever path he chose. You just wanted to stay by his side.

“I will accept your offer,” Líf answered at last, his fingers seeking out your own as he took your hand in his. "But only if she agrees.”

You were startled by the attention suddenly being on you. “I… of course,” you quickly answered.

“It’s settled, then!” Anna said, clapping her hands together. “Everyone, let’s prepare to head out!”

With that, the Askrian trio began to follow the rest of the heroes to the portals, leaving you, Líf and Thrasir standing in Hel’s throne room. Líf let his hand drop from yours to approach Thrasir, who was standing off to the side of the room. She watched him, awkwardly crossing her arms over her worn tome as he stopped in front of her.

“I intend to restore our world,” he told her. “And I will keep my promise to you. We are allies in this, and I have faith that we will accomplish our goals.”

“The portals are ready!” Sharena announced as she strode up to Anna, who was overseeing the situation. “Everyone has begun to head back to Askr!”

You watched as the army began to thin out and heroes filtered out of the portals that had been set up at the doors to the throne room. Sharena and Alfonse split up to assist in herding everyone to the portals while Anna set off through a portal to oversee things from the other side. The crowd got more and more thin as everyone returned to Askr, and soon it was just you, Líf and Thrasir left.

“We’ll be back,” you said with a smile, hoping to inspire confidence in the two.

Thrasir stared at you, and you didn’t know how to feel. You had never been confident with her motives, especially since she had been at odds with Askr for so long. Having her as your ally was an awkward feeling for you, but she had the same goal that you did now. Although you couldn’t help but find her intimidating, especially because you couldn’t read anything into her stare.

Líf looked between the two of you, and then to the portal. Thrasir caught his gaze easily, humming as she waved her hand in a well-practiced motion, summoning her own portal.

“Until we meet again in Askr,” Thrasir said.

“We will see you there soon,” Líf replied, and then she departed through her own portal without another word.

After she left, Líf returned to your side, taking your hand in his again. As he leaned down to kiss you, you noticed that even his hair had returned to normal, the formerly-white fade at the ends of his hair restored to its normal golden color. He pulled back after a moment and stared at you with fondness in his eyes, a look that you had never seen in him before, even before Hel had decimated your world.

“You don’t need to worry about Thrasir,” he told you, and you realized you must have had an uncomfortable look on your face while she was there. “She won’t try to harm you anymore. She’s grown up in the past few years, something I did not miss about this world’s Veronica. I’m surprised Alfonse got her to cooperate with him.”

“Thrasir surprised me when she teleported me up here,” you commented. “I wasn’t sure what to think since last time I saw her, she wanted me dead.”

Líf smiled ruefully. “When I didn’t see you with your other self, I thought the worst. I was prepared to strike down enemy or ally to have you by my side again.”

“Líf…” You weren’t sure what to say, but leaned your head on his chest, hoping your touch would be more of a comfort to him than your words right now.

“As much as I enjoy this time, the portal may close soon, my love,” Líf said, and the pet name had you smiling without thinking.

“Right,” you agreed. “We should probably go.”

“I would take us there myself, but I have never been inclined to magic like Thrasir. Hel’s magic was the only thing that allowed a brute like me that ability.”

“You’re not a brute,” you refuted as you both began to walk around the rubble of the crumbling castle and towards the brightly-colored portals. “You’ve always been a fairy tale prince to me!”

Líf stumbled as your words hit him, and you decided to remove your hand from his so you could link your arm with his instead. He had rescued you from certain death at the very least, a base quality of the fairy tale prince, and you wouldn’t be convinced otherwise.

“I can’t say that I agree,” he said at last as he helped you over a large chunk of ceiling that had fallen in your path.

“You don’t have to,” you hummed. “You’re my prince, even if our world is in shambles.”

Líf sighed, choosing to divert the conversation instead of dignifying your statement with a response. “I’m just relieved to be free of Hel’s grasp at last. The things I did…”

You both were close enough to the portal now to just enter it, but you stopped just short, staring at the swirling blue magic. Now that you were close, you could see the barest shape of the portal’s other end. It was faded and blurry, but you could recognize the courtyard outside of the Askrian castle easily. You couldn’t remember the last time you had been in the courtyard. Even before you were brought here through time, you had been journeying to fight Hel for so long that the Askrian palace felt like an old memory from another time.

“All that matters is what we do going forward,” you said softly.

You knew that you couldn’t wrap up his pain with pretty words, but you wanted to do anything you could to comfort him right now. He allowed himself to be vulnerable with you, and it meant the world to you to see him smile at you, his grip on your hand tight as you took a step toward the portal. Neither of you looked back at the ruined castle as Líf stepped through the portal with you just behind him. You would be back here, you promised yourself, when you restored your world and brought back everyone you had lost.

