AN: School and work got really busy but I wanted to get a chapter out. Enjoy! My beta reader has returned to help me finish up the rest of DBH, so look forward to that!

The Officers Academy was renowned for producing some of the most capable defenders of the Church of Seiros. In tandem with its illustrious pedigree, its defenses were purportedly second to none. Yet, the academy's overconfidence in its reputation had left it blind to traitors from within, and Flayn had vanished without a trace.

The Church said that they'd find her - and find her they did. Gripped in the Death Knight's clutches. It was only after they'd rescued her that they realized Flayn wasn't the first to have been whisked away by the creature. Furthermore, this very beast had been their former fencing instructor, Jeritza. Felix had found his betrayal shameful - at first. He was a formidable fighter, after all. But the Death Knight was a monster, and men who let themselves become monsters weren't worthy of praise.

While he doubted the Death Knight would return any time soon - especially by breaking into the academy - he couldn't rule out the possibility that these 'ghosts' that Ashe and Annette were so scared of could be him.

So Felix headed to the greenhouse in the quiet of the night with his sword sheathed at his side and his senses peeled for danger. None of the guards noticed him racing down the streets of the campus. He may as well have been a shadow for all they cared.

Above him the stars glimmered like jewels inlaid in a cobalt headdress and the moon engraved a silver path for him. Felix's breath puffed white clouds before him. It was almost as if he were on the battlefield, watching newly-gutted souls drift up into the heavens. Except he wasn't crazy enough to believe in that nonsense. How the boar- Dimitri - had strung a metaphorical loop of gravestones about his own neck was ridiculous.

Hulking like a slumbering beast near the edge of the fishing pond was the greenhouse. Its scales had dulled in the curtain of midnight, no longer overflowing with the sun's energy. He'd never admit this to Ashe, but he could almost see how something like this might overstimulate one's imagination. Almost.

Steeling himself for the unknown, Felix crept closer until he was pressed against its side. He couldn't hear a thing through the doors.

A single guard was patrolling this side of the campus. Their armor glinted like a polished blade in the moon's light. They were too far away to have spotted Felix; their pace was an indolent crawl as they passed by Bernadette's room. He had no doubt that the shut-in was stuffing her face with food she had swiped from the cafeteria at this very moment.

Felix gathered his faculties. Then he pushed open the door and slipped inside the belly of the beast. He kept one hand on the hilt of his sword as he surveyed the gloom.

He didn't know much about how greenhouses functioned, only that they lapped up the sun's rays in the day and somehow dispersed it throughout the night to keep the plants warm. It was a peculiar process. Perhaps the Church had employed mages to keep the greenhouses functioning?

Whatever the case, the one thing he was certain of was that it was dark in here. Felix melted into the shadows and strained to listen for anything that might be lurking inside. The smell of manure and fertilizer nearly suffocated him and the air practically dripped with moisture.

He slowly pushed the door back behind him, but he didn't shut it. A thin line of moonlight seeped in through the crack, illuminating the pitch black like a torch lighting the night.

Felix followed the length of the walls. It was incredibly dark in here, even with the little bit of light coming through the door. This place could be the perfect refuge, if one needed it. Though what one would need in the shadows of a greenhouse, he didn't know.

As he was carefully picking his way around the room, a small shuffle caught his attention. He froze, his hand tightening on the pommel of his weapon. The sudden noise became a slight scratching sound - like someone's shoes against the stone floor.

Felix concentrated on the noise, tracking its whereabouts. There. With the agility of a predator, the young man skirted around a plot of soil and across to the other side of the room. He heard it again, this time more to his right. Whatever it was, the noise it made was far too small to be the Death Knight.

And it was now lurking inside of the plot nearest to the back of the greenhouse.

Before he leapt blindly after the culprit like an untrained idiot, Felix pinpointed the source's location. Tested his idea of his spatial surroundings. He formed a mental layout of where he could move to dodge any unexpected assault if need be. Then he struck.

He landed amongst the budding flowers and rubbery leaves with a muffled thump. A gasp shattered the quiet, and Felix whirled around. Only to drop to the ground as a heated orange light winked into existence before his face.

Annette's blue eyes shone above the glow of the fire cupped between her hands. She didn't fling it at him. Thank Seiros for that.

"Felix!" she hissed. "What are you doing here?"

He released a sigh and let go of his sword's hilt. "Looking for you. And hoping not to get burned alive," he answered her as he picked himself up.

The startled warlock closed her hands around the fireball, shrinking it until it was as tiny as a firefly. Its bright orange flames flickered between her fingers and cast a harsh patchwork of light and shadow over her face. "I can see that. I could've accidentally hit you, you know. Why are you here?"

