Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

There’s something final about the act of moving out, as if this was the action that finally sealed it, that would make the divorce real in her mind. It had been over a year now since her ex-husband moved out and they’d started the process of tearing apart and breaking down the lives they’d built together for just over a decade. Even so, like slowly boiling a frog, it hadn’t really felt real to Edelgard, not until now, as she sat in front of an empty bookcase, surrounded by cardboard boxes and small towers of books. And she needed it to be real by now. Dorothea had been admonishing her for delaying the process of moving on. She’d stayed friends with Hubert, and once the initial resentment had cleared, they were back on good terms, chatting regularly, as if nothing had happened. As if he hadn’t slept with her secretary. They had even moved in together, into a loft in uptown Enbarr.

And here she was, rushing to get the last of the packing done before the movers got there, left behind as the rest of the world kept chugging right along. This was the right thing to do, and she’d finally decided it was time to get back to living her life — whatever that was supposed to look like now that she was in her 30s. It felt like her youth had slipped by, wasted on a failed relationship and an overly ambitious corporate life that left precious little time for much of anything else.

The sound of the doorbell snapped her out of her own thoughts. That must be the movers, and she still had so much to finish packing!

“Coming!”, she called out, as she hopped over the mess of books on the floor and hurried to get the door. A tall, strong-looking, middle-aged man greeted her as she swung it open.

“Good morning! Edelgard, right? von… Hresvelg?”, he checked a big, chunky clipboard, squinting a little.

“Yes, that’s right. Schleppers of Fortune?”

“‘Our bodies are strong but our bond is stronger’ — that’s right. I’m Jeralt. And the kid’s setting up the truck now. You all ready to go?”

“Almost — sorry, I still have a couple of things to pack up, but you can get started.”

“That won’t be a problem, ma’am, we’ll help you get the last bits done, too.”

That was very kind, she thought, though she was still pretty embarrassed about having procrastinated on this for so long. A couple of minutes later, and she’d finished signing the release and going over the various rooms, pointing out the big furniture items, the fragiles, the heavies.

Just as the tour finished, Edelgard turned around as the other mover — the “kid” — walked in, hands full with rolled-up furniture pads. The kid shifted everything under one arm and extended a hand, “Byleth. Good morning”.

Tall like her father, visibly toned under a tight shirt, messy blue-black hair. Edelgard caught herself staring at the other woman, her eyes wandering for a second before locking onto those big blue eyes. A beat passed. They shook hands. It was a firm handshake. Strong. “Edelgard. I assume you’re the “kid”, Byleth?”

“That’s right. Where’s a good place to get started?”

“I’m still working on the library, so why don’t you do the office? This way.”

Edelgard straightened her back and regained her composure. She can’t just be ogling people she hired like that. It was time to get back to packing, if she didn’t want this to take all day. She led Byleth to a small room with boxes stacked on boxes and an old oak writing desk in a corner, with even more boxes it. Byleth’s eyes scanned the room, then gravitated to a large bag off to the side with a longer, stick bag laying against it.

“You do kendo?”, she turned to look at Edelgard. There was an excited glimmer in her eyes even with a seemingly neutral face.

“Oh uh. Not in years. I did it for a while and then… life happened, I guess.” By life, she meant marriage, and her father passing away and leaving her in charge of everything he’d built, making her move back to Enbarr. It had been a milestone moment in her life where everything seemed to change. Edelgard mused about how much that sounded like what she was going through now.

Byleth made her way into the room and picked a three-box tower near the door marked “BOOKS”, then knelt down and tilted the entire heavy tower on her back, leaning forward to keep everything in place. Without so much as as a grunt, she stood back up and walked back to Edelgard, “Is life still happening? You could drop by my dojo. Put that gear to good use? I actually teach there.”

“Oh gosh, you’ll hurt yourself, you don’t have to carry that much.”

“No, it’s fine, I do this all the time.”

“No, I insist, just let me take one box..”

“No, really, I…”

And that’s how three boxes and two women all fell down, now surrounded by loose books, magazines and… paraphernalia?

Edelgard stared at the mess, frozen solid. This was it, she thought. This was how she died. Of embarrassment. In her old house. A single divorcée surrounded by sex toys, rope, and incredibly niche books on incredibly intimate topics. This was the impression she was going to be stuck with forever. Death, she thought, was the best outcome. She thought of her old kendo gear, and how bamboo “blades” might not actually work for stabbing.

Before she could react, Byleth was already up, collecting everything into the beaten-up boxes with that perfectly neutral expression.

“I’m sorry I—“

“Don’t worry about it.” Byleth reached out a hand and helped Edelgard back up, and they both quietly finished putting everything away again. No further comments on the matter were made.

“How about Monday?”

“Sorry, what?”

“Practice. We have practice on Monday and it would be great if you dropped by. We love having new people.”

“Oh you mean kendo. I mean I haven’t done it in so long, I’m not sure I…”

“That’s fine. You can come as you are and we’ll get you back up to speed.”

Edelgard locked on to those deep blue eyes, edges crinkling slightly into a kind smile. Normally, she’d have a million reasons to turn down this offer. She was still busy with work, after all. But things had changed. Maybe it was about time she started making different choices.

“Okay.”

“So you’ll do it?”

“Yes. I’ll be there on Monday.”

And just like that, Edelgard got recruited into Byleth’s class. The taller woman looked pretty pleased with herself as she knelt back down and hoisted the tower of “books” onto her back again.

The rest of the move was fairly smooth. Edelgard managed to finish packing up the rest of her books just in time for another heroic display of strength (this time by Jeralt), and they agreed to meet at the new place after lunch.

After everyone left, Edelgard walked through the apartment one last time. It was really real, now, she thought. The bedroom she shared with Hubert was empty. So was the office — the room they’d talked about using for a kid someday. Her stomach sank at the thought. The stories that had collected in this place, of better times. Better?, she thought, No, just in the past. She stepped away, and out the door, locking it and taking the key off her keyring. The cute little house she’d been carried into as a newlywed was a thing of the past now. The sale would close soon. She turned around, walked to her car, and didn’t look back as she drove away.

Dorothea’s melodic laugh permeated the small tea room. Edelgard’s face bright red. She put her cup bergamot tea down and stared at the tea dusk that had sunk to the bottom of the cup.

“Seriously? The books and stuff I gave you like… ten years ago? You seriously still had that?”

