Severa's journey had not been an easy one.
The red-headed warrior had gone through much. Survival in her time was not guaranteed, and at times it felt like it was simple luck that she and her comrades lived through battle after battle. Even when she traveled back in time, the battles never ended. First, it was losing her parents' rings to a scoundrel, and only the timely arrival of Owain allowed her to reclaim them. She never knew how she was going to repay him for that.
Yet, for all of her prowess, all the times in which she stared death in the face, she was unprepared for the task laid out in front of her.
Before Severa stood her childhood home. The bakery her father had built when he discharged himself from the Shepherds due to a wound endured during the first battles that would later become known as the Fell Wars.
Severa could remember the last day she spent there so clearly, it was like it had happened yesterday. That accursed day.
She remembered that it started with a load crash.
Her father was in the room within an instant, out of breath and with his shirt torn open. He scooped her up and took her to the crawlspace that he told her never to go down, removing the rug that had once covered it. He tossed it open with surprising strength and ordered her to go down the ladder.
Severa had no idea what was happening. A little girl of only seven years, how could she? She cried, then, scared of the noise, scared of her own father's behavior. Where was mom? Why was the world exploding? They were the questions of a childish mind, but Severa still asked herself those questions, years later.
Somehow, though, her dad was able to summon the will to comfort her.
"Listen to me, sweetheart," he had said, his face twitching with fear, and yet he was able to smile for her sake. "Daddy needs you to be a big girl, okay? You need to be a big, tough girl for daddy. It's gonna be okay, sweetheart. Do not open this trapdoor for anyone, okay? Unless you hear me or momma speaking, don't open. Never open it."
"D-daddy-!" Severa has cried, tears streaming down her pale cheeks. "Wh-what's-!?"
"Shh!" he hissed, placing the forefinger against her lips. "Don't worry about that right now! Momma's gonna be here soon and it'll be okay. Hey, hey! Look at me!"
He placed her hand against her cheek and gently pushed her tears away. Severa stilled, but her breathing was still ragged.
"I love you, Severa," He said, placing his forehead against hers for a moment. "You are my pride and joy. You and your mother have brought more happiness into my life than I can ever really fathom. It'll be alright."
Gingerly, he urged her down, and Severa obeyed his wordless command.
"Remember, don't open it unless momma or daddy calls for you, okay?"
"M-mhm!"
"You're a good girl, Severa," Her father said, a smile across his face, the last time she would ever see it. "I know you'll make us proud. Daddy loves you. Always remember that."
When he closed the trapdoor, Severa was left inside the basement filled with weapons. Their bakery had been turned into a makeshift armory, but even then she could still smell the wonderful baked goods her father used to make.
When the shouting started upstairs, she did not speak. When a red liquid leaked through the cracked floorboards, she did not scream. When what sounded like several sacks filled with potatoes slammed against her ceiling, she did not shriek.
When the world finally went silent, she remained so.
The smell of bread was gone. Replaced with a strange coppery tang that she was never able to rid herself of.
It was a typical Risen incursion.
There had been many like them in the years following the fell dragon's resurrection. Grima himself never appeared, but it was clear that their intentions were two-fold: an intimidation tactic, and a way to keep Ylisstol in check. Such invasions had never made it to the castle, however the largest ones did tend to get pretty far into the city before they were wiped out. The city militia and remaining pegasus knights and traditional knights were getting better at deflecting their efforts.
However, that time, something changed. Cordelia's patrols had not discovered the large horde in-time to warn the city watch, and they stormed the gate like a tidal wave. Naturally, she took it upon herself to lead the defense. Such a thing was in her blood. In the absence of most of their old leadership, many within what remained of Ylisse's armies looked up to the Shepherds for leadership, and they were more than happy to oblige.
The Risen trashed through much of the city, making it farther than they ever had before. Cordelia fought with all her might, cutting down each and every purple-faced monstrosity that dared to come her way. When the battle was said and done, many of her men and women were left either exhausted or dead. Even with their 'victory' they had lost too much. The militia would need to completely reworked, as most of them lied dead. Her pegasus knights dwindled even farther, several having been slain fighting their corrupted sisters. Before long, they wouldn't even have pegasi to give to prospective recruits.
The worse loss for Cordelia, however, was yet to come.
