Before we kick this off, I just want to take this opportunity to shill another fic on this site!

If you haven't yet, I implore you to go check out "Reach for My Hand" by EredusVox. Like me, Eredus is also writing a Crimson Flower based fic. However, unlike my story which focuses mostly on the romantic aspect of Edelgard and Byleth, that fic juggles the pairing and is a true retelling of the route. And a very good one at that. If there are certain parts in my fic that were left out that you were dying to read, or perhaps one of your favorite characters didn't get enough screen time, go check out "Reach for My Hand." You won't be disappointed!


Rain pelted the top of his umbrella, rolling off its edges and falling to the ground below. The never-ending tapping sounds of the water smacking against the umbrella's canopy was soothing to his restless heart. Byleth had always liked the rain. It was rhythmic, in a way. A storm's song had always been calming to him. He could sit and listen to it for hours.

However, on this day, he could only see it as a bad omen.

Byleth lifted the bouquet in his hand. The flowers had been protected from the rain. They were left relatively untouched. Their bright, colorful petals were a stark contrast to the dreary gray that threatened to smother him. It was only noon, yet the sky was incredibly dark. The thunder clouds that rolled overhead hid the sun behind its veil. These flowers seemed like the last speck of color in this gloomy world.

Sothis had helped him pick these flowers. She couldn't actually pluck them for him, but her insight on what would make a good arrangement had been very much appreciated. Byleth was rather unversed when it came to situations like these.

His eyes moved to his mother's grave. Another bouquet was already resting on against her tombstone. The petals on them were matted down, crushed by the downpour from the sky. Given what day it was, the sight didn't surprise him. He was sure his father had already come by to see her.

Byleth put his flowers down beside the others. He placed his umbrella up against the tombstone to protect the two, precious bundles from the rain.

He didn't care if he got wet today.

"I hope these flowers are alright, Mother."

Byleth's words were lost in the rain. No one but he, Sothis, and his mother could possibly hear the cracking of his voice over the thunderous sound.

"Father told me you liked them."

The mercenary knelt beside the grave, pushing a strand of his drenched hair out of his view.

"Today is my birthday."

Byleth waited patiently for a response, but he knew full well one would never come. The only sound he was greeted with was that of the rain splattering on the ground.

"I… hardly feel like celebrating it, though."

He laid a hand atop the stone, his thumb tracing small circles on its surface. The stone was cold to the touch. Lifeless. He idly wondered how different his mother's cheek or hand might feel in comparison. Warm, probably. Inviting.

He would not be able to be embraced by her on this day, so this hard, uninviting gravestone would have to do. The two things were hardly comparable, but regardless, Byleth wanted to close the unbreachable gap between the two as much as possible.

"I am sorry, Mother. I wish we could have spent it together."

It hardly seemed fair that for the first birthday the two could have celebrated together as mother and son, she wouldn't be able to participate. It was cruel. Byleth wouldn't have even had a day of birth to begin with if not for her, after all.

Byleth rose to his feet, his eyes never leaving that of his mother's resting place.

"Was that good?" Byleth asked the air. "Do you think… that could have reached her?"

"Yes, Byleth…" Sothis replied, her voice soft in his ears. "I am sure that she heard you loud and clear."

Byleth nodded. He tried to picture his mother's smiling face, but seeing as how he didn't have a face to put to her, the image was blurry.

"I… apologize, Byleth."

The tone of her voice was weak, shaky even. It was as if the words were difficult for her to say.

"Why are you apologizing?" Byleth asked, confused.

"I am not sure… but I feel as though I must."

Byleth frowned. That didn't make much sense, but he appreciated the sentiment, nonetheless.

"You're going to catch a cold if you continue standing here," Sothis chided him as she usually did, but the sympathetic tone to her voice betrayed her words. "We should get out of the rain."

"Just a little while longer."

"…Of course."

The rain continued to fall, its drops rolling off the metal of his armor and soaking his clothes underneath. There was a sizeable puddle of water in his boots by now, but he didn't care. Clothing would eventually dry and he could always buy a new pair of boots, but this wasn't something he could ever get back. This was more important to him than any article of clothing he might own.

Would you have liked the rain as I do, Mother?

They shared the same blood, so it was likely the two would have had some things in common. He often wondered what hobbies or interests the two might share. Byleth often thought of what he may have inherited from his mother, and it was painful knowing that he had no way of finding that out.

What else would we have had shared?

"Prof-!"

Byleth shot his head up. Was he imagining things, or did someone just call out to him?

"Professor Byleth!"

No, there was definitely someone calling out to him over the sounds of the storm.

The rain suddenly stopped.

