Sylvain made a mad dash to the Dining Hall, noticing how fast time had passed since he was in his dorm. He had nearly forgotten about dinner for Byleth when he was trying to dry the tears that he had cried in his dorm and carefully stowing the letter away in the bottom drawer of his desk. He ran into the Dining Hall, panting when to his shock and horror, the kitchen had closed down for the evening. Sylvain groaned, slumping down and placing his hands on his knees. So much for that part of the promise, Sylvain thought. He groaned and rubbed his forehead in annoyance. He did not feel like cooking again, but he supposed there was no choice. He had to get his hands dirty once again. With a sigh, he reluctantly walked back into the cooking station, determined to give Byleth something to eat for dinner. That was until another person entered and made his appearance well known.
"Well if it isn't the former philanderer of Garreg Mach! What brings you here this late hour?" A cheeky voice rang out. Sylvain looked up from where he was and noticed the charming Claude von Riegen sauntering over the counter that Sylvain was working on. He had a tattered up book underneath his arm, it's spine almost completely gone and the hardcover was peeling off.
Sylvain eyed it curiously, "I'm just making some dinner. What is that book you're carrying about?"
Claude smirked, lifting it up for Sylvain to see, "Oh this? Teach gave it to me earlier, it's a book."
Sylvain rolled his eyes, "I can see that, Claude, what kind of book is it?"
Claude tucked the book underneath his arm, "Oh it's a diary. Jeralt's diary to be exact."
Sylvain's eyes widened and his face contorted in anger, "Riegen, what the hell? You're just going to steal her father's belongings, after everything she's been through."
Claude lifted a hand in front of him, "Relax, Sylvain, Teach loaned it to me. I'm just curious what this says about Teach and why Jeralt left the Knights of Seiros many years ago. And besides I asked her if I could, so she gave her consent."
Sylvain narrowed his eyes on Claude, "Right, and I'm supposed to believe that?"
Claude snorted, "Since when are you the moral compass of our group?"
Sylvain huffed, "Listen, I'm just looking out for Byleth, alright?"
Claude had a crooked smile at the sound of the Professor's name, "Oh I see. You're on a first name basis with Teach nowadays. Good on you man, it's nice to see you finally settle on a girl for once."
Sylvain groaned, "We aren't together, it's more like I'm on...probation? Yeah, I think that's the right word for it."
"So let me get this straight: you are not together?" Claude questioned.
"Yep." Sylvain replied, getting out a few pots and pans to prepare a dish that he could remember.
"But you're kind of together? I'm confused, Sylvain, what kind of relationship are you even going for here? This is so different from your usual escapades." Claude clutched his head with a bewildered look on his face.
"It's because I actually care about her." Sylvain replied, getting some beast steak to tenderize. He grabbed some spices from the top shelf and made sure to season the steaks on both sides like Dedue had taught him.
"Is that why you're here? Making steak for two?" Claude motioned at Sylvain's cooking.
"She needs to eat." Sylvain said plainly, starting up the stove and placing the steaks in the skillet. "She hasn't been eating well since...since her father passed away."
Claude sighed, "I see. I don't know what it's like, you know? Losing someone close to you?"
"Oh?" Sylvain quirked an eyebrow up. He had never had a full blown conversation with the House Leader, but it was nice talking with someone who seemed to be a lot like him.
"I haven't lost a parent yet, so I can't even begin to understand how Teach must be feeling... But even while you're standing still, the world keeps on moving. I always find that oddly comforting." Claude stated.
As the steaks were cooking, Sylvain decided to steam some vegetables to put as a side dish, "You know, that kind of makes sense. That while we still grieve, the world doesn't stop. I can almost see your point."
"Almost?" Claude replied.
"Yeah, but until you feel that pain, you don't know how cruel it seems that the world can move on, but you won't." Sylvain said sadly.
"Is this about Teach or you?" Claude asked.
Sylvain stared at Claude; his eyes were serious. Sylvain let out a breath, "A little bit of both."
"You once said you thought your brother was garbage." Claude stated.
"He was still my brother, at the end of the day. No matter how much he would try to kill me or abandon me, I still pitied him. Felt sorry for him. My existence was the reason he fell apart." Sylvain flipped the steaks, making sure they were at least medium for Byleth.