"I could ask you the same thing," he said, knowing full-well why the superstitious warlock was awake in the middle of the night. A strange mixture of relief and annoyance washed over him. His lips quirked up at the corners and he said, "Last I recall, plants needed only sunlight and water to thrive. Does your voice carry a spell to aid in their growth?"

Though her flames and the darkness hid any confirmation from him, he was certain that a blush was coloring her complexion. Felix didn't know why it pleased him. He frowned slightly at that.

The fireball grew between her cupped hands as her voice sharpened. "It doesn't matter why I'm here - you'd only think the reason was stupid. And no, for your information. Can't you let it go?"

"Let what go?"

She practically bristled at that. "Felix," she ground out through her teeth. "You really do enjoy bullying me, don't you? What's it gonna take for you to -

Annette broke off and the fire between her hands sputtered out. "Did you hear that?" she whispered. Felix patiently waited for his eyes to adjust to the dark.

"There's nothing here."

Something warm drew near him, and he started. The small warlock had sidled up close to him; the ends of her long braids caressed the back of his hand. Annette was short - but he'd never understood just how tiny she was. Something about that fact ignited an odd sensation within him. It was similar to how he felt when he spotted a stray cat: a contented bubbly feeling that began in his chest and spread throughout him like a good soak in hot water.

But Annette wasn't a cat and now he wasn't sure what to think anymore.

And then it clicked. "There's no such things as ghosts," he murmured quietly. Yes, he wanted to pick her up and hide her where nothing could harm her. However, Annette was a fearsome warlock. He'd seen her demolish enemies on the field as if they were the were homework assignments that Sylvain crumpled in his fists.

"Are you kidding me?" Annette retorted in a frantic hiss. "They're everywhere. Oh, I knew I shouldn't have gone alone. But Ashe is scared of them too. I should've waited for the morning."

His reply was curt. "Then ask me to come next time." Next time? What next time? What did he mean by that?

Annette fell silent for a moment. "Um. No offense, Felix," she hedged. "If I have to face ghosts with anyone, they've gotta be someone who understands the risks. Ashe gets it."

"Risks," he grumbled. Ashe was a far gentler person than himself, sure. But he couldn't stop freaking out about dumb phantoms to get himself together. "Ghosts aren't real - and even if they were I'd cut them down."

She shifted, turning to the side. "Do you wanna bet?" Despite the fear lacing her words, there was a mischievous lilt to them. Like she was absolutely thrilled to show him up. Felix peered down at her, his eyesight finally having grown acclimated to the gloom. It helped tremendously that he'd left the greenhouses' door open ajar. The deep shadows had muted her orange hair to a thrush-brown and her slight frame trembled with nerves. Her shaking vibrated through him. "Because one's coming this way."

"Nonsense," he snorted. Even so, he stilled at a slight scratching sound. Coming from outside. He struggled to make out what was going on, but he didn't get a chance to wonder for too long.

Annette blindly reached out and felt for his arm. Her soft hand burned like a forged blade against his own, and she dragged him down and into the thick covering of leafy plants behind them. Their rubbery fronds were slick with moisture from the humidity. She yanked him down hard, so that they were like baby birds snug together in a nest.

"What are you gonna bet?" she whispered to him. "Because if I win then I want you to forget - oh my god it's here," she choked. Her grip around his hand convulsed. "Okay, I'll blast it with a fireball and then you go and slice it. Do you think that'll work?"

"I don't think ghosts can be killed," he pointed out matter-of-factly. He raised his head so he could peek out over the plants. Not that it mattered much, considering how dark it was.

"Then we gotta run for it," she said. "Cover me."

He didn't get a chance to stop her. Annette shot out of their cover and moved to press herself against the trunk of a small tree. Carefully, she peeked around its trunk, checking for an opening.

"Annette," he started, only to be blinded by the brilliance of the moonlight as the greenhouse's doors were flung open.

Annette squeaked and summoned a fireball to burn the ghosts with.

The doors slammed shut and he heard a voice. Immediately, Felix rushed to Annette, grabbed her hands and pressed them together, effectively killing her flames. "What are you doing?" she cried. "They're here!"

"Did you hear something?" another girl exclaimed shakily, somewhere near the entrance.

Annette stiffened.

"See?" Felix said, albeit quite smugly. "No ghosts."

He could've sworn her shoulders drooped. In relief or disappointment, he didn't know. Not like their bet was going to be fruitful for her anyway, he thought. "What's she doing here?"