He glanced up at the black canopy of the umbrella that was held over his head.

Edelgard suddenly appeared beside him, a hand on her knee as she gasped for air. Her other hand held the umbrella in place.

"Good afternoon, Edelgard," Byleth greeted, his brows twitching as he looked at her. "What are you doing here?"

"I could ask you the same thing," Edelgard said, rising to her full height. "I saw you standing here alone in the rain so I came running over."

"Oh."

Byleth blinked. That was reasonable. It was nice of her to come running, he thought.

"You're soaked."

He flinched as he felt a warm, dry cloth dab at his cheek, then move to his forehead. The fabric smelled of… lavender.

Edelgard frowned as she examined him, worry etched onto her features. Her hand continued to dry his face despite the awkward way in which she had to twist her body to keep the umbrella in place.

"A handkerchief will hardly help," she mumbled, but didn't remove her hand. "We should get you out of the rain and dry you off."

"In a moment."

"I know you said you never fall ill, but I think this might be pushing it, my teacher. For what reason would you continue standing-"

Edelgard's protests died on her lips, her eyes finally landing on what Byleth had been staring at so intently.

"You were visiting one of the graves?" Edelgard asked upon noting the flowers and umbrella, then glanced at him. "…Someone you know?"

"Yes." Byleth nodded. "My mother."

"M-Mother?!"

Edelgard snapped back to the tombstone, squinting her eyes in an attempt to make out the engravings through the wall of rain. Her pupils darted back and forth as she read. He could only imagine her surprise at hearing that. Byleth had a similar reaction when his father informed him of the same thing.

"Today marks the twenty-first anniversary of her death," Byleth continued. "I was paying my respects."

The princess mouthed "twenty-first," her purple eyes narrowing as she scrutinized the grave.

There was a sharp intake of breath as the terrible realization behind his words hit Edelgard like a sack of bricks. Her eyes widened, her lips parting as she put two and two together.

"Yes. She died giving birth to me," Byleth confirmed in a quiet voice. "Hard to believe, isn't it?"

"Yes…" She whispered breathlessly. Byleth's words seemed to have taken a heavier toll on her than he expected. "I wasn't aware that your mother was buried here."

"Why would you?" Byleth shrugged. "I don't go around broadcasting it."

"Still… To think I was preparing to scold you for standing in the rain…" Edelgard muttered, her tone dripping with disgust. "Forgive my callousness."

"There's no need for forgiveness. You haven't done anything wrong, Edelgard."

Byleth's words didn't seem to alleviate her guilt. Edelgard was still frowning as she leered at the grave, her eyes distant. She often adorned a look like that around Byleth as of late. He contemplated what she could possibly be thinking whenever it happened.

He turned his head back to his mother as well. Byleth hadn't expected to have anyone other than Sothis with him as he visited the grave, but he found Edelgard's presence with him now to be rather… comforting. Standing beside her set him at ease.

Byleth jumped when he felt a hand grip his own. It was small, but it gripped to him hard. His shivering hand basked in the warmth that now encompassed it.

He shot Edelgard a sidelong glance, raising an eyebrow. Her eyes refused to meet his.

"I am sorry for your loss, Byleth."

Her voice was so gentle that it was almost drowned out by the sound of the rain.

Edelgard squeezed his hand a single time before letting go. The cold returned. He wished he could have clung to the warmth for just a moment longer. Her hand had felt like the only lifeline preventing him from drowning in the ocean of emotions that gripped his chest and plagued his thoughts.

"Thank you, Edelgard."

Edelgard turned away from the grave, facing her body towards Byleth's.

"The next time you come to pay your respects…" She began, pausing as she considered her next words carefully. "I would come with you- if that is what you wished."

Byleth's eyes widened slightly. He hadn't expected her to make such an offer, nor did he ever consider asking her to come along with him. But, now that he did… the prospect of Edelgard joining him on these little visits made him happy. Happy that she cared.

He took the umbrella from her hands, repositioning it so that it covered her entirely. Rain fell on his now exposed shoulder, but he didn't mind.

"Let's get out of the rain." Byleth looked at her with a small, forced grin. "Would you join me for some tea, Edelgard?"

"I would be happy to." Edelgard returned the smile as she nodded, but her expression faltered for a moment. "I just need to stop by the classroom first."

"The classroom?" Byleth parroted her, his head tilting to the side. "But we didn't have class today…"

"I-I know. I just forgot something there the other day, is all."

Her feeble excuse in the face of Byleth's question was a bit concerning, but he chose to ignore it. She was probably just embarrassed to have forgotten something once again. That sounded like something she might do. Edelgard always strived for perfection, after all.

