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randomnameless · 4 months

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I did Crimson Flower first in my Three Houses run and... honestly, Edelgard wasn't even remotely as convincing to me to join her as the fact I'd get to fuck Jeritza.

Beresu I've chosen for the job grew up in Ardesian Empire and I've definitely leaned into Ashen Demon idea as much as possible, so what I've got was a merciless butcher, not a revolutionary firebrand. I expected Edelgard to be this scary red emperor with the grand ideas that justify the means, I expected the vibe of Nine Inch Nails' Survivalism, but instead she's an absolute dork and Hubert does everything morally dubious for her. It reminded me of Corrin in Fates on Nohr path and it definitely did not endear me to her.

Generally speaking the only interesting bits were Jeritza (love this man, best girl) and... maybe Hubert. Honestly speaking, with the way Hubert acts I expected him to be a Flame Emperor after seeing Edelgard. I just genuinely don't get how Crimson Flower Edelgard can be even remotely convincing - she's scary in White Clouds at times, but then it's nothing but dork, dork, dork, Beresu I hate rats, Beresu my path is stained in blood despite the fact I can barely reach any enemy in my automatic promotes and Hubert, Jeritza and you kill most of the enemies instead.

She's idealistic, but it's never really shown how much she's willing to mow down people for her ideals - we don't see destruction, we don't see any particular drama. The only bits closest to it were me deliberately not recruiting any non-BE students aside from Mercedes, Anette, Marianne and Lorenz. Killing these students felt like something, but it isn't really enough and it's entirely optional.

she's scary in White Clouds at times, but then it's nothing but dork, dork, dork, Beresu I hate rats, Beresu my path is stained in blood despite the fact I can barely reach any enemy in my automatic promotes and Hubert, Jeritza and you kill most of the enemies instead

LOL

I don't remember having the same movement issues with Hector when he was promoted, but damn if Supreme Leader's prf class was a nightmare, she was behind people and didn't have enough def to act as a suitable tank - she's supposed to be a player phase unit, but she doesn't have the mov stat to do so...

Granted, it was my first run too, so I missed on the heron festival event and didn't get a dancer :( but I played it before Emile was patched in, and, in a way, I thought it was on purpose - Supreme Leader says she'll explain everything to Billy later on, when they see Emile fighting with them when the BESF attacks the Monastery, and nothing is ever explained post TS - much like how the war was supposed to get rid of Rhea because she has scales, but come the post TS and we're not embarking on the MAGA ride, to conquer Fodlan!

Corn at least, in Conquest, spent more time angsting at the casualties and blood shed - to the point some players found it uncomfortable - Corn notable tried to save people or reacts strongly when Scarlet is Hans'd (just like Sakura's army? I don't remember that well).

It's less artificial than Supreme Leader who only says this in some support lines, or when she's alone with you - her lines feels more like a compulsory thing to say, a box to tick, than a regular reaction. There's nothing similar to Corn's distress or at least gambit to try to spare the defeated soldiers, instead, we have a round of hypocrisy because Rhea BaD when she doesn't let people evacuate the city before turning it in a giant bbq - when we have Emile on our side and when other routes reveal the battle of the Monastery happens so fast after her declaration of war that the CoS doesn't have time to evacuate all of its residents (+Emile saying the grounds around the monastery are battlefields too) in the other routes.

Hubert is still the best part of CF, even if I sort of grew somehow interested at the students insulting Billy when they chop them off - sure my interest later died, but Judith's JP VA lit screaming and crying when Ignatz and Leonie died, Inoue!Rhea's lines delivery, everything bar the BESF itself managed to make the "we must kille people we knew sad uwus" hit closer to the mark than the onion scene, aka the one where Supreme Leader cries after beheading a defeated, and on his knees, Dimitri.

But I agree, it's almost if all the pathos that was supposed to be triggered by the "kill your students :'(" from the game went to the CF enemies, rather than to the other routes casualties.

"We killed Ferdie professor :("

Watch as I gave a fig, Ferdie dies in a map where he is fielded with a Demonic Beast iirc, aka a Feral One. If Ferdie doesn't see anything wrong fighting side by side with a Feral One and doesn't have the same circumstances Lorenz does (granted, even those circumstances are mushy) - especially since it's possible for Ferdie to defect since that's what he does in SS - I legit feel less figs that when we had to kill a retreating Judith, or an Ignatz or Leonie who were defending their homes - hell, even Hilda who, against all of her words and previous behaviour - finally puts her life on the line to protect someone.

#anon #replies #I remember how I was engaged with this game when I only played CF #thinking we would have more revelations on the other side after playing the other routes #condamnation of Izuka and all more reveals about Nabateans and the plot #and instead I got teapots of Hresvelg Grey #talk about a disappointment lol #I still think that Judith delivery was something #just like Inoue!Rhea's lines #they're just -#What voice acting does to a meh script #it brings it to life #but then it was lolcalised and we all know how that ended #i still think if the US VAs had the same directions the JP VAs had #we would have had less discourse and the game would have been imo better #oh well #I'm beating a dead horse here #FE16 #you killed Supreme Leader anon lol

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dpsisquared · 7 months

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idk how to find that mercedes wheelchair art you wanted, but i'd love to write you fe3h disability headcanons, besides dimitri are there any other characters you'd really like?? sorry i hope this isn't weird💀

I'm starting to wonder if I dreamed that post fr. But I can picture it SO CLEARLY. I would love to know the backstory for it!

