#x corrin

   you were trying to help him, he had stayed up a night too many training. you knew he needed his sleep lest he not be as sharp as he needed to be in the next battle. so, you told yourself that you would force him to sleep, even if you had to drag him to bed. 

   “xander,” you call, testing the waters to see how you should approach him. he doesn’t seem to notice as he continues to spar against his younger brother, the latter who seems to be losing. leo seems to notice you, however, and yells at xander to stop the duel. xander seems frustrated, and he quickly sheathes his sword and saunters on his steed over to you.

   “what is it?” he replies, and you smile up at him, trying to calm him. xander’s face doesn’t soften any as it usually does when he sees you, and you shrink under his gaze, nervously shifting from foot to foot. 

   “i was just wondering if you were going to take a break!” you muster up all the courage you can, “it’s getting dark and you haven’t rested for a while--”

   “nonsense... i will be fine. now if that’s all you were saying i’d like to get back to training.” you know you can’t drop this, you want him to be healthy and rested, so you press on.

   “xander, please you haven’t been rested well all week, i’m worried--”

   “like i said, i will be fine.” firm. biting your lip, you know you have to keep pressing him. he can’t always be dismissive of his own health.

   “you say that, but i know you xander, if you would just--”

   “that’s enough of your nagging!” he isn’t yelling but his voice grows so commanding and it makes you flinch. it reminded you of how garon’s voice got when he was disappointed in you, and you fight back tears. xander doesn’t seem to notice, but leo does, dismounting and walking towards you. “i know what’s best for me and i will do so, leave me to train.” you don’t say a word, the frustration towards him bubbling up inside so much you feel like you’re going to explode. leo comes and takes your hand, whispering to you that he’d take you back to your room. 

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

   xander had screwed up, that camilla had drilled into his head. he felt awful after he learned that you had been so upset by his words that you had decided to sleep in her room for the night. he scowls, working up the courage to call out your name. clearing his throat once, then twice, he softly says your name.

   you don’t answer the first time, instead you wrap camilla’s cape tighter around you, pouting. he calls louder, but it’s not the harsh tone he used with you last night. you’re tempted to keep ignoring him but you know nothing will be solved that way, so you mumble a quiet: “what do you want?”. he slowly pushes open the door, and sees you sitting in camilla’s bed, eyes puffy and red from crying. his heart drops because he knows he’s the one who’s caused this. the speech he’s rehearsed in his head is forgotten, and the only words he can utter up are a quiet: 

   “i’m sorry... i didn’t mean to--”

   “i was only trying to help you!” you snap, surprised at yourself that you’re even letting yourself talk to him. “maybe if you would listen to me for once you’d know that! but you’re so.... so stubborn that you just ignore my ideas at every turn! it wasn’t just this time, it’s every time i try and help you!”

   xander stills, letting you vent your emotions. he knows you’re right: he was stubborn, and he deserved you yelling at him. but the tears in your eyes? that’s what killed him. he swore to never let you cry and yet here you were. he was disgusted with himself.

   “you’re right.” he says, gently, taking on the tone of voice only you got to hear. “i should listen to you. you’re my right hand, [name], and you do only have my best intentions at heart. forgive me, i was wrong.” you’re silent, heart thumping and roughly wiping the tears out of your eyes. you want to stay mad at him, but when xander says something, you know he means it. he takes a tentative step forward, not knowing if you wish for his touch, but you move forward to meet him instead: wrapping your arms around him. he pulls you close, where you can feel his heartbeat.

   “on my honor, little prince/ss, i will heed your words from now on.” he places a gentle kiss to your forehead, hands carding through your locks.

sumia:

   she sits alone in bed, waiting for you to return to her. it’s hours past curfew, and though you promised you’d be back early today, it seems you broke that promise.

   once again.

   she bites her lip, shrugging on her coat and throwing open the tent flap, going to find you. usually, she’d fall asleep waiting for you, but she wasn’t going to take it anymore. something was up.

   “[name]?” she calls, opening the war tent where you often frequent, seeing you and chrom in there, laughing over something. her heart falls, no way you and chrom were...

   “sumia! what brings you here?” you flash her a smile, and chrom mutters a “hello” to her. “it’s late, love, you should be asleep.”