Edelgard’s fingers curls on her lap in a tight grip, “Yes, and I’m not sure I can ever look this person in the eye again. I even said yes to showing up to practice. It was so embarrassing.”

Dorothea wiped a tear from her eye before her laughter finally died down. She put a hand on Edelgard’s, “Edie, sweetheart, it’s fine. I’m sure your hot mover friend was perfectly professional about it. Everyone has weird stuff at home, and I’m sure she’s seen worse.” Dorothea’s smile was always comforting.

“You do have a point, but still.”

“Edie, look. You’re going through a lot of life changes right now. You were stuck in routine for years, and you turned your work into your life because you didn’t know what else to do with yourself. As your friend, I want to tell you that’s not healthy, and you need to find more things to do. You’re free now. And this opportunity just fell on your lap. I think you should take it.”

Edelgard sat back and sighed, “So how are things with Petra?”

“Things are fine with Petra. Don’t try to change the topic on me. I want you to promise me you’ll at least try this class out. Get out there and make new friends. I love you with all my heart but I can’t be your only friend.”

“What? Why not?”, Edelgard chuckled.

“Because.”

“That’s as good a reason as any, I guess.”

Dorothea nodded, satisfied. “And tell me all about it next time you take me out for tea.”

“It’s a deal.”

“Good. Now we can talk about this unhealthy attachment you still have with Hubert.”, Dorothea took a sip of her tea.

“Dorothea…” Edelgard frowned, she didn’t like what was coming.

“No, really, I think this is relevant. I think you need to give yourselves a break for a while instead of trying to pretend you’re still friends. He’s your ex-husband. You both need to move on, and this is just not good for you.”

“We agreed to still be friends. It’s something we both wanted.”

“He left you for your own secretary.”

That really stung. Edelgard practically flinched and looked back down.

“Sorry, Edie, I…”

Edelgard raised her hand, “…No, it’s ok. You’re not wrong.”

Dorothea’s voice softened now, “Then why? You’re a smart lady, Edie. You told me the same thing when I broke up with Sylvain.”

Edelgard closed her eyes and answered softly, “Because if I let Hubert go, I’m afraid the entirety of my twenties will have been a waste of my time, as if a whole third of my life was meaningless. I’m afraid of starting all over again. I don’t feel young anymore, I don’t have all the time in the world left. I’m not going to be young and pretty and desirable much longer. I mean, look at this.” She ran her fingers through her long brown hair, streaks of white mixed into it.

“Oh love, you’ve had some gray for as long as I’ve known you.”

“Not this much. I’ll be completely gray by the time I’m forty.”

“And you’ll still be lovely. And when you’re older than that, you’ll be a lovely old lady, and it’ll be fine. This is life, Edie, and if you want to enjoy it, you have to work with what you have at the moment, and you have to keep your eyes looking forward. You’re nowhere near middle aged, and there’s plenty of youthful adventure left in you yet.” Dorothea winked, “Promise me you’ll go do this thing? And that you’ll try and have fun and not hold it against me?”

Edelgard huffed and puffed her cheeks, “Fine. I’ll give it a shot and see what it’s like, but I’m not making any promises.”

Dorothea smiled wide, “Good girl.”

The following Monday, Edelgard stood in front of the door to a studio in downtown Enbarr, shinai on her shoulder, with the gear bag hanging from it over her back. She took a deep breath and knocked on the door. A moment later, it swung open, revealing a large dojo with gear bags strewn along the edges. Several people in deep blue gi and hakama were wiping and sweeping the worn wood floor, while others did their stretches.

Byleth smiled softly at Edelgard, “You came! Come on in.”

With a small nod to Byleth, Edelgard bowed deeply to the dojo, and stepped right in.

Chapter Text

“Mokuso!”

The young blue-haired man sitting on his knees far to Edelgard’s right shouted. The rest of the class placed their hands facing up on their laps and took deep, slow breaths. Edelgard followed suit, focusing on a point a few feet in front of her, letting her eyelids droop. The ritual was used to open every practice, and gave everyone a chance to refocus and let go of external worries. As she settled into herself, she felt the pressure of her shins against the cool wood floor, the way her feet arranged themselves under her. The texture of her gi against her skin. She relaxed her shoulder and let them rest more comfortably, noting to herself how stiff they’d actually been. The hilt of her shinai was visible next to her, pearly-white — she had bought a new one, so it lacked the particular blueish tint from the grip of deep-blue gloves..

She tried again to clear her mind as she inhaled and exhaled slowly. Yet her mind continued to wander. Why did she actually come in today? Why did she say yes to this stranger she’d completely embarrassed herself in front of? Was Byleth just really smooth, or was she trying to ease the awkwardness?

“Yame!”

Hey eyes opened and she placed her palms on her lap as the shout interrupted her train of thought. Now, they would bow,

“Shomen ni — rei!”, to the dojo itself,

“Sensei ni — rei!”, to the teacher,

“Otagai ni — rei!”, and to each other.

“Let’s get started, then,” Byleth picked up her shinai and stood up, and the students followed suit. Her eyes immediately went to Edelgard, “and seeing as we have someone to welcome, how about we work on some basics today?”

The first half of practice was brutal. Edelgard was in somewhat good condition — she’d picked up the habit of jogging regularly and occasionally did some training at the gym when an interesting class popped up — but somehow, twenty minutes of footwork exercises and then swinging her shinai felt like something else. Her feet kept sticking to the floor and Byleth would come over with a slight smile and help her back up, “You’re doing great, you’ll get used to okuri-ashi againsoon enough. Now try that again.”

Byleth made it look so easy, with the way she cleanly slid across the dojo, almost as if she were skating on ice. When she demoed suburi — practice swings — her form was perfect, and as she squeezed her arms together at the end of the swing, tightening her grip. Edelgard practically stared at the rippling forearm muscles she saw during the move. Between her job and all this swinging, it was no surprise that Byleth was incredibly, visibly strong. Edelgard caught herself now. Was she jealous? She was somewhat in shape, yes, but Byleth’s body was on another level. She wondered, as she closed in on a hundred swings, what touching those muscles would feel like, as her face grew warm. From the exertion, of course.

“Alright, yame!”, Byleth-sensei called out, flipping her shinai and resting it at her side, “Let’s get into gear.”

