The Professor's Day of Rest

So I'm back. For how long, I don't know. We will see. I'm pretty inconsistent as we all know. Now, onto this little gem of a game. Three Houses is probably my favorite FE game of all time now. The characters are wonderful, the story is great, and the gameplay is very well thought out, and it feels like every class is on a (somewhat) equal footing. I've had an idea about this one for a while, and I hope you guys enjoy it. Edelgard quickly became one of my favorite characters, and if you guys like her too, I hope you guys like it. And to you Manuela fans, I'm not bashing; I just find this funny.

Also, Ferdi x Mari just works so well in my opinion.

Also, SPOILERS, for those that have not played the game.

Disclaimer: I don't own Fire Emblem. If I did, the Edelgard route would have been longer. Also, Claude would have had a more active role in the Edelgard route, because Claude is a true bro.

It was not unusual for Professor Byleth to not go out of his way to help others every Sunday in the Monastery, from returning lost items to treating them to their favorite meals. The reasons given for not helping around would usually be seminars or a request to deal with bandits.

What was unusual was that Professor Byleth chose to rest that day and seclude himself to his room, as announced by Seteth. Of the months that the Imperial Princess knew him, Professor Byleth did not seem like the individual who would just rest instead of doing something. As a matter of fact, Edelgard was almost convinced that something was terribly wrong with him.

Could he finally reached his limit with the students? No that couldn't be it; even if he didn't show much emotion, if any at all, Edelgard could clearly see in his eyes that he enjoyed the company of his students in the Black Eagles. Hell, he even managed to recruit students from other houses to join theirs, for which Edelgard appreciated dearly.

Did the recent battle take toll on him? No, it couldn't be that. Although the canyon was full of demonic beasts, he was very composed, and that was a week ago, so he would have gotten over it by now. He was trained as a mercenary; if Professor Byleth wasn't able to shake things like this off, then he wouldn't have made it this far.

Did he and Captain Jeralt get into a fight? Edelgard chuckled. No it couldn't be that. Although she hadn't seen them interact much, she can tell the two were on good terms and care for each other.

Edelgard sighed. Perhaps he is just sick. Even the sturdiest of warriors fell sick every now and then. He was no exception. But even then, she couldn't help but worry for him. How sick was he? Is it a simple cold? Was it life threatening? Did she need to get the doctor?

Edelgard shook her head. 'Snap out of it. Why are you so concerned about him? You may need to clash blades with him in future.' Yet, the cold truth stung like a needle. She didn't want that at all. Ever since he began to teach the Black Eagles, Edelgard had became close to him, and couldn't help but think about him at times in her room. She wanted him close to him in the future, no matter what, even if it wasn't possible. No, she needed him.

'Stop. Just stop.' Edelgard didn't want these thoughts. It was as though she was in lo-

Nope. She wasn't going to finish that thought. It brought too much weight to her. She closed her eyes and took deep breaths. "Just relax… No need to panic… He is simply sick… No need to worry for him…"

"Edelgard!" Usually Edelgard would wince at that voice, due to Ferdinands one-sided rivalry. However, she welcomed it this time. She needed to focus attention elsewhere. Besides she needed to blow off some steam.

"You looked stressed out. Please, come join Marianne and I for tea. We have more than enough for three people, since I usually invite more to join anyway." Edelgard opened her eyes; not the fastest she's ever done, but fast enough to personify her shock. Sure enough, she was sitting on a bench in the tea garden, with Ferdinand and Marianne, one of the first non-original recruits of the Black Eagles, sitting at a nearby table. That wasn't what surprised her; she didn't care much for the two's private life. What surprised her was Ferdinand being NICE to her. Not just any kind of nice; the kind of nice you would get from a dear friend.

'This is a sign,' Edelgard thought. 'A sign that everything is going wrong today, and that the Professor is not okay to the furthest extreme.' She couldn't help it; she had to figure out what was wrong with the Professor, even if it meant breaking down his door. "I'm sorry Ferdinand, but I must be going somewhere. Thank you anyway."

And Edelgard gathered her things and walked off. Or enough to be considered a walk; in reality, she was tempted to get to her teachers door in a full on sprint. 'Please be okay my teacher. And please don't let this be a way for me to just see him.'

…

Ferdinand could only watch in amazement at how fast she walked away. "Hmph. I wonder where her business takes her too."

Marianne, looking in the direction her new house leader walked off too, was rather amazed by her speed. And nervous with being alone with Ferdinand. "We shouldn't really be privy to her own affairs though, right?" Ferdinand sighed. "I suppose you are right." Ferdinand grabbed the tea kettle and began to pour the tea into the cups he had grabbed. "Ever since the morning had started though, Edelgard had begun to act more fidgety and distressed. She barely ate her breakfast. And, I, knowing that a distressed leader is not effective in and out of battle, had merely tried to sate her soul. And even that didn't work."

"Maybe because you always try to best her." Ferdinand sighed. "That is true. But what can be so important to cause her this much trouble."

