Lazily, I moved my left hand to my forehead to shield my eyes from the sunlight. The sky in front of me was a beautiful mix of oranges, reds, and yellows that enhanceed the structure behind me. The light cascaded down the elegant stonework and glass like a spectral river. Castle Ylisse was already decorated with colors and banners, celebrating the marriage that was going to happen in just an hour at most. Noblemen and women had swarmed in front of us just a while before, but thankfully the guests arriving had slowed down to a trickle, allowing me to see the view unimpeded.

It really was a breathtaking sight.

"Hey, Alex, you've been staring at the sky for the past ten minutes," Stahl said next to me, looking at me strangely. "Are you alright?"

"Aw, he'll be fine," Vaike waved off, folding his arms in front of him. "Teach didn't train a space case. Probably just moonin' over Cord-!"

"Vaike, say one more word and by God I'll have your head on my mantlepiece." I said suddenly, turning to the fighter. For once in his life, he was actually fully clothed. "And what about when Sully trained you? Didn't she kick your ass a little while back?"

"Gods, both of you," Stahl sighed, running a hand through his greenish-brown hair. "I'm starting to think we'll scare people away."

"Y- Wh- Alex, if we weren't out in public right now, I'd whoop your-!"

"Yeah, yeah, I've heard it before, Vaike." I waved off. "Still, I think Sully likes men who she can beat. Or maybe she doesn't. It's hard to tell sometimes."

It was hard to tell with his complexion, but I could've sworn he was blushing. He turned away from me, grumbling something incoherent.

Vaike wasn't the only one in clothes, though. Well, that was obvious; I should've said fancy clothes. We weren't wearing the kind of stuff I'd seen noblemen wear, but it was definitely more decadent than what I was used to. It may have come from a lifetime of wearing nothing but t-shirts, but I was more than happy with a simple tunic and pants if I wasn't in armor. Besides, anything beyond that tended to be itchy, and I'd be damned if I had to deal with that. I wasn't even sure how Chrom and Virion could stand it.

However, since Robin practically forced me to wear those clothes to greet the guests, I had no choice but to deal with the itchiness for the night, at least.

I may have been spacing out just a second before, comparing the red of the sunset to the color of Cordelia's hair, but Stahl put me to shame in that regard. As we were greeting one of the last noblewomen to make it to the castle, I noticed he didn't even say anything. Vaike was still pouting, so that left only me to ask about it.

"Stahl," I called his name, placing my iron hand on his shoulder gently. "You still with me, man?"

"H-huh?" He sputtered, his eyes opening wide at my intrusion. "O-oh, it's nothing, Alex. Just thinking."

"Uh huh." I nodded. "Sure. Just thinking. What about?"

"Well," Stahl began, twiddling his fingers. "I was actually wondering if they have anything that taguel can eat in there. I know Panne probably won't even show up; she's not very good with other people. She always just kinda sits in the back when everyone's eating."

An image of a man's throat being gnawed out by a giant rabbit flashed through my mind as Vaike snickered to my left.

"Ha! Looks like Stahl's- well, I dunno how to say it, ol' buddy, but I think you're barkin' up the wrong tree," Vaike paused, a thoughtful look on his face. "Wait, is that how you use it? Eh, whatever. Anyway, Panne? Ya got strange tastes."

"I'd say," I grumbled, looking at the floor.

"I'm just trying to be considerate!" Stahl replied, brows furrowed. "When everyone's eating together, we all grow closer. I just didn't want to leave her out of it because she's different. She can't eat a lot of the things we can."

"Yeah, maybe we could throw a person into a stew and have her drink it- Oh my God." I put a hand over my mouth and swallowed. "Okay, can we stop talking about this? I'm gonna start panicking."

Vaike looked at me like I was a mutant. "Can't be the only one who saw that. How 'bout you, Stahl?"

"Do you think I should get her some carrots and radishes?" Stahl asked to no one in particular. "Wait, no, maybe potatoes? But I thought she couldn't eat potatoes. Hmm…"

"Er, Stahl? You alright over there?" Vaike called to no avail. "Both of you just keep spacing out. Gettin' all kinds of creepy."

"I can be plenty creepy without spacing out, Vaike," I said, making my voice more gravelly than usual. "Keep talking and you won't be waking up in the morning."