"Okay." Byleth nodded.

He led the two away from the small, secluded cemetery, but not before glancing back at his mother's grave one final time. Would she have been upset that he was choosing the company of a friend rather than her? Should he have remained, standing alone in the rain? Byleth didn't really want to be alone any longer. Would that have been okay? She would have understood, right?

Byleth averted his eyes from the lonely grave.

He truly did not know, and that fact hurt more than anything else could.

The two walked at a slow pace through the academy. Neither one seemed to be in much of a hurry to get anywhere.

Edelgard remained silent as the two went. Her head stayed pointed in the direction they were going, but Byleth could see the purple of her eyes occasionally look at him before darting away. His silence was probably worrying her. He didn't like worrying her. But he didn't know what to say, either. He didn't want to force conversation for the sake of conversation. That had never been his strong suit.

Byleth frowned to himself. He never did like his birthday. This just went to show he was correct in feeling that way.

"Did you know your mother well?"

Edelgard's hesitant question shattered the strained silence.

He turned his head to her, his expression completely blank.

"Why did I ask that?" Edelgard sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. "Forgive me, Byleth. I wasn't thinking. You don't have to answer that."

He knew she didn't mean anything bad by the question. Despite what her hardened exterior might suggest, Edelgard was a compassionate person. She was probably just trying to take his mind off of the sadness and focus on something happier.

Granted, she probably could have chosen a different topic, but it was moments like these that reinforced why Byleth truly…

"No, I didn't," Byleth replied to her question regardless. "I only know her through the little bits my father shared with me."

Edelgard watched him expectantly. This time, she didn't try and ask him to elaborate.

"She was a gentle, kind person," Byleth continued, recalling what his father had told him. "And apparently a wonderful cook."

"So, I see you take after her in that regard." Edelgard smiled. "Something about your father makes me doubt your culinary skills were passed down from him."

Byleth went quiet as he ruminated on her words. He had never thought of it like that before.

He must have had a weird expression on his face, as Edelgard looked as if she had just kicked a puppy.

"Did I say something I shouldn't have?" Edelgard asked, her brow creasing in worry. "I'm not very good at this, am I?"

"No it's not that." Byleth shook his head. "In fact, you're better than you think. I was beginning to worry I didn't have anything in common with my mother."

He turned to face her, this time, a genuine smile spreading across his cheeks. This was perhaps the happiest he had ever felt on a birthday.

"Thank you."

Edelgard blinked dumbly at the sight of his smile. She quickly turned away, her head bobbing up and down a few times.

"Is there anything else your father told you?" Edelgard deflected back to the original topic.

"That she liked flowers." Byleth shrugged. "Unfortunately, while I find them pleasing to look at, I don't find the same appeal."

He snuck a glance at Edelgard.

"Well, I don't think I do," he clarified.

"I'm sure she would have loved the ones you two picked out," Edelgard commented. "They were quite beautiful."

"Do you enjoy flowers, Edelgard?"

"I do." She nodded. "I find their wide range of colors to be quite lovely. It's a shame that something so pretty must be so fragile, though. You have to handle them with the utmost care lest their petals begin to wilt."

Edelgard was silent for a moment before continuing.

"I suppose that only adds to their beauty."

Byleth frowned. He didn't quite understand what she meant by that, but he made a note of it for the next time he gave Edelgard a gift.

"It sounds like you and my mother would have gotten along, then." Byleth paused. "…Though, I may not be informed enough to make such a statement."

"You truly think so?" Edelgard asked, glancing at him.

"I do."

"…Then I am glad to hear that."

The princess smiled softly to herself.

Byleth tilted his head to the side. He opened his mouth to inquire further, only to stop when Edelgard froze in place.

He turned his head to where she was looking.

She was zeroed in on their classroom across the way. The door was slightly ajar.

Curious. Could someone else be in there?

"Er… Teacher, wait here if you would. I'll only be a moment."

He grabbed her arm, stopping her before she could make a break for it.

"At least let me walk with you. There's no reason the both of us have to get wet."

Edelgard bit her bottom lip, her head twisting back and forth between her teacher and the classroom.

Eventually, she relented with a nod and stepped closer to him.

"Fine, but you must promise me you do not enter that room."

"Why?" Byleth frowned.

She was acting… strangely. It wasn't like her to be so secretive about something. Edelgard had always been very open with Byleth, and up until now, the two have had a very honest relationship. He had revealed more of himself to her than he would his own father, and he knew the same was for her. The topic of her tragic past couldn't have been easy to relinquish to him. That no doubt took a significant amount of courage to bring up, so what could possibly be lying behind that door that would be even more difficult to discuss than-

Byleth's frown deepened. The visage of the Flame Emperor flashed in his mind.

