Four Days Pass:
"So… El." Edelgard's not sure she likes how smug her teacher is looking at her. "Be honest. Give me a rating for last night." Edelgard scoffs. "From one to ten."
"Mm." Edelgard pretends to think it over, playing with her glove as Byleth dances around her. The professor came up to her office exactly at the moment Edelgard said she would be done writing a new plan of action against TWISTD. Byleth had spent most of her morning yesterday discussing with Felix, Mercedes, and Jeritza, what they found out about TWISTD while they were there; Because of her poignant questioning, Hubert and Edelgard have a ton of new leads. The emperor and her right hand man were very impressed, to say the least. "A seven."
"That's it?!" Byleth balks.
"You asked me to be honest," Edelgard laughs, getting right back to her work. Byleth stands there, her eyes wide as she shakes her fist at the emperor.
"You're infuriating,"
"You have said you liked that side of me…"
"Not when I'm trying to inflate my ego," Byleth mumbles.
"Oh, you need your ego boosted? I thought you were beyond that."
"Says you!" Byleth squeaks, flailing her hands around as Edelgard stands up with a playful and intimidating grin. Soon her fingers are dragging along the side of the older woman's neck, pulling her down into a chaste kiss that feels like it could turn ravenous at any second. Neither of them notice the door clicking open when Byleth grips Edelgard's hips and kisses her slightly deeper. Then a throat clears and the two split apart in an instant, wiping their lips just to feel each other for a second longer. Dorothea squeamishly hugs her back to the door, still holding the knob as they regard her.
"Sorry! Really. But Edie told me to meet me here right now." Edelgard's eyes light up in recognition and she embarrassedly shakes her head.
"It slipped my mind," Edelgard apologizes, leaning against her desk as she beckons Dorothea closer. The songstress relaxes and waves to Byleth who drags herself to the edge of the room. When Dorothea sits at the seat in front of Edelgard, she turns and calls to the teacher again.
"You don't have to leave, silly. It's nothing like gossip. In fact it's a question for both of you, really." Byleth perks up, checking with Edelgard that it's fine. Of course, the emperor smiles and holds her hand out, and Byleth quickly moves in to take it, kissing her knuckles before sitting at the chair beside their friend. "So!" Dorothea claps her hands together before setting them in her lap. "Petra and I will be leaving to Brigid soon."
"Oh! That is wonderful," Edelgard cheers, smiling brightly, "When will that be?"
"That's what Petra and I need to decide. We would loathe to miss your wedding after all." Edelgard and Byleth grin at one another.
"You have impeccable timing since we just finished discussing this last night." Edelgard clears her throat as she reaches behind her stack of paperwork for the freshly printed wedding invitations. She hands one to Dorothea who touches it like it's gold. Byleth finds that really sweet.
"In Enbarr," Dorothea murmurs, her eyes a little cloudy before clearing up into their usual luster. "Just next month? Wow. Time will fly, won't it?"
"I sure hope so," Byleth says lightly, her eyes all soft and sweet as she looks at Edelgard. Surprising the teacher, Edelgard pushes off the desk and scratches the underside of Byelth's jaw like she would to a cat. …The professor does just about purr.
"That was adorable," Dorothea comments with a laugh, pressing the invitation against her chest. "When are we all moving?"
"I still have to announce that to everyone else, but… late next week or the week after." Dorothea nods, standing up with a content huff. "Leaving so soon?" Edelgard asks, looking comically short compared to Dorothea who towers over most of their group except for Ferdinand and Hubert. "It has been a while since we spent much time together. Knowing that you'll be leaving soon pains me somewhat," the emperor admits bashfully. Dorothea is ever-comfortable and pulls the emperor into a hug (more of a squeeze).
"I missed you too, but I know how exciting it is to be with your partner when it first gets serious. I figured you needed that time." Edelgard and Byleth both frown.
"You shoulda hung out with her anyway," Byleth adds. "We never want our friends to feel like we aren't with them enough."
"I know," Dorothea tries, not seeming to actually believe it. Edelgard sets her hands on her hips and fixes her friend with a knowing look. "Alright, alright. I did miss you and I very much wanted to see you more often. Perhaps… today is the day?" Edelgard pats Byleth's arm, silently excusing herself.
"Absolutely. We shall do as you wish." Dorothea squeaks in response, already pulling Edelgard by the hand for the short distance she is allowed to do so. "Just tell me if I should be changing out of these clothes this time. I don't need a repeat of last time." Byleth raises a brow as they scurry out before dropping it and glancing at Edelgard's desk. With the bits of knowledge about politics and policies and all of that mess, the words on every page seem less and less intimidating or like outright gibberish. Byleth tips her head when she sees one specific document about the treatment of minors. It seems she wants to raise the legal age of an "adult" to eighteen. Byleth's brow quirks in understanding, knowing that her siblings were stripped of their power much earlier without a way to be protected by law.
Could this also mean that homeless kids will be guaranteed shelter until that age? Dorothea knows from experience how brutal it could be on the streets at that age. Byleth presses her hand under her chin in thought as she reads throughout the page. We need more places for them to be safe in the first place.
There comes a subtle knock on the door. Byleth looks up from her place, hovering over the documents. Hubert suspiciously eyes her so she straightens up.
"Hey. Have you seen this one?" Byleth holds up the folder with the label right on the front. Hubert nods as he comes closer, his hands kept behind his back. "Logistically speaking, the war has killed off a lot of young adults, particularly men. Edelgard seems to realize this but I have some other ideas since we really need to ensure that Fodlan is off to a good start with as many healthy minds as possible," Byleth explains. "Children need to be protected. We should try to get all the kids off the street."
"Hm." Hubert looks at her seriously, as though she's an equal to him now. "That is possible. Though we should see how Ferdinand's schooling philosophy pans out first." Byleth nods in agreement, setting the work back down to look at it.
"Do you think Edelgard would mind if you and I tried to write the rest of this proposal?" Hubert seems a bit taken aback.
"That is a mighty task," he reminds her, watching as she smiles and sets her coat along the back of the emperor's seat. He's surprised by how right she looks in it, pen in hand, writing down her ideas in a very detailed and clean manner.
"Dorothea's got Edelgard out right now. She's gonna be busy for a while, I'm sure." There's a bit of a dare in the teacher's eyes, something that always egged Hubert on. He grins crookedly as he pulls up a chair beside her, and they get to work.
—
It's nearly the strike of twelve when Edelgard exhaustively stalks back to the monastery. What turned into just seeing Dorothea became a group of friends hitting the nearest cleanest bar before going dancing at a very discreet location in the heart of Garreg Mach's bustling town. Surprisingly, Petra was the best dancer of them all, moving with just as much style and grace as she does on the battlefield. Dorothea even wondered if her Petra should be on an opera's stage!
