All This Time

The Diary

"You're really killing that flower there, you know."

Byleth blinked as Claude's voice broke her dead stare at the wall. Upon glancing at the weed in her hand, she realized that she wasn't weeding like she thought she was; she had pulled up a flower. She sighed, running her other hand through her hair in frustration.

"Damn," Byleth cursed, gripping the flower stem tighter in her hand. "Sorry. I was just thinking."

"You must have a lot on your mind," Claude walked towards her, sitting down across from Byleth. "Care to share?"

"Uh..."

"I promise I won't tell."

"...fine. Claude, I'm scared," Byleth admitted, glancing up at him. She wanted to bring up the diary, the one her father had written, but she wasn't quite ready to share his belongings with someone else. "Rhea is clearly expecting something to happen. What if I end up possessed or something? How can we even trust her?"

"I don't think we can trust her," Claude pulled an arrow from his quiver, twirling it in his fingers nervously. He glanced around, making sure no one was present. "...Teach. Rhea is hiding so many secrets, I'm not quite sure what will happen to you."

"I hope I remain the same," Byleth dropped the white flower in her hand to the ground. "Do I have to sit on the throne? What if I just make up an excuse?"

"I don't think Rhea would take kindly to that. She is the Archbishop," Claude sighed. He picked up the flower, holding it in his fingers. "I'll be there right beside you in case something goes wrong. Does that sound good?"

"..Maybe not good, but better."

"Well, it's an improvement," Claude told her. He tucked the flower into Byleth's hair, standing up as her cheeks turned red. "Take care of yourself, Teach."

As he left the greenhouse, Byleth raised her hand to the flower in her hair and smiled.

"I...I will."

———

"Oh, Professor! I love the flower in your hair!"

Byleth blushed at Hilda's compliment. All day, people had remarked on the flower in hair, claiming it was "pretty" and that it "suited her". Ignatz told her it made her look like Rhea, and while it was meant to be a compliment, Byleth couldn't help herself from curling her lip in distaste.

Rhea.

What was she planning?

"Thank you," Byleth responded politely, but said nothing else. She wasn't very good at handling compliments.

"So, why did you decide to spruce up?" Hilda questioned, an innocent look in her eyes. Byleth had a feeling Hilda was acutely aware of how the flower came into possession. "Oh, someone gave it to you, didn't they?"

"W-What? No," Byleth immediately denied, but her reaction immediately gave herself away to Hilda. She grinned.

"Professor, who was it!" Hilda asked excitedly. "Was it Ignatz, maybe? No...Oh! I know! Claude!"

"U-Um...You're surprisingly perceptive, Hilda," Byleth mumbled as Hilda beamed up at her. "Yes, it was Claude."

"Awww...He thinks he's so slick," Hilda muttered to herself. "Anyways, Professor, you and Claude are so cute together!"

"WHAT?"

Byleth just stared at Hilda with wide eyes and her jaw hanging open. Hilda giggled.

"Well, I mean, I always see you two around each other! Between you and me, by the way, I totally am rooting for you guys."

"I-I don't like him like that!" Byleth insisted, flustered. "Besides, even if I did, it could never happen. I'm a teacher, he's my student."