"I had to come up with a way to keep you with me, this is what I came up with. And…" Felix's statement hung heavy in the air Byleth standing stunned before him. She examined the ring in her outstretched palms, her head tipping back to behold him as if in a daze

"And?" Byleths voice rang hollow in her own ears, time around her trudging slowly as she tried desperately to ground herself. Her question broke him from his trace, scowling at her slightly

"You're pretty slow aren't ya?" His eyes scanned hers quickly as heat rose through his cheeks "don't you know what a ring like that means?"

"No, I don't." She blurted, the words coming too fast for her to stop them

"Why you-!" Heat rose further through his face, a mix of irritation and infatuation "Fine!" He gathered his courage, locking his determined gaze with her bewildered one. "I'm not going to say this more than once."

Suddenly Byleth straightened, sobered slightly by his usual frankness

"I want you to be my wife, I want to stay together until we die. Please say yes." His hands quivered slightly as he closed her hands around the ring "I love you."

Again Byleth was a victim to her own shock, the strange shyness of the unknown swordsman before her left her confused. 'Then that time at the goddess festival…' All the while her mind wandered in blissful confusion Felix stood before her, the deep red now tinting the very tips of his ears. He stared into her only to be met with usual frustrating impassiveness, save for the attractive blush that had blossomed in both cheeks and across her nose

Feeling his own bravery slip away after baring his soul he turned to hide his red face "That's all." He mumbled, taking a few strides before hearing that irritating voice again

"Wait!" She called out for him, taking a few unusually clumsy steps towards him, her free hand reaching out for him

"What?" He spun quickly, pressing her against a nearby pillar, his arm resting there. In a renewed surge of boldness he felt his hand move to cup her chin, forcing her wide eyes to look only at him. No more jokes, no more getting embarrassed.

"You got something to complain about?" He growled lowly, perhaps too aggressively. She had called for him, wanted him to stay, he reminded himself possessively as he hurriedly searched her face for signs of irritation or disgust

"I love you too." It was now Felix's turn to experience a world void of everything but her voice, time slowing for him as he looked again into her soul hoping to find a sign there. And finally he saw it, the love he had longed to see reflected there as she stared back at him

"Oh… well in that case. I need to start planning for the future." His gloved thumb stroked her cheek gently, cradling her head as it tilted upward. "My future. With you." His words were a mere breath upon her lips before he captured them with his own

She raised her arms, quickly nestling one in his hair and the other pressing softly against his chest. Over his thundering heart.

His hand moved swiftly from her jaw to her fingertips, lacing them carefully with his own before flinging her arm above her, pinning it there as he nipped eagerly at her lip. She whimpered softly in her surprise, slowly complying to his demands

Before long they were breathless and Felix felt a strange heat coming from the smaller woman's palm. He removed her arm from the wall, slowly unlacing their fingers to find the ring clasped there. Smiling he took it from her exerted form, slipping it around her finger. He looked down on her panting form, moving his thumb over her parted and kiss swollen lips, her glazed eyes half lidded as she stared back up at him greedily

He grinned

'Just imagine the honeymoon'