Wrote up an epilogue of sorts that was initially meant to go at the end of last chapter. Enjoy!

(also, thanks to everyone who reviewed the first one)

Nightmares- The Morning After

The next morning, Corrin woke up to a dim room and a sleeping Takumi in her arms. His face was inches from hers, one arm thrown carelessly across her waist, and as she moved he snuggled in closer, burying his face in her hair.

'Oh dear,' Corrin thought, blushing, 'He's going to be so embarrassed when he wakes up.' However, as she tried to disentangle herself from the sleeping prince, she was aware that her own heart was thumping rather badly, the warmth of her face increasing. She poked him in the ribs.

Takumi's eyes flew open.

"Ah," said Corrin, with a nervous smile. "Good morning."

Takumi blinked in the dim light, giving her a lazy smile. Then his eyes widened as realization dawned on him.

"Gah!" He yelped, rolling away from her, falling off the bed in a flurry of bedsheets.

"Takumi!" Corrin exclaimed sitting up in alarm. "Are you alright?" She lit up a candle just as Takumi stood up, wide-eyed and red-faced.

"Ah, yes-yes, I'm fine," he said breathlessly, "I, um, I just- this is not how I normally wake up."

"Yeah, I'm hoping you don't fall off the bed every morning," Corrin replied. Takumi gave her a dirty look.

"Very funny," he grumbled, throwing the sheet onto the bed, "I-Is it morning? Did we sleep like that the whole night?"

"Well, I don't know about the whole night, but you were snuggled pretty close to when I woke up," Corrin teased. Takumi turned even redder at this, and she couldn't help but laugh at the embarrassment on his face.

"Oh relax, Takumi" she said grinning. "Its okay. Nothing happened; you don't have to get so worked up about it."

"And you don't have to make so light of it either," he huffed, but he gave her a smile, his shoulders straightening into a more relaxed posture. "So, what time is it?"

"I think its still early." Corrin made her way to the windows, pushing the shutters open. The early morning light poured in, making her blink. "Hmm. Don't you love early mornings?"

"Early mornings are great," Takumi said, coming to stand next to her. "Not many people will be awake. I'll be able to get back to my room quietly."

Corrin nodded as he reached back to retie his messed up hair. Watching him, she realized with a start that he'd grown up from the awkward kid she'd first met back in Hoshido. He was taller, his shoulders broader, and the way the sunlight highlighted his-

'-whoa,' she thought, surprised, 'calm down, Corrin, what're you thinking?'

"Corrin?" Takumi was staring at her, and she realized that he'd been saying something.

"Sorry?" She asked.

"I said 'thank you'," Takumi repeated, "for last night. You're a good… friend. Person."

"-Not sister," Corrin finished. Takumi caught her eye and flushed.

"Yeah," he said, looking away. "Not sister." There was an awkward silence as he resumed straightening his hair and clothing. Corrin stared out the window, trying not to stare at him, although her traitorous eyes kept sliding back despite herself.

"Alright," Takumi said, when he was done, "See you later?" He gave her a smile and a nod, and strode to the door, pulling it open.

Jakob was standing outside, hand raised.

"Aaaaargh!" Takumi slammed the door shut. "Dammit!"

"What?" Corrin yelped, startled. She hurried to his side. "What? What happened?"

"Your blasted butler!" Takumi hissed. "He's right outside the door!"

Corrin's mouth dropped. "Oh sh-" she covered her mouth. Takumi grabbed her arm and pulled her away from the door.

"What do we do now?" he demanded. "He's seen me!"

"Are you sure?"

Takumi gave her an incredulous look and she nodded. "Sorry. Oh course he has," she said quickly. "But… it's not that bad, right? Its only Jakob."

"Only Jakob?" Takumi exclaimed. "You don't care what he thinks?"

"Well I do," Corrin said, blushing, "But… there's nothing we can do about that, right? And he won't tell anyone if I tell him not to."

"But even then," Takumi insisted, "your reputation in front of your servants is pretty important, right?"

Corrin shrugged. "I don't think they care whether I've slept with anyone or not," she said, "and I can't give your secret away- that would be wrong."

