Hubert and Byleth don't spend much time together. And when they do, it's always up to a coin toss; will it be pleasant, or will it devolve into arguing? Today is the latter.
—
The morning starts off well enough, Byleth using some of her free time fishing out on the dock, sitting beside her little black cat she still hasn't come up with a name for. Usually before nine, there are few people out by the docks, so her head lifts up immediately when she hears chatter.
She finds that it's Edelgard and Hubert. After what happened last night, Byleth isn't exactly going to rush towards the younger woman, mostly to play hard to get. Still, Byleth watches them chat over by the greenhouse, huddled together as they scheme and whisper about plans and the like. She stares at Hubert as he talks, stiff and conscious of every move he makes whilst Edelgard talks with her hands, flailing them left and right.
She forgets she's fishing, and the line starts to be pulled.
Mrrw.
Her eyes lock onto Edelgard's face before glancing down lower, mostly at her modest breasts that she had the honor of touching just hours ago. A shiver wracks the teacher's body and she averts her gaze, lowering to Edelgard's thighs that are covered by slim fitting pants, tucked into boots that reach just over her ankles. They're cute boots and–
Zzzzzzzzz–
Plop!
"Ah!" Byleth's fishing pole just went in the water. "No!" Edelgard had just given her that pole two days before, having it specifically carved with Byleth's name and everything. She doesn't notice that Hubert and Edelgard have heard her and are approaching as she rapidly strips her coat and boots off.
"Profe–"
SPLASH!
Byleth jumps head first into the water, and now far more people than the emperor and her imperial household minister are staring, most of them staff who are meant to be in the kitchen or by the stables. At least Edelgard has the decency to call out if she's OK. Hubert looks entirely unamused, a hand on his lower back as he watches Byleth come up, her hair flat and stuck to her skin as she tosses the fishing pole with the attached fish back onto the dock. The fish flips around, mouth flapping, and Hubert stairs at it, his eyes narrow until it dies under the cat's paw.
"Goodness, are you alright?" Edelgard asks, pulling Byleth back onto the dock, uncaring of how Byleth shakes like a dog and splashes wetness everywhere. Hubert groans as water hits his eye, squinting it away.
"Nearly lost my gift," Byleth worriedly notes, happy to find the cat keeping her fish down. "I'd have been torn up if that happened." Edelgard grins sheepishly, taking her personal handkerchief and wiping water off of Byleth's face rather lovingly.
"I would have been able to replace it for you."
"I wouldn't want a replacement when you gave me that one," Byleth insists, wrinkling her lip in distaste when the emperor roughly blots water from her bangs. "I'll… be back. I need to take a towel to my hair and body, not a little thing like that. Even if it is cute to have your snot on my skin." Edelgard rolls her eyes as Byleth chuckles, gently pushing the younger woman's wrist away, something that Hubert notices immediately, the hair on his neck raising on end.
She would never allow someone to touch her wrist.
But when nothing comes of it, and Edelgard instead says,
"You think I would use a soiled rag on you? Never, By–my teacher."
Everything clicks in place officially for Hubert.
"As nice as this little display is," Hubert interrupts, glancing at the cat who is starting to bite at the fish's head, "You have a meeting to be at within the hour, Your Majesty."
"I realize," Edelgard says, sounding irritable as she refuses to look at him, and just Byleth. Hubert, for the first time possibly ever, decides to talk back.
"Well good. Have a glorious time preparing for it then." Edelgard blinks, looking at him as if he just struck her in the face. Hubert grits his teeth and nods towards Byleth.
"After you change your clothes, meet me by the stables." He takes off with speed, ignoring Edelgard as she calls out to him.
"What's his deal?" Byleth wonders, finally picking up her fishing pole and noticing the half eaten fish. The teacher shrugs and tosses the fish at the cat who leaps into the air for it and hurries back towards the dorms.
"He–I really do not know," Edelgard says, worrying her brow before Byleth rubs her back discreetly. Her touch drives a current of excitement and want throughout the emperor's body and she turns on her heels, wanting to look Byleth in the eye as she shoots the teacher a leering grin full of playful desire. Being oblivious, Byleth doesn't notice her intentions, even as one gloved finger comes to rest on the underside of the teacher's jaw.
"Do you think it will matter if Hubert likes me now? Cuz if we tell our friends about us first and not him, he's probably gonna be mad. He already doesn't like me, too. What if he dislikes me more and then we can't be together."
"Do I look like I care if Hubert likes you? If he does not like you then I don't like him. I refuse to let anyone get between us."
"Dang." Byleth sniffs out a laugh. "Remind me not to let you fall out of love with me, or else I fear I'm gonna get shoved away like a bad plate of food."
"Interesting analogy," Edelgard says in amusement, her finger dragging down Byleth's neck. It tickles, and the teacher tips her head towards it, grinning sheepishly. "Such a thing will be a hard nightmare to live for you, seeing as during five years of you being gone, I did not think of even looking at another person." Wrapping her hand around the back of Byleth's neck, Edelgard urges the taller woman to lean in.
"So when are we telling everyone?"
"Let me kiss you first," Edelgard whispers, already halfway to Byleth's mouth on her tip-toes. Byleth's answer comes by pressing her lips to Edelgard's. She's not expecting the emperor to pull away so quickly, though. "Your lips are freezing!"
"Yeah but now I get to kiss you so cold is better than changing right now." Edelgard worriedly glances at her fiancee who's leaving a puddle where she stands. Some of that water is getting underneath Edelgard's boots as well, and she steps back. "Wait wait wait!"
"I will walk you back to your room before I head to work." The teacher indignantly whines, stomping after the emperor who rolls her eyes at the silly display. "I can practically feel you pouting at my head."