"Edie," Dorothea calls, the two of them having left Petra in her room just seconds ago. "There's something I've been wanting to tell you for a while now." The brunette stumbles a bit, playing with her fingertips that hang down on her sides stiffly. Edelgard sets her mask on, trying to seem as encouraging as can be without any judgment. Whenever Dorothea comes to her with that mixed expression on her face, it usually means something big. "All of us were really worried about you, before the professor came back." She says it quickly, and even still, Edelgard's face falls at the memory of that bitter time. "You never smiled or laughed or, or even seemed like you cared about anyone, especially yourself." Edelgard swallows, turning her head away as she digests this again. She knew she was becoming a cold shell of herself when Byleth was gone, hated how spilling blood became easy, loathed how she forgot how to cry or have any empathy as she ordered entire territories to be destroyed.
"I am sorry, for how I was then," Edelgard softly voices, still looking away.
"But that's not what matters right now," Dorothea says sternly, gaining the emperor's attention again, although weary. "The way you are right now, Edie… You're perfect." Dorothea almost seems choked up as she regards her, hugging herself as she goes on. "The profe–Byleth, she's exactly how she should be too. You both make each other better in so many ways. It's almost unreal. In fact, I am a little jealous," she laughs insecurely, looking back at Petra's door. "There's something else I wanted to say."
"You… Alright," Edelgard says, her eyes big as she takes in all of these kind words. Dorothea is always kind, but she's not always honest. Right now she is being nothing but, and it shows in everything, from her narrowed eyes, her soft wavering voice, and her timid smile.
"I'm not just a little jealous, I'm… a lot jealous," Dorothea admits, and it's her turn to look downward. "You two have a love I don't even think I could ever have."
"Dorothea," Edelgard starts, just for Dorothea to put her hand up.
"No. Let me say this. I need to let this go." Edelgard drops her mask and eases up the harshness of her pursed lips as she listens. Bugs seem to swarm at the torch light just a few feet away from them as the two rock slightly with the nightbreeze. Dorothea looks beautiful, bearing her emotions now as she hushedly says, "I… have always had a major weakness for you." Edelgard grits her teeth. "You simply are like no one else," Dorothea hums, smiling sadly. "I wanted so badly to make you smile like you are now back then but, it wasn't meant to be." The songstress holds her hands out at her sides, shrugging loosely before they collapse back down to her hips. "So yeah, I… had to say that. I have to move on now." She looks back at Petra's room again, wistfully smiling. "She deserves that."
"I am not exactly sure what to say," Edelgard sighs lightly. Dorothea scans her face and her body language, quickly determining that Edelgard isn't upset or disgusted, thankfully. "There is no shame in harboring feelings, of course. I am somewhat honored to have even had your attention whilst it lasted." Dorothea snickers and wipes her nose with the back of her hand.
"What a noble thing to say, Your Majesty." Edelgard scoffs, and Dorothea bites her lip to contain a laugh. They look at each other for a moment, letting the night's calmness sink in.
"You and Petra will be a wonderful couple." Dorothea smiles. "I wish you the best. And if the occasion does come about where she crosses you…" Edelgard's expression immediately darkens and Dorothea rolls her eyes, flicking Edelgard's shoulder.
"As if," Dorothea laughs, "If there's anyone to look out," Dorothea adds sultrily as she pushes open her bedroom door. "It would be me." Edelgard shakes her head fondly and waves.
"Goodnight, my friend. Thank you for today."
"'Course. Night, Edie."
Dff.
Edelgard stands there for a minute, sniffing as she thinks to herself. I do suppose we could have worked but… there is no one who could ever fill the shoes of my teacher. With a big and somewhat creepy smile to have by yourself in the middle of the night, Edelgard heads towards Byleth's room, knocking twice. There's no answer. She must be upstairs. Yet when the emperor gets there, the same smile on her face, Byleth is not there either. The woman immediately worries that something has happened and hurries back down, prepared to wander the entire monastery if it comes to it.
They're very calculated people on their own but if anything seems out of place they can be a very extreme and rash couple.
Edelgard checks the greenhouse, the fishing dock, the dining hall, the stables, the training grounds, even the cathedral, and the last place she thinks to check is her own office. She only even stops in there because she sees that her door is cracked open and that candlelight is emanating from inside of it. Her heart stops, worried that anyone could have gone in and stolen precious work. She nearly runs towards the door before swinging it open to find Hubert and Byleth with their top buttons undone and their sleeves rolled up as they stare back at her with owlish eyes.
"Hi El."
"What are you two doing at this time of night?" Edelgard asks suspiciously, already walking around the desk to find a hefty pile of new work that somehow got done in just eight hours. Hubert gets up, fixing his tie as he uses his foot to drag the chair away to its proper place. The emperor moves closer to Byleth, both her hands on the table as she looks at the perfectly formatted document Hubert and her seem to have slaved over. "This is my proposal…"
"I knew you'd be mad," Byleth worries aloud, rubbing the back of her head with the pen, surely getting ink in her hair mindlessly. Edelgard opens her mouth, but no words come out as she reads over the cover page.
"I'm not angry, I–This is incredible," Edelgard comments in awe, looking at Hubert who is smiling proudly at Byleth who's as demure as ever. "Hubert, how much of this did you do?"
"Nearly none of it," he answers honestly. "All I did was show her other examples of how it's done. Every word was her own." Edelgard blinks, staring at the words again. Her heart swells as Byleth tentatively sets Edelgard's pen back in its velvet box, all cleaned up beside her ink pot. With a heavy plop the emperor drops the papers onto the desk and pulls Byleth out of her chair. She hugs the life out of her teacher who smiles as if she doesn't deserve it.
"You have helped me so much," Edegard confesses breathily, her hands on either side of the teacher's face. "I was so attached to this work that I could hardly even write a word. You have saved me weeks of work, my love. And you did it so well! Is there nothing you cannot do?" Byleth grins at her feet and Hubert has to laugh.
"I was quite impressed as well, Professor. You learned swiftly."
"I had two good teachers," she says, looking at the two of them.
"Goodnight then," Hubert says, bowing to them both.
"Thanks, Hubert."
"Of course, Professor." Once the door clicks shut, Edelgard hugs her again, tighter this time.
"You really are amazing," Edelgard coos, tucking her face against Byleth's neck. Her body relaxes as her teacher holds her waist, bringing her in as close as can be as she rests her chin atop white hair.
