It started out as any normal day would: Waking at the crack of dawn, running a few drills, briefly meeting with the war council, and some light training; all before breakfast. Such a routine has integrated itself into the lives of every soldier, only disrupted on certain days.

On this fateful day, however, this monotonous schedule came to a crashing halt...

It all started at breakfast, a casual and usually lighthearted affair. Seated at the long tables were monks and soldiers and priestesses alike, all grabbing their meals before starting the day. At the center table were the former students of the Officer's Academy. Delightful chaos erupted from each group, friends chatting over their plans, rivals making bets, partners trying to keep their love discreet, so on, so forth.

Generally, the whole atmosphere was happy; a complete 180 from the war that was literally outside these walls.

Seated at the front of the table were Claude and Byleth as they poured over a map, not a speck of food in front of them. The two had just come from an early morning debriefing, but it seemed that their meeting wasn't yet over. Some eyed them warily, hoping that their leaders would eat something soon.

It was quite uncharacteristic of Claude to not have a mini feast in front of him and his beloved professor, after all.

Eventually, Marianne and Hilda convinced them to put the map away and grab some food. Claude stood from the table, offering to get Byleth's food for her. She quickly agreed, sneaking a battle report from her pocket.

You can't win 'em all, I guess.

This was when the day got interesting.

"Hey, Byleth, you good with an apple?" Claude asked, holding up the shiny red sphere in his hand.

She turned to him with a nod, rolling her shoulders. "Yes, thank you."

With no hesitation or second thoughts, the duke tossed the apple to her. And parallel to him, she caught it, taking a bite of the sweet, juicy fruit.

Petra watched intently, eyes trained on the fruit. She looked between the two leaders, blush dusting her cheeks.

Claude sat back down, raising an eyebrow. "Something wrong?"

The princess shook her head, a smile painting her lips. "Nothing is of wrongness," she began. "I never expected of you to be a man of who moves with quickness! And in front of faces of many!"

Byleth took another bite of the apple, a bit of juice splattering across her face. "What do you mean?"

She giggled. "In Brigid, it is tradition for man to be throwing an apple at the woman he is wanting to marry," she explained, quickly drawing the attention to those around them. "And if the woman is catching of the apple and eats, she will be accepting his hand!"

The pair froze, trying to comprehend the words that were spoken to them. A few gasps surrounded them as well as hushed gossip.

Did he really mean to propose to her like that?

Are they seriously getting married?

It's about damn time something happened!

Red dusted their cheeks, frantically turning to each other and choking on words. Byleth had long since set the offending fruit down, trying to make sense of whatever the hell just happened.

Then, the energy of the room shifted, and Hilda smiled the widest Cheshire-grin she's ever grinned before. "Does it now..."

Claude turned to his partner in crime, his blush reaching his ears. "Hilda, no, we're not-"

"Oh no! I've spent far too much time trying to get you two together!" She dug her fingers into his chest, pink eyes twinkling with delight. "Then this amazing opportunity shows itself to me?! Well, dress me up and call me a saint because I believe Seiros is smiling down on me! No way I'm going to pass this up!"

Byleth wasn't doing any better. "Wait just a moment! This doesn't mean anything! It was just a simple mistake!" The normally stoic professor was now a blushing, frantic mess.

Hilda winked at her. "Not if I have anything to say about it!" She bolted up from the table, pulling Claude and Byleth up with her. "Congratulations! You two are getting married!"

A few bystanders who weren't in the dining hall at the beginning of this mess turned to them, shocked gasps filling the room.

Wow, really?

I'm so happy for them!

Ah, young love...such a fantastic thing...

"Oh? Are you now?" One of these unknowing bystanders was Seteth, the last person Byleth wanted hearing about this.

Seiros truly must have been smiling down on Hilda as more and more gifts piled upon her lap. She gripped her friends' hands tighter, glee radiating off of her. "I know! Isn't it amazing?"

From behind the stand-in Archbishop popped out his sister, Flayn, her face lit with shock. "Seriously?! He finally popped the question?" She smiled. "I'm so happy for the two of you!"

Byleth wanted to crawl into a hole and die. Claude wanted to take off on his wyvern and never return.

"Hilda, please. Now is not the right time!" Byleth choked, deafly noticing how her hand was carefully placed into Claude's. He must have noticed it much sooner than her, as he was gently squeezing her fingers in a sign of comfort.

She turned to her friend. "I don't see why not, Professor..." She playfully stuck her tongue out. "After all, you and Claude are getting married." She said that last part a bit too loud for the "couple's" liking.

Byleth and Claude looked at their table of friends, silently pleading for help. It seemed as if each and every one of them were distracted by something one way or another. In all honesty, they probably knew Hilda would give them hell if they messed with her plans. After all, Operation Claudeleth was her most active matchmaking target.

Flayn squealed with joy. "Ahhh! How romantic!" she gushed, then, an idea twinkled beneath her jade-green eyes. "Oh! Why don't we have your ceremony today! That way you don't have to worry about any stuffy nobles or Imperialists objecting to your union?"

Claude's eyes nearly bugged out his head, the hairs on the back of his neck standing on edge. "Y-you want us to elope?!"

"Yeah, take a card from your parents' deck, Claude." Hilda nudged his side. "And it's not exactly eloping, but having your ceremony quick! Today. Right now. In this very Monastery. With these people all around us."

Byleth was about to unleash the goddess's rage. "Hilda..."

"Awww! That sounds like a fantastic idea!" Dorothea interrupted, clasping her hands together. "It's all so romantic... Two lovers burdened by the weight of war find each other's hearts through the chaos and throw caution to the wind! Their matrimony will wait for no one, they say! Oh! I'm already writing your opera as we speak!"

Claude and Byleth shared a look, mint-green eyes boring into emerald. What do we do? Byleth silently asked.

Her best friend shrugged, mouth slightly agape. I don't know. I really don't.

Neither of them liked that.

Seteth cleared his throat. "Well, if you two are all right with it, I would be more than happy to preside over your ceremony," he offered. "It will take some time to prepare, obviously, but I should have things ready by this afternoon."

His words made Claude's heart jump and Byleth's unbeating heart burn.

What the hell was going on?

"That sounds perfect!" Hilda quickly pulled Byleth away from her "fiancé". "Girls, let's take Byleth into town to get her ready!"

The former students shot up, rushing to their friend's side and eagerly discussing their ideas for her wedding. Byleth peaked over the crowd of women, trying to meet the eyes of Claude while still gripping his hand like a lifeline.

Hilda noticed this and tutted. She gently pulled Byleth away and her hand slipped from his, suddenly feeling cold. "Remember! You're not supposed to see the bride before the wedding!" And with that, the flock of chatty women migrated away.

That left Claude to stand there, in complete and utter silence, as he wondered what in the hell just happened.

Am I seriously going to marry Teach today?

...

Claude holed himself up in his office, brain splitting as he tried to make sense of the map in front of him.

A pincer move would work here, but that would leave our flank completely open. If so, then any reinforcements will be compromised. Perhaps I can split our forces in half so we can cover more ground? No, that won't work either. That may have worked in the past, but we need as much manpower as possible.