"It's a long story," Edelgard sighed. That was all she had to say on the matter, which only heightened his concern even more.

The two crossed the courtyard towards the classroom. The rain was still coming down in droves, but it had lessened somewhat.

As they got close, an unexpected face poked past the door.

"Ah, there you two are!" Dorothea called out to them as they drew close. She stepped out of the classroom, revealing herself fully. "We were beginning to wonder if you would ever find him."

"Find me?"

Byleth looked down at princess beside him, lifting an eyebrow in curiosity.

"The professor and I were just going to have a cup of tea," Edelgard declared with a nod. "Tea and nothing more. Do you understand, Dorothea? Only tea today."

Given the look on the songstress's face, no, she did not.

But, after a few seconds of connecting the dots, her eyes widened as she realized whatever point Edelgard was trying to make.

"Ah!" Dorothea laughed awkwardly. "Yes, of course! Today would be a great day for a hot beverage."

She looked to Blyeth, flashing him one of her famed disarming smiles.

"Don't you think, Professor? That sounds lovely. You should go do that."

Byleth wasn't buying it.

He stepped away from Edelgard and towards the door.

"Uh, hold on Professor!"

Dorothea hurriedly stepped in front of him, raising her hands to stop him.

"Y-you don't want to go in there."

Byleth tilted his head back, his hands on his hips.

"And why not?"

"Because, uh…" Dorothea scratched her chin, her eyes skittering around the grounds as she thought of an answer. "Because…"

"Alright, that's far enough," Byleth scoffed and brushed past her. "Whatever you two are hiding from me-"

When Byleth pushed open the door, he was greeted by-

"SURPRISE!"

Byleth's stopped dead in his tracks as handful of confetti was thrown on him.

The Eagles' homeroom was filled with every member of his class. They were all gathered in the center of the room, all of them wearing festive, pointy hats. A single table was placed in the middle of the group, and on it were several boxes wrapped in different shades of shiny wrapping paper. Next to the stack of boxes was a single, finely crafted looking frosted cake. Twenty-one candles were pushed into the frosting, each of their wicks lit with a small flame.

"Wha… What is this…?"

In the back of the room hung a colorful sign that draped from the ceiling. It read "Happy Birthday!" Several similar looking signs were hung up in all corners of the room.

"I'm sorry, my teacher."

Edelgard materialized beside him, her voice whispering softly in his ear.

"This was put together before I found out about your-"

"What are you mumbling about, Edelgard?" Ferdinand exclaimed in his usual bravado. "Today is our professor's birthday! We should be congratulating him!"

Ferdinand held out his glass, which looked to be filled with milk.

"Happy birthday, Professor!"

The rest of his class followed suit, except for Linhardt, who had tiredly raised his glass, and Felix and Hubert, who simply stood there with crossed arms in their pointy, little hats. Were Byleth not so dumbstruck by the display before him, he might have laughed at the sight of the two angry looking boys. The only one that was not present was Monica, but that hardly came as a surprise. She was probably too busy with her schoolwork.

"It is your day of birth, Professor!" Petra smiled happily as she bounded forwards. "Congratulations!"

"Yeah, happy birthday, Teach!" Caspar lightly punched him in the shoulder.

"H-h-happy birthday, Professor," Bernadetta stammered. Byleth was surprised to see her smiling so openly as she met his eyes.

"Happy birthday." Lysithea was more reserved in her approach, but she was also smiling as she said it.

Byleth gaped at the classroom, his jaw hanging open loosely.

Byleth had no words to describe what he was seeing. Very rarely could something blindside him like this.

"Are you at a loss for words, Professor?" Ferdinand grinned smugly. "Did our surprise party sweep you off your feet?"

"Did…" Byleth swallowed, wetting his dry throat. "Did you all do this?"

"Yes!" Flayn nodded. "Although, we cannot claim all of the credit. It was Edelgard's brilliant idea!"

Byleth turned his head slowly to the girl, who was now looking at seemingly everything but him.

"You?" he asked quietly.

"It was a group effort," Edelgard replied and shook her head.

"That's our house leader for you. Always the modest one Edelgard is," Ferdinand chuckled. "Credit where credit is due, Edelgard did most of the heavy lifting."

Byleth looked to Ferdinand.

"You should have seen her, Professor. She was like a… like a…" Ferdinand snapped his fingers as the word came to him. "A machine! She nearly orchestrated this entire party herself."

"Indeed. We probably wouldn't have even known it was your birthday if Edelgard didn't come round us all up," Lysithea chimed in.