"Teach can take you on, Alex, even when he's sleepin'!" Vaike said, fist pumping. I could've sworn I saw a small tear open in his shirt when he did that. "Anyway, ya think anyone else is comin' up here? Been a while since we greeted anyone."

I looked at the empty courtyard. I hesitated to go inside; it was kind of peaceful out there, and the royal hall would be all kinds of loud and crowded, especially before the ceremony began. In the end, though, I sighed.

"Yeah," I replied. "We probably should. Hey, Stahl, wake up, man. We gotta get going."

I shook him gently, snapping him out of the little trance he'd worked himself into. Together, the three of us entered the loud hall.

Before heading in, I looked around. Sadly, I couldn't see Cordelia or Robin anywhere.

It quieted down once everyone was seated.

I'd only been to one wedding before in my life, and that was when I was around seven or eight. All I could remember about it was that I lost one of my favorite toy pterodactyl while we were in the church. I shook those thoughts away. Besides, it wasn't really the time to be thinking about shit like that. It was Chrom and Sumia's wedding for God's sake.

Trying one more time to find Robin, I finally noticed him standing to Chrom's right, near the altar, but I still couldn't find Cordelia. I really hoped she was doing okay. Robin's mood may have improved during the Bachelor Party – something I was still in the dark about but whatever – but Cordelia's didn't. As far as I knew, at least.

I frowned, but quickly masked it as the wedding ceremony officially began. Libra coughed into his hand, silencing the remaining guests who were speaking. The entire hall was filled to the brim.

Once the room was quiet, the door at the end of the hall opened, and in walked Sumia. The person who stood beside her was Cordelia, as well as a little girl who threw flowers as she walked. Sumia herself was in the most ornate white and blue dress I'd ever seen. I couldn't really tell much because of the distance, but it made her look like a beautiful phantom as she walked down the aisle. Cordelia, though, by God, was gorgeous. I almost couldn't take my eyes off of her. She managed to make a simple red dress look good without much fanfare.

In the background played a tune I'd never heard before. I was just glad to hear music again. It had been a while since I'd heard a good song.

Once Sumia was at the altar, Cordelia stood to her left. Once I got a good look at her face, I could tell she wasn't in a good way. She was smiling, but the smile didn't reach her eyes. I'd already seen it so many times. I wanted to march straight up there and give her a hug and tell her it was okay. Unfortunately, that would probably get me thrown out of the castle, so I stopped myself.

The wedding ceremony started with a familiar yet different recital from Libra.

"Friends and family, we are gathered here today to celebrate the union of our prince, Chrom, and with his chosen bride, Sumia," Libra paused for a moment before continuing. "It is only after a brutal war and invasion that these two have found comfort in each other's arms. This only proves that even in the darkest of circumstances, love can and will find a way." Libra turned to Chrom. "My lord, I only have one thing to ask of you. Do you take Sumia as your Queen, in hardship and health?"

There was no hesitation in Chrom's words. "I do," The Ringbearer had come up a little while before, and Chrom took one of the rings off the pillow she held. "Sumia, these past few months have been tough. But even then, I know you've been with me, supporting me. There is no one else I'd rather have by my side in marriage."

I looked at Sumia to almost see her crying. The way she gazed at Chrom then reminded me of Robin and Cordelia. It was a shame that all I could think about when they were exchanging vows were those two.

Robin looked to be faring better than Cordelia, at least. That didn't make me feel any better.

"And Sumia," Libra began again, "Do you take Lord Chrom as your husband, through hardship and health?"

Sumia seemed overwhelmed by emotion for a moment before she nodded her head so fast I thought her head would snap off. "I do!" She said tearfully, taking the second ring off the pillow. "Chrom, this is… this is the most wonderful day of my life. I never imagined something like this happening to someone like me. From this day onward, I'll shoulder your burdens. No matter what comes between us, I swear I'll always be beside you!"

Jesus H. Christ that almost made me cry.

Like I said, I had about zero experiences with marriage that I could still remember. So when she started talking like that with tears of joy in her eyes, my heart skipped a beat. I'd have to be a heartless bastard to not.

