A/N: Nothing much to say here; still prefer posting on AO3, but I'm close to 100 stories here, so will post my Bad Things Happen Bingo fics here for now till then!
I don't own anyone in Fire Emblem. They belong to Intelligent Systems.
ENJOY!
Ferdinand shivered when the cold air bit his skin. The chains clattered around his wrists whenever he moved them, and it felt like the gag that was shoved in his mouth and tied behind his head was suffocating him. The blindfold didn't help either; he couldn't even see where he was, or who his captor was.
He sighed through the gag. How long was he here, chained up and at the mercy of his captor? He wasn't sure. Maybe it was at least a day? All he could remember was scouting Gronder when he felt a sharp pain on the back of his head. He must have passed out then, giving his captor the chance to take him here—wherever here was. If it weren't for the damn blindfold, he would have recognized his surroundings and devised a way to escape.
He had struggled for a while when he realized his predicament, but at this rate, it was futile. Dammit. Why didn't he bring anyone with him? Hubert was right. He should have done so.
Hubert…
He sighed once more. Hubert must have been worried sick right about now. Was he looking for Ferdinand now? He remembered the last conversation they had before he was taken; they exchanged coffee and tea as gifts for each other, and Ferdinand remembered how he couldn't stop blushing. He had feelings for Hubert for a long while, even before the war had happened. He just hid them as the two continued to argue over petty things.
If only he had said something to Hubert about how he felt. Dammit, why didn't he say anything? What if he died here? Then he would take his feelings to the grave.
Then again. Hubert probably didn't feel the same way. Perhaps it's better to not say anything than lose the friendship we have…
The door opened—a cell door, most likely, judging by how it made a loud noise when it reached its end—and Ferdinand could hear footsteps approaching. He fought the urge to gulp. He couldn't show this person any fear. He had to stay strong.
"Awake, are we?" The voice, low and threatening, asked.
Ferdinand would have insulted them, but thanks to the gag, all it came out was a muffled huff.
His captor chuckled. "Good," they said, "because I'll make sure that your stay won't be pleasant. Those Who Slither In The Dark want that Crest of yours, but for now, our boss told us to keep you alive for the time being."
Ferdinand's heart nearly stopped at the name, his eyes widening behind the blindfold. A gasp escaped his throat. Those Who Slither In The Dark. They found me.
"Now," his captor said, and Ferdinand could hear what sounded like the crackling of a Thunder spell. Ferdinand nearly recoiled in fear, backing away as much as he could until he hit the wall behind him. "Let's have fun together."
Ferdinand didn't have time to react; his body convoluted as the electricity shocked him. He let out a muffled scream as the spell nearly fried his insides before his captor stopped the spell. Ferdinand went limp, breathing heavily as he tried to hold back a sob.
His captor laughed—laughing at him—before Ferdinand heard another Thunder spell being called upon. Another shock through his body. Another scream. He felt the tears welling up in his eyes, but he kept them shut. When the electricity stopped, he gasped through his gag, a sob nearly escaping him. He gulped it back, however, not wanting to show any weakness to this bastard.
"About to cry?" His captor mocked. Ferdinand would have glared at them if it weren't for the blindfold. "Cry, boy." His captor encouraged mockingly, and he could feel the grin on their face.
He heard more crackling, this time from a Fire spell. Ferdinand shut his eyes, prepared for another blow. It hit him squarely in the chest, the embers burning his clothing and his skin. The smell of burnt skin made him gag, as he screamed once more through the cloth keeping him silent. Tears sprang his eyes as he squeezed his eyes shut.
He refused to cry. Even if he wanted to, he refused to do so in front of his captor.
"No one is going to find you here," his captor began, their voice filled with sick glee. "I've hidden you deep into Shambhala. You will die before anyone can come save you. So you can scream all you want. No one will hear you."
Ferdinand growled, though the words stung him like a wasp as fear gripped his heart. He was in Shambhala? The city where Those Who Slither In The Dark live in? If what his captor said was true… what would happen to his friends and family? What would Edelgard do without her Prime Minister? And Hubert…
Oh gods. I can't die here. Not like this! But no one is coming. If I'm deep in Shambhala, it's over for me…
The tears built up in his eyes. No. He couldn't cry here. Not in front of his captor.
He kept his eyes shut as he heard yet another Thunder spell crackling. He whimpered through the gag, as if begging to his captor to not do this, to let him go.
He screamed when the spell hit him. He wasn't sure how long his captor would keep torturing him, but he knew that if they kept this up, he would die.
Hubert wasn't one to show emotions, but when he heard news of Ferdinand being presumed dead, he was devastated. Ferdinand was gone? No. He was strong, he couldn't just die like that. His body wasn't even found! Surely he was somewhere. Right?
