Race Against Time

The Promise

"Please, Claude..."

Byleth desperately tried to plea with her beloved, but Claude wasn't having any of it. He turned away from her and toward the window.

"This is not up for discussion," Claude grit his teeth together. He made no intent to hide the tears falling from his eyes like raindrops upon a gray sky. "Your life is on the line here! I'm not going to let you die!"

"You're killing me by leaving anyway!"

"I'd rather have you physically living than-"

"No! No, Claude, I can't go through a life without you again! I can't do it."

Claude could only shake his head from side to side, neither of them willing to relent on their position. He stood, beginning to make his way to the door when he was stopped by Byleth pulling on his sleeve desperately.

"Stop! Please, I'm begging you," Byleth choked on a cough that began to rack through her entire body. Blood droplets fell onto the ground, and his green eyes widened in horror.

"I'm the one who has been doing this to you...see, Byleth! I have to go. I can't let you just kill yourself! I don't understand why you don't seem to care for your life whatsoever!"

"Because I have no life without you!" That was slightly pathetic now that Byleth said it out loud, but she frankly didn't care. It was the truth, pathetic or not. Before he had come along, she had had nothing. No emotions. No real happiness. No meaning in life. It had just been one boring day after the next; wake up, eat, work, repeat. Now, she could actually enjoy herself, laugh, smile...experience life how she was supposed to.

Claude wanted to walk away from that?

Just so she could live another day? Byleth would rather die than spend the rest of her days miserable.

"Yes, you do!" Claude repeated the same points in his argument from earlier. "You'll have your dad, and Sothis, and whoever else you choose to meet. You...You can make it without me."

"But why would I want to do that?" Byleth whispered as she tugged on his sleeve once more. He wouldn't relent and sit down. "Please, Claude. It's my final request. If I have to die in order to be with you, so be it. I'll do whatever it takes!"

"You may be willing to make that sacrifice, but I'm not," Claude's voice cracked once more, the tears a never ending flow between the both of them. "I'm not going to let you die when it'll be my fault, Byleth."

"I already told you! I'm going to die no matter what you choose," Byleth choked out a sob. "So at least let me die happy."

Claude had no response to that. He just stopped trying to pull away from Byleth as he slowly sank to his knees. Byleth tipped off of the bed to sit next to him. He was staring straight at the ground.

"It'll be my fault that you die. I can't live with that guilt."

"I know...and-and I know I'm being selfish," Byleth choked out a sob as she began to cling to his arm. "I'm asking you to stay with me, and then continue living when I'm dead because I can't bear a life without you...I know. It's selfish. I'm sorry. But Claude...I'd rather die like this than die in any other way!"

"...No. We...We've...We've got to find another way. We'll...We'll find it!" Claude's voice was hysterical. "I just need time-"

"We just don't have that," Byleth said softly. "We just...don't. We've already tried everything. Your medicine only worked until we touched once more...and separation only worked for a night. Claude...we don't have any more time."

"Dammit, we'll-we'll make time! I'm sure I can figure something else out again. I can do it! We can separate and see each other every two weeks if that's what it takes-"

"Claude, I don't want to live the rest of my life like this! I...I don't want to be in pain anymore."

No, she didn't. She didn't want to wake up to nausea and a fiercely aching heart. She didn't want to feel weak or feel like she was about to have a heart attack. She wanted that to end at almost any cost.

But she wasn't willing to give up Claude for that. The mental pain of losing him would tear her apart
and leave her with nothing but depression, her lack of purpose in life just tearing away at her happiness...no, Byleth couldn't do that. She didn't want to be in pain, physical or mental.

But since she had to choose one, she wasn't going to relent on her decision.

"Listen to me. You say I should move on, but how am I ever going to forget the man who awoken everything inside of me?" Byleth whispered. "The man who made me who I am? Do you really ever think I'll ever get over you?"

"You...can do it, Teach," He sounded so defeated.
"I know you can."

"But why would I ever want to? Claude, I would live out the rest of my days in sadness. I can't do that. I can't go back to just waiting for someone to make me feel how you do. For all I know, no one out there even exists. You might be my only key to true happiness...and I'm not going to let go."

"What about Jeralt?" Claude finally asked, and Byleth froze.

"W-What-"

"What about Jeralt? Do you really think he's going to be happy once he finds out his daughter could have lived?"

"...I think he'd be happy to know I'd die in peace," Byleth swallowed the lump in her throat. She knew he'd take it especially hard, considering he'd lost her mother to illness as well... "If I lived, he'd have to see me slip back to my old husk. That would hurt him just as bad..."

"No."

"Please. Claude," Byleth's voice broke once more. "I'm asking you to do this for me."

"Byleth, this isn't-this isn't fair."

"I know. But I need you to promise me."

"I can't do that."

"Please! Please," Byleth begged. Claude looked so tired and haggard. Byleth felt horrible, but she had no choice. This was her salvation and doom, but she embraced it with open arms.

He cursed and screamed and cried before he held
onto her tight, his anguish curled into one hug. Byleth clung to his chest, tears constantly dripping from their cheeks.

"Byleth..." She could see Claude beginning to protest once more, but Byleth shook her head. She looked at him dead in those verdant eyes she loved to stare into so much before she uttered the following words.

"For me. Promise me..."