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Hubert wouldn't have realized that it was morning, if not for the light creeping under the cracks of the tent better illuminating the words on the page, and the growing murmur of the camp waking up around him. The light would have helped him read the document, but light or no light, the words were swimming on the page, and he could barely make out what they were supposed to say.
Not sleeping for nearly forty-eight hours apparently made it difficult to focus.
He tried to blink the sleep out of his eyes, but with every blink, his eyes stayed closed for longer than the last, until he felt his head thunk on the desk in front of him.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
The first thing Hubert was aware of was the feeling of hands playing with his hair. He would've jumped at this, pulling out one of the several hidden knives on his person and readying a Miasma spell, if not for the soft sound of a voice humming. Ferdinand's voice. Hubert relaxed at this, willing his Vestra instincts to subside, taking in the warmth of his counterpart's hands and the light wind on his face.
Wind…?
Hubert shot up, ignoring Ferdinand's jolt of surprise and the crick in his neck. Sure enough, they were outside, on a picnic blanket, on the usual hill the Strike Force preferred for their occasional small-group expeditions.
Ferdinand took in his bewilderment with a laugh—the sound light and melodic, like bells—and put an arm around his shoulders in reassurance. "You fell asleep at your desk again, dear, working on battle formations that are not needed for another two weeks, at most. Edelgard ordered me to make sure you spend the entirety of today resting."
Hubert remained upright, but relaxed into Ferdinand's hold. "That still does not explain why we are up on a hill and not, say, the war camp where I fell asleep."
"Peace and solitude that only a retreat into nature can provide is the best remedy to overworking yourself!" Ferdinand kept his arm tight around Hubert, but used his other arm to gesture broadly. "Can you not feel yourself relaxing, love, with the scent of gentle lavender in the air, and the sunlight filtering through the leaves in this shaded spot of paradise?"
"Ferdie, we have been living in war camps for most of the past two years. We sleep in nature."
Ferdinand sputtered. "Tha- that does not count! Dearest!! This is wholly different!!!"
At Ferdinand's puppy dog eyes and pout, Hubert let out a chuckle, leaning further into him. "I am sorry to work you up into a frenzy; do not worry, I am merely teasing you," he said, unable to stop the small smile quirking his lips as his counterpart's face softened. As much as he wanted to continue poking Ferdinand—how had he even managed to drag both of them up here?—he knew doing so could lead to genuine distress. It was a delicate dance that he was still learning.
Ferdinand still looked indignant, but he kept his mouth shut and patted at his lap, silently asking Hubert to resume his sleeping position. After just a moment's hesitation, Hubert lowered onto his side with his head back onto Ferdinand's lap, catching sight of Ferdinand's annoyance melting into a giddy grin and feeling his hands resume their motion in his hair. Hubert tried to relax, tried to remind himself that he was, inexplicably, worthy of this idyllic affection, as Ferdinand so often stated.
Hubert was still not the best at giving or accepting affection. Their courtship was young—it hadn't even been a full moon—and they were still figuring out who they were, as individuals in this new and unexpected relationship, and together as a couple. Ferdinand had taken very quickly to using every pet name under the sun for Hubert, and Hubert found that, against all odds, he enjoyed this immensely. Similarly, Hubert had become rather physically clingy behind closed doors, always making some form of reassuring contact with the other man at any point that there were no witnesses; it turned out he was rather touch-starved.
They were not public about their relationship yet—to anyone. Except for Lady Edelgard, of course; as her servant, right-hand man, jewel, minister, confidant, and spymaster, it was important for the Emperor to know who he was entangling with. Hubert remembered that day, when he first broke the news of his and Ferdinand's courtship to Lady Edelgard, very fondly. It took a lot to move her, the strong and battle-hardened Emperor that she was, but at the news of his and Ferdinand's relationship Edelgard was nearly tearing up, pulling Hubert in close for a hug and congratulating him on finding happiness.
Given their propensity for gossip, Hubert could only assume that Ferdinand had passed off information to Dorothea as well; the only thing making him hesitant about this theory was that absolutely no one else gave any indication of knowing, not even the gossip mills of the war camp. Dorothea practically ran these gossip mills, and the involvement of the Emperor's hands with each other would be news impossible to escape around the camp, so either Dorothea had learned not to spread everything she knew, or she hadn't been told at all.
They would have to at least tell the rest of their former classmates at some point, something he was equally dreading and looking forward to. Hubert couldn't handle their energy on most days, and if the two of them ever admitted to a romantic relationship, the chaotic energy would skyrocket; but, being able to address Ferdinand the way he did behind closed doors around their friends, and being able to present themselves as a unified front, sounded lovely.
He let out a contented hum as he felt Ferdinand's fingers scratch at the back of his head, his eyes fluttering closed. He was truly lucky to have this; when imagining his future as a young boy, he could only see a solitary path lined with bloodshed, just him at the forefront leading his Emperor. He never would have thought that he would be standing with so many allies, friends, with his lover by his side, paving the way with him. He couldn't put into words what it meant.
"Might I inquire what you are thinking so deeply about?" Ferdinand's voice was soft above him.
Hubert let his eyes flutter open again, a smile tugging at his lips. "Merely how lovely this past moon has been. By your side," he purred. When they first started courting, even simply admitting his feelings were difficult, leaving him feeling choked. Now, the words flowed easier, though still feeling awkward at times. He rolled off his side onto his back, and was rewarded with the vivid joy on his lover's face. The tree they were sitting under blocked the worst of the sunlight, but even in the shade, the smile on Ferdinand's face was blinding to look at. It made Hubert forget, for a moment, the continental war; it made Hubert feel like, even in the shade, the sky would be sunny forever.
"I feel the same," Ferdinand said, moving his hand to cup Hubert's cheek, leaning in closer. Mirroring him, Hubert pushed himself slightly off Ferdinand's lap, drifting closer to his sunlight.
"I love you, Ferdie," Hubert whispered as they closed the distance between them.
"I love you too, darling."