black and white and red all over

Chapter 8

There are a handful of victims found in the coming weeks. By mid-September, Byleth has grown used to hearing about it, and even begins watching the news, curious about when the attacks might pop up. There isn't any discernible pattern that the police are able to figure out, and it is still whispered about at school, the mood growing more tense with each victim that is found.

Hubert doesn't miss school the day after the next attack, but Byleth is not surprised to overhear a handful of people still discussing the vampire rumor when he isn't in the room. She wonders if he's heard about this, but isn't sure exactly how to bring it up.

Not to mention the fact that she doesn't know how to talk to him after their strange conversation at her locker.

During art class and lunch, he behaves as he always does, but with Edelgard there as a buffer, it is possible to pretend that nothing ever happened. He continues to sit by her in religion, but he doesn't talk much to her there, and never in any of the other classes they have together. She has plenty of time to think about what he's said, but she still can't figure out what he meant by any of it.

Rather than dwelling on it too much, she decides to just bury any of the thoughts that it brings up, especially those regarding her confusing feelings for both of her new friends. Whether she likes Hubert or not, she knows it's better to forget about that, and if her feelings for Edelgard might go a little deeper, there is no point in actually digging for that.

~X~

By mid-September, Byleth is used to hearing about the attacks, but Hubert doesn't miss school after many of them. In fact, it isn't until mid-September that he misses school again, and, surprisingly Edelgard is absent with him again. Naturally, there are even more whispers of Hubert having some dark, vampiric secret, and Byleth tries to ignore it.

Ferdinand sits with her at lunch again, but this time, Claude and his group don't join them. He doesn't say anything about Hubert, but he does try to see if she has any information about what Edelgard is up to.

"What do you mean by 'up to'?" she asks.

"Oh, you know! Any major plans she might have to make herself look better, how she plans to defeat me in the next student election, and the like!" he proudly declares.

"Well...she doesn't really talk about things like that. At all, really." Byleth has to resist laughing at him, when he very clearly seems to take this seriously.

"She doesn't? Well, then, what do you three talk about when I'm not here?" he asks, looking disappointed.

Byleth studies his expression, and slowly, it begins to dawn on her that his curiosity might come from more than just a simple rivalry with Edelgard. It's possible that he might just want to be friends with her and Hubert, and actually be welcome at their table. Come to think of it, she can't recall seeing him talk with many people outside of student council; maybe Ferdinand doesn't actually have many friends, despite his attitude.

"Pretty much anything," she answers, not sure what else to say. It isn't as if she can recall every conversation they've had, and even telling him in detail about the ones she can recall would be strange. She feels a little bad for Ferdinand now, but she isn't sure there's much she can do to improve his relationship with either Edelgard or Hubert.

For now, she just talks to him, trying to satisfy his curiosity.

~X~

The next morning, she doesn't see Hubert throughout her early classes, but Edelgard is out their table in art. Byleth takes her seat, welcoming Edelgard back and asking if she's feeling better.