"Yes, because you say I can kiss you and then you take it away. That sucks." Edelgard shrugs just to irritate the older woman, chuckling when Byleth's pout deepens. "Now I'm gonna tell everyone about us without you."
"Ok? I am not opposed to that." Edelgard clicks her tongue as they hit the stairs to the next level of dorm rooms. "Oh but, watch yourself with Hubert. His attitude is certainly off today, so allow me to tell him."
"Alright," Byleth agrees, feeling indifferent about it.
Too bad.
—
"So you and Her Majesty are engaged," Hubert immediately says as Byleth approaches him where he asked her to. Byleth slows down before she reaches him, his back is to her with his arms crossed as he looks at something in the distance. "I knew this was coming."
"As did I," Ferdinand agrees, coming out of the stables dusting off his hands. He looks dirty as though he was maintaining the steeds again. "Congratulations, Professor! I could see no better fit for the emperor but you." Hubert growls under his breath.
"Thanks Ferdinand."
"Were you there the whole time?" Hubert barks. Ferdinand shrugs and says,
"Yes. You seemed agitated so I did not say hello to you."
"Well then you blessed me this once," Hubert snarkily replies, waving for Byleth to follow him. "Come. I have prepared some lessons for you in regards to politics. Just the basics so you may help Her Majesty."
"They are not yet married," Ferdinand cuts in, wiping his hand on a rag as he raises a brow at Hubert who doesn't bother turning around. "Why not let them enjoy each other for now before marriage becomes work?" Byleth's brows lift, not having thought of that before.
"It wouldn't be work, sitting in on meetings and trying to help her," Byleth argues lightly. Ferdinand smiles as though she sounds naive. It bothers the teacher more than she lets on. She hopes Edelgard wouldn't see it as work either.
"Professor," Hubert says loudly, "Come." Byleth cringes at being beckoned again, and even Ferdinand seems put off.
"Why are you being so insistent?"
"Will you stay out of it?!" Hubert yells, spinning on his heel just to snarl at the other man. Ferdinand doesn't say anything, probably too used to Hubert yelling at him to try and argue. Byleth doesn't like it, feeling the vibe between them worsening rappidly.
"Stop," Byleth cuts in, shaking her head in disapproval. "I'm going with you, leave it at that." Hubert just glares at her and turns around, leading her silently from then on.
"Thank you," Ferdinand whispers after them, clearly a little upset as he goes back into the stables.
—
"I'm telling you the Goddess exists," Byleth argues, staring at the "imperial bible" that is Hubert's massive stack of political notes and lessons he wants Byleth to learn as quickly as possible. She merely suggested that even the Goddess Sothis would think it's funny how fast he wants her to get this stuff down, and it had unintentionally set Hubert off.
"And I am telling you that I do not care. The Goddess is nothing."
"That's funny," Byleth huffs, "Given that the power she leant me saved you and everyone else's lives dozens of times on the battlefield." Hubert wrinkles his lip in distaste. "Just admit you're not right for once," Byleth blurts, reeling it in when Hubert looks offended in a way he rarely does.
"Then you should admit you're out of your depth," he hisses, grinding his fist against the chair's armrest. "You know nothing about politics so you should stay out." The two of them stare one another down from across the table, both of them wondering what it would be like to use their fists for once between them.
"You're acting really shitty today," Byleth states flatly. Hubert laughs bitterly and leans back in his office chair, crossing his legs.
"I wonder why."
"Yeah. Why?"
"Because you and Edelgard shouldn't be–!"
The door swings open abruptly.
"Hubert, I was wondering if–" Edelgard shuts up the second she senses the atmosphere in the room, watching the two turn away from each other and very pointedly look at her. "Do not tell me you have been arguing."
"How about you say what it is you were going to say," Byleth dares, setting her jaw as Hubert refuses to look at either woman now. "Look, Edelgard isn't my keeper, you can say what you want to me and I'll deal with it myself."
"I cannot speak about Her Majesty's betrothed," he grits out, having a hard time not looking at Edelgard as she stands there, her attention all on them now.
"You just don't want her to know what you're feeling," Byleth points out. Hubert says nothing more, looking out the window. "I'll just go, she can get what she wants, and then when I come back, you and I are gonna talk about this," the teacher decides. Hubert sighs, partly in relief, partly because he's annoyed he still needs to deal with this. Byleth takes his silence as a yes and stands up.
"What is going on?" Edelgard asks in a whisper as Byleth comes near her to pass through the door.
"It'll be fine," Byleth answers, trying to walk past the emperor who stands in her way still. "El, let me take care of this." Edelgard nods rather dejectedly, concern still present all over her face. Byleth heads out, waiting outside the room while the emperor walks up to her friend at his desk.
"What is it you need from me, Your Majesty?" Hubert asks politely, sitting upright as she regards him.
"Are you trying to talk her out of this?" Edelgard asks angrily, checking behind her that Byleth isn't there. Hubert deflates in his chair. "As my friend, you know how much I have wanted her, how little hope I had that she would ever feel the same. Why would you deter her?" Edelgard leans on the desk, her brows downturned as she grows more upset by the second.
"Your Majesty…"
"Hubert, talk to me as a friend, for once."
"Fine. I don't care if you marry her," Hubert states, seeming to be truthful under the woman's prying eyes, "I know you love her. I know love is rare between one in a position such as yourself. I find it wonderful that you have that." Then Hubert leans forward, resting his chin on the back of one hand perched on the desk. "But as your partner in work, I worry for you. I do not believe in the role status plays, just the same as you, but she knows nothing of what you do seriously. Do you think a free spirit such as her would be able to stand the lack of time you will be able to spare once we move back to the palace? Honestly, I doubt that with her lack of power now, she could even protect you if worse comes to worse."
