What a horrendous week, Byleth thought to herself as she traveled the halls of the manor. A piercing echo came from her shoes as they clacked against the hardwood floors, her quick pace a warning signal for any staff she might run into to make way. Her gaze was sharp and focused as she walked with purpose towards Edelgard’s chambers. 

 

I knew I should have stayed home. She continued to reprimand herself. Of all the things to go wrong, she couldn’t believe that it would be her husband’s condition. He hadn’t had an episode in well over a year, they were getting comfortable believing that he was simply past it. She couldn’t imagine what horrors were going through his mind when he felt himself slip in front of Edelgard of all people. For so long he had avoided telling Edelgard about this, doing everything in his power to not be in a room when he’d slip, and to finally be caught out by an accident? This looked bad. 

 

She’s going to wonder why we didn’t tell her. What am I going to say about it? That my husband had practically begged me to help him hide it because he was genuinely afraid of losing his job? Great, and then it will look like we're pointing fingers at one another, I’m certain that will turn out well. 

 

Her stride slowed as she thought more on it. What am I going to tell her?  

 

Byleth came to a complete stop as she dug for answers. None of them were good. She needed to fix this somehow; she needed to know what to say, but she was at a complete loss. 

 

“What do I do?” she whispered softly, but even saying the words aloud produced no answers. She bit her lip and decided to lean against the wall, crossing her arms as she did so while she thought more intently on her predicament. 

 

I can’t throw my husband to the wolves and admit it was his decision to not make a big deal of it. I can’t think of a way to say it that doesn’t look bad on him and he’s not here to defend himself. If I try to take the blame, I know Hubert will find out and correct it. Then I’ll have two upset people on my hands. How do I fix this?

 

She pondered this until she had an answer, one that made her heart sink and her blood go cold. I can’t fix this, can I?

 

That realization was difficult to swallow. Hubert was right. The more I push my help on her, the harder she pushes me away. She’s going to see through anything I tell her.

 

Her old powers of time didn’t even allow her to travel back far enough to fix this sort of mess, but she still felt herself reaching to that empty spot, that hole that Sothis once filled. She was alone, stuck with a mess she didn’t know how to clean. Edelgard was going to need answers, her husband was completely out of it, she still felt an obligation to help Dorothea, and her kids… She only hoped that these punishments would reach them, but even so, it probably wouldn’t solve her issues with Edelin. At this rate, Edelgard was certain to leave before she recovered fully. 

 

Oh Goddess, she is going to leave, isn’t she? Her heart began to race at the thought of it. She was supposed to take care of Edelgard and make this a place of rest, but she was failing by exposing her to one problem after another.

 

Stop. She interrupted her own line of thought. You’re doing it again, calm down. No one is doing anything, we’re here to check on her first and foremost. She has to be just as rattled as Hubert. I’ll help her get through this too, one step at a time.

 

She clapped her hands once and pulled herself upright to continue on her way. She was pulling too many emotions out at once and had to stop herself before she wound up lost in her thoughts. She had people to check on and no time to feel sorry for herself. 

 

When Byleth finally approached Edelgard’s door, she took a deep breath, the deepest she had taken all day, and held it. When she released her breath, she allowed her doubt to go with it. Then she knocked. 

 

“Edelgard, are you here?”

 

“I am. Come in, my teacher.”

 

Byleth found herself listening closely to the way Edelgard spoke. It didn’t sound like she was stressed or bothered. It was like a greeting on any other day. She hoped that was a good sign. 

 

Grabbing the doorknob, Byleth took one last breath to steel herself before she opened the door. The first thing she noticed when she finally stepped in was that Edelgard was not on her bed or anywhere else she could immediately see in the room. Her attention was drawn to the balcony door that for once was wide open. Her friend was outside sitting next to a small table, on which was a teapot and two cups.

 

She looked tranquil as she stared out beyond the balcony towards the distant setting sun. When Edelgard spoke, it was with a comforting fondness, as if she was sharing the most wonderful dream she had. “You may have some tea if you like, but I’m afraid it's gone quite cold by now. All the same, can I ask you to sit with me for a little while?”

 

“Of course,” Byleth said as she tentatively pulled out a chair to sit. It was good that Edelgard seemed fine, but it wasn’t at all what she was expecting. Byleth found herself watching and listening intently, trying to dig further for more clues. Was everything really alright, or was she missing something? Surely they weren’t going to ignore what had happened today, right?