Marianne took a sip of her tea, thinking on it for a little bit. "... Maybe she's worried for the Professor." Ferdinand almost spat out the tea in his mouth; luckily, his noble upbringing had prepared him such situations, and he could only look at Marianne in bewilderment. Marianne, however, did not appreciate the sentiment. "Oh, I'm sorry if I said something wrong. Please forgive me, I'm not great at-"

"No, Marianne. It's not that. Please elaborate on what you said." Marianne took a deep breath. "It just… Lady Edelgard seems to be much more closer to the Professor, she, um, appreciates his help more than us, and, um, looks at him differently than others." Ferdinand contemplated what she had.

Marianne was right. Even though Edelgard had her doubts before the mock battle, the minute it was over, Edelgard was attached to the professors side, praising his teaching, his strategies in battle, his combat prowess, and his selflessness. And of the few times he has paid attention to the two in the same room, she did have an intense focus on him, like a stone collector admiring his prime jewel. "I must agree with you on that. Edelgard is much closer to the Professor than any of us."

But why? Why was Edelgard so close? It didn't add up in his head; she was always so distant to others, so why did she give special treatment to him? 'Could it be… No, even Edelgard knows the consequences of that.' "On that note though, you have done well to understand your classmate Marianne." Marianne jumped a little at that comment. "R-r-really?"

Ferdinand smiled. "Yes. Usually, you don't understand others that well, let alone your classmates. Yet, here you are, unraveling Edelgard, one of the toughest understand." Marianne blushed a little. "I-i-it was just a fluke. I still can't understand others that well. That was the only thing I got." Ferdinand chuckled. "Relax Marianne. You are making progress on building some more confidence. I'm proud of you for that."

Marianne nodded. "Thank you. Oh, and Ferdinand?"

"Yes?"

"I don't understand some of the things Caspar says and does, such as insulting your hair. Can explain why to me?"

"... What the hell did he say about my hair?"

…

"Professor?" Edelgard knocked on the door again. "Professor, it's me, Edelgard. I just want to check on you." No response. Edelgard sighed. She tried opening the door, expecting it to be locked. Except it wasn't, letting your get a glimpse of his room.

Or what should look like one. Usually, Professor Byleth's room would be tight, but organized; books would be on the floor in neat piles, ditched lesson plans in one corner, his armor and equipment in the other, while his coat would be on the chair, with his sleepwear or uniform in a neat pile. Instead, the books covered the floor, lesson plans scattered throughout the room, from the bed to the desk, and his clothes and coat were everywhere.

However, one thing Edelgard could confirm though, was that Professor Byleth was still here, alive. In his bed. In his night clothes. Staring at the ceiling. As Edelgard got closer, she could see what kind of mess he was in. His hair disheveled, his eyes were red, with bags under him, and his face look like he experienced a traumatizing event, which surprised Edelgard the most; the Professor's face was almost always stone faced. The fact this was the face he had surprised her the most.

"Professor?"

"Oh, hello Edelgard. Sorry that I can't help everyone today. I'm busy recovering right now." Edelgard winced at his tone of voice; it was even more deadpan than usual, yet also on the verge of breaking down any minute. "Professor, are you sick?" He shrugged. "That's one way of putting it." Edelgard could tell he didn't show any symptoms associated with sickness, yet why was he in this state?

"Professor, what happened to you then?" He shook his head. "I don't think that's a great idea. I don't want to trouble you and the others. Also, you may need to tell Seteth that I may need to take the week off to just think about my life decisions."

… That was an unexpected response. Whatever happened to him, the Professor was obviously terrified of what happened, even if his face (mostly) didn't give it away. "Come Professor, you must tell me so I can help. Please? You listened to me when I needed to talk to you about my past. I revealed things that I have kept to myself for years. Why can't I do the same for you?"

Although it didn't seem like it, Edelgard could tell her Professor was giving thought to what she had said. "... Very well. However, if you need me to stop at any point, let me know."

"Understood."

"Also, don't tell the others. I don't want the others to know about this."

Edelgard gave a soft smile. "It is only fair."

Byleth sighed. "Alright. Very well." Byleth swallowed hard. "I usually pride myself as someone who would gladly help others with nearly anything. But last night," He gulped. "Tested me so much, that I have to wonder what to it."

Edelgard sighed. "Professor, I assure you, everyone appreciates your help, and there is-"

"I went on a date with Manuela."

… Oh.

Oh no.

Oh nononononononononono.

OH NO.

"... You did what?"

"I just felt bad for her, so I offered her a date to make her feel better." Edelgard could only stare at him in disbelief. Even HE should not be so naive enough to know that Manuela's relationships ended at an incredible speed for a reason. And he went with it anyway.

It wasn't the only feeling though. There was an unrecognizable feeling rising in her, but even she could deduce what it was; jealousy. Why she was made-

Oh no. It can't be. It just can't. But even Edelgard couldn't deny any of the facts against her.

She was hopelessly in love with Byleth. Byleth, who is a teacher, which is very much so taboo. Byleth, who made the stupid decision to spend a night with Manuela, who was lucky enough to able to have a date with him. But no matter how many times Edelgard tried to dismiss it, the truth kept coming back to her.

