Fire Emblem X Reader One Shots

Coffee Breaks and Checkmates (Hubert)

Why hello there, and welcome back to another episode of

'ssssssself indulgence cause I got no requests and I wanna write' (╭☞'ヮ')╭☞

Cause God knows I'm thirsty for all these boys and girls every goddamned second of every single day

Like I shit you not Hubert has been plaguing my mind for at least a week and no one appreciates him enough and like I wanna hug the giant psycho who secretly is the biggest fucking teddy bear who is so weak to affection is that so wrong

Plz emo husband, you secretly soft man you, let me ffffrickin' love yoooou

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There was close to no sound to bother you other than the occasional whistle of a breeze blowing outside or a bird who decided to voice his opinions on something as you stared intently at the board in front of you, your eyes narrowed in slight concentration as the gears in your head groaned and churned with use. Hubert said nothing, not even humming idly as he gave you an intense stare from above the rim of his coffee cup while leaning back rather casually in his chair. Though he was a man of strategy, he would never get any form of satisfaction by gaining his wins cheaply, at least not unless you were worming your way to victory alongside him, thus explaining his utter silence as he let you concentrate on your next move.

You let out a tiny hum of confirmation, more to yourself than anything, before reaching out and grabbing one of the pieces on your side of the board and moving it a couple of spaces away and successfully nabbing one of Hubert's own pieces, grabbing your own cup of coffee once you were done and leaning back, giving Hubert such an innocent smile that an onlooker would never guess held a challenge prisoner behind it, a dare that was quickly smothered away by the slightly bitter, yet made savory to your liking drink that awaited you in your own cup.

Hubert couldn't suppress the dark chuckle that rumbled in his chest, closing his eyes and shaking his head as he sat forward, his left hand still gripping his cup rather tightly as his focus went to the board between the two of you...

The intense stares and gazes along with the silence so fragile that a simple pin dropping would shatter it into a million pieces like brittle glass would cause others to feel uncomfortable, possibly even afraid as a pure, unbridled battle of wits went on without so much as a sound between the both of you. Yet, to the both of you, it was nothing, maybe even calming if you both thought about it enough. If anything, out of all boardgame battles you two had often partaken in, this one was a rather tame one, though that didn't make the biting remarks or desires to win any calmer, just a bit more laid out and less with the intent of messing with the others head, albeit somewhat fairly, of course.

Hubert made his own move after a few more moments, not managing to nab any of your own pieces due to the lack of an opportunity to, but it was still a move that drew an enticed hum out of you, a smirk playing on your lips as one of your eyebrows raised in curiosity, or perhaps satisfaction.

"Not bad, Count Vestra." You practically sang out, now sitting up and a bit more alert as you idly tapped your fingers against the cup you now held loosely in your hands, a glint in your eyes as you watched him straighten up slightly and stare right back at you.

He said nothing, simply letting a knowing smirk overcome his features and he made a half-assed attempt at an extravagant bow while motioning to leaning back, a gesture that caused a few black strands of hair to break free from the rest of the bunch and fall slightly into his left eye.

Now that the war was over, you both didn't have that many opportunities to keep your minds sharp and practically aching with overexertion during the long days and quiet nights. Though you both did have plenty of your own work to do now that Fódlan was a united country under Emperor Edelgard's rule and still bleeding from the scabs and tears of war, there wasn't quite anything to give you both the same, exhilarating rush. Even games of chess in one of the few free moments of the day weren't quite the same, but it was the absolute closest you two could get without straight-up starting another war. Needless to say, this was a better alternative for everyone in the long run.