Hubert sighed, running a hand through his hair as he looked over the paperwork that sat in front of him. Ever since Ferdinand's "death", he had been burying himself with his work in his room. A distraction, some would say. Being a workaholic, others would say, including Edelgard. But it didn't matter what others said. He needed to focus. To take his mind off of losing Ferdinand.
It had been a day. Two days, perhaps? He wasn't sure—he wasn't really paying much attention to how many days had passed since Ferdinand disappeared without a trace. All he knew was that he was working nonstop without rest. The bags under his eyes indicated that he hadn't slept during those days. Edelgard had insisted him to rest, but how could he rest after hearing the news about Ferdinand?
He let out another sigh, shaking his head. He couldn't just think about this now. He had to fill out these—
His door slammed open without even a knock. Hubert glanced to his side, his mouth opened, ready to scold the intruder for such manners, only to pause.
Edelgard was clad in her red armor, her axe out and ready. Her eyes were wide like saucers, as if she had seen something horrific. She was breathing heavily, as if she had run several miles to get here.
"Lady Edelgard—" Hubert began, but Edelgard interrupted him.
"We found Shambhala," she said between breaths. "And Ferdinand might be there."
Hubert stood from his chair immediately, his eyes wide as well. Ferdinand was alive?
Edelgard pulled out a lance, holding it out for Hubert to study. "Our scouts found this at Gronder Field, and it's been concluded that Ferdinand might be alive, albeit taken captive by Those Who Slither In The Dark."
Hubert's heart jumped, looking down at the lance. This was definitely Ferdinand's lance, judging by the small carvings on the side. F.V.A. Ferdinand von Aegir.
Ferdinand was likely alive. But if he was being held captive by Those Who Slither In The Dark…
Hubert said nothing to Edelgard. He quickly grabbed what few weapons he had and pocketed them—he usually used his magic to fight, but in case of emergencies, he kept those few weapons in hand. With how formidable his enemies were, he had to make sure he was prepared thoroughly.
"Then we must go," he said, turning to face Edelgard. "We must find Ferdinand as soon as possible. Any orders, Lady Edelgard?"
The trip to Shambhala was a difficult one, but the army made it. Almost immediately, they were attacked by Those Who Slither In The Dark, and the army began their assault. Byleth was calling out orders, healing anyone who was hurt along with Marianne and Linhardt. Bernadetta and Ashe were in the back, sniping any foes that were far away. Edelgard, along with a select few, including Hubert, charged through anyone that got in their way.
Hubert called out a Death Γ spell towards another enemy, killing them almost instantly. He would have made sure that their death was slow and painful, but there was no time for that now. He had to find Ferdinand.
According to the reports, Ferdinand was likely stashed somewhere in one of the dungeons deep in the city. And that was where Hubert was rushing towards, despite Edelgard's calls to stay in the back lines. He had no time to be in the back lines, picking off any stragglers—Ferdinand was likely in serious danger.
All but one of the dungeons were guarded heavily. Some of the guards fled upon seeing Hubert. Good, less magic uses. Others stayed put, and Hubert easily killed them. Some of the guards' attacks had landed, but Hubert remained vigilant as he killed the guards with ease. If he died here, it would be too late to save Ferdinand.
After killing off another guard, Hubert took the moment to use an Elixir to heal his wounds. It wouldn't do him or Ferdinand any good if he kept on while injured like this—it would only kill him if he rushed in without any regard to his life.
Just as he finished healing his wounds, he heard a distant, muffled scream. Hubert's eyes widened, his heart pounding in his chest. That scream was familiar!
Ferdinand.
His mind went into overdrive, as he rushed deeper in the dungeons. Any guards unlucky enough to encounter him were immediately murdered. As he continued forward, the muffled screams grew louder, closer. He also heard what sounded like the crackling of lightning and fire.
Ferdinand's in danger. Ferdinand's in danger!
Another scream echoed in the dungeon, this time at its loudest. Hubert skidded to a halt. There. On his left. There was an opened cell.
Two figures were inside, one was sitting on the floor, their back against the wall. The other was standing, and when the light of a Fire spell was formed in the standing figure's hand, Hubert could see who it was.
The figure, clad in a black hooded coat, raised their Fire spell, aiming at Ferdinand, who was sitting on the ground. Burns littered the ginger's skin, and he was also blindfolded, gagged, and bound with chains.
Merely seeing Ferdinand hurt made Hubert's blood boil. He slowly approached the hooded figure from behind, pulling out a dagger from his back pocket. He was nearly out of spells, so this was his best option.
Just as the hooded figure was about to throw the Fire spell at Ferdinand's chest, Hubert grabbed them from behind, his dagger up to their throat. The spell dissipated from the figure's hand, as they shouted in surprise. They struggled, trying to knock Hubert off of them, but the raven-haired man kept a tight grip on them.
