"Ah! Professor," Byleth turned from her book, looking expectantly up at her comrade, " I'm afraid I have a rather delicate request for you."
Her interest now piqued she quirked her eyebrow at him quizzically, "And may I ask what makes this matter so delicate?"
Her gaze burned holes through Hubert's impeccable armor, the way she suspected him was frequently more charming than frustrating and that thought was frustrating in itself
"A flower." He blurted, exasperated by those eyes. He realized his folly and hurried to specify, " any flower really, it's for Lady Edelgard." He improvised quickly before mortification tugged tightly at his reigns
He had requested of this impertinent woman, who's hold over him must be investigated, to acquire flowers for another woman. 'This is my attempt at wooing?' he admonished himself before he felt his neck grow hot at his own secret admission
Byleth, true to form, considered his request quietly before nodding and offering him a bright smile, "A flower it is."
And with that she closed her book and excused herself from the dilapidating library, Hubert equally stunned and horrified in her wake
It had only been a few hours after Hubert had made his request that Byleth approached him, a blossomed rose in her hand
"Good work!" he called, endeavoring to force charm into his scowl of a grin, but as he reached out to take it she hesitated and withdrew her grasp
As if caught in a trance he didn't move, his eyes instead searching desperately for hers, willing them to meet his gaze. After a moment she moved, taking a half step closer to him and carefully fastened the rose to his lapel
His heart raced, thundering traitorously in his chest as her eyes found his drowning him in their depths
"You know Hubert…" the sound of her voice was all he could her, his own name upon her lips soothing him in a way he had thought lost as her touch was denied by his jacket, each soft tug a reminder
"If you wanted a gift you could have just asked." She smiled up at him warmly, the dusting of color in her cheeks causing heat to rise fully through his neck to the tips of his ears.
"You look handsome in red." She beamed to the stunned man before looking away shyly, habitually tucking her hair behind her ear "I really must be going now." She spoke so softly he almost did not hear it and yet still he couldn't gather his courage and she walked away flanked on all sides by messengers
He looked down at his lapel admiring the rose he found there as if it were the first time he'd ever witnessed a rose. He brushed his fingers softly across the petals, scolding himself as he lingered on the memory of her fingers there
"Hmph. So I've been found out."
"Ah Hubert, there you are. I wonder if you could help me in picking some flowers?" Edelgard looked nonchalantly up at him before double taking as his face burned brightly