"I'm ok," the older woman deflects playfully, kissing Edelgard's forehead. "How was your night?" Byleth asks with a yawn that Edelgard echoes. "Here, let's head to bed as we talk." Edelgard nods, her eyes growing heavy just as Byleth lets go of her. Together they shuffle up all of the files for tomorrow.
"It was lovely. We went dancing and had some drinks."
"Oh yeah?" Byleth hums, reaching past Edelgard to fix something out of place.
"Mhm. Lysithea, Petra, Dorothea, Manuela, even Bernadetta went."
"Wow," Byleth says, holding her hand out for Edelgard to take before she blows the candle out. Fwooo. "Who made the cake to leer her out?"
"Mercedes of course."
"Really?" Byleth laughs, shutting the door for Edelgard to lock. The poor emperor misses the lock twice in her tired and possibly tipsy state. Byleth helps her.
"No. I just thought that would be humorous if it was so."
"It would be." They get down the stairs, Byleth making sure she's holding onto Edelgard tight enough before they hit the bottom.
"I am not drunk," Edelgard insists, trying to push away in order to be defiant as usual. Byleth shakes her head and pulls her closer again. When they pass Dorothea's room, Edelgard thinks of her words from earlier. She doesn't say anything but Byleth seems to read her too well.
"Was she behaving?" Byleth asks, not needing to explain who. Without outing her friend, Edelgard jokingly says,
"She tried to sexualize every moving thing once or twice." The both of them grin because they very much expected that. "I think it comes down to Petra being especially tired after the training you two have been doing with Caspar lately."
"Ahhh, I see. She just needs to get laid then," Byleth states matter-of-factly.
"Yes but I was going to say that much more sophisticatedly." Byleth pets the back of Edelgard's head fondly as they take the steps to the second floor of the dorm, lowering their voices as they chat more. "Still, Dorothea is certainly the kind of person who needs that gratification more than most." Byleth makes a, huh, noise as they get inside of Edelgard's bedroom.
"I was gonna say that sounded like a really foreign idea to me in the past, but nowadays, being with you… YEAH. I definitely get it." Edelgard's shoulders shudder in a silent laugh.
"I should say the same." They both outwardly chuckle this time. "We have ruined each other."
"Mmm. I dunno, I don't have to change my smallclothes yet."
"Byleth!" Edelgard balks, slapping her firm shoulder.
"You're the one who started this."
"I really did not. I think you have some needs you might need to attend to while I am dead asleep."
"Without you?" Byleth mopes. "That's not worth it then."
"Now you must be trying to fluster me," Edelgard complains, already feeling her face getting warmer as she pulls her boots off. She's grown quite comfortable with Byleth seeing her from the waist down, despite the cuts. Even still, the teacher, as sweet as she is, turns her head away, changing out of her own clothes into fresh pajamas she keeps in the bottom drawer of Edelgard's closet. Soon they get into bed, Byleth's front against the emperor's back.
….
"Oh!" Edelgard shoots up, reaching for her bear Byleth gifted her a few weeks ago now. Byleth grins until Edelgard settles back in, this time with the bear pressed underneath Edelgard's chin, spooning it as well.
"I didn't realize we had a three person relationship," Byleth teases, moving her head back since she knows Edelgard will jerk up. She does.
"Hush, you! Don't you dare make this innocent bear something dirty."
"I made you dirty and you didn't complain."
"Byleth, for goodness sakes." The teacher hisses through her teeth in a laugh, hugging Edelgard closer as a way to settle her back down. "You can be so vulgar."
"You love that, you just don't like getting teased. Which… is really… cute." She doesn't expect to be whacked in the face with a pillow. "Ah. You want to play that game?" Byleth warns, sitting up and grabbing her pillow. Edelgard flies off the bed, winding up her own pillow attack. The teacher smirks as she whips her pillow at Edelgard's left arm that's still protecting the bear. Edelgard blocks it with her own pillow, looking down at Byleth's legs that are trapped under the sheets. The emperor fixes her with a boastful grin that lets Byleth know she's entirely screwed.
The younger woman flings her bear at Byleth who tries to grab it before it hits her, accidentally dropping her pillow that Edelgard snatches up, now wielding two pillows. The teacher whines, squeezing one eye shut as she prepares to be pelted.
"You think I'll go easy on you know, my love?" Edelgard jumps onto the bed, her knee pushing Byleth down by her hard abdomen and pinning her to the bed. "You are very very wrong."
"Wait, El. Ple–" WHACK! Whack! "Nnngh." She's hit one more time, completely at the mercy of her mighty fiancee. "This is sort of hot, though." WHACK!
—
Days pass as usual, everyone working to pack up what the emperor asks of them as they all get ready to leave for Enbarr. There's a lot of shuffling around, new people meeting her constantly alongside Ferdinand, the spearhead of this school's shift to academics only. It's only when Ferdinand and his new assistant start chatting that Edelgard is thrown off of her mental routine.
"I hear you are engaged?" the young man asks, standing tall beside Ferdinand who's hair flows majestically in the wind. The three of them are traveling atop horseback, along with the guards of course, as they tour the perimeter of the monastery and the lands surrounding it. "Or are you simply courting Ms. von Varley?"
"There is nothing simple about it," Ferdinand defends, "We will marry soon. When the moon is high and in the perfect alignment for the world to see how beautiful she is." Edelgard almost laughs at the absurdity of that statement. Her huff of a chuckle catches the attention of the young man, Frazetta von Rickert. He waits until Ferdinand finishes his little spiel before looking at the emperor.
"You are betrothed, yes, Your Majesty?"
"I am."
"You smile brightly as you say so," he comments. "I was once like that with my wife." The two Black Eagles share a questioning glance as the man's mood sours. He seemed to be genuinely pleasant and at ease until now. Wrinkling his lip, Frazetta looks at the emperor again. "Now we hardly share a bed, you see. After just three years, she has stepped out on me, I reckon." Edelgard blinks, entirely uncomfortable with this man just spilling his relationship issues with two people who are not even his friends. It's bad character, in her eyes.
"If you are not sure she has stepped out on you," Ferdinand begins, making sure to follow their guards in the front along the tree covered path, "You should not resent her. It could be a smaller issue, you see."
"Ferdinand, you should never speak to someone else's relationship," Edelgard warns, mostly just for him to hear and not the other man. Ferdinand seems to disagree, though he quiets down, his brow still tense.
"All I am saying is that you two seem very in love. Much like I was. However," he grunts, "Do not be surprised when years go by and that drug you are hooked on is harshly pulled away from you and pitched into a river someplace far far far away!" The emboldened speech dies with a whimper, Frazetta dropping his face into his gloved palm. "Oh, Maritza, how you hurt me now. I have taken this job mostly because we are so estranged. We live in Reigan territory, you see." Edelgard almost sighs, thinking,
Most over-sharing nobles seem to be from there… Why can I not escape this?