Not weird at all! And I will happily talk anyone's ear off about this lol. Just as an aside (and to explain why I'm weirdly fixated on this), I have MS and use a cane and sometimes rollator.

And yes I definitely hc Dimitri with a cane post war. I am planning on commissioning some art of him with one but omg there's too many good artists, like how do you pick??

Anyway. Based on Ignatz's support with Petra I think it's pretty safe to say he is legally blind or will be at some point in his life. Kind of reminds me of Monet, he would have to adjust his art style over the years.

Def think Lysithea would at some point use a wheelchair. I know she has magical fantasy illness, but fainting from training etc seems like either heart or neurological, maybe POTS or myasthenia gravis? Her wheelchair would be hot pink and covered in stickers.

A more non canon one I think of is Flayn. We don't get the details but it sounded like she had really severe injuries. Nabateans sleep it off I guess but under more realistic circumstances she would have some kind of disability.

There's definitely plenty of ND individuals too but as far as physical disabilities those are the top ones that come to mind 😊

#fe3h #fire emblem #fire emblem three houses #dimitri alexandre blaiddyd #lysithea von ordelia #ignatz victor #disability #disability representation

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vilonnie · 3 months

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in contrast to claude who fittingly is a very contemporary protagonist in a couple of ways, dimitri and edelgard can both be seen as interpretations of classic hero king protagonists. dimitri is pretty obvious, but I think edelgard is actually an interesting twist - she's a literal knight in shining armor, she's this game's "chosen one" who bears the fire emblem, she's the self-sacrificial crown of adrestria, and she's even a genuine dragonslayer. so it's curious to think that her desire to act as a savior is what leads her to impose on the other countries' wills and be treated as an antagonist in all but her own route, resulting in a tragic end on the eagle's wings of her very own hamartia. I wonder if she might've reminded dimitri of some of faerghus' stories of martyr kings and knights - I wonder how she would have felt about that?

I also like to think about dimitri's chemistry with marianne and edelgard's chemistry with claude in the context of her role in verdant wind

specifically I think that marianne becomes a very important golden deer particularly in regards to the way claude contrasts against the other two lord's lack of value for their own lives. dimitri won't think twice about dying of rage or grief at the command of his ghosts, edelgard speaks consistently about her willingness to die for her cause and her greater good and will even discard the peaceful life she explicitly wants for herself at her core, and marianne just wants to die, but claude is famously the lord who can survive in every route - he is the only lord that demands that his soldiers not lay their lives on the line, he plans for a tactical retreat in all scenarios, and it never even occurs to him that the dream he loves so much could ever be worth more than his life or those around him. this, of course, is because his life has been regarded as forfeit and unnatural since the moment he was born, so it only makes sense that he is defensive (in general and) about the idea that a person's ability to live a full and fulfilling life is something precious to protect (also why lysithea is a golden deer, part of why ignatz is a golden deer, and may contribute to verdant wind as the route where byleth gets the most spotlight). for this reason I think mari and claude's dynamic is especially fascinating to me as a central contrast between the temptation of death versus the stubborn insistence on the value of living, and the same can be said for what their relationships with dimitri and edelgard highlight :)

#btw if you see me reuse these exact words for fanart thats bc I wanna draw a comic right now but have no time rip :')#my guy so full of life. my girls (didi included) so full of death. equality /j #fire emblem three houses #fe3h #imb going to hell goodnight #espposts

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barbieburnanator · 12 days

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Hi!! Is it ok to ask more questions about your OC amber? Like what kind of food she enjoys at the monastery and what places she's likely to frequent!! Ty for sharing your art and creativity! 🥺🥺🥹🥹

IT IS ALWAYS OKAY TO ASK ABOUT MY OC AMBER!! I don’t get that many questions about her, so when I do it makes me really happy! It blows my mind that others like her so much that they would want to know more. 😊

For food, Amber has a big sweet tooth. Though probably not as much as Lysithea, she loves nothing more than sipping tea and enjoying a baked good. (If you give her cake she will be your best friend!!) Amber herself grew up on a farm, so she ate a lot of staples foods growing up like soups and stews. When she found herself at the monastery, she was delighted to find new dishes to try, attempting any new foods that came her way. So far she’s learned that spicy food isn’t so much her thing, as well as fish, though she will eat anything that is placed in front of her. (If nothing else to be thoughtful and not wasteful of the food itself.) She enjoys mostly vegetables and/ or meat dishes. Here’s what she likes that’s offered at the dinning hall – sauteed jerky, vegetable stir-fry, Gronder meat skewers, onion Gratin soup, fried crayfish (the only seafood she likes), pheasant roast with berry sauce, sweet bun trio, and peach sorbet.

