black and white and red all over

Chapter 21

Naturally, the winter break the three of them were planning to spend together is quickly invaded by Ferdinand, who has decided that he's a part of their group officially now. And it's not as though they can just turn him away with all that he knows, and it's hard not to feel responsible for him now that they've dragged him into this. At least, that would probably be the excuses made by Hubert and Edelgard, and Byleth would never mention that they don't really mind having him around at all.

He spends nearly as much time at Edelgard's house as Byleth and Hubert do, and through this, they begin to discover that he really doesn't have anywhere else he would rather be. Though he has friends at school, seeming to be on good terms with everyone as a result of his position in student council, it becomes apparent that he is not much different from Edelgard in that regard. Though he's on friendly terms with them, though they respect him enough to give him their votes, he isn't actually close to any of them.

But Edelgard has always had Hubert and, more recently, Byleth, while Ferdinand only has his student council meetings and the time he spends bothering them. He has definitely wanted to be friends with them for a very long time, and Byleth doesn't mind him sticking around, especially because they don't have to worry about keeping any secrets from him.

He's a little weird about their relationship at first, wanting to know how exactly it works, but his questions never get too personal, and soon enough, he's used to the idea of the three of them being in a relationship, and doesn't mind being a fourth wheel when they hang out. They're all warming up to him more and more as each day goes on, and so, the early half of their winter break is spent with him, and that isn't really a bad thing.

On Christmas, they get their time away from him. Byleth finds out that her father has to be away for work this year, again not an uncommon occurrence, and decides to invite them to her house, just to shake things up a little. She invites Ferdinand as well, but he declines, saying that he has to be with his family. Byleth tries not to think about the fact that he forces a smile as he says it, but the look in his eyes says he would much rather spend the holidays with them, or anywhere else, really.

But it will still be nice to spend the holidays with Hubert and Edelgard, and strange to be at her own house. It's become almost unfamiliar with how much time she spends at Edelgard's, but it's a special occasion, and it's not as if any of them can come up with any other way to liven it up.

~X~

Ferdinand is over for a bit on Christmas Eve, but has to leave in the late afternoon, leaving them alone for the rest of the day and the night. They exchange small gifts first thing in the morning, Edelgard's suggestion, and then spend the rest of the day like they always do, but with Christmas movies on TV. Again, Edelgard's suggestion.

The day passes slowly but at the same time too fast, and it's the best Christmas Byleth can remember having, but then, after the sun has set and when they're debating whether they'll head to bed here or go back to Edelgard's house, Byleth's father returns home.

Or, rather, he stumbles in, very clearly bleeding again, and the fact that he's caught Byleth piled up on the couch with her boyfriend and her girlfriend is far from the biggest concern. She stands up to go help him, but he doesn't even look at her, setting his sights on Edelgard instead.

"Found you," he says, before lunging across the room, his injuries no longer that much of a concern.

Byleth can only watch, frozen in place as the scene unfolds in a blur. Hubert, moving to protect Edelgard, and Jeralt, shoving him out of the way like it's nothing. Jeralt, pulling something from his pocket to attack her, and Edelgard disarming him quickly, strong and suddenly fierce, and it is only then that Byleth finds her voice.

"Stop it!"

"I'm trying to protect you, kid!" Jeralt replies, strain in his voice as it becomes apparent that he is losing this fight. Weakened from his previous injuries, he has no hope of defending himself against Edelgard's enhanced strength, and Byleth can only hope that Edelgard doesn't kill her father.

But she only pins him, restraining him until he stops struggling, scowling up at her. "What the hell are you doing with my daughter?" he asks, venom in his voice. "Getting close to her so you can turn her like they did to you?"

Edelgard, who previously looked ready to fire back with a harsh response, freezes for a moment, her eyes going wide. "You know about them?"

"Of course I do. Don't pretend to act surprised. Did you already know she was my kid when you started trying to seduce her?"

"Tell me what's going on!" Byleth interjects, more confused with every passing second.

"You were bound to find out about my job someday," is all Jeralt says, and Edelgard's eyes narrow.

"He's a vampire hunter," she says. "The main reason I wanted to lay low was to avoid..."

"I was sent here after you. Sources told us that a particularly nasty group we've been after for a while turned some kid, and that we needed to put her down before she got too strong to deal with. Never would have guessed she'd target my own daughter in retaliation, though."

"You're wrong! Edelgard isn't like that at all, she isn't with those monsters who turned her," Byleth protests, not sure if she'll be able to convince him, not sure how they will make it out of this with both her father and Edelgard still alive. "She isn't bad, she's just a victim of-"

"Well, well, well," a voice cuts through the room, silencing her. It is playful and feminine and does not belong to any of them. Edelgard stiffens, a look of terror crossing her face as she steps back enough to allow Jeralt to slump forward. "Isn't this just the sweetest little scene? I had no idea things would get this fun!"

Stepping out of the shadows, where there was previously no one, is a woman not much older than Byleth. Or at least, that's how she appears, but when Byleth sees the way that Jeralt and Edelgard look at her, she knows that this woman is a vampire, and that appearances can be deceiving.

"Surprised you didn't sense my presence sooner, little girl," she chides, "but I guess you were too distracted playing with the poor hunter. Don't mind me, I've just got to finish cleaning up where I left off earlier, and then of course take care of your little friends. We can't have anyone knowing the truth about you, now, can we?"

The smile she gives them before she moves it bone-chilling, but then, in a flash, she's at Edelgard's side, pushing her out of the way so that she can attack Jeralt so quickly that Byleth doesn't even see what she does. She only sees a deep gash in her father's stomach as he falls to the ground, and there is more blood than she's ever seen in her life.

"Now that that's out of the way," the woman murmurs, "why don't you help me dispose of these two unfortunate witnesses? Whattaya say, Edie?"