"I-I don't think I would have been able to finish your cake in time if it wasn't for her help," Bernadetta mumbled, her hands clasped together tightly at her chest. "I-I-I hope you like it."

"They're exaggerating, my teacher." Edelgard was quick to assure him. Her cheeks were a deep shade of vermillion. "I truly did not do that much."

Byleth didn't reply. With wide eyes he continued to look around the room. The decorations his students had put up, the gifts they had gotten him, and the cake that was made specifically for him.

"Is…" Flayn's cheerful expression faltered. "Is it not to your liking, Professor?"

"I… I don't know what to say," Byleth muttered.

The intense feeling of heat that emanated from his chest and spread throughout his limbs was nearly burning. Never in his life had he felt such warmth. He didn't even feel the cold from his damp clothes anymore.

"No one's ever thrown me a birthday party before."

His eyes eventually landed on Edelgard, who was now watching him closely. The concern in her eyes was clear as day. She was worried about him… worried that she offended him…

As he looked at her, the person that had gone through all of this trouble to throw him his first ever party, then went through even more trouble to try and hide it after she learned of his mother's death, Byleth had to bite his cheek to keep himself composed. Never had he felt such strong, wonderful emotions towards one single person. Never had he been so moved that someone would go through so much just for his sake. As much as he loved Jeralt, not even he had ever thrown Byleth a birthday party. Edelgard was the first and only person to ever do such a thing for him.

Edelgard's eyes widened as she looked at him.

"My teacher, are you-"

Byleth wiped away the small droplets of water on his cheeks.

"Ah, it seems my hair is still dripping from the rain."

When he turned back to his class, the smile on his face was wider than it had ever been. For twenty-one long years it felt as if there were some unseen force preventing the muscles in his face from working properly. Showing emotion never came easy for him. It was only until recently did it feel as if those chains were beginning to loosen.

And it wasn't until today, at this exact moment in time, did the muscles in his cheeks feel completely unburdened.

"I love it."

He loved them. More than anything else, he loved each and every one of them.

Edelgard visibly deflated as she sighed in relief.

"Woohoo!" Caspar pumped a fist in the air. "Then let's get this birthday bash going!"

Before anyone else could follow suit, Byleth rose a hand to stop them.

"Hold. I have a single stipulation if we're going to do this."

"What is it, Professor?" Dorothea asked.

Byleth stretched out his arms, motioning with his fingers for everyone to come closer.

"I find that I very much want to hug all of you now."

The Eagles didn't move, a few of them exchanging glances with one another. Byleth never hesitated to give praise and show affection when the time called for it, but a hug was a different story. The most he had ever given a student was a pat on the head or a slap on the back.

"But you're soaked…" Linhardt grumbled, his nose wrinkling. "You smell like a wet dog."

"I will do no such thing," Hubert scoffed, shaking his head in disgust. "You should consider yourself lucky that I'm even here in the first place."

"Not a chance." Felix waved him off, turning his back to Byleth.

Flayn, however…

The small girl barreled into his chest, giggling as she wrapped his arms around him.

"How I love a good embrace!" Flayn laughed, pressing her cheek to his wet clothing.

Byleth grinned at the girl below him, then turned his gaze to the other dumbstruck students.

"I'm only going to offer this once. Come on. Bring it in."

"Watch and learn, Edelgard. I will show you how a true noble gives a hug," Ferdinand boasted, flicking his nose with a thumb.

"Well, count me in," Dorothea masked a giggle with her hand. "I can't miss out on this opportunity."

The two Eagles joined the dogpile next.

Byleth locked eyes with Bernadetta. She had her beet red face hidden behind her two hands, but with the gaps in her fingers, he could still see her eyes watching the public display of affection.

"Come on, Bernie." Byleth beckoned her forward.

The recluse groaned, her head jerking back and forth.

"F-Fine! But I'll have you know I'm not a very good hugger!"

The girl approached the group like one might a beehive, her feet inching forward carefully. She tilted her head back and forth as she looked for a spot for her.

"Get in here, Bernie."

Dorothea tugged on her arm, bringing her in. Bernadetta shrieked, but after a few seconds, a pair of shaky arms wrapped around their shoulders.

An eager Petra joined the group next. Then a groaning, awkward Caspar, who dragged Linhardt along with him.

Lysithea, meanwhile, had her head turned up at the situation.

"I will not take part in such a childish act."

She snuck a glance at the blob before turning away.

"And I can't believe you all would agree so willingly! Do you not have any self-control?!"

"This is worth fifteen percent of your grade."

Lysithea balked, her jaw dropping.

"Y-you wouldn't…" She stammered.

"I would." Byleth nodded.