It wasn't until after the battle that she realized the area the Risen had come from. It was directly in the path of her home. Her daughter. Her husband.
In a panic, whatever fatigue she had was gone, and she took Aurora's reigns and rode upon the air as fast as she could. When she finally arrived at her home, her heart stopped in her chest.
"No," She said, her voice only just above a whisper. "No. No, no, no, no!"
Cordelia was nearly hysterical by the time she was on the ground. She put away her spear and drew her sword. The door to her house had been broken in, scattering chunks of wood everywhere. Several windows had been shattered.
Her greatest nightmare was staring her in the face.
"Alex!" She shouted as she entered the building, looking around wildly. "Severa! Where are you!?"
There was no answer. However, the evidence of battle was impossible to ignore. Bloodied boot prints stained the floor, weapons from destroyed Risen laid listlessly on the ground. What only sought to increase Cordelia's panic, however, was that there were clear blood splatters on the ground in areas. Risen blood vanished within seconds, which meant it had to be human.
"Alex, Severa!" She called again, her grip on her sword tightening. "Alex-!"
She found him in their living room. Cordelia's breath hitched in her throat.
He was surrounded on all sides by the weapons of fallen Risen. The piles consisted of swords and a few axes, and were all that remained of those he fought, while he tragically stayed. She walked forward, her sword clattering to the ground. She felt tears prickle at the corners of her eyes.
"A-Alex, no," She whispered, "No, please. Not you!"
His body was mangled nearly beyond recognition. His left arm looked to have been torn off completely, and two swords stuck out of his body, impaling him through the chest and the stomach. His own blade laid out in front of him, broken in the middle. From the looks of it, he had continued fighting with it even after it had shattered.
"No, this can't…!" She sniffled. "You can't be d-dead! You can't leave me like this! Not like them! You can't…!"
His face had been slashed at, but it was one of the few parts of him that was still intact. He was propped up against the wall, looking at the doorway with dull green eyes. They would never move again. His face would never break out into a smile when he saw her walk in. He would never hold her close, never kiss her as they settled in for one of the few nights they could spend together.
"A-Alex…!" Cordelia said as she knelt down, raising a hand and cupping his cold cheek. "W-what did they do to you?"
There was no response.
"I-I should have been here!" Cordelia said to him, taking her other hand and frustratedly rubbing away her tears. "You needed me and I couldn't be here! I failed you!"
Memories of her old squad reared their ugly head, their jeering, taunting voices demanding her to explain why she couldn't have been there. She didn't deserve him, they said. He had been there for her when few others would. He was there when she was at her lowest. He defended her from her demons when it felt as if their gnarled hands would encircle her neck and choke the life out of her.
And what was her response? Her way of showing gratitude?
Abandoning him when he needed her the most. Neglecting him and then having the gall to demand his support when she offered none herself. Allowing his feelings of inadequacy to fester inside of him until they nearly tore him apart. She had failed him.
She took in a shuddering breath, steeling herself.
Cordelia needed to find Severa. She saw what her husband's glazed eyes were looking at: the rug in the room covered a hidden trap door leading into a crawlspace. They used it for storing weapons and armor, things soldiers moving to the fronts would need as they traveled. They had discussed it once, and decided to use it as a panic room. In case the worst came to pass.
"You saved her," She murmured, turning back to her husband one final time. "Y-you sacrificed yourself so that she had a chance. You drew all attention to yourself. Alex, my love… They sometimes asked me why I married you. A washed-out Shepherd turned baker, a man with no left hand. A failure," She leaned forward, "They were wrong. They did not know you like I did. You were the kindest, bravest person I knew. You were a good man. And that is all I wanted. All I needed."
Carefully, she kissed the palm of her hand, then pressed it against his bloodied cheek.
"There was no one more deserving of my heart than you. I will love you for the rest of my days, Alex." She stood up, taking in a shuddering breath as she pulled herself together the best she could. The snide voices receded in the blazing light of her new purpose. "I cannot join you. Not yet. I must live and stay strong. For both of us."
Cordelia walked to the crawlspace.
When light billowed into the crawlspace, Severa moved for the first time in what felt like hours. It was near-blinding, and she felt herself grow still again before hearing a soft voice from the opening.