Manpower is such a weird word. Why does it have to be men? What about womanpower? Peoplepower? Humanpower? Stars, my head hurts.

He chewed on his bottom lip, running a hand through his dark brown locks. Frustration settled in a pit in his stomach, making him shift from side to side. Normally, Byleth would be right there to help him work out a challenging strategy (and vice versa) but she was currently preoccupied with planning their wedding. He tried to pull her away from the mob of women, but Hilda practically bit his hand off and demanded that he stay away from his bride-to-be.

Couldn't they talk this out for a moment? To actually decide if they truly wanted to marry?

And for a man in Claude's position, marriage isn't exactly something that can be on the down-low. There were bound to be uproars and protests over the new Duchess Riegan who just popped out of the blue. Not only that, but there was still the matter of his...other inheritance to worry about. If Byleth were to marry him, she would not only become the duchess, but a queen. His queen.

The thought of her ruling Almyra beside him made his heart flutter and nerves ease, but that didn't excuse the fact that they were literally pushed into marriage.

But there was still the issue of Fódlan. Once the war was over and the Golden Deer are victorious, a new ruling system must be set in place. Claude had every intention to pass that rulership down to Byleth in order to return to his homeland (that, and she would do a much better job at ruling than he ever could) but how would that appear if the two were married?

What's more, was he actually allowing for this to happen? He's the freaking general of this army! He should have shut down Hilda's idea the second it left her mouth; however, he didn't, and now he had a busy brain and a wedding to anticipate.

He sunk into his plush cushioned chair, squeezing his skull with his hands. "Dammit, Claude... Why can't you think of anything? Use that scheming brain of yours to get you out of this mess!"

A light knock sounded on the open door, Lorenz's gaudy purple armor peeking out the side. "Pardon the interruption, Claude, but may I come in?"

Claude looked up at the purple-haired mage and nodded, a hearty sigh escaping his throat. "Very well."

He walked into the room with that safe cockily-confident stride, ridiculous locks flowing behind him and a bottle of whiskey and two glasses in hand. "I don't believe I've congratulated you on your impending marriage," he said, sitting down and pouring two glasses of the drink. "I believe some celebration is in order."

Claude looked up at his friend and then the drinks. "You realize it's hardly even noon, right?" he grunted, downing the glass regardless.

It was going to be a long day.

Lorenz huffed a laugh. "Yes, I do." He always had a way of knowing just how to piss Claude off at any given moment. "And here you are, preparing for battle when your wedding is in just a few hours. You should be helping with the preparations."

He glared at the man. "You realize that this is just some stupid joke, right?"

"Ah, but no one seems to be treating it as such."

"That's because Hilda has them wrapped around her annoying little finger," Claude sighed. "Stars, that woman would be so good at politics if she put just a little effort in..."

Lorenz chuckled, swirling his drink around in the glass before taking a sip. "That woman has selective talents, indeed," he muttered, "rarely puts stock in anything unless she truly believes in it. And your wedding seems to be the most exciting thing for her."

"What are you getting at?"

"What I'm trying to say is that Hilda truly believes in you two; she believes that this little 'joke' holds more merit than you two are leading to believe."

Claude stopped paying attention, too wrapped up in ideas on how to get back on the pink-haired she-devil. Maybe he could tell Marianne about her little crush on her, but that would be a little too cruel. As much as he wanted to exact revenge, that would be too far. Claude wasn't like that - Claude was a good friend.

Lorenz noticed this and sighed, taking a long drink of whiskey. "Well, I'm just saying, if I were in your position-"

"You would be ecstatic that the marriage candidate was hand-picked and set in front of you tied with a bow, I know."

"I would stop and reflect on my own thoughts on the matter." Lorenz finished, glaring at the duke. "You have not voiced one real objection to this union. Had you been truly against it, you would have stopped it. The same exact thing goes for Byleth. If she didn't want this, then she would have unleashed the Sword on us and we would move on with our lives. However, seeing as that you're all alone and Hilda isn't dead, you are not objecting."

Claude shook his head, pouring himself another glass. "It's not that simple, Lorenz."

"I understand that: Love is no simple thing." He smiled. "Look deep inside that scheming heart of yours and see what you truly want."

Claude thought for a long moment, Lorenz somehow digging up all of his repressed feelings for Teach. He thought about how her smile could brighten his day, even during the darkest times. How much he valued her words of advice and aid. How accomplished he felt whenever they pulled off a scheme together. How his whole body flushed whenever they had physical contact.

How he couldn't live without her.

How those long, lonely five years without Teach hurt him.

How relieved he felt when she finally returned.

How much he truly loved her.

"...You really think she returns my feelings?"

"I've seen the way you look at her."

"I'm serious."

"I've seen the way she looks at you." Lorenz grinned. "How someone as insufferable as you got somebody to love you is beyond me. But, anyone in this entire Monastery can tell you Byleth loves you just as much as you do, if not more."

Love... Such a term was uncommon to Claude. Of course, his parents loved him more than the moon and stars, but they weren't the touchy-feely kinda love he's been starved for his whole life. No, he's never truly felt loved by anyone other than them in this world. When his feelings for Byleth first showed themselves, he was terrified. Sure, he flirted with his professor every now and then, but that was all in good fun! Right? He didn't know that would end up with him catching feelings. Hard.

He even dared to believe that Byleth had a genuine affection towards him. During their school-days, she was always willing to assist him in assignments and study. If he wanted to try something new, she was there to provide him with whatever he needed. If he needed help with a scheme (as long as it was harmless) she would be his partner in crime. And when her father passed, he was the one she sought out the most in her time of grief; she even let him borrow her father's diary.

And even once they were reunited, this affection refused to subside -- in fact, in increased tenfold. They spent many restless nights with one another, strolling in the moonlight and sometimes taking soothing rides on his wyvern. They spent nearly every waking hour with one another. They helped each other train and grow.

If anything, they were all but married.

Claude allowed his hand to slip into his pocket, fiddling with the emerald ring his mother had gifted him before he came to Fódlan.

"I don't know what's going to happen to you out there, but know this: Love can and will blossom anywhere. I don't want you giving this ring to anyone you fancy right away, but to the one you know you'll spend your whole life with. I implore you to wait for that day; hell, it may not even come during your time in my homeland, but if it does, I want you to be prepared."

Claude didn't want this ring anymore. No, he wanted to see it on Byleth's finger and hers alone.

He leaned back in his chair with a sigh, running a hand through his hair. "I suppose I should speak to my 'fiancée' soon. It might help to tell her how much I love her before we walk down the aisle."

Lorenz grinned wider. Checkmate. "Yes, I suppose-"

"Well, well, welllllllllllll." The voice of Sylvain cut through the calm. "Who'da thunk ole' Claudio would be the first of us to get married!"

The male Golden Deer - or as Claude liked to call them, the Bucks - stormed into his office, all with bright smiles and holding some form of food or gift. Sylvain made a B-line towards the groom, a shit-eating grin plastered onto his face.

"Not fair, my dude! We all agreed that it would be me who we'd be celebrating!" The red-haired paladin complained, ruffling his general's hair.

