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shiro-pom · 3 years

Note

I dont know if you got it the first time, but here goes again: personal headcanon that using too many Divine Pulses will end up putting Byleth into a mini-coma of sorts, only lasting for a few days at most. Can I please request something about her accidentally scaring her husband Dimitri with this? Thank you~

Dimitri had never seen you collapse, before. He had never seen you fall unconscious in an instant, you had never let yourself be knocked out by the butt of an axe or the hilt of a blade- you were always on your toes.

You were too capable a fighter to let such a thing happen.

It was in the midst of battle, six months after you wed, when he saw it for the first time. You were beside him, and then suddenly, you were in front of him, six meters ahead, and your blade clattered to the ground.

Your body heavily followed after. Dimitri screamed.

“BYLETH!!” He roared, vision going red as he charged forward, cutting down enemy after enemy in a fit of bloodlust.

His body heaved, burying his lance in the dirt as he struggled to regain himself. Someone hurt his wife.

His beloved.

He didn’t know who had done it, he didn’t know how it happened, but Dimitri wasn’t having it. The Blue Lions that had joined them on the battlefield could only stare, watching their king absolutely destroy the battlefield with no mercy whatsoever.

It was Mercedes who came to your aid, first. You were in bad shape, but it didn’t seem like you’d taken many injuries.

Instead you were unconscious. Cold, and faint. The pale of your skin was made equal by your husband’s violent vengeance.

“BOAR!” Felix shouted over the clamoring of weapons, “Enough!! Byleth needs help!!”

Dimitri paused in his slaughter, looking back to where you lay. You were unmoving despite Mercedes and Annette crowding you, healing staves poised over your body.

The lance fell from his hands.

Felix was right. You needed help. You needed him.

Dedue would overtake the remaining rebels, quashing the last remnants of the Adrestian Empire... Perhaps that was why this battle had brought you to such a state. Destroying the remains of what Edelgard put in place, all those loyal factions… It must have caused your focus to stutter.

“Seteth- quickly, someone find Seteth and Flayn! They’ve both got Caduceus staves- they’ll know what to do!”

Ashe sprinted off to find the wyvern rider, as Dimitri brushed past the group and to the center of the Lion circle. You were surrounded by frightened students, now adults, though they didn’t seem to know what to think.

Never had they seen their Professor felled in battle.

Felled.

Dimitri’s heart skipped a beat at the very thought. He knelt beside Mercedes, his hand on your cheek. You were still. You were cold.

“Mercedes…”

Dimitri didn’t even want to think the words he spoke.

“Is she still...or did she…?”

“Dimitri…” She trailed off, her expression crumbling as what he spoke connected with her. She shook her head, “I-I hadn’t thought to- I just started healing her, I haven’t-”

Dimitri ripped the gloves from his hands, pressing his fingers to your neck.

“There’s no-” He choked.

“Milord-”

“There’s no pulse.”

“What?!” Annette gasped, “N-no!!”

“Mercedes, there’s no pulse, she doesn’t-!” Dimitri pulled you into his arms, pressing his ear to your chest with trembling limbs.

They watched as their king crumbled around his wife. They could never forget the roar of grief, the sorrow in his voice as he cursed at the goddess. He clung to you, desperately, begging you to wake up. It wasn’t supposed to be like this.

It was never supposed to end like this.

He didn’t remember the Lions moving away from him. They were shoved away mercilessly as he left you in the grass, launching for his weapon and returning his fury onto the last remaining rebellion.

They did this.

Even now, Edelgard managed to take everything away from him. She destroyed everything he loved, once again.

The only thing he loved.

The one person he absolutely needed.

Another was lost.

He didn’t see Seteth burst through the crowd of mourning students, or see him tear your breastplate away to reveal your chest still moved up and down. You still breathed.

He was blind to everything until Sylvain’s lance struck him in the back, forcing him down and stopping his mad razing.

“Byleth’s not dead!” Sylvain managed to crack out before Dimitri came at him, and it was enough to freeze Dimitri in his tracks.

You weren’t...you weren’t dead?

But he heard your heart. It didn’t beat.