"Her strength does not matter," Edelgard corrects first. "She is tactically genius and you know this." Hubert can't argue there. "As for the matter of my work, I… She and I will need to talk, yes." Hubert just nods and he has that look on his face like, I know that I'm right, which Edelgard can't stand. "She may be a teacher, but she can learn, and she learns well. Her quiet demeanor throws people off, she has a poker face just as you do, she would do well in meetings and balls alike."
"...Sure."
"There is no need to be cocky."
"I'm not," Hubert says, making direct eye contact. "I am just listening."
"Well then listen to this," Edelgard starts, pushing herself off the desk to rest her hand on one hip. "Byleth has not once disappointed me, or you for that matter, and I believe she will be a perfect empress." Hubert's head jerks back before he stands up as well.
"Empress. Hm."
"Yes. And… in all of this, I still give her the power of choice," Edelgard concedes sadly. "I was not given a choice in hardly any of my life, she does not need to have the same weight pushed on her shoulders." Hubert nods agreeingly, his eyes downtrodden. "Saying yes to her ring is one of the first choices I have been allowed to make in my life," Edelgard says, rubbing the back of her neck at the rather sobering information. "I want to be happy about it, so let me be." Hubert swallows and nods again, folding his hands in his lap.
"You have made your point," he says quietly. "I understand entirely."
"Good." Edelgard spares him not another glance as she heads for the door.
"Your Majesty, you said you needed so–"
"-Forget it," Edelgard sighs, walking out into the hall. Byleth is waiting there a few steps away, clearly having not heard anything as she nervously itches her chest.
"That took a while," Byleth murmurs.
"It was nothing," the emperor huffs, still feeling a bit angry that she had to defend herself in front of a friend she thought understood everything she did. "It just… I wish more people understood my feelings. I-I do have feelings, you know? Sometimes people act like this and it makes me want to pretend I never cared in the first place." Edelgard leans one hand against the wall, visibly allowing the argument to get to her before she slips the mask in place, or at least, tries to before Byleth takes her chin and tips it upward.
"Hey." Byleth forces eye contact. "You're allowed to have feelings, El. I like that side of you a lot."
"It's fine…"
"No, it's not. It's ok if it's not," the teacher presses, "You can be vulnerable with me. I'm
not just a friend or something. I want to see everything about you. Trust me." Edelgard breathes heavily, a little teary eyed as she leans her head on Byleth's shoulder.
"I trust you," Edelgard swears, wrapping her arms around Byleth's back. "Thank you, my teacher."
"Of course," Byleth says, kissing the side of the emperor's head. "I love you," she breathes, kissing Edelgard's head again. A chill runs over Edelgard at the feeling of Byleth's breath, and the way her words come out so genuine and soft.
"You only act like this with me," the emperor realizes slowly, hugging her fiancee tighter.
"Mhm."
"Ugh, Byleth, where have you been all my life before now?" The teacher smiles inwardly, leaning down to press her nose against the emperor's shoulder.
"I was out there not being a person, making mistakes just so I could teach all of you later down the road." She inhales sharply, kissing Edelgard's neck. "Nothing happens without a reason."
"I love you."
"I love you too," Byleth hums.
"You already said that."
"I'm never going to stop," the teacher chuckles, pulling back as Edelgard wipes her eyes discreetly. "You've got a meeting. Me too." Byleth points at Hubert's door with her nose.
"You tell me if he gets under your skin," Edelgard warns Byleth.
"It'll be fine." Edelgard mopes. "Really. Catch you later."
"At meal time," Edelgard agrees, waving as she goes. Byleth catches her breath and then pushes back her fringes.
Time to deal with shit.
The teacher opens the door, finding Hubert walking around, adding a few additional books to the pile of things he wants her to learn. She sits down with her chin held high, cracking the first book open as she pulls out a sheet of fresh parchment paper from his little stack. For once, she looks like the student, and not the teacher. Hubert grins slightly, handing her a glass of water he just poured. She takes it, nodding her thanks as she gets to it, already finding something to take note of.
"Professor," Hubert starts, finding his throat getting tight when she looks at him mid word on the page. "Nevermind."
"Tell me." Her eyes are like steel as she looks at him, intimidating and defiant, forcing his tongue to move.
"What I was thinking before is irrelevant. So I am sorry." Byleth sets her glass and her pen down, leaning back in her chair. "There is one thing, however." The teacher nods, and Hubert leans on the desk, a grave smile on his face. "If she ever comes to me heartbroken, you are dead." Byleth cracks a smile, casually sipping her water again.
"Understood."
—
"Yo, Professor!" Caspar excitedly greets, waving at her as if she can't tell where he is with a voice that loud in a rather quiet dining hall. All of the others are there too from the Strikeforce except for Edelgard right now. "Sit by me," he says, kicking the seat back for her to slide into. She nods, waving to Lindhart who raises his nose at her as he boredly digs into his food. Tonight's dinner seems especially extravagant, something Byleth quickly comments on as one of the kitchen staff comes to deliver her food.
"Thanks for the kind words and flowers the other day, Professor."
"Oh." Byleth's caught off guard by the gesture, and the woman walks away with a polite smile, leaving her with her friends.
"I heard about that fight," Bernadetta brings up, sitting at the end of the table by Ferdinand. "Sounded really scary! This is why I stay in my room," she mutters at the end.
"You do not actually like being in there," Ferdinand says to her, rubbing the back of his neck. "When we are together you always say you love being outside, looking at the beautiful scenery and painting the hills!"
"Well, that's–um–different when you make me go with you."
"I believe she is saying she is liking you," Petra comments, trying to be helpful. Bernadetta squawks, cowering in her seat as Ferdinand humbly turns his head downward.
"Is that so?" he wonders, not confirming or denying that he is ok with that and further scaring Bernadetta who looks like a cornered animal about to bounce away.