"My secret…" Takumi stared at her, an unreadable expression on his face. Corrin squirmed, a little taken aback at the intensity of his expression.

"What?" She asked.

"…nothing." Takumi said. "Its just… tell him, about last night, if you feel fit. Its… not that big a deal."

Corrin laughed. "Its fine, Takumu," she said, patting him on the shoulder. "I don' think Jakob will care. He's so sweet, he won't judge."

"Sweet?" Takumi echoed, but Corrin was already heading towards the door.

Jakob was still standing there with her breakfast tray in his hands. Felicia hovered behind Jakob, empty-handed since he wouldn't let her carry anything.

"Ah, good morning," Corrin said, as normally as she could. Jakob entered, giving her a bow. To his credit, he didn't react to Takumi's presence at all.

"Good morning milady," he said with a jovial smile, as if the prince being in her room was a perfectly normal occurrence.

Felicia, on the other hand, gaped at him.

"P-P-Prince?" She gasped, "Prince Takumi! What're you-"

"Felicia," Jakob said quickly. "Don't you have work to do?"

Felicia squeaked, as she ran to open the rest of the windows. Her eyes kept darting between Corrin and Takumi, who still hadn't moved from the corner of the room. Jakob bustled about with all his usual efficiency. Watching them work, a plan began to formulate in Corrin's head.

"Uh…" she began slowly. Jakob stopped and looked at her questioningly.

"Yes, my lady?" He asked.

"Um, Jakob? Could you, take Prince Takumi back to his room?" She asked. Takumi started.

"W-What?" He said, "Why? I mean- why him?"

"Jakob knows the castle pretty well," Corrin explained, "he'll know all the secret passages and where all the servants will be; he can take you back so that no one sees you."

"Of course," Jakob turned to Takumi. "I shall be delighted to help his highness."

"See?" Corrin said happily. "I told you he'd help!"

"…ah. Ok-ay," Takumi said. "Um, thanks, Jakob." Jakob pulled open the door, standing by it with a politely patient attitude. Slowly, Takumi made his way across the room, looking surprised and a little stunned. Corrin gave him a wave as Jakob ushered him out of the room, pulling the door shut behind them.

"Um… my lady?" Felicia was standing by the bed. "Um… do you want the sheets changed?"

Corrin shrugged. "If you like," she said, smiling. She was feeling oddly happy, like something wonderful had happened. It was weird, she thought, how oddly things worked out. Even after Ryouma had revealed to her the circumstances of her real parentage, the fact that Takumi had always denied being her brother had stung. But now, she found herself wondering whether the lack of familial feelings between them could perhaps lead to something. Something new and wonderful.

x-x-x-x-x-x

Jakob hadn't said a word. Not one single word, merely led him down a series of narrow corridors till Takumi hadn't a clue where they were anymore. Yet there was disapproval radiating off of the butler.

'He's probably thinking up of ways to kill me,' Takumi thought peevishly, glaring at the man's back. 'I can't believe Corrin thinks he's sweet, of all things.' The thought of the Nohrian princess still confused him. Corrin was naïve and somewhat dense at times, but she was also kind and sweet, and he found himself oddly comfortable around her; he could talk to her for hours without feeling bored, and as time had passed he had realized that he preferred her company over others.

'Let it go Takumi,' he told himself, 'it's pointless right now.'

"Prince Takumi, here we are." Takumi recognized the corridor, and the door Jakob was standing by as his own.

"Thanks," he said, determinedly avoiding the man's eyes, "you know where I sleep, huh?"

"Of course," Said Jakob smoothly, "and I hope that should you wish to make any more nightly sojourns, you will have memorized the path to Princess Corrin's room. It would be… unfortunate were you to wander somewhere else."

Takumi frowned. "Are you threatening me?" He asked. Jakob's eyes widened.

"My lord!" he said, "I don't mean to give any offence. I was merely warning you; had someone else caught you, would it not have been bad for you?"

"I suppose," Takumi said, folding his arms "but still, where I go at night is my business."

"My apologies," said Jakob, "whichever maiden you like to visit is entirely your own business." He smiled at the prince, his eyes making the implication clear. Takumi blushed.

"G-Good bye, Jakob," he sputtered, quickly slamming the door shut.