AN: wOW it's been like over 4 years since Fire Emblem Awakening was released and I'm still not over the characters. For some reason, this couple has always stuck to my heart (I mean, look at that S-support... it is so cute) and it saddens me to see so little material about these two. Thus, the reason why I felt impulsed to come up with my own material myself! A fan girl needs to do what she needs to do.

I was honestly surprised at the direction of this story, because I was planning to take this to a completely different route (i was hoping to delve more into why they suit each other, but this story ended up being absolute fluff). I found myself inspired by the songs below and ended up taking tidbits from the lyrics cause I think they kinda ring true for this pairing in particular.

This was extremely self-indulgent. Extreme fluff and possible OCness awaits! (tbh i haven't double-checked my work to make sure it somewhat aligns with the character and the grammar may suck, but i tried!) hope you guys enjoy and I encourage you all to ship with your heart's content!

Based on the songs "Little Wonders by Rob Thomas" and "Tale as old as time by Beauty and the Beast" (because I am very unoriginal) T^T I own nothing!

You felt the weight of the world fall off your shoulders.

It was when they were sitting down in the grass, a blanket sprawled out in the shade of the trees, two hot cups of tea placed between the pair, when Lon'qu decided to let his troubles fall behind him.

The two have been spending more time together casually, one not often far from one another. It was a surprise how the two came together as they started off as barely even friends. They constantly found themselves baring their fangs at one another, testing each other's stubbornness to their wit's ends.

However, Lon'qu bent unexpectedly.

It was a small change, but a change regardless. The two were able to form a mutual understanding of one another. They found faults within themselves and worked to change that together. Soon afterwards, neither were prepared for the emotions one would feel for one another presently.

The warm overtones of the sun highlighted the lushiness of the green fields beyond them. Golden hues accented the clouds scattered across the sky, imbuing the world with a luminescent glow. Needless to say, it was a perfect day to host a impromptu picnic to celebrate the rapid progress he has been making recently.

For the rare occasion, Maribelle even took out her secret stash of sweets that she has managed to get from Gaius, which complemented well with the imported tea from Regna Ferox that Lon'qu had on him.

Aside from the occasional small talk, a comfortable silence fell upon the two. They did not need to use words to share in the scene in front of them. It was scarce to enjoy a leisurely bask in a warm, sunny day like this in the middle of war time, but the two were not ones to look a gift horse in the mouth.

Perhaps it was the serenity of the moment that spurred him to break the silence between the two, but right here, at this moment of time he is sharing with her, it felt right to let there be no secrets between them.

"When I was young, I had a friend."

Maribelle turned her head towards him, her eyes inquisitive and curious.

"Her name was Ke'ri."

She must have recognized the past tense of the sentence as she set down her tea cup onto its saucer and shifted herself slightly to give him her full attention. Her gaze focused on his, its normally domineering presence softening just for him. Instead of the sharp, cool ruby eyes he grew accustomed to in their moments, they melted into a deep shade of velvet red that enveloped him. It was just enough to encourage him to gather his courage to talk about what he has been meaning to do his entire life.

With a deep breath, he turned his head towards the fields and continued his tale from his childhood. All of his regrets washed over him, not letting him forget how he felt at that moment when his friend left his life.

From the corner of his eyes, he could sense her fingers twitching in place, especially during the more dramatic moments of his story. Her face shifted with different emotions, but to her credit, she refrained from saying a word. Part of him wanted to pull her into his arms as he bared the deepest part of his soul to her, but alas, there was only so much progress he could make within the short time they have been together.

When he finished his story, he blinked and felt the unknown tears in the corner of his eyes. It was strange for they did not seem to come from sorrow but rather from a wistfulness that overtook him as soon as Ke'ri took her last breath.

That was when he noticed a delicate gloved hand offering a white handkerchief to him. Maribelle's face was flushed with the brightest of pinks but she gave him the softest smiles that made her tear-ridden eyes twinkle even more than usual.

His heart clenched a little as he took in the sight of the woman in front of him. He never wanted to be responsible for her tears, especially of the sad ones. She already works so hard, not only for him, but for herself and the people that she cares for. She did not need the shadow of his past haunting her when she was already lifting the burdens of many others.

With a shake of his head, he took the handkerchief from her.

It was ever more the reason why he needed to continue working past his gynophobia then.

He shifted his body more towards her and leaned.

Maribelle really would be the death of him, and somehow, he wouldn't mind at all.

His movements were slow and clunky as he fought off his fear, but he is determined. Using the cloth he took from her, he wiped away her tears streaming down her cheeks.

He felt her body take a sharp exhale and shake as she gently laughs at his gesture. It filled the silence with warmth as she leans a bit closer at his touch. With a final sniff, she met his eyes once more. Although they still glistened with a remembrance of sadness, they shone with an acceptance and understanding of who he truly is. He smiled back with a small crinkle in his dark eyes.

He will continue making strides on his fear, and maybe one day, he will let it go. Without a doubt, she will continue to set him straight if he ever goes astray from his path to recovery. If it is Maribelle that he turns to, he'll get by.

Words were never his strong suit, but he did not need words to take her small hands into his. It took only courage to claim her lips with his.

It was during these small hours when the twists and turns of fate have led him to this moment of his life.

Time continued to fall away, but in the end, it was the heart that really mattered.

And his belonged to her.

P.S. May end up posting this on Ao3 as well because why not!