"Good evening, Lady Corrin," Ananias greeted. "How are you today?"
Corrin smiled at him in response before answering, "Just fine. Thank you for asking."
Ananias nodded before looking down to see that she was holding a book in her hands, one that was being kept open solely by one of her very own thumbs to keep her place. "What are you doing? Reading?"
Corrin glanced down at the book and nodded. "Yes." She then closed the book and held it up for him to see the cover. "I must've read this story a hundred times by now. I practically know it by heart. And yet no matter how many lines of it I can recite by heart, I always seem to end up coming back to it."
"Really?" Ananias said. "Huh. If a bookworm such as yourself has that to say about it, then I'm guessing that that story must be pretty good."
Corrin chuckled before bashfully shaking her head. "Truth be told, it's more of a guilty pleasure for me than anything else."
Ananias crossed his arms and raised an eyebrow in surprise. "Oh?"
Corrin nodded. "Yes." She looked down at the book fondly. "It may just be a sappy romance novel, but I can't help but be captivated by it all the same."
"'Sappy romance novel', huh?" Ananias murmured. "Well, if you don't mind me asking... what exactly is this story about?"
Corrin gave him a questionable look before cautiously and sheepishly asking, "Promise me you won't laugh?"
Ananias gave her a nonchalant shrug. "Of course."
Corrin nodded before taking a moment to collect her bearings and explaining, "Well, this particular story is about a little girl who, because of an evil sorcerer, is trapped inside of a magical tower, doomed to never escape. For years, it looks as if she has no choice but to spend the rest of her life there, but it's then when a valiant warrior comes and saves her from her imprisonment. The two fall in love with each other and they live happily ever after, traveling the world and having even more adventures from then on out."
Ananias couldn't help but chuckle and smile at this. "It's no wonder why you love it so much. The girl in the story must've struck a cord with you."
Corrin nodded, a small blush spreading across her face. "Yes, I guess she did. But to be fair, the ending for it was probably what drew me into it as well."
"The whole 'traveling the world' part?"
Corrin held the book close and thought about it for a moment. "Hmm, yes, but I must admit, I am a bit of a romantic."
"Oh?" Ananias asked. "So you dream about a white knight sweeping you off your feet too, huh?"
"Please don't make fun of it," Corrin pleaded. "It's not exactly fitting for someone of my age and my position to still hold such childish fantasies."
"Nah, I'm not teasing," Ananias reassured her. "If anything, I'm admitting to the fact that I've got those same fantasies myself."
Corrin's eyes widened in surprise. "You do?" she asked incredulously.
Ananias nodded as he sheepishly began to scratch the back of his head. "Yeah. I always sort of wanted to meet a girl who could make me love her just by looking at her, you know? Find the perfect girl who could understand and put up with me, flaws and all."
"Aw," Corrin said, giving him a small and playful shove, "your flaws aren't that bad."
"Say that after you've actually lived with me," Ananias said. "Trust me, I'm a pain."
"Well, you've been to a lot of places," Corrin suggested. "Hasn't there seen at least one woman out there who's taken your breath away?"
Ananias thought about it for a moment before crossing his arms, shrugging his shoulders, and answering, "Honestly, I wouldn't know even if I did."
Corrin nodded understandingly. "Well, has there ever been anyone who you've enjoyed spending time with? You know, with nothing too big happening around you?"
Ananias once again thought it over before shrugging his shoulders and answering, "Well, I mean, there's you."
Corrin was immediately taken aback by that. "M-Me?!" She then nervously brushed some of her hair behind her ear before asking, "W-Why is that?"
Ananias sheepishly rubbed the back of his neck. "As much as I was originally against it, telling you stories and you telling me stories back, I've actually come to enjoy it. And besides, you're so nice and charismatic..."
"Oh, stop!"
"But it's true," Ananias matter-of-factly stated. "And you're so beautiful and strong. I can't help but feel happy to know that you want to be in my company."
"Okay, now I know you're teasing!" Corrin said hotly.
Ananias simply blinked innocently at this response. "I don't see how complimenting you qualifies as 'teasing'."
"Well, it obviously is!" Corrin insisted. "This is such a cliché that I'm surprised you're even trying it on someone like me!"
"Trying something like what on you?" Ananias asked incredulously.
