Chapter nine: The town.

225 15 0
                                    


"What town are we going to, Hubert?" you inquired, arm still locked into place with his own-neither minding each other's touch or company at this moment. It felt as if your arm and his were like a lock-and-key.

"Since we are on foot, I'd say the West town." he looked ahead at the group of lights conjoined together, just like stars in a night sky.

The West town was one many students went to after classes or on the weekends. Personal shopping, something to do or partying were the usual reasons. However you had no idea what Hubert needed from this visit and felt it might be personal to ask.

"I heard Hilda was hanging out there with a few others tonight." you mentioned, viewing the amazing scenery. To reach the West town, one must go through a small gathering of tree's...a minor forest if you will. At the time it was now, with the sun nearly down-you would be far too scared to walk through it. Thankfully you knew Hubert always carried some sort of weapon with him.

"Why aren't you joining them?" He quickly looked down, Hilda was a person you had been conversing with often. Surely you were invited.

"Partying isn't my thing. Hilda's nice and all, but a simple supply trip is more up my street." with your free hand you moved it about to get the words across. 

"I see, well let's stay far from the bar's then." he sniffed, his nose was getting pink from the cold and it was quite adorable to witness.

"Perhaps we should find you a larger scarf while we're here" you chuckled, now through the gates of the town and on the cobblestone path.

"Do not stare at my nose." Hubert warned, you knew he wasn't being serious though you stopped anyways. "But..I agree. Could you assist me? I'm not the best in that area."

A clothes shop was in the corner of the square, that's what you had heard anyways. Instead of Hubert taking lead, you did; guiding the red nosed man past the white fountain and to a small store.

"I never knew of this place." He admitted, running his thin fingers through the fabrics on the wall. Inside was much warmer, and the small enclosure made it ever more cosy. 

You both split up in search of a larger and thicker scarf for Hubert to hide his nose in. Of course you being the one to find the perfect one before him. It was handmade and had a signature logo on the bottom, quite fancy actually.

"I like it." Hubert examined all aspects of it bluntly, not noticing your wide eyes looking for more acceptance of their amazing choice. "I'll buy it, stay there." he hummed, sliding through slim racks of clothes and bending down to fit through a small door in the back. You giggled at the sight of the tall, scary Hubert that many avoided, look like such a sore thumb in a clothes shop.

* * *

"I heard you laughing at me." he started, a brown paper bag on his left arm and a now empty right one as you both finally let go of each other.

"You're quite a sight, I must admit."

"I can only imagine." He sighed, stopping you in the street. "Can you hold my old scarf for a moment?" unraveling the old thing from his pale neck, he momentarily gifted it to you so he could engulf half of his face into the new one. Something you were quite sad to see hidden from your eyes.

The old scarf was so warm, his body heat made it feel like a cup of tea and the urge to wrap it around your own neck was tempting. After all-you had only a coat and a hood.

"...Do you wish to wear that one?" he was awkward about it, stammering on his words and releasing no emotion into them. It made you wonder if he actually meant it.

"Would you mind?" Not letting an 'if' or a 'but' escape from him you pulled down your hood, showing  your pink cheeks and big eyes to a dumbfounded Hubert. He was letting you suck him into the world of ___. One he kept telling himself he didn't want to enter, yet once again finding himself stuck in the middle of it. What was this? And why did the scarf look much better on you than it did on him?

"It suits you." That would probably be the largest compliment he could muster, seeing you wear something of his own belonging erupted advanced emotions in his core. In fact it was so unusual he could clutch his stomach with distress.

"Thanks!" you beamed, happy he wasn't mad at you borrowing his scarf.

Before either of you could ask 'where next?' a girlish shriek echoed from behind.

"___?! Is that you?" Hilda's distinctive voice echoed from the doorway of an unpopular bar. 

Hearing Hubert curse under his breath; you touched his arm lightly, as if to say 'wait there'. And followed the continuous shrieks and booms of fellow students.

"Heyyy! I thought you weren't coming out tonight!" Hilda pouted, clearly having something in her gut. She peeped over your shoulder. "Oooh, you're on a date." she whisper-slurred, not loud enough though as Sylvain and Lysithea soon came running to the door to see who you were supposedly 'dating'.

"Who even is that? Do we know him?" Sylvain quizzed, it seemed Hubert's scarf covered 80% of his face and rightly so! Last time anyone heard of you and him, you were not on speaking terms.

"That's a nice scarf too ___!" Lysithea gasped, grasping at the tassels in awe like a child. 

"Uh...thank you." you gushed, lightly patting her small hands off of Hubert's scarf. "You don't know him Sylvain. And it's not a date either I was just going home." 

They protested and even called out for 'mystery man' to come join them. Hubert obviously ignoring them entirely, apologising to passing people.

"Well he's a bore, whoever he is. You have weird taste." Hilda moaned, heading back inside without even a goodbye.

---

"Dear Gods, they're your friends?" Hubert scoffed.

"I guess so. And you should best hope they don't remember anything by the morning."  you added, knowing full well Lysithea was too young to drink.

"Indeed. There's no time for a childish rumor to start travelling." he tutted, pulling his scarf up again, saying thank you to the guard at the gate as you made an abrupt leave.

"Yes. Of course.." a guilt and saddening feeling weighed you down the rest of the way back, and even when you managed to get a drunk Henry to let you sleep on the floor of his room. Which took lots of persuading as he wanted to take the floor instead.

Deep down?

You wanted the rumors. And the reason why, was entirely unexpected.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Finally managed to finish this at 2AM. Well done me -.-




~Deadly feelings~ Hubert x Reader FE3HWhere stories live. Discover now