I took one more look at Cordelia. She looked like she was about to cry herself, although for completely different reasons, I imagined. Again, I just wanted to go up there and do my damnedest to make her feel better, but I was stuck in my chair unless I wanted to cause an incident.

For a split second, I was angry that she was chosen as the Maid of Honor. I doubted a person as sweet as Sumia would do it to someone like Cordelia intentionally. Maybe Chrom and Sumia really were meant to be together, in that case. They were both clueless as hell.

Not that I really had any right to say much about that. I still barely knew myself at the best of times. I could tell what other people were thinking with a little bit of success, though, and at that moment, I thought Chrom and Sumia shined brighter than the sun from happiness alone.

"Very well." Libra nodded, smiling. "Then, my Lord, I pronounce you as husband and wife. You may kiss your bride."

Once more, there was no hesitation as the young couple embraced and kissed. I was sure both of them were having the absolute time of their lives, and I was honestly happy for them. God knew they both deserved it. I always did like the Chrom and Sumia ship back home. Again, though, I couldn't help but notice Cordelia off to the side, looking at the newlyweds.

It was at that moment I decided to help her out once the wedding entered the recessional. Which took a while, considering Chrom and Sumia seemed to be really getting into it.

We'd've had to have gotten a crowbar to separate them if they'd kept going at it.

I may not have known what to expect when it came to weddings. As far as I was concerned, the ceremony should've been the end of it, and it probably would have been if it was literally any other wedding. Only, since the wedding was a royal one, there was a lot more to it. We went to the dining room after the ceremony, and the feast began.

The likeliest reason I could come up with for why we were there in the first place was that it was an excuse for all the nobles to gather together and discuss important political crap. Basically, nothing I'd be interested in.

I tried to find Cordelia, but the entire place was just so damn crowded. Trying to find her was like trying to find a needle in a haystack.

She has beautiful red hair for fuck's sake, why is this so hard?

"Looking for someone, I take it?" A familiar voice said behind me. I spun around a little too fast and faced Robin. "Easy there. I know this place is rather stuffy, but there is no need to be so on edge."

"Fuck, Robin, I can't help it," I muttered, running a hand down my sweaty face. I waved my iron hand at the swarm of people around us, illuminated by the yellow glow of torchlight. "I don't know any of these people. Are any of the other Shepherds around at all? It's like going through a maze of bodies."

It didn't help that the people around me acted like I didn't exist. Sometimes it felt like they were looking right through me, or looking at me from far off, like I was a curiosity or some shit. It was surreal, and it gave me a ton of anxiety.

Well, that and the fact that I still couldn't find Cordelia.

"Come with me," Robin said, motioning me towards a nearby balcony. "I do not feel comfortable around these people either."

I took one more look at the people around me, took a deep breath, and nodded. We pushed past several people, all of which didn't even give us a passing glance. I couldn't even hear my own footsteps in the cacophony.

Eventually, we made it out. A small breeze brushed past me, and I closed my eyes to savor the feeling. Only a twinkle of sunlight was left, making the buildings below cast eerie shadows on the cobbled ground.

Robin walked forward a little more, and rested his arms on the stone railing, gazing at the sky. He was starting to remind me of myself.

We fell into a comfortable silence. It was nicer outside than it was inside, to say the least. Then again, Robin was probably worse off than I was inside that overcrowded room. He was far more of an introvert than I was, and that was saying something. I still remembered how badly he was rattled in the council meeting.

"The sky is pretty tonight, is it not?" He asked out of the blue, not looking at me.

I folded my arms, standing beside him. "Yeah, it really is," I said, then went quiet for a few seconds. "Well, it's better than being in there. How the hell were you even able to do anything? Had to get into a queue just to get a macaroon."

Robin chuckled lightly. "It helps when you do not know anyone. Nothing feels personal. All you have to do is smile and make small talk if one of them approaches you. I am getting that a lot more than you, I imagine. Being Best Man will do that."

Rubbing the back of my neck awkwardly, I asked the question that I'd been wanting to since he brought me to the balcony. "Okay, Robin, be honest with me," I began. "How are you doing? Chrom and Sumia were a little, er, tone deaf when they made you and Cordelia their Best Man and Maid of Honor. I just hope you aren't-"

"I am fine, Alex," Robin said, turning around. I saw a genuine smile on his face. "I would not say that I have moved past it, or that I have made peace with my feelings. But, I feel that I can set them aside. They will do me no good in the future, and I realize that there is nothing I can do. I have no choice but to move on, lest I feel regret for the rest of my days. Who would want that?"