The class jogged back to their original positions, sitting down in seniority order again. Earlier, they’d placed their bogu — their armor — in front of where they would sit, carefully arranged. The student next to Edelgard, a tall, muscular man, had helped her get everything out of the bag and laid out properly, and helped her get her waist and chest guards on. He was clearly fairly new himself, by how clumsily he’d been carrying himself during drills. “Balthus, nice to meet you,” he’d introduced himself. He came to kendo from judo, he said, and he was definitely much more at home when tumbling on the floor with an opponent than trying to carry himself and a blade with poise and precision.

The flap in front of her waist guard still had her old name tag from her brother’s dojo back in Fhirdiad. Still on it was her maiden name — she’d chosen to keep von Vestra after the divorce, if only to continue keeping her distance from her Adrestian family. Hubert had actually admonished her for even wanting to take his family name, but she had insisted, and he eventually relented. Who better to understand why than her childhood friend?

“Edelgard? Do you need help?” Byleth looked across the room at her, and others turned their heads. Edelgard snapped back to attention. Why was she so distracted lately? This isn’t like her. “Yyyyes, that would be nice.”

“Alright. The rest of you, get ready, I’ll help her out,” and so Byleth got up and kneeled next to Edelgard. The proximity surprised her for some reason, and she must’ve looked like a deer caught in headlights when she met Byleth’s gaze. “I know it’s been a while, so let’s help you get this all on, yeah?”

That was odd. This sort of task is better left to other students, to give them opportunities to mentor their juniors. It’s certainly unusual for a teacher to waste their time on the newest ones. Edelgard looked genuinely surprised. She eventually managed to get a reply out.

“Yes. I would appreciate that.”

“Good. So first, let’s get this on…”

She pointed at the folded-up cloth in front of Edelgard, which the latter picked up, unfolded, and tentatively draped over her face, “Something like this, right?”

“Yep, just like that.”

This part, Edelgard somehow remembered. She folded the corners of the rectangular cloth one way, tucked them in one after the other, and folded the remaining flap covering her face back, making a sort of cloth cap. Byleth reached out and tucked a stray tuft of hair behind Edelgard’s ear. She could feel Byleth’s fingertips, blunted and calloused from manual labor, as she sat perfectly still at the surprise touch. And there was that warmth again.

“That looks good,” Byleth nodded, “Now the men.”

The trademark kendo helmet, the men, is made up of a long rectangle tightly-packed cloth that curve over the head and flare out over the sides, with flaps that rest on the shoulders for protection. The front of the men is a metal mask with thick bars to protect the face, the openings much bigger than would be typical in Fódlan fencing. Under the chin of the mask, a hard flap hangs down to protect the throat from thrusting attacks.

Holding onto this metal mask, Edelgard pressed the soft pads lining the inside of the helmet against her face, resting it comfortably against her chin. Two thick strings hung from the front of the mask, and Byleth helped guide her in wrapping them around her head, and fastening them into a butterfly knot in the back.

Crack!

The familiar sound of the strings snapping together as they’re finally tightened and evened out. Such a satisfying sound, Edelgard mused..

“Looks like you’re all set, then,” Byleth patted Edelgard in the back and returned to her spot across the line of students, who had all patiently sat through the process and watched, bogu on.

Once Byleth was ready, it was time for class to resume.

“Edelgard?”

“Yes?”

“You’re with me first. Let’s do some target practice.”

“Yes, sensei.”

“The rest of you, target drills. Find a partner,” Byleth called out to the others, “Caspar?”

“Yes, sensei?”, the blue-haired younger man who’d been leading the students before straightened his back and pressed his feet together in attention.

“Rotate every thirty seconds, make sure you have at least two turns receiving for everyone, alright?”

“Yes, sensei,” the boy bowed and ushered the rest of the students towards the center of the dojo, where they began their own drills.

“Alright, let’s see where you’re at, Edelgard.”

Uchikomi-geiko is a practice where a more senior practitioner pairs with someone and, as a receiver, exposes various openings, some more subtle than others. Byleth and Edelgard bowed to each other and drew their shinai. The teacher turned her blade to the left in a fairly obvious motion. Edelgard noticed the opening and leaped forward, shouting, “kote!!”. She struck Byleth’s right wrist and quickly shuffled forward past Byleth, then turned around to repeat. This time, Byleth’s blade went up over her head.

“Dou!!”, Edelgard swung her blade down diagonally, cutting across Byleth’s stomach and hurrying past her, turning around again, shinai at the ready. The dojo filled with a cacophony of shouts and the cracks of the strikes as practice continued.

As the tips of their blades touched once again, Edelgard noted that Byleth’s movements were more subtle now. Would she be able to see the next one? They both stepped slightly forward, then back, as the mutual tension pushed them this way and that, blade tips dancing tentatively around each other, with soft tapping sounds.

She felt a small release of pressure as Byleth’s blade turned ever so slightly slightly to the right. Edelgard’s right foot slid forward. There! Edelgard pulled her sword back,\

“Men!!”, and the shinai struck the top of Byleth’s mask, making that satisfying crack at the same time as Edelgard’s front foot slammed against the floor.

“Good,” Edelgard swore she saw something resembling a smile hidden behind the bars masking Byleth’s face. “Now, let’s wrap it up with some kirikaeshi.”

“Yes, my teacher!!”

Edelgard felt the blood rushing in her veins, the excitement of being behind the mask again. The satisfaction of each strike during the new striking drill. It was exhilarating to be able to spar with someone while being able to put full power behind each blow. It felt different than other martial arts she’d tried where attacks had to be pulled for the sake of safety. But wearing armor meant she could put her all into every strike, as long as it was to one of the four allowed strike zones.

Byleth seems like such a good teacher, she thought. Edelgard had so much fun, it seemed like time had flown by when practice wrapped up and Byleth called everyone back to their lineup.

She sat on her knees, having removed her men and wiped her face down. The others followed. Everyone was exhausted, not least of whom was Edelgard. There was silence as Byleth looked at each student, measuring up what had been accomplished. She took a breath and shared her thoughts.

“The main objective of kendo is not crossing blades and shouting and wearing cool armor and all that. The main objective is the development of human character. The development of human character meaning that through disciplined practice, we achieve the right mental attitude. And through that, we can all contribute toward peace and prosperity for the whole world and for ourselves. This is what it means to do kendo for me, and I hope it’s something you all will also strive for. Thank you for a great practice today,” she placed her hands on the floor in front of her and bowed. “Caspar, if you will.”