"Bernie," Dorothea calls, throwing an arm around Petra who leans in, "There's no shame in liking someone you know? Besides, Ferdinand is actually a pretty stand up guy."
"Is he?" Hubert jokes, smiling at Lindhart who grins in agreement.
"Yes he is," Dorothea grumbles, tsking in Hubert's direction. "Trust me he earned that high opinion from me."
"Wow," Ferdinand muses, clearly taken aback, "I am very pleased to hear you say that." Dorothea just nods and waves her hand at Bernie.
"Now admit you like her back and it'll all be well." Ferdinand, flustered for the first time Byleth has seen, flips his long hair over his shoulder and turns to Berandetta who looks increasingly uncomfortable.
"Um. Y-You really don't have to do this in front of all of these people," the archer bleats.
"But I hope to make my liking of you quite grand. Everyone should know that I care about you and that one day, I would hope to marry you."
"W-WHAT?!" Ferdinand smiles nervously, everyone watching now as the two speak. "Really?! You don't h-have to lie about that. I understand if you don't like someone like me who's quiet and weird and–and–I have baggage and–"
"-I like you," he repeats, holding a hand over his heart. "None of those things change that." Bernadetta just stares at him, wide-eyed and scared, but no less in agreement.
"...I like you too."
"Let's go!" Caspar cheers, clapping very loudly and further embarrassing the two who discreetly push their chairs closer together. At Lysithea's side, Manuela and Hanneman chuckle, clicking their glasses of wine together.
"You can always tell when two people care for each other just by the look in their eyes," Hanneman comments, smiling as he eats some more food.
"As if," Lindhart huffs, dropping his elbow on the table as he slouches over. Lysithea slaps his arm down and he sticks his tongue out at her.
"Are you really going to tell me that someone like–Dorothea–" she whispers, "Doesn't look all flirty all the time?" Lindhart just laughs, making it obvious who she was talking about by staring at the songstress who chooses to ignore it as she kisses the side of Petra's face. Manuela drunkenly speaks up, pointing at Byleth as she says,
"There is even more of a look when someone is in love." The healer smiles from ear to ear, swaying as she talks. "Edelgard loves you, and the radiance of that love shines over all else." Byleth's grip on her fork tightens and she blinks at her food, failing to just come out with the announcement of her and Edelgard being together officially. She feels a nervous sweat coming on, but she pushes through.
"Actually, there's something I wanna tell all of you guys." The table quiets down, everyone turning to look at their teacher. The somewhat doting and revered looks in everyone's eyes weirds her out, she finds herself undeserving of the pedestal they put her on all the time, but she shoves that back and tries to think of them only as friends. "Last night, I um, I actually asked Edelgard to–She and I–" Byleth clears her throat in frustration. "Edelgard accepted my ring." Lysithea is the first one to squeak in excitement. "We're gonna get married." The words leaving her mouth for the first time are surreal, but she hardly has time to think about that because all of her friends raise their voices in cheer, each of them getting up to pat her on the back or hug her. Even Hubert who seems the most pleased now. They had spent the entire day talking about work-like things so she figures that does it for him.
"It's about damn time," Caspar laughs, slapping the table.
"Really," Manuela whistles, "You two seemed like you were going to rip each other's clothes off every second of the war."
"Oh no," Hubert mumbles, stuffing food into his mouth.
"Speaking of," Dorothea starts, looking as if she's about to spill all the gossip before heads turn and Edelgard is walking in. "Edie! Hi!"
"Hello," the emperor says, scanning the crowd for Byleth and finding that the seat next to her is taken by Hubert. Of course, seeing the slightest bit of disappointment on her face, the man stands up and pulls the chair out for her, sliding his own plate to the next seat. "You do not have to do that," she laughs, taking it anyway.
"Congratulations, Your Majesty," says Hanneman who bows his head her way.
"What for?" Edelgard asks, saying thank you to the kitchen woman who hands her a hefty serving of saggart and cream. The emperor nearly drools at the sight (as does Lysithea). "We can share," the emperor giggles, already pushing her plate towards the youngest woman here.
"You're the best!"
"He meant congratulations for getting engaged," Ferdinand clarifies, startling Edelgard a bit.
"Oh. Well, thank you, Professor Hanneman." He smiles kindly, nearing the end of his plate.
"You're always so uptight," Manuela comments, slowshing her drink around. "Show how excited you are. I know you must be over the moon with all that fawning you had been doing for six years."
"...You guys always try to embarrass her," Lysithea defends, swallowing the serving of cream Edelgard gave her in one go. "Can't you all just shut up or be nice about it?"
"Same to you," Lindhart mumbles.
"Says you!"
"C-Congratulations, Edelgard." Bernadetta timidly bows her head. "You'll seem so much less terrifying now, you know, smiling like how you do around the Professor all the time." Edelgard sighs and fixes one of her buns.
"I appreciate all the kindness," Edelgard says, looking at her fiancee with a tired smile that reads, these people kill me. Byleth chuckles, subtly patting the emperor's thigh under the table. "I am glad you all know about us then."
"Yeah we always knew," Caspar blurts, shrugging when Petra tries to be modest and quiet him down.
"It is not polite to pry," Petra says, "That is why none of us confronted either of you about your relationship."
"We only got together a few days ago," Byleth tells them, a little confused by that line of logic.
"You really mean to tell me you weren't doing it back then?" Lindhart queried overtly. Edelgard and Byleth both frown and say,
"No."
"I don't believe it," Manuela gasps, slurping down the rest of her third glass of wine before waving for more. Hanneman shakes his head at everyone and excuses himself quickly.
"It is not proper anyway for a couple to do those things before marriage," Ferdinand tells everyone, as if they don't know the "noble" rule. "It is quite admirable that the Professor is taking the proper steps in this day and age."