Claude sighed and looked to Lorenz, who offered nothing but an apologetic shrug. "I tried to keep the menagerie away but they sniffed me out."

"Yeah! You should be celebrating, Claude!" Raphael exclaimed, depositing a tray full of food in front of him.

"Indeed! And, actually, before we start anything, Hilda asked me to get your opinion on some color schemes..." Ignatz had his sketchbook out, quill in hand and ready to list down anything Claude said.

Claude chuckled, eyeing all of his friends.

It was going to be a very long day.

...

"Professor! What do you think of these flowers?"

"What flavor cake should we bake? Chocolate? Vanilla? Dare I say strawberry?"

"What about her dress? She can't get married in her armor!"

To say Byleth was overwhelmed was an understatement. She was more stressed than a bowstring. As soon as her bridal party stepped foot into town, it was nothing but talk of wedding preparations. Before the day began, she and her former students had brunch at a local cafe to discuss who would take care of what (and what role everyone would play in the wedding).

Of course, her original Golden Deer students would be her bridesmaids; Hilda had elected herself as the maid of honor. Byleth wanted everyone to be up there with her, but having a congregation of ten women would be too much. So, it was decided that Bernie and Annette would join them. The rest were given other jobs: Ingrid and Petra were to her bodyguards (although Byleth didn't really need them), Dorothea would sing along with Manuela, and Mercedes would help Seteth with the ceremony.

Byleth wondered how Claude was doing and how he was delegating roles to the guys. She hoped he would ask Cyril to bear the rings as she forgot to mention it before she was taken away.

Now that the "calm" was over, it was time to actually plan a wedding. Since the restoration of Garag Mach, the town located in its Foothills had returned. It didn't have the same abundance as it did five years ago, but its existence was gratifying enough. It would be difficult to find the necessary materials for a wedding, but they would make due with whatever they could find.

Byleth was hounded by questions as they walked, the groups trying to get as many answers as they could form her before they ran off. She could only blindly answer, unsure of what to say or do.

Should she take this seriously? This was just a prank, right? It certainly didn't feel like one, but why was she playing along?

Not only did Byleth not know what she wanted, but she also didn't know what she liked. Emotions were still quite new to her, after all. She wished her father was here to help her through this; however, she was certain he would've put an end to this wedding madness the second it came to life.

She found a moment of respite when they stopped to look at flowers. The only ones with her were Hilda, Marianne, and Petra, as the others had run off to take care of other duties.

"How is your liking of these?" Petra held up a bouquet of exotic blooms, most likely grown in the Monastery's own greenhouse.

Byleth shook her head. "No, they're too bright for my tastes."

The princess cocked her head to the side, purple hair falling off her shoulders. "Flowers do not shine brightness, Professor. I am afraid I don't have understanding."

"She means she doesn't like the color," Hilda clarified, taking the flowers from Petra and placing them back into the pot.

"If that's the case, what about these?" Marianne presented some forget-me-nots.

Byleth stared at the pale-blue flowers and noted that they were the same shade as the healer's hair -- a bit of amusement found her at that. Still, something felt wrong when looking at them. "No...I don't really like those."

Hilda groaned, crossing her arms. "Well, what do you like? We've been searching for hours!"

Before Byleth could protest, Mercedes and Bernadetta rushed over to them, holding a simple black dress in their arms. "We couldn't find any wedding dresses or ball gowns in Byleth's size. This is all we could do," Bernie said, unfurling the dress for all to see.

The dress was a simple stitching, cuts of creamy white fabric decorating the front. It was sleeveless, of course, and the only things keeping it from being completely strapless were two bolts of white silk on the top. For some reason, the sight of it made Byleth all warm inside. Was this normal?

Hilda clicked her tongue. "Is that really all you could do? Couldn't you have found something a little more...oh, I don't know: traditional?"

"There weren't any wedding dresses, unfortunately; we are in war-time, so I don't think we'll be able to find one," Mercedes defended the dress.

Her maid-of-honor sighed, hands brushing over the dress. "Still... Even a simple white dress would have sufficed..."

"I like it," Byleth piped up, the words leaving her mouth before she could stop them.

Hilda turned to her. "Really? A black dress?"

"I really like black." She took the dress from Bernie, admiring the work done to it. It felt right in her arms, like it was calling out to her. "I think it's beautiful, even if it isn't traditional."

"In Brigid, there is no one color traditions for weddings," Petra chimed in. "Ceremonies look like the rainbow! Every person has a different color they are wearing, even black."

Marianne cleared her throat. "I-I really like it, too..." she muttered. "A-and I think the professor looks good in black."

Hilda groaned, eyes narrowing. "Fiiiiiiiiiine. I guess the black dress will do."

Byleth found herself smiling at that.

Mercedes and Bernadetta shared a look, both grinning. "There's still some time before the wedding! Bernie and I can add some adjustments to the gown!" Mercedes exclaimed, taking the dress from Byleth.

That made Hilda perk up. "Really? Can you make this thing look like a real wedding dress?"

Just what exactly dictates a real wedding dress, Hilda? Byleth thought.

"I-I'm sure I have some tulle stashed somewhere!" Bernie said. "I could make a veil out of that!"

Hilda jumped with joy, clapping her hands. "That sounds perfect!" she squealed. "Get on that! Right now!"

The two nodded, rushing back towards the Monastery. Byleth sighed, absently brushing her fingers against the flower petals in front of her. Hilda began chattering about something she couldn't pick up on, too absorbed in her own head. Petra and Marianne shared a look, understanding flashing in their eyes.

Petra laid a hand on Hilda's shoulder, silencing her. "Can we do some looking at jewelry? I am believing that rings are needed?"

Hilda nearly short-circuited. "Oh, you're right!" She clasped Petra's hands. "I nearly forgot about those!"

Byleth's hand immediately went to the pouch where she kept her father's ring, her face going red. Before she could get a word out, Hilda interrupted her. "Don't worry, Byleth! I made some rings for you two for this exact moment!" she explained. "Petra and I will run back to my room and get them. Marianne, make sure she doesn't run off!"

Wait, she made rings for this occasion? How long had she been planning my own wedding?!

Marianne placed a calming hand on the professor's shoulder. "Of course, Hilda. Have fun!"

As soon as purple and pink were out of sight, Byleth let out a loud sigh, sinking down to the floor. "Finally... A bit of quiet..."

Marianna sat down next to her. "You deserve it; after all, the day is only going to get busier."

Byleth groaned, covering her face with her hands. "Don't remind me..."

The healer bit her lip, hesitant to ask her next question. "Professor... I know you and Claude were kinda pushed into this, but do you really want to marry him?"

The professor looked up, mint-green hair sticking to her forehead. "No... I mean, maybe... I mean... Goddess, this is so hard to think about!" she exclaimed, tucking her knees close to her chest. "Don't get me wrong, I have very strong regards for Claude and have grown quite close to him. But marriage? I-I just don't know..."

Marianne scooted closer. "Do you love him?"

Byleth's brain stopped working, her unbeating heart suddenly lurching. "L-love?!"