Claude shook his head, "Yeesh Sylvain, do you really think Teach would want to hear that? I mean who would be here comforting her in her time of need if you weren't here? Trust me, and I know this is rude of me to say, but your brother should have just accepted the fact he wasn't going to be heir of House Gautier."
"Why would you say that?" Sylvain asked.
"Look, I definitely don't know everything that goes on in your family, but I can at least see your parents are rather okay in terms of nobility. A bit over the top on their sense of duty, sure, but I don't think they would have just abandoned one of their sons just because they 'didn't have a Crest'. Couldn't they at least give him a comfortable living, I mean there are a few Kingdom nobles that don't hold Crests or the inheritance, but they still live under the same household." Claude replied, watching as Sylvain grabbed a tray and a couple of ceramic plates.
Sylvain closed his eyes, "You really want to know? It's not a pleasant story."
Claude shrugged, "Enlighten me a bit."
Sylvain inhaled sharply, "Miklan was born about five years before me. He was apparently very strong for his age, and took after my grandfather the most in appearance. Stocky and very stubborn. However, the one thing he didn't have was a Crest, and while my mother was able to carry children in theory, her body was very weak. Oftentimes, from what I hear, my mother couldn't...keep the child. So my father was facing the dilemma of having an heir without a Crest and he decided to teach Miklan how to be a Margrave as soon as he could. All was well, until I was born."
Claude's eyes softened, "And your mother? I think I saw her once while at your family's estate."
Sylvain smiled sadly, "She lived, after giving birth to me though she definitely couldn't have anymore. She developed childbed fever, barely lived but it took a toll on her. However, now my father was given the child he wanted. A child with a Crest. So, all of that effort on Miklan, all the teachings and training, all of it went to waste. And so my father focused on me, and my mother was too weak to take care of Miklan."
"I see, so your brother felt left behind, then?" Claude asked.
"More or less," Sylvain responded while taking the steaks off of the skillet and placing them on the plates. "Miklan hated me from day one. I've never seen him ever been anything but vengeful against me. He would shove me in a well, abandon me while we were in town, and find other clever ways to get rid of me. But you know, I can't hate a person that was never given the care they needed. I didn't like him then, and I still don't, but he was still family. The only sibling I had."
"So, your family was okay with these attempts to get rid of you?" Claude questioned, his tone strained.
"Of course not, Claude, but to have that kind of shame brought to the family, one son trying to kill the other? It's very embarrassing, and my father had turned into quite the control freak. He was convinced that any form of shame was something to avoid and Miklan would be punished severely every time he tried to harm me. Then the Sreng region attacked…"
"Ah yes, where Lord Rodrigue got the name the Shield of Faerghus" Claude nodded.
"Yeah, my father is in charge of taking care of Sreng, but the invasion was larger than he could have expected, so he asked King Lambert to help him, and he brought Rodrigue. My father, out of what I can assume is the kindness of his heart, allowed Miklan to accompany him on small campaigns since he was old enough. That's where Miklan got the scar. You know, the one going across his face? Yeah that's where he got it. I stayed at home with my mother, I was only 7 or 8 at the time. After the fighting had ended though, Miklan was different...more so than before."
"But this doesn't really answer the question of why Miklan was disowned." Claude pondered.
Sylvain let out a small laugh, "My brother got too cocky with a plan to kill me. I mean he was always trying to, but now? Now they were more sophisticated, and he almost made it look like I was killed by bandits. More specifically, those bandits that we stopped months ago. Once word got out that my brother had affiliated with them and then had several plans to take over House Gautier, my father had no choice but to strip him of his title and noble status." Sylvain looked down at the vegetables, figuring they were ready to eat and placed them on the ceramic plates as well. He put a cover on the freshly made meals to contain their heat and he moved to get a bottle of wine from the beverage cabinet.
"I...I see, I didn't know that about your brother. I can see why you would pity him." Claude spoke softly.
"I remembered how my mother acted that day we disowned him," Sylvain muttered, "She was so distraught. He was once her only son, her baby. I can't imagine what it must have felt, to know you gave life to something you thought was so precious, and they turned out to be a monster."