   “shouldn’t you be as well?” she replies, voice cheery but her eyes tell you all you needed to know. then, it dawns on you, you promised to be in bed early, so you and her could spend some time together. your smile falls, and chrom, sensing the tension awkwardly dismisses himself, leaving you and your obviously angry wife alone. she taps her foot, waiting for you to speak.

   “sumia, i’m so sorry it slipped my mind—“ you throw out apologies, but her face is still set in a firm line.

  “you have time for chrom but not for me?” her voice breaks, and you feel your heart skip a beat. part of you wants her to just yell at you, it would be so much easier for her to be pissed, but no, she was upset.

   “it just slipped my mind, i promise you that i wouldn’t do this on purpose!” you reply, trying to keep your voice low as to not upset her even more. “but i’m sorry tomorrow we can—“

   “i’d believe you if this was the first time but...” her grip on the chair in front of her turns into a vice. her jaw clenches, and she diverts her eyes from yours. “this isn’t the first time, and with all the rumors going around i...” your eyes widen, and now you feel tears well up in your eyes. she thought you and chrom were having an affair? sure, he had a crush on you at one point but you made it clear that you were in love with sumia.

   “sumia... you know i would never...” you get up out of your chair, striding over to her. the closer you get the more tired you realize she looks. the dark circles under her eyes, gods, she must’ve stayed awake waiting for you... you feel awful. “listen, i love you more than anything in this life.” you tilt her chin to look at you. she’s holding back tears, and you wish nothing but to pull her into you. “i would never do anything to hurt you intentionally, chrom is my friend, nothing more.”

   “i know i just... wish you would spend as much time with me as you do with him.” she seems to relax into your touch. “you can’t keep breaking your promises to me, that’s not how relationships are supposed to work.”

   “you’re right. i’ve been taking you for granted, and you deserve better.” you kiss her on the nose, and she flushes crimson. “tomorrow how about we go into the villages and we get tea together, how would you like that? it won’t make up for the promises i broke, but maybe i can start making it up to you.”

   “you promise?” she says, and you smile lovingly down at her.

   “with all that i am. and if i break it i give you permission to run me through with your lance.”

   “...alright.” the sweet smile she always holds returns, and you bring her into your chest, kissing her cheek.

niles:

   it’s nothing you weren’t used to by now, niles flirting with everyone, but today it just rubbed you the wrong way. maybe it was the fact that you had just lost your friend lilith a few weeks ago and you had been on edge all week, but this time when you see him trying to charm effie, it sets you off.

   “niles. won’t you leave her alone?” you say, voice small. effie looks at you with a smile, probably oblivious to niles words. niles grins, slinking over to your side. he tries to put an arm around your shoulder, but you pull away from his touch.

   “something wrong, dear?” he still has that stupid look on his face.

   “something wrong? yeah you were flirting with effie. i thought was a given!” you pout, crossing your arms. niles scoffs, struggling to keep up with your pace. “seriously niles must a put you on a leash!”

   “well, i wouldn’t object to that,” he says suggestively, but then upon seeing that you’re actually angry with him, he clears his throat: “but i wasn’t... i didn’t mean it i simply talk like that it’s... not that i mean anything i say!”

   “it just sucks you know!” you turn a heel, throwing your hands up in exasperation. though you’re in the middle of the camp, everyone seems to have deserted upon hearing the two of you bicker. “you say the same things you say to me to everyone else!”

   “but i mean them when i say ‘em to you, i think that’s fairly obvious.” he mutters, awkwardly diverting his gaze so he doesn’t have to look at your heartbroken expression. it kills him when he hears your voice crack like that, and he’s always tried to dial down his more unruly behavior but every so often it slips.

   “it should be but... i just don’t feel special.” small. he’s never heard you sound this way, usually you’re bubbly, taking up space and letting everyone know, so it’s like a knife to his heart when he hears your words.

   “...i’m sorry you feel that way, love.” his voice is soft, unhindered with its usual mirth. he pulls you close by your hand, placing a small kiss on your knuckles. “and... i guess you’re right. i should spare my words just for you. and if you don’t mind, i’d like to start now.” you fluster crimson, burrowing into his chest.

   “n-niles please!” he chuckles, scooping you up in his arms.