As for places she likes to frequent to around the monastery, she loves to spend time around the library, stables, greenhouse, and nearby woods. The library and reading remind her of when her parents would read to her before bed. Often reading until she fell asleep. Now as a young adult and with her parents gone, she likes to read when trying to fall asleep. It gives her comfort. Sylvain has seen her on multiple occasions staring out of a window from the library. When asked about it, Amber states that the view from that window in particular looks like the view from her house growing up. Standing here at dusk takes her back to a time before she was all alone. An important detail about Amber is that she works for the monastery to help pay her way through classes. She’ll spend time at the stables caring for the horses and other animals and likes to visit the stables in her spare time as well. Mercedes caught her taking scarps from the dining hall to feed the cats and dogs around the stables. Since then, the two will collect food scraps to give to the animals. The greenhouse is for sure one of her favorites! Growing up on a farm, she spent time tending to crops, but she also helped her mother grow flowers as well! Her real name (Amber isn’t her birth name) is based off a flower given to her by her mother. As such, she loves to help grow the plants in the greenhouse. There’s been a rumor that someone heard her sing to the plants late at night. Ignatz confesses later that it was him, stating that he heard the voice and needed to know who was singing such a beautiful song. And finally, the woods around the monastery. She would live out there if she could (but Seteth wouldn’t allow it) as it’s the closest to feeling like home to her. The big trees, wild animals, babbling brooks, it all gives her comfort and makes her feel at peace. She likes to collect herbs to create salves and game to sell in town. She can be seen reading under a particular tree near the edge of the woods. But she has had to find a new hiding spot as Claude now likes to look for her every time he’s out there. An endless game of hide-and-seek.

Wow! That’s a lot but I couldn’t stop writing. I really enjoy answering questions like this, thanks so much for asking it really means a lot to me. 😊

Here’s a little sketch of Amber as well!

#my art #my oc #oc amber #fe oc #fe3h os #asks #THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU! for asking #it really means so much to me to see others have in interest in my ocs #whether someone likes my art or not I'll always be making it. but seeing others enjoy it makes me want to draw all the more

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fe3htournament · 1 year

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GMAS Round 1

Reminder that all matchups are randomized! i am sO sorry marianne/ashe fans this hurts me too

Links:

Jeritza vs. Dorothea Winner: Dorothea

Hapi vs. Raphael Winner: Hapi

Sylvain vs. Yuri Winner: Yuri

Ignatz vs. Mercedes Winner: Mercedes

Manuela vs. Lorenz Winner: Manuela

Marianne vs Ashe Winner: Marianne

Claude vs. Ferdinand Winner: Claude

Lysithea vs. Annette Winner: Lysithea

Constance vs. Dimitri Winner: Dimitri

Dedue vs. Ingrid Winner: Dedue

Bernadetta vs. Felix Winner: Felix

Caspar vs. Leonie Winner: Caspar

Balthus vs. Hubert Winner: Hubert

Linhardt vs. Hilda Winner: Linhardt

Edelgard vs. Hanneman Winner: Edelgard

Petra vs. Byleth Winner: Byleth

#showdown overview #fe3h tournament #tumblr polls

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kumeko · 2 months

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Prompt: I like the war phase of 3 Houses so much for these 2. Something filled with yearning (or the crescendo of the yearning). I like the idea of them liking each other so much but not pursuing until "things are settled", or whatnot. Being scared of losing them. Best friends who pine. Anything like that.

A/N: For LucyGringe for the @claudelethgifts. I love pining and ahh, these two just spending the war phase yearning is chef’s kiss, I can only hope I wrote it well. I feel like Claude would know it’s mutual, while Byleth would be a bit more in the dark (even to her own feelings). Does that make it harder? Easier?

It was a bit hard to figure out how to connect this until I went for a “five times he grabbed her hand and the one time she grabbed his” format.

…

The ring weighed heavily in his pocket.

They were in the middle of a war, a simple fact that Claude had to remind himself of over and over again. He’d spent five years in this war, had fought and bled and killed as the months and years passed.

Despite that, it was all too easy to forget the calluses on his fingers as he walked in the forest. Around him, his former classmates chattered, dappled in shadow and light, and if he squinted, he could almost see their teenage selves. They could be returning from a class mission instead of a bloody battle.

It was all Byleth’s fault.

Claude peeked at the woman by his side. She didn’t look a day older than when she’d disappeared. Maybe he’d slipped back in time, turning back the clock to when the worst opponents he’d faced were bandits instead of former allies. When he could justify the blood that had stained his hands.

He wasn’t the only one feeling this way. A jovial mood filled the air as his friends reunited for the first time in years. Leoni led the pack, smirking as she taunted Hilda and Lorenz. “Your attacks were sloppy.”

“As though yours were refined.” Lorenz scrunched his nose. Despite the mud and blood streaking his robes, he still held a dignified aura about him.

“Ugh, you’re making me agree with him,” Hilda bit out, grumpy. She snapped at Leonie, “That’s really the first thing you say to me in months?”

Behind them, Ignatz rubbed his neck shyly as he glanced at Marianne. “It’s nice to see you again.”

Marianne flushed and gave a soft smile. “M-me too. I think so too.”

“I missed you guys!” Raphael shouted as he wrapped his arms around Ignatz and Lysithea, dragging them into his embrace. Somehow, he’d grown bigger, more muscular, a feat that Claude hadn’t thought possible.

And on the exact opposite end of the spectrum, Lysithea hadn’t even gained an inch. She hissed, “Get off me, you big oaf!”