"What about Margrave Gautier?" Claude responded
Sylvain sighed, "I think my father always knew that he would have to. So he wasn't nearly as affected, but...I believe he was just as upset as my mother. He's always been good at hiding his emotions."
"Hmmm I see that the Crest system is rather strict then in Faerghus. Wouldn't it be nice for it to change?" Claude asked the young noble.
"Heh, as if some people would change their minds about Crests that easily. But I have to agree, it would be nice for the Crest system to change." Sylvain grinned.
Claude chuckled, "All it takes is a bit of charm and some evidence that they aren't as needed as one thinks and poof! Like magic, the system changes."
Sylvain let out a hearty laugh, "If only it were that easy."
Claude smiled, "Yeah well, hopefully that dream can come true along with many others…"
Sylvain cocked his head to the side, "You've got your own dreams, Claude?"
"Yeah, but I'm not sure I want to tell people just yet. Anyways, I've taken up more of your evening than I should." Claude reached over and patted Sylvain on the shoulder, "Go help our Professor feel better again. I have faith in you."
Sylvain nodded, "Thanks, Claude, you take care of yourself."
Claude laughed, "Always! Goodnight Sylvain."
Sylvain waved him off, picking up the tray and heading out the door himself, "Goodnight Claude."
Sylvain slowly approached her door, exhausted by being forced to cook twice in one day. He'd have to find some other way to get her breakfast tomorrow, perhaps bribing the cook like he had teased earlier to her. When he knocked on the door, he was surprised to hear Byleth's voice on the other side.
"Who is it?" Byleth's voice spoke, muffled a bit by the door.
"It's me, Sylvain. I got you and I some dinner." Sylvain answered.
"Oh..um. I'll uh, I'll be there in a second. Do you mind?" Byleth stammered.
Huh, that's odd, Sylvain thought. "Um okay. I'll just be waiting here." He leaned against the wall and let out a shaky breath. What could possibly take her so long? She usually wasn't this animated.
"Um, Sylvain? Are you still there?" Byleth asked through the door.
"Yeah, I wasn't going to go anywhere, I did tell you that." Sylvain laughed a bit.
"Oh! Right how silly of me. Hehe. Let me open the door." Byleth said as the sound of her dorm room's lock unlocking rang out. She slowly turned the knob and opened the door to reveal Byleth in an Officer's Uniform. She looked rather cute in it, her blush painting her cheeks pink.
"Hi. Sorry to make you wait." Byleth mumbled softly.
"Uh, you okay, Byleth? You're acting a bit...different?" Sylvain's head cocked to the side with a shaky grin.
"Um yeah, I'm just trying to...I don't know, act happier?" Byleth said, playing with her hair nervously.
Sylvain stepped into Byleth's dorm, noticing that she had lit a few candles and placed a small table in the middle of the room with two chairs on opposite sides. Sylvain looked back at Byleth, a smirk on his face as he laughed at the strange situation he just walked into.
"By, what is this?" Sylvain chuckled.
She nervously laughed, "Um, a reward? I feel like I've been making you feel as though you're not doing enough for me, when you've gone above and beyond. I may as well allow you to give me one 'date night'."
Sylvain gave a crooked grin, "Oh really? Is that what this is? Well then," Sylvain moved to the center of the room placing the silver tray on the table and moving to one of the chairs and pulling it back, motioning for Byleth to sit, "would you like to take a seat, my lady?"
Byleth nodded, giving a small smile, "I'd be delighted." She walked towards him and sat on the chair, brushing her skirt down. Sylvain pushed in her chair slightly and moved around the table to sit on his side. He got the wine bottle out and carefully uncorked it and poured a glass for both he and Byleth. Raising his glass in the air, he said "Cheers", and tapped his glass to Byleth's. They ate in silence for a bit, just enjoying each other's company. Sylvain was happy that Byleth had started to eat without egging her on. He had even noticed her hair was cleaned and that she had brushed it out where there were no tangles at the ends.
Byleth had noticed him looking at her and decided to speak up, "Is there something wrong?"
"Hmm? No, I just was admiring you a bit. However, if you don't mind me asking, what caused this shift in your routine?" Sylvain asked.