Your pulse was gone.

You were so cold...you weren’t there.

But Sylvain insisted he come, and see for himself. On staggered legs he pushed himself away from the end of the fight, and he returned to see Seteth lifting you up, preparing to take you to the monastery on his wyvern.

Dimitri came close enough to see it. The rise and fall of your breast. You were…

You were alive.

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

Several days passed before anything really changed.

Your husband was latched to your bedside, your dainty little hand engulfed in both of his, calloused fingers trembling as he held you for all he could.

“She should wake up soon, milord.” Seteth told him gently when he finished his latest check-up. The last few days the diagnosis was simply, “She is not ready to wake. She must continue her rest. Have patience.”

Have patience?? When he thought his wife dead mere days ago??

“How do you know?” Dimitri questioned him, his voice quiet and calm. Tired.

Seteth looked at you in silence, his hands tight behind his back. “It is my duty as someone trained in clericism, milord. It is clear that she-”

“No.” Dimitri cut him off. Seteth glanced at him. “How did you know?”

“Know what, milord?”

“Everything. All of it. How did you know she was alive?” Dimitri’s form was stooped over in the chair, his one good eye piercing straight through the dragon’s heart.

Seteth did not like how someone centuries younger than him was capable of making him feel so uneasy.

“Dimitri...there are many things that you do not know about Byleth. They are difficult to explain. I worry that it would frighten you, o confuse you if I tried to-”

“Tell me.”

It was an order. A threat.

Seteth looked at him, long and hard. He debated the truth, honestly, because there wasn’t a single human on the face of the earth who knew what you could do. Only the Nabateans carried this knowledge,e, and for good reason.

But you were also married to a human. One that would move the heavens and earth to protect you.

Perhaps he had a right to know.

“Byleth,” He started slowly, “Can turn back time.”

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

The day that came after was slow, and blurry.

For Dimitri, it was filled with guilt and angst and worry. He had been the cause of your coma, he realized, from Seteth’s brief explanation.

He had divulged all the secrets he had protected so long; your ability to change the future through the Divine Pulse, as he called it. Your body being a vessel for the goddess Sothis, herself. How your heart never beat since you were a newborn because of this.

How you were so quiet and blank because of what you were meant to be.

You were not supposed to be what you were, now.

But you were.

And you survived.

The only problem was the usage of Divine Pulse.

You had been drained so much from overuse that it put you into stasis. You were recovering nicely, Seteth assured him, but you were in no position to use tat ability the way you did.

According to Seteth, you had been halfway across the battlefield. That was what he vaguely recalled, before you were suddenly before your husband, fending off the rebels that had likely taken his life multiple times.

For you to have fallen the way you did, it was clear you had used it far more than you were supposed to.

When that happened, Seteth explained, using it when it was supposed to be recharged, it would take the mana from your own body to be usable.

You needed to rest, then. Otherwise you were never going to fully recover.

All because Dimitri could have died. Should have.

But you protected him. Yet again, you saved his life.

Dimitri wanted to cry, but he was too overwhelmed by everything he had learned. What was he supposed to say, after all? How could he react to learning of his wife’s divine powers? Of the purpose that had been forced upon you without your consent?

This was someone he cared so very deeply about, and yet you were at the mercy of things that Dimitri couldn’t even protect you from.

While he still hadn’t left your side, he was filled with the desire to go out and tear the world apart. It was the universe that was responsible for your suffering. He had only made you more vulnerable to it by being too weak.

His grimacing and brooding came to a standstill only when you showed signs of waking.

He was watching you intently, so he had noticed right away when your breathing changed and your chest rose a little higher. Your eyelashes began to flutter, suggesting your eyes might be opening at a moment’s notice.

Then your hand shifted in his, flexing around his palm when you realized that you were being held.

Dimitri was on his feet and bearing over you instantaneously. His hand touched your cheek, unable to contain the quivering of his fingertips when he realized that you were absolutely, without a shadow of a doubt, awake.

It had been far too long since your eyes met his, yet there you were...awake, staring at him, and giving him the faintest of smiles.