 

“You know, I always wished that I could capture these sorts of moments in my paintings,” Edelgard said, motioning towards the sunset. “There’s always something calming about them, some timeless quality I can’t put my finger on that makes it easy to forget your troubles. It’s slow, and moves at its own tempo. I can’t touch it or control it, it simply is and always will be.

 

“I’m not complaining,” she added. “I enjoy that it's something that will move on with or without me. Nothing I decide to do will change that fact. Even when it storms the sun is still there, even if I can’t see it. I feel like I have forgotten about the simple joy that comes from the things I can’t control.”

 

Byleth decided just for a moment to glance at the setting she had initially ignored. The pattern of clouds reflecting the brazen orange-gold colors of the sun. These lights danced slowly in the stillness of the sky for a one-time performance that would never be played out in quite the same pattern again. A gentle breeze complimented the view, filling her with a strange sense of nostalgia for no particular memory in her life she could put her finger on. For a blissful moment, she could feel the romanticism that had swept her friend off her feet. 

 

After a little time had quietly passed by, Edelgard broke the silence. “You didn’t tell me about Hubert’s condition,” she began plainly. She didn’t look at Byleth, but she wasn’t using an accusing tone either, though that didn’t stop Byleth’s own guilt from rising. “It’s okay, my teacher, I can guess why.”

 

Edelgard drew her hands together and turned away from the horizon. She moved herself to face Byleth. “His work was everything to him; he was scared I wouldn’t see him fit to serve. Had I witnessed it once while in office, I might have proven his worries right. It wounds me to see someone I care deeply about destroy himself for me, with no preservation or interest regarding their own health.

 

“This might be a terrible quality to have in an Emperor, but I have always seen him as family, which is something I cannot say about for very many people in my life. I’ll always be a little selfish and biased when it comes to family, but it was inexcusably ignorant of me to believe that out of the three of us, I was the only one struggling.” 

 

Byleth maintained her silence. To her surprise, the topic she had been dreading was being resolved on its own without her help. Her dread was replaced with a newfound relief. She wouldn’t have to carry that secret alone anymore; they could talk about what was hurting them now. 

 

Byleth picked up the tea pot; it was indeed cold and felt rather light from use. She poured the remaining contents into the unused cup on the table. “You’ve been out here this whole time doing a lot of thinking, haven’t you?” 

 

“Yes.” Edelgard smiled wistfully. “Today I comforted the strongest man I know. Hubert of all people felt small and vulnerable in my arms, shaking like a leaf trapped in a rough breeze. That stirred something in me, and since he began resting I’ve been out here, quietly sorting through the things that we had discussed in private and exploring answers I couldn’t see while I was stuck in my own head.” 

 

Edelgard raised her hands into her view. Her body was still sore but it was something she felt like she could manage. She became conscious of her breath. She flexed and tightened her fingers back and forth between fists and open palms. She felt aware, everything she focused on was in check. Her mind didn’t feel clouded, which gave her a refreshing outlook. “I feel more in control and like myself. I’m not suddenly healed per se, but I don’t feel as scattered. Having others to care for is keeping me focused, so I’m using this time wisely while clarity is with me.”

 

“Can you tell me more about it? What did you two discuss, and what did you learn?” There was an eagerness in Byleth’s eyes as she asked, leaning closer to Edelgard so she could hear every detail. It was the little things like this that always made Edelgard feel that she was cared for.

 

“That’s what makes you my teacher,” Edelgard chuckled.

 

“Huh?” Byleth drew back slightly, suddenly bashful. She wasn’t sure how to respond to that, and she knew at that moment that she wasn’t handling her own reservation gracefully. 

 

Edelgard picked up her cold, half-finished tea and lifted it to her lips, smiling to herself all the while. So it really isn’t one way, is it? She had always treated these passing little flirtatious interactions as nothing more than one-sided guilty pleasures that had clearly gone over Byleth’s head. But it wasn’t so one-sided, was it? 

 

That made Edelgard curious. Now that they knew for certain there really was something between them, what other exchanges did they share that had meant more than what they realized, but were completely missed? They could spend an endless amount of nights re-contextualizing their history together over tea. Well, she couldn’t deny the thrill it gave her. 

 

“I’ll tell you what I told Hubert, that lately I have been upset but for the wrong reasons. The things that I couldn’t control were controlling me and making me frustrated. Instead of trying to focus on what I can do, I kept myself in the dark and pushed everything and everyone out.

 

“Like last night when I snapped at you. You were only looking out for me, and instead of calmly discussing it, I panicked when I thought you were trying to make a decision for me. Byleth, I am so sorry.”