"Get your hands off me—" the figure yelled out, only to be interrupted when Hubert's dagger slit their throat. They gurgled for a moment, falling to the ground, before they stopped moving for good.
Hubert kicked the body to the side, pocketing his dagger along the way as he knelt down to Ferdinand. The ginger's body was shaking, as his whimpers left him—he was clearly terrified.
When Hubert reached out to remove the blindfold, Ferdinand jerked away, crying out through his gag. He curled up into a ball, as if he was trying to defend himself.
"Ferdinand," Hubert whispered in an attempt to calm the other man down, "it's me. You're safe."
Upon hearing Hubert's voice, Ferdinand relaxed almost immediately, his whimpers slowly ebbing away. He sighed through his nose, and Hubert noticed small spots of wetness appearing on his blindfold.
Hubert removed the blindfold, careful not to jostle Ferdinand's wounds. As soon as he could see, Ferdinand blinked, and the tears flowed down like a waterfall. He looked up at Hubert, and let out a heart-wrenching sob upon seeing his rescuer.
This broke Hubert's heart upon seeing how frightened the ginger was. Judging by the burns on his body, Ferdinand had endured torture. How could these people do such a thing to Ferdinand, someone who wanted to set things right?
Hubert removed the gag next, and Ferdinand gasped for breath. Once he was able to breathe, he let out a sob before he began to speak.
"I… thought you weren't coming," Ferdinand sobbed.
Hubert's frown intensified then. These bastards had told him that no one was coming for him? His blood boiled; Those Who Slither In The Dark would be destroyed for this.
Hubert didn't respond to Ferdinand as he worked on the chains that bound the ginger's wrists. Once Ferdinand was finally freed, he wrapped his arms around Hubert's neck. He buried his face in the raven-haired man's shoulder, sobbing and sniffling.
Hubert paused for a moment, as if he was shocked. Ferdinand was hugging him? It was an odd feeling, he had to admit. Ferdinand wasn't usually the touching type. Nevertheless, Hubert merely returned the hug, ignoring his feelings and running thoughts.
"It's okay," Hubert whispered. "I got you. You're safe now."
He glanced to his side, as if checking to see if someone was coming. Thankfully, he didn't hear any footsteps coming. All of the guards were dead.
He sighed, helping Ferdinand on unsteady feet. The ginger nearly fell to the ground, but Hubert caught him in his arms. Hubert helped him back on his feet, gripping the other man's shoulders to help him steady himself.
"We must leave this place immediately," Hubert informed.
Ferdinand merely nodded, and with Hubert's help, they both left the cell and the dungeon. The mission to rescue Ferdinand was a success.
Ferdinand's wounds weren't life-threatening, but the burns he had on his body needed to be healed lest they would be scarred. Besides the burns, Manuela had also noted that he was traumatized from the whole situation. The fire crackling in the infirmary made Ferdinand flinch, and he looked away from the fire as best as he could as his body shook from fear. Clearly, Those Who Slither In The Dark had done a number on him.
Ferdinand sighed as he laid on his side, trying to ignore the crackling of the fire near him and the booming thunder outside. The rain outside tapped the window constantly, keeping Ferdinand awake along with the fire and the thunder. He wrapped his pillow around the back of his head in order to cover his ears, but he could still hear the sounds that brought back memories of his captivity in Shambhala.
Whenever he moved, he felt searing pain flaring up everywhere on his body, and he gritted his teeth to stop a moan of pain. While his injuries were now healed up, the pain lingered. It was natural, according to Manuela, but it was still an annoyance to Ferdinand.
Knock knock
Ferdinand sat up quickly at the sound of someone knocking on the infirmary door. When he did so, he hissed in pain before he laid back down on the bed. He glanced at the door, an eyebrow raised. It was an ungodly hour; who would be up at that time?
"Who is it?" Ferdinand asked.
"It's Hubert," the deep voice called from behind the door. "May I come in."
Ferdinand frowned. While he yearned to see his friend, he was sure that Hubert would scold him for going off alone like that. He was already in pain, as he was—he didn't want to hear his scolding right now. But he didn't want to deny Hubert.
Taking a deep breath, Ferdinand said, "Come in."
The door opened, and standing at the doorway was Hubert, a… concerned expression on his face? Ferdinand had never seen such an expression on Hubert of all people. He was usually stoic even during the worst times in the war.
Ferdinand gulped, mentally preparing himself for the tongue-lashing he would get. As Hubert approached, Ferdinand spoke, "Forgive me, Hubert. I should have listened to you. If I had, you wouldn't need to go out of your way to sa—"
He was cut off when Hubert wrapped his arms around Ferdinand, pulling him in a tight hug. Ferdinand froze at the touch, not returning the hug. Not like he didn't want it—he was shocked that Hubert was touching him. Touching him.
