Sylvain wasn't even really sure why he accepted Eve's proposition, let alone why he did so without a moment's hesitation. Maybe it was because he wanted to help Eve. Or maybe it was because he wanted to make sure Dimitri got over his unrequited love. But Sylvain was selfish by nature, of this he knew very well; he could thank his crest for that. In truth, Eve's proposition had been a welcome one. With the upcoming mission and the prospect of having to face Miklan, Sylvain was dying for a distraction. The girls in town all wanted too much from him; there was too much foreplay involved for his liking. He didn't want to go through the effort of courting girls, taking them out on dates, and showering them with all the right words to get them to his bed. But Eve didn't want anything from him, didn't want his sweet words or meals on his coin. She didn't want his crest or his title or his money, just him in the most natural of senses. And the best part was that she had been the one to offer the arrangement; Sylvain didn't have to worry about his conscience taking a hit and feeling like he was taking advantage of her. They were both taking advantage of each other, and that's why it was perfect.
A part of him did feel guilty, however, for what he was about to do to His Highness. Dimitri was a good guy with a pure heart, but that pure heart was only going to bring him pain if he continued to think he was in love with Eve. Sylvain told himself that he was doing this for His Highness' sake in the long run.
"Goddess, it almost looks like you're trying to form a thought." Felix came to sit next to where Sylvain sat in the sauna with a grimace on his face.
"Felix, you always know just how to make me swoon." Sylvain laughed at the insult, clapping his friend on the back.
"What's gotten you suddenly interested in using that head of yours?" Felix sneered.
"Mmm just a little lady." Sylvain hummed playfully, looking at Felix from the corner of his eye.
"I should have known." Felix scoffed. "You really are insatiable."
"Perhaps." Sylvain shrugged. "But I'd wager Eve's gotten you having one or two thoughts of your own."
Felix's head snapped up at the mention of Eve to which Sylvain grinned mischievously. He had hit his mark. Sylvain had had a suspicion that Felix was particularly interested in Eve after seeing how much time the younger boy spent with her. And of course, the one girl Felix had to be interested in was one that already belonged to Dimitri of all people. Antagonising Felix about his little crush would no doubt serve as another entertaining distraction for Sylvain.
"I knew you were stupid, but I didn't think you'd be so dumb as to try and pursue Dimitri's future wife." Felix tried to feign nonchalance as if Sylvain hadn't just clearly seen his reaction to Eve's name.
"I'm innocent." Sylvain put his hands up as if in surrender. "I'm not the one doing the pursuing."
"Right, sure." Felix gave his childhood friend a sidelong glance.
"I'm being serious!" Sylvain laughed. "I wouldn't dare try to flirt with His Highness' girl. I'm not nearly as bold as you."
"It's got nothing to do with being bold." Felix crossed his arms.
"So, you admit it." Sylvain grinned from ear to ear. "You're trying to flirt with her."
Felix's eyes widened as he realised what he had just said. And Sylvain wagered that if they weren't already flushed from the heat of the sauna, Felix would have started to blush too.
"I'm not you." Felix tried to deflect. "I'm not flirting with anyone."
"Well, you had me fooled." Sylvain shrugged, grinning wickedly as he continued to tease. "But I wouldn't blame you if you were flirting with her. I mean, have you seen Eve? Goddess, the things I'd do to that body of hers."
"If you lay a finger on her, I'll kill you." Felix was up faster than lightning, grabbing Sylvain's shirt tightly in his fist.
"Woah, woah." Sylvain put his hands up, laughing at how adorably angry Felix looked. "You're rather worked up, aren't you?"
"She's…" Felix let go of Sylvain, looking away with embarrassment. "She's my friend."
"Uh-huh." Sylvain raised an eyebrow. "Do you always care this much about who your friends choose to sleep with?"
"I just care that you don't do anything to her that she doesn't want." Felix sat back down sheepishly. "You know, because she's my friend."
"So, what you're saying is," Sylvain watched Felix out of the corner of his eye, another shit-eating grin forming on his face, "if she wanted me to do something to her then you wouldn't care."
"I don't know why you're so focused on this hypothetical." Felix said through gritted teeth. "Eve would never, so it doesn't matter if I'd care or not."
"Never's a pretty strong word." Sylvain leaned back with a sigh, stretching his arms above his head.
"She's loyal." Felix said with a hint of bitterness. "She wouldn't betray Dimitri."
"Don't sound so disappointed when you say that." Sylvain laughed. "It almost sounds like you wish she'd betray him."
"It's none of our business." Felix huffed, getting up to leave the sauna. "It's between her, the boar, and the Church. It's got nothing to do with me."
As Felix walked away Sylvain came to the sudden realisation that Eve was using him in more ways than one. She wasn't just trying to break Dimitri's heart, she was trying to break Felix's as well. Sylvain had picked up on Felix's affection for Eve quite early on. In fact, the first time the two had trained together he saw how interested Felix became in Eve based on her skill alone. He had thought that maybe it was a begrudging rivalry that developed into fond feelings. But Sylvain never would have imagined how much Felix actually felt for Eve. The way he talked about her now was unlike any other person. And when Sylvain so much as suggested any impure thoughts about Eve, the fury in Felix's eyes wasn't that of a friend. Felix was angry not just because he didn't want Sylvain to tarnish Eve, but because he also was having those thoughts and was ashamed of them. Sylvain knew all too well the look of a man who had fantasised about a particular girl. And knowing Felix, the guy was probably so pent up he didn't know what to do with his feelings for Eve.