“Dima…”

“O-oh my darling.” He crumbled.

His forehead touched yours, and he wrapped his arms around you drawing you into the gentlest embrace he could manage. He knew it was likely best not to move you so much, or even be holding you like this, but he didn’t care.

No, what mattered was you were awake.

You were finally, finally awake.

“Dima, it’s okay.” You murmured, and with a soft push on his chest, he drew back, just enough to look down at you but far from relinquishing his hold on your body.

“I thought you were dead, Beloved. I-I thought I had truly lost you.”

“Never.” You shook your head, and squeezed his shoulder. “I’m here to stay.”

Dimitri bowed his head, forcing himself to be calm. He wished he could stave off the thundering of his heart, but he couldn’t quite find it in himself to relax. He had longed for you so deeply, after all. And as full as he was with joy, he was still filled with questions.

The kind that couldn’t wait.

“How many times?”

Your expression remained soft, but neutral. “What?”

“How many times did you try to protect me?” He explained further. “How many times did you use your...power?”

“My…?”

“The Divine Pulse- that’s what Seteth called it.”

“He told you about it?” You looked at him incredulously. He pulled further back, letting you settle back into the pillows.

He returned to his seat, but it felt a bit too far away.

“He told me everything. Your parentage, your duty as a vessel, your abilities...all of it.”

“But why…?”

“Why did you hide it from me?” He asked quickly, stopping you from even attempting to protest. Your mouth fell closed, and you looked at him for a long moment. “Why didn’t you tell me? We are supposed to know everything about each other- yet you would hide this?”

‘It didn’t seem like something that many people should know about. Seteth made that clear.” You told him in a softer voice. Dimitri wasn’t having it.

“You didn’t think it prudent to tell me your heart didn’t beat? That you weren’t lying there dead, on the ground, but you were recovering from using your power? A power that was never told of- that I didn’t know existed- because you didn’t think it was important for me to know?”

“Dima, I-”

“I thought I lost you, Byleth- I was certain I would never look upon your face again! Yet the cause of my fears was a secret you kept? After everything I’ve trusted you with, you still cannot trust me? Do you think me that incapable?”

“You’re not incapable. I just couldn’t say anything.”

“I’m not incapable.” He repeated with a bitter tang that made your heart twist. “Then why would you throw your life on the line so often? This wasn’t the first time- you had to use it multiple times for it to knock you down like that. You were abusing it to protect me! Would a capable husband need such protection?”

“It’s not that, Dima.” You insisted, “Please, let me explain.”

It took an enormous amount of willpower for him to give you the floor. You looked at each other for a long minute, the silence between you thick and uncomfortable.

“...There have been many years where there was a mistake I missed. Where someone was harmed or killed because I wasn’t paying enough attention. But Divine Pulse helped me reverse that. I use it most often on you...because I can’t bear to see you hurt.”

“Because I couldn’t protect myself.” He spat, though his voice was hardly above a whisper. You shook your head, holding his hand to yours.

“Because every time you were cut, or beaten, or broken...it was torture. I would gladly turn back time a thousand times if it means you’re unharmed.”

“But that is not your duty- that is an abuse of your power, with grave consequences!!” Dimitri protested passionately, “What if you use it too many times? I mean more than falling asleep- what if you die just so I don’t get a scratch on my skin? What if you sacrifice yourself just to keep me alive?!”

“Then it is a sacrifice-”

“NO!!” He practically bellowed. Your mouth clamped shut.

Dimitri had never yelled at you, before.

He was breathing heavily, his hand torn from your grasp as he collected himself. He looked away, and removed himself from the bed.��

He paced to the window, resting his hands on the sill and holding his shoulders up, hunched into the glass panes.

“...No, Byleth.”

“Dima?”

“You can’t.”

“I-”

“You can’t sacrifice yourself for me. I can’t allow it. I won’t.”

He took a deep breath, and then another. You watched him quietly, waiting for him to get a proper grip on himself. You understood where he was coming from, truthfully. But you wanted to hear his explanation, yourself.

His eye remained low, but he slowly returned to you.