Ferdinand felt his face flush then. He had always wanted to touch Hubert, to know what he felt like. And right now, he was feeling him; his skin was cold to the touch and soft, which surprised the ginger. He never expected Hubert's skin to feel like that.
"Forgive me, Ferdinand," Hubert whispered.
Ferdinand raised a brow. Hubert was apologizing to him? For what?
Oh, right.
Ferdinand shook his head, patting Hubert on the back. "It's not your fault, Hubert. Please don't blame yourself over something that was my fault to begin with."
"I am still sorry all the same," Hubert sighed, releasing his hold on Ferdinand. The ginger yearned to hug him again, but he knew now wasn't the time. "Those Who Slither In The Dark harmed you, all because of me. If I had come with, then…" He sighed again, shaking his head before he averted his gaze from Ferdinand. "Forgive me, Ferdinand."
"Please, Hubert," Ferdinand spoke up with a frown. He didn't want to see his friend blaming himself over this. All of this was on Ferdinand, anyway. "Don't blame yourself over this. I'm the one who should be sorry."
"Ferdinand?" Hubert questioned, an eyebrow raised.
"I was reckless then, going out to scout by myself instead of listening to you," Ferdinand admitted. "If I had listened to you, I wouldn't have gotten myself captured by Those Who Slither In The Dark. You, Edelgard, and the rest of the Black Eagles didn't need to rescue me if I wasn't such an idiot. So I apologize, Hubert, for the trouble and worry I caused."
"Ferdinand…" Hubert let out a sigh, shaking his head. "Let us not dwell on such things. All that matters is that you're safe and alive."
"Yes," Ferdinand hummed, unaware that he had his hand curled around Hubert's. When he looked down and noticed it, however, he felt his face flush in embarrassment. But Hubert didn't move away. Did he not notice it? Or did he?
No. We were merely good friends. Nothing more.
"Ferdinand…" Hubert's voice broke Ferdinand's train of thought. "When Those Who Slither In The Dark took you, I was… afraid. Scared."
Hubert? Scared? That was new. Ferdinand would have cracked a joke about it if it weren't for the tense air around them.
"I-I thought I would never see you again. To spend time with you again. To…" Hubert trailed off, looking away from Ferdinand and—wait, was that a blush on his face just now?"
"Come, now," Ferdinand said with a small smile. "Don't leave me hanging like that."
"It's just—I mean," Hubert stuttered, and Ferdinand could see his face growing redder by the second. Aha, he was blushing. And was his hand squeezing Ferdinand's too?
"Hubert," Ferdinand asked, an eyebrow raised. "Are you okay? You look—"
The next action caught him off guard. Hubert's lips met Ferdinand's, much to his shock as his face also turned red. His heart raced, and his eyes widened. Hubert was kissing him? He was! Oh dear gods what do I do what do I do?!
All of his feelings he had for a while returned, swirling in his mind at the realization. Hubert was in love with him. Ferdinand didn't even realize it. All the times Hubert looked at him, all the times Hubert looked away from him as they spoke… was it all indications that he was in love with Ferdinand?
After what felt like hours, he returned the kiss, his other hand on Hubert's chest, feeling his heartbeat. Oh, how long had he wanted this?
They parted, breathless, as Hubert smiled slightly.
"You like me that way?" Ferdinand asked, even though he already knew the answer.
"Of course I do, you idiot," Hubert chuckled, patting Ferdinand's hand. "I have been for a while now."
"So am I," Ferdinand said with a small smile. "I just—I wasn't sure how to express it. I am so glad you feel the same way, Hubie."
Hubie? Wow, Ferdinand. Way to make this even more awkward. Just don't mention it. Pretend it didn't happen.
"When you were kidnapped, I was afraid that I would never tell you," Hubert began. "But now that you're safe, I feel it would be the perfect time to finally tell you. I, uh, know that it's a far stretch for us, but—"
"Not a far stretch at all," Ferdinand said. "In fact, I'm glad that you said something. I've… I have been wanting to express it but I was afraid that I'd ruin it for both of us."
Hubert shook his head, chuckling. The laugh would have freaked out everyone, but Ferdinand? He found it charming. Even endearing. What a unique laugh. "You haven't ruined anything, Ferdie. I'm so glad you feel the same way."
Ferdie. That's so cute.
Hubert leaned in, his lips brushing on Ferdinand's. Ferdinand gladly accepted the offer, and the two kissed once more, this time more passionately than the last time.
They parted, and Huber brushed away Ferdinand's hair from his eyes.
"I love you, Ferdie."
"I love you too, Hubie. Thank you for saving me."
At the door, Edelgard watched the two, a small smile on her face as she mumbled a "finally."