Chapter Text
She pinched herself, still unsure of whether she was dreaming or not. It had been 5 years since the fall of Garreg Mach. 5 years since he had disappeared, the scouts only able to find a circlet, which, even now was tied to her belt. 5 whole years she thought she’d failed both her teachers.
And yet here he was. Right in front of her.
They’d shared some brief words whilst fighting the bandits at the base of Garreg Mach. She could barely remember the exchange, stunned to see him alive. There hadn’t been much time after the battle either, as Seteth and Catherine had come down to meet them, the last leg of the journey being filled with noise as they settled in to Garreg Mach. Shared tears and hugs had dominated most of the evening, leaving them little time to think. Now however, night had fallen, and most had retired to their old bedrooms.
She and Byleth were the exception. She cleared her throat, alerting him to her presence. He jumped a little, startled by the sudden noise, bringing a smile to her face. Back when they’d been students here, she and the rest of the Golden Deer had made a game of seeing who could get the most reaction out of their rarely expressive teacher. Claude often won, but she came a close second.
“Leonie?” His voice snapped her thoughts back to the present. He was looking at her with a hint of concern, his voice quiet.
“Hey professor. Couldn’t sleep either huh?” She asked, walking over to him. He shook his head, looking back up at the sky.
“It doesn’t feel real. It only feels like yesterday we were fighting the empire. But it wasn’t, was it? I was… Asleep? Dead? For five years.” He shook his head again, trying to focus. “Sorry. What’s keeping you up? Anything I can do to help?” He asked, voice sincere. She’d always admired that about him. Sure he frustrated her at times, but she respected his willingness to help. She pondered his question for a moment.
“This is probably going to sound a bit stupid, but… It’s hard to believe this is real. Could you put this on? Just to prove to me you’re really there.” She asked, holding out the circlet. He nodded and took it from her, placing it on his head. The moonlight shone down on him as he did, silhouetting him.
She hugged him tightly, hands gripping him, reassuring herself with how solid he felt. He was alive, and real and there. He hugged her back awkwardly, almost unsure about what he was doing. “So uh, are you convinced now?” he asked, shifting a little. “Only if you keep squeezing so hard I might not be much longer.” He joked. She let him go with a laugh and took a step back, grinning from ear to ear.
“Definitely. Thanks professor.” She turned to go. “Oh, one last thing. Whether you were alive or dead, you’re here now. And you’re still you. That’s what matters. It’s good to see you again.” She headed back to her room then, the night air feeling a lot colder. Or was her face hotter? Shaking her head she pushed it from her mind. They had a long journey ahead of them now, even with Byleth back.