Though he’d never admit it aloud, Claude had missed this banter. There wasn’t really any room for it when all of Fódlan was in flames. And he wasn’t the only one to think so—from the corner of his eye, Claude watched as Byleth’s lips twitched, her expression softening as she studied her former students. A far cry from the old days, when she’d been hard to read.

Or maybe he’d just gotten better at it.

“Whatcha thinking, Teach?” Claude asked, the old moniker slipping off his tongue out of habit. He hadn’t said her nickname in ages and yet, it was impossible to think of her without it.

“It’s really been five years,” Byleth replied, finally turning away from the group to him. Her eyes widened slightly, as though realizing something.

She’d left an easy opening, and he couldn’t resist. “I couldn’t tell looking at you.”

Byleth didn’t seem to hear him. “You’re taller.”

“That’s old news now, Teach,” Claude teased. Their growth spurts had come and gone, and he’d almost forgotten how short he’d used to be, how they’d used to be on the same eye level. “Is that all you noticed?”

“No…” Byleth studied him, overly serious for a throwaway comment. Whatever she saw, she frowned. “You know battle now.”

“You’ve seen me fight before.” Claude raised a brow, not quite following.

She pursed her lips, considering her words before replying, “You know of war.”

He wondered if it was that obvious. He wondered what signs he’d shown, that they’d all shown.

He wondered when she’d first learned the lessons he kept learning every day.

“In ways I wish I hadn’t,” Claude replied wryly. He glanced at his friends in front of him. Even the way they walked was different, their steps quieter, their bodies tense. They were always ready for a fight these days. “Maybe we can keep up with you now.”

“I liked it better when you couldn’t,” Byleth replied honestly, clenching her fist.

“Me too.” But if Claude had wanted easy and comfortable, he would have gone home to Almyra, leaving Fódlan to clean up its own messes. Or maybe he’d have never crossed those mountains in the first place. “But it’s our choice.”

Byleth’s frown deepened as she clenched her fists tighter. Despite her feelings, she didn’t say anything, just walking quietly next to him. Rocks and twigs crunched underfoot, the rest of his old classmates’ bickering fading into a soft murmur.

This wasn’t how he wanted Byleth’s first day back to go. There was plenty of bad to deal with as it was. If only for now, if only for this moment, he wanted her to be happy.

Reaching down, he wrapped his hand around her balled fist, squeezing lightly. “Glad you’re back, Teach.”

Byleth glanced down, then at him. Her eyes were as green as the forest and she offered a rare smile. “Me too.”

Something in him tightened at her expression.

Before he could say anything, he heard shouts in the distance.

“Another fight?” Hilda complained, readying her axe.

“That’s what war is,” Claude quipped as he reluctantly let go of Byleth’s hand. “You survive one fight just to get into another one.”

If the rest of Fódlan was still in the middle of a war, the monastery was stuck in the aftermath of one. Even now, years later, it was still a mess of rubble and scorched bricks, the academy no longer the same as it had been in his youth. The rebuilding had been slow, with only key structures needed to house their soldiers rebuilt. Wild flowers and grasses grew along familiar paths, nature reclaiming what had been abandoned.

If it was this hard for him to see, he could only imagine how much harder it was for her. Dismayed, Byleth trailed after him as he guided her to where the dorms used to be.

“We haven’t had time to clear this up,” Claude explained, a paltry excuse. Broken glass crunched underfoot and he winced. “Nor the resources.”

Byleth’s jaw tightened. “That’s war.”

“That’s war,” he agreed with a sigh.

As they passed by the pond, Byleth stopped by the dock. Kneeling, she reached over the side and skimmed her fingertips on the cold water. “It’s shallower.”

“It is?” Claude stared at the murky waters. He could just see their reflections. It had never been this quiet here before—even outside of the big fishing tournament, there had always been a few students hoping for a big catch. Flayn had almost drowned once, trying to use her hands instead of her rod, and Seteth had almost banned everyone from getting within a meter of the shoreline. “Good eye, Teach.”

“It’s not my eye.” Byleth stood, wiping her hands on her pants. “It was just yesterday for me.”

“Yesterday…” Part of Claude still couldn’t believe she’d slept through the past five years. Despite all he’d seen, it still felt too fantastical, too magical. But there had been nothing logical about how she’d disappeared and returned, about how her hair turned green or even how she always seemed to already know when an attack was coming.

More importantly, he couldn’t deny the truth in front of him. Byleth really hadn’t aged a day since he’d last seen her. Her knowledge of the present was abysmal and even hermits knew of the current state of affairs.

“Then maybe you can help with the rebuilding,” Claude suggested, keeping his voice carefully upbeat. He nodded in the direction of the main hall. “Lysithea hasn’t found the blueprints and it’s a little harder for the rest of us to remember where everything was.”

“I thought there weren’t enough resources?” she asked.

“This is headquarters now.” Claude gestured at the academy behind him. “And you’re Rhea’s heir apparent, or so the true believers say, so…might as well. It’ll help raise morale.”

“…Rhea.” Byleth bit her lip, glancing at the direction of the church. Despite Edelgard’s best efforts, it still stood strong, the towering walls peeking over the rest of the academy. “Is…my father…”

Claude knew what she meant. “He’s still there,” he answered gently.

“Ah.” Claude could guess what she meant. “He’s still there.”