 

“Thank you,” Byleth replied with a warm smile. She was going to try to move past it, but actually getting an apology felt good. It was a weight off her chest she hadn’t realized she was carrying. “I’m also sorry. I get so caught up with my own ideas of how things should go. When I feel like I hit a wall, I get… frustrated.” The last part sounded difficult to say, as Byleth grew sheepish.

 

Feeling brave, Edelgard spoke aloud her thoughts. “I adore that in you. It’s cute.” 

 

Byleth’s lips parted as if to say something, but no words came to mind. Edelgard couldn’t help herself from taking a sweet pleasure in watching her teacher’s focus snapping, like a twig in her fingers. Her teacher laughed nervously. “You’re teasing me, aren't you?”

 

Edelgard knew she should stop, she really should, but her smile curled into a smirk. “Maybe.”

 

Byleth giggled. “How does my frustration make me cute?”

 

Edelgard responded with a quiet chuckle. “When we were younger, I used to hold you unfairly on a pedestal, close to the Goddess herself in more ways than one. Seeing you get frustrated for things not going your way is refreshing, and yes, cute to me.” It was the polite way of saying what was really on her mind:  I love watching you get worked up . 

 

Embarrassed as Byleth was, she grinned. It was one thing to compliment her on how she used to be, since everyone had always seen her as the perfect role model. This felt different, more personal, and more relevant to who she felt she was now. This was validation she hadn’t known she needed to hear that justified something she’d always treated as a flaw. 

 

Edelgard didn’t need a verbal reply to understand the impact of her words. By now, she was used to all the little tells Byleth’s body gave in her reactions. She could see it plainly in how her teacher tried, poorly, to hide her smile to maintain her perfect image, and those ears of hers were Edelgard’s favorite tell, as they burned the most precious shade of red. She had few greater joys in life than watching that aura of mystery that had always clung to her teacher slowly peel away under her scrutiny, like a wrapping covering one of life’s greatest gifts… meant for only her. 

 

It was impossible to think about it without considering a line of questions she’d asked herself for years. If I could unwrap you, what else would you show me? 

 

She couldn’t deny the desire she had to sate her dangerous curiosity. Flirting felt like something that could come much more easily now that they knew it wasn’t entirely unwanted. In fact, it felt too easy; she needed to ground herself before she ended up saying something she shouldn’t. 

 

“Byleth…” Edelgard tapped her fingers on the table, rolling a new question around in her head. “You wanted to know what I’ve been working through, correct? What has been keeping me up longer than usual and what may have stressed me to a point of illness?”

 

“Yes, of course I do, El.”

 

Edelgard frowned. “It’s fear,” she admitted. “I’ve been working through my fear. I don’t know where the world is going anymore and my hands are completely off of it now. I was in pain because I didn’t want to admit how scared I was, how scared I still am. I’ve never been closer to understanding how my father must have felt until recently.” 

 

It wasn’t the direction in which she’d wanted to take this conversation, but what was on her mind simply took over and started building momentum. Edelgard could feel her throat tightening as the words came out.

 

“My past still hurts me, even though I’ve accomplished what I set out to do. The dreams are still just as bad and I feel like everything is catching up to me now that I don’t have anything else to focus on. Byleth, I don’t have the strength to even make it up the stairs on my own, never mind the power to change the world. I felt like I had lost so much that when you gave me your invitation, I could only think about how I would lose this family as well.”

 

Byleth stood up abruptly, dragging her chair with her as she circled around the table, choosing to sit down next to Edelgard. She wrapped an arm around her friend and brought her in close, not knowing any other way to ease the pain in Edelgard’s expression. 

 

“You’re never going to lose us, no matter what you decide. I’ll take you home right now if that’s what you want, and I’ll visit you so much you’ll get sick of me. I’ll bring the kids. We can make our friendship work.”

 

That lump in Edelgard’s throat only felt stronger. There was that warmth again, the feeling she craved that only Byleth could give her. She was one of the few people in her life she could lower her guard around and feel safe. Why did she resist so much when it felt this good? She leaned into her teacher, allowing this small comfort to overtake her. She was getting misty-eyed but it felt good. “Or I can just stay here with you,” she murmured. 

 

Byleth blinked and pulled back to gauge her friend’s expression, uncertain if she had heard correctly. Something had changed in the mood. Tentatively she asked, “Is that what you want?”