"Yes," Ferdinand coughs, looking to Edelgard for help. "That is quite a situation, Sir."
"Perhaps we shall chat about this in the future?" Edelgard suggests, feeling a little irritated in both the heat and under the gaze of the sappy man, worrying she misjudged him now. "It seems to be a point of topic better shared between friends. We are… not that," Edelgard grumbles, looking straight ahead now. Ferdinand is vibrating at her side as Frazetta huffs depressively.
"It was merely a warning."
"I need no such thing," Edelgard barks, losing her cool.
"You should not be so sure," Frazetta adds, creating a tick in Edelgard's jaw. Ferdinand immediately intervenes with a nervous laugh.
"Let us not upset, Her Majesty, Sir! Her and her betrothed are a coveted and lovely couple even among us friends. It would not bode well for you to question that."
"Indeed," Edelgard cuts in deeply, her head tipping to the side angrily. Frazetta says nothing else, the three of them finishing their tour in peace and quiet. Unfortunately though, his words, as foolish as they may be, spark a bubble of worry in the emperor's stomach. My parents had not slept in the same bed after I was born. Hubert's never did share. Even Ferdinand's… By the time dinner rolls around, she's an unusually nervous wreck, stumbling as her mind panics about the smallest of things Byleth does.
For one, Byleth does not sit by her at dinner today, instead sitting beside Mercedes, someone they both know really likes Byleth. She sits down at Hubert's side, hardly saying a word unless spoken to, watching as Byleth and her friend laugh and poke fun at Jeritza who eats ice cream from across from them.
The second thing, Byleth doesn't hold her hand or kiss her when they leave the hall.
"I'm gonna chat with Caspar for a second," Byleth announces, already walking away to catch up with the brawler. "Oh and then I have to go see Balthus. See you later!" The woman elaborates on nothing, running away with whatever she's doing left an odd secret. Edelgard frowns, her hand resting on her hip as she watches her disappear around a corner.
"Your Majesty," comes the bored voice of Shamir. Edelgard turns, trying and failing to not look upset, even though she knows full-well there is no reason to be. Shamir opens her mouth and promptly closes it before looking at where Byleth went. "...Would you like me to follow after her and tell you where she went?" Edelgard actually thinks about it for a second.
"I am perfectly capable of following her myself, thank you. What was it you were going to say?" Edelgard asks tiredly. Shamir shrugs and continues her report.
The third issue comes up in passing, when she's making her way to the showers. Once she gets in, she hears two people talking, but she chooses not to intersperse with her own voice. She likes to only bathe alone for obvious reasons. Choosing to wait in the changing room as she prepares her soap and clothes, Edelgard overhears the rest.
"-otally seems like Byleth was checking her out today."
"Yeah I can see them being a thing for sure," another woman giggles. The emperor goes cold, her fingers caught in her hair as she pulls out the first horn.
"For real. That girl is always drawing her, too. Especially while the professor is out training, getting all sweaty and so so hot!" They both chuckle like mad, no doubt imagining the teacher now.
Losing all rationality, Edelgard bursts into the room where two very naked women are whilst she is dressed in her imperial regalia, as authoritative as ever… except for half of her hair being down with only one horn in place.
"Who are you saying my Byleth is looking better with?"
"Uh–We–Um–There's nothing–Uh." Edelgard shuts her eyes and motions for them to stop.
"Speak clearly please."
"Bernadetta," the second woman answers with a rasp, both of them looking entirely terrified. Edelgard balks.
"What? Byleth would never think of Bernadetta like–" It hits her how silly this all is, and she drops it entirely, blinking up at the ceiling. "Excuse me," she sighs, "I will just be… waiting outside." The two women fly out of the water, nearly bumping into the emperor as they hurry into the changing rooms. "Wait, I–you really do not–"
"-It's ok, Your Majesty! Enjoy your bath, Your Majesty!" Edelgard groans into her palm, completely embarrassed by her own jealousy.
"What is wrong with me?"
—
"Hey," Byleth greets, entering Edelgard's bedroom sneakily. Edelgard checks the clock, having been waiting up.
"It is quite late." Byleth nods, her expression covered as she pulls her shirt over her head and starts changing. Edelgard has already been changed and in bed for the better part of an hour, bear stuck in her arms.
"Yeah I was with Hubert."
"I thought you were with Caspar," Edelgard hums, suspiciously eyeing Byleth now. The teacher doesn't look up as she gets into her fresh clothes.
"A few hours ago I was. But then Hubert and I started talking about this other thing you were planning and, uh…" She gets her shorts on and then sighs, her eyes seeming tired now. "Let's not talk about work right now, huh?" Edelgard's a little put off by that but nods. Byleth comes closer, clearly going in for a kiss that the emperor turns away from. The older woman frowns at that, not saying anything as she climbs over a very unresponsive Edelgard and gets herself under the sheets. Yet, even when she's laying down, the emperor is still sat upright, a scowl on her face.
"Do I snore?" Edelgard asks Byleth.
"No. Do I?"
"No." Byleth nods and mumbles how that's good under her breath. Edelgard huffs, trying to think of a less direct way of bringing what's bothering her up to Byleth. After she's quiet for more than a minute however, Byleth gets exceedingly suspicious.
"You're thinking of something bad."
"What do you mean?" Edelgard asks, covering her eyes as she rubs them.
"You tell me." Byleth raises her hands up. "Did I do something? You seem upset."
"No," the emperor sighs for the umpteenth time. "There is just something silly on my mind. And, I want you to know that I will be very angry if we end up being a couple who sleep in different rooms every night." Jerking upright, Byleth tries to look her fiancee in the eyes to no avail.
"Why would that happen?"
"I don't know!" Edelgard shouts, "Because what if I get ill in the future and we can't have sex as often or if you find someone else who catches your interest more as you age, or even, what if you–if–ugh! Damn me." Byleth rubs the back of her head.
"You're acting like Lysithea," Byleth points out, "Getting mad over stuff that isn't even happening."
"Whatever," the emperor bleats, scooching down the bed enough to flip onto her side and away from Byleth.
"Edelgard, I'm like a loyal dog. You tell me what to do and where to go and you treat me nicely and that's all it takes for me to follow you."
"That seems like a silly mentality to have," the younger woman argues. Byleth raises one brow.
"Are you saying my love and loyalty for you is silly?"
"...No. Maybe."
"...El, stop whining," Byleth finally spits, "It doesn't suit you."