Felix was about to say he hadn't a clue, when someone else spoke. It took all he had within him not to groan with annoyance.

"Shh, it's only the wind my love." Gods damned Sylvain. Felix gritted his teeth.

The girl said, "Are you sure?"

Sylvain chuckled. "Who would check a greenhouse? Our rooms are more suspect. But here? No disturbances...just you and me. Enjoying our love."

Felix's lips thinned with displeasure. "Seiros have mercy on us," he muttered.

In a voice a tad louder than his had been, Annette said, "Sylvain? What's he doing out so late?"

Sylvain and his late-night date went dead quiet. Then the girl started again. "Did you hear something?!"

For some inexplicable reason, Felix panicked. He let go of Annette's hands and stepped forward so that he was pressed flush against her. He braced his forearms against the tree on either side of her head, caging her in place. Holding them both still as death. Felix didn't want to get caught. He'd have to explain to his childhood friend why he was here. Alone. With Annette. In the middle of the night.

Sylvain would never believe him. Moreover, if Felix was being honest with himself, he wanted to help Annette find her lost doll. Even if it took them the rest of the night. Even if she tried to convince him that ghosts existed. If he could spend even a tiny amount more time with her, he'd forego any sleep tonight.

It was as if eons had passed in the amount of time it took for the silence to be broken by Sylvain's rumbling, throaty laugh. "Must've been your imagination, dear."

"I heard something, I swear I did!"

There was the sound of movement, and then the girl let out a delighted gasp. "Really? What did you hear?" To Felix's horror, the girl let out a breathy moan. Sylvain murmured something unintelligible and then there was the uncomfortable sound of heavy breathing and lips smacking together.

They were stuck in a room with two horny people getting it on with each other. And the only way out was through the front doors, right where the couple was vigorously grabbing each other, if the sounds were any indication.

Annette went stock-still. "They...aren't ghosts then."

This was ten times worse than encountering any ghosts.

He didn't want to get caught. But he didn't want to be witness to this scene either.

"Why couldn't they get a room?" he sighed in defeat.

Annette squirmed and dropped her hands to her sides. Felix met her gaze, inwardly cursing Sylvain for existing. "This is unfortunate," she told him. "Um, what should we do?"

He snorted derisively and shook his head, trying to block out the sounds they were making, but failing. "Very unfortunate. Maybe I should chop something off for him."

At that, Annette pressed her hands over her mouth to stifle the sound of her laughter. There'd been no need though, for Sylvain and the girl were making far too much noise to worry. The warlock's shoulders shook with each laugh. "That's not a bad idea," she agreed.

Felix smiled.

Annette smiled back up at him.

And then the greenhouse's doors opened with a deafening boom, and the outline of Professor Byleth in all her glory stood outlined against the night.

Sylvain and the girl, who were currently tangled up in each other against the wall, completely froze as the moonlight exposed them. The girl shrunk in on herself and tried to hide against the Blue Lion's play-boy. Byleth simply folded her arms at the spectacle.

"Hey, teach," Sylvain nervously said, letting go of the girl to grin at his professor like a fool. He reached up to button his shirt and the girl tugged down the hemline of her skirt.

"Outside. Now," Byleth said.

The pair spared each other a single glance before slowly following Byleth outside. Sylvain was already prattling on about some excuse for why they were there, none of which was going to fare well for them. Byleth only crooked her finger and a guard heeded her summons.

"That's what you get," Felix snickered.

The guard led Sylvain and the girl away, but Byleth lingered in the greenhouse. When she turned around to survey the room, Felix ducked back in line with the tree, gently pressing against Annette. He rested his cheek against the rough bark. Leave, professor, he silently pleaded.

He couldn't see what was going on, but he didn't hear his professor move into the room. Nor did he hear her leave.

Annette tensed beneath him.

All at once, Felix became all too aware of her. Perhaps it was because they were in close quarters. Or maybe it was because he had her up against a tree and flush against his body, similar to how Sylvain had had his newest liaison against the wall. Sure, they weren't engaged in anything illicit, but even so…the similarities were enough.

Damn, it was too stuffy in here.

His chin grazed the top of her head and from her crown wafted a pleasant, sweet scent, like cookie dough and a hint of perfume. Or was it soap? What he'd mistaken for her rapid heartbeat was actually his, and it drummed an erratic pulse. He could feel the softness of her chest pushing against his with each swell of breath, and his face flushed at the very notion.

Then he heard the clack of booted footsteps retreating outside. The creak of the doors closing behind his professor. Darkness settled over the room again.