"He most certainly would," a disheartened Linhardt sighed.

Lysithea glared at him, her foot tapping on the ground.

"Gah, fine!" She threw her hands up in exasperation, then pointed a finger at the professor. "But, this is only a onetime thing, got it?"

"Understood."

Lysithea groaned, hanging her head as she stomped towards the pile. The group was quite large by now, so her small arms could barely make it past Dorothea and Bernie's shoulders.

Byleth turned to the last one that would be willing to join such an affair.

"Edelgard?"

The princess frowned, her purple eyes examining the cluster. She chewed on her bottom lip as she considered her options, her arms crossed protectively across her chest.

Closing her eyes, she exhaled slowly, dropping her arms back down to her sides.

"Since you are the man of honor, I will oblige."

Edelgard stepped forward, placing herself next to Byleth and Flayn. The arm that would drape over Byleth's back hesitated slightly before resting against him.

Byleth smiled, tightening his arms around his precious students.

Dorothea and Flayn laughed. Petra smiled. Ferdinand was grinning triumphantly. Caspar and Lysithea were fighting off blushes. Linhardt was resting his head against a back, his eyes closed. Bernadetta didn't have her trademark frightened expression on her face. And Edelgard… Edelgard was warm.

His precious, loving, goofy, ridiculous, infuriating, wonderful students. There was not a thing in this world that he would trade them for. He seared this moment into his memory. Whenever the terrible truth behind his birthday reared its ugly head in the future, he would recall this single memory. For the rest of his life.

"Okay, we've been going at this for like, a minute now," Caspar grumbled from somewhere in the middle. "Can we stop now?"

"Aw, is big bro feeling a little embarrassed?" Dorothea cooed, her finger poking him in the cheek. "There's no reason to be shy, big bro."

"Nope. No, no. Don't call me that again. That's enough."

"Alright, I got my fill," Byleth said, letting his hands fall off of Dorothea and Edelgard's shoulders. "Let's eat cake."

The group broke apart. Caspar coughed into his hand as he walked away. Lysithea was grumbling some choice words under her breath as she looked at the ground, her cheeks a deep red. Linhardt blinked and looked around, wondering where his makeshift pillow went. Ferdinand had a puffed-out chest as he smirked in Edelgard's general direction. Bernie went back to covering her face with her hands. Dorothea and Petra were exchanging a few words.

And Edelgard remained by his side.


After a few, joyous hours later, the festivities finally came to a close. The presents had all been opened, and the cake all eaten. Byleth had been gifted a wide variety of different things. Everything from a fancy, elegant looking tea set from Ferdinand, to an expertly knitted scarf from Dorothea. Perhaps the biggest surprise had been the writings given to him from Bernadetta. While not all of the gifts had as much thought put into them as the others (Caspar had gotten him a pair of socks), Byleth cherished them all equally.

The cake had been superb as well. Byleth didn't have the biggest sweet tooth out of the bunch, but even he found himself going back for seconds and thirds. Not even a crumb was left after the Eagles were done with it.

They had all stayed well into the evening, conversing with each other casually as they enjoyed one another's company. Even the walled-off Felix opened up eventually, contributing more than one to two word replies on occasion. Hubert, while he mostly stuck to the corner, had stuck around till the end as well. That had been a surprise, but a welcomed one at that.

"See you tomorrow, Teach," Caspar bid his farewell as he left, the arm of a slumbering Linhardt draped over his shoulders. "You sure you don't need any help cleaning up?"

The blue haired boy nodded at the stack of presents at his feet.

"It's quite alright, Caspar. You all put it together, it's only fair that I clean it up."

The Eagle nodded once more, then turned to leave, dragging Linhardt along with him.

All that remained of the party now was Byleth and Edelgard. He didn't want to admit that this was what he had hoped would happen by staying until everyone else had left, but to say he didn't try and coordinate it that way would be a lie. There were so many things he wanted to tell her, but felt uncomfortable doing it in front of the others.

"You can leave as well, Edelgard," Byleth offered, but it was more of a formality than what he truly desired. "I can manage."

"I wish to help," Edelgard declined. "I was the one that planned it, after all."

She reached down to pick up some stray, torn wrapping paper and threw it into a nearby bin.

"Yes, you did." Byleth hid his smile by bending down to grab some trash as well.

"Did you enjoy it?" Edelgard asked. Her tone was casual, betraying nothing, but Byleth could see the hints of doubt on her features. Even now, she looked skeptical.

Byleth put down his trash, rising to his full height to face her.

"It was the most fun I've ever had on a birthday," he replied truthfully. "Thank you, Edelgard, for going through so much for my sake."