"I am trying to tell you that I am scared," Edelgard yells, sitting up again and setting her bear down by her feet. That's usually where he goes when they have sex, actually, something that both of them think as she does it. Even though Edelgard is still ridiculously angry, Byleth begins to smirk. "What could you possibly be looking at me like that for?"
"I'm thinking about how hot it would be if we had sex after this whole fighting thing we're doing."
"You are impossible," Edelgard yelps, hitting her fist against the bedframe to be extra. "This is a serious issue and you must spoil it with–" Wait. Sex between them is everything why is she still getting angry at the suggestion of more pleasure. Byleth's eyes shine in victory, and Edelgard glares at her before grabbing her by the collar and pulling her close. "Kiss me already."
The last thing she feels before they kiss is Byleth's breath of a laugh on her upper lip. When they are finally lip locked, Byleth drives them forward, biting bruisingly on Edelgard's lower lip. It's Edelgard who's hands get the riskiest though, stretching and pulling at Byleth's clothes, wondering if she should keep them on her or off of her. Getting especially turned on by Edelgard's indecisiveness, Byleth leans atop of the emperor and pushes her pajama bottoms off of one hip in question. Their eyes open as they kiss, checking to see if both of them are on board. Edelgard nods, opening her mouth so Byleth can slide her tongue over Edelgard's. It feels better than normal.
Just about ripping Edelgard's pants off now, throwing them at the wall. Byleth does the same to the younger woman's underwear, satisfied as she hears the clicking of Edelgard's cum clinging to the material before it hits the floor with a wet slap. Both of them blush but it eggs them on further, kissing and biting harder. Edelgard's breath is all over Byleth face, and Byleth's fingers are digging into Edelgard's hips, something the emperor usually gets turned off by. Not today. Not wanting to be outdone, Edelgard threads her fingers through Byleth's hair before tugging her head back and attacking the older woman's neck, making sure to leave marks nothing can hide. While she does that, Byleth's hands sneak up to her breasts, kneading them how she likes as she rests her weight on Edelgard's body. The two of them slow down for just a few minutes, enjoying this as it is.
Then those stupid thoughts return to the forefront of Edelgard's mind and she gets irrationally jealous all over again, shoving Byleth away from her chest.
"I want it to hurt," Edelgard states. Byleth sits up on her haunches at lighting speed, looking very concerned.
"No."
"I am not asking you, Byleth."
"El, no. I'm not doing that. It's gonna mess up this whole thing." The teacher raises her voice, chucking her shirt off. Edelgard's eyes drop to her beautiful breasts covered in hickies from the night before. Arousal pumps blood between her legs, and the emperor reaches between her thighs to stroke it. "What are you doing?" Byleth asks, staring at her fiancee's hand that picks up speed, stroking her own clitoris.
"Fetch the oil," Edelgard orders, sitting halfway up as she touches herself even faster. Byleth swallows loudly, staring at the emperor wide eyed. "I want to try what you proposed last time. Now get it." Byleth's mouth waters as she pieces together her plan then. Still, Byleth finds herself leaning closer and closer in between her woman's open thighs, wanting to taste her while she can.
"Yeah… just… gimme a second," Byleth dreamily says before darting forward and licking the source of all of the fluids leaking out of Edelgard.
"Hah! Byleth~!" Edelgard's dragged a little lower on the bed, Byleth cramping herself into a ball so she doesn't fall of the mattress as she forces the tiny hand away and sucks on her clitoris. "Fuuuck." Both of them are surprised to hear the emperor swear like that but it doesn't stop anything. Edelgard feels the need to wrap her heels around Byleth's head, locking her in, so she does it, grinding roughly into the teacher's mouth and giving her one hell of a time to try and be good about it. She knows Byleth likes the challenge anyhow. Her fingers tangle in blue hair, being rougher than normal as she pulls on it encouragingly. Her breath is already coming out unevenly.
In her mindseye, she pictures Byleth doing this to Mercedes, and a terrible heat rises to her face, making the room nearly unbearable.
"If you ever cheat on me, you are dead," Edelgard growls, holding Byleth even tighter with her legs. The teacher looks up at her, very concerned and confused, but Edelgard ignores it, shutting her own eyes and dropping her head back onto the pillow. She uses Byleth's face like she would a pillow on her horniest of nights, rocking and grinding on her tongue and teeth, trying to get all the friction she can on her clit as Byelth works her tongue slightly into her tight entrance. "Mmmh! HH–Keep doing that, please please please!" Edelgard cries, the veins in her throat tensing against her skin.
"Nnh," Byleth moans, the vibrations going through Edelgard's entire body from her groin. The younger woman's mouth opens in awe as she takes massive strides towards release. They keep going hard like this, and soon Byleth reaches up and grabs one of Edelgard's hands in her hair, squeezing it before they interlock fingers midair. It's not long now before Edelgard whines like a wolf and cums like a landslide, falling apart at the end with her thighs twitching and her body giving out on her, collapsing from its arch.
"Byleth–Incredible." Elation calms Edelgard down, forcing her to think about nothing as she lays there limp. The professor however, is having a very different experience, her heart beating out of her chest as they seem to have switched places on who's angry. Byleth straddles Edelgard's hips but is careful not to pin her down as she leans over her.
"Cheat on you?! Who–Why would you ever think that?!" Edelgard flinches, looking away as she's unaccustomed to Byleth being angry, especially at her.
"It was stupid, and it hardly has anything to do with something you actually did," Edelgard admits, rubbing her cheek. "I got jealous. And worried. I am sorry."
"Worried about what?" Byleth prods, lowering her voice as her hand kneads her fiancee's sides helpfully.
"Really, Byleth, it's stupid."
"Edelgard, you're actually annoying me at this point. Just say it." The emperor huffs as she sits up, Byleth still in her lap.
"What if we fall out of love?" Edelgard asks in her softest voice. Byleth's face drops. "I don't want to be like other couples who stay together unhappily, and… it scares me that those people claim to have always been madly in love."
"No, El, when that happens they were never right for each other, they just didn't have the gall to end it when they knew it wasn't perfect." Edelgard is surprised by how logical and truthful that rings in her ears. "You and I aren't like that," Byleth insists, taking Edelgard's hand and kissing her engagement ring. "Don't you love me?"
"Yes."
"I love you too," Byleth says, smiling as she sees Edelgard smile. "Your heart is pounding right now, isn't it?"
"It is," Edelgard admits, leaning her forehead against Byleth's.
"You know I'm not much of an optimist, but I can't see us ever not feeling that way." Byleth gently kisses Edelgard, much more tender than any other kiss they shared today. "And if you have these worries, please tell me earlier in the future."
"What, you did not enjoy the sex part of this?"
