Chapter Text
It was stunning. How similar the scene was to that one moment, a moment that felt years long past. There was in fact, very little in common between the two moments. But in that instance, he was speechless.
She reminds him of her.
Even the hair color was strikingly similar, despite the difference in eyes and slight sharp turn at the tips of her ears. Her voice was different but her words still strengthened his muscles and breathed courage into his lungs.
She was so frighteningly similar, it took his breath away upon hearing her say the words he’d almost forgotten.
“I’ll protect you.”
A sword in her hand instead of a tome but all the same, when her cape whipped back as she cascaded in the air to attack, he couldn’t help but see Robin’s shadow instead. As the weapon cut through the enemy, he watched in silence as her hair billowed out with each action. Her elegance was rivaled by her ferocity, her armor clinking loudly as she landed hard, knees bending to support the weight of her weapon and strike. The enemy fell as she rose to her feet, sword twirling in her hand before planting into the ground. Chest heaving from each deep breath, she turned her head ever so slightly to check on him.
To his embarrassment, he was still on the ground.
It didn’t perturb her however. Extending her free arm back, she offered him a hand to his feet. His leather clad hand grasped hers, his fingers curing around the armor that shielded her. “Are you alright?” She asked gently, extending him a moment of kindness that her enemies would not see on the field. His face felt flushed—whether from embarrassment or adrenaline, he wasn’t sure—but he somehow managed to gather his wits and nod silently.
“Stay close, there are more coming this way.”
He wondered how she’d managed to dash across the field so quickly, to jump to his aid. He wondered why she’d forsaken the battle plan to save him. He tried to convince himself it wasn’t personal, considering he’d only just joined her ranks and he was nearly certain she didn’t know his name.
“Laslow, right?”
The blush was certainly noticeable now.
“Y-Yes?”
“You’re my brother’s retainer, correct?”
“Yes.”
“Thank you; for protecting him all this time.” She smiled.
The kindness in her eyes transcended everything.
He didn't know it quite yet, but he would remain forever entranced.