"Right. Yeah. I guess," Byleth huffs, only thinking of what happened last night now. Hubert pales at the implication while Dorothea goes, oooooh~!
"Can we not talk about that line of thinking?" Edelgard begs, trying to hide her blush while Lysithea shakes her head in disgust.
"I really don't want to think of my friend… doing… that," Lysithea quivers.
"Dorothea does though," Lindhart says, instigating something as usual.
"Ew," Bernadetta yelps, finally catching up.
"It is not like there is something wrong with making love," Ferdinand inserts boldly, "It is just that those things have a proper time and place and–"
"-So is she good Edie?"
"Yes she–No! We haven't yet–Urgh, what did I say about these questions?!"
"Oh well I am glad you will be thoroughly satisfied then," Dorothea chortles, wiping her brow dramatically, "Now I don't have to worry if we could have ever worked out instead, Edie." Everyone stares at her, flabbergasted, and she goes bright red, coughing into her water as she squeaks, "Did I say that out loud? Ahaha… Have to keep your options open, you know. Ah… hah." Petra gets up with a start and Dorothea chokes on her water. "W-wait, I–"
"-Open relationships are bad, you said!" Dorothea embarrassedly covers her face as Lindhart laughs at her, entirely too pleased with himself.
"That's a different thing," the brunette groans. Petra and her start to bicker more, and the rest of their friends try to ignore it, all turning away in their seats.
"Now that I am thoroughly embarrassed," Edelgard starts, pushing her finished plate away, "I believe that I am going to retire for the night." Byleth takes the emperor's plate and sets it atop her own, getting ready to take them herself.
"Congratulations again," Hubert tells the emperor, much more privately than the rest. Edelgard grins and he bows his head before taking all three of their plates and heading out, probably to find Shamir and talk about the others who are tied up in Faerghus.
"Bye guys," Byleth says, smiling as everyone says the same back. Once they turn the corner, away from prying eyes, Edelgard takes her hand.
"That was suffocating," the emperor notes matter-of-factly. Byleth squeezes her fingers and walks a little faster, pulling Edelgard along.
"It was alright. I was just looking forward to other things the whole time."
"Oh," Edelgard laughs before growing entirely serious and staring at Byleth who seems smug as she leads them on. "Ohhh."
"Didn't forget about it, did you?"
"How could I?" Edelgard twitches, "I have wanted you since the moment we seperated last night."
"I know." Byleth and her share one last smirk before heading up to Edelgard's bedroom, quietly shutting the door. The anticipation of finally being intimate plays a trick on the both of them, and they start to get antsy, not able to make eye contact or stay still as they pace around, busying themselves with taking their shoes off or talking about something different.
"Today I officially disbanded all of the royal Households in Enbarr." Edelgard sniffs as she sets down both her shoes, watching as Byleth sits at her desk chair and does the same. "Other territories will hear of it, and I fear that I will be a lot more busy within the next few days."
"So be it," Byleth shrugs, taking off her jacket and laying it down on the tabletop. "Let me know if I can help you any." Edelgard bites her lip and nods, pulling her gloves off to reveal her sweaty and scarred skin. Feeling the teacher's gaze on her makes her antsy, and so she turns to face the edge of the bed, working on unclipping the shoulder cape she has connected to her jacket. When that's off she tosses it away, soon fumbling with the first gold button on her intricate coat. Without any warning, Byleth's hands are on her hips.
"You ok?" Byleth sweetly asks, leaning over Edelgard and looking only at her face.
"Nervous." Edelgard bites her lip again. "Nervous to show you everything."
"Then don't show me everything." The burning pit in Edelgard's stomach lulls a little, and she lets go of the top button entirely.
"Is that truly ok with you?"
"It is," Byleth swears, spinning the emperor so she can kiss her mouth chastely. "How about this; I'll turn around and wait for you to dress or undress into whatever you feel ok with, and then you get under the covers, I blow out the candles, and we do what feels right. I know I hyped this up, but if we don't feel right, we don't need to do anything but kiss tonight." Edelgard seems so innocent and timid as she asks,
"You promise?"
"I do." Edelgard can't help but feel special, having Byleth hold her and somehow, amazingly, calm her down. As much as the emperor does want Byleth to take her, she knew that when the time came for it to be real and not after nearly an hour of foreplay, she was going to struggle with the same self-sabotaging issues she always deals with. Sometimes she wishes her body didn't hold her back like it does. "Ok. I'm gonna sit now."
"Ok." Edelgard goes to her dresser, pulling out just a button up pajama top that covers all of her scars she hates, and then turns to check that Byleth is sitting down, facing away with a hand over her eyes. "I trust you," she says as she undoes her top, not looking down at herself, "You do not have to cover your eyes like that."
"I wanna do it anyway." Edelgard smiles and hurries it up, buttoning up her new top securely. She hooks her fingers in her pants, pushing them away. She sees the scars there, ones that are far less deep and ugly, ones that don't hurt when she thinks of them being touched. She purses her lips and kicks the pants away, along with the socks. For now, she leaves her underwear on, and then slips under the covers, closer to the wall. Edelgard pats the bed. "You can come." Byleth stands up quickly, but she doesn't turn her head right away. It takes her a minute, and when she does look, she looks at Edelgard's face first, and then at her body, covered by the pajamas and the sheets. "Sorry."
"Don't be," Byleth scolds, moving closer to the bed before remembering the two candles lighting up the room. She blows one out, and then Edelgard tells her to leave one on.
"I want to see you," the emperor explains, patting the bed again.