Byleth placed her utensils to the side, "I was just...trying to move on a bit. I don't want to fall in despair and bring everyone down with me."
Sylvain sighed, "Yeah, but don't think you have to throw away your sadness because of me or anyone else."
Byleth smiled sadly, "I won't ever, but someday I have to move on, and I have my students to teach. And I have someone I don't want to hurt as well."
"Sounds like a lucky guy, if he's that important to you." Sylvain smirked before taking a sip of wine.
"Extremely important." Byleth hummed.
Sylvain smiled, "Well since this is a date night, I'd like to get to know a little bit more about you, By, if you don't mind."
"Oh?" Byleth blinked, "What about me?"
"C'mon, Byleth, even though we've spent a lot of time together, you have to admit I've been the subject of most of our conversations." Sylvain stated, picking a bite of the steak he had cooked earlier. Not that bad, Sylvain thought to himself.
"I see, what would you like to know?" Byleth asked.
"Before I start, will you tell me if I'm crossing a boundary? I don't want to make a pretty girl like you sad." Sylvain said.
Byleth nodded, "Of course, I will tell you if I'm feeling uncomfortable."
"Okay then, let's see," Sylvain pondered a moment before "You did mention once in passing that you didn't know your own age, but did once say you killed your first man at ten, so I was just wondering how old you think you are."
"I'm 21 years old." Byleth stated matter-of-factly.
Sylvain looked confused, "But you said-"
Byleth interrupted, "I recently found my father's diary, I found my actual birth year and date. I was born on the 20th day of the Horsebow Moon, year 1159. It was nice to actually know, since I was scared I was somehow an ageless being with no memory of my life before."
"Huh? Well who would've thought?" Sylvain replied.
"What? Is there something wrong with that?" Byleth narrowed her eyes on him.
"No, I just found it interesting. You're just a bit older than me, never would have guessed that, you're so petite." Sylvain chuckled, grabbing his wine to sip. "Anything else in that diary you want to share, that isn't uncomfortable for you to do."
"Nothing very interesting to bring up on a date." Byleth looked melancholic.
"I see, well there's nothing wrong with asking for your likes and dislikes, huh? If I want to surprise you with gifts of my own, what are some things I should give or do?" Sylvain tried his best to steer the conversation to focus on things that make her happy.
"Hmm? I guess I never thought about this in detail. I guess I could say I like all types of swords, and Valerian flowers. They're so pretty. So if you want to give me gifts, I think those would be fine."
"Valerian? Don't they smell, ahem, not so nice?" Sylvain said.
"Well sure, but they're lovely to look at." Byleth smiled, sensing his apprehension, "But if you must insist on better flowers for a bouquet, I love lilies and roses, specifically if they're pink."
"Okay, so you have an affinity for the color pink, then?" Sylvain grinned.
"Despite wearing black or dark blue? Yes, I love pink." Byleth laughed into her wine as she took a sip.
They kept going back and forth, sharing childhood stories and their hobbies. Byleth learned of his love of chess, and she expressed a desire to learn how to play. She told him about how she would fish with Jeralt and learn the best ways to capture the most fish. Sylvain laughed about the time she apparently worried Jeralt so much when she ran off to a dress shop and lost him in a crowd of people. They laughed and cried, sharing memory after memory, and even though it hurt a bit, reliving moments that could not be replicated, it was cathartic, letting it all out.
Coming down from a high, Sylvain spoke, "Well I have to say, I don't think a girl has put this much effort into a date with me before."
"Oh? Is that so?" Byleth asked.
"No, I think I was the one who decided when and where. Most girls prefer that from my own viewpoint." Sylvain answered, "It's kind of nice being taken care of for once."
"Well...I'm glad you enjoyed your night, at least." Byleth stuttered, playing with her hair out of nervousness.
"Something wrong?" Sylvain asked tentatively, reaching for her other hand across the table.
"Oh it's nothing!" Byleth waved him off, "It's just…"
Sylvain looked quizzical at Byleth, "Just?"
Byleth sighed, slumping on her free hand, "I was just wanting to reward you in...another way...and to be honest I feel pretty stupid about it."