"Severa?" Her mother called, "Severa, please, answer me. Come here."
"M-mommy?" Severa squeaked out. "I-I'm here! Daddy put me here!"
Severa heard a shuddering sigh as her mother's face came into view. "I know, dear. Come here. I am going to get you out of here."
Slowly, Severa stepped up to the light and her mother's outstretched hand. She grasped it, taking courage in the strength in it. There was something wrong, though. She couldn't tell what, but from the way her mother was crying, it could not be good. Mother didn't cry, not even when Aunt Sumia died. Or, at least, she didn't see it.
"Mommy, where's daddy?" Severa finally asked, just as she nearly climbed over the threshold.
Her mother froze, her breath hitching in her throat. She looked to the side, her face becoming somehow sadder. "I-I'll tell you later, sweetie."
"B-but he was right there, mommy!" Severa pointed out, "Is he alright! I dunno what happened but daddy is strong, he must've gotten rid of whatever it was!"
Cordelia let out a small sob as she grasped Severa by the arm and hoisted her up completely from. Before Severa had a chance to look around, her mother's hand wrapped itself around her eyes, blocking her vision.
"Mommy, what are you doing!?" Severa asked loudly, attempting to crawl away from the embrace. "I wanna see daddy! Where is he?"
"I'm sorry," Cordelia said, her voice breaking, "I'm sorry, Severa!"
"What are you sorry for?" Severa could feel the air rush against her skin as her mother ran for the door. Out of the corner of her eyes, in a small space where her mother's hand couldn't reach, she saw blood on the floor. "Mommy!?"
"We're leaving, Severa," her mother informed her, "We're leaving."
"But we can't leave daddy! What if he's hurt?" Severa nearly bawled, "We can't leave daddy behind! We need to go back for him! What happened to him!? Mommy what happened to daddy!?"
Severa screamed as her mother took her from the house. When she was finally told what had happened to her father, she could not stop crying for days.
The world was a lot less bright after that. Severa and her mother never returned to their house, and it was left abandoned like so many houses in Ylisstol. Her father was buried with the full honor befitting an Ylissean knight, even if he wasn't one. The days grew shorter and darker, and the nights became stifling. The smell of fresh pizza and bread never graced her nose again.
Her mother, though, Severa felt that she was worse. It was a small frustration at first, perhaps something as simple as wondering why her mother seemed to never show the slightest hint that she cared. The funeral was the last time she showed weakness, but after that, nothing. No mention of her father, no stories of their times together. In hindsight, Severa realized they would have hurt her more than she could ever fathom, but back then she couldn't understand why.
Cordelia threw herself into her role, dedicating almost all her time to fighting off the undead hordes of the Risen. Even with her considerable skills, however, one woman was nothing compared to the endless monsters that assailed Ylisstol's walls. She made an effort to be the best mother she could be, and Severa knew that, but in the end, the bitterness was too great.
It was on one fateful day, years later, that Severa finally snapped. It was a silly thing, really; Cordelia announced that she was leaving for the front for a while, to guide troop movements and potentially recruit pegasus knight volunteers. The pegasi at their disposal continued to dwindle, but as long as they held the skies, perhaps there remained hope.
Severa wanted her to stay. Cordelia said that she couldn't. It was a small argument at first that quickly escalated until all of her pent-up feelings finally burst. She blamed her for her father's death, blamed her for neglecting her, blamed her for everything. The words that left her mouth that day hung over her like a hangman's noose, and the face her mother made as she took it made Severa's heart break. Cordelia only said one thing after Severa was done.
"I'm sorry."
Cordelia never returned. The news did not reach her for a full week afterward: she had been ambushed by a full horde of Risen, alongside a small elite guard as she inspected the fronts. It was a quick, brutal battle, and it left no survivors. On either side.
Severa never knew why it took so long for her to be told she was an orphan. She was told her mother's corpse was found curled up near her downed pegasus. The details of the condition her body was in were never made known to her, but the funeral was closed casket. The only thing she knew was that she clutched the ring her father gave to her when they became engaged to her chest.
Severa broke down that day. All the comparisons to her mother she had suffered seemed so trivial when she finally lost her too.
The waterworks threatened to come, but Severa steeled herself. She could make out the smell of baking pizza coming from within.