"Well, when you put it that way," I replied, not looking him in they eye.

"But it is Cordelia I am beginning to worry about," Robin continued, looking back out over Ylisstol. "I trust you saw her as the ceremony went on?"

I frowned. "How the hell would I have missed it, Robin?" I asked rhetorically. "She was hiding it, but she's been around me too much. Won't say I can read her like a book, but, well, I'm sure you get it."

"I do not think I do, but I will take your word for it." Robin played with his gloved hands. "She has been through a lot. The death of her entire squad, the hazing she suffered under them, and then her unrequited feelings," Robin listed off, "You have been good for her, though. That is why I paired you two so often during those last few skirmishes before the war ended. I know you were looking for her back in the dining hall."

I held my arms out. "You'd think she'd be easy to find, wouldn't you?" I said, exasperated. "What with her red hair and all. But no, it's like she's fucking vanished-"

"Alex, I am going to ask you one question," Robin said, turning around and looking me in the eye. "Do you have feelings for Cordelia?"

I nearly coughed on my own spit. "F-fucking hell," I muttered, "Okay, look, maybe. I'm only saying this because it's you, but maybe." Once I started talking, the words wouldn't stop. "I wouldn't call it love, alright? Love doesn't just happen in a couple months. But maybe something's there. Maybe. Attraction, infatuation, whatever the hell you wanna call it. It's there," I stopped myself. "Fuck my life."

Robin nodded, smiling. "I had a feeling. The other Shepherds love talking about your obvious pining."

"Now I just feel betrayed."

"It is all in good fun, Alex," Robin waved off. "It would explain much. I would not stop trying to find her, if I were you. I feel as if she will need someone to talk to before the night is over."

I didn't speak for a couple moments before nodding. "Yeah. Yeah, I'll go and do that. You gonna stay out here, My Lord?"

"Oh Gods," Robin moaned, burying his face in his hands. "I asked you to not call me that."

"In private," I replied, a shit-eating grin on my face as I backed up into the uncomfortable room behind me. "Think of it as payback for being so generous with your questions." I bowed as extravagantly as I could. "I bid you farewell, My Lord."

I left to the sound of Robin's groans.

"Oh, uh, excuse me," I said awkwardly as someone small bumped into me. The squeaking noise they made was a little cute, if nothing else. "I was just looking for somebody and-"

I stopped speaking once I got a look at her.

Lavender colored hair cascaded down her head, waving a little to the side to show her incredibly pretty face. She wore what I assumed was a dancer's outfit, although it was a little different than what I remembered. Fine fabric made up her dress and ribbons. Her pale face was almost completely red, avoiding my gaze just as much as I avoided hers.

"N-no," The dancer known as Olivia stuttered out, holding her arms close to her chest. "I-it was my fault. I'm always so clumsy when I try to get through c-crowds."

I hadn't talked with Olivia once. I knew she was supposed to join the Shepherds after Emmeryn's death, but I never saw her when we were at the fort or on the battlefield. I could understand the latter, considering it looked like a small breeze could topple her over, let alone an angry Plegian with an axe. War wasn't a game, either, so the whole 'rejuvenation' thing probably didn't have much of an effect.

She did seem to sparkle though. That was weird.

I looked around awkwardly, trying not to stare at her. I rubbed the back of my neck. "Y-yeah, I can't really stand it either, but I gotta look for someone. You wouldn't have happened to see a tall, gorge- I mean, tall redheaded woman around here, would you?'

Olivia twiddled her fingers. "U-um, I did see someone like that, b-but she was… She was drinking a lot, I-I think. I-I shouldn't be talking about that, t-though. She looked like… she looked like she didn't want to talk to anyone."

My brow furrowed as Olivia faded into the background.

That is not a good sign.

I had decided not to drink during the reception, what with the experience of the Bachelor Party still fresh in my mind. I still had trouble figuring out if I'd said anything compromising, although if I'd said anything that could damage our plans, Robin didn't comment on it.

I shivered as I remembered the adventure to find something for my hangover. That was going to be a memory forever.