"You don't have to if you don't want to." Sylvain gave a gentle squeeze to her hand.
"Yeah but…" Byleth trailed off before looking at Sylvain with serious eyes, "You do realize you're the only other person I've ever felt this way toward, right?" He nodded silently, and Byleth continued, "Do you know what that means? It means that I haven't ever done...anything with another person before."
Sylvain's eyes widened, "Um Byleth? What are you going at?"
Byleth, realizing her words may have gotten twisted, stammered "No no, I don't mean that! It's just I haven't…" the rest of the sentence was lost in a shallow mumble.
Sylvain's eyes narrowed, "I'm sorry, I didn't quite hear that, Byleth."
Byleth's flush developed into a deep crimson, "I haven't...someone"
Again something was being excluded in her bashful speech, so Sylvain asked again, "Still didn't hear that?"
Byleth, frustrated, finally shouted, "I haven't kissed anyone before!"
The silence in the room was deafening, the only sounds to be heard were the sounds of Sylvain and Byleth breathing and the flicker of the fire on the candles. Byleth immediately hid her face in her hands while Sylvain's eyes just stared at the young woman sitting across from him. Then all of a sudden, he bursted out into an uncontrollable laughter. Byleth glared at him, and a large pout.
"Ugh, it's not funny, Gautier!" Byleth crossed her arms getting up from her seat facing away from him.
Sylvain brushed a tear away as he calmed himself down, "Aw c'mon, Byleth! Don't turn away! It was funny!"
Byleth was silent, still frowning in the corner of her room, tapping her toe on the ground. Sylvain chuckled, and slowly approached her, wrapping his arms around her shoulders and resting his head on them. "I'm sorry, Byleth, really I am. I didn't mean to tease you." He said with an exaggerated pout and what Byleth would call 'puppy dog eyes'.
"You're making light of me, and I'm trying to be serious." Byleth scolded him.
"Okay, okay," Sylvain said, releasing Byleth from his embrace, and turning her to face him, "I'm sorry, Byleth."
She was backed into a corner, and she noticed that Sylvain was close to her, she could seize the moment, but she was just too nervous. "All I want to know is, if it's okay to."
"Kissing me? I mean I don't have anything against it, but what brought this on." Sylvain asked.
Byleth shrugged, "I'm curious, and you have to be completely honest with me Sylvain, because I just have to know."
"What do you need to know?" Sylvain questioned.
"How far have you gone with the girls you date?" Byleth asked without hesitation.
"Well now that is a question," Sylvain chortled nervously. He backed off and sat on her bed taking a deep breath, "Not that I don't think you can handle it, but you're sure you want to know?"
"I wouldn't ask if I didn't." Byleth followed him, sitting beside him.
"Heh, it's a rather uncomfortable subject, but okay I guess I could talk about it, just promise you won't get too upset." Sylvain replied.
"Believe me, I'm pretty sure you have experience." Byleth deadpanned.
Sylvain let out a breath, "Um, let's see...I've definitely kissed a girl before, in every way you can imagine. I've kissed on the cheek and lips, rather chastely, like a peck. I've also made out with many girls, in my room and in other places of course."
Byleth raised an eyebrow, "Anything else?"
Sylvain looked at her with a blush on his face, "Well you're certainly not pulling any punches."
Byleth shrugged, "I may as well know."
Sylvain shook his head, "I've...physically touched girls. Their waists, chests, and bottoms. I've groped them, when they've wanted it. And…"
"And?" Byleth pressed.
Sylvain laughed nervously, "This is embarrassing."
"This is your punishment for laughing at me." Byleth looked smug at his discomfort.
Sylvain sighed, hiding his face a bit, "I've...pleasured a few girls. Whether that's with my mouth or fingers, I have gone at least that far. And sometimes, they...pleasure me."
"I see," Byleth hummed.
"But if you don't count those ways of being with another intimately, I'm relatively inexperienced." Sylvain admitted.
Byleth cocked her head to the side, "You mean you've never…?"
Sylvain looked down, "Heh, yeah, never gone completely 'all the way'."
Byleth stared at him, confused, "Why? I would've thought you did."