Felix sagged in relief, bringing his forehead against the bark and his cheek against Annette's temple.

"That was a close one," she exclaimed, her voice thrumming against him. She was too warm - hot even - against him. "So, you got lucky this time. Not a ghost after all."

He laughed, "What? Disappointed?"

"No!" She protested and he drew back to look down at her. He blinked several times to better see her in the dark. "That was awkward, though. I knew Sylvain was like that but I never thought I'd have to see or hear it."

Her breath clouded hot on his mouth. Felix felt very strange: light-headed, spiked with adrenaline and on edge all at once.

He cast his gaze anywhere but at her. His fingers curled into fists near her head. The irrational urge to simultaneously meet her gaze head-on and to run away from her hit him like a wyvern rider colliding with a paladin.

But it was too dark to clearly see her and so, he reasoned, she couldn't possibly see him that well either.

"Felix?" she said, jolting him back into awareness.

"Yeah," his voice was hoarse. "Very awkward. I'll kill him tomorrow."

Maybe it was because he was always saying things like that, but she giggled. He looked down at her, his mind growing heady with her scent. "If the exam doesn't," she said. Her breath skated along his mouth again.

A tingle spread over his lips.

What was going on with him? It was like a fog had misted over his mind, narrowing his focus solely onto just this girl beneath him. He wanted to hear her sing again. Felix opened his mouth to say something, only for a wave of hesitation to rush over him.

"Well, thanks for coming down here," she told him. "Much as you're a bully, I can't exactly snub my nose at someone who's not afraid of ghosts. I'm so glad they didn't swoop in with their ghostly arms, booing and screaming and all that."

He couldn't stop the lopsided grin that stole over him. "Oh? I had no idea that's what ghosts did. Looks like there's nothing to fear, then."

She shook her head adamantly, her braids smack against him like ropes. "Ghosts are every bit as terrifying as swamp beasties."

"Noted," he said. What were swamp beasties?

Annette straightened against him, sending bits of bark loose and falling to the ground. "Anyway, I guess I should've waited to try in the morning. Thanks for the company, Felix. I -

A yawn claimed her words, shaping her voice into something altogether adorable.

Adorable? Felix jerked away from her, his face burning. "It's not like I came here for you," he snapped, spinning around on his heel.

"You said you came here specifically for me, actually." She teased him. "Although…"

He dared a peek over his shoulder at her. Annette seemed to be gathering herself for something. "I wouldn't be averse to you and I going back to our rooms together. You know, in case any ghosties are lying in wait." She shuddered at the thought.

"Your flames seem more than capable," he honestly replied. "But, if you insist."

Annette worried her braid between her hands. "We just can't let Professor Byleth catch us."

Another peculiar wave of heat warmed the back of his neck and blazed across his face. "Why? It's not as if we were doing anything wrong."

She sighed dramatically. "After Sylvain, I'd think our professor might be suspicious of a girl and a boy out together alone. At night."

The implication of it all was like a slap across his cheek. Felix crossed his arms, then uncrossed them. He shifted his weight onto one side of his body, then the other. "Whatever," he stammered. "It's not like we planned to meet up."

Technically, he had sought her out - to protect her, of course. Never-mind that she could do that on her own.

"Yeah," Annette agreed, a slight catch in her voice. "You're right, Felix. Professor Byleth knows her students better than anyone! There's no need to be worried."

He nodded, all the while remembering his professor's strange actions from the other day. The way she'd asked him to personally tell Annette how her duties had been passed to him, that little knowing smirk twisting her mouth. Why was it bugging him? It's not like there'd been a reason for that.

"Let's be on our way," he said, rushing past her and making a beeline straight for exit. It was way too hot in here. Way too dark.

"Wait up!" Annette called after him, racing on short legs to catch up to him.

The cold night air was refreshing as he stepped outside. He inhaled through his nose, tilting his head back to cool off. Much better.

Before he closed the doors, Felix glanced into the greenhouse. "Make sure you get some shut eye this time," he sternly told her. Annette guffawed but didn't argue.

He shut the doors closed and turned around to find her glaring up at him with a rosy hue to her complexion. Her eyes shone and her orange hair gleamed like muted gold in the moonlight. He rolled his bottom lip between his teeth. She'd been looking for some doll her father had given her. Wasn't that what Ashe had said?

The dark circles beneath her eyes were like purple bruises. How much had she slept during the month?

With a defeated sigh, Felix said, "Come on. Before the ghosties get you."

Annette stuck close to his side, only inches separating them. He'd look for her doll tomorrow. Maybe it'd set her at ease.

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