"Is it fine if I take my clothes off?" Byleth asks, reaching for the hem of her shirt. Edelgard nods but doesn't breathe as Byleth strips; she goes shirt first, then the chest wraps, allowing her generous breasts to hang low on her ribs. When the older woman pulls down her shorts, Edelgard's tongue goes dry at the sight of those alluring stockings connected by two strings to her underwear. Edelgard realizes that she and Byleth are opposites; where the emperor is all muscle from the navel up, Byleth is solid from the hips down. Completely naked, Byleth seems to have a blush on her chest, something that Edelgard itches to touch, seeking the warmth of her skin. The teacher pushes back the sheets and climbs in.
It's pretty dark with only one candle, but they don't seem to mind, both a little shy as they regard each other in this situation for the first time. This lighting has the benefit of hiding some of that timidness though, and for Edelgard particularly, she's glad Byleth will feel her more than see her. Suddenly Byleth clears her throat and moves in closer, pressing her side into Edelgard's, pushing the both of them onto their sides.
"Hey."
"Hi."
"I kinda hyped this whole thing up in my head," Byleth admits, "I want it to mean a lot, and be all romantic and stuff. I dunno if I can do that."
"It is important and it will be great, just as everything with you is." Edelgard tentatively reaches for the side of Byleth's face, stroking her thumb along the older woman's cheek bone. Byleth then eases back the sheets slowly pulling Edelgard atop her lap so as for her to straddle the teacher's thighs. Edelgard settles atop her easily, one arm around the back of Byleth's neck as the teacher pulls the covers around both their hips, trying for modesty even if they're skin to skin. "We shouldn't rush this."
"We won't." Byleth's hands slip down from Edelgard's ribs to her thighs, pressing her thumbs into the sharp divot of her hips and squeezing. With her exploratory touches, Edelgard feels encouraged to do the same, directly pressing her palm to Byleth's heartbeat, and then lowering down. "I figured you'd go straight for that."
"...What can I say," Edelgard bristles, not deterred in the slightest as she squeezes and gets a groan out of the teacher. Her second hand comes to rest on the other breast, chilling Byleth's skin with the ring. Edelgard squeezes again, her thumbs dragging over both nipples coyly.
"Feels good," Byleth hums, cupping Edelgard's backside and squeezing her rather purposefully, lifting Edelgard up in a rocking motion. The younger woman rolls with it, her lips parting slightly as Byleth angles Edelgard's hips and has her rubbing herself on Byleth's lower abdomen. "Shit," Byleth swears as she watches Edelgard move, anything she's doing looks like sin and lust incarnate already. "El, can I touch you under that shirt?" Edelgard stutters a little, thinking about it.
"Yes, but… just don't look at them." Them? Byleth keeps her eyes on Edelgard's lilac ones as she left hand traces over the emperor's toned stomach. She feels a multitude of scars, some that feel like lashes, some that feel like surgical cuts, and some that feel like burns. Byleth tries to hold back the sympathetic huff of her breath, but fails, and Edelgard stiffens.
"I wish I could have done something for you," Byleth murmurs, kissing the ditch in Edelgard's between clavicles.
"Don't," Edelgard says throatily, "It–I cannot bare to think of it right now." Byleth nods, hiding her twisted brows as she kisses Edelgard's neck harder, biting gently on one side as her fingers pinch at the emperor's nipples. It feels like these are scarred to, with one of them being entirely split down the center.
"Is that painful?"
"No," Edelgard breathes, her fingers playing with Byleth as well, tugging hard. Just from the little that Byleth is doing, Edelgard feels herself growing wet exponentially. "Byleth? Will you touch me now?"
"That was quick," the teacher laughs lightly. Her eagerness keeps her from arguing though, and she gestures for Edelgard to turn around, both of her on their knees with Edelgard's back pressed flush to the teacher's front. Byleth is deliberately slow as she looks over Edelgard's shoulder, watching her hand as it travels from underneath the shirt, down to between her thighs. She grazes her fingertips atop of Edelgard's mound, sucking in a breath before her fingertips touch the other woman's swelling clitoris.
"Mmm." Edelgard turns her head, pressing her mouth against Byleth's cheek to keep it together as Byleth slides her fingers over it in tight circles. "Harder there, there! Ungh." Byleth breathes out heavily, her jaw loose and then tight as she rubs with a bit more confidence. The fact that this is really happening is making Byleth's entire body twitch in odd ways, but she can't help it. She's over the moon, but trying the hardest to still focus. Edelgard writhes slightly against her, her entire face bright red as her hands grab onto Byleth's thighs. "It–Your fingers," she pants, her body jerking until the teacher wraps an arm around her navel height and keeps her still.
"What do you like?"
"Anything," Edelgard laughs, moaning afterward. "Y-You. I like you."
"I-Yeah," Byleth chuckles, watching as Edelgard loses it when she presses down on her clit. "I like you too, but I mean do you want me inside you, or no?"
"Yes! Do anything, Byleth, I want anything you will give me."
"Fuck," Byleth groans, completely in bliss as Edelgard's wetness covers her fingers the further she goes down the younger woman's soft slit. "You're giving me way too much power here."
"Why complain–NNh!" Edelgard cries out when Byleth pushes a single finger in. Her insides convulse, and she finally knows it to be a fact that Byleth's fingers surely feel better than her own. "Another." Byleth presses her middle finger in, kissing the back of Edelgard's head as she fights against Byleth's arm, her chest arching away from the teacher's warm front. Pressing into Edelgard was easy, but her overall tightens proves to make it a little more difficult for Byleth to pull her fingers out and crook them the way she wants. Edelgard is wrapped around her fingers, giving them little wiggle room to work with, but she easily lifts Edelgard up a little more, having her open her legs enough for her thighs to wrap on the outside of Byleth's. The position turns Byleth on ten-fold, and she almost wishes she had some kind of magic mirror only she could see so she could watch the way her fingers piston into the emperor. It's also really encouraging how breathily Edelgard can moan.