 

There was palpable silence that felt like it lasted an eternity. Edelgard’s words had just slipped out on their own. Was this really what she wanted? “I think so,” she answered, to both Byleth and herself. “I’m… tired of being scared and cautious. I think what we have is strong enough to survive a few awkward bumps and bruises if it turns out it isn’t for us. Is the invitation still there?”

 

Byleth couldn’t believe what she was hearing. “Yes, the invite is still there. I’m just– Huh, I don’t know what to say. You’re sure? You’re really sure?”

 

There was a rush from her choice that felt like Edelgard had just plunged herself into ice cold water. Was she really going to do this? Her resistance had been cracking, but it wasn’t Byleth who was trying to break it. She wanted this. “I think I’m done second-guessing myself. Just this once, I want to be a little reckless.”

 

Edelgard froze with surprise as she felt Byleth’s sudden closeness once more, as well as a particular warmth on her face. Her teacher had leaned in and kissed her cheek, and before she could process it, she felt Byleth’s hands slip underneath her back and legs, pulling the former Emperor up into the air like she was her bride. 

 

“B-Byleth!” Edelgard had never been picked up like this before but she didn’t struggle against her teacher, instead clinging onto her for support. She wasn’t sure what was happening, but it was excitement rather than fear that spurred her on. That came from her trust in Byleth.

“I need to show you something!” Byleth announced.

 

“Right now?”

 

“I’m too excited to wait!” 

 

Edelgard chuckled. “Can’t I walk there? I’m too heavy to carry.”

 

Byleth gave her the most smug look Edelgard had ever seen her give. “I’ve carried three squirming boys at once before, one well-behaved princess is hardly a work out. Besides, being reckless was your suggestion, not mine.”

 

"Hey!" Edelgard could feel her face flush. If anyone else ever called her a princess, she would have had a fit, but Byleth had a few rights that others simply did not. She was embarrassed beyond belief, but not in a way she found that she hated. In a competition of recklessness, her teacher was second to none.

 

“You’re impossible!” Edelgard couldn’t help but laugh in her situation. “What do you want to show me anyways?” 

 

“An early birthday surprise! I promise you’ll like it.” Byleth’s smile was infectious and Edelgard couldn’t resist a good mystery. She allowed herself to be carried off of the balcony back into her room. “It won’t be far,” Byleth continued, “just the room over actually. I wanted to make sure it wouldn’t be a big trip for you. Could you get the door for me?”

 

Edelgard couldn’t believe she was going through with this. This whole performance was preposterous but she found that she loved it. It was also hard to mind being this close while she was in Byleth’s firm grip. The audacity of her situation drew out a chuckle she just couldn’t stifle.

 

“Can’t you give me a hint?”

 

“Nope!”

 

Thankfully, no one was outside her room when they began their walk, or Edelgard would have been mortified. Fortunately Byleth was right in that it wasn’t a far hike. The rooms were close enough together that Edelgard wondered how they had been able to sneak anything in without her knowing. After opening another door for Byleth, she was carefully deposited inside. 

 

The contents of the room surprised her. The would-be bedroom had all its furnishing removed and replaced. Desks lined the walls, each holding various craft supplies. A large table occupied the central area like the one in the war council room, but upon its surface lay no maps or documents. Instead there was a fascinating array of painting supplies, paper, spools of yarn in various colors, and materials for sewing. 

 

The other half of the room was empty, save for a chair that sat before an empty canvas. Her gaze followed around the display and stopped on a collection of canvases of various sizes, stacked in an orderly fashion along the wall. 

 

Byleth continued to walk Edelgard to the far side of one wall where a couch rested. She gently guided her friend to sit before taking up the next available seat cushion, their hands loosely clasped throughout. “We have been setting this up for a little while now. We weren’t sure how long you would be with us, but we wanted to make your stay as comfortable for you as we could. I’m sorry we couldn’t finish organizing it, I thought I would have a few more days to clean up.”

 

“You did all of this for me?” Edelgard asked, reverence in her voice as she took in her surroundings once more.

 

“Of course! Everytime I go out, I grab something from the market I think you might like. I didn’t want to limit you to just drawing and painting. I had a feeling that you may have wanted to experiment a little outside your usual talents. You see the bookshelf over there? I bought everything I could get my hands on that teaches a craft to get you started.” 

 

Byleth pointed to a door, a different door from the one they had entered. “In the closet we’ve kept some things for the kids if they want to join you. There should be a couple of smaller stools, their own sets of pencils and paints so they don’t have to go into yours, and– El? Are you okay?”