"Yes, love," she giggled. "Forgive me for being crass, but the two of you seem to have some pretty deep-rooted feelings for one another."

Byleth closed her eyes, dread seeping through her skin. "I-I don't know about love..." she whispered, eyes trained on a butterfly as it fluttered from flower to flower. "I don't know how to love, Marianne. I don't even know if I can feel it."

"Well, did you love your father?"

"Yes! Of course, I did!" However, I wasn't so good at expressing it. By the time I finally got around to finally feeling emotions, it was too late to enjoy them with him...

"And how does Claude make you feel?"

That was quite the loaded question.

How did Claude make her feel?

Byleth thought back to their Academy days and how he made her feel. Early on, she and Claude were bound together in some way or another. She saw the lies that were buried beneath his smiles and hidden in those emerald green eyes of his but decided to trust him anyway. As far as she knew, he was the first person who was actually able to help her truly feel things. He was her first friend - her first partner.

Eventually, she was able to notice that his smiles were real for her. That was when she started smiling more. She remembered being by his side through thick and thin, getting along like how instincts guided a sword. And when tragedy struck, he was right there to dry her tears and make her laugh. He helped her feel human again after her fusion with the goddess. And as graduation rolled closer, he promised that she would always have a place with him, no matter what; that, however, never came to be as Edelgard started her bloody war.

When she woke up from five years of slumber, he was the one to greet her in the Goddess Tower: keeping their promise after all those years. He was patient with her, helping her readjust to the world. He was there to help shoulder her burdens and anxieties. He never once treated her as less or more than human, treating her like he would anyone else. When they were alone, he wasn't the Alliance's Leader or the General, and she wasn't Rhea's heir and the Enlightened One: They were just Claude and Byleth.

He was her best friend and confidant.

He was her one true love.

"...He makes me feel happy. Really, really happy."

Marianne smiled. "And how do you feel about getting married?"

Byleth thought for a long moment, her feelings piecing themselves together in her mind. She knew she loved Claude for a very long time, she was just too afraid to admit it. Now, she was faced with the chance to marry him and solidify those feelings once and for all, and she found that the thought only made her giddy.

"...I don't think I mind all that much."

"I'm very glad to hear that," Marianne said. "Now, why don't we finish planning this wedding? We might as well get some things done while we have this momentum."

Byleth nodded, standing up and feeling a new sense of worth. "Right. Good idea." She slipped her hand into her pocket, thumb brushing against the ring.

"One day, I hope you'll give this ring to someone you love as well as I love her..."

She smiled at the memory of her father, the ring feeling warm against her skin. Don't worry, Dad... This ring will find it's forever home, soon.

...

Byleth finally tore herself away from her bridesmaids and escaped to the Monastery, set on finding one man. The sun was beginning to set, pink clouds dotting the sky and a gentle breeze settling throughout the land. Everyone within the Monastery's walls was either busy with their duties or bustling over the upcoming wedding. It was difficult for Byleth to hide from everyone, so she wore a hooded cloak, covering her face and hair.

Eventually, she found Claude in the stables tending to his snow-white wyvern. Her "heart" warmed at the sight. "Sorry I couldn't take you out for a flight today, girl..." he sighed, petting the beast's nose. "I've been so wrapped up with wedding preparations and my impromptu bachelor party. I'll take you out tomorrow, I promise."

"Sounds like a pretty hectic day, honestly." Byleth stepped out of the shadows, uncovering her face. Claude whipped around to see her, a bit of blush coloring his cheeks. "I know it's bad luck to see the bride before the wedding, but..."

He shook his head, quickly forgetting about his wyvern and her ploys for attention. "I-I'm glad to see you, Teach. Really glad."

She huffed a laugh, sitting down on a haybale and motioning for him to join her. "You wouldn't believe the day I've had," she groaned.

Claude chuckled. "I can imagine. Hilda is quite thorough, after all."

Silence passed between them, the sounds of the active Monastery filling the ambiance. Horses whinnied, their hooves clomping against the stone floors. Growls of wyverns fought against them, gentle wing-flaps following them. The sounds of clashing swords peaked around the corner, the training grounds only a stone's thrown away. The market wasn't too far away, either, the hammer of the blacksmith and voices or merchants softly filling their ears.

Eventually, Claude spoke, "Hilda went pretty far with this prank, I'd say."

Byleth's heart sank slightly. "Y-yeah, prank..." she laughed nervously.

The archer fidgeted with his hands, impatiently tapping his foot against the bale. "Um, I'll make sure to get back at her real good. I have a vial of stomach poison with her name on it."

She knew he was just trying to break the tension, but it still felt awkward: awkward and heartbreaking. Maybe he didn't return her feelings, after all.

With a deep breath, she gathered up the courage to say: "I wouldn't mind it, you know."

Claude turned to her, pink dusting his tanned cheeks. "What?"

Byleth swallowed, her skin suddenly feeling too hot for her body. "Getting married. You know: to each other."

Claude's heart was about to jump out of his chest, all reason throwing itself away. "R-really?"

Byleth slowly nodded. "Yeah. I-I think I'd quite like it, actually."

The Alliance Leader was at a loss. On one hand, the love of his life was all but confessing her love to him and he wanted nothing more than to wrap her up in his arms and kiss her all over. On the other, he had to think rationally, to stop his heart from taking over.

"Y-you don't know what kind of things I've done, Teach..." he muttered. "The things I've schemed and planned in my head. I wanted to use you, By... When I first saw you wield the Sword of the Creator, I wanted to use that power to my advantage. I wanted to use you to make my dreams of a new world come true."

Byleth moved closer to him, eyes trained on him. "And...do you feel that way now?"

Claude thought for a moment before shaking his head. "No. I absolutely don't." He turned to face her, heart skipping a beat at the sight of her twinkling gaze. "I-I realize now that all I truly wanted was for you to be at my side - for us to make that new world happen together. What I did was wrong. Byleth, I am so, so sorry for ever intending to use you that way. You aren't some pawn in some grand scheme, you're so much more to me. I understand if you can never forgive me for that. But, please, just know that I am truly, deeply sorry. I have no excuses."

She placed a hand on his, gently squeezing. "I know, Claude. I know how to read you." She smiled. "I knew from the moment you saw me with the Sword that you were hatching some plan in that pretty little head of yours. I knew you intended on using my power. However, as time went on, I saw how that rather than using me, you were starting to rely on me. You never assumed anything about me or forced me into any schemes. You were learning how to rely on others."

He shook his head. "I don't like relying on other people, By. Not if I can help it."

"I know that, and that's why I understand your mindset." She leaned in closer to him. "Change is scary, Claude. I'll be the first to admit that. But, if you have reliable people in your circle, then that burden can be eased."

Claude turned his palm around to fully clasp her hand, squeezing like his life depended on it. "I-I want to make the world better, Teach, and I want to make it better with you."

Byleth smiled. "Then I will do everything in my power to help you. If you need a shoulder to cry on, I'll be there. If you need someone to discuss tactics with, I'm your girl. If you need someone to carve a mountain in half, you know where to find me."

