All This Time

I'll Soar Away

"I've been thinking about writing a song, a song about war and how I wish we could go back. What's a good beginning lyric?"

Byleth pondered this question. She stood at the counselor's message box, reading through the notes left. Why she had to do it was unknown to her, considering she was no counselor, but she was happy enough to do it anyways. The problems of her Golden Deer and the rest of the troops would be solved by her!

Except...she had no idea how to answer this one.

"What's a good beginning lyric?"

Well, Byleth was sure it was either Dorothea or Manuela who was asking, considering no one else really sang. Probably Dorothea, considering how scarred she was. Byleth thought of how badly she had wanted Edelgard to side with her, but...

She had been rejected.

Byleth remembered holding out her hand, hoping that the Flame Emperor would take it. She had hoped for a truce, hoped for an end to the war...and it had never happened. Byleth knew that if Edelgard had simply taken her hand, everything would have ended. The girl was too stubborn, though. Too blind to realize that her path of bloodshed would only end badly. Too ignorant to see that Byleth and Claude wanted to build a world focused on peace....

...Reach for my hand..

...Huh. Byleth had never been a songwriter, but that seemed like a pretty good start. She smiled, and jotted it down, stuffing the finished note back into the counselor's bin. She pulled out the next note, scanning over it.

"This war is coming to a close. I want it to end, but that means we'll have to kill certain people to get to our victory. How do you remain so composed?"

Ah, this note could have come from literally anyone. Byleth frowned, unsure of how to answer it herself. She didn't want to fight Edelgard; Edelgard had been her student-no, her friend. Yet, nevertheless, she had to press on...She had to remain strong, even when her conscious was screaming at her.

Well, I do it for Claude. So that Claude has someone to rely on when he can't bear the weight of the world any longer...

Byleth sighed, pausing her pencil. It wasn't exactly hard for her to kill. Admittedly, she'd spent her whole life killing people, and while Claude had briefly made her realize that each life had a purpose, it was just as easy to revert back to killing.

Was it easy to kill Ferdinand? Mercedes? All those soldiers whose names you'll never even know?

...no, but it wasn't as hard as it should have been.

The reality was that Byleth now fully understood that they were in war, and that there was no way to save certain people. She hated that fact, but people wouldn't stand down. No more using Divine Pulse to save an enemy; she needed it more to save her allies. Killing was about realizing its grander purpose, and how the war would end if Edelgard went down.

What a brutal cycle.

Byleth quickly jotted an answer down about relying on allies to talk to, and thinking about the future before throwing it back into the box.

"I've been trying to solve everyone else's problems, without focusing on mine. What should I do?"

Byleth was about to start scribbling down her answer on the paper when she realized that someone had actually said that question, and she had never grabbed another note. Byleth looked up, smiling as she looked at her beloved.

He was wearing his usual outfit, decked out in a heroic snow white and shining gold as he grinned at her. Somehow, Byleth was sure he got handsomer every day, considering how his smile never ceased to brighten her mood.

"Hey, Teach," Claude greeted, his emerald eyes sparkling with mischief. Someone was up to no good.. "You know, you don't have to be the only person who works on all of this stuff."

"I like doing this," Byleth protested as he sat next to her. "It's therapeutic. Plus, I don't really have any major problems with myself. I'd rather help other people."

"Fighting Edelgard isn't a major problem for you?" He called her out on her lie with a soft smile, rubbing his thumb over her hand. "Teach, it's ok. I know I told you to stay strong for me, but you're allowed to break down. You don't have to be strong for all of us."

"You're sweet to worry. But I promise I'm not just pretending to be strong," Byleth reassured him prominently. "I've made my peace with Edelgard's decision. It's going to hurt, but it's alright."

"Are you sure?" Claude questioned, a concerned look on his face. She appreciated him asking, but...well, she didn't really want to talk about it. "I mean, you were somewhat close. One time she told me she'd soar away with you. Clearly, that didn't happen, but-"

"Claude," Byleth interrupted his rambling, and he stopped with a sheepish smile. She intertwined their fingers together, squeezing his hand. He had been worrying about her, and she had been brushing it off subtly. Now, she just needed to let him know that she didn't want to talk about it anymore. "I'm fine. The best thing I can do is avoid thinking about it until it comes."

"Alright, if that's what you want."

"...My love...Thank you for everything," Byleth looked at him lovingly. His emerald irises had once been piercing and calculating. Now, they watched her with endearment and love. "I couldn't have asked for anyone better."

"The same to you, Teach," Claude smiled widely, and then he cocked his head to the side on confusion. "Huh. You know, I've never asked you if you liked your nickname. Do you hate it when I call you Teach? I mean, you're not even technically my professor anymore."

"I love it," Byleth quickly reassured him, her cheeks flushing a vibrant crimson. Please, don't stop that nickname. "It would be weird if you called me by my full name, anyway..."

"True," Claude smirked, proud that his term of affection had stuck. At first, he had used it mostly to get her to trust him better...well, and then he fell in love with her. Now, he loved using the nickname to see her light up at hearing him, to see the word brighten her day. "Alright, Teach it is."

"Your Teach," Byleth corrected, a smile playing on her lips. His smirk grew wider, and Byleth was starting to notice that neither one of them could ever stop smiling when they were around each other. Just like she was his Teach, he was her love. "Only yours."

"Of course," Claude quickly closed the distance between them so he could embrace her in a soft kiss. Their eyes fluttered shut as they enjoyed the comfort of each other's presence.

I could never get enough of you, Claude...

"Wow, no one should ever make fun of me ever again," A teasing voice interrupted them. Wait...don't tell me we're getting caught by him of all people... "At least I don't kiss in a cathedral!"

Byleth pulled away, much to both of their own disappointment. Claude just glared, annoyed at being interrupted, while Sylvain just chuckled without any regrets.

"You're supposed to kiss in a cathedral," Byleth retorted calmly, and Claude was quite proud of her snarking ability. However, her next words made him freeze in place, although she didn't notice. "When you get married, you kiss. Come on, now, Sylvain, isn't that obvious?"

"You guys are getting married ?" Sylvain's eyes widened, and he backed up slightly. "I feel like I should be getting everyone. They're going to be pissed that you didn't invite them!"

"Yeah, go for it," Byleth giggled as Sylvain rushed off to spread the good news, not realizing that Claude was having a mental panic attack. "Let's see how long it takes for him to realize that there's no way we wouldn't have invited everyone."

"Haha...you're right," He agreed distractedly, but he was now completely derailed by one thought and one thought only. As Byleth turned away, he could only repeat one sentiment;

They were getting married now??