Pairings: Henry x Olivia
Timeline: In the bad future
Warnings: Character death and headcanons
Disclaimer: I don't own Fire Emblem: Awakening
Authors Note: When it comes to one of my OTP's for this game, I'm not short on head canons. This one may require some explanation, however I believe it'll be fine on its own. Enjoy!
XXX
He joked about ripping off risen arms. He mocked death in the face of a deadly war rending the continent devoid of happiness. Blood was a defense mechanism. He could bleed all he wished and would never feel the sharpness of the blade which caused the spurting wound. Bleeding hurt less than loss.
Henry would rather face an entire army of risen by himself unarmed than witnessing the life draining from her grey eyes. He was helpless to protect her. His disability caused this.
Clenching his fingers, piercing the skin of his palms, blood still caked his useless hands. With his cheeks and robes splattered in blood, he should have been happy. Overjoyed even, as his love of killing and gore surpassed anything he's shown in his long life. His cruel life.
He wasn't. Henry wasn't covered in the blood of his enemies. Tilting his head back to glare mockingly towards the apathetic moon, he cursed fate. He shrieked towards the gods, demanding they fix this and take his life instead.
Henry smiled dolefully, lest someone find it in themselves to do it for him. If only he hadn't turned his back. If only he hadn't been lured closer to the risen body to inspect it. If he had the sense of any man to watch the battle when his family was at stake, she would be here now.
He didn't even remember annihilating the left over risen. He must have blanked out and wasted two thorons in a feeble attempt to avenge her.
Olivia's pale face seemed to glow in the soft moonlight. Her pastel pink hair lay tangled in his lap, free of the tie that previously bound it. The trickle of red down her chin was the only indication that she wasn't sleeping in his lap, like she used to love.
Henry caressed her cheek, smearing her blood over her smooth skin. The gaping hole in her stomach reminded him no healer could have saved her. His lovely Olivia.
Salty tears rolled down his flushed face. He hasn't cried since the day he thought she died from a curse. He staggered to his feet, cradling her limp, icy body to his chest. Henry would bare his cross without a word, for if he hadn't poked at the risen body, Olivia would have never had to take the blow that was meant to kill him.
.X.
Inigo wrapped his tiny arms around Henry's leg. Inigo, who was barely five, would soon learn that the mother he cherished was no longer of this world and all he had left was his worthless father. A father incapable of keeping alive the only spark of light surviving in this war-torn world.
Henry sank to his knees, embracing his son, the last living part of Olivia, ignorant of her blood on his clothes. "Inigo… I'm so sorry."
The white haired boy held his father, not quite old enough to understand the implications Henry was implying.
"Where's mama?" Inigo's curious voice cut like a knife in Henry's heart. Henry drew back a tad, kissing Inigo's warm cheek.
He didn't know how to answer Inigo. Henry would probably never know the correct way to tell his son that his beloved mother was dead. Henry wavered once lamplight caught his face and Inigo noticed the blood.
"You're not hurt, daddy?" Physically the dark mage was fine. Mentally, however, it felt like his insides were shredded. Breathing seemed more an effort than it was worth. He wouldn't let Inigo suffer as he was. Olivia would live in his memory.
"I'm fine," Henry choked out. "Mama's somewhere else right now, Inigo. But you'll see her again one day."
Inigo rubbed Henry's bloodied cheek, "But I miss mama and I want to see her."
Henry swallowed the fire in his throat. His lips trembled. "Hey, I know. Let me tell you about this time you mama and I found a puppy. Do you want to hear that story, Inigo?"
After a moment of deliberation, Inigo bobbed his head, smiling brilliantly. Henry recounted the story as well as he could without sobbing. He still had Inigo and the gods be dammed if they take him away from Inigo.
When Inigo escaped into the land of imagination and happy endings, Henry deposited a silver ring beside Inigo's bed. Kissing him goodnight, the dark mage retired to his room.
"Olivia, please, give me the strength to raise our son," he whispered, his throat raw from weeping, closing his eyes for a third wind of cries.
.X.
Inigo twisted the silver band around his pinkie finger. His head felt light. Before him stood the woman kept so vividly alive in his mind from stories of a father he scarcely recalled. Guilt welled up inside him.
A man he identified as his father came up behind Olivia, placing his hand on her shoulder, eyeing his future son apprehensively. Inigo's father, who loved his mother so much, sacrificed his place in Inigo's memories so Olivia could dance even in death.
Inigo slumped to the ground, unable to hold back the dam of tears. A mother he hasn't seen in over ten years and a father whose undying love for Olivia remained true.
Henry and Olivia fretted over him, despite not knowing he was their son quite yet. His treasured parents, who loved another and Inigo so ferociously he believed they could survive anything. Inigo nestled in his parents' warm embrace. Everything would be alright.
"Inigo, your father can be a joker at times, but know he loves you more than anything in this world."
"Your mother was precious to me, Inigo. Keep her alive in your imagination for me."
He would do anything so those won't be the last words his parents say to him. "I love you, Father… Mother…"
~Fin
Incidentally that came out longer than intended but I hope it wasn't too OOC and that you enjoyed my head canon. (That Olivia died first and Henry kept her alive in Inigo's mind that eventually all he could truly remember was Olivia.) I loved writing this story and I hope you enjoyed reading it.
~Emerald~