"Please, Byleth-"

He smiled at the sound of his name. She had been growing more accustomed to using it.

"Despite what the others told you, I truly did not do that much. Had the others known of your birthday, I am sure they would have done the same."

Byleth shook his head as he took a step toward her.

"I don't believe that."

"Believe what you want, then," Edelgard sighed, but Byleth could spot the ghost of a smile play at her lips.

"How did you even find out?" Byleth inquired. "I haven't shared that information with anyone at the academy."

Edelgard was silent for a moment before replying.

"I have my sources," she gave a vague response.

"My father?" Byleth raised an eyebrow.

"…Perhaps."

Byleth resisted the urge to chuckle.

"Though, now I realize why he was so hesitant to give up that information." Edelgard faltered, her eyes trained on the floor. "I truly did not know that-"

"Edelgard, that's enough," Byleth cut her off. "How in the world could you have known that today was also the anniversary of my mother's death? Not even I knew that until just recently. You cannot expect to know everything about me. Don't beat yourself up over it."

"Still…" Edelgard paused, her next words so quiet that Byleth nearly didn't hear it. "I wish to."

Byleth blinked in surprise. That he did not expect. Not many people seemed to genuinely want to hear about his past, and those that did usually just wanted to study it.

"Well, go ahead. Ask me anything."

Edelgard straightened herself out, looking to Byleth with a curious expression.

"Excuse me?"

"You said you wanted to know more about me, did you not?" Byleth challenged. "You told me about your past, it only seems right that I do the same."

Edelgard frowned, her brow furrowing.

"You do not owe me anything, Byleth. I told you of my… past, simply because I wanted to, not because I was looking for something in exchange."

"Right. But I want to tell you."

Edelgard was silent as she mulled over his words. Truthfully, he did not mind if Edelgard knew more about him. He wasn't afraid that she might one day use that information against him; he trusted her. Plus, there was also something… comforting about revealing himself to her. Jeralt had always told him to keep his cards close to his chest, to never give up anything that might one day come back to "bite him in the ass," but with her, Byleth didn't mind. It was rare that he got a chance to actually talk about his past to someone that genuinely cared and that didn't have some kind of ulterior motive at play.

"Alright. There was one thing I wanted to ask you."

Edelgard faced him fully, a hand resting on her hip.

Her façade was as sturdy and foolproof as ever, but the twinge of sadness in her strong, purple eyes stuck out like a sore thumb. Byleth idly wondered if he was the only one allowed to ever see such weakness from her.

"Was it true what you said earlier? That no one had ever thrown you a birthday party before?"

"Yes." Byleth nodded. "This was the first. My father, try as he might, always had difficulty holding any kind of celebration on this day. He'd treat me to dinner, sure, and on rare occasions give me a gift, but I've never experienced an actual party before. And the other mercenaries… Well, they hardly cared. To them I was a pariah."

Edelgard's features softened. That reveal had cut her deeper than he had expected.

"That is… unfortunate," came her mumbled response. "Even I have fond memories of my family celebrating my birthday before…"

Edelgard trailed off, leaving the end of her sentence up to interpretation. Byleth knew exactly what she was going to say, however.

"Oh? And what might a party look like in the Hresvelg household?" Byleth asked, trying to steer the conversation away from her tragedy.

"It was always an extravagant affair." Edelgard gave a wistful smile. "There would be a great cake. My family would give me such wonderful gifts. Then at the end of the day, my father would hold a grand ball only open to friends and family."

Byleth tried to picture a young Edelgard dancing with her family. It was such a foreign thought to him given her natural persona. However, the image of a smiling, dancing young Edelgard made him happy.

"We would dance to the music for hours," Edelgard continued. "…I used to love to dance."

He felt himself slip at the subtle crack in her voice as she finished speaking. Byleth didn't have to ask why she used to love it.

"I can't say I find much enjoyment in my own birthday anymore, either," Edelgard finished, her composure returning.

Byleth nodded silently. While he wouldn't dream to compare his own past to hers, neither one of them had been dealt a fair hand. Perhaps that was why he felt such a kinship to the princess. He knew the loneliness that laid behind those eyes of hers better than anyone. Never able to trust someone other than himself because, frankly, he was never given a reason to. He imagined the same held true to Edelgard. That had changed for him, so he hoped that it had changed for her as well.

He examined her closely. Her head was angled slightly upwards, her eyes staring off into the distance. They were glossy, clearly not here in the present.

Byleth felt his chest tighten as he looked at her. To everyone else, she may have been Edelgard von Hresvelg: the future emperor of Adrestia. The impeccable student with flawless grades. The peerless warrior that had no equal. The cold, arrogant girl that people treaded lightly around out of fear they might get crushed.