It was late in the afternoon when you arrived in the alternate Askr. The castle was abuzz as festivities were prepared to celebrate the order’s victory against Hel. It was all quiet overwhelming for you and Líf, and Anna arranged for a room for both of you to allow you space away from the raucous celebrations.

“You won’t mind sharing a room, right?” Anna had asked you with a wink. “It helps the order save on funds too!”

It was weird, being in essentially a guest room in what looked just like the castle you knew so well, but having Líf by your side was a big help to you. As soon as the door closed and you were alone at last, Líf wrapped his arms around you from behind, resting his chin on top of your head.

“I was unsure if this could happen,” he admitted. “Part of me thought I would die when Hel did.”

“You scared me,” you said, voice sounding less confident than you intended.

“I don’t intend to make a habit of it, my love,” he said, and you revelled in his sweet tone. He was still wearing his open-chested outfit, and the warmth from his body easily bled into your own.

You leaned back into him, and the position shifted his arms that were around you so that they now pressed against the underside of your breasts. You immediately felt him stiffen up, so you went a little farther, hoping to get a reaction out of him.

He easily read into your intentions, uttering your name warily. You were finally alone together, and he was human again, so you didn’t want to hold back anymore. You gently unwound his arms from around you so you could face him. You could tell he looked nervous, but it seemed to be more of a nervous excitement, his blue eyes looking a shade darker than usual.

You took his hand, pulling him with you towards the bed as he followed with short, robotic steps. You were usually so in sync with him, able to read his thoughts like a book. But this time you didn’t want to rely on guesswork. You wanted to hear him tell you that he wanted you as much as you wanted him right now.

You sat on the edge of the bed, and one more tug on his hand had him leaning over you, placing his other hand flat on the bed to brace himself so he wouldn’t fall on top of you. He put up no resistance at all, the longing obvious in his eyes. Still, you had to be sure.

“Alfonse.” You waited for him to answer with a short hum before you continued. “Do you want this?”

“Yes,” he answered breathily, quickly.

You wanted to clarify further, just to be absolutely sure, but he rushed forward to kiss you and you took that as his answer. In your surprise, you lost your balance, falling onto your back on the bed. Líf eagerly followed, caging you in with his body and kissing you again, deeper this time. You were trying to lose yourself in the kiss, but Líf’s armor was starting to poke uncomfortably into your skin, and you pulled away when you couldn’t take it any longer.

“Your armor hurts,” you whined, and Líf pulled away quickly as if you had burned him.

You couldn’t even begin to tell how his armor came apart, but he did not falter, reaching up and unclasping his collar piece, dropping it to the floor without a care. The rest began to come off just as easily, as the collar was joined by his shoulder guards and bracers, his fluffy cape dropping to the floor as he took off the remainder of his chest armor, his torso and arms now completely bare.

You thought that he would stop there, but he surprised you as he bent over to unstrap his leg armor and remove his belt. His entire outfit seemed to be armored other than his cape, and you weren’t sure how he was comfortable at all wearing it. He likely hadn’t been; there was no way that much armor could be easy to wear all the time. You didn’t realize until it was too late that he was intent on following your request exactly as stated as he removed the armor from his legs, which were connected together. Removing the leg pieces brought the armor covering his pelvis with it, and your face flushed as he now stood before you fully naked.

“What–” you stammered, caught totally off guard.

“I would never want to harm you with my armor,” he replied, but the smirk on his face told you he was teasing you again.

You couldn’t even look at him; his sudden nudity was flustering you beyond belief. “…you never used to be this forward.”

He laughed, and you felt the bed dip with his added weight and closed your eyes. You felt him begin to gently push your cloak from your shoulders, and you lifted your arms to make it easier for him to take off.

As he undid your belt, you felt his lips at your ear. “I had years to regret never telling you how I felt. I don’t intend to hold back from what I want anymore.”

He tossed your belt aside, and you finally opened your eyes as you felt a hard prod against your thigh. You were once again reminded of the muscle he had put on in the years since he had seen you as his strong chest and broad shoulders engulfed your vision. You kept your eyes above the belt as he slowly unzipped your shirt, exposing the bra you wore underneath.

And then he was kissing you again and you lost track of the clothing coming off. You had never discussed romantic pursuits with him before, never knew if he had even kissed someone before, but he was surpassing all of your expectations. His tongue moved alongside yours so smoothly, like this wasn’t your first time kissing each other, and you found yourself struggling to keep up with the passion he put into the lip lock.