'Calm down. Think of this as another obstacle on your bloody path. One that doesn't fit in it at all, one that is just a little dream that may never come to reality, but nevertheless.'

"...Continue."

Byleth took a deep breath. "We had decided to go to a restaurant in the town to have dinner. Manuela had picked it out."

'It better not have been what I think it is.'

"What I was not aware of was their large assortment of some of the strongest alcoholic drinks known to the history of man."

It was no secret that Manuela was a heavy drinker, being rivaled only by Captain Jeralt. So the fact that they went there wasn't surprising; it's that she took Professor Byleth with her, who was naive to the situation before him, and, Edelgard would bet, that he wasn't exactly a heavy drinker, leaving suspecticle.

"Dinner was alright, I suppose. The food was good, the service was good, not much to complain about. Except Manuela had mixed 2 kinds of drinks with Imperial Tequila."

'Oh gods, she was drunk out of her mind.' Imperial Tequila was known for its strength, with only the strongest of people would be able to handle. Even Captain Jeralt stayed away from it. Yet, for some reason, it was in high demand, with several noble houses, including House Aegir, owning distilleries to make large amounts of money off of it.

"So communicating with her was out of the question. She kept complaining about how Hannenmon always berated her, how men had always dumped her or rejected her, and how, because she led the Golden Deer house, she was responsible for every one of Claude's schemes. Thank the goddess we were in a public facility, or she would have taken that even further."

Edelgard was also having choice words for the goddess right now. 'Why? Why do you do this to me? Is this my punishment for being the Flame Emperor? Is this a trial I must overcome?'

"Afterwards, I had to help Manuela to her room. She was not able to get there by herself, and it would have caused more trouble than not to leave her by herself. Even the Gatekeeper shuddered at what he saw."

Edelgard could see it in her brain. The Professor, with one of Manuela's arms over his shoulder, practically dragging her through town and the monastery, with people giving them curious looks, and Manuela's drunken talk not helping the situation one bit. And worse of all, the poor Gatekeeper, having to see what happened.

"Well, at least it wa- "

"When we got inside her room, she pinned me against the wall- "

'... What? No, no, no , no…'

"- and asked me if I was ready." Edelgard gave him a shocked look. "That's… unfortunate." Her face, words, and one half of her brain truly felt sorry and concerned with him. The other half of her brain? 'I wonder if the Death Knight would execute me if I told him to? Seems like he can do the job.'

It was no secret that Manuela's luck with men was so much better before coming to the academy, and it looked like her previous date was the last straw, and Professor Byleth was just unfortunate enough to get involved when she couldn't handle it anymore. Edelgard, however, also knew for a fact that the Professor was… well, socially awkward, and was probably not told how the act of… intense intimacy would play out.

"I told her I was not ready. That our relationship wasn't like that. That I didn't have any experience, let alone a clue, on what to do. She said, and I quote, 'Don't worry. I will be the teacher now so just relax.'"

The fact that Professor Byleth even tried to mimic her voice made that last part so much more terrifying than it should have been. 'Please let this be over.'

"Somehow, I managed to wrestle her off, and I ran away from her room so fast, faster than I ever had. Once I got here, my brain started to not function right. And that's why I'm here, staring at the ceiling, thinking about the decisions I've made to lead to that."

To say she was dumbfounded would be an understatement. Edelgard had just heard a rather unfortunate story. "Well… Professor, you did agree to go on a date with her in the first place."

"Yes that's true. But that made me wonder; should I not help others to prevent something like that?"

… Was it really that bad? Was he that shaken up over it? "Professor, one thing like that should not determine that. You've told me yourself that we should not be stuck in the past, that we must look forward to the future. One good deed gone wrong does not mean that another deed will end up like that. You must remain firm in your beliefs."

Edelgard grabbed his hand and squeezed. She started at his face, as conveying that her wishes, that he needed to pull himself together from… a can of worms he should have not gotten himself involved with. After a few minutes, Byleth gave a soft smile; a rare occurrence. "Your right. I'm just being childish at this point. I will be out there in a little bit. Just let clean this room up."

Edelgard smiled. "That's the Professor I know." As Edelgard turned to leave to her own time, "Oh and Edelgard." Edelgard turned towards her teacher as she was opening the door. "... Thank you for helping." Edelgard felt her cheeks heat up almost immediately. "Your welcome." As Edelgard close the door, she stared at the monastery before her. She hoped there wasn't a time where something like this was going to happen again, where she needed to be the shoulder for him.

"Um, Edie?" Edelgard turned towards the direction of the voice, only to find Dorothea there. "Oh, Dorothea, what brings you here?"

"Well, I was going to tell you that Caspar is in the infirmary now, but seeing as how you just walked outside of the Professor's room…" Dorothea gave a devious little smile.

"I-i-it's nothing like that!"

"Oh suuurrree it isn't~"

Edelgard sighed at her friend's teasing. "How about we just visit Caspar real quick?" And as Edelgard and Dorothea walked toward the infirmary, the Adrestian Princess never stop hearing her friends teasing. And likely never will.

Alright guys there is that. Will I update the other stories I have? Will I make more one shots like these? Only time (a lot of it) will tell.

Until next time.