"You know! The whole, you know that I'm crazy about you and then you just start relentlessly complimenting me to elicit a reaction! THAT cliché!"
Ananias' eyes widened in surprise. "I... wasn't aware that that was a thing."
"Well, it is! And I'd appreciate it if you stopped, okay?! My poor heart can't take much more of this!"
"B-But if I didn't know about it then how could I have started in the first place?"
Corrin blinked in confusion. "Um, well..."
"And speaking of which, did you just admit that you were crazy about me just now?"
Corrin immediately buried her face into her hands. "Oh, gods, this can't be happening..."
Ananias' eyes widened in surprise. "S-So is that a yes, or...?"
Corrin blushed before nodding her head and quietly answering, "Yes."
Ananias blinked in astonishment for a moment before shaking his head incredulously and asking, "Oh, um, well... so were you, um, planning on telling me any time soon, or...?"
"Well, I put all of this effort to get to know you better, right?" Corrin defensively asked. "So that much should prove that I was going to tell you sooner or later." She then averted her eyes to the side and muttered, "I was just expecting it to be later rather than sooner." Ananias stared at her in bewilderment for a while before finally giving in and letting out a goofy laugh. "Hey! It's not funny!"
"I mean, it kind of is."
"Well then, don't!" Corrin then lifted her book in front of her face as if to hide her face behind it. "Oh, gods, I'm so embarrassed."
"Embarrassed, huh? Have to admit, I never would've thought I'd ever see the day when the great Corrin is embarrassed."
Corrin smirked and rolled her eyes at this. "Says Mr. Doesn't-Laugh-Or-Smile-A-Lot!"
"Hey! I'm getting better at it!"
"Barely! It looks like I was too late! Your face is already stuck the way it is it seems!"
The two laughed for a bit before finally looking into each other's eyes. "I don't know why, but... being with you... it makes me feel relaxed again for the first time in ages, you know?" Ananias said.
Corrin hummed and nodded in agreement. "Yeah, I do."
The two of them continued to stare at one another for a while before Ananias slowly took her hand and whispered, "You know, I may not be the most romantic guy in the world, but, do you, um... want to live happily ever after with me or...?"
Corrin giggled. "I would love to, Ananias. And don't worry, I've read more than my fair share of romance novels. I can be romantic for the both of us."
"Ah, a girl after my own heart."
Ending: Ananias and Corrin
Ananias continued with his humble life as a messenger almost immediately after the war had ended, his home being the only guaranteed place anyone looking for him could find him. Corrin was hailed as a hero, working alongside her spouse to spread peace worldwide.
Bond Quotes:
Huh, pretty nice place you've got here. Man, how do you make this place look so clean?
I know that it's my duty to come when you call and everything, but I don't mind. It's actually kind of nice.
Um... are we done here or something? I've still got chores that I've got to do.
If it makes you feel any better, you're not the worst person I've ever worked for. ...Sorry, that came out wrong.
Bonding (Lover) Quotes:
You're one of a kind. I'd be crazy to let you go, you know?
I'm not the most romantic guy around, so if you want to start something, you're going to have to lead.
You... want to kiss right now? (Kisses Avatar) (Smiles and chuckles) Pleasure is all mine.
I've... gone through a lot in my life. Losses... disappointments... regrets, you name it. So thank you. You've reminded me what it's like to feel again.
Confession:
I wuv you so much my beautiful dwagon pwincess! ... (Coughs uncomfortably) Ugh, sorry. Just know that I love you, okay?
Author's Note #1: Welp, there ends Corrin's supports with Ananias. I hope you liked it! Next will be Benny, followed by Anna, Ophelia, Camilla, Gunther, Setsuna, Kanna, Selena, Beruka, Xander, Azura, Flora, Odin, Laslow, Rinkah, Arthur, Silas, and Leo. Got someone else you want to support with Ananias that isn't on this list yet? Request it. Remember, all Nohr first generation characters, Soliel, Ophelia, Anna, Kanna, Rinkah, Subaki, and Setsuna are allowed to support with him as well and it is a first come, first serve system.
Author's Note #2: This story will undergo a brief hiatus. Sorry, but I've got things that I've got to focus on on this end (especially with the holidays coming up). See you until then.