"C'mon, Sev," She told herself, clenching her fists. "You can do this. Dad's gonna be surprised, sure, but…"
She couldn't finish that thought. It hurt too much. Severa knew she was partially betraying Lucina's trust by revealing herself to her father, and potentially her mother, but she couldn't find it within herself to care at that point. She needed it. She needed closure, and if Lucina had a problem with it, she could take it up with somebody who gave a fuck.
Severa knew at least Owain would be on her side.
The building was modest, but standing in front of it, Severa felt herself shrink. It was like staring up at Grima himself. She took a deep breath, and entered.
"-so then I says, Alex, 'now we're promised to each other'! Swear to Naga herself, I done felt like my heart would pound outta my chest!"
That was Donnel, Severa was sure, and her suspicions were confirmed when she entered fully. The farmboy was dressed modestly, a pot still atop his head but otherwise wearing the garb of a soldier. The room itself almost threw Severa for a loop, though; it was exactly as she had remembered it, years before. Or was it after? Time travel made her head hurt sometimes. The selfsame ornaments, the same carpet on the floor, all of it echoed the future.
A chuckle came, and she felt her heart freeze in her chest.
"I'm happy for you, Donny," Alex laughed, "The little boy we picked up off the side of the road's finally turning into a man! Brings a tear to my eye!"
Donnel's face flushed as he rubbed the back of his neck. "I can't say I'm a man yet, Alex. I still gotta prove to Nowi I can be the best for her. I gots to improve a whole heck-of-a lot, still!"
Alex reached his right hand out and placed it on Donnel's shoulder. "I know you will, Donny. That's the thing about you: you never give up. You got that spirit to you, I guess. You take care of her, and I'm sure she'll take care of you."
"Aw, shucks, Alex, yer gonna make me cry!" Donnel chuckled, rubbing at his eyes. "I should… I should really thank ya, ya know? It's 'cause of ya that I even got this chance! If you hadn't made it to me in time, well, I 'magine I'd be in a whole world of hurt."
Donnel looked down at Alex's metal left hand and cringed.
"I'm still right sorry about that, Alex. I shoulda-!"
"Hush, Donny," Alex cut him off, walking around the small wooden counter that stretched out to the middle of the room. Alex cut a slice of pie from display and handed it to Donny on paper. "It was my decision. And… and I've made peace with it. I can't fight anymore. This is all I'm good at now."
"We could help ya, though!" Donnel protested, placing both hands on the counter. "We could come up with a whole regimen! And His Majesty would love to have ya back, I know it!"
Alex shook his head. "I can't Donny, not after what happened. I don't," Alex paused before sighing, "Let's drop it for now, okay? Enjoy that pie, by the way. Thought I'd try working with cherries for once. Made the filling extra creamy."
Donnel looked up as if he was about to protest, but let it go at the last moment. "Well, just know that some o' us still miss ya. The Shepherds ain't the same without ya. And I know Miss Cordelia comes and visits ya almost everyday."
Alex chuckled. "I'll be sure to tell them if I change my mind. You take care of yourself now, Donny."
"Right, better get back 'afore I'm missed! Thank ya for the pie, Alex!" Donnel walked towards the exit, nearly bumping into Severa. "Ah, mighty sorry, miss. 'Scuse me."
Wordlessly, Severa stepped out of the way and let Donnel pass. Her eyes were focused squarely on Alex.
"Ah, sorry miss," Alex chuckled, walking down the counter as Severa stepped out onto the floor. "Just an old war buddy of mine, ain't nothing to be worried about. Now, what can I… do for…" He blinked as Severa looked at him, her blue eyes unblinking. "W-what are…?"
"I didn't come here for food," Severa said calmly, trying her hardest not to climb over the counter that separated her from her father. "And I have a feeling you know who I am, don't you?"
"I," Alex blinked, swallowing, "D-did future me tell… tell everything?"
"Not everything, I don't think, but enough. Enough to say that you'd know about us. Gawd, but you really know how to draw things out, you know?"
It had been told to Severa long after her father had died; he knew far more than someone of his station should have. Even then, he had failed to prevent the end. That was a disheartening thought. If he couldn't do anything, what chance did they have?
It did make things easier to explain, at least.