He chuckled, eyes softening. "Thank you, Byleth. That truly means a lot." He placed a hand on her face, gently cupping her cheek. "I don't know what I'd ever do without you."

She nuzzled into his palm, relishing in his warmth. "I still have no clue how you survived all those years."

He rolled his eyes. "Sheer determination and will, my friend. And..." he chewed on his next words, "and the thought of seeing you again. Of building our bright, happy future together."

"You see a future with me?" Her voice was breathless.

"Of course, my friend..." He pressed his forehead against hers, breathing in her scent. "I-I think I would enjoy marrying you as well."

Byleth's breath hitched, body trembling and throat going dry. Her eyes welled up with tears but she refused to let them out. She brought her hands up to wipe her eyes, completely baffled by this occurrence. "Wh-why do I want to cry? I'm not sad, so why do I want to cry?"

Claude chuckled, holding the professor's face in both hands, now. "People can cry when they are happy as well. Those are tears of joy..."

She tried to fight down the lump in her throat, her impending tears making it difficult. "Wh-why...?"

He shrugged. "Dunno. Guess we'll have to figure that one out together." He pressed a kiss to her forehead and her nerves danced. He stared into her eyes, mint-green pools melting his scheming heart. "I love you, Byleth. And if you'll have my heart, it's all yours. Forever and always."

The dam broke.

Tears rushed down her cheeks as a sob broke out of her throat. She threw her arms around her fiancé, crying into his shoulder. He held her close, a hand buried in her minty-green locks. He pressed small kisses to her hair, refusing to separate himself from her. "Shhh...shhh...let it out, janedel..." He spoke a language she couldn't understand, but it slid off his tongue like butter; like he was more comfortable speaking it than Fódlan's own. "It's overwhelming, I know... I'm right here. I'll always be here..."

She looked up at him, eyes alight. "I-I love you too, Claude. I always have and I always will."

He smiled at that and it was one of the most genuine smiles he'd ever given. "I'm very glad to hear that, then."

With no warnings, he dipped down and brushed his lips against hers. Byleth was frozen, too scared to move or mess anything up. Claude chuckled against her mouth and dove deeper, easing into her mouth with as much care as he could muster. Eventually, Byleth gathered enough brain cells to process what was happening and kissed him back with as much love as he was giving her.

They separated for air, but not for long. As soon as their lungs were full and content, they dove back in. Byleth was ready for it this time, giving her all to him in just one simple kiss. He grumbled against her, angling his head to give her better access. She was happy to oblige.

His lips were soft and warm, tasting faintly of pine needles and cinnamon.

Her lips were rough and clean, tasting of mint and starlight.

They eventually separated, chests heaving and lips swollen. "I...could get used to doing that..." Claude panted, licking his lips.

"Yeah," Byleth began, "me too."

He laced his hand with hers. "I know things are weird, and we definitely need to talk about some things, but I need to ask... By, please, will--"

"Will you marry me, Claude?" she finished for him, eyes shining with mischief.

Claude chuckled, his own tears beginning to build. "Yes. I will marry you. Nothing in this world would make me happier." He kissed her forehead once more. "Heh, you know what, Claude Eisner von Riegan has a pretty nice ring to it."

Even more warmth filled her chest. "Y-you would take on my surname?"

"Of course I would, azizam." He smiled. "And I don't demand that you take on mine. I'm not one of those stuffy nobles who's stuck in the old ways, after all."

Byleth shook her head, resting it against his heartbeat. "...Byleth Eisner von Riegan sounds pretty nice, actually..."

Pride burst in Claude's heart upon hearing their combined name. "Our legacy will have one hell of a name, then."

Our legacy... A promise of more to come, and Byleth could hardly wait.

Claude reached into his pocket. "Before I forget..." he pulled out a beautiful silver band with an emerald gemstone resting on top of it. "This belongs to you, love."

Before he could take her hand to slide it on her finger, Byleth flashed her own ring to him. Once again, a silver band, but the gemstones adorning it made his breath catch in his throat. Inlaid in the silver were tiny amethysts and purple sapphires, designed to look like the Crest of Flames.

Claude laughed breathlessly, admiring the work done on the ring before him. "You're just full of surprises, aren't you?"

"Ah, but you love that about me." Byleth's lips curled up in a smile. "Er, you'll probably have to wait to wear this, though. It was my mother's and I highly doubt it'll fit you. We'll need to get it sized."

The Alliance Leader nodded, putting his own ring away. "Right. We'll save these for later, then," he mused. "I think the best time to actually exchange them is during our wedding ceremony, after all."

Her eyes widened. "O-our wedding ceremony?" Goddess, I completely forgot about the whole wedding thing!

"Once the war is over, we will marry and we can start our lives together." Claude interrupted Byleth's thoughts, giving her a quick squeeze.

Byleth lifted a brow. "Really? After the war?"

Claude frowned. "Is that not to your liking? What would you prefer, then?" he asked.

Mischief danced beneath Byleth's gaze. "Well, in case you've forgotten, we literally have a wedding prepared and waiting for us," she reminded him.

His breath caught in his throat, the love for the woman before him growing more and more. "You seriously want to go through with Hilda's crazy plan? You actually want to get married tonight?"

Byleth shrugged, a cheeky grin spreading across her face. "I don't see why not," she hummed. "We already agreed that we want to get married and everyone's expecting a ceremony. So, why wait?"

Claude could think of no answers to that question (realistically, there were about a dozen, but who were they to care?). "...All right," he laughed breathlessly. "By the end of the night, we will be calling each other husband and wife."

A few stray tears escaped Byleth's eyes. "Sounds like a plan to me."

They embraced for a good, long while, refusing to let each other go. They eventually parted, eyes watery and smiles wide. Then, they both leaned in with parted lips and--

"FINALLY!!!" Hilda's voice screeched from the bushes.

Byleth and Claude jumped away from each other as if they'd caught fire, eyes wide as they stared at their friend.

The pink-haired warrior waltzed out of her hiding place, a few stray leaves sticking to her clothes. "It's about time you two admitted your feelings!" she exclaimed, eyes alight with glee. "Honestly, this day went way better than I thought! I didn't actually think you two would go through with this!"

The couple exchanged a look, shock written on their faces. "You didn't intend for us to marry?!" Claude blurted.

"You actually thought I was going to let you guys have a wedding ceremony you weren't ready to have?!" She gaped. "I love you two more than anything, but not even I would go those lengths to see you together!"

"That's clearly contradictory of the way you acted this morning!" Byleth glared.

"Honestly, this was just one heck of a prank to get back at Claude for the number he's done on me throughout the years." She shrugged. "Seriously, though: had you just said the word, I would have called this whole thing off. And really, I'm shocked at how far you guys got through the day and now that you actually want this to happen, I'm ecstatic."

Claude sighed. "You're the worst."

She crossed her arms. "I really am sorry if I made you guys really uncomfortable. Truly."

Byleth took her fiancé's hand, a smile on her face. "Apology accepted, Hilda," she said. "And honestly...the reason we actually agreed to this crazy idea is that deep down, we really wanted to get married. And seeing as that our wedding is already planned, what's the point in waiting?"

Claude squeezed the hand of his lover, love building in his heart.

