6-It's time for another chapter, featuring our ever lazy poet. I think I can safely say I'm over halfway there, now just to press through. Thank you again to all of you who take time out of your day to read this –ArcanaHermit

Chapter Fifteen: Words (Corrin x Mitama)

Corrin just got back from an important strategy meeting, feeling less than satisfied. They still haven't resolved the glaring weakness in their formations, and it was still on Corrin's mind as he reached the door to his own quarters. As he opened the door, he was greeted with the familiar sight of Mitama resting her head on his(or rather their)table, a bunch of poem slips scattered around her.

Corrin went up to her and gently tapped her on the head, a usual gesture whenever he wanted her to wake up. He was getting used to having to wake her up, and oddly didn't mind it since it gives him an excuse to do this silly gesture. As expected, she slowly stirred and woke, showing her beautiful star-shaped pupils.

"Husband wakes me up/His face bringing me much joy/I greet him morning"

"Good afternoon to you to, Mitama."

"Oh…it's afternoon. No matter, sleep is sleep."

Corrin should honestly get mad at her for sleeping in, but he couldn't help but find it cute. Despite her apparent laziness, she was diligent when she is required to be, as many a wounded soldier can attest to once they saw her incredible work ethic when healing others. Still, if she isn't required for something, such as today, she will often just lounge around in their room, writing haikus and taking naps.

"So, how was your haiku making?"

The sudden frown in her face is enough to make Corrin both wince and make his heart ache.

"My words find no mark/my message shrouded in mist/ I fail to see why"

"So you're struggling to make a haiku?"

Mitama nodded, obviously embarrassed that someone as dedicated to making poetry as her failed to make a haiku. Corrin looked at the empty slips around her and wondered if she was trying to find out how to make that haiku the entire day. Normally it'd only take her an hour at best to overcome any struggles she had, but an entire half-day is a bit worrying.

"Hmm, well what is the haiku you're trying to write?"

Mitama immediately looked away, but not before Corrin noticed the obvious blush on her face. He chuckled at the sight. Embarrassing the usually reserved Mitama was a rare sight, so he makes sure to note it down when it happened.

"The man asks too much/ this secret will not be told/my lips are shut tight"

"An honored secret/ I accept my wife's request/ I shall ask no more"

Her frowned removed; Mitama went over and peck him on the cheek. She usually does that when he replies her haikus with some of his own, though his is nowhere near as eloquent. Still, it was worth fumbling his mind for words to make a haiku if it meant her smile and kiss were the rewards.

Yawning, he found himself rather tired from the recent meeting. His body was aching in some places and his eyes feel heavier by the second. Slowly he went towards the bed and begun to lay on it, wrapping the blankets around him for comfort. He didn't exactly drift off to unconsciousness before he noticed Mitama also lying on the bed, snuggling comfortably against him.

"Tired?"

"Yeah, it's been a busy few days."

"My love needs to sleep/ He works himself to the bone/ I will help him rest"

Giving in to her warmth, he wrapped his arms around her and quickly dozed off. Thankfully his sleep was not filled with nightmares that plagued his mind on occasion, especially on stressful occasions like the past few days had been. He probably had Mitama to thank for that as well.

After a while though, Corrin had begun to stir. Opening his eyes slowly, he realized that she was no longer with him, but back at her table. Her brush was in her hand, and she had a poem slip on her hands. Corrin figured she finally got around to writing her haiku, until she put it down and sighed dejectedly.

"I still can't think of an appropriate haiku. I couldn't do it when he confessed to me, and I can't do it now. What's missing?"

If Corrin wasn't fully awakened, he was upon hearing those words. His mind still groggy, he vaguely recalled that she didn't have the appropriate haiku when he first confessed to her, or something along those lines. Was that truly the haiku she couldn't come up with after all that time? Chuckling to himself, he quickly got up and came up to her and wrapped his arms around her, leading to an adorable yelp from the poet.

"C-Corrin, you're awake. Wait, d-did you..?"

"So that's the haiku you've been struggling to create?"

Though he couldn't see her face, he had no doubt it was growing a bright shade of red. Quickly she turned around and gave him a pout, which all but melted Corrin's heart.

"Since you've so rudely listened in, y-yes. I remember when I couldn't come up with a haiku when you first confessed. Me, lacking poetic inspiration at one of the most scenic times of my life, it was such a humiliating thought in hindsight. Ever since then, I've been trying to find the right haiku to describe…well…us, but the words can't form in my mind."

Her pout gave way to a look of dejection, and Corrin could somewhat understand where she is coming from. For her, poetry is her life's work. For her to lack the appropriate poet is like if his butler Jakob lacked the appropriate tea on Corrin's birthday. He wouldn't hold it against him, but Jakob would feel absolutely terrible for what he sees as insult to his reason for living.

"Well…maybe what we have can't be put into words."

"W-what do you mean?"

"Well…let me put it this way. I can use a lot of words to describe our relationship: quirky, romantic, and the like. But I don't think any of those words are an accurate description of what we share. It's like with your poetry. You can make the most romantic sounding haiku, but I don't think it'll truly capture our relationship, wouldn't you think?"

Mitama pondered to herself for a moment, then immediately went for a brush and started writing down a haiku.

"The man speaks wisdom/I have forgotten this truth/Love can't be captured"

Yawning, Mitama took another slip of paper and hid it from Corrin's sight. She quickly wrote something on it before passing it on to Corrin, the words on the slip widening his smile.

"We beneath the stars /when you pressed your lips on mine /my heart soared up high"

"Thank you. It seems in my pursuit to find the perfect poem for us, I forgotten one of the most important things of a poet. Love, true love, cannot be fully put into words. Even if the poet can describe in detail, it would still pale in comparison to the real thing. The emotions, the atmosphere, it can only be truly appreciated by those that experienced it."

Afterwards, she gave out another yawn before rubbing her eyes and marching towards the bed.

"Now that I've found a solution to my problem, it's time for me to sleep. After not having any good sleep since yesterday, I'd like to take a long nap."

"Wait, you haven't sleep since yesterday? But what about when we were in bed together? Or when I woke you up?"

"I slipped out when I made sure you were asleep, and my nap was due to exhaustion more than anything. I couldn't rest with that confounded problem in my head. It was the longest I've gotten without good sleep, not counting extended healing duty. Now if you'll excuse me, love."

She reached for the bed and immediately shut her eyes, her mind quickly dissolving to sleep. Before she did though, another haiku entered her mind.

He teaches wonders/His smile always melts my heart/His joy feels so warm

And that's Mitama done, hopefully I didn't absolutely fuck up my haikus (though I'm sure I did) ~. Anyways, next time it's going to be a Nohrian retainer. Which one? Find out next time, and thanks for reading as always - ArcanaHermit