"I have yet to cum," Byleth chuckles, making Edelgard wrinkle her nose at the challenge there. "And you said we get to try that other thing," the teacher adds with a wicked grin. "Which comes first?"
"You deserve to orgasm."
"Good, we're on the same page," Byleth chuckles, flopping onto her back with a hand tucked under her head. "Do as you will." She gestures towards her perfect body and Edelgard gains a second wind, going in to suck on a nipple hungrily. There really isn't a need for foreplay, seeing as she can almost smell the arousal on Byleth.
Edelgard quickly drives a finger inside of the older woman who keens, her jaw flexing as she moans. Edelgard sets a rhythm, slamming in four times to the knuckle before pulling out and using two fingers to rub at Byleth's bundle of nerves, pressing down on it. Byleth cums quickly if she gets a lot of stimulation there, so really, Edelgard going inside her is more to prolong it than anything. Everytime Edelgard's fingers go in, Byleth squirms as her fingers try to spread apart, hoping to open Byleth up. It hurts a little but Byleth clearly likes it, grabbing onto Edelgard's back and pulling her closer so the younger woman is pressed close to the teacher's side.
"Can you go faster?" Byleth asks, tucking her face into Edelgard's shoulder. Every thrust is perfect, and the part of her face not pressed to Edelgard's shirt is sliding across the rumpled pillows, repeatedly hitting her eye. It's when Edelgard pulls out and rubs down on her clitoris that Byelth holds back a howl. "Ff–close, El." The emperor pulls back, not touching her fiancee at all as she settles down, her stomach muscles jumping. There's not much of a reprieve though, because Edelgard itches to touch her again, her forearm soiled as Byleth ejaculates when she pushes in again. "Hhh–" Utterly in bliss, Edelgard tucks her hand under Byleth's back in a weak hug and watches as her own hand slams in and out of the teacher.
"Almost there," Edelgard says, kissing Byleth's collar as the teacher's hips pick up their pace in their jerking, especially when Edelgard goes for the clitoris for the last time. Byleth pants in Edelgard's ear, something that arouses the younger woman beyond belief before she hears the familiar whine of her name as Byleth cums, her thighs closing in on Edelgard's hand. She only settles down once Edelgard pulls back, kissing her softly on the mouth as a secondary reward. "Lovely."
"Yeah," Byleth breathes, looking spent. "So that oil. Still wanna do that?"
"Yes." Edelgard kisses her again as she gets off the bed. She pads her way over to the dresser, petting her bear on the head where it rests on its side. In the back corner of the last drawer, Byleth shoved a small vial of oil just two nights ago.
"What is that for?" Edelgard asked as she wrote something down at the desk. Byleth cleared her throat and looked down at the thing in her hand before tucking it away with her clothes.
"Have you ever heard about anal penetration?" Byleth asked bluntly, punctuating her question with the drawer shutting loudly. Edelgard abruptly stopped what she was doing.
"Not… really." Byleth nods, scratching the back of her head as she loiters around the room very distractedly. "Are you interested in that sort of thing?"
"Yeah," the teacher admits almost painfully. "I don't really want it done to me specifically, though." Edelgard's spine straightens, the prospect of anything going in her that's not her mouth or her–She's not sure that would be especially pleasant.
"How come it came to mind?" Edelgard wonders.
"Yuri was just talking about stuff, I dunno. It feels better for men apparently. But, I know that sometimes you like things–like–You tend to like a lot of things happening to you at once," Byleth reasons, her hand shaking until she stuffs it in her pocket. "I'm not scared to tell you about it or anything it just seems a little gross, like other people would think it's gross," Byleth fixes. "Really, I wanna do it cuz then I've had all of you, you know?" Edelgard tucks her chair in and leans against it as she looks at Byleth on the bed.
"We may as well try it." Byleth perks up significantly. "I cannot promise I will enjoy it though."
"That's fine," the teacher agrees, "We don't even need to do it right now." Edelgard eyes the drawer, biting her lip. She really does like the idea of Byleth having all of her at the very least.
"Ok. Let us bring this up again on another night."
Apparently tonight is that night, as a mutual agreement.
Byleth sits up as her fiancee approaches, holding out her hand to take the vial. She notices that Edelgard seems a little nervous, her lip wrinkled on one side as she stares at Byleth's hand. The teacher smiles calmly and pulls Edelgard closer, dragging her into her lap as Byleth gets her back against the headboard. Snuggling close for a while, the emperor's heart slows down into a lull, resting her ear against Byleth's chest to hear hers. Her spine tingles as Byleth's fingers trail over her back and up her sides. They're both sticky still, and that's a mild discomfort they put up with as they get ready for round two mentally.
"Ready?" Byleth asks.
"Mhm." Edelgard sets herself atop the professor's thighs, straddling them before wrapping her arms loosely around Byleth's shoulders. The two share a compassionate look before Byleth oils up her fingers. "Be easy, now."
"I will." With one hand Byleth reaches behind Edelgard, spreading her open as her slickened hand comes around the other way. The first touch of her fingertip to Edelgard's tight ring of muscle makes them both wince with anticipation. "Just gonna get oil on this first, ok?" Edelgard nods, sighing as a way to relax herself. She figures that will be necessary. She's surprised how natural it feels, having Byleth's finger circle around back there before the older woman retreats, oiling her finger a second time. Trying her best not to anticipate anything, Edelgard drops her head on the crook of her arm, kissing Byleth's cheek on and off. She can tell however, when Byleth is getting ready to act because her jaw tightens and her tongue presses against the inside of her lip as it always does before she presses in. Byleth presses in with the tip of one finger.
….
There's not much resistance, and Edelgard tries to adjust to the feeling. It's odd, nothing like when Byleth fingers her. It's different for Byleth two, working halfway to her knuckle before stopping. The teacher can feel that it's tighter, but it's not hot or as hard, there's no muscle to press into as she crooks her finger, something that causes Edelgard to make a quiet noise.
"Does it hurt?"
"No, it feels," Edelgard whines a little, her hips pressing down, "It feels good, I think."
"You think?" Byleth chuckles, kissing Edelgard's head a few times. "Would you be able to cum?"
"I doubt it, but… maybe if I…?" The emperor unwraps herself from Byleth's neck and reaches between her legs, stroking herself again. "Nngh. Let us try it like this." Byleth nods, very on board as she strokes the inside of Edelgard, appreciating every inch she can reach with how velvety soft it is. She doesn't do a lot of pulling out, seeing as how Edelgard's body is already pulsating on her finger, but that doesn't seem to bother the emperor who slips a finger into herself. "Mmhh!" Hearing Edelgard moan always strikes a match inside of Byleth, but she actively fights herself on getting involved too much, wanting this to be a good experience. Besides, she likes watching her fiancee touch herself, too. Edelgard shoots the professor a heated look before tipping her head, silently asking Byleth to kiss her. The other woman complies, of course. Their kisses are much slower now, mostly because Edelgard is very distracted.