“Good.” While she didn’t run, Byleth’s pace picked up as she headed toward the academy’s graveyard. Luckily, the battle had managed to avoid most of it, leaving Jeralt’s marker untouched by the forces of war or the tides of time.

Well, not entirely. Weeds grew around the gravestone. He’d have to make sure to clear this out later.

Not minding the overgrown grass or mud, Byleth knelt in front of the marker, her fingers gently brushing her father’s name. “It all happened so fast,” she murmured, her fingers tracing the a. Her eyes were dry. “Too fast.”

In more ways than one. Claude remembered losing Byleth once, remembered her returning, remembered the earth disappearing underneath his feet as she vanished once more. There had been little time when it had all gone down. Jeralt had died. Edelgard had betrayed them. Dimitri had gone mad.

He’d spent five years with regrets, his chest heavy with all the things he’d never said.

And now Byleth had survived and he still couldn’t say them.

“Now’s the time to go slow,” he said instead, kneeling next to her. Had he always been this much of a coward? He covered her hand with his. “I’m here, if you need me.”

Claude grinned as he sat down in his old seat in the Golden Deer classroom. The layout was different, but there were still tables and chairs, still a blackboard and a desk, and that was more than enough to feel like he was back in class. Out of all the repairs, he had looked forward to this one the most.

For almost a year, this classroom had been a home of sorts.

“It’s been ages since I sat here,” he said, sprawling across the table. It was still an uncomfortable spot for a nap, but if he turned his head just so, he could discretely watch Byleth as she examined the room.

She ran her fingers along the desks before approaching the blackboard. “What will this be used for now?”

“Nothing much,” Claude admitted. If he closed his eyes, he could smell chalk in the air, hear the chatter of his classmates. “Strategy meetings, I guess. Leonie and Raphael just couldn’t stand seeing it destroyed so they fixed it up whenever they had the free time.”

Byleth pressed her hand to the blackboard. She didn’t look at him as she asked, “And the other rooms?”

He had never spent too much time in the other classrooms, but he could still picture them now. The crimson red of the eagles, the vibrant blue of the lions—Dimitri’s flustered smile when he was teased, Edelgard’s sharp smirk whenever she had a comeback.

A better memory than Byleth’s sword, red from Edelgard’s blood, the tatters of Dimitri’s blue cape as he fought like a man possessed.

Regrets that he couldn’t think, let alone voice.

“They’re still in disrepair,” Claude finally replied, sitting up.

Byleth didn’t say anything but her shoulders slumped slightly. With a quiet sigh, she tapped the blackboard. “I never knew what to write when I was up here.”

Claude chuckled. “I could tell.” With how awkward her first few weeks as teacher, it was easy to tell how unprepared she was for it. “Why’d you accept the position?”

“I don’t know.” She turned around, her eyes meeting his. “I just felt…I had to. That something might change if I did. Why’d you ask me to come to your house?”

“Because I knew something might change if I did,” Claude echoed. Though, he had expected Fódlan or his house to change, not himself. Feeling mischievous, he grinned. “You know, we never finished our classes, Teach.”

“That…” She pondered, crossing her arms as she leaned against the board. “No, we didn’t.”

“And we didn’t really graduate,” Claude continued, walking over to her slowly.

She squinted at him, sensing a trap. “That’s true.”

“Then…” Claude smiled innocently. “Maybe you should give your last class. Just to wrap things up.”

Byleth shot him a dubious look. “…no one else is here.”

“It’s a private lesson,” he cajoled, ready to counter any objection. He grabbed her hand. “You wouldn’t leave a student in need, would you?”

“You don’t actually need it,” Byleth pointed out, but she couldn’t hide her own smile as she figured out his game. “You’re leading the army just fine.”

“For how long?” Claude wiped an imaginary tear. “What would my grandfather think about his uneducated heir? What about our men?”

“Fine.” It was faint, but he heard a laugh as she nodded. “Just one.”

It was strange to study again. Claude sat in the monastery’s library, a stack of books around him, the musty smell tickling his nose. Most of the library had survived the fire after the Adestrian Empire had attacked, from the books down to the literature, and he spotted more than a few doodles on the table from bored students decades past.

And in the book he was reading too. History made a good teacher for tactics, though someone hadn’t told the kid who’d drawn a stickman running on the bottom of the book. Repressing a sigh, he peeked over his book at his companion.

Next to him, Byleth hunched over the table, her brow furrowing as she examined the continent’s map. As a student, he’d never imagined learning with her. War and time had a funny way of making everyone equals. For all of her fighting expertise, Byleth had five years of geopolitical changes to catch up on before she could help spearhead any attacks.

Her knees knocked into his as she sat back to compare the map with an open book.

Claude grinned and tapped her shoulder. When she turned to him, blinking owlishly, he poked her forehead. “Don’t scowl too much. It’ll freeze like that.”

Her lips pursed as she considered his words. “How?”

Half a decade of sleep hadn’t made her any better with jokes. Claude shrugged and laughed. “I’m not sure, actually. It’s just something my mother used to say.”

“Oh.” She turned slightly, considering him. Her arm brushed his. Propping her chin on her hand, she asked idly, “Is that why you’re always smiling?”