“Yes, sensei”, he nodded, then straightened his back, and with his “mokuso!”, it was time to meditate again and to bring everyone back to the world outside of kendo.

❖

Once everything had wrapped up and they had all changed back to their street wear, Byleth turned to the students that were starting to slip out the door, “So, who’s up for froyo tonight?”

“Sorry, sensei, I think I’ll pass tonight,” Balthus rubbed the back of his neck, and bowed to the dojo before heading out into the cool night.

“I promised Linhardt I’d have dinner with him tonight, sorry. Blame my boyfriend.” Caspar laughed, following Balthus out.

Similar excuses came from the rest of the students, and before long, only Edelgard and Byleth were left. Edelgard was having trouble folding her hakama correctly, and kept messing up. It had been so long since she’d done this, and getting it into a neatly-packed square was a bit more complicated than remembering where to strike.

Byleth plopped down next to her, cross-legged, and quietly watched the struggle. Edelgard felt that same warmth on her cheeks again, now from sheer embarrassment and frustration. She was definitely keeping Byleth from being able to leave at this point. How inconsiderate, she thought, to inconvenience someone else like that.

“How about you? Up for froyo? There’s a place right next door, and we usually go there to chat and unwind after practice.” Byleth watched the (un)folding mess in front of her without much of a reaction, then curved her lips just so into a small smile.

Edelgard huffed in frustration and sat back, turning her attention to Byleth. She didn’t really have anything to do this evening, but it still felt awkward, for some reason. Probably because of the odd relationships they’d found themselves in — employer and employee, then teacher and student.

Then, she remembered how constrained her life was under the shadow of the ever-present Hubert, and how little freedom she’d had in practice to go about her interests, to make her own friends without him hovering over them and, frankly, creeping them out or making threatening implications. He’d always been so jealous and it was ultimately one of the bigger reasons for their separation.

Edelgard was free, now, to go to practices of things she found interesting. To live on her own, and on her own terms. To go have froyo with relative strangers.

“You know what? Sure, why not?” She smiled. More wide than she intended to. Why did she suddenly feel butterflies in her stomach? Was she… giddy?

Byleth did a playful fist pump, “Yes! Froyo time.” She chuckled, “Let’s get all your stuff put away, then,” and she helped Edelgard with the rest of her packing.

❖

There happened to be an Anna’s Froyo Secrets just a block down from the dojo. It was a self-serve frozen yogurt shop with over a dozen flavors at any given time, and a mind-boggling number of toppings to choose from. Edelgard used to go to one near her office before Hubert started scolding her for it — more reasons to resent him just kept rearing their heads, she though. She had too much of a sweet tooth, he’d say, and sometimes would even shame her for the potential effects on her body, “as she aged.”

The redhead with a ponytail behind the counter greeted them as they both walked in, bogu bags slung over their shoulders and shinai bags in hand, “Byleth! Welcome back! Where’s the rest of the group?”, she craned her neck to see if anyone else was behind them.

“I’m afraid it’s just us two for today. I do have a new student, though!”, Byleth gestured with her head to Edelgard, who felt as if she were intruding on a meeting between old friends. She waved. And the cashier waved back with a bright smile.

“That’s great! Well, let me know if you have any questions.”

Edelgard definitely didn’t. After placing her gear by the nearest empty table, she practically made a beeline to one of the few flavors that were a constant across franchises: Citrus Essense. Still, she served herself only about half of her cup. The real treat came next. And Edelgard was more than generous about it.

“That’s… actually pretty impressive,” Byleth raised her eyebrows as she sat across from Edelgard, who looked quite pleased with herself. The shorter woman’s cup was filled to the brim with a wide selection of sweets. Everything from cookies and cream to gummy bears to tapioca balls. None of it seemed like it would make sense with citrus, but that didn’t seem to hold Edelgard back at all. Byleth looked down at her own cup — her typical choice of Neapolitan tricolor blend. She wasn’t much for toppings, so aside from some sprinkles, her froyo sitting in stark contrast with the brunette in front of her’s.

Edelgard stiffened. Had she committed a faux pas? Was she being ridiculous? She’d gotten lost in her love of sweets and her newfound freedom to treat herself without Hubert’s judgmental scowl looking down on her. She thought of what to say. What was the right response? Something cute — no, that was highly inappropriate. Something dismissive, perhaps? She didn’t want to be rude to someone who clearly didn’t deserve that sort of treatment. She opened her mouth to respond with the only remaining option before being interrupted.

“It actually looks pretty good. Do you mind if I try it a bit? I don’t usually do toppings because I have a hard time choosing, but I think your way of doing it is definitely better than mine.” Byleth extended her spoon over to the overflowing cup.

“—Yes. Please, go ahead, sensei.”

“Oh, and none of that sensei stuff outside the dojo. You can just call me Byleth, that’s perfectly fine,” she smiled softly as she brought a scoop of pineapple chunk, chocolate chunk, gummy bear, and a dab of citrus yogurt up to her lips. “Mm!”, followed by an approving nod.

“Byleth.”

“Yes. Also, you were about to say something? I interrupted you, sorry.”

A beat. She’d been paranoid and jumped to conclusions. She felt like a heel as she responded, “Oh, it was nothing I was uhh…” she was uhhh what? “I was going to ask how long you’d been doing kendo. I didn’t realize you were the main teacher at the dojo. You seem like you’ve been doing this for a while.”

“Oh yeah. Dad put a shinai in my hands pretty much from the day I could walk. So I guess the answer is that I’ve been doing it as long as I remember, really. I took the sixth dan exam just last year.”

Edelgard’s eyebrows went up, “Oh. Wow. I hope I get to see you spar next time, then. I only ever trained with a fifth dan back ho— back when I was still practicing. And I never made it to first dan myself before I had to move back to Enbarr.”

Byleth nodded, sliding a clean pink spoon out of her mouth, “That’s a pity. I think you could qualify for that pretty quick once you’re warmed up. Also, next time? Does that mean I don’t need to talk you into coming again?”

Edelgard chuckled. She hadn’t even thought it through herself, “I guess so! I had a lot of fun tonight, and everyone seemed very kind. And I think I could learn a lot from you.”

“Plus, you’ve got plenty of time still to make your way up the ranks. You’re what, twenty-five or something?” A pause. Byleth was definitely waiting for an answer. Was this just some smooth move on her part?

“You flatter me, but no, I’m a bit older than that by now. I’m even divorced, if you can believe it.”