Alex laid his iron left hand on the counter, looking everywhere except at Severa. "Then you already know. I-I tried to do what I needed, but I," He paused before raising his left arm. "Well, look where it got me. Robin knows all about it now, too, so I'm useless now. Or at least, feels like it."
Severa wanted to round the counter and slap her father before gathering him in a crushing hug. The smell of pie and pizza in the air was beginning to be too much for her. He was there. It was him. Why hadn't she said anything yet? Why was she allowing him to just stand there and squirm?
In the end, she remained silent, trying desperately to hold herself together. It really started to crumble when Alex rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly.
"I'm useless," He repeated. "I don't have a clue why you or any of the others would visit me, though. Why're you here? I didn't do anything horrible in the future, did I?"
Severa's frown became angrier. "You did, you dullard. You did the most horrible thing of them all."
"I," Alex looked down, seeming as if he was about to cry. "I should've known, kid. Look, whatever I did, I'm sorry. I can't speak for myself from the future, but I should've… God, I never should've come here. Nothing good came of it-"
"You saved me," Severa finally said, her expression hardening further.
"…I did what?" Alex asked.
"You saved me, you daft idiot!" She snapped, whirling around and walking towards the end of the counter. "The Risen came, and you locked me up in a gawddamned crawlspace, all so that I could live! When mom found me, you were already dead! Torn apart! But you didn't leave a single one still standing. You just had to play the hero, didn't you!? Mom was crushed when you died! She was killed clutching the ring you gave her to her chest! She loved you! I loved you! And you had the audacity to die! You're awful!"
Severa was in his face, then, spitting vitriol at the one person she told herself she wouldn't. Alex looked at her with wide eyes.
"I," He gulped, "I'm your father, aren't I?"
Severa's lips thinned. "My name is Severa Kiersten Wright."
"Oh…" Alex let out a shuddering breath. "Oh. Oh my God I don't- I can't-" He held a hand out to the side and grasped the counter, trying to keep his balance. "I had no idea I would- Severa, I'm so, so sorry. I wish I could know what was going on in my head back then but I don't. I can't. I would never want that for you. Never want to put you through that. Not you. Not my daughter. I-I'm-!"
Alex took a deep breath as Severa watched on, tears threatening to spill out at any moment.
"I'm sorry, Sev," Alex finally said, his voice uncharacteristically fragile. "I'm sorry for doing that to you. For doing that to your mother. I shouldn't have-!"
Severa nearly bowled him over when she lunged. She wrapped her arms around his torso and squeezed so hard Alex let out a small squeak. Severa wailed, finally letting out all the feelings she had kept bottled up for years. Soon enough, they were both on the floor, and Alex held her close as she finally cried her heart out.
"I'm sorry," Alex whispered, patting her head. "I'm sorry, Severa."
"Don't be sorry!" Severa cried, "J-just don't… just don't leave me again…"
It was Alex's turn to cry as he held her close. "I promise."
Alex placed a plate in front of Severa as he sat down on the opposite side of the table they shared. A wrenching nostalgia tore its way through Severa's chest as she ate, feeling as if she was home for the first time in years.
In the time it took for Alex to bake it, Severa told him about his death, about Cordelia's death, about everything. Alex had to keep himself from falling apart just listening to it. The utter hopelessness with which Severa spoke about it nearly tore him to shreds. He couldn't blame his future self for what he did, but a part of him regarded the actions he took viciously. There was likely no other choice, but Alex couldn't help but feel his blood boil.
"I gotta say, Sev, I'm, ah…" He shook his head. "It's a lot to take in. That you're my daughter and all that. Cordelia and I aren't even together, you know?"
Severa raised a brow as she ate, putting the pizza down for a moment and giving her father a light glare. "If you aren't now, then you will be soon. I know you guys got married around this time. You were always sickeningly sweet like that, always calling out the date and going on anniversaries."
Alex lightly smiled. "That does sound nice, I'll admit, but, uh," He let out a breath, "I'm not sure the same will be true here. She and I, well, I'm not in the Shepherds anymore."
"You weren't back in the future, either. Gawd, that sounds so weird to say," Severa's face scrunched up before sighing. She leaned back in her chair. "You don't gotta be in the Shepherds to catch someone's eye, you know. Why in the hell would you think that?"