“I wouldn’t say always,” he answered, mirroring her posture. It felt childish but when her lips quirked, he knew he’d made the right move. “But smiles work better than frowns. You can get more done.”

Byleth’s expression softened. “…Jeralt said something similar before.”

Claude winced. He hadn’t expected that landmine. “He did?”

“Yes.” Despite his fears, she didn’t appear down. Fondly, she recounted, “He used to say, ‘It’s easier to get clients and a bonus if you’re approachable.’”

Now that sounded like a mercenary’s advice. Claude laughed. “He wasn’t wrong.”

“He rarely was.” Byleth nodded. “I wasn’t very good at it.”

“You’re still not good at it,” he teased. “That’s what you have me for.”

She smiled. “Yeah, I do.”

He could only watch as she straightened and reached for her book once more. Byleth had always been blunt and straight to the point, but…this was something else. Something different. She smiled more. Talked longer. Sat closer. Even now, as she pulled her book closer, he could feel her proximity, the way her arms grazed his whenever she adjusted her position, the way her hand lingered when she handed him her map.

“Who has the Ordelia territory now?” she asked, looking at him with her bright green eyes. Even the way she looked at him had shifted to unfamiliar territory.

Claude had never thought of himself as a scholar, not in the way Lindhardt had been, but he knew Byleth well enough to write a paper.

And he knew this truth: She liked him.

Unfortunately, that led him to his second conclusion: he couldn’t push this any further. Not now, not with the weight of Rhea’s position on her shoulders, not with the fate of the war riding on their efforts.

“The empire, but it’s a little more tricky than that,” Claude replied, resisting the urge to grab her hand when she pulled back. “Never thought I’d be the one teaching you, Teach.”

He’d swallowed his words five years ago. He could do it again.

War killed; a fact that was all too real as Claude stared at the very injured Byleth. Lying on her cot in her tent, blood matting her hair to her face and staining her armour, she was barely conscious as Manuela took care of her. The older woman huffed as she chanted under her breath, her hands glowing as she healed the worst of Byleth’s wounds.

“You shouldn’t be in the vanguard like that,” Manuela barked, irritated as she inspected Byleth for further injuries. Despite her sharp tone, her hands were gentle as she poked and prodded.

“Someone has to be,” Byleth replied tiredly, raising a hand to cover her eyes. She groaned softly as Manuela touched a particularly tender spot.

“That someone isn’t you!” Manuela snapped, her touch turning rough from irritation as she finished checking Byleth. Claude had a feeling their wine inventory was about to miss a few bottles. “You’re too important to fight every mercenary that we cross. You’re our leader!”

“Claude is,” Byleth argued feebly.

Manuela snorted. “Please. Don’t try to wiggle your way out of this.”

Claude released a breath he didn’t know he was holding when Manuela straightened and stepped back. “All’s good?” he asked, somehow managing to keep his voice from cracking.

“For now.” Manuela crossed her arms and glared at Byleth. “If not for yourself, think of me! It’s tiring patching you up!”

Byleth gave her a flat stare before nodding. “I will.”

“Just do it. Why are all of my patients masochists?” Manuela groaned, running a hand through her hair. “Make sure you don’t overexert yourself—I fixed most of the injuries but there’s a few that need to heal naturally.”

“… yes.” Byleth agreed.

“Are you just saying that? I heard the hesitation!” Manuela whirled to Claude, fire in her eyes. He took a step back defensively as she jabbed his chest. “You. Make sure she gets her rest.”

He’d have done it even if she hadn’t asked. Claude forced a grin. “Aww, you trust me now?”

“Not a bit, but you’re better than her.” Manuela picked up her staff and stalked past Claude. “I’ll leave the rest to you.”

Claude winced as she stomped out, no doubt heading toward the supply tent. Well, just this once, he’d overlook it. It had been a bad fight. Their healers had worked overtime to the point even Lysithea had admitted she was tired.

And Byleth hadn’t so much as lifted her head since they’d brought her to her tent.

Despite the healing, she was still covered in blood, her minor scratches and injuries left untended. Manuela claimed that it promoted natural healing. He’d long suspected she was just too tired to do it all. Quietly, he perched on the cot next to her, trying and failing to put words to his feelings.

His heart was heavy. Heavier than his unsaid words, heavier than the ring that had sat in his pocket for the last few weeks.

Byleth lowered her hand, staring back at him. Her mouth opened, as though to say something, before she closed it once more.

Those eyes had almost closed forever. “That was dangerous.”

“War is dangerous,” she stated.

He tightened his jaw. She was alive and she was here and part of him had feared that this might be their last time together, that he’d just be left with his regrets. “You don’t have to make it more dangerous. The idea is to come home alive.”

Byleth’s brow furrowed. “I did.”

“This was close.” His voice caught in his throat. Keeping his hands from shaking, he squeezed her hand. She always fought close combat, sword in hand. As accurate as his arrows were, he could only pick off so many enemies before they approached her. All it took was one wrong move, one slip up, and she’d be too far for any aid.

And even Byleth couldn’t come back from death.

But he could tell from how her jaw set that there was no use in telling her that. Byleth was stubborn, ever her father’s daughter, and it would take more than a few words to change that. “Just…be careful,” he pleaded.