In Edelgard’s mind, divorce was still this thing that happens to older people. Her own divorce at thirty was clearly an anomaly. A consequence of the naïveté of her late teens and twenties. It didn’t make it feel any less like a failure on her part.

“I wouldn’t have imagined,” Byleth shrugged, “but I’ll take your word for it!” She smirked.

“What about you? How many years does it take a child prodigy to reach roku-dan?” Edelgard savored another bite of her mish-mash of sweets.

“Oh, I just turned thirty.”

That was surprising. Younger than her? “Is that so?”

“Last I counted, yep.”

“I wouldn’t have imagined,” Edelgard teased, “but I’ll take your word for it,” echoing her new teacher. That got a chuckle out of Byleth, who began scraping for the last of her froyo from the bottom of her cup and shoveling into her mouth. She set it down, now empty, “Well, Edelgard, I’m really glad you came tonight. I think we’ll do a lot of good kendo together.”

“I think so, too, sensei.”

Chapter Text

“How could you do this to me?!” shouted Edelgard, “I trusted you! I’ve known you since I was a little girl! We’ve been through so much together, just you and me. And after all that, you do this?” Her voice was shaky, her lavender eyes shimmered in the low light of the bedroom as tears ran down her flushed cheeks.

Across from her, Hubert slouched, facing away from her as he sat on the other side of the bed, his hand covering his face. He stayed silent.

“Is there something wrong with me? Did I do something to you? Have I focused on the wrong things? I wish you’d come to me if you felt like something was missing! I loved you and I’ve been there for you through everything you’ve gone through, and this is how you repay me?!” Loved, she said. Had she gotten to that point already? This was too sudden, too fast, too unbelievable. Hubert had been by her side ever since she returned from Faerghus. Through everything she had to go through with losing her father, through the court case and the final sentencing of her sick, twisted uncle. There was no one in this world Edelgard trusted more than this man who had now decided to join the ranks of all those people who had left her scarred and traumatized. All for a night of passion.

“El…”

“No! Don’t you dare call me that! Don’t you dare call me that ever again! I don’t want to hear it coming from your mouth so long as you live. You’ve lost any right to claim such closeness with me.” She turned her chin up, even as her lip trembled and her vision got more and more blurry.

“Edelgard, please…”

Hubert turned around to look at her, but what she saw was a completely blank face, devoid of eyes, nose, or mouth. He reached out to her and she backed away, startled by the inhuman thing she couldn’t recognize. She wanted to run, but her legs locked up.

“EdeLGarrd….” the thing’s mouth form and slit open, as her name came out like a gargling hiss and black ooze poured out of his—its mouth.

Edelgard screamed, clutching her sheets up to her chin as she bolted up in her bed, soaked in sweat, panting. A trembling hand reached for the light and she calmed her breath as she took in the now dimly-lit room where she sat, alone. She was safe. It was just another nightmare. She wiped her tears away with her blanket and sat on the side of the bed.

It had been years since she’d last had nightmares like this one. After so much struggle, she thought she’d finally be free to live her life, to love others and let them in. She had a successful job as a business consultant after finally selling off her father’s company. She had a happy marriage to a loyal man she loved dearly. And she’d done everything before even turning thirty, while so many of her peers were still struggling to figure out their own lives. Edelgard thought she had it made. But now, she felt like she was back in square one, and losing Hubert meant she was even more alone than she’d ever been. Now her nightmares were back and, unlike before, there was no clear path to resolving them.

She picked up her phone to check the time and—a message? At this hour?

She put her phone down and leaned back on the headboard, pulling her knees up and hugging herself. She’d always had Hubert to comfort her at times like these—he really was always there for her, and no matter how angry she was, she still missed him, his gentle embrace when she was having a hard time. She wished she had someone like that now.

Edelgard looked back at her phone and reached over.

It took hours before Edelgard realized just how much time had gone by. Looking at her clock, it wouldn’t be long before her alarm went off. By now, she was curled up under her blankets in the dark, phone in hand, still typing away with Byleth, who was more than happy to talk kendo for hours, it seemed.

She hesitated for a moment. She barely knew Byleth, and she definitely didn’t want to burden someone else with her troubles. At the same time, she looked up to her, and they were definitely building up trust. Byleth had told her earlier about the situation with her dad not being able to retire and growing older, still having to work a fairly physical job for a living, and having to give up leading the kendo gym to focus on the family business. It had put Edelgard’s own troubles into perspective, much like talking to Dorothea often would.

It took a while to type out her response. She kept writing something out, deleting it, trying again. But finally,

So much for that, she thought. She should know better than dump on people like that. Why should Byleth even care about her problems? They’re both adults, and by now, they should be able to take care of themselves. Edelgard just had to be stronger, and this was just a moment of weakness. This was utterly unacceptable, how could…

Edelgard curled her legs up under the blankets, pulling the latter up to her neck. As she shifted her head, she noticed the small wet spot on her pillow as another tear trickled down onto it. Usually, when she shared these things with people, they would all just want to know more details, as if she were some kind of tragic figure in a story and they just needed to know more. It never seemed like it was her own feelings that mattered.

And with that, it was time to get up. Her alarm was just about to go off, and it was clear she wouldn’t be getting any more sleep tonight. Oh well, she thought, as she got up to go about her day with a curious spring on her step that lasted the whole time and definitely weirded a few people at the office out. Not that Edelgard cared. Nothing could wreck her mood today, thanks to Byleth.

The teacher rose, shinai in hand, after she finished putting on the rest of her armor. She grinned behind the bars of her mask as her students got to their feet, “So I spent some time last night rewatching the videos from last year’s championship, and I’m feeling inspired today, so we’ll be doing shiai practice today!”

The students immediately cheered. Tournament practice was always a good way to learn in an environment that was a closer simulation to what they usually did. Caspar immediately perked up and headed for the lockers, where he fetched some blue painter’s tape and a yard stick. With the help of Hapi—that’s what Edelgard learned was the name of the incredibly buff redhead that sat next to Caspar—the “court” was all set up, with an X marking the center, two lines a few feet apart on either side of it, and a larger, square perimeter around the whole thing as the edge of the arena.