You didn’t know when he had done it, but as he cupped your breasts with his hands, you realized that he had removed all of your top layers. You broke away from the kiss with a moan as he squeezed your chest under his large hands. You squirmed back further onto the large bed, and Líf took the opportunity to slide your pants down, unzipping your boots and removing them as well.

Now just in your panties, you had no time to feel self-conscious as Líf climbed back on the bed as well, his eyes on your body and an ever so slight red tint to his cheeks.

“Can I…?” Líf seemed hesitant to finish his sentence as he stared at your underwear.

You smiled at him in a way that you desperately hoped was attractive, lifting your hips up as an invitation instead of words. He followed your lead, his hands drifting to your hips to slide your panties down your legs and then toss them off of the bed. He stared down at you, one hand moving from its place on your hip to gently move over your currently oversensitive nerves, the sensation making you close your eyes with a shudder.

He seemed to know exactly what made you squirm, zeroing in on the motions on your clit that made you squirm and cry out and repeating them until you couldn’t take it anymore. You opened your eyes again, hand going to brush his fingers away from your body.

“Please… I want you,” you pleaded, unable to look away from his throat as he swallowed at your words. “That means in me, Alfonse,” you teased, and he stared down at you like you were prey, which sent a shiver down your spine.

His expression turned determined as he grasped his cock, and you tried to move your legs apart as much as you could to give him room. He stared down at you for a moment before he grabbed your thighs, and you squeaked in surprise as he pulled your hips flush with his, your legs forced to bend on either side of his hips to accommodate the position. You were basically sitting in his lap, your breasts brushing against his chest with every breath.

You immediately felt the prod of his cock against your clit, and the sensation jolted you forward, your head falling onto his shoulder. His focus was on connecting the two of you, and you moaned into his neck as he began to push inside you. You gripped at his back and shoulders, and he groaned loudly as he fully sunk into your cunt.

“My love,” he whispered into your ear, and you moaned his name back.

He encouraged you to wrap your legs around his hips, and as soon as you did, he slid halfway out and then rocked back in, repeating the motion and sending waves of pleasure through you. You panted into his shoulder, your throat already feeling somewhat dry as he pounded into you. You did your best to rock your hips along with his, but you were much clumsier than he was, getting lost in the sensations and the high of having your feelings returned by the man you had loved for so long. Knowing that he wanted this as bad as you did made you feel impossibly warm in this moment.

You felt one of his hands slide into your hair, the other one on your hip steadying you against him. He pulled your head from his shoulder, gently maneuvering your face close enough to his for him to kiss you. You put your all into the kiss, wrapping your arms around his neck as his kisses got rougher.

After one well-timed thrust on both of your parts, Líf leaned his head back with a low groan of your name. “You feel so good…” he said, barely lucid in the midst of all he was feeling.

You scratched at his back as his eyes met yours, and you wondered if desire was as blatantly obvious in your eyes as it was in his. He was flushed, and looked like he was getting close already, but it wasn’t like you weren’t in the same boat. The close position meant that you could feel every shiver that went through his body, every quiet breath or groan as he brought you both closer and closer to the edge. You couldn’t hold back your own cries every time he hit in just the right spot, which was happening more and more as he attuned himself to what you seemed to like.

“You’re so cute… it’s hard to hold on when you sound like that,” Líf rasped, and you blushed brightly, suddenly aware of just how many noises you were making until he brought his hand down to rub his thumb against your clit in tight circles and you forgot all about your concerns, the only thing you could focus on was how close you were to going over the edge.

Your sounds spurned him on, as he continued to rub at you as his movements got sharper and harder, the feeling almost too much for you to take. You could do little else but hold on, reaching up to pull his face to yours so you could kiss him. You could feel him getting more and more rushed in his movements, his tongue a little slower to play with yours as he put his all into the rocking of his hips.

Líf’s aggressiveness finally abated as he held you tightly to him, stilling on his last thrust and groaning your name into your mouth. His hand never stilled, fingers bringing you to orgasm at last as he renewed his efforts into kissing you breathless. You were sure that your nails were cutting into the skin of his back, but he made no indication that he was in any pain. Rather, his closed eyes fluttered open to look at you with reverence, resting his forehead against yours.

“I love you,” he said, leaning in for a deep kiss that you happily reciprocated until he pulled back again. “It feels strange to be in Askr with no title to my name. Here, I’m just another soldier from another world.”

“We both are,” you agreed. “I’ll have to get used to not being the summoner anymore.”

“You will be when we get our world back,” Líf replied softly. “Until then, I’ll enjoy us sharing the same room.”