Having both holes being filled is… amazing? Edelgard expected it to not be nearly as pleasurable. Byleth really isn't even moving much, but the presence of something to clench down on really adds to the experience. The emperor openly moans into Byleth's mouth when they both, perfectly timed, add second fingers. Byleth groans in response, her free hand squeezing down on Edelgard's hip to encourage her to rock a bit, which she does slowly. Edelgard continues fucking herself, her palm only doing the bare minimum for the newfound friction her body is seeking, but she doesn't have time to use both hands, too busy enjoying the feel of Byleth's face and neck, always wanting to touch her when she can. Underneath them, the bed creaks a little, something new since they've started using it a lot more.
"Wonder if Lysithea can hear us from down there," Byleth comments.
"That is not a comforting thought," Edelgard groans, yipping as her fiancee bites on her lip and drags her teeth down to Edelgard's jaw where she happily sucks away. The emperor can't take her eyes off of Byleth's half lidded eyes that look so beautiful, every lash full and dark, the blue irises stunning no matter the lighting; they're even better when they look as lust-filled as they do now. She moans again, turning her face so Byleth will suck on her pulse. They do it like this for a while, more than ten minutes, before Edelgard gets a little restless. "Why is this not working?" Byleth pulls back from a hard suck, leaving a purple mark on the emperor's shoulder.
"Maybe you need more pressure," Byleth hums. "On your hands and knees." Edelgard stiffens up. "You can still touch yourself that way, or I can try and do both."
"I see." Edelgard pulls out, shivering when Byleth does as well. They both investigate Byleth's hand, not seeing anything there. Edelgard clears her throat as she turns away from the teacher, slowly doing what she was told even though she feels ridiculous in such a position. The teacher shuffles around, oiling up her finger one last time before settling a patient hand on Edelgard's back and pushing into her anus again. "Rrgh! Ah," Edelgard yips. "Feels different like this," she explains, digging her fists into the bed.
"Gotcha. I'm here for you." Her hands pet her softly before moving away and finding a new place. Edelgard gets no warning before Byleth invades her wet entrance, pushing in easily.
"Anh! Byleth~, that's–" Edelgard moans louder, wordlessly as her hips push back, starting up a rhythm that Byleth adjusts to. The professor's fingers easily find that spot inside Edelgard that has her toes curling in pleasure, and they stretch her wide enough for it to faintly hurt in that good way Edelgard aches for. She's gushing onto Byleth's hand, doubly so from earlier, and both holes contract, relaxing her while also putting her on a razor's edge. She really wants to cum, but she also wants this to last. Her strong arms seem like jelly to her, hardly able to hold herself up as her chest drops closer and closer to the bed until a minute more passes and the side of her cheek is pressed to the mattress, moaning helplessly. The teacher feels powerful now, causing her capable fiancee to be this weak and at Byleth's mercy.
She knows she'd never want to take advantage of this, and seriously prays that her and Edelgard will have long lives purely for them to spend together in peace. Her beating heart beats solidly, happily pumping oxygen and blood through her system so she can be there for this beautiful yet tragic woman who defies fate at every turn. Byleth drops her face against Edelgard's back, smiling sweetly as she kisses it.
"I love you."
"I–ahn–love you too," Edelgard heaves, hiding her expression against the mattress. Byleth pulls back, fucking Edelgard just a little harder.
"If you wanna cum now…" Byleth feels her fiancee twitch inside.
"I do! Hah–Nnnnnnh!" The teacher smiles much more softly than she probably should at a time like this.
"Go ahead… my heart." Edelgard's ears turn red at the little name before her body surges with her orgasm, her eyes rolling and her tongue flicking up to the roof of her mouth as she's paralyzed by the feelings overwhelming her senses. Her ears are ringing, and her throat is raw from the moaning but hse can't even hear it. By the time her orgasm ends, and her trembling stops, she's completely collapsed in a heap on the bed. The only thing she feels is Byleth's fingers pulling out of her, and weight leaving the mattress.
It feels like an eternity passes as she's half-asleep before Byleth starts to clean her with a slightly damp towel. Usually she tries to help, but this time it's on Byleth alone. When she's flipped onto her back, her head right beside her teddy, the professor is giving her a sweet and undeniably loving smile that embodies the look of someone who wants to take care of the other person. Edelgard's eyes turn innocent and misty, almost unable to believe how genuine Byleth can be even at times like this.
"Why did you call me your heart?" Edelgard asks, her voice much like it was when she was merely eighteen.
"Cuz that's exactly what you are." Edelgard grabs Byleth's wrist, stopping her from the rest of her clean up to instead pull the teacher down on top of her. Byleth's weight is comforting, and the professor always holds her in a protective sort of way, enveloping her in warmth and security Edelgard didn't know she ever needed. Her eyes water even more.
"You… are like a light," Edelgard describes, her mouth against the older woman's shoulder, "You have shined over my life, keeping me from the dark trappings I could easily have fallen into because they are so much easier and tempting. You guide me, you protect me, you love me with all that you are." She chokes up. "I want to be like you, and I want us to shine over Fodlan, to create a world that–that cares, that loves, that is just." The emperor looks up at Byleth as she gets on her forearms, her dark eyes peering down at the younger woman with an unmistakable proud look.
"I'm really glad, about everything, El. That you made it. That we made it. That Fodlan has you."
"Us."
"Us," Byleth agrees happily, kissing Edelgard's nose. They say nothing more as they cuddle up again, absolutely content.
—
Two Weeks Later:
They're eating at the table, with all of their friends, and Byleth itches to fluster her regal fiancee.
"Have I ever told you how much I used to love this dress?" Byleth murmurs.
"Thank you. Wait. Used to?" Byleth grins, putting her arm around the back of Edelgard's chair and leaning into her ear secretly while the others chatter away.
"It makes it nearly impossible to try and touch you sexually under this table right now." Edelgard flinches and sits straighter, slightly horrified that now Byleth is sneaking her hand past Edelgard's cape to touch the heart-shaped cutout on her back. She's bound to tremble in front of everyone. The emperor soon notices that Hubert is looking at her on her right, so she smiles and brings her fork back to her lips. Her throat rumbles as Byleth's fingers slip underneath her dress. "You've got a meeting after this, what if you sit on my lap and I hike this skirt up and…? How about it?" Edelgard huffs because she would really like that, but there's no way she can indulge. She glares lightly at Byleth who's hand pauses. "Then let me eat you out right before. Please."
