Work Text:
Each moon brought a unique challenge to new professor Byleth. For the mock battle of Great Tree Moon, she adapted her usual strategies to best utilize the structured, knightly fighting style of her students. Harpstring Moon forced her to guide green soldiers through their first kills. In Garland Moon, she learned what grief was, holding Ashe's trembling hand in the silent cathedral late into the night.
But at least all those issues dealt with the familiar territory of fighting or its aftermath. Blue Sea Moon, on the other hand, presented her with a problem she’d never once encountered in all her days as a mercenary.
The Blue Lions were melting.
She’d noticed early on how rarely the Faerghan students used the sauna, and how they were perfectly comfortable in temperatures that made her reach for her furs. But it was still a surprise to see just how poorly they tolerated any amount of heat. Training sessions had to be cut short, and she sometimes felt like she was lecturing to a group of zombies.
A few out-of-the-box ideas brought some relief. Classes were conducted in the shade of the tea gardens instead of the stuffy classroom, and Annette used her wind spells to provide some air circulation. But as the temperatures continued to climb, even those measures didn’t help.
Sylvain broke first. He looked like a new man the day he sauntered into the classroom, a wide smile on his face, breezy and comfortable in his linen summer uniform.
Gautier was by far the coldest region of Fodlan, so it made sense that he was the first to abandon the thick black wool of the academy uniform. And he’d never been a stickler for conforming to the dress code even in his usual uniform-- his sleeves were always rolled up, and there were always a few buttons of his shirt undone.
Felix was next. Despite his disdain for fashion and other such frivolities, his training was suffering, which he couldn't ignore. His strict regimen was easier to maintain in lighter clothing, when he wasn’t on the verge of dehydration all the time.
After that, there were several new students wearing the summer uniform each day, Dimitri and Dedue the only holdouts. The prince appeared particularly miserable. With his face pale and sweat dripping down his forehead, he looked like it would only take a few more moments under the sun for him to collapse.
Eventually, even Dedue showed up to class wearing the lighter attire, confessing that his liege had commanded him to do so. Yet still Dimitri himself stayed in his black, long-sleeved uniform-- cape, armor, and bulky gauntlets included.
Perhaps he felt that as house leader, he needed to remain as professional as possible. As much as he insisted he was simply another student, he still held himself to a higher standard than anyone else.
And that gave Byleth an idea. If his professor wore the summer uniform, hopefully he would see that it would be alright for him, too.
For some reason, Sothis found this plan hilarious.
Jeralt had rarely taken jobs in the Kingdom, so Byleth was accustomed to the sweltering summer temperatures of southern Adrestia and Leicester. But even in Garreg Mach’s relatively milder heat, she had to admit that she felt much better in the linen uniform, without her usual all-black clothes absorbing the sun’s rays. And although she would never permanently give up her beloved tights, the breeze on her bare legs was soothing.
Dimitri, on the other hand, looked worse than ever before. His face was flushed red to rival the ripening tomatoes in the greenhouse, and he was on his third quill of the day.
“Dimitri? Please stay a moment. There’s something I need to discuss with you,” she said after class wrapped up for the day.
Near the door, Sylvain and Mercedes burst into a fit of giggles over something. That’s exactly why she wanted to talk to Dimitri privately— the others were so quick to tease him, despite his royal title.
When they were alone, the prince ran a hand through his sweaty hair. Normally, when they discussed missions and assignments after class, he would stay seated and Byleth would perch on the table next to him, but he quickly scrambled up and met her at her desk. The heat in the classroom was stale and oppressive, so he was probably eager to leave.
“What can I do for you, Professor?” he asked, determinately making eye contact with something just to the side of her ear.
She nudged his shoulder to get him to look at her. He was so reckless about taking care of himself both on and off the battlefield, and she wanted him to see her concern. (He tended to fold like a cheap tent if it meant making her happy.)
“Do you like my outfit, Dimitri?” she asked. A silly opening, she thought, but Sothis swore it would be a good way to start the conversation.
It was a long moment before he answered.
“You are as lovely as ever, Professor,” he said, voice husky from thirst. A moment after speaking, his eyes widened, and he rushed to add, “Er, that is to say... I like your normal clothes, too, and...” He sighed. “Why do you ask, exactly?”
His sweet words and unfamiliar tone provoked a squirming feeling in her belly. But this conversation was supposed to be about him, so she ignored it as best she could.
She held out her arms and gestured up and down her body to call his attention to the uniform. “I wore this for you,” she said.