"I…" Alex blinked, before shaking his head. "She wouldn't want me. I'm all washed-up. You see this iron hand? All this crap? War wounds. I can't even find my way back to my homeland, not that I think going back was ever an option."
Severa always knew she was only half-Ylissean, but she never heard her father talk about his homeland. She shuffled those thoughts and questions; for that moment, she felt as if she needed to get it through her idiot father's head that her mother did, indeed, love him. Or would come to.
I guess mom isn't perfect if she hasn't made a move yet either, huh? Hehe.
"Who cares?" Severa shrugged. "Look, I know mom is dedicated, but I heard you talking to Donnel before our, uh, our reunion. She comes by every day."
"Every other day," Alex lightly corrected her, "And… yeah, that's true, I guess. She does always make time to come down here and talk. Our conversations can last for hours, too. And she always tends to make the place brighter. I bought it with my stipend from my time with the Shepherds, did you know that? I can live comfortably for at least a decade with the amount I got. Even then, I don't think- Okay, well, there was that one time a week ago where she grasped my good hand and-and didn't let it go until she left. And she looked like she wanted to say something to me before she tried to lean in…"
Severa's gaze became almost mocking. "You're the daftest man I know."
Alex leaned forward and wiped his brow. "Well, personally I'd go with blind and deaf. How did I- How did I never put the pieces together!?"
"Because you're a moron. But you're also my father, and it's kinda obvious mom is madly in love with you already," Severa looked at him from down the bridge of her nose. "Question is, are you?"
"…For over a year now," Alex admitted. "Ever since the end of the war. She saved me, you know? After I saved Donny. She saved me," He repeated, looking down at the table. "I never thought she could love me, though. What have I done? What great things could I ever hope to do? I'm a washed-up Shepherd turned baker with one hand. How could someone as incredible as her ever love me?"
"She doesn't want someone incredible," Severa answered quietly, "She wants somebody who is brave, kind, and selfless. If you're anything like the man you were in the future, I doubt there's anyone else she can fall in love with."
Alex stared at her, his eyes wide for a few moments before looking longingly at the door, as if Cordelia would walk in at any moment.
"I wouldn't use those words to describe myself," Alex said, "But if you are, there might be something to them. When she comes back, I'll do it. I'll confess to her. Better to get it off my chest rather than go through life without knowing for sure. I only hope you're right.
"Obviously I'm right!" Severa scoffed. "You guys used to tell me about it all the time! How could I not be right?"
Alex shrugged. "Well, the timeline could be changed because of you guys, but somehow I don't think that's the case this time around. You're, God, you're right. I don't know why it took me so long to figure it out."
"Good thing you had me here, then, huh?" Severa replied smugly, leaning back with the biggest shit-eating grin on her face. "You really are hopeless. Where would you be without me?"
Alex barked a laugh. "Good question! One I'm not gonna answer, but good question." Alex's gaze softened. "You can stay here by the way, Sev. I know you and I just met but I get the feeling you got nowhere else to go."
Severa scoffed. "And where did you get that idea?"
"Your dirty clothes," Alex pointed out, "The mud on your boots, the scuff marks on your gloves and grieves. You also, uh, kinda smell-"
"What the hell, daddy? How can you say that about your little girl?" Severa snapped before burying her face in her hands. "Alright, fine, I guess you're right. It wouldn't be terrible if I stayed with you. Don't get the wrong idea though-"
"'It's not like I like you or anything, idiot'?" Alex finished, causing Severa to lightly glare at him. "Just a joke, sweetheart! Don't get so cross-eyed over it. If it makes you feel any better, just consider it a thank you for helping me… for helping me finally realize what I gotta do."
Severa smiled genuinely for the first time in what felt like forever. "No problem, daddy. You better make her the happiest woman in the world, you hear me! She deserves it after all the stuff she's gone through."
Ordinarily, Severa wouldn't be caught dead saying such things, but a part of her felt as if it was needed.
I am still here. The house is still here. Now it's time to ensure my own birth. Gawd, that sounds so stupid…
The next day, Severa watched her father go to and fro through the bakery. There were a few customers that day, but other than that, from her perspective, it was rather uneventful. It was rather peaceful, in her opinion. She wished she could share it with Owain.
