"Next week, we'll go over chapters 11 and 12, which cover the Empire's official renunciation of church authority, as well as the reasons behind it. Make sure to share your thoughts on the reading with a discussion post and reply to at least two of your classmates." Before Byleth had even finished the sentence, half of her class had already left the call.

Which was fine, really. It was the same sort of thing she said every week. No one had stayed on the video call to ask her any questions after class, so Byleth felt ready to take a break.

Only a little one, though. She had two hours until her next lecture, and bodily needs to take care of before anything else.

One bathroom trip and kitchen expedition later, Byleth returned to her office, setting a freshly made sandwich next to her keyboard and pulling up Discord. Slipping a small blue pill under her tongue, she checked the server for new messages.

There weren't many. A few posts in the vent channel from Bernadetta about an experience at the hotel she worked at, Caspar was bugging people for advice on his character build, and Ferdinand was vagueposting about someone not listening to his 'helpful suggestions'. Byleth considered pestering him for talking to Edie like that, before checking when they were posted and realizing another mod had probably already done it.

Plus, time spent messaging Ferdinand was time she could have spent on someone much more fun to talk to.

Professor Smartypants: oh my

could my lovely workaholic be on her phone while on the clock?

shock and surprise!

Flame Emperor: Ha

Ha

Ha

You know it is my lunch hour

Professor Smartypants: true

but i like being a brat

Flame Emperor: I am well awate that you'r a brat

That was fairly self evident last night... (edited)

Professor Smartypants: babe

that would have been sexier if you hadn't misspelled every word in the sentence

Flame Emperor: Says the woman who doesn't know the shift key exists (edited)

Professor Smartypants: i know it's there

i laugh at it

it has no power over me

Flame Emperor: How wsa your class?

Professor Smartypants: the usual

maybe a few less questions than i expected

that's the problem with teaching so many freshman

they're either terrified to speak up

or they won't shut up

Flame Emperor: Don' ?

I imagine they're evidence of clear interest in the class (edited)

Professor Smartypants: true

but like

it's a two hour lecture

trying to cover even a light survey course on the height of the church takes all the time i can get

every lecture where i spend half the time answering questions they should already know the answers to means more details i'll have to leave out later

Flame Emperor: Would you like help with your lesson planning? (edited)

You know.I'm happy to lend ny aid where you need it

Professor Smartypants: maybe

ugh

sorry for wasting your lunch with my whining

Flame Emperor: If I wanted the subject changed, I would have told you so (edited)

I love you

Professor Smartypants: love you too

just wish i could

ask if i could lay my head on your lap

want to be there with you T.T

Flame Emperor: I want

Only a few months until the semester ends (edited)

Dorothea and I talk about it all the time (edited)

Professor Smartypants: /

nuh uh

no way

really?

Flame Emperor: Really

I want to tasre your cooking

I want to kiss you

I want you to offer to rub my shoulders for me when our players make me question why I run games for them (edited)

Professor Smartypants: can't thea do that?

Flame Emperor: She is good at hiding it, but she's often as upset with them for their antics as I am (edited)

I need to clok in

Love you dearly

Professor Smartypants: love you too

talk to you later

By the time she'd finished her second lecture of the day, Byleth felt like pacing around her apartment. In fact, that's exactly what she did as she put her frozen dinner in the oven, and the nervous energy transferred to tapping her desk as she went over her campaign notes to try and figure out how to guide her players to where she needed them.

Most of the Black Eagles server was online, though Petra and Bernie were set to Do Not Disturb. When Byleth asked, she was told that, "Petra's trying to help her figure out what feat to take next level," by Linhardt.

"I hope that helps..." Byleth mused into her mic. "I've tried giving my advice, but sometimes talking to Bernie is like walking through a minefield." If she was being honest, Byleth was tempted to jump into the other voice channel and listen in on exactly what Petra was trying, and see if it worked.

Though, considering the relationship the two had, it was possible they'd already finished the proclaimed task and were up to some out of session roleplay between their characters. It was shocking how the nervous girl could grow so bold when playing a character, and considering their PC's were dating, who knew where that private conversation could lead.

With them out of the main voice channel, everyone left were players in Edie's game. They talked as a party about their plans for what to do next, while Edelgard sat quietly among them, ready to answer any lore questions about her original setting or to resolve disputes.

She was just about to step in as two of the players, Caspar and Linhardt, started arguing about what the party's immediate goal should be. One argued for dungeon delving, the other thought spending some time laying low and using their downtime would be more effective. Caspar started calling Linhardt lazy, and before Edie could say a word, someone else spoke up.

"Settle down, both of you. As the party leader, it's obvious what we are going to do now is follow the rails that Edelgard has so obviously set up for us. The dungeon will be the only way to progress her story, and meandering about in town will only lead to-" Ferdinand suddenly found himself muted.

