Work Text:
The full moon above was offensively beautiful after the fight she had just had with fiancé.
Byleth takes another sip from her bottle before squinting at the bright disk in the sky, the brisk wind ruffling both her bangs and the tree leaves within the park.
It’s inconsequential really, finding out your fiance was a mafia boss. Not just any mafia no, rather one of the big 3 famiglia that had a hand in only EVERYTHING related to Fódlan’s underworld and then some.
She’d long been investigating the rumours of the Lion and Eagle feud, hidden beneath the surface of the oddly tense 3-way ceasefire overseen by Garrag Mach. She’d expected, to an extent, that there would be danger in doing so. After all, it was that danger that had ultimately killed her father during one of his investigations, presumably having dug too deep into the underbelly of mafia politics.
But to be kidnapped, rescued and then finding out her boyfriend, the one who laughed so joyfully when they helped at the orphanage, the one who held her when she broke down after her father’s death, the same person who listened to all her discoveries and theories on the movements and motivations on the very famiglia he was part of and leading and-
Groaning the private investigator could only bury her face in her hands out of self-loathing, pale green locks of hair spilling around her shoulders.
Oh Seiros he must’ve thought she was so stupid listening to her rant.
“Are you alright there young lady?”
Startled by the sudden question, Byleth jerked upright, water bottle falling from it’s precarious position in her lap before rolling across the gravel to the stranger’s feet, just outside the range of the streetlight.
“I apologise,” he chuckled kneeling to pick up the wayward container, the artificial lighting revealing his green hair, “but you looked like you were rather lost there.”
Mortified, she accepted her bottle back.
“Um, thank you really. I just…was trying to sort out my thoughts.”
Then the words tumbled out before she could stop herself, “I just, had a huge argument with my partner, and now I don’t know what to do.”
The gentleman paused to consider her words as the young woman felt the scarlet heat rise in her cheeks. Was she truly so desperate to inundate a stranger with her problems? No matter how familiarly dependable he looked, surely he had better things to do than listen to her and her indecisions.
Contrary to her expectations though, the man gestured to the space on the bench next to her occupied by her things
“If I may?”
Byleth scrambled to pick up her half opened bag, shoving her bottle in and zipping it closed for good measure.
Sitting in the newly vacated space, the verdant-haired man looked up at the clear night sky above them, folding his blue coat across his knees.
“Arguments are quiet natural in any relationship, the ones I have with my sister can be rather spectacular. Though I suspect yours is a bit more serious in nature.”
Nodding, Byleth couldn’t help but volunteer a bit more information.
“He...had been hiding a big secret. He wasn’t exactly who I thought he was even though we’ve been together for so many years.” The girl paused, “I’m just not sure what we are to each other anymore.”
“Hmm, I see. It must’ve been something very big for you to react like this.”
“I…yes. It was accompanied by a rather shocking series of events. It changed everything I knew about him, and is making me wonder if all the time we spent together was even real.”
Frowning slightly, her newly discovered confidant leaned back to cross his arms.
“Despite that, does it really change who he was though?”
Conflicted, she looked away.
“Long ago, when I was a professor at a school, we gained a new professor who I was highly sceptical of. They were unquestionably brilliant, but incredibly young. I doubted them at every turn, having never heard of them before they were recruited and not knowing if they were a trustworthy person. Many things happened and in the end, despite all my misgivings they showed me they were brave, hardworking and reliable. Someone I was willing to have at my back, and share the joys and sorrows of the world with. My doubt of their person, did not change who they were. And given the chance, they proved to me what they were truly made of.”
The man looked over, the faintest smile playing on his lips.
“Are you willing to give your fated one a chance?”
The mint-haired girl mulled the question over silently before standing.
“I’m sorry to run, but thank you. For the advice.”
“I’m glad to be of help. Go to Dimitri. He’s probably absolutely beside himself with worry for you now.”
Nodding once more and her mind made up, Byleth turned away, gaze upon the edge of dawn she could now see.
Seteth watched her go silently, once again to the arms of another man.
“Well, you lost your chance again dear Brother.”
Fern coloured curls appeared next to him as Flayn leaned over the back of the bench, chin resting on her hands as she watched their once fellow Nabatean leave.
Huffing, he averted his gaze, “She was always happiest when she was with him. Happiness is precious, I could only wish for her to achieve the greatest of joys.”
“Well, the current age gap is looking to be several millennia now old man-OW!”
Rubbing her forehead where her father had flicked, Flayn glared sulkily at him as he got up.
“Enough of your prattle, we’re going to be late for the train to get to the Garrag Mach monastery restoration tour you were demanding to go to.”
“You can’t change the subject like that just because you’re embarrassed Brother!”
The two immortals continued exchanging quips as they walked further into the park, the azure moon watching them silently from overhead.