 

Edelgard nodded and sniffled, wiping her eyes. “Yes, I’m sorry. It feels like just about everything sets me off these days. This is… lovely. I’m at a loss for words to explain what this means to me. Thank you.”

 

Byleth reached towards Edelgard but she stopped, her hand hovering midair for a brief moment. She wasn’t certain what acts of comfort were appropriate, and she knew she was getting a bit carried away. She decided to take a different approach, patting her friend’s hand before standing up from the couch. “Let me get you some tissues. Would you like anything else? Water or tea maybe?”

 

“No, thank you. I appreciate it.”

 

With that, Byleth stepped out of the room, leaving Edelgard alone. The former Emperor took stock of the room. Just about anything she could possibly want for a hobby was here, and then some. Her teacher had gone all out.

 

Thinking about it, she felt like this was what was missing in her life. Something for her to put her mind to. A space she could either share with others or lock up for an afternoon and simply work out whatever mood she found herself in until she resolved it herself. This was perfect for her and solved so many issues that she might have found with living at the manor. That was probably why Byleth revealed it early, she thought.

 

With some effort, she pulled herself up and began walking towards the desks. This desk was slanted and meant for either drawing or painting. She had always wanted to see what the big deal was about this sort of design, but she herself had never invested much into her hobby. There simply hadn’t been any time as Emperor to pursue such things. Now time was all she had.

 

She began opening drawers, examining the contents. Most were empty and waiting to be organized the way she saw fit. Her mind raced with the possibilities as she felt a new urge fill her very soul. It was the simple desire to make this room her own. 

 

I see what you were doing, but I think I’ll move those over there. Oh, what if we moved this desk over here? The canvases can go there instead. That would tidy things up nicely. If we move the couch to the center of the floor, I could use it for poses.  

 

She paused, a sudden rush of embarrassment beginning to take her as she remembered the painting of Byleth she’d made in the final months of the war. She had never shown it off because she couldn’t get it quite right, but had Byleth modeled for her she knew it would have turned out better. To ask Byleth to model for her though? There were limits even for her bravery. She wasn’t even that skilled, or at least that was the convenient excuse she’d chosen. 

 

I have enough time to make myself that good, she thought to herself, but the mere thought was too much. She eyed her paints and picked up one of the small containers. This would be a good blue for her eyes. She continued to browse the collection until she found a few colors that caught her eye. These would work well to capture her skin tone, I think.

 

Byleth entered the room once again and returned with a handkerchief. “I see you’re taking stock of the inventory. Is everything to your liking?”

 

Edelgard took the offered cloth. “I think with some arranging I could make this room feel like home.”

 

“That’s great!” Byleth perked up. “Will you need help, or do you want to do this alone?” 

 

“Alone would be preferred.” The more that was moved and placed by her own hands, the more this room would feel like hers. That being so, she did still recognize that she couldn’t do it entirely alone. 

 

“On second thought, I would appreciate it if you could move the couch for me later.” She pointed towards the center of the empty half of the room. “The lighting will work great for painting, you did well in picking the space for it.”

 

“I promise that was an accident, I have no such eye for detail.” Byleth walked to the couch and began pushing it towards its intended location.

“Oh, you don’t need to do that today. I could spend days here just organizing before I would need it.”

 

“It’s fine, this isn’t a problem at all. Is this supposed to be for modeling?”

 

“Yes. When I feel like I’m ready to work on people again, this setup will be perfect.”

 

“Do you… want to practice with me maybe?” Byleth paused in moving the couch, but found she couldn’t look directly at Edelgard as the words came out.

 

The question hung in the air, underlined by the stillness and quiet within the room. Edelgard’s mind raced for an answer. Realizing she was still carrying the Byleth-themed paints, she quickly and not very graciously put them back. 

 

“Well…” She tried to think of something, anything else to move past the feeling that she had just been caught red-handed. She cleared her throat, a delaying tactic as she scrambled for a response. “I mean, I haven’t drawn anything in such a long time, it would turn out terribly. Maybe after, you know, a year or two of practice. I bet I can hardly draw a stick figure well these days.”

 

A year or two? Byleth thought to herself. So she was still shy about sharing her gift? “Don’t discredit yourself, El. Maybe you feel rusty, but I’m sure you will get over it quickly.” After she finished pushing the couch into place, Byleth made her way back to Edelgard.

 

Edelgard took a step back from Byleth as she approached. She cursed herself for her reflexes, but she decided to commit to it, leaning against the desk for support. She hoped the gesture came off more nonchalant than flighty. “I’m glad you think so, but you know the standards I have for myself.” 

