#dashinglyawkward

one week ago these two little guys knocked on my door and I couldn’t be more grateful (they also brought me candy bars and a sweet little letter... ♥ ) ! Unfortunately my house isn’t like Corvo Bianco, but I hope they’ll enjoy it anyway, ahah :’) also please Geralt leave my pokémon plushies alone, there’s no contract for them I swear

I am s o frickin sorry about how long this took hHhhHH, but I’m gonna try and push through a few inbox things considering today is Hubie’s birthday!! 

Vague references to post-timeskip, but honestly, it doesn’t really matter :v

also accidental angst? in my fluff? its more likely than you think 

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Hubert stared. And stared. Maybe stared a bit more.

“Ferdinand,” he began, slowly, “what are you doing?”

Ferdinand, who was very badly hiding riding gear behind his back. Normally Hubert would not have batted an eye - Ferdinand did often enjoy going on horseback rides, so it wouldn’t have been too out of the ordinary for him to be carrying such equipment, but there were several things wrong with this picture.

First of all, Hubert knew that Ferdinand’s horse (”Her name is Andromeda, Hubert! Not horse!” Ferdinand had declared when Hubert had first referred to the horse as such) wasn’t ready to be ridden. She was being checked over by Marianne after the recent battle, and Ferdinand never went on horseback rides on the days that Andromeda got checked over. Second of all, Ferdinand never tried to hide the fact that he’d be going on a horseback ride whenever he did - in fact, he oftentimes tried to get Hubert to go with him.

Third of all, that wasn’t Ferdinand’s riding gear. 

“N-Nothing you need to be concerned with!” Ferdinand said, very clearly lying. If it were any other time, Hubert would find it charming that Ferdinand had never truly learned how to sincerely lie, and maybe wish that he’d never have to learn. Now though, he just wanted to know what Ferdinand was trying to hide. 

“Ferdinand, you and I both know that you are horrible at lying. What’s going on?” Hubert kept his voice firm - he had learned, over time, he often softened his voice around Ferdinand without meaning to, as if speaking too loudly or harshly would chase away the sunshine that was Ferdinand. 

Not that his previously harsh words had deterred Ferdinand at all in wishing to court him, but that wasn’t the point here.

“Honestly, you do not need to worry!” Ferdinand laughed nervously and looked away, refusing to look Hubert in the eye.

That, of all things, struck something unpleasant in Hubert. 

He was not blind to his own reputation of being someone intimidating. In fact, he often took advantage of it - whether it was gathering information, subduing unruly underlings, or simply facing an enemy in battle, he used his reputation as a means to an end. So it wasn’t uncommon to hear gossip about him, or see people turn the other way whenever he walked by. It wasn’t uncommon to see people nervous at just the sight of him.

And yet, something about seeing Ferdinand of all people nervous around him, it made something bitter and unpleasant curl around his throat. He found himself staring at the ground, suddenly unable to look at Ferdinand in the face.

Ferdinand, of course, noticed. “Hubert..?”

Hubert almost didn’t respond. Almost couldn’t respond. The sudden curl of emotions wrapping around his throat nearly choked him. It was ridiculous, certainly, but he didn’t know how to stop it. Suddenly there was a hand on the side of his face, gently guiding his head to look Ferdinand in the eye. The concern that was suddenly so clear in Ferdinand’s eyes almost made Hubert was to look away again.

“Hubert...” Ferdinand paused, as though trying to think of what to say, before continuing. “My apologies, I did not mean to make you upset.”

“You have no need to apologize,” Hubert muttered, cursing the heavy weight in his throat. Curse his mind for continuing to present thought after thought of what he had done to make Ferdinand feel nervous around him. “I know that was not your intention.”

“And yet it happened all the same...” Ferdinand paused again. “I suppose it does not really matter now...follow me. I have something to show you.”

Ferdinand then took Hubert’s hand in his - Hubert idly wished his hands weren’t stained, so he could hold Ferdinand’s hand without fear of tainting his light - and began to lead him in a familiar direction. Towards the stables.

Upon arriving, Hubert noticed several things at once. The first was that most of the horses and pegasi were nowhere to be seen, save for one. The second was that the one pegasus that did remain was quite beautiful, its coat a light shade of brown and its mane a much darker shade. The third was that Ferdinand had guided him directly to this pegasus, letting go of his hand to run a hand through its mane. 

“I am well aware that this is not the typical present you gift your beloved, however...” Ferdinand paused to look at Hubert, a bright smile on his face. “I have seen how you looked at the pegasi, so I consulted with Edelgard as to how to get one that would be alright with letting a man ride her - and we were very lucky to come across this one. So now she is yours!”

Hubert stared. And stared. He didn’t know what to say. On one hand, he was absolutely overjoyed, not that he’d properly voice it if asked. He had always longed for a pegasus of his own, and to suddenly have one left him feeling a warm sense of happiness that he wouldn’t be able to voice aloud. On the other...

“...Ferdinand, I...I am happy, truly, but...” Hubert didn’t even have to finish his sentence. 

“You are afraid of heights...Edelgard had told me so when I initially suggested finding a pegasus of your own. But do not fret! I, Ferdinand von Aegir, shall assist you in combatting this fear!” Ferdinand punctuated that statement with a proud tone, an equally proud grin on his face.

Hubert really did love this man. More than he could ever hope to voice.