I refocused on Olivia, who was fidgeting with increasing regularity. "Thank you for telling me. You're Olivia, right? Joined with the Shepherds right before the war ended?"

"E-er, yes? I-I'm sorry but I have something I n-need to do," She said suddenly, taking timid steps away from me. "Miss Sumia asked me to!"

"Uh huh," I replied, waving my hand. "Yeah, you go do that. Thanks again!"

She didn't respond as she quickly fled. I scratched the back of my head. I had to admit, she was pretty. Not in the same way as Cordelia, but pretty nonetheless.

I shook my head. The hell was I doing? Thinking about crap like that was not normal. Not for me, anyway.

I went to go look for Cordelia again, but something unexpected happened. The entire dining hall went silent and a small gap opened in the horde of noble guests. Curiosity got the better of me, and I attempted to get as close as I could to the strange event. What I saw nearly took my breath away.

Olivia was dancing. Her movements were graceful, practiced, elegant, and any other synonyms I couldn't think of. It was almost like watching a curtain dance in gentle winds. The other guests were about as spellbound as me, maybe even more so. Sounds of surprise and encouragement rang out among the crowd, although they were difficult to hear when I was so focused on the performance in front of me.

Even Olivia's expression and body language was different. She had a small smile on her face as she moved, using her body to its full potential as she moved like water. I was no expert on body language, and I would be the first to admit it, but even I'd be hard-pressed to miss the way she shrunk under my gaze earlier, even if I was trying to not do that during our entire short conversation.

The performance didn't last long, or maybe it just seemed like it didn't. Striking one last pose, Olivia proceeded to bow. Cries for an encore came from the crowd around her. I smiled a little as she seemed to preen under the praise being sent her way, before it looked like she was going to give the crowd its wish.

I didn't stay for long after that. Maybe with the thinned crowd around a majority of the hall, I'd be able to find Cordelia.

"What in the fucking fuckity fucking fuckface fuck," I grumbled frustratedly to myself. I could tell the party was winding down. There was less socializing among the nobles, and a good portion of them had left.

Yet, despite the thinning crowd, I still couldn't find Cordelia.

How hard could it be to find the most beautiful woman on the planet?

I ran my left hand through my wet hair. The heat was excruciating, but I walked around a little more; I would give it a little more time before giving up for the night. Cordelia may've been drinking, if what Olivia said was true, but that didn't mean she was in any danger. Besides, she had a couple other people she could rely on if it got to be too much for her.

I then realized that Sumia was with Chrom, wherever the hell they went, and as far as I knew, Robin had turned in for the night.

"C'mon, bucko," I whispered to myself, adjusting a few fingers on my iron hand. "Give it a little more before you give up. How hard could it be to find her-?"

Before I finished my sentence, I felt two arms snake around my waist. I froze like a deer in headlights, my eyes widening to the size of dinner plates. I stopped the impulse to turn around quickly out of fear of hurting the person who grabbed me. Turning my head slowly, I got a good look at the red hair of a certain pegasus knight.

"Mmm," Cordelia hummed, not letting go of me. "Who're you looking for? I can't- I don't have a lot of wish- wits about me, but maybe I could-" She hiccupped. "Nevermind."

"Cordy," It came out of my mouth as a strained whisper. "What the hell are you doing?"

"I dunno," She told me, loosening her hold to look me in the eye. Her cheeks were flushed, and her ruby eyes seemed unfocused. "I've just been-" She hiccupped again. "I've just been wandering around. Like a ghost. Don't tell Sumia but I hate ghost stories." Her brows furrowed for a second. "Although I suppose she's too busy with Chrom right now. I just… I couldn't…"

"How much have you had to drink?" I asked straightforwardly. She was doing a lot of rambling and I had to cut through the crap.

"I don't know, maybe, er," She stopped moving for a moment like her brain was rebooting. "I-I think maybe a couple glasses of wine."

"Really? You can barely stand," I stated.

She waved her hand, keeping one on my hip. "Ah, m-maybe it is. I just didn't want to deal with all the… Sumia is my best friend. I didn't want to spoil her wedding all because I couldn't… let go. Let loose. I don't know. The wine, the wine tasted good."

