A/N: Hello, Fire Emblem fandom! I have returned, with another fic for my OTP of this fandom, and easily the oldest ship I have. Shipping it since I was fourteen, yo. I will warn you now that this contains original characters, so if that's something which annoys you, please click the back button! Also, I've screwed with canon, just a little, and it's hardly noticeable unless you're a huge FE nerd like me. Spot it and you get a cookie!
Ahem.
Please enjoy and constructive criticism / feedback is appreciated!
to be mine, to be yours
It's a routine trip to Gallia, home of the beast tribe, when Tibarn encounters a young boy with bright sapphire hair and eyes which tell stories beyond his youth.
It doesn't help when he feels something stretch towards the one Caineghis called Ike, and then the click, as if something finally, finally slid into place.
Inwardly, the King of Phoenicis screams at himself.
Why in the goddesses name did he have to imprint on a child, and a human one at that?
-v-
Priscilla is far from pleased when he returns and tells her of the events. She screams at him, which may have been a little funny if Tibarn wasn't in some shred of shock himself. In the doorway, their daughter, Reanne, stares at her quarreling parents with confusion in her heterochromatic eyes.
"Mom, Dad, why are you fighting?" she asks, causing them to look at her with a hint of surprise. She comes towards them and places her hands on her hips, her gaze boring down on them with a hint of annoyance. "So what if Dad imprinted on a beorc child? He grows up in ten years, so it's not the end of the world."
"Humans and laguz are never meant to be together," Priscilla says, venom in her tone. Tibarn almost flinches, but catches himself at the last second. He wants to say it's not as if I chose this, but he decides against it. Priscilla may be a heron, but she has quite a mean temper at times, and he'd rather not challenge her when she's so irate.
"Oh, c'mon Mom. It's not that bad. We can't choose who we imprint on, right? Cut the old man some slack." Always the voice of reason. Priscilla seems to calm, though anger still leaks out of every pore of her tense frame. "I want to meet this beorc. He sounds adorable."
Tibarn doesn't know what's worse; Priscilla's anger or Reanne's insistence on meeting Ike.
-v-
Priscilla is gone and Reanne weeps in her father's arms.
Revenge is a terrible emotion felt by humans and laguz alike. It causes wars, agony, and pain. Tibarn never felt it as strong as he did when his little girl broke down, and he vows to destroy the humans who made her this way.
-v-
"So," Naesala says, eyeing Tibarn curiously. "I couldn't help but notice a human on one of the ships had been imprinted on by a laguz."
The dragon king looks at the king of Phoenicis with an eyebrow raised. "Yes, my son said something similar as well. Ike was his name, I believe."
Tibarn twitches. "It's none of your concern."
"Oh ho, what's this? Could it be the laguz is… you?" Naesala quips, his lips curling upwards to a smirk. "After humans murdered your wife and left your daughter a broken mess, you're meaning to tell me you're intended to mate one? Irony."
"Be silent," Tibarn snarls, clenching his fist. "I have no intention of being with a human after what they did."
"Dad, don't take your revenge out on Ike," Reanne's voice comes, and he stares at her. She's hardly the bubbly little girl he remembers, but it's been years, and she's starting to recover. "When he meets you again, he'll know, and being rejected will be the most painful thing he ever experienced. Give him a chance, okay?"
Tibarn doesn't want to, but Reanne suffered far more than he did at the loss of Priscilla. Their marriage was naught but political, and his daughter was closer to her mother than him.
It's then he decides. When and if he meets the blue-haired beorc, he'll see what kind of person he is. If he's the same as the rest, Tibarn will reject him, regardless of the pain it will cause.
He owes Priscilla that, if nothing else.
-v-
Ike carries Leanne on his back, despite her weight making him an easy target. His friends and allies do their best, but some of Oliver's soldiers break through their ranks to attack the beorc. He dodges and parries as best he can, but more often than not, one manages to land a blow.
Tibarn makes a decision then and there that he'll do his utmost to protect him.
-v-
Over the war's course, they get to know each other, and the king of Phoenicis realizes just how different Ike is. Correcting himself and showing regret at calling laguz a disrespectful name, treating everyone equally, regardless of status, and commanding his army with decency and respect.
He's a well versed commander, despite his admittance to not having a clue what he's doing, and it causes Tibarn to chuckle faintly. He's sure Priscilla would have approved, once she realized what kind of beorc Ike is.
Reanne took to him almost instantly. She held him and giggled, calling him cute, adorable, and every other embarrassing name under the sun, and Ike had to swat her away on a few occasions. However, Tibarn didn't miss the smile on his intended mate's face, and it caused warmth to flood his once cold heart.
Ike truly is a special man, one the Hawk King feels honored to know and have a friendship with. The blue-haired youth may not know of their bond, but Tibarn intends to tell him one day.
Just not today.
-v-
He finds Ike in his tent soon after the Black Knight is slain, and Tibarn sits next to the beorc, eyeing him without saying a word. Ike's face is a blank canvas, as if all its features have been wiped away with a wet cloth.
They say nothing for a few moments until Ike looks at him with confusion in his eyes.
"Why?" is all he says.
Tibarn knows what Ike is asking. Why does it feel like their adversary is not yet defeated? In answer, he wraps an arm around him, feeling Ike melt into his side. "I do not know." It's not much of an answer, but it's all he can provide.
"I'm not strong enough to have defeated him. He held back… but I don't understand why."
"You'll have another chance, and I believe next time, you will defeat him, even at his full strength." Ike may view it as petty reassurance, yet Tibarn hopes the beorc knows him well enough to realize he doesn't toss out words such as those easily.
"Thank you," the commander whispers, a little yawn escaping his mouth. The older male chuckles faintly, wrapping one of his wings around the youth as well, and in response, Ike curls further against him. "Will you stay?"
"For as long as you'll let me."
It would have been the perfect time to tell him, but Tibarn does not.
He guesses Priscilla is cursing him for the missed moment.
-v-
Ashnard is defeated and the medallion is returned to the heron clan. Peace settles across the land and it's the perfect opportunity to tell Ike of their bond.
Once again, Tibarn doesn't. He wants Ike to live the life he wants, instead one of royalty.
Reanne wraps the beorc in her arms and promises she'll visit sometimes, causing Ike to smile. He promises to show her the best sights in Crimea when it's not in wartime, and in return, she ruffles his hair and enthusiastically exclaims it to be a date.
Do you even know what a date is?
Tibarn has to roll his eyes at the raven king. He seems to have perked up a little since receiving a letter of sorts, but his cynicism and sarcasm remains in full swing.
Forgive me, Priscilla. I was never able to fall for you, but now I think I understand why.