#raphaetta

Still, Raphael guided her through the battlefield back toward the gates of Garreg Mach with as much optimism as he could muster. "What kinda books?" He prompted. He saw Hilda streak across the sky on her wyvern towards the retreating Empire troops and hurriedly looked down at Bernadetta again.

"There's this one about all the Saints that Seteth lent me when we came back here. Oh! And the Professor gifted me one about plants! I'm not sure what kind but the cover looked interesting."

As she talked, Raphael kept his head on a swivel, ready to scoop Bernadetta up if they were ambushed. Her soft hand in his felt out of place on this burning battlefield. It was hard not to just run and pull her along, get her away and safe back in her room as fast as possible.

"There's this recipe book I brought from home I want to try too," Bernadetta was saying when Raphael remembered to pay attention. "I can try making you something from that, if you want? Y-You liked the meat I made before so I thought..."

The overwhelming smell of burning wood, bushes, and flesh had, for once, made Raphael feel nauseous at the idea of eating meat. But he squeezed Bernadetta's hand and said, "Sounds delicious!

"A-Are we almost there?"

"Almost. Hang in there!"

"My eyes really itch now..."

"Claude!" Raphael pulled Bernadetta closer to his side and grinned in relief upon seeing Claude's silhouette.

Both Claude and the Professor looked around at Raphael's shout. "I thought you were up front with Hilda and Lorenz?" Claude said with a furrowed brow.

It was the Professor who started forward toward Raphael. "What happened?" They asked, taking Bernadetta's other hand.

"She got hit," Raphael stated vaguely. He didn't want to talk about finding Bernadetta amid the rumble, shaking and gasping, both hands over her eyes and blood in her hair. Instead he let Bernadetta's hand slip from his and aimed a worried look at the Professor. They nodded in understanding.

As the Professor began leading Bernadetta towards the healer's tents, Claude pat Raphael on the shoulder. "You should go with her," he said.

"She's in good hands now. I'm just glad I could keep her calm."

"I think she still needs you."

Raphael watched Bernadetta's retreating back and bit his lip. It wasn't until Claude gave Raphael a slight push that Raphael let himself all but race forward. "We're almost done here!" Claude called after him, reading the reason behind Raphael's hesitation. Raphael flashed him a thumbs up before closing the distance between himself and Bernadetta, taking her hand once more.

She squeezed it tight. "Don't leave again," she ordered, voice high.