"So you were diagnosed a couple weeks after you met me?"
"Yeah," Byleth nodded in confirmation. The two were now sitting on Byleth's bed, since, normal people didn't exactly stand around all day...but Claude hadn't taken his arms away from her. He still held her in a warm, loose hug...and Byleth couldn't help but lean into his heat. She wasn't exactly going to complain about cuddling with the boy she loved...It was selfish, since he didn't exactly feel the same, but...Byleth needed comfort right now. "I don't understand why I had to fall sick now, of all times, when I finally have a reason to be happy..."
"Life is unfair," Claude grimaced. It was a statement both of them were all too familiar with... "But we're not the types to just sit around and complain about it. We're going to find a cure...and you'll have even more reasons to be happy."
"I hope," Byleth found it hard to remain as optimistic as he was being. She was working hard to find a cure, but her lack of progress had jaded her somewhat. "Although...I think just having you around is enough reason to be happy."
"...Me too," Claude smiled. "I probably woulda ended up back at the company if I didn't end up having so much fun with you..."
"Oh, right...Are you going to go back?" Byleth questioned. She didn't want to take away from their moment, but she was pretty curious about that. Plus...she didn't really want to cry anymore. It wasn't a nice feeling whatsoever. The cat was out of the bag, but that didn't mean she really wanted to talk about it right now. She was much more interested in Claude's problems than her own at the moment.
He'd rather talk about her, but...he wasn't dumb. He could tell it was making her uncomfortable...so he sucked it up and began to change the topic.
"Definitely not now," Claude held her tighter. "What Edelgard said may be true...but now that I know the truth about you, I don't have time for the company. I've got to help you before anything else."
"Well, you won't find me arguing with that," Byleth snuggled closer to him. She still knew it was wrong since he was probably with someone (considering how cute he was), but...hey, it was his fault anyway. He was the one who hugged her! "...It means a lot, Claude."
"It may seem selfish to Edelgard and Dimitri...but I'm not letting you slip away. The company will have to figure something out," It was a difficult decision for Claude to make, but he knew he had to put Byleth first. Leicester had never done anything for him...Byleth, on the other hand.. "I've got to save you before I even think about rejoining."
"Thank you, but...I don't understand why you don't just leave," Byleth said softly. She was grateful that he wouldn't, considering how her fear of him leaving had taken over her life, but she didn't quite get it. Claude could have everything. He could have the company, he could have his singing career...and to be honest, he didn't really need Byleth aside from having someone to talk to. Claude was handsome and charming, he could find someone else easily if he wanted. Why stay here? "But I'm grateful."
"I'm staying because I care too much," Claude replied bluntly. Byleth didn't quite understand it, but she had a feeling she wouldn't get an answer anyway if she asked. "But I don't regret that...and I never will."
"...Thank you. I...I was so worried you'd leave..." Byleth mumbled. "Worried you'd leave for the company, worried you'd leave because of my illness...I guess that was foolish, but...I don't know. I've never had any other friends besides Sothis, and we've always been...different. It's hard to explain."
"I get it. So, Teach...could you tell me what causes the pain again?" Claude asked, and Byleth nodded.
"Well, like I said before...I don't really know. But it just comes up every now and then," Byleth shrugged. "It's nothing much, just a little spark of pain..."
"How often?"
"Um..." Byleth tried to gauge the pain in a timeline he would understand, and that she could easily think of. "It usually hurts a bit every time we're together, and right when I get home, too."
"So...pretty often, basically," Claude mused. "Alright. Go over everything again with me...I'm going to make notes, and then I'll try to find something, alright?"
"Okay," Byleth responded. First, though. she needed to get something off of her chest. "Um...Claude...Thank you for staying by my side."
He nodded, his eyes filled with hope and determination. Even though this was such a depressing situation, Byleth just wanted to believe in his positivity...
So she would. Even if it was just for her own state of mind, she needed it. She needed to believe there was still hope in the world.
He gave her a small, warm smile.
"No problem, Teach."
YOU ARE READING
Race Against Time
Fanfiction"BYLETH, YOU'RE DYING." Those were the words Byleth Eisner had heard her entire life...but it had never rang true. She had always known that the doctors were wrong, that she was going to keep living, but the fear of death was constant. Born with a h...