(As Ferdinand watched Hubert carefully walk up to the pegasus, actually lighting up - Hubert! Lighting up! - when the pegasus nudged against his hand so that he’d pet her, he simply smiled to himself. He truly did love Hubert, so much so that he could feel his heart overflowing with it at times. 

“Fuck.”

King’s used to the random profanity now. Sharky will get lost in his own head and start cursing at everything from the memories to the counter he ran into while he was daydreaming. The stiffness in his body is what drags his head around, what makes warning bells start dinging in the back of his mind. Sharky’s tucked into his side as per usual, snuggled up tight, but he’s white knuckling the bottom of King’s shirt and he’s staring across the field.

He tracks the line of sight, over to where a woman and man are chatting near the lemonade stand. It’s not too awful far from them, a few yards or so, but there’s no immediate threat. They’re not even looking over here.

“What’s wrong, sweetheart?”

“Uh...nothing.”

“Don’t lie to me.” King pokes at his ribs gently, reprimanding as best he can. “You got tense all of a sudden.”

“Well, hey, maybe I just got a hard-on. We are on a blanket in a field, man. I’ve seen this porno before.”

“Deflection really only works for the Seeds,” King points out. “And only then because Rook’s too pussy to fight for a conversation. So knock it off.”

“That’s...uh...my ex-boyfriend.” Sharky’s face twists up as he turns to face him, scent going sour and sharp for a split second. “Well, not really. We didn’t date or nothing but he...yeah.”

“Oh. Okay.” King knows he’s sending out a screaming warning right now. Sharky’s nose wrinkles up even as there’s a responding wave of calming scent shoved at him.

It doesn’t work, but it’s sweet. Because now King’s dialed in on the man who’s striding across the grass, not towards them but in their general direction. Probably heading back to the hangar where Nick and Kim are playing good hosts and letting people coo over Nikki. He’ll have to walk right past them to get to it and that seems to be what his plan is.

Too fucking bad that plan doesn’t work for King.

YOU HAVE TRULY GALAXY BRAINED, HUBERT LOVING HOURS HERE FOLKS

And honestly, I can see this happening??? It may take a while, but Hubert eventually comes to care for the rest of the Black Eagles? And he finds that he can't stand the thought of anything happening to them? So he often does rounds around the monastery or even around camp after battles post-timeskip, checking on each of them and making sure they're alright. If any of them happen to get injured, Hubert makes sure they get to a healer and are alright.

And he starts caring for them outside of just checking if they're injured or not? He starts spending more time with them, maybe even trying to comfort them after particularly rough times (one particularly memorable incident had Hubert comforting Ferdinand in the aftermath of his father's death).

And eventually, this care is reciprocated! They all start looking for him in turn, and watching out for him during battle.

(Once, Hubert manages to overexert himself and passes out due to magic exhaustion. When he wakes up, he's genuinely surprised to see all of the Black Eagles lying around the infirmary in various states of sleep, and even more so at how worried they all are when they notice he's awake.)

(Though, there is a warmth in his chest when it happens. Hubert doesn't quite know what it is.)

Y E S TO EVERYTHING YOU SENT

Fjfjfj imagine everyone in the Black Eagle Strike Force (BESF for short bc am lazy) just teasing him and cracking jokes about what weird and creepy name Hubert gave to his pegasus - no one (besides Ferdinand, who asked and promptly died upon realizing hUBIE NAMED HIS PEGASUS M O C H A) actually finds out what he named his pegasus for a good while. Petra finds out by accident, heading to the stables to check on her own pegasus (because I always imagine her as a pegasus rider) and overhearing Hubert as he dotes on Mocha. She didn't say anything of course, but she did laugh to herself at how cute the name was.

When everyone ELSE the BESF finds out Mocha's name, it's actually in the aftermath of the battle.

Hubert, petting Mocha: You did wonderfully Mocha, thank you-

Caspar, screaming: YOU NAMED YOUR PEGASUS MOCHA????

This only prompts even MORE teasing, mostly from Dorothea (though Edelgard did make a joke or two, prompting a very betrayed look from poor Hubie).

 we really need more fluff on this blog *smacks drum and cries*

KNOW WHAT THOUGH I ABSOLUTELY LIVE FOR MORE MOCHA HEADCANONS (you have no idea how much these headcanons mean to me in the bleak angst-ridden wasteland of my inbox)

AND HUBERT IS TRYING SO HARD, YOU KNOW?? He’s trying to keep up his image of being all stoic and serious, though that’s very difficult when the farm hands keep snickering because a) THE Hubert, THE SOLEMN RIGHT HAND TO THE EMPEROR, named his pegasus Mocha of all things, and b) said pegasus keeps nuzzling at the side of Hubert’s head and whinnying happily.

Ferdinand is absolutely having the time of his LIFE during this entire experience, but he’s at least TRYING to be nice to his poor husband, who’s intimidating image is being completely destroyed by his own pegasus. 

Side note: just. Imagine how absolutely obliterated that image would be if Mocha were to have a foal. At first he’s absolutely worried sick?? Because Mocha isn’t acting well and seems sick and he doesn’t know what to do?? But then he finds out that no, Mocha is actually fine, she’s just having a foal - and that would end up in Ferdinand’s list of moments where he saw his husband truly over the moon. And when Mocha actually has the foal?? Forget about it - Hubert is near tears over how CUTE her foal is, and Ferdinand is caught completely off guard by just how emotional Hubert - Hubert!!! Of all people!! - he is over Mocha’s newborn foal.