Comms and Other Long FE Oneshots

The World Dies

        Felix stepped onto the yellow carpet of the Golden Deer headquarters, and Professor Byleth looked up from the stack of papers on his desk, lips twitching into a tired smile. Briefly, but the expression was there as he gestured for Felix to enter the room fully. Felix did so, coming closer to the desk. "Afternoon, Professor. You're looking a tad bit under the weather."

"I'm feeling that way too, but there are papers to be graded." Byleth shook his head slightly, smile completely gone into his usual neutral expression now. "Not sure what brought this on, but I've just been tired since the month started. That doesn't mean I can't do simple tasks, but if you're here to ask for a sparring session, I'm afraid I'm going to have to decline."

"It's a good thing that's not what I wanted to ask, then." Felix placed a hand on the desk, eyes flicking to the papers briefly, catching the name "Leonie" before turning his attention back to the professor. "You mentioned once that it would be easier to help me improve my techniques if I was in your class. Was that an offer?"

Byleth blinked slowly, arching an eyebrow. "It was. Are you interested?"

"I am now, yes." Felix nodded. "Professor Hanneman and you have both told me to broaden my horizons, and you're the one that didn't sound like a hypocrite. Besides, the Blue Lions have been a right glum bunch ever since the Battle of the Eagle and Lion. Losing stings."

"So you came to the victorious team." An amused smile flickered on the professor's face, and he gave a slight nod, flipping through a few papers that weren't covered in other people's handwriting. "Very well. I'll talk to Hanneman and arrange your transfer. You'll be open to the subjects I suggest to you, our mission this month is investigating an odd happenstance in Remire Village, drills for the Golden Deer are at 6:30 sharp, and you'll be seated next to Petra in the back left desk."

"Understood." Felix bowed in gratitude. "I hope I don't regret this."

"Oh," Byleth chuckled. "I don't think you will."

-

"You're certain about this?"

Felix sighed, turning to level a glare at Sylvain. "If I wasn't certain, would I be doing it?"

"I... yeah, that's fair." Sylvain shrugged, bringing his hands up behind his head. "You're that taken with the professor, huh? Or is this something else?"

"I will learn more in the Golden Deer than in the Blue Lions. That's the simple facts of it."

Sylvain was silent for a moment, his brown eyes softening a bit. "Dimitri said that you're welcome to come back whenever you feel like you want to. He blames himself for this, you know."

"He blames himself for everything, and that is the problem," Felix scoffed with a slight shake of his head. "I couldn't care less what he thinks."

"Okay, okay. Just saying. The Kingdom still needs you."

"I'm not turning my back on the Kingdom."

"Nor am I going to try to convince him to," another voice interrupted, and both boys jumped slightly, turning to see the yellow cape and slightly darker skin of the approaching Golden Deer house leader. Claude gave them both an easy smile, hand on one hip. "You lot are so serious! Just because we'll take care of him like one of our own doesn't mean we plan to steal him away to the Leicester Alliance entirely. Same deal with Petra. Be bad for everyone if we kept her."

Sylvain actually laughed at that, the seriousness fading away from his expression entirely. "True enough. We're all just terribly competitive in the Blue Lions is all. I'll talk to Dimitri again."