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Felix sharpened his sword quietly. The path that had led him to this day had not been easy, but he couldn’t let his determination falter now. You made your decision. No going back now. Either live with it or die with it.
Knock knock
“What do you want?” Felix responded without looking up from his work.
Byleth opened the door and stepped in quietly, closing the door behind him. “How are you holding up, Felix?
“How am I holding up?” Felix glared at Byleth, hatred boiling under his skin. “My friends are dying. They’re killing each other. My home is lost to me, and that coward calling himself a ‘king’ is as good as dead. My father stands blindly by, pushing him forward with every bad decision. How do you think I’m holding up?”
Byleth sighed, and sat on Felix’s bed. “Felix, listen. I understand things have been tough for you since-”
“Since what? Since I watched some of my closest friends die? Since I killed my dead brother’s fiance? Since I found out that tomorrow, my father will be on the battlefield on the opposing side and I might have to cut him down?” Felix inspected his sword, then set it to the side and picked up another, immediately getting back to work. “Things haven’t been tough, Byleth. I’m fine.”
Byleth sat silently while Felix finished working on his blades. When the raven-haired boy was done, he turned to face his former teacher. “Why are you still here?”
“I’m here because you’re avoiding the issue. You’re going up against your friends. Your family. It’s ok if you’re hurting or unsure.” Byleth smiled softly. “No one is ever confident when they’re in the middle of a rebellion.”
“Maybe for you, but not for me.” Felix said, averting his gaze to Byleth couldn’t see his eyes. “I made my choice. My friends made theirs. That’s all there is to it.”
Byleth sighed. “If that’s how you really feel, that’s fine. But don’t forget you still have allies. You’re not alone here.”
“I’ve always been alone here. You can’t come back after five years and pretend you know what’s been happening.” Felix spat out. Just leave me alone, please.
“You’re right. I don’t know what happened during my five year absence. But I do know how hard it was for me to watch my father die. To see him right in front of me, helpless, knowing that I should have been able to stop it but I couldn’t.”
Byleth and Felix sat quietly as the weight of the words sunk in. After what felt like an eternity, Byleth stood up.
“I won’t pressure you. But if you need anything, please come see me. Tomorrow we’ll face your father. I just want you to be prepared.” Byleth opened the door to Felix’s room, then paused for a moment more, hoping for a response. When Felix remained silent, Byleth closed the door and walked away.
“Sorry, Byleth.” Felix muttered as he curled up on his bed, clutching a pillow to his chest. “I’m no good at opening up. But don’t worry. I’m ready. Whatever the weight of my actions may be, I’ll carry it through to the end.”