“I have watched countless loved ones give up their lives for me. If I lost the one person who pulled me from the brink...the one person I cannot live without...I would never find my way back.”

He sank onto the side of the bed, and gingerly touched your cheek.

“I beg of you, Beloved...you cannot become another voice.”

You very quickly understood the gravity of your choices.

“Dima,” You leaned into his hand before you pushed yourself up, grasping his wrist. “I won’t.”

“You swear it?”

“I do.” You swallowed thickly, lacing your fingers with his. Dimitri seemed to bite back tears of his own, able to look away for a moment more. Then he couldn’t be without your touch any longer.

He pulled you into his chest, carefully, but wholly engulfing your fragile frame in the safety and comfort of strong, warm arms.

You pressed your head to his chest, breathing in the scent of pine and snow, helping him ease the anxiety and fear and remorse that had him swallowed up mere moments before.

“I’ll be more careful with the Pulse from now on. I won’t let myself reach fatigue, or worse.” You vowed, feeling him shudder softly around you.

“I will pay more attention to my surroundings- I won’t let myself be harmed so badly that you’d have to use it. I will be by your side through every battle.”

“Until we don’t have to battle, anymore.” You murmured, “I pray that day comes, soon.”

“As do I, Beloved.” He kissed the top of your head, holding you close. “Goddess, as do I.”

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shiro-pom · 3 years

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i just had a realization: dimitri and byleth = beauty and the beast. Not a one to one comparison but... Dimitri is the one who really teaches Byleth about her emotions (such as his comments about loving her smile and spending time with her) which leads to her being able to feel happiness or truly mourn her father. After the time skip, he sees himself as a “monster” and she is one of the people able to bring him back, teaching him to live for himself and become a king again. Your thoughts?

Real talk, one of my first ideas for Dimileth was a Beauty and the Beast AU ahfuihifdjhweiu

I agree! Especially after the time skip. They both teach each other something important that affects their lives for the better. Dimitri never shied away from inviting her post-battle feasts or the 5-year reunion despite what the others might have thought of her. And after the time skip, Byleth never gave up on him, despite his insistence that he was a monster and he was too far gone from saving. In the end, they both saved each other

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shiro-pom · 3 years

Photo

It’s just...I’ve never seen you look so happy before. It’s downright mesmerizing

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shiro-pom · 3 years

Note

I don't know if you have a request for this one or if you already did one but can we do the Pregnancy cravings with Dimitri? This will be heartbreaking though! And might cause walls to have to be replaced lol

Don’t. Panic.

That’s what he told himself in his brain when he woke up, sitting up stock straight in the middle of the night, only to find your side of the bed empty.

Empty. Gone.

He shot up from his place and nearly tore the room apart, calling for you in the dark. No response. …Perhaps some panic was necessary.

“Byleth!!” He shouted down the hall, alerting Dedue that his liege was indeed awake. When he asked what was wrong, all he received was a hoarse, frightened, “She’s gone.”

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shiro-pom · 3 years

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fluffy owo

how about claude (baby boi baby), dimitri, felix and whoever you feel like, dealing with a heavily pregnant byleth who starts crying because of hormones, but specifically she's crying because she can't hug them properly or something ówò

(Stories 7-9 of 10! So much pregnancy/baby floof...i think u guys like a v specific genre on this blog!!! -i do too sdfjkSDJFKSDF-)

Claude: He didn’t know when it started or why, but somewhere towards the end of your pregnancy, you started crying profusely.

The first time he witnessed it you were in bed together, you were reading while he had his head in your lap, the two of you starting to wind down for the night.

He was enjoying the gentle touches of his wife, until suddenly the warm touch of your fingers was replaced by a cold plip of water droplets on his face.

His eyes opened quickly enough to catch tears falling from your eyes, though you weren’t looking at him; you were totally focused in on whatever tragic thing was happening in your book.

“Byleth?” He rose without delay, pushing himself up . He thumbed at your tears, though they refused to stop falling. “H-hey, dearheart, what’s the matter? Is that book really that sad?”