Hilda squealed, pure joy radiating off her being. "Oooh! That makes me soooo happy!" she cheered. "Now, c'mon, Professor! We need to get you ready!"

Before the girl could tear her away, Byleth attached herself to Claude. "Just a moment, Hilda. Can you give Claude and me a few more minutes to talk?"

Hilda nodded, giving her friends quick hugs before skipping away; she was still in ear sight, no doubt listening to their conversation.

"Soooo this is happening," Byleth breathlessly laughed.

"Indeed it is." He kissed her forehead for the umpteenth time. "I'm sorry our Fódlan wedding is so short notice and small."

She tilted her head in curiosity. "Our Fódlan wedding?"

Claude cleared his throat, scratching the back of his head. "Y-yeah. If it's alright with you, I would also like to have a ceremony in my homeland," he explained. "Wedding traditions there are quite different from Fódlan ones so it won't be like anything like this one; I would also like my parents to be there."

Byleth nodded curtly. "That sounds wonderful." She thought back to their rings. "And maybe that will be our wedding where we can exchange our heirloom rings."

"Sounds like a plan." He mirrored her, pressing a quick kiss to her lips. "I'll see you soon, yeah?"

"Y-yeah!" She smiled. "The next time we'll see each other, it'll be at the altar."

"I can hardly wait."

...

Impatient chatter filled the once beautiful cathedral, eager for the ceremony to start. Soldiers, monks, priestesses, and civilians filled the pews, shoulder to shoulder. The dust and rubble once caking the floors were swept away -- most likely Cyril's work. Orange sunlight poured through the windows, casting the church in an ethereal glow. White lilies and sunflowers were everywhere you can see, a few blooms weaved into the bridesmaid's hair and pinned to the groomsmen's coats. Everyone wore their usual attire (the war made it difficult for people to find fancy clothes). The normal, booming presence of the church was lulled into a quiet and intimate nature. Even the giant pile of rubble that was once the Goddess Statue was ignored.

Standing at the front of the cathedral were Mercedes, Seteth, and Claude, the wedding congregation waiting for their cue to walk down the aisle. Claude rolled back and forth on his feet, nervously whistling and fixing his hair every two seconds. He was picking at his outfit, wondering if he should have flown somewhere to at least pick up a suit. Byleth wouldn't be too mad at him for wearing his normal clothes, right? At least he spruced it up a little bit by putting on his gold and purple headscarf.

He'll make it up to her at their Almyran wedding.

Felix and Caspar were stationed at the front doors, ready to open them and or kill any intruders. Ingrid and Petra were stationed near the side with their mounts peaking over the holes of the building (also, Seterah was there because of course). Cathrine, Shamir, and Hanneman were seated in the front pew, a few spaces empty for Manuela and Dorothea - who were standing a few feet away, ready to begin their song. Finally, seated next to him was Cyril, a pillow with a pair of golden rings resting in his lap.

Seteth noticed his fidgeting, a smirk forming on his normally stoic face. "I had very similar reactions as you on my own wedding day, Claude," the stand-in-archbishop said. "Worry not: as soon as your bride enters, all of those nerves will fly away."

Claude gulped. "I sure hope so..."

I'm not getting cold feet or anything, he thought, I just didn't expect to be here. 24 hours ago, I was concocting a new poison in the solitary confines of my room. Now, I'm standing here in a stars be dammed cathedral and waiting to marry the love of my life.

Before he could process what was happening, the doors creaked open and the songstress' began their song. Claude was about to have a heart attack.

First came Flayn, a basket of sunflower petals in hand. She skipped down the aisle, throwing down petals with a wide smile on her face. Claude almost missed the proud smile on Seteth's face, a stray tear forming in his stony eyes. Next came Hilda and Lorenz - his best man - arm-in-arm as the waltzed towards the altar. They took their places, Lorenz gently clapping Claude's shoulder. Then came Marianne and Linhardt, then Bernie and Ashe, Lysithea and Raphael, Leonie and Sylvain, and Annette and Ignatz.

Then, the bride appeared.

Claude's breath caught in his throat as he beheld Byleth, barely registering the congregation as they stood and turned to face her. She was wearing a floor-length black dress with white trim. Sewed into it were strips of gold silk and ribbons, the skirt hemmed to flow out more than it naturally would. Her mint-green hair was worn down, gently curled and topped with a cream, waist-length veil. Her eyes were alight, smile wide as she glided towards him.

Alois walked beside her, taking the place that should have been Jeralt's. Claude could only imagine the reaction he had when she asked him to walk her down the aisle. He could still see tears in the knight's eyes, his face twitching as he fought to hold back more.

Seteth was right.

There was an actual goddess before him and he was receiving the greatest honor of marrying her.

Byleth was finally before him: a living, breathing angel. Alois handed her off, pressing a soft kiss to her cheek. "Take good care of each other, now." He offered his hand to Claude, solidifying his silent promise with a handshake.

Claude took the hands of his bride, staring into those light-green eyes like his life depended on it. I have absolutely zero regrets. Manuela and Dorothea ended their song, taking their seats with the rest of the audience and bathing the church in silence.

Seteth cleared his throat. "Ladies and gentlemen, we are gathered here today to witness the union of Grand Duke Claude von Riegen and Enlightened One, Byleth Eisner," he began. "War rages outside of our doors, tragedy and sorrow follow us wherever we may hide; but in that darkness, light prevails. And the couple before us has found that light in one another. I have had the great pleasure of watching these two grow, not only in status, but as people. I watched as they became allies, then student and teacher, and soon enough, friends. I've seen many students in my days, been through professor after professor, but, these two shattered whatever expectations I had of them.

"Now, I'm standing here with the great honor of performing your wedding. I must say, I was quite surprised by how quickly things went between you two. So, I think it's only appropriate that I keep things quick." That got a laugh out of the audience. "Lady Mercedes, faithful servant to the church and dear friend to the couple, will now read the scripture. You may begin."

Mercie stepped forward, smiling. She opened an old-looking book and glanced at its contents, but wasn't actually reading from it. "Love cannot be described as a simple word nor a phrase. Love is an action. Of those hearts who wish to become one, love provides the simple glue. Friendship is what builds this shared life, trust strengthens it, and patience takes the time to polish it."

I'm actually marrying this woman.

"The goddess smiles down at your union, heading your calls to join your hearts. The birds sing and the animals dance, joyous hearts divine."

I'm actually marrying this man.

"To cherish and hold, to hold and cherish, a promise made in true. Your marriage will find you and the earth, forever placing its mark. May your lives be fruitful and fields fertile, so sayeth the goddess. May love be your eternity and end. May you smile at the goddess on this blessed day and thank those you love for this precious, precious gift..."

Claude could care less about the goddess (save for the literal incarnation of a goddess before him) but Mercie's words were truly beautiful. He's heard a few sermons in his lifetime and every single one felt lifeless and dull. But when it was coming from Mercedes, each word was full of life and joy, truly projecting just how much she loved the goddess and what she did.