But, to him, she would always be Edelgard. His closest comrade, and more importantly, his dearest friend. Someone that he would even cheat death for.

Byleth glanced around. No one else was here.

He could risk it.

Edelgard perked her head up as he drew closer.

"Hm?" She hummed. "What is it, Byleth?"

Byleth raised his hand to take hold of her-

"Oh, am I interrupting?"

His arm fell back to his side. Frowning, he turned to the door.

Monica stood at the entrance, an elbow resting on her hand as she poked at her cheek. She was smiling as she watched the two.

"What can I do for you today, Monica?" Byleth asked in a level tone. She was interrupting, but perhaps it was for the best. Embracing Edelgard would have most likely been an error in judgement. She probably would have been offended had he simply scooped her up into a hug.

"Edel and I had plans to go over some notes," Monica chirped. "You wouldn't mind if I borrowed her for a little while, would you Professor?"

Byleth bit his tongue and shook his head.

"Of course not."

Edelgard sighed, her shoulders drooping slightly.

"Then I will see you tomorrow, my teacher."

The Eagle walked towards the door, but not before stopping to turn back to him.

"And I believe there is one more gift left to be opened. It should be in your desk."

With that, Edelgard left the classroom with Monica on her heels.

Byleth raised an eyebrow, glancing over at his desk near the back of the room. Another gift?

He paced over to it. There was nothing on its surface other than a few loose papers and textbooks that he had left there.

Bending down, he opened the first drawer. Sure enough, there was one more wrapped present with a small, red bow resting on its top. There was a note attached.

With a small grin he picked up the note and began reading. Edelgard's handwriting was as elegant as always. Not a single flaw or any eraser marks.

Byleth,

Here is to the first of many birthdays I hope we'll be able to share together as a class, and as friends.

Yours truly,

Edelgard von Hresvelg

Placing the note down, he grabbed the box and undid the bow.

His eyes widened at its contents.

Byleth lifted the expertly crafted pendant out by its chain. It was colored a vibrant crimson. Engraved at the center was the black insignia of the Black Eagles.

"How much must this have cost?" Byleth mused as he watched the jewelry dangle in the air.

He slipped it on, repositioning the pendant so that it lined up perfectly down the center of his chest.

"It seems your day of birth wasn't so bad after all, hm?" Sothis remarked in his ears. She sounded happy.

"'My day of birth?'" Byleth smiled, his fingers brushing against the pendant. "I believe it is our birthday, is it not? Why don't we go celebrate the rest of the day together?"

"Perhaps. Though, it is not necessary. Watching the little ones celebrate your birthday was a gift in and of itself."

Byleth's smile grew. His chest felt warm.

Today had been a good day.

"Once I finish cleaning up, we can go to the library and pick out some new stories to read together."

"Well, if you insist," Sothis mumbled, but she seemed rather pleased with the idea.

With a content sigh, Byleth turned his head to the window.

The light from the sun was pouring in through the glass.

It appeared that the storm had cleared.


And there you have it! Another Moments Lost in Time chapter.

This particular chapter was inspired by a Guest reviewer that asked me about Byleth's date of birth. Originally, I wasn't planning on doing anything with it. Writing birthdays didn't sound thaaaat appealing to me. However, after a bit of thought, I realized I could get pretty real with it. There's actually so much more meaning to his birthday than any regular birthday. It really got me thinking about his mother, how Jeralt would probably have difficulty celebrating the day he lost the love of his wife, and about how poor Byleth probably never really got a chance to truly celebrate it. I actually enjoyed writing this chapter so much more than I originally thought I might. There was sooo much more at play.

So, Guest reviewer, if you're reading this thank you very much!

And in case you were wondering about the stark contrast with Edelgard in this chapter compared to how she reacts to Jeralt's death later on, well, they're two very different scenarios. Just thought I'd clarify on that a little bit in case anyone was curious.

Byleth was a bit tricky to write this chapter. On the one hand, he's never been great at exhibiting his emotions. On the other, I truly think he would be so very moved by his students' display of their love for him. Remember, Byleth's actually had a pretty shitty life up until this point, with a very small, almost non-existent supporting cast in place. Other than father dearest, he's never really received a ton of affection before. No mother, no outside family to speak of. Imagine if it took two decades for someone to throw you an honest to God birthday party. I'd be bawling like a baby. Also, I just straight up love finding moments for Byleth to break character. This felt like a good a time as any until we reach Jeralt's poor fate.

Thanks for reading everyone! It'll probably be a couple of days to a week before I get the next chapter out. It'll take a bit more brainpower to write that one than this fella.