Her expression softened and she forced herself to sit up with a groan. Before he could move, she covered his hand with her own, sandwiching it between her palms. “I am, always.”

Her hands were still cold. Claude smiled wryly, not quite believing. “You better be.”

Tomorrow, the war would be over.

It was a strange thought. The nightmare of half a decade would soon be over. No, it had been longer than that—their enemy had existed centuries, making their mark in the annals of history. And now, a final one.

Win or lose, the world as they knew it would change after tomorrow.

Maybe that was why he’d convinced Byleth to take one last walk with him through the monastery’s grounds. She’d kept quiet for most of the walk, as they passed by familiar haunts. The repairs had patched up most of the school’s grounds; even the greenhouse’s panes were all replaced.

Byleth stopped in front of the Goddess tower. In the late evening, most of it was hidden in shadow, the upper floors almost impossible to see. Her expression was distant, hard to read. “Do you still not believe in the Goddess?”

“Does it matter?” he asked, standing next to her.

“No…just…” Byleth closed her eyes. “I suppose she wasn’t entirely a Goddess.”

She. Byleth spoke as though she’d known the Goddess. Perhaps she had. Even now, even after all this time, Claude only had question after question for Byleth. There was so much he didn’t know, so much he wanted to know.

But for now, he’d just start with this: “Do you have one now?”

“One what?” Byleth asked, perplexed.

“An ambition.” Claude grinned. “You said you didn’t really have one, back then.”

“Oh…” Byleth turned back to the tower, staring up. The wind blew softly through her hair, making her already messy hair messier. She turned back to him and nodded. “I do.”

“And you’re not going to tell me.” He sighed, faking a pout. “Well, I guess I do believe in her a little then.” When Byleth raised a brow, he covered his mouth in mock-horror. “Teach, don’t tell me you forgot our wish?”

“Oh.” Byleth rubbed her chin thoughtfully before realization crossed her eyes. “Right.”

Now he actually felt a little hurt. “Seriously?”

“Do you want to make another wish?” she asked as a way of apology.

Well, he couldn’t say no to that. Claude sighed. “What to wish for…to win the battle?”

“No,” Byleth said decisively. “We’re going to do that anyways.”

How was he supposed to disagree with that? Claude laughed. “Well, if you’re that confident…”

“For a brighter dawn,” Byleth said, her eyes locked on his.

“That’s poetic.”

“You told me that once.” She stared at the tower. “We’re going to make a better Fódlan.”

Her hand was close and if he wanted to, he could reach across and intertwine their fingers. No, not want, that wasn’t the right word—there was nothing more that he wanted. The ring was still in his pocket, the words stuck in his throat.

But to a fault, Claude had always been pragmatic. As was Byleth.

And now was not the time.

“To a brighter dawn,” Claude said instead. “And this time, it won’t take five years.”

“It won’t.” To his surprise, Byleth turned and took his hand. “We still have that other promise.”

For once, she’d struck him speechless. “Promise?”

“You told me to save you a dance,” she said, gently chiding him. “Now who’s forgetting?”

He burst into laughter. “That’s fair.” Still clasping her hand, Claude bowed deeply. “Will you honour me with a dance, milady?”

If there was one thing Claude had learned, it was that now wasn’t forever. The ring weighed heavily in his pocket, but only for now. His words were stuck in his throat, but only for now.

Tomorrow, come hell or high water, he’d finally take that last step to her side.

#claudeleth #claude von riegan #byleth eisner #fe3h #claude x byleth #fire emblem three houses #fanfic #WHY DO THE NUMBERS APPEAR SO BIG #THEY DO NOT APPEAR THAT BIG WHEN IN EDIT MODE #FORGIVE ME

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nowis-scales · 1 year

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FE3H Mistletoe Headcanons

I know I said I was gonna chill on the Fódlan, but… I couldn’t leave y’all without your mistletoe headcanons. So here’s some sugary shippy sweetness for Christmas (or your weekend), featuring: Edelgard/Dorothea, Linhardt/Caspar, Ignatz/Marianne, Dimitri/F Byleth, Hilda/Marianne, Ingrid/Ashe, Seteth/M Byleth, and Bernadetta/Dorothea!

You can find last year’s 3H ones here if you’re interested! Otherwise, please enjoy the ones you see here!

Edelgard/Dorothea:

Dorothea is the kind of girl who is going to get what she wants. So if she wants that kiss from Edelgard, she’s going to get it. The only problem is that Edelgard is a private person and not the type to just go for it openly. So Dorothea has to strategize how she’s going to get that smooch. Late at night, Dorothea receives permission (gets Manuela to distract Seteth and Rhea) to use the cathedral. With a bit of help from her friends, she is able to decorate the pews. She invites Edelgard to meet her there, and when she arrives, she begins to sing a holiday love song in Adrestia. She even starts inserting Edelgard’s name into the song where she can, making her turn pink. The song seems to go on forever until, through song, Dorothea tells Edelgard she’s going to have to kiss her to shut her up.

So she does. The kiss was intended to be short and sweet, but the moment their lips connect, they’re alight with passion. Before long Edelgard’s fingers are tangled in Dorothea’s hair, and the singer is smiling into the kiss. Just according to plan.