She blinked as the sun began setting over the horizon, wondering why in Naga's name she'd be thinking of such a thing before seeing her father continue to stand behind the counter, concentration squarely pointed at the entrance. He was playing with his fingers, and Severa could see beads of sweat go down her forehead from where she sat. She couldn't help but giggle.
"I think I'll leave this to you, daddy," She said, walking towards a set of stairs nearby, leading to the bedrooms. "Don't go too hard tonight, alright?"
"Huh? Uh, yeah, sure, sweetheart. Sweet dreams," he replied absentmindedly.
Severa couldn't help but giggle again before sitting at the top step, just out of view. Even if she wouldn't be able to see it, she ensured she'd be able to hear it.
Alex wrung his wrists for several minutes, staring at the door as the sun went down. He lit a few candles to keep it at least somewhat bright inside the bakery. The moody lighting was just a bonus, in his opinion.
The longer he waited, though, the more he began to think that it was a mistake. She usually came in after a day or two. She had a set schedule, it felt like, but she was late. Did he leave her hanging for too long? Didn't make a move when he was supposed to? Traitorous thoughts nearly overtook him before a sigh of relief left his lips as the door opened, and familiar scarlet hair shone brilliantly in the small light.
Cordelia let out a sigh, rubbing her shoulders. "Gods, it is getting chilly out there." She looked over. "Hey, Alex! Sorry if you were expecting me earlier, but I had a few things I needed to sort out with Phila and the rest. Those new recruits have finally begun their maiden ridings and, well, there were perhaps a few injuries."
Alex let out a nervous chuckle, waving his good hand. "It's no trouble, Cordy. I'm glad you made it either way!"
She giggled, then. A sound that made Alex's heart beat faster in his chest. "So am I! It's been a bit stressful around the aeries lately. I'm honestly still surprised I can find the time to unwind around here. Sometimes it feels like this place is a second home to me."
We can make it our home, if you want.
Alex shook his head before blurting that out. "The usual, then? I've still got a few slices of pie and pizza if you're hungry."
"Just a slice of pizza would be great, if that's fine with you," Cordelia responded, taking off her breastplate as she sat down and sighed again. She placed it against her seat. "And, er, if you have the time, I have… something I need to discuss with you. Urgently."
Alex raised a brow at that. Urgent? It made him nervous. Quietly taking the slice to her on a plate, he placed it in front of Cordelia as he sat down opposite of her. "Well, yeah. It's not like I have much else to do; it's almost nighttime."
An anxious smile made its way across Cordelia's lips. "Er, yes, I suppose it is." She took off her shoulderplates and gauntlets, until she was only in her underarmor. She had begun doing so months before, whenever she was the only one within the bakery besides Alex. He always saw it as strange, but like many things he had been cursing about himself, he made no special note of it.
It's still hard for me to see that such a strong, smart, and beautiful woman is in love with me.
He didn't place Severa as a liar, though, and so he steeled himself.
Cordelia took a few bites of her slice, and Alex didn't miss the way her face lit up. "These things may not be the healthiest," She said after swallowing, "But Naga, I cannot resist them!"
Alex chuckled, "Well, if they keep drawing you in, I see no reason to stop making them."
Cordelia blinked. "W-well, I don't just come here for them. I, er," Cordelia shook her head and put the half-eaten pizza slice back on her plate. "That thing I was going to ask you about, Alex. I realize if it's too personal for you to answer this question, but are you… are you in love with anyone, perchance?"
Alex stared at her for a moment, his brain refusing to work for a few seconds before it jumped into action. "…Yeah. Yeah, I am."
Cordelia's lips thinned as she looked away. "I knew you were. Er, that is to say, I had suspected. You have seen a lot better these past few months, even with your wounds. I had thought it would take longer for you to recover, but I am glad that it is not the-!"
"Aren't you going to ask me who it is?" Alex interrupted, taking a deep breath. "I'll tell you who it is."
"Oh, that's not necessary!" Cordelia backpedaled, her face flush. "I don't think I need that information. It was too personal a question and I should not have asked."
"It's you, Cordy," Alex said, letting out a shuddering breath. "I'm in love with you."
Cordelia froze in place, her face somewhere between shocked and relieved. "Y-you-!"