Meanwhile, Byleth fetched a pair of ribbons—red and white—as well as a set of matching hand flags and joined the rest of the class as they gathered around the court. “Like most other Hoshidan martial arts, kendo, even with its focus on improvement of the self, is still a sport. To that end, we’ll be taking turns not just sparring, but also judging, since we have just enough people for that tonight. Doing the judging will help you pay more attention to how bouts are scored, and I think everyone, even low-ranks, should give it a shot at some point or another, “ Byleth handed Edelgard a pair of flags, as well as Caspar, keeping a pair to herself, “Of course, you won’t be judging official matches for a while, so make the most of this learning experience.”

“Hapi, Balthus, you’re up first.” She nodded towards the very height-mismatched pair, “we’ll run through this as if it were an actual match, so please take your places. Caspar, Edelgard, if you could help with the ribbons?” The two student judges jogged behind Hapi and Balthus as they faced each other just outside the makeshift ring and attached a red and a white ribbon, respectively, to their backs.

With that done, Byleth stepped towards the ring, perpendicular to the other two, and nodded for them to enter. They bowed slightly, stepped in, and bowed again, raising their “holstered” blades to their hips. Three steps forward, towards the lines on either side of the X, blades were drawn, and they squatted down facing each other. Caspar and Edelgard took their places, forming a triangle with Byleth surrounding the other two—letting them get multiple perspectives on the match. Points would be granted by judge consensus.

“Hajime!” shouted Byleth, as the two sprung up from their squats and took their stances.

“KAAAAAAAA”

“HEEEEEEEEEEEEEY”

The two shouted at each other, tips of their blades touching. At first glance, one would guess there’s not much going on. Just two people, slowly shuffling their fit as they orbited each other, wiggling their swords and occasionally screaming. But kendo isn’t a sport of constant aggression. In a battle where a single good, perfectly-landed strike is the goal, half the work is in seeking that opening—or more importantly, creating it.

A small flick, an audible tap, and Balthus practically flew towards Hapi. An enormous mass of armored human, shinai overhead, and a crack, and a loud shout. And another crack. Another shout, “DOOOHHHHHHHH.” A stomp.

The two passed each other like in an old samurai movie, and as they turned around to face each other again, three flags went right up: red. Hapi’s color. She’d deflected the overhead strike, and, taking advantage of the height difference, brought her blade down and struck across Balthus’ stomach, figuratively disemboweling him. It was a beautiful, perfectly executed kaeshi dou.

Balthus’ head dropped as he noticed the flag, then he laughed and bowed his head to Hapi. The skill difference between a second dan and a kyuu was obvious, but it was a good chance to learn. Balthus, Byleth had told Edelgard, had gotten into a number of martial arts due to some sordid past in the Alliance that had somehow brought him to Adrestia. And so, he was more of a jack of all trades, never really mastering anything he did. It showed, Edelgard thought, as the two return to the center for the next round.

It took only a few moments before Balthus tried again, reaching far forward to just barely catch Hapi’s mask. He was too quiet, though, and the judges fluttered their flags below their belts. No score.

Ki-ken-tai-ichi, or spirit, sword, and body as one, is an important component of an ippon, or point. In practice, it meant that one could only score by striking with the blade, shouting, and stomping at the same time, along with having proper follow-through on the attack. Striking a given zone with one’s bamboo blade was only one component of a larger whole. And Balthus definitely didn’t do all of it.

They turned back towards each other as their blade tips came into contact once again. This time, they took a little longer. It seemed as though Hapi was taking her time now. Less to find an opening for herself, and more to see if Balthus could manage to make his own.

“HYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA,” Hapi challenged. Was Balthus losing his nerve or something? She tipped her blade slightly to the side.

Balthus fell for it. Hook, line, and sinker.

“Yame!”

Just like that, the fight was over. They bowed, stepped back, and bowed again.

“Well done, B. You’ve improved a lot,” Hapi nodded, “Whatever you’re doing, keep doing it.”

Balthus bowed his head and chuckled, “I will. I owe you for that match, though, you’ll see.”

“I look forward to it.”

The rest rotated around a couple of times—Caspar and Hapi had a fairly close match, with Caspar just barely getting the last point, Edelgard somehow managed to land two strikes almost immediately on Balthus, who was clearly still in a daze from the match with Hapi. And then, it was finally time for Byleth to go. Against Edelgard.

“So we get to see the Ashen Demon in action after all, tonight? And against the newbie! This’ll be good.” Caspar laughed, as he took the place of the lead judge. Byleth shot him a sharp look. He immediately straightened his back.

“The Ashen Demon?” Edelgard tilted her head.

“I swear that nickname wasn’t my idea,” Byleth shrugged. “You ready?”

“Of course, sensei.”

So far, all the matches followed a similar pattern. Match starts. Shouts are exchanged. Battle of the wits. An opening. A strike. Rinse and repeat. It was natural for Edelgard to expect the same from the professor who had taught all of these students to fight, and showed the patterns that she herself would be following in her practice.

Which is why she was completely taken by surprise when less than a second after the beginning of the match, she was staring straight at the ceiling, wind knocked out of her, three white flags whooshing upwards, and an ear-piercing shout reverberating through the dojo. And then, silence.

At least until Caspar broke it, walking over to her, “You alright?”

“Y-yeah. I’m fine. What just happened?”

“You just had the honor of seeing an All-Fódlan Champion come at you with everything she’s got, that’s what. Now get up, that was just one point.” Caspar chuckled as he stepped back to his place. Byleth was already standing in ready stance at her line, face completely blank, not even looking at Edelgard. It was like she had transformed into someone else, with no expression of feeling, pride, celebration, or anything. Just pure, perfect kendo.

It seemed like moments later when Edelgard squatted back down across from Byleth, two points down, and their match had wrapped up.

Byleth smiled and turned to her students, “That’s a wrap!”

Apparently, it was a rite of passage to have new students go through such a practice with Byleth. Edelgard, looking back, had actually had a lot of fun, and she hadn’t really fought anyone who’d gotten very far up the nationals. Aside from her half-brother Dima. He was good, of course, but not this good.

The class had some great banter as they all changed back to their street clothes—wow, Edelgard thought, Hapi really is incredibly buff—and the usual convocation to Anna’s Froyo. This time, however, everyone was joining to celebrate their battles, won and lost. Edelgard, too.

That is, until she finally looked at her phone, with several voicemails from Hubert, of all people. Moments later, her face blanched. Her body stiffened. Her breath left her lungs.

“Hey Edelgard, you coming, too?” Byleth smiled wide. Back to her usual self now. She walked over and stopped as she noticed Edelgard’s face and her clutching her phone to her chest.