A few more words were exchanged, wedding stuff, matrimony, blah blah blah, but when it came time for the vows, the couple was both excited and terrified. Given that they were made aware of their wedding this morning and they barely even got an hour to prepare, their vows went by the wing it philosophy.

Claude went first.

"By, from the very first moment I saw you, I knew you were special. I'm not the type of person who believes in love at first sight; hell, I still don't. You took me by quite the surprise when I found out you were teaching the Golden Deer: That you chose me over two other promising leaders. Through a long, long process, I grew to trust you; to rely on you. You became my closest and most trusted friend and soon after that, I fell in love with you. When you disappeared, a part of me went missing as well. But, I never gave up hope. You literally crawled out of hell once before, I knew you could do it again. And, you did. Since then, this whole leadership thing has become so much less intimidating; I know that with you by my side, I can get through anything. Byleth, I love you more than words may ever be able to say and I can't wait to spend the rest of my days with you."

He brushed a strand of hair behind her ear, smiling widely. Byleth looked up at him with teary eyes, choking through her own vows.

"I...I used to think I was incapable of love; that I was some emotionless monster whose only purpose was to kill. When I became your teacher and most importantly, your friend, my views began to change. You and the Deer taught me how to feel things. To act like any normal person would. Before long, I began to feel things for you. I didn't feel this way with anyone else: this burning sensation in my chest, my desire to smile whenever you were around, and so, so much more. It took me so long to realize that what I was feeling was love. I was too scared to admit it at myself for months, choosing to push my thoughts away whenever they decided to wander to you. But, I couldn't escape it any more thanks to somebody, and little did I know that this was a blessing in disguise. Claude, I want to see a better world with you. I want our children to grow up in a different society than the one we were raised in. And with our combined efforts, I know we can do it. I love you more than there are stars in the sky. I love you."

Claude was about to burst into tears right then and there. He thought that if his love for this woman grew any more, he would burst.

"And now, the rings."

Cyril stood, presenting the pillows to the couple. They picked up their respective rings, holding their hands tightly. Byleth slid on Claude's first, the ring was a simple gold band decorated with sapphires and aquamarines - reminiscent of her old hair and eyes - in a swirling pattern. Next came By's ring, once again a golden band, but this one was bejeweled with topaz and emeralds. The pattern was sharper and cleaner than its partner, but it encapsulated Claude's personality perfectly. Hilda really did a great job on them.

"For my lovely star and kingdom come..." Claude whispered in Almyran as he slid the band on her finger. Byleth looked at him with curiosity, knowing she would have to ask him about all of these terms he's saying. Cyril understood him perfectly, smiling as he processed those words. He was totally going to steal those to use on Lysithea.

"Now that the rings are exchanged, the ceremony is coming to its end," Seteth mused, grinning. "Claude, do you promise to take Byleth as your lawfully wedded wife? In sickness and in health, through good and bad, as long as you both shall live?"

"I do."

"And Byleth, do you promise to take Claude as your lawfully wedded husband? In sickness and in health, through good and bad, as long as you both shall live?"

"I do..."

"Then by the power invested in by the Goddess Sothis, I now pronounce you husband and wife." Those words were it. It was official. "You may now--"

They didn't give Seteth any time to finish as they both dove for each other's lips. Claude cradled Byleth's head with one hand, the other wrapping around her waist as he dipped her back. Byleth held him by the cravat, refusing to yield as she claimed his lips as she did before. Fire danced beneath their skin as whoops and cheers sounded around them, too preoccupied to pull away and acknowledge their audience.

Eventually, they had to separate for air, lips swollen and breathing heavy. "I could really get used to that..." Claude chuckled, voice full of mirth and love.

Byleth gave a wicked grin, pawing at her new husband. "There's more where that came from." She pulled him down for another kiss, and Claude saw stars.

...

The reception was a joyous affair. The festivities were held outside the dining hall and the inside itself was also home to many partygoers. A few bards who happened to be passing through the Monastery were more than happy to provide music. Moonlight flickered across the pond's surface, the reflections of many obscuring the normally serene water.

Outside, people danced and sang, eager to finally rejoice in the dark times of war. To say it was rowdy was an understatement. Inside, things were quieter. People milled around with drinks and food, partaking in the moderately sized wedding cake.

Claude and Byleth stayed in the dining hall for a good ten minutes before spending the rest of their evening outside.

Byleth was absolutely breathless as her husband swung her around to the music, the sounds of flutes and stringed instruments filling her ears. It was fast, it was blood-pumping, it was heeding, and she's never felt more alive than she has now.

"Claude! Slow down!" She gasped, laughter lacing her voice.

Claude smirked, lifting his wife into the air and twirling her around. "Nope! These songs are fast for a reason!" He set her down with a wink. "If you recall, I once told you I was quite the treasure on the dance floor."

Byleth rolled her eyes. "Well, my treasure, I'm exhausted."

Her husband - she truly loved that title on him - pulled her even closer. "C'mon! Where's that stamina you normally have?"

"It left by dance number sixteen!"

"Well, dance number twenty-two better be your second wind!"

Byleth was about to make herself a widow when the band decided to calm down, shifting into a slow, easy tune. Claude's eyes twinkled, his wide grin settling down into a look of pure love. He held his wife's hand, bringing it to his lips. "May I have this dance, my lady?"

Byleth wiped some sweat off her brow. "You may."

Claude wrapped a hand around Byleth's waist, holding her hand with the other. He led them in a dance that was reminiscent of their very first dance at the ball over five years ago. He was much more coordinated this time, sweeping her through the steps like it was nothing. She, on the other hand, was just as confused as she was that first time. But, he wasn't afraid to hold her close this time; to guide her through with their bodies pressed tightly against one another.

"I love you," Claude spoke, his voice husky and thick.

Byleth looked up at him through her lashes. "I love you, too."

His eyes suddenly became distant, chewing on his lower lip. "This...this changes everything, but also nothing," he said. "Today was the best day of my life and definitely a needed morale boost, but tomorrow, we go back to the war. We return to our schedules and back to the fighting."

"Shh..." Byleth placed a finger on his lips. "That's tomorrow's problem. That's for future us to worry about." She placed her head on his chest, relishing in the sound of his rapidly beating heart. "Right now, we can just be us; let's enjoy what peace we have."

Claude smiled, pressing his lips against the crown of his wife's head. "Right you are, azizam." Again with that language. She'll have to ask him what that means later.

Byleth smiled against him. "Besides, a morning war council sounds like a pretty romantic honeymoon, if I do say so myself."

Her husband laughed, the reverberations echoing in her ears. "I'll take you on one as soon as the war is over, my love. I promise."

An idea popped into Byleth's head as she lifted her head to lock eyes with him. "I heard Almyra's pretty beautiful. Maybe we could go there?"

Claude's whole body tensed for a brief moment, then, he absolutely melted into a puddle of pure love and adoration. "Your wish is my command, my dear." He whispered in Almyran. Might as well get its future queen familiar with the language.

...

A couple of hours later, the married couple ran away from the festivities, desiring to be alone. They escaped to the Goddess Tower, hyped up on adrenaline and champagne. Byleth shivered from the high altitude and cold, night air; Claude was more than happy to offer his coat and body heat to her.