Alex closed his eyes and stood up from his chair. "I've had, uh, something of an epiphany, recently, and I… I realized it. I-I think I'm madly in love with you. Kinda crazy, huh? Some Shepherd reject thinking he could be with a Knight-Captain of the Ylissean Pegasus Knights."
"No," Cordelia said suddenly, surer than before. "It's not crazy at all. Not to me."
Alex's breathing hitched. "Cordy, do you-?"
He didn't see her remove her gloves, but the feel of her hands against his face were unmistakable. Cordelia's lips met his within an instant in a passionate kiss, one that Alex would never forget. It was chaste, but it conveyed everything Cordelia wished more clearly than words could ever hope.
When they parted, Cordelia giggled. "I-I always wondered what it felt like to kiss someone. That was just as wonderful as I imagined."
Alex let out an airy chuckle. "I can say the same! B-but, Cordy, this means-!"
"That I'm madly in love with you, too?" Cordelia answered, a small smile on her lips. "Because yes, that is exactly what it means."
"Why?" Alex asked, "I don't know why you'd fall for somebody like me. I-it just doesn't make sense."
"Alex, who was there for me when my squad perished?" Cordelia asked, "Who else besides Sumia saw fit to see me as a friend, despite my standards? You were always there for me, through thick and thin, always waiting for me when the battle was over. I-I don't think you can understand how much that means to me."
"I think I can," Alex said, raising his good hand to cup her soft cheek. He nearly cried at the sight of Cordelia leaning into his touch. "You were there for me too, remember? All those times we spoke, all the things we've shared. You're like the one piece of home I've been able to carve for myself. The only person I can think of that I want to be with. C-Cordy, I won't lie to you: being with me isn't gonna be some whirlwind romance. I-I'm just a guy, a former Shepherd who owns a bakery. With one-hand. I-I'm not anything special.
"You are to me," Cordelia said, wrapping her hands around his torso. "You are a good man, Alex. A kind, brave, and selfless man, who would willingly lay his life on the line for the sake of his loved ones. That's all I've wanted. All I've needed."
"If you go down this path," Alex sniffled, "then I'll never let you go."
Cordelia smiled, then, and nuzzled into his chest. "Then hold me. And never let me go."
"You sappy, sappy idiots…!" Severa hissed, nearly on the verge of tears. "If I knew it was gonna be this sappy I would've just gone to bed!"
She had done what she said she'd do: find her parents and get them together. All it required was a little nudging on her part, and it was done. While she said one thing, warmth pervaded her entire being. That little part of her, the child her real father sequestered away, the one that finally died alongside her mother, seemed to jump for joy.
Severa sighed and rubbed her forehead. It was a long night, and the new lovebirds would probably be at it all night, if they had anything to say about it. Not that she wasn't happy for them, but, er, it was clear they loved each other just as much in the future, too. Growing older had a way of describing certain events in the past, and she figured out years prior what the ghostly moans and creaking she heard at night sometimes probably weren't revenants.
As Severa made her way through the hallways and into the room she had chosen, the selfsame room she had as a child, she couldn't help but smile.
You guys can thank me later. Maybe I'll even use that trick on Owain… Wait, what?
A blush made its way to her cheeks as she shook her head rigorously. Why did her thoughts constantly shift towards that blonde idiot? Sure, he was deceptively brave, and perhaps more than a little handsome-
"No," Severa shook her head finally before crashing on the bed in her new room. "I'm not thinking about that today. Fuck off, thoughts! I'm going to bed!"
The invasive thoughts refused to leave her alone. It was going to be a long night for Severa.
And yet, she couldn't be happier.
Fun times, huh? I certainly had fun writing it lol.
So, this is a gift for Tyrux that I thought about it literally out of the blue. She and I have been friends for a while now, and during that time I knew she based the past of Sea of Stars, the part that takes place in Awakening, off of Aberration. I gave her permission cause I thought it was fun.
Well, her ideas for how Alex ended up got me thinking one day, and now we see the fruition of that here. This one-shot is more rough than I usually go for but it was an excuse to write more CordAlex fluff and I'm all about that shit.
So yeah, happy late or early birthday, Ty!
While I'm here, go and read Sea of Stars. It's really frickin' good. It's on AO3 and here.
Anyway, I hope this fic made you cry and laugh. Here's a link to our Discord: discord .gg/9XG3U7a