“Is everything ok?”

“I… I’m afraid I’m going to have to pass tonight, sensei.”

“What’s wrong? You look like someone died. I can stay back with you, if you want to talk about it. What happened?”

Edelgard slowly turned to Byleth, a clear look of abject fear in her eyes. A look she never wanted anyone to see again, especially not Byleth. Her lips moved on their own, though, as she opened herself up to her newfound friend.

“My… my uncle. He got out of prison today.”

Chapter Text

Byleth focused on the slowly-turning ceiling fan as she lay in her bed. Her old room was plastered with kendo paraphernalia, posters, medals, and trophies. It looked just about the same as it did when she originally moved out to go to college (a failed experiment), except for the old computer her dad had set up, since he decided to use the otherwise empty room as the office to run his business out of. Her dark indigo gi hung by the window, freshening up, right above the sack of armor and her shinai. The bed was small, but pretty high up. She’d gotten so used to just a plain old mattress on the floor. This was her life now.

Byleth Eisner, 6th dan, two-time All-Fódlan Kendo Champion, teacher at her own dojo, had to move into her parents’ rent-controlled apartment at the tender age of 30. The best job she could do was hauling heavy boxes full of books for people in the city who were way too rich for their own good—or anyone else’s good, for that matter.

Byleth Eisner, college dropout, doer of odd jobs, overall loser. Her only friends were her parents and the students at the dojo. If you could even call them friends.

She turned her eyes over at the wall as they gravitated to a picture of her dad, smiling wide, and the kid he had his arm around, missing front tooth, short, dark blue-black hair, holding a medal in one hand and a children’s shinai in the other. Her dad looked really happy. And really, he’d barely changed all this time. Unlike Byleth. The man was clearly ageless.

She finally stood up and walked to the wall, taking the picture and setting it face-down on the desk. She was sure it gave her dad the warm fuzzies to see it all the time, but she didn’t really want to look at it.

“Knock knock. Hey, kid.”

Speak of the devil,

“Your mom says dinner’s almost ready. You joining us?”

Byleth Eisner turned to Jeralt Eisner and nodded, same stoic, unreadable facial expression as always. The same face that had struck fear in her opponents when they looked past the metal bars of her helmet. The face she actually wore more for self-defense than anything else. Right now, she mostly wanted to make her parents think she was ok.

Sitri Eisner, unlike her boisterous husband or her stoic child, was soft-spoken and the kindest person Byleth had ever met. She also made amazing spaghetti with tomato sauce. It was a really nostalgic meal for Byleth, and a perfect way to welcome her back into the nest, circumstances notwithstanding. It was really nice that Sitri felt well enough today to cook a whole meal, Byleth thought, as she made her way to the kitchen to help serve the small table that somehow managed to fit all three of them.

“Here, I’ll take that, ma.”

“Oh, thanks, sweetie.”

“Can I help with anything else?”

“Just set the table, I’m all set here.”

“You sure, ma?”

“Yes, sweetie, I’m sure. Thank you,” Sitri smiled, the edges of her eyes well-wrinkled by now. It had really been sinking in for Byleth that her parents had been aging this whole time, once she moved back in. Even her father, as disconcerting as that was. She had always imagined her dad would be head of the dojo forever. She imagined he’d retire at a reasonable age and be one of those cool kendo grandpas with who could read you like a book and take down younger hotshots with unparalleled economy of movement. She looked forward to seeing him pass his 8th dan test—a test with a less than one percent pass rate, and one you’re required to be about Jeralt’s age to even attempt. The best she could do for him now was make sure their small dojo kept going as Jeralt worked into an age where he should have already retired. And of course, act as cheap labor for Schleppers of Fortune.

Dinner was as good as Byleth remembered. It was a simple meal, for simpler times, but it always hit the right spot. And watching her parents laughing together brought a small smile to Byleth’s face. Maybe this whole thing would be alright, after all.

“How are things in the dojo, dear?”, Sitri asked, sweet as ever.

Byleth hurried to gulp down a huge mouthful she had just slurped up, as pasta sauce dripped down the side of her mouth, “Oh. They’re going alright. We managed to get enough people that we might get a team together.”

Jeralt jumped in, “Is he any good?”

“She. And yes, she did a little bit some time ago, so she’s kinda rusty,” she wiped her mouth with the back of her hand and licked it off, “And, well, she’s been gone for a few weeks. She had to go up to Fhirdiad for something. I hope she gets back soon.”

“Well then, I’ll talk to Seteth-sensei about getting your team invited to this year’s regionals, then.”

“No!” Byleth blurted out, “I mean. I’m not sure we’ll be ready. I don’t want you to go through that trouble in the state we’re in right now.” Byleth deflated somewhat. Jeralt, as one of the few 7th dan practitioners in the region and a former board member, still held plenty of sway over matters of the Fódlan Kendo Federation.

It made Byleth very uncomfortable that she’d be shoved into such a high position just because of her connections. It was enough that she’d been dragged to various invitational tournaments, and that Rhea-sensei was so weirdly enthusiastic about having Byleth there, and even giving classes. Having her tiny dojo sanctioned felt embarrassing when she could barely even put a single team together. Byleth would rather have earned everything herself, but it made her father happy, and it’s not like she didn’t benefit from the privilege.

Sitri interjected, “Don’t pressure her, Jer. She’s already taken on a lot with leading the dojo. Tournaments were so hard on you, remember?”

Jeralt crossed his arms and sat back, “Oh, come on. I think she can handle it,” he smirked, “right?”

“I mean, sure, dad. I can do it.” Byleth sighed, defeated.

“If you’re sure, then I’ll take care of it. I just wish I could join you.” He looked pleased.

And that was that. Now all Byleth had to do was make sure her team was ready. Somehow.

❖

Byleth looked at the door of the dojo, arms crossed with shinai in hand, and let out a long sigh. Caspar pushed against a wall behind her, one foot back as he stretched out his achilles tendon. That was it. That was everyone. She turned her eyes over to the wall clock: twenty minutes past the hour. No one else was going to show up at this point. Caspar, though, wouldn’t miss practice for anything. Much to his boyfriend’s chagrin.

“Alright. Looks like it’s just you and me today.”

They both took their places.

“Mokuso!”

Practice this time around consisted of going over all the kata with Caspar, to start preparing him for his eventual 4th dan test. They went through each one carefully, taking advantage of Byleth being able to give dedicated attention. Showing mastery of each of the ten forms was critical to rank progression. Each required memorizing both sides of a carefully choreographed duel. Each required remembering timing, positioning, and having utmost control of one’s blade.