 

Byleth gave her a curious glance. “Hey. You know there are no strings attached to this, right? This is your gift. If you say the word we will pack this all up for you if or when you decide to leave. It won't be any trouble.”

“What? Oh, no no, this is fine. I like this, really. I’m just…” The words escaped her, but Byleth seemed to understand.

 

“Nervous because you don’t know where to go from here?”

 

“That about sums it up, yes.”

 

“I see. We can have a broader discussion when Hubert is here with us. I know what we had in mind earlier, but given how this week has gone it would be best to make sure if he’s still okay with this. In the meantime, would you like to talk about what you feel comfortable with? Maybe set our expectations a bit?” 

 

“I think I would like that, yes. You’ve been thinking about this a lot longer than I have, so what do you have in mind?”

 

“Well, I was thinking that we could start small. Since we’re still getting a feel for things, I thought we would start with just getting used to being more comfortable around each other? Simple things, like maybe holding hands?”

 

“Hand-holding?” Edelgard giggled. “That sounds… tame.”

 

Byleth grew defensive at that. “Hey, I know there is a lot happening for you right now, and just because our relationship is somewhat of a strange one doesn’t mean we should just skip some steps.”

 

Edelgard couldn’t help but chuckle. “I distinctly remember hearing about you skipping more than a few steps with Hubert.”

 

Byleth winced. “That wasn’t entirely my fault.”

 

“My teacher, I’m merely commenting on how far you’ve come. It’s praise. If I recall, you were not always this orderly when it came to matters of the heart.” Edelgard’s words would have been nice enough were they not dripping with sarcasm. “It’s cute,” she added with a grin.

 

Byleth rolled her eyes, but decided she wasn’t going to let that joke slide. She hated being teased about that part of her past and Edelgard knew it. If El wanted to make light of that circumstance, then maybe she was due for some teasing herself.

 

Instead of responding to Edelgard’s needling, Byleth simply stepped closer, causing her former student to reflexively lean back until she had to use the desk to keep herself propped up. There was a glint of something dangerous in Byleth’s eyes, something that made Edelgard feel like she was cornered prey. Locked in such a position, she became acutely aware of the way her heart was pounding.

 

When Byleth did finally speak, her tone no longer held that soft and motherly affection Edelgard had become accustomed to hearing. This voice was lower, husky even, and there was a blatant hunger in it that made Edelgard shiver. “Do these steps bore you, Edelgard? Are you telling me you also want to skip them?”

 

Edelgard was too stunned to do anything but comply as she felt Byleth’s fingers gently lift her chin, tilting her face up until she was staring right at the blue depths that were her teacher’s eyes.

 

Byleth shifted almost imperceptibly closer to Edelgard as she whispered, “Is that how you ask?”

 

The pull in her chest made Edelgard realize that she had been holding her breath. As she inhaled, she captured the scent that she hadn't yet noticed on Byleth. It was earthy and evocative, reminding her of the smell of rain. She had forgotten that this was a favored perfume of her teacher. Her scent , Edelgard thought.

 

Edelgard struggled to keep her eyes up as she found her gaze wandering down from those sultry blue eyes to Byleth’s lips. She was almost close enough to touch them and she had to resist the urge to do so, or maybe she simply couldn’t? She felt as though she were a puppet on strings, the threads wrapped delicately around her teacher’s fingers. She didn’t know what to do, but she trusted Byleth.

 

You shouldn't, Byleth thought to herself. She could feel the trust her friend had put in her, but Edelgard was misguided if she thought that Byleth was in complete control. Goddess no, you really shouldn't, El. It was Edelgard who was responsible for giving her this beating heart, how could she not see how insatiable it made her where even now she yearned for two partners?

 

Byleth knew she was being greedy, selfish even, but where was there room for guilt when she was too busy admiring the view? Edelgard stood before her breathless, flushed, and appraising her in ways that she felt empowered by. She had to admit, it was a good look on El.

 

Edelgard’s silence was an answer in itself. It seemed they were both waiting to see where this might go.

 

With what shred of sense she had left in the moment, Byleth tried to reign herself in. She was riding too hard on her emotions again and not thinking, letting a little tease blow itself out of proportion. From the bottom of her heart, she trusted Hubert and El, but she had always known that she was the dangerous one of the three. With just a little give on Edelgard’s part, a decade's worth of pent up tension had threatened to slip out.