Linhardt/Caspar:

Neither of these dummies even know that the mistletoe is there until they’re under it. They’re probably just bickering about something random in the Dining Hall, when Dorothea, trying to hide her smile behind her hand, points out that the two of them have wandered just under the doorway that has mistletoe hanging over it. Neither of them really clue into what it even means for a moment, until Petra loudly exclaims her knowledge of them needing to kiss because of her studies. Caspar is embarrassed at first, trying to process exactly what happens, but Linhardt honestly could not care less and tells him he thinks they should do it.

“You did used to talk about marrying me when we were quite little, you know.”

And so, Linhardt presses his lips ever so softly to Caspar’s, trying not to snicker at the way Caspar flushes bright red and can’t talk for a minute after.

Ignatz/Marianne:

I feel like once Marianne and Ignatz are together, Marianne absolutely becomes his muse. So their mistletoe moment is actually something that happens late at night on one of the decorated balconies, while Ignatz has just finished a painting of Marianne peering over the edge. They’re on their way back into the building when Marianne notices that the doorway to that particular part of the Monastery has mistletoe hanging above it. The two of them can’t help but blush a bit, but Ignatz is more than prepared to ask nicely if he could kiss her. Marianne, with a voice as smooth as silk, agrees and leans in to kiss him softly. As their lips connect and they begin to enjoy each other’s warmth, Ignatz suddenly feels as if he has a new idea for a painting.

Dimitri/F Byleth:

I feel like Dimitri and Byleth’s happens when Byleth is visiting Faerghus. Dimitri has been showing her around in one of the villages, and as much fun as they’re having, Byleth is starting to get a little chilly. She asks Dimitri if they can stop and take a break for a hot drink in a nearby restaurant. He agrees readily, but as they open the door to the restaurant and step in, one of the first things they discover before they can even speak to a hostess is that mistletoe is hanging from the ceiling. They can do nothing but laugh, wondering if the family running the business did such a thing on purpose, or if they just thought it would make a cute decoration.

“Still, tradition is tradition,” Byleth reminds, leaning in and puckering up jokingly. Dimitri chuckles softly before leaning down to meet her lips, gently cupping her face. Even the restaurant staff can’t help but smile at the sight of the happy couple.

Hilda/Marianne:

In the interest of preserving Marianne’s privacy, I feel like Hilda probably tried to make it pretty subtle. The last thing she would want to make her love upset, after all! After a great night hanging out together in town, laughing and eating sweets, Hilda invites Marianne back to her room for a cup of tea before they both retire for the night. They aren’t in there for long when Marianne notices the mistletoe hanging from the ceiling. Face flushed, she asks if Hilda just has it there for decoration.

Hilda, wanting to be open, says that she had it there because she was hoping to get a cute girl under it for a kiss. She asks Marianne if she’s willing to be that girl. The blush in Marianne’s face deepens as she nods, and Hilda places a soft, sweet, quick kiss on her lips. Hilda flashes her a smile as soon as it’s over — and gets caught by surprise when Marianne goes in for more.

Ingrid/Ashe:

These two book-loving, knight-loving dweebs were probably having a book date when theirs happened. Hours and hours were spent at the Garreg Mach Library, poring over their favourite books. The date is still ongoing when Ashe flips through the pages of “Loog and the Maiden of Wind” to try and show a passage to Ingrid, but he notices that someone has pressed some mistletoe between the pages. He can’t help but smile as he lifts it up and holds it over their heads.

“Would you mind?”

Ingrid blushes, but smiles herself. “Not at all. I mean, you could say that it’s fate.”

Flashing each other one last smile, they lean in and allow their lips to meet. The kiss is shy, but nice, and lasts just as long as they can make it — until Ingrid thinks she hears Seteth’s footsteps in the hallway.

Seteth/M Byleth:

This one is not plotted by either of the couple — you guessed right: this is a Flayn incident. She hangs up a little mistletoe in Seteth’s office with a trigger trap (with Auntie Rhea giving her a boost, of course), and then tries to lure both Seteth and Byleth there, mimicking each other’s handwriting in notes to get them to think that the other one sent a note about meeting in the office. In spite of her potentially wobbly hands, they seem to buy her penmanship. When the two of them arrive for their discussion, Byleth makes easy work of accidentally triggering the trap. As the mistletoe falls from the ceiling, Seteth is immediately embarrassed. Byleth, on the other hand, is loving it. After a little bit of teasing, Byleth is able to convince Seteth to give him a kiss. As their lips connect, around the corner, they can hear Flayn’s giggles.

Bernadetta/Dorothea:

Bernadetta is a tough nut to crack when it comes to mistletoe kisses, mostly because everything makes her shy or embarrassed. That being said, she’d like to initiate a mistletoe kiss with Dorothea, because she knows it would make her happy. She resolves to make it a happy but subtle occasion. So, she bakes a chocolate cake with a little faux-mistletoe garnish to sit on top, and invites Dorothea to have a slice. Dorothea is more than happy to oblige for her Berniebear, and she loves the presentation so much that she sets aside her little garnish to keep as a memento on the plate. Bernadetta, though, takes her own from her cake and holds it up above their heads, smiling sheepishly. Dorothea giggles at the sight, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear and pressing her lips to Bernadetta’s. The kiss is long, passionate, and tastes of chocolate.

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