Race Against Time

Another Checkup

"Any chest pain recently?"

Byleth shrugged, and then nodded her head. She was at another checkup with Manuela, the nurse. They'd started doing these about twice a week, and luckily for them, Manuela was offering a reduced cost because, in her words, she "liked her a little too much to watch her die".

"A little bit. It comes in sparks," Byleth tried to explain, glancing over to her father as if he could help before realizing he had no idea what she was experiencing. "They never stay for long, and I don't really get any warning signs."

"You're a phenomenon. No one has ever seen anyone quite like you...I'm sure that if more people knew about you, you'd be studied day and night," Manuela mused, putting away the stethoscope. "Lucky for you, I won't let that happen."

"Thanks, Manuela," Jeralt spoke with gratitude, his usual gravely voice lower than usual. "How is her heartbeat?"

"Well, it's normal...for a generic human being," Manuela sighed, an apologetic look in her eyes. "But Byleth, you're anything but generic. We've always said that this should have made everything better, but for some reason, your body just won't accept it. Honestly, it would have been better if your heart remained stagnant."

"So...the cure is getting my heart to stop beating?" Byleth couldn't help but scoff at the irony. Most people never wanted their heart to stop beating; Byleth, on the other hand, needed it to live.

"That's what it's looking to be. I had previously thought that trying to regulate all your other organs might have been better, but in a one year timeline, this seems implausible," Manuela shook her head. "Your body seems to only function with a non-beating heart, there's no use trying to push for an outcome that might just make your heart worse. Of course, we don't know that your body will take to an stone heart once more, but the chances are higher based on previous implications..."

"I'll take any chance possible," Byleth nodded, shifting uncomfortably from where she sat on the doctor's bench. "I never thought that I'd be praying to be strange once more..."

"Well, for your sake, I hope you get that chance," Manuela grimaced, tapping her riding crop on the table. "Well, you're free to go. Keep me updated on everything. Any of your symptoms get worse, you call me. Alright?"

"Will do."

The two left the room, heading out of the doctor's office. Byleth shrugged as they stepped into the car, and as Jeralt started the engine, Byleth turned on the radio. He looked at her with surprise.

"Music, huh?"

"What? Oh, yeah," Byleth nodded. She hadn't really thought anything of it...but lately, she'd been listening to music more often. She couldn't say it was the most satisfactory thing ever, considering that a lot of the music the radio played wasn't to her taste, but she had found a station she enjoyed with Claude's help. "It's a new thing."

"I see..." Jeralt had a bemused look on his face, but said nothing else as he pulled out of the parking lot. After awhile on their drive, he spoke again. "Kid...I'm so proud of you."

"For what?" Byleth questioned, distracted by her phone. She had gotten a new text message from Claude...She forced herself to turn her phone upside down and focus on her father. He just shook his head. "Oh, come on. You can't say that and then not elaborate."

"I can too," Jeralt countered with a small smile. "But I mean it, Kid."

"I'm glad...although I wish I knew what you were talking about," Byleth grumbled under her breath. Jeralt reached over to ruffle her hair playfully, and she squirmed in her seat. "Hey! Both hands on the wheel."

He just looked at her pointedly. Neither of them ever drove with both hands on the wheel for casual driving; Jeralt usually had one arm resting against the door while Byleth sometimes rested her arm by her side.

"Hypocrite," Jeralt muttered. Byleth laughed before her phone dinged once more. Jeralt gestured to the phone. "Go on, check it. Is it Claude?"

"Dad!"

"What? It's just a question!"

Byleth rolled her eyes, but there was a smile on her face despite her annoyance. She pulled her phone out, unlocking it to see two new notifications from Claude.

heya teach wanna go do something?

hella bored ... dont know what to do tho i'll let u choose

Byleth was shocked. He was asking her, the girl who didn't know how to have fun without him, what to do? What was she supposed to say? The only fun things she had done was with him!

Um...Claude, I have no idea what we would do. Remember? I don't have fun without you?

come on teach i'm sure you can think of something !

Byleth stopped and put her phone in her lap for a moment. Something fun? What could she possibly come up with?

Byleth thought of what Sothis and her had done before.. before Claude, before all of this. What had they done? Byleth suddenly smiled to herself.

She thought she had an idea of what he'd like...