 

Byleth desperately needed lines to be drawn and boundaries to be set. Without rules to follow, who knew what she might do? With that in mind, and with all the willpower that remained within her, Byleth reluctantly stepped back.

 

The silence lingered between them for a while. Both had acclimated to their closeness, and now that it was gone they were both in a daze. In that short span of time, stretched infinitely longer by the pull of their proximity, they had uncovered truths about each other without the language of words to guide them. For once, they found themselves on the same page. They each knew what the other wanted.

 

Byleth was the first to break the silence. She cleared her throat and spoke. “We should probably talk about the other things we’re comfortable with later.”

 

“Ah, that.” She had thought she was being clever and bold today in her attempts to throw Byleth off. Now she was quietly putting the pieces together and understanding that her teacher had been holding back. They both were. Edelgard gave a small dry chuckle. “I bet you’re feeling proud of yourself,” she jokingly accused. Humor seemed to be easier to default into than lingering here. 

 

Byleth felt a little guilty about her accusation, only because it was true. “Maybe that was too forward, even for me.” It wasn’t quite an apology, but she didn’t know if she could give one. She wasn’t entirely certain that she was sorry she had done it. Instead, she decided to lean into Edelgard’s humor and grinned wickedly. “Let's treat this as a learning experience. Be careful when you decide to tease your teacher. Who knows what lessons I might have planned for you.”

 

Edelgard smiled, but couldn’t say anything. She thought of several different school-themed responses but each idea was more terrible and embarrassing than the last. She was so far out of her depth, and had no choice but to move the conversation along. “You seem to have a lot of little tricks, my teacher.”

 

“You could say that I’ve had time to come up with a few, but don’t let it concern you. You have always been a quick learner.” Byleth smirked. Then, more softly: “Just the same, are you okay? Was that too much?”

 

“It was a little much, yes.” It was true, though she didn’t want to admit it. 

 

Hearing that made Byleth’s heart sink. Was she just being nice about it? She really could have messed things up between them. “I understand. I’ll try not to spring any more surprises like that.”

 

“I didn’t say that I minded it.” The words slipped before Edelgard realized what she was saying. 

 

When Byleth gave her a questioning look, Edelgard opted to dig herself in further instead of yield, admittedly spurred on from Byleth’s teasing. She motioned towards the rest of the room. “Clearly I like a good surprise now and then.” Her words made her twist inside. Purposely trying to flirt was difficult, and she couldn’t shake the nervous and embarrassed feelings that sat like a weight in her stomach. With what Byleth had just pulled, anything else she could think of felt small in comparison. 

 

It was becoming more clear for Byleth where Edelgard stood with her. She was fully blushing, yes, but that wasn’t what it was for her. It was in the way Edelgard moved that lacked the confidence she usually exuded when she did just about anything, or how she squirmed under Byleth’s gaze and couldn’t maintain eye contact for long, or how she leaned towards her as if gravitating to what she wanted the most. She had so many little tells that were unique to her. Byleth couldn’t help but think about what other reactions she could pull from her, if given the chance.

 

Bad , she thought to herself.

 

She wanted more, Goddess she wanted so much more, but if she wanted to keep this going then she was going to need to keep herself in check and for once exercise restraint. That was something she admittedly was not good at, and something that she was going to have to learn quickly.  

 

Still, it wasn’t entirely unwanted, was it? Byleth smiled as she regained her confidence. “I’ll keep that in mind.” She wandered to a spot at the large table in the center of the room to distance herself a bit more. She picked up a ball of red yarn from the table and turned around, playing with the string in her hands. “I know it’s hard, but let's take a step back for a moment. Assuming everything goes well with Hubert, when do you want to clue the kids in?”

 

“Oh, right.” Edelgard swallowed and realized her throat had gone a bit dry. All the excitement was doing a number on her, and she was starting to feel the fatigue setting in again. “I’d like to know what exactly you’re going to say first. It sounds as if you two already had a plan on how to break the news.”

 

“Good point. This is another topic that needs all three of us I believe.” Byleth put the ball of yarn down, crossed her arms, and leaned into the table a bit. “Are you sure you’re okay? You’re looking a bit out of it.”

 

Edelgard nodded her head. “Yes, I’m fine, but I think I’m reaching my limits for today.” It was painful to admit, but she needed to make a tactical retreat and properly recollect herself. “Maybe I would do well to be alone with my thoughts a bit more. If this is going to happen, then I have a lot I’m going to have to account for.”

 

“Do you want to stay here or do you want me to take you back to your room? I can get your cane if you like.”