Sylvain glanced back at her with a serious look in his eye, "You really think I'd be okay with doing that? Risking creating a Crest Baby with another girl I don't care about? I'd rather not. It's because of that, I deny them from going any further. Shocked, huh?"
"I...didn't think about that. I'm sorry, I didn't mean to suggest that you were 'easy'." Byleth slumped her shoulders down, feeling guilty and rather uncomfortable that the conversation led this way.
Sylvain smiled softly, bringing his hand to gently lift Byleth's chin, "Don't feel bad, I'm pretty sure this conversation would've happened at some point."
"Yeah but I could've picked a better time." Byleth chuckled.
"Well you did say you wanted to reward me, so do you want to try?" Sylvain grinned.
Byleth glanced at his lips, her hunger returning from before, as she bit on her own, "I.."
Sylvain replied, rubbing her cheeks soothingly, "You don't have to, if you don't want to."
Byleth looked determined, her eyes lidded and filled with love, "No, I want to do this. I want to feel your lips on mine. Just once...Just.." She leaned forward halfway closing her eyes and waiting desperately for Sylvain to join her.
Sylvain's heart was beating so fast. Here was a prime opportunity to actually kiss Byleth and he was feeling more nervous than he ever felt before. Taking a deep inhale, he slowly leaned forward, feeling Byleth's breath on his mouth. He couldn't take it anymore, he needed to know what it was like to kiss her. He finally closed the distance, kissing her small, supple lips. She let out a soft moan and gasp, desperate to hold him closer. She grabbed his shirt with both her hands and tightly wound the fabric in her fingertips. Sylvain wrapped his arms around her waist and felt the need to deepen the kiss, just ever so slightly. Careful to not scare her off or make her uncomfortable. Sylvain moved his mouth feverently, parting both of their lips and making the kiss more intense. Byleth welcomed it and moved with him, first with a cautious approach but then with a daring one. Sylvain shifted his hands from her waist to her hair, tangling his fingers in her blue locks. Sylvain was completely enraptured, the feeling of her close to him and the kiss developing quite nicely, he couldn't help himself but try to allow his tongue in her mouth to take this even further. However, it seemed like this spooked Byleth and she flinched, and broke away from Sylvain's hold.
"Ah, I'm sorry," Sylvain said out of breath, "I guess I got a bit too greedy."
"It was unexpected, it kind of shocked me." Byleth smiled, flustered beyond measure. She looks even more cute like that, Sylvain thought.
"It's my fault, I didn't think it'd go that far." Sylvain replied nervously.
"Don't apologize, I thought it was nice." Byleth smiled sweetly at him.
"Really?" Sylvain asked, a grin slowly appearing on his face.
"Mhmm," Byleth shyly looked away from him, "I thought it felt good."
"Hehe, I'm glad," Sylvain replied, grasping her hand, and interlacing their fingers, "I thought you would've believed I was taking advantage of you."
"If you did, you'd be dead." Byleth replied nonchalantly.
"Right, got it," Sylvain rubbed the back of his neck, "Anyways, it is getting late, and I don't want to get caught by Seteth snooping around your room at night."
Byleth nodded, "Yes I think that would be best." She got up from the bed and cleaned up the table with Sylvain. She placed the tray with the dirty dishes in his hand to put beside her door for the maids to clean up in the early morning. When he was turning to leave, he stopped in his place. Turning to chance a glance at Byleth, he smiled warmly at her.
"You know, it'd be nice to have a kiss goodnight." Sylvain said cheekily.
Byleth crossed her arms, with a greedy smirk on her face, "Don't you think you're being a bit too spoiled?"
Sylvain sighed, "Ah well, it was worth a shot." He then made his way out the door, when all of a sudden he felt her hand grab his.
"...maybe just one then." Byleth whispered.
Sylvain smiled at her, and turned to face her. He leaned down and gave a gentle peck on the lips, savoring her taste on his lips. He broke away and gave her a wink, "Goodnight Byleth."
Byleth gave a small grin, "Goodnight Sylvain, and thank you."
"For what?" Sylvain questioned.
"For being there for me," Byleth answered, "Your support was very much appreciated."
Sylvain softly embraced her, "If you ever feel bad again, I'll be here for you. Just say the word."