"Christ, you're a wreck," I mumbled to myself. "Alright, come here. We're getting the hell outta here."

"G-going where? I'm not-" Another hiccup. "I'm not- I'm fine, really. I think. I-it's a little difficult to tell. Everything's all blurry. T-that's not normal, is it?"

I didn't mind her hugging me from behind. Hell, I didn't mind having her touching me at all, but there was a time and place for everything, and I felt like I had to get her out of the hall as quickly as possible.

I didn't even think of the implications of taking her to my room, with her arms around my shoulder. She offered no resistance. If anything, she let me do it. She was the one pushing herself into my side.

That was getting uncomfortable. Even more so when she began nuzzling me.

"Cordelia."

"Mmm?"

"Why are you doing that?"

"Doing what?" She asked, completely sincere. Either she didn't know she was leaning on me, head on my shoulder while we both sat on my bed, or she didn't care.

"Nevermind." I avoided looking at her.

It was something I'd been longing for since Whiteford, yet for some reason it was making me uneasy.

Getting Cordelia to her room just wasn't going to happen, considering her room was all the way in the barracks. Therefore, I had decided to take her to my room, have her sleep off the alcohol, and maybe carry her to her room once she was sound asleep.

That involved getting to my room in the first place.

It wasn't a long walk from the dining hall where the party was held to my room, so getting there wasn't the problem. The problem was that once we got there, she didn't let go of me. Not even sitting on the bed made her let go.

Which led to my predicament.

Well, I said that, but I wasn't sure if I could seriously classify it as a 'predicament'. It wasn't like I didn't enjoy her touch. If anything, it felt great. I'd never really had something like it happen to me before.

Maybe it was the fact that I could smell the alcohol on her breath.

"Hah," Cordelia sighed for what felt like the umpteenth time since getting to my room. "You know, I never- I've never been in a place like this. With a man. Never had the chance," She laughed lightly to herself. "I-I always wanted it to be him. To be with him. B-but it was nothing but a fantasy. I-I'll never… I am happy for Sumia, Gods, but do I wish I was in her place!"

I winced at her words as a shuddering breath left her.

"Cordy," I called out softly, looking at her for the first time since we entered the room. "I know this is probably rich coming from someone like me, but you gotta let Chrom go. I really think you need to. I mean, fuck, look at you," I gestured to her. "You're… I mean, God, what the hell am I even saying right now."

"I k-know what you're saying, Alex," Cordelia whispered, nuzzling her head into my shoulder. "A-and it's not just Prince Chrom. It's so much more. I-I was never truly in love with him, I think. It was the idea of it. Of having somebody that loved me, having a person I thought of him as care for me. B-but even then, a part of me doesn't want to let go of these feelings."

A pit formed in my chest. "What?"

"I-I'm sorry for unloading all of this on you right now," She said airily. "I-I know it's probably hard to hear, considering how you act around me."

God, if she only knew how right she was.

The pit in my chest just kept growing as she spoke.

"It's… I just wasn't good enough, was I?" She said, as if she was speaking to the room itself. She looped her arm around mine and hugged me. "I wasn't g-good enough to save them, back at the border, I'm not good enough to be with someone like Chrom, I'm not good enough to train the next generation!"

"Yes you are," I said immediately. "Yes, you really are."

"I a-appreciate you saying that for my sake, Alex," Cordelia replied. I could almost picture the hollow smile on her lips. "But I'll never be able to live up to that standard. No matter how many times I'm called 'Little Lady Genius', no matter how many times my skills are praised, all I can see is an unattainable height, with me still face-down in the dirt. Lady Caeda, the First Exalt's wife... they are my heroes, and I cannot live up to them."

I was beginning to lose it. My mind was like a storm. "Bullshit," I hissed, breathing faster. "You may not be them, but you're a damn legend in your own right."

Cordelia sniffled. "Y-you…" She released my arm a little, and she shook her head. "I'm not. I'm really not. If I was, I'd be with him. Or at least I wouldn't have these damnable feelings! Do you want to know the reason I don't want to let go of them? Why I can't let him go, even if I don't really love him?" She didn't give me a chance to respond. "T-they're the only thing… Without those feelings, this burning in my chest… I'd never feel it again. I-it hurts. By the Gods, does it hurt. But I don't want to let it go. It's like… it's like something's burning inside of me," She placed a hand to her chest. "Without it, where would I be?"