As always, Caspar’s problem seemed to be his impatience.

“Ha!”

“Toh!”

Caspar’s bokken—a solid wooden sword, more like a wooden katana than a shinai—stopped an inch from Byleth’s head as the latter leaned forward, her blade having “missed” its target. Caspar’s sword moved down as Byleth took a step back. Immediately, Caspar moved forward, almost hitting Byleth’s forehead as she dodged to the side, frowning.

“Caspar…”

“Sorry, sorry! I know, I know, sorry.”

Sometimes, Byleth wondered how Caspar even made it to 3rd dan with his impatience, but he was definitely a solid fighter with proper form who, by now, had learned to deal with being significantly shorter than other men in competitions. They tended to underestimate Caspar, mistaking his clean, soft face and youthful features for someone much younger. But his kata needed so much work, still.

“Let’s start over.”

It felt like forever, and they eventually got through the first four kata. Then, they were sitting across from each other again, “The Hoshido Kendo Kata are the very fundamentals of our form and practice. Please don’t neglect studying them. They will make your kendo better — even in competitions.”

“Yes, sensei,” Caspar bowed to his teacher, “By the way, where do you think everyone is? I hope they’re alright.”

“I don’t know. We all have lives outside the dojo, so that’s something for them to deal with. I look forward to seeing them again soon.”

Byleth did have some idea of why her students had missed class.

Balthus was probably nursing a massive hangover for staying out late at the only bar who lets him keep as big a tab as he does. He might have even gotten into a fight with someone asking for their money after a game of cards. Or just gotten his ass kicked in his BJJ class and needed a break. He would often come in sporting a black eye, and on more than one occasion had asked Byleth herself (or even other students) for a small loan. He was really shameless, Byleth thought.

Hapi was more of a mystery. She had, apparently, not held down a steady place to live in the five years after being estranged from her family. All Byleth really knew about her situation was something about an abusive mother. Hapi’s sarcastic sighing brought out the monster in her one night and things went downhill very quickly from there. The rest of the story was a little muddled—Byleth just remembered a lot of hecks getting thrown around, after Hapi had too many drinks at her teacher’s 6th dan party. Hapi was mum about her life otherwise. And Byleth was sure she’d never heard the redhead sigh.

Then there was Edelgard. Byleth would find herself fretting about her newest student lately. It had been several weeks now since she’d last heard anything from her. Ever since that night.

“Sensei, I may need to be away for a little while. I’m sorry.”

“It’s fine. You do what you need to. And if you need my help with anything, let me know.”

Edelgard smiled, “I will.”

That was it. Not even a text to the dojo group since then. Byleth felt selfish for wanting Edelgard back. Not just because having her meant they could put together a five person team, but Byleth had found herself becoming more fond of her student during their froyo conversations at Anna’s and their late night texting. She felt as though she was actually making a new friend, as opposed to just a new student. It had been a while since Byleth had an actual friend. Maybe Edelgard would be back soon.

“Anyway, Caspar, if you will,” Byleth gestured to Caspar.

The blue-haired boy nodded and straightened his back.

“Mokuso!”

❖

On her way home, Byleth rested her head against the window as she looked out at the dark city, as the bus occasionally jostled her. She pulled out her phone and scrolled through her contacts. Not exactly a long list: her parents, her students, the fish and chips and pizza place she used to order take out from—when she could afford it, at least. Edelgard was on the list, of course. She opened the text with her and poked at her phone with her thumbs.

I miss you at practice, she might’ve said. I miss you, even.

She waved away the thought as she pulled on the metal wire above and the bus dinged. Moments later, Byleth swung her gear bag over her shoulders, almost toppling over as the floor beneath her came to a stop.

Byleth walked into a mostly-dark house, the kitchen counter and the various items on it casting a long shadow across the floor. She kicked off her beaten-up crocs and peeked around to where her father was sitting, drinking, an empty beer can already in front of him.

“Oh. Hey, kid. How was practice?” He smiled an exhausted smile.

“Caspar was the only one there.” Byleth frowned. A subtle thing.

Jeralt’s eyes caught it over the beer can as he took another swig, “Care to join me?” He gestured to the fridge.

With not even so much as a nod, Byleth grabbed a couple of cans and sat across from her father, mirroring his splayed-out posture on the chair. She’d never really been able to sit properly. It felt so strange to. A crack, a hiss, and both Eisners take a nice long drink. Ahhhhhh. That hit the spot.

“How’s mom?”

Jeralt’s brow twitched. Subtle. Just like his daughter. “She spent a little while watching TV with me before she went back to bed. Coulda been worse. I made her a grilled cheese for dinner and she said she was proud of me,” he chuckled to himself. By himself.

They both finished their cans, and Byleth grabbed a couple more without saying a word.

“We have a job on Monday. You good with that? It’s a four-bedroom. Second floor, no elevator.”

Jeralt knew the answer already. Byleth always had time these days. His daughter gave a nod.

They were closer, many years ago. She wished they still were, but things got awkward for a few years. This quiet sharing was definitely progress. Her mother never really had a problem with things, but it took a lot of effort before Jeralt would look his daughter in the eye again. Drinking like this is how they bonded these days, slowly healing the wounds of the past as they built a pyramid of empty cans in a dark apartment’s kitchen. But the best some wounds can ever do is scar. At least her dad was trying. He even kept the moving company’s slogan, even. It had been Alois’ idea and they had all laughed and agreed. Byleth smirked to herself remembering that. She wondered how Alois was doing these days.

Before long, Byleth was in bed, staring at the ceiling fan, in her dark room. The room she’d had to move into after losing her job as a barista a couple of months ago, once her savings had dried up. It felt like she was back at square one, and too late in life to ever really catch up to… anyone, really. She wondered what her life would have been like if she hadn’t dropped out of Garreg Mach. How long ago was it, now? A decade? That was probably still on the pile of things her father resented her for. She could swear that acceptance letter was one of the happiest moments in his life, to have his kid follow in his footsteps. Maybe even join the Knights. Part of Byleth always wondered if he had just pulled some strings to get her—a mediocre student, at best—into the school as a legacy.

Oh well. It didn’t really matter anymore.

She rolled over and plugged her phone in when she noticed the SMS notification on top of the screen.