They sat near one of the ledges, holding onto each other. Byleth leaned even closer into his warmth, nearly crawling into his lap. "The stars are beautiful tonight."

Claude hummed in agreement, nuzzling her hair. She smelled of sweat, ink, and mint. "I'd like to think they aligned themselves just for our special day."

Silence passed between them, content to just hold each other like there was no tomorrow. And given their situation, there may not be a tomorrow to speak of at any given moment. But, they weren't going to think about that. Not now.

"We'll have more moments like these; ones where we can just be alone and look at the stars," Byleth said, voice barely above a whisper. "We'll live to see day after day, I swear it."

Claude didn't answer. As much as I'd love to promise that, I can't. There are no guarantees in war; however, I now have an extra reason to fight. "We'll make this world better, By." He kissed her forehead. "...In Almyra, it's a pretty common belief that the stars are the homes of our deceased loved ones. It's like they're always watching us - always following."

Byleth made a sound in the back of her throat. "My father once told me something like that." She pointed at a bright, faintly blue star. She always knew where it was, no matter the season. "That one is my mom, he'd say."

Claude nodded, searching the sky. "Then...that means the star right next to it is Jeralt, right?"

"Mhm..." A few tears escaped her eyes. "Huh...so I guess my parents were able to make it to my wedding, after all..."

Her husband was quick to wipe those tears away. "Yeah. They really were." He pressed kisses all over her face, the sweet taste of her skin mixing with the saltiness of her tears.

Byleth laughed beneath her husband's ministrations, unable to pull herself away. "Claude! Your beard tickles!"

That was valuable information he would hold onto for the rest of his life.

He nuzzled his face against her cheek. "What was that? I'm afraid I can't hear you." She's ticklish...

His wife's laughter was music to his ears. "Claude!" She pushed him away. "Stop it, you schemer."

"Ah, but you love that about me." He crawled next to her, resting his head on her warm thigh. She ran her hand through his hair, mussing up his slicked-back locks.

She gave him an alluring smile. "As much as I'd love to stay here forever, we should head to bed pretty soon."

Claude nodded, making no effort to actually sit up. "Kay..."

She huffed a giggle. "I love you so much, Claude Eisner von Riegen."

"I love you as well, Byleth Eisner von Riegen," he replied. "Stars, I love our mouthful of a name so much."

"As do I." She shifted, forcing him to remove his head from her lap. "Let's go to bed, love. We've got a long day ahead of us."

Claude stared at her through his unruly brown locks. "As long as you're with me, I can get through whatever the world dares to throw at us." He spoke poetically, contrasting against is normally plain way of speaking

"Okay, Lorenz." Byleth rolled her eyes.

Claude pulled her towards him, causing her to squeak in surprise. He swept her off her feet, carrying her - very fittingly - in a bridal style. "To bed we go, my queen."

She flushed, wrapping her arms around her husband. She nuzzled her face into his neck as he began to walk, her fake heart warming with each step.

I may not be able to know what it's like to have a heartbeat, or to feel its effects like Claude does, but his will beat enough for the two of us. We're going to make it through this war -- no, our lives together. We'll change this world for the better and tear down the walls; set new boundaries.

We are this world's rebirth. We are the change.

...We should probably keep a close eye on our apple supplies, though. We can't have any more impromptu weddings, after all.

*****

BIG HECKIN OOF, MY DUDES. So lemme explain this monster. Recently, I was scrolling through my brain of stuff and I decided to think about Greek stuff. It was 10 PM on a Saturday, probably, I was very much deprived of sleep, and I was probably thinking of some cute Claudeleth stuff as well. So there's this old Greek tradition of throwing an apple at someone as means of proposal any my sleepy brain went: "Hey. You should write a fic about that." And I replied: "Oh shoot my dude ur right."  And so this was born. I LOVE CLAUDE SO FREAKING MUCH OK. At first, I was gonna post this in My Random Thoughts as a one-shot...then it turned into a 10K word fic so I thought making it a standalone would probably be a good idea. For those of you who are completely new, hello! I'm happy to meet you! In case you didn't know me, I would like to call myself a successful fanfiction writer and I ship Chrobin very heavily. No seriously. Just take a look at my 20 fics about them and my five AU's. Yes, I have a problem. I also have some 3H stuff floating around in my Prompt books. Anyway, back to the story. Something I thought I should add is that I only wrote this at points where I was really hyped and tired (no seriously, I only wrote this at times between 9-10 PM because that's a fantastic idea). This is what sleep-deprived Anna comes up with. Greek traditions? Yes. Weddings? Yesss. Claudeleth? YESSS. Yee.

Also, Hilda totally gets poisoned the next day. Just sayin. That's what you get when you mess with Claude even though it turned out to be the best thing to ever happen to him. He's going to laugh at her while holding his new wife and she's gonna like it, god dammit.

This also gave me a chance to exercise in writing third-person POV. I normally write in first, but I wanted to try something different. Let me know if I did it successfully. This is the very first time I've written in the third person in YEARS, so I know it's a bit rough. Old habits are hard to break and it's certainly weird. And lemme tell ya, it was really hard to switch back between this and other fics. Something I should also add is that in my other 3H fics, this story doesn't happen or isn't canon in those universes. Take my one-shot "Mug" for example. Claude and Byleth end up together, but in a style more akin to the actual game. The Apple of My Eye is its own separate universe. I just wanted this crazy-ass fic to exist and for fluff to happen. Ahhhh.

Like how I wrote this fic, I am doing its final editing and writing this message late at night because I have no self-control. I also wanted to get this out to you guys as an early Christmas present. Surprise: It's Claudeleth. Was this a good idea? *shrugs* I dunno I'm really freaking tired. I've spent way too much time on this. XD Also, writing Petra is both hilarious and impossible. It's so hard writing someone who doesn't speak English (or whatever Fodlan's native language is called) as a first language.

Another note to this never-ending message is that I kinda have a semi tracklist for this monster. Here she is:
Section #1 (The proposal scene): "Tranquil Days" - Octopath Traveler
Section #2 (Claude is touch-starved and seriously needs a hug): "Nocturne of Amestris" - Full Metal Alchemist Brotherhood
Section #3 (Let Byleth be emo at her wedding): "Outset Island" - Wind Waker, and "Aryll's Theme" when Byleth begins to get emotional
Section #4 (Now kiss, dammit): "Yuujin A-kun wo Watashi no Bansousha ni Ninmei Shimasu" - Your Lie in April
Section #5 (The wedding): "The Voice That Calls You" (Piano cover) - Fire Emblem - Echoes
Dorothea and Manuela's song: "The Flower Duet (Lakme)" - Leo Delibes
Section #6 (Claude please slow down my asthma hurts while writing this) - "Kingdom Dance" - Tangled OST
Section #7 (The Goddess Tower throwback): "A Place to Rest" - Fire Emblem: Three Houses

Woosh. That was a lot. Anyway, I really hope you guys enjoyed this. I worked super flipping hard on it and I'm super duper proud of what its become. I hope you guys have the happiest of holidays and the bestest of New Years. Thank you so much for reading and look forward to reading more!