"Nnnh. You feel amazing inside," Byleth says, trying not to bite down on Edelgard's neck as hard as she wants to. Edelgard doesn't respond, yet her eyes dare Byleth to go harder, which the older woman obeys quickly. She pushes in fast, pulling out much slower, trying to work Edelgard open enough to get all the way to the last knuckles. When they get there, Edelgard whines outwardly, her nails digging into the arm around her waist.
"My love you feel so good like that!" Edelgard shudders, her hard nipples poking against her top. Byleth grins and presses her tongue against her bottom lip, sliding her supportive arm high enough to tease at one nipple at a time. Jolts of lightning make their way through Edelgard's body, and she starts to sink down on Byleth's fingers, soon just grinding against them on the mattress. The two of them literally feel the small splash of wetness from the emperor as well.
"Ride them harder. Come on," Byleth orders, leaning further for the sake of Edelgard. The younger woman does as she's told, her hips working double time as she keeps herself pressed against Byleth's hand. "El, you're so beautiful too."
"Thank you, Byleth, nnh. Thank you." Byleth kisses the back of Edelgard's neck, her heart exploding at the words just said to her.
"Say my name again when you cum," Byleth asks breathlessly, wrapping her arm tighter around her fiancee as a way to hug her. The younger woman nods excitedly, she'd probably agree to anything right now with how deliriously in bliss she is. "Last night I heard you moaning, you know?" Edelgard feels her whole body burn up with heat. "You begged me to fuck you," Byleth laughs throatily. "You never wanted that soft romantic shit in the first place, did you?"
"Byleth!" Edelgard cries, so close to cumming she has to dig her nails into her thighs to stop herself. But why is she stopping herself? "Let me cum, please!"
"I didn't say you couldn't." Then Byleth pulls her fingers out, causing Edelgard to shiver like an addict taken away from their drug. "Admit you want to submit to me."
"I do," Edelgard grits out, leaning forward so she can hold herself up on the bed with both hands. She's still in Byleth's lap, and she can still feel Byleth egging her on, grinding up into her backside.
"Really?"
"Yes! I do! I want–I want you to have me! Please~ Ah!" Byleth pushes Edelgard up on her knees and presses two fingers inside of her again. The position is weird at first, with Byleth having her fingers crooking in the wrong way before flipping her fingers so her palm faces the bed. At the first proper thrust, Edelgard can't even moan with how good it feels. "So–close–"
"-So gorgeous," Byleth corrects, the vein in her forehead popping out as she holds back the desperate moan she has at the sight of Edelgard on her knees. "Just a little more, ok?" Edelgard nods stiffly, her body coming in on itself as her thighs grip Byleth's hand and her head drops closer to the comforter as her arms buckle. Her body rocks with each movement of Byleth, along with the bedframe. They're both being loud and everything about this is unsubtle, something everyone will hear if they're a room or two over. It bothers them both in the back of their minds, but right now, they try not to let it get to them.
"Really," she pants, "Really close."
"Good." Byleth sets her hand on Edelgard's back, rubbing it calmly as her other hand speeds up, pushing down on the knot inside of Edelgard. "You deserve this."
"May I–?"
"-Do it."
Edelgard's orgasm hits her as hard as a Dragon's bite, something she unfortunately knows well. The chemicals in her brain push out happiness throughout the entirety of her very being. Her muscles spasm, her jaw quivers, her eyes shut, and her heart pounds until she collapses on the bed, most likely drooling into the sheets as she just experienced the best orgasm she's ever had in her life. The relief that eases her afterwards is otherworldly, as if there is nothing else but now, but Byleth and her, but their love. She feels her body being turned over and lifted before she's placed on the bed again, her head falling into a pillow while a sheet covers her naked legs. Her eyes flutter open to watch Byleth get in beside her, smiling peacefully as she lays back and wipes her own hand off with a handkerchief.
"Hey… you should probably clean up, go to the washroom too."
"Soon," Edelgard says, surprised by how dreamy her voice sounds. Byleth nods, leaning down to kiss Edelgard's head with all the sweet eyes she can muster. The emperor can't help but love her more for it. "You were incredible. I… thank you."
"Thanks for giving that to me," the teacher reiterates, kissing Edelgard's face.
….
"I want to reciprocate," Edelgard says, biting her lip as she imagines how she could. Byleth clears her throat and plays with her bangs.
"You don't have to, El. You seem tired anyhow."
"Byleth, I want to." Edelgard finds enough strength in her arm to throw it over her fiancee's waist atop the covers. Byleth is still gloriously naked, her breasts open to the emperor's view. Byleth doesn't answer right away, seemingly staring off at something elsewhere until Edelgard wordlessly sucks on the closest nipple.
"Hh! They're sensitive," Byleth warns, her hips jerking up an inch off the bed. "Th-There is s-something I've always wanted. I just don't r-really know how to do it. Arg–!" Byleth's body twitches and Edelgard holds her down with one palm.
"Tell me what it is you desire. I will do anything." Byleth blinks back the flabbergasted look her face wants to portray, but she shouldn't find it crazy that the woman she loves actually wants her to feel good. It feels like a blessing regardless. Although, what she wants… she feels a little embarrassed to ask for it. That hesitance must be on her face because Edelgard pulls away from her breast to lean overtop of Byleth's face. "What is it, my love?" her voice is gentle as she asks. Byleth grits her teeth before muttering out her answer.
"Do you think it's gross to use your t-tongue?" Edelgard outwardly moans at the mere thought, something that has the teacher's heart rate coming alive yet again.
"Spread your legs," the emperor orders, already moving down the bed. Before Byleth can suggest anything else, the covers are pulled off of her and her hips are moved down to the edge of the bed where Edelgard stands.