"Almost makes you feel bad for the sorry bastards." Sylvain sighed to himself. Though a rather cruel, minute portion of his mind was interested to see how this would all play out between those three.
Eve's mind was completely clear for the first time in what felt like weeks as she made her way back to her quarters after speaking with Sylvain. She felt somewhat excited that tonight she'd be able to steal back a sliver of freedom for herself. Since she arrived at the Officer's Academy, she had done everything at the direction of Rodrigue and Dimitri and Rhea. But now she was going to take back control of her narrative, even if it was in the smallest of ways.
Her elation was shattered, however, as Eve rounded the corner of the gardens and saw Seteth standing outside her door. He was clearly waiting for her, standing in front of her door like a sentry with his hands clasped behind his back. Quickly, Eve ducked back into the garden to hide out of view of Seteth. She had wanted to change into clean clothing before supper but facing the Archbishop's aide was completely out of the question.
"You're Eve, aren't you?" A gruff voice made Eve start and she turned to face its owner.
"Captain Jeralt." She regarded the captain with a nod, noticing that he seemed to have been watching her for longer than she had been aware of him.
"My daughter is your new professor." He stated. "Byleth."
"Yes, that's correct." Eve nodded again, wondering what he wanted from her.
"Come to my office." Jeralt said suddenly. "I've been needing to speak to you about something."
"Now?" Eve was taken aback. What did he need to talk to her about?
"If you don't mind." Jeralt said, though his tone implied that refusing wasn't really an option.
After a moment of hesitation, Eve followed after the captain. She figured whatever he wanted to talk to her about was probably less annoying than whatever reason Seteth was waiting outside her room. And Eve wasn't particularly afraid of Jeralt or any questions he might have for her. He might have been serving the church, but he was not a blind follower. And he certainly didn't seem the type to report to Rhea if Eve didn't' say just the right things.
"What was it you wanted to speak to me about?" Eve asked curiously as they arrived in the captain's quarters and Jeralt closed the door behind them.
"Take a seat if you like." Jeralt motioned towards the chairs in his office as he himself sat down.
"I do hope I'm not in any trouble." Eve smiled as she took up his offer and sank into one of the plush chairs.
"Let's cut to the chase." Jeralt said, eyes boring directly into Eve's. "You and I have met- a long time ago."
"It's entirely possible." Eve shrugged. "Given I've been living under the protection of the Church."
"Your name wasn't Eve then." Jeralt said, still watching Eve intently. "And you weren't trying to pass yourself off as a teenager back then."
"I'm not a teenager, Captain Jeralt." Eve laughed tightly and without humour.
"Just how old are you, Eve?" Jeralt asked.
"Oh, roughly the same age as the other students here." Eve gestured vaguely.
"That's what I thought." Jeralt grumbled. "You're intentionally vague when it comes to any details about who you are. Not to mention that crest of yours. You're her, aren't you?"
"Captain, I'm sure you must have me confused with someone else." Eve shook her head before adding with a cunning smile. "Besides, even if I was who you think I am, I'd have met you so long ago I'd have questions of my own regarding your age."
Jeralt started, eyes widening as he jerked back in surprise at Eve's words. She watched him closely as he put together the pieces. Eve had planned for Jeralt to eventually recognise her. But she had been curious to see how long he would have tried to convince himself that she just reminded him of someone. Of course, after she had used her crest out in the open, she knew it was only a matter of time before Jeralt realised who she was.
"You haven't aged a day." Jeralt said after he had collected himself.
"Neither have you, Jeralt." Eve smiled.
"So, Rhea managed to rope both of us back in with her." Jeralt scratched his head in thought.
Eve watched the captain and thought back to when she had first met him. He had had fewer scars, had looked less jaded about the world. Now, he seemed tired. It was a look Eve knew all too well, like looking in a mirror. Time had been kind to their appearances, but their souls had not aged as well as their bodies.
"What happened with you and Rhea?" Eve asked out of curiosity. "When I knew you, you thought the world of her."
"That was a lifetime ago. Quite literally." Jeralt let out a half-hearted laugh. "The longer I stayed by Rhea, the more I saw the things she'd do in the name of the Goddess. She's not a bad person, but…"
"I get it." Eve said when Jeralt didn't continue. "It's the same reason I never stayed. I couldn't be a part of all that."
"And what happened to you?" Jeralt asked. "Why are you called Eve now? Why did you come back here?"
"If it makes you feel any better, the name you knew me by isn't my real name either." Eve replied with a small smile. "And I came back because I had to. It was the only way I could remain in Fodlan."
"In the end, both of us just ended up right back here." Jeralt sighed. "Tell me one thing, though."
"Anything." Eve nodded.
"Does the prince know?" Jeralt asked.
"Not yet." Eve shook her head. "I don't know how to bring it up. A miracle crest is somewhat believable, but the rest of me?"
"I imagine you'll be fine for now, but as the years go by, he'll start to notice." Jeralt said pensively as if thinking about his own situation with his daughter.
"I suppose we'll both have to cross that bridge when we get to it, won't we?" Eve shared a knowing look with the captain. And she found herself noticing a certain light in Jeralt's eyes that hadn't been there all those years ago. They were both now weathered by the passage of time, but despite all the despair there was a new hope for Jeralt. And Eve realised that that hope was Byleth. She had given Jeralt's weathered soul a new light, a new purpose. And despite her best efforts, Eve found herself wondering if she could find someone like that to give her life a new light.