There was the telltale sound of wood creaking, so her eyes flew to the door, but it was still closed tight. Maybe she imagined it.
Dimitri opened his mouth to respond, but choked on his saliva, which led to a long coughing fit from which he had difficulty recovering. Her poor student must have been suffering from dehydration as well.
“P-pardon?” he croaked. There was a crack in the middle of the word that one would expect from a much younger teenager.
“I thought if you saw your professor wearing the summer uniform, you would understand that it was acceptable for you to do so as well.”
“Ah, the heat, of course. Your eyes see so much, Professor,” he said, looking more at ease and flashing the soft smile she had come to love. “I do not deserve such thoughtfulness.”
She shook her head in disagreement. “I’m only returning the kindness you have shown me.”
When he invited her so earnestly to join their celebration after the mock battle, something in her chest she never knew was locked up was set free. No one had ever sought her out simply for her company before. Her sword, yes, even her body occasionally, but never her. After that, it had been a natural progression to her first friendships and her first smile, and it was all because of his compassion.
“Well, I cannot disobey a direct order from my professor,” he said with mock seriousness, still smiling. “I will do as you ask.”
He bowed to her in his formal way and took his leave. When she moved to do the same, her skirt caught on something. The corner of her desk was cracked and splintered.
Thank goodness she wasn’t wearing her tights-- they would have been ruined.
When Dimitri walked into the classroom the next day in the summer uniform, Byleth beamed at him. He dipped his head, bashful under the weight of her attention.
He almost looked taller, his form so long and lean without the bulk of his uniform. And the lighter colors were so much softer against his pale skin than the stark contrast with black and blue. It gave him a freer and looser appearance. She could almost imagine him as an unburdened young man just living his life, not a crown prince with the weight of so many lives on his shoulders. If only.
Of course, Dimitri’s manner would never change, no matter the clothes he wore. Like the diligent student he was, he took his normal place and pulled out a notebook, ready for the lecture long before it began.
And... huh. An errant observation interrupted her train of thought. He wasn’t wearing his gauntlets today.
Well, of course he wasn’t. Layering his hands in gloves and heavy armor would defeat the purpose of wearing the lighter uniform.
But had they always been so large underneath those gauntlets? She had assumed that his armor made them look bigger, but seeing them bare, it occurred to her that if she leaned her cheek into his palm, his hand would cradle her head from crown to chin.
That... was a strange thing to think.
Was today hotter than yesterday? Her mind seemed a bit fuzzy.
Thankfully, Dimitri didn’t notice her staring as he situated himself at his desk. He leaned back, unbuttoning the cuff at one wrist and rolling up his sleeve, then doing the same for the other side. It felt like Sothis had slowed down time as Byleth watched his long, dextrous fingers moving with deliberate intent.
She shook herself. When she looked again, the spell was broken-- it was just a man rolling up his sleeves, after all. Not only would it be cooler, but with Dimitri’s penchant for snapping quills, it would be better to keep the pure white linen far away from any potential ink spills.
Still, she found she couldn’t convince her eyes to look elsewhere.
As his forearms flexed and twisted, a dusting of blonde flecks caught and reflected the sunlight, much like the golden mop on his head. He was hairier than she would have expected of someone with such delicate features, but perhaps that was typical of Faerghans, built for the cold.
Wait, why would she have any expectations about his body hair, of all things? There was no reason to think about a student’s physique beyond what was essential for their training.
“Are you all right, Professor? Has the heat finally gotten to you, too?”
It took her a moment to realize Dimitri was talking to her. “Hm?” she asked stupidly.
“Your face is quite red.” He rose from his seat, concern written in the lines on his forehead. “Shall I escort you to the infirmary?”
“Me? Oh, no. I’m just... It’s nothing. I’m fine. Thank you, Dimitri.”
Her bumbling answer didn’t smooth out the worried furrow of his brow, but he did at least sit back down. Although his muscles looked to be coiled and ready to spring up and catch her if she suddenly collapsed.
She clapped her hands to rouse everyone to attention. “Let’s begin,” she announced. “I know it’s hot, but try to stay focused.”
It was as much a reminder to herself as to the class. She was a professor now, finally feeling a sense of purpose after being unmoored for so long. With the weight of her students’ lives on her shoulders, she couldn’t afford to be distracted by silly things like big hands and beautiful blonde hair.
She risked another glance at her house leader, and he gave her an encouraging smile-- always her guiding star through this unfamiliar landscape. Together, they had already weathered many trials, including the weather itself. Whatever further challenges presented themselves in the moons ahead, she swore she would rise to meet them.