"You have plenty to sate your appetite," Edelgard mumbles, pointing with her fork at the entire plate of food Byleth has yet to touch. The teacher wrinkles her lip as if fish is not her favorite dish in the world.
"Nothing tastes as good as you," Byleth says defensively. It appears she said it too loud however, because Lysithea at her left side goes white before slapping the teacher's arm hard. "Ow?"
"You jerk," she hisses, getting the attention of only a few of their friends. "Don't say things like that which force me to imagine–" she looks at Edelgard and nearly barfs. "No no no!" Lysithea hops out of her seat and scurries away while Lindhart boredly watches after her.
"...Goodnight Lysithea," he mumbles before dropping his head back into his hand. Edelgard feels entirely embarrassed even though no one else seems to say a thing about what just happened, and Byleth thankfully drops her hand from the emperor's back to eat her food.
"Sorry," Byleth whispers, shaking out her arm.
"Ugh."
"Professor?" Ferdinand interrupts later, standing behind them both. "Would you mind looking over something with me? I would love your input." Byleth checks with Edelgard silently.
"Go ahead," Edelgard grins, patting her fiancee's lap. "I will meet up with you later."
"Cool. Sounds good, Ferdinand." Once Byleth is gone, along with most of the others, Edelgard turns to Hubert.
"I will not be returning to my office tonight," Edelgard tells him, "There is something I need to get done, actually."
"Would you like help?" he asks kindly, taking her plate.
"No, it is quite alright. I need solace actually… it is a heavier matter to attend to." Hubert quirks a brow but says nothing, accepting it as it is. He's been getting better with that, she's been thinking. "Goodnight then."
"Same to you." She waits a little while, wandering around to chat with a few kitchen workers as more people clear out and most likely head back to their rooms. Once the clock strikes seven, she steps outside and heads towards the graveyard.
—
Edelgard is kneeling in front of Jeralt's grave, her head turned downward, and in her mind, appearing very cowardly.
"Hello," Edelgard says, frowning afterwards with how formal she sounds. "Hi. Tomorrow Byleth and I will be leaving the monastery for Enbarr. Of course, she will still come and visit you." The emperor rubs the back of her neck, finding this far more awkward than she thought possible. She clears her throat in frustration, berating herself mentally. Get this over with.
"Thank you, for giving me Byleth." A pause. "I truly do not know what I would have done without her. She… has always been everything I never knew I needed." Edelgard smiles gently at her hands that play with each other in her lap. "If you had still been alive, I would have loved for you to be at our wedding; you could have taken her down the aisle even. A wedding between an emperor and empress is a bit less romantic than normal, but… it will still be intimate, something just between friends… even if Hubert thinks it should be more traditional and frankly, boring." The woman chuckles lightly, sobering when a white dove sets itself upon his gravestone and stares at her from this close. Edelgard lowers her voice, hoping to not scare it off as she stares at the beautiful little animal. She almost wants to touch it to check that it's real. It makes a sound at her and she blinks.
"I struggled for a long time when it came to your death. I have never told anyone this, but," she checks around her for any stragglers before whispering, "I felt like it was my fault for the longest time that you died." Her eyes grow misty but she fights it tooth and nail. "How was I supposed to look the woman I loved in the face when I killed her–" Edelgard sighs, and the bird's wing flaps uncomfortably as it looks at her. It's head tips side to side, inspecting her as if she shouldn't be looking this sad. Edelgard's brow creases as she goes on. "I hate to sound crass, but I was glad to know she harbors resentment for you." She laughs bitterly, upset with herself for ever having that thought. "Few people I know have a solid parent-child relationship, but… mine was the worst; if I may be that bold." The emperor's fingers entwine behind her neck, pulling on each other. "Still, even now, Byleth impresses me and teaches me to be better. She forgives you."
"And… I forgive you, for not being the best father to her. Overtime I have learned that it is the hardest lessons learned that make you who you are, and whatever hell you put my Byleth through made her exactly who she is," Edelgard says, almost angrily as she stands up. "That is all I really have to say, so… rest well." She walks away with a huff and a sweep of her cape before stopping dead in her tracks when the bird chirps again. Edelgard turns around and sees the dove staring at her, its wing flapping as if beckoning her closer. Her feets drag forward on their own and she's standing with her shoulders square to the stone once more, a scowl on her face.
"I suppose there is one more thing I could say," she groans, looking only at the bird. "Damn you for hurting my Byleth. Even if it was the smallest of things, which I assure you it was not. How could you ever hurt someone as sweet and–and precious as her?! Awful," Edelgard bleats, her head turning away as a means to be dismissive. Then her eyes lock with Byleth's, standing at the top of the staircase with her arms crossed, hip against the railing, and a tiny smirk on her face. The dove flaps away, flying up into the trees to meet a smaller dove. The two cuddle close, watching down on Edelgard and Byleth as they meet each other halfway on the steps. "How much did you hear?" Edelgard embarrassedly asks as Byleth takes her into her arms.
"Enough. He would have appreciated how straight forward you were."
"I said nice things as well," the emperor grumbles, kissing Byleth's jaw.
"I'm sure," Byleth says, waving to the grave over Edelgard's shoulder. She imagines her father is standing there again, waving back to her with his tired eyes and weary smile. "It's our last night in Garreg Mach, El." Byleth takes her fiancee's hand and drags her up the steps, the two of them relatively alone as they being to walk aimlessly past the classrooms. "What's something you've always wanted to do?" Edelgard hums, holding Byleth's hand tighter and resting the side of her head on Byleth's deltoid.
"I have always wanted to fly a pegasus around the cathedral, throw eggs at it, and then light the archbishop's bed on fire."
"Hahaha!" Byleth blurts out her laughter, slapping her hand against her face. "El…"
"It was mostly a joke," the emperor giggles, pinching the teacher's cute nose. "But I would like to fly a pegasus with you, riding on the back as we chat about our memories here. Even if my intentions were always dark back then, I truly enjoyed so many things about this place." Byleth nods, pressing her lips to her fiancee's head and reaching into her pocket. She hands Edelgard a small key. "What is this?"
"The key to Rhea's bedroom," Byleth smirks, "I definitely think fucking on that bed would be the perfect way to disgrace her." Edelgard's eyes widen in shock and in agreement.
"Yes."
"So what do we do first?" Byleth laughs, kissing Edelgard on the lips this time.
"Sex should come later," Edelgard decides, getting on her tip-toes to kiss Byleth harder. "I want to cherish that victory…"
"Great," Byleth agrees, happy and content.