 

“No, I think I would rather you walk me.”

 

Byleth smiled and pushed herself off from the table with her hip. She approached Edelgard again, extending a hand for her. “Let's get you back then.”

 

Edelgard took the hand and was guided to link herself around Byleth’s arm. When Byleth was certain she was ready, she began to escort her out. 

 

“I know the future is a bit scary right now, El. There is a lot in the air, but I think so long as we stick together, we’ll get through it.” Byleth turned her head to take a good look at Edelgard. “Relationship or not, mind you.”

 

“I believe you.” She couldn’t stop herself from smiling. “I’ll be looking forward to getting to know everyone better.”

 

“Yeah?”'

“Oh yes, who knows what other little secrets everyone’s been keeping from me,” Edelgard teased.

 

Byleth chuckled. “You always were a nosy princess.”

“Hey!” Edelgard lightly swatted Byleth’s arm, which only made her teacher more jovial and smug.

 

Byleth was amused by the idea. Their family certainly did have their secrets, and she didn’t doubt her husband had more than a few he’d kept from her; Edelgard, on the other hand, was absolutely terrible with them. She recalled more than a few occasions when her student had dropped major clues on her identity as the Flame Emperor, and if she hadn’t been so busy with prepping class, she might have put the pieces together herself. 

 

As for her, she felt that she was an open book, but realized that wasn’t quite the case. She hid her pain in the memories she had lost from her childhood. No matter how good things were now, she could scarcely draw those memories to the surface. Then there was Sothis and the power that she truly wielded. The idea of Edelgard knowing anything about that made her stomach turn. That secret she would happily take with her to the grave, even if the idea of keeping it from people did pain her. She chose to hold onto that lie since the meaning of the memories had lost all relevancy in her life. There was never going to be a reason to bring it up and she was okay with that.

 

 

Elly stirred in bed. Life was hard on her today. She had been able to see El, but being scolded by her did not feel good. She could hardly understand why the adults got so upset when she tried to see her auntie. It wasn’t Elly’s fault that Dorry snuck into the room. It’s not like she asked Dorry to pick her up either; Elly was perfectly content to stay right where she was while Dorry did whatever it is that Dorrys do.

 

She felt bad that her brothers were punished because of her. From the stories she was told, they were supposed to be the good guys. Good guys would help the family no matter what. They wouldn’t get punished for it either like they did. So what if El was sick? Auntie has been sick since she left her sight months ago, how was Auntie supposed to get better without her? It's not like her family ever left her alone when she was sick. 

 

It wasn’t fair.

 

Elly was restless, and thinking about it only spurred her frustration more and more. An upset family was all she was allowed to see today it seemed. Mommy left for the whole day, and Daddy didn’t want to see her either. “He’s sick,” they told her. She didn’t know if she believed it. Everyone seemed to be mad or sick today. Her brothers weren’t mad at her, but they were still mad all the same.

 

It wasn’t fair.

 

She didn’t get to do anything fun today, and there weren’t any sweets shared between her or her aunt. Why Auntie El wanted to make it hard for both of them was beyond Elly. There wasn’t much playing or drawing either. She meant to spend the whole day with her favorite aunt, but that had simply gone out the window. For some reason or another, Auntie El got to spend time with a sick Daddy, even though she wasn’t any better. That just didn’t make sense. 

 

So who did that leave Elly with? A tired old Walden.

 

Elly’s fingers dug into her pillow and clawed at it slowly as she grew more upset. Do they even want to see me anymore? What if they put me in the place where Walden’s daughter went? Walden talks about Lady all the time, but she never visits. She couldn’t imagine any daughter who wouldn’t want to see their father, so maybe she couldn’t? 

 

That terrified her. The idea of there being some place you couldn’t come back from, where you can’t see your family and people only talk about you but never visit. I don’t want to go there. Elly began to get teary-eyed. 

 

She stopped when she felt feathers on her fingers. “Uh oh.” Elly flipped her pillow over and noticed the holes in her pillow. She panicked, stuffing the feathers back into the hole and squeezing the openings shut, but no matter how hard she pinched, the holes remained. She broke something. She was definitely going to the bad place now. 

 

Heartbroken, she threw her head back and cried some more, muffling her voice in the damaged pillow. It was one long day of bad things that just wouldn’t end; she just couldn’t take it anymore. She sobbed and sobbed, until something unusual caught her attention. A sound near her from someone she didn’t recognize. It was the voice of a small girl who cried with her.

The End of Part 1