Whether it was Byleth, Dorothea, or Edelgard who's click did the dead, it wasn't clear, but the creator of the server spoke up to clear the air now that the blowhard was silenced. "Once again, Ferdinand, you are not the tyrant of this party. Decisions are made as a group, and I would prefer you not insult my skills as a Dungeon Master to my face. As was made clear with Hubert, I am more than ready to eject players who do not respect their fellows."

The mention of the now banned player sobered the mood of the chat, especially considering his ex-boyfriend was there. Once unmuted, Ferdinand muttered an apology, and no one rushed in to fill the gap.

At least, until Dorothea spoke up. "Ferdy, I know you mean well, but considering you're on your third character I don't know if yours is the advice we should be listening to. Now, if our resident professor wanted to put forward an idea, I'm sure we'd all be interested to hear what it would be."

Blushing at the sudden attention on her, even if she couldn't see any of their faces, Byleth thought about the issue and gave her advice, and from there the conversation picked up its mood once more, the bump in the road largely forgotten.

It was a fun evening all in all, but eventually the beckoning of grading assignments called and Byleth had to retreat, not long after Edelgard had retired for the night herself.

After spending far too much of her time grading half-finished discussion posts and answering questions her students had sent her, Byleth noticed that Dorothea was still online and had the green light next to her profile picture, which meant her late night's show hadn't started yet. Eagerly, she reached out to see if she could help with a problem eating Byleth up.

Professor Smartypants: help meeeeeeeeeeeee

Leading Lady: Oh my

What's wrong, darling?

Is my sweet professor reaching the point where she can't go without my attention for more than a few hours?

Professor Smartypants: .

you know that is not it

i mean

yes

i love hearing from you

but soething else is bothering me

Leading Lady: A typo?

Oh, this must be serious

You have my attention, honey 3

Professor Smartypants: it's edie's birthday in two weeks

Leading Lady: Oh.

That...

Professor Smartypants: you haven't

you didn't

are we in the same situation?

Leading Lady: Darling

Speaking as someone who has been dating Edie for six years now

She is impossible to shop for

Professor Smartypants: i don't know whether i should be relieved i'm not a bad girlfriend for being so stuck on this

or if i should be freaking out that even you don't know what to do

Leading Lady: I didn't say that

There are many things I'm happy with you putting in my mouth, but words aren't one of them

Professor Smartypants: fajsfhasfjgdasjldas

Leading Lady: Quite eloquent, my dear professor

Now, back to the topic at hand

I have learned some things about how to handle getting Edie a gift

There are two main hurdles to overcome

Professor Smartypants: she has more money than we do

and i have absolutely no clue what she needs

Leading Lady: There is your first mistake

Never try to get something you think Edie "needs"

She knows her needs better than we do, and as you've said, she has the funds to handle them

Never make the mistake of getting her something she's talked about wanting

Trust me

She already has it ordered, you'll just make her return the one you bought for her, which she hates doing

Professor Smartypants: okay

so what's the second rule?

Leading Lady: This might be confusing, but try to stay with me, darling

Edie's a practical woman, so she doesn't enjoy getting something she won't "use"

But you can't go too practical, she wants something novel and unique

Professor Smartypants: thea

love you

so much

but this wasn't a lot of help

Leading Lady: I know, I'm sorry

I've honestly run out of ideas

Last year I commissioned art of her character and mine from your game together, but there isn't time for something similar

Professor Smartypants: oh, i remember that

it was gorgeous

Professor Smartypants is typing...

Leading Lady: Darling, if you want a similar piece made with one of your characters, I think that would be lovely

I don't want you to feel like a third wheel

Professor Smartypants: you don't have to

i know you both love me

Leading Lady: Byleth

Please, it's okay

You're allowed to feel that way, to worry about those things

Never feel like you have to hold that in

We all have our insecurities

Professor Smartypants: that's true

thanks

just...wish i could be there with you two

Leading Lady: !

Darling, you utter genius, that's it!

Professor Smartypants: what's it?

Leading Lady: Our presents to Edie!

We can split the cost of flying you over here!

Professor Smartypants is typing...

Leading Lady: I know we talked about planning out a time between semesters, so you'd be able to relax

But you work from home

You can be here and teach

Weekend flights are expensive, but...

Darling?

Byleth?

I'm sorry, I ran away with the idea, I understand if you aren't really able to manage that

Professor Smartypants: don't apologize, i love it

sorry for not replying sooner

looking at ticket prices

her birthday is on the 22nd

i can fly over on the 20th, fly back the 26th?

the tickets won't be cheap, but if we split it, i think it'll be manageable

holy shit we can actually do this

i'm finally going to see you both

hold on, i'm going to tell Edie

Leading Lady: Please don't

It should be a surprise

I will handle planning everything

Edie will be so happy to see you

I'm going to be so happy to see you!

Professor Smartypants: keeping this from her will be hard...

but okay

let's try that

It was almost time for her to go to bed, so Byleth sent her goodbyes to Dorothea without voicing the thought that was burning in her mind, that made her fingers twitch with terrible eagerness to type out. The wonderful, terrible question of if this trip could be just the first step to something bigger.