"Is this alright?" Byleth worries, setting the backs of her calves over Edelgard's shoulders as the shorter woman leans down. Her big lilac eyes very obviously look over the apex of her teacher's thighs.
"More than alright," Edelgard assures, turning her head so as to kiss the teacher's thigh. It's sensitive, she finds, being kissed so close to where she aches.
"I'm not–" Edelgard kisses her mound, slowly trailing down her labia that's certainly covered in arousal. "-Not gonna last that long." Edelgard merely hums, not caring either way.
The emperor allows her hands to travel from Byleth's hips to just past her backside, squeezing the plumpness of her teacher's thighs when she feels like it. Every kiss she places on Byleth leaves her lips with a coating of fluid; she finds that Byleth tastes stronger than herself, but it bothers her very little. Noticing how erect the older woman's clitoris is, Edelgard guesses that she really is close, and most likely incredibly sensitive. Very slowly, the emperor bravely lets the tip of her tongue roll over the top of the teacher's clitoris.
"Kk! Nnngh." Edelgard's cheeks flush darker, and she closes her eyes as she licks at it again, only for her eyes to snap open when Byleth's hand rests atop of white hair. When she looks up, she can't see more than Byleth's breasts and the tip of her nose, something that oddly turns her on. Byleth's breasts do have that effect. Tilting her head, Edelgard licks the side of the bundle of nerves and then licks down, coating her tongue in her taste as she gets closer to where her entrance is. The older woman's hips rattle and shake, seeking more without knowing how. "Edelgard," she pants, "Suck." The emperor sighs inwardly in the best way before doing so (just not where the teacher wants it). "El, come on," Byleth whines, her heel digging into the younger woman's shoulder blade. Byleth's thighs are shaking like leaves, and Edelgard attempts to keep them still as she licks into Byleth again, harder this time. Her tongue already hurts a little, and she thinks she might be overextending the muscle accidentally.
Edelgard then decides to suck, even though she probably does it a bit too hard for the first try.
"Yhh! Mmmf~." Byleth's hand loudly drops to the bed, wrinkling the sheets between her fingers as she rocks into Edelgard's face. It tickles Edelgard's lips a little, something she rectifies by pinning those hips down and feasting with a lot more control. Byleth whines again, her breasts bouncing as her one hand further entangles into Edelgard's hair, pushing the bangs from her face rather helpfully. Edelgard builds up a rhythm, licking, sucking, and then licking lower, between the lips until she comes into contact with the source of the saltier and warmer fluid. She tries to push in with her tongue and finds that it's a fruitless effort, not even getting as positive of a response from Byleth. When she sucks on Byleth's clitoris again, hard then soft then hard again, the woman's thighs come in on Edelgard's head, blocking off some of her hearing until the same legs shake and fall open like before.
Edelgard has a head rush, the desperate edge to see Byleth finish, causing blood to rush to her groin and her face. Soon she digs her fingers into Byleth's backside and lifts her higher off the bed as she eats her out with teeth and tongue alike. At least at this angle, she can see Byleth's face tensing and untensing as her jaw hangs open.
"El, you're incr–nngh! Incredible! Fu–hhnn!" Byleth gets up on her elbows as Edelgard brings her onto the cusp of orgasm, both of them looking at each other in the eyes intensely as Byleth moans unapologetically. Suddenly Byleth's eyes go wide and her fist in Edelgard's hair drops onto the bed and balls up in a shaking fist before her head collapses backwards. "Gonna–NNH! Cum! Move–ARghh!" Edelgard freezes for a second, unsure of what that last part was even warning against before she dives in again, holding Byleth's hips like an animal would a piece of prey's meat. Byleth covers her mouth, unfortunately blocking a lot of the dirty and vulgar moaning of Edelgard's name, but Edelgard still gets to watch the teacher writhe like a mad woman. She's completely caught off guard when she pulls away slightly early and a splash of wetness hits her in her cheek.
As Byleth tries to catch her breath, Edelgard carefully sets her down and uses the back of her hand to wipe away the fluid on her face. She inspects it, finding that it's clear and thin, somewhat like what she's heard male ejaculate is like. When Byleth groans and pushes herself up the bed, another burst of the same thing bursts forth and lands against the teacher's thigh. Edelgard's mouth waters, amused that Palvovian study of conditioning is already taking effect. Giving Byleth head is one addiction she is very much on board with. Running her thumb over the stream of cum, Edelgard makes sure Byleth is looking at her before sucking it off of her finger.
"Edelgard, please~. I can't take you doing things like that. I'll get all excited and–and–"
"And what?" Edelgard dares, laying next to Byleth on her front. She finds it interesting how Byleth's eyes lower from her eyes and immediately fixate on the way her modest breasts squeeze together even with the shirt on. Tightening her jaw, Byleth gets on one elbow and easily flips Edelgard onto her back so as to stare at the exposed parts of her body.
"If I wasn't exhausted right now," Byleth murmurs, "I would absolutely give you back what you gave me." Edelgard smiles blissfully. "You did amazing by the way. That felt–I can't even describe it." Byleth leans down, resting her chin atop of Edelgard's breast as the emperor begins to pet the back of the teacher's head, soothing them both.
A smirk rests upon the older woman's face after a few quiet minutes of them soaking in the afterglow of their intimacy.
"How about we take a nap and whoever gets up first gets to wake the other up with more sex?" Byleth suggests. In response, Edelgard's legs tighten for a bit of friction she didn't know she craved.
"You are going to utterly wreck me come morning." Edelgard puts her fingers under Byleth's chin and pulls her up for a hard kiss of teeth and tongue. By the time they pull away, their lips separating with a loud pop, they're both panting.
"That's the plan," Byleth boasts before snaking her fingers between Edelgard's legs again.