You'd be a lot happier is what you'd be.

Cordelia wiped her eyes as she finished. "T-the pain got so bad that I… I imagined what it would be like to end it all. To put an end to myself, and those feelings, for good."

I'm… I'm sorry, sir. He's dead.

Standing on the edge of the cliff, looking down on the roiling waters below. You will never see them again. You will never see anything again. Just one step and it will all be over-

"Oh fuck no," I snarled, standing up suddenly and jostling Cordelia.

She looked at me with wide, red eyes. Dried tears stained her cheeks. "Wh-Wha-"

I grabbed her by the shoulders, careful to not hurt her with my iron hand. "Look at me, Cordelia!" I ordered. "I don't care what war you got going on in your head. I don't care about what you've been thinking about. But, by God, I am not losing another person I care about! Not again!" I realized I was shouting, but I didn't care. "Don't you dare do that, you hear me? Don't you fucking dare! Sumia cares about you. Robin cares about you. I care about you! You don't have to deal with this shit all by yourself, understand!? You and Robin came for me back on Whiteford and brought me back from the goddamn brink. I'd die before I let you take the plunge."

"A-Alex…" Cordelia stuttered out.

"I'm not done," I interrupted, holding her still. "I'm going to help you, understand? I'm going to help and support you no matter what you do. Hell, we already talk about shit all the goddamn time. Just… Just don't keep crap like this to yourself, okay? It'll tear you up. Trust me, I know. I'll…"

I realized what was happening, and my heart sunk into my chest. Cordelia was avoiding my gaze, looking at my arm. She was breathing heavily. I released her, and she slowly sat back on the bed.

"I-I-" I stuttered, unable to really say anything. I turned around. "I-I should probably go. It wasn't my place to say that, was it?"

I took one step forward before I felt a tug on my tunic.

"No," Cordelia whispered, teary-eyed. "P-Please, don't leave."

I didn't say anything for a few seconds. What could I even say? Instead, I acted. I turned back around and sat on the bed next to her, just like when we first arrived.

For some reason, I couldn't get the idea out of my head that I'd fucked up; maybe came on a little too forcefully or said a little more than I should, but there was nothing I could really do about that.

Slowly but surely, Cordelia moved herself so that my arm was around her neck, and she hugged me from the side.

"Cordy?" I stammered out. The contact wasn't unwelcome, but it was all becoming a bit much. It felt like my brain was fried.

"I," She murmured. "P-please, don't… Let me have this…"

With the way she was pressing up against me, I found myself laying on the bed on my back. Her arms wrapped their way around the top of my collarbone, almost cradling my head as she nuzzled into the crook of my neck. I shivered as I felt her warm breath against my skin. Her warm, lean body pressed close to mine. A familiar smell of cherries wafted up to my nose. I moved my arms until I was embracing her in kind, making sure the iron hand didn't touch any visible skin.

"T-thank you, Alex…!" She whispered, her breath hot on my ear. "Thank you so, so m-much…!"

I said nothing. There was nothing more to say.

In that moment, I wanted to kiss her. It wasn't a strong feeling, like I felt like I'd die if I didn't do it, but it was there, in the back of my mind. It wouldn't have even been that hard. All I'd have had to do was lift her head up and press my lips against hers-

Not now.

There were other times for that, but there was one thing I was certain of. As I held Cordelia in my arms, feeling her breath against my skin and the rising and falling of her chest as it pressed against my own, I realized it.

I was in love.

Well if it wasn't obvious who Alex's love interest was before this...

Heh, the memes on the Discord server were good while they lasted.

So yeah, not much I can really say about this. Just hope you enjoyed.

Although I will say that updates will be slower now. I've been writing non-stop for a couple months now, and I think I need to take a step back and, well, take it easy. Burnout is a dangerous thing, and I'm at the point where most stories for Awakening die.

This just means that, after this update, Chapters will come out every other Saturday, instead of every Saturday. It'll probably give me more time to fix all the little errors I tend to notice only after a chapter is published.

Here's our Discord server: discord .gg/9XG3U7a

Anyway, see you guys next time!

Edited on 2/27/21. This is still one of my favorite Chapters.