“No,” You sniffled, which confused him more. You shook your head, holding up the book for him to see. “It’s...j-just that...the main characters finally got together...and t-the wedding is so beautiful…”

“That’s...why you’re crying?” He asked carefully, and you nodded. No dismissal or laughter about how silly it was, that you were teasing him or just trying to mess with his head.

No, you were genuinely crying over the beauty of your book.

Claude was flummoxed.

“W-well...I mean...here, uh, it’s...it’s okay.” He awkwardly put his arm around your shoulders, trying his best to comfort you. “Don’t be upset, all right? It’s just a story.”

“W-was our wedding that beautiful?”

"Um...yeees.” He slowly confirmed, rolling the dice. Your crying quieted some, reduced to sniffling and the odd hiccup. You pushed at your tears, wiping them away while your husband did his best to support you.

“Sorry...I-I know this is odd, I just...I don’t know what’s come over me.”

“Well, to be fair, I’m pretty sure Marianne said this could happen. Mood swings and sudden bouts of crying are part of a normal pregnancy.”

“It wasn’t sudden,” You argued weakly, leaning into his chest for comfort, “It was j-just...so beautiful…”

Claude recalled the rest of what Marianne told him. If you, the stoic and serious Queen of Almyra suddenly started crying...to go along with it and don’t do anything to risk upsetting you more.

So Claude did what any good husband would do.

“There, there, my love.” He kissed the top of your head, drawing you into his embrace and comforting you tenderly. “I’m sure the writer did an excellent job describing that wedding scene.”

“She really, really did.” You agreed with him, cuddling closer. “Thanks, Claude.”

“Anything for you.” He murmured into your hair. While he played it completely straight for you at that moment, he teased you relentlessly for such adorable behavior after the child was born (and you claimed not to remember such a thing).

As if he could forget seeing you so cute and teary.

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

Dimitri: Your husband was borderline panicked when you started crying. You received word that one of the nearby villages had been flooded due to the melting ice overwhelming their reservoirs.

While springtime was welcome in Faerghus, there was always a good chance there would be more water than anticipated after a heavy snowfall. It was rare, but there would be a flood now and again.

This just happened to be one of those times; and you happened to be six months pregnant.

“Beloved, you mustn’t cry! It is going to be all right.” Dimitri darted to your side after he realized tears were falling hot and fat, the poor messenger confused by the sudden turn of your emotions.

“W-w-was anyone hurt?”

“Just a few casualties, my Queen…” The messenger stated, which didn’t seem to help. Dimitri glared daggers at the man, “B-but all will be well!!”

“Yes, as he says. All will be well.” Dimitri reassured you after waving away the flustered man. He closed the door to his office so you might have time to collect yourself.

You were wrapped up in his arms without delay, letting you cry freely into his chest. Of course your tears never devolved into sobs, but you were clearly distraught.

And your being distraught made Dimitri feel distraught, so everything was just a mess in that room.

“I just...I-I’m thinking about a-all those homes...all those poor people with nowhere to go because their livelihood has been w-washed away.”

“Oh Beloved, you mustn’t worry about such things! I can assure you, no such thing has happened. Our towns are always well equipped to handle flooding. The water levels rising too much is a rare occurrence, but I’ve made sure that they have the resources they need to recover.”

“B-but what if it’s not enough?” You peered up at him, eyes watery and threatening to spill even more tears. Dimitri’s heart broke at the sight (even if it was over something like this).

“It will be enough.” He promised, petting your hair gingerly. “And if it is not, then we will send all the aid they need. So you needn’t worry. It isn’t good for you or the baby.”

“I know, I know, I just...I can’t help it.” You sighed weakly, leaning against him in defeat. It was all he could do to cuddle you up, and try to ease your concerns.

“And that is all right. You are going through many changes now, so it is only natural you have yet to handle everything you feel. I would never fault you for such a thing, so please...feel free to come to me for comfort whenever you need me.”

“Dima…” You trailed off, and the tears returned full force, “T-that’s the sweetest thing you could’ve ever said to me, right now…”

“O-oh, I didn’t- please don’t cry because of me, now!”

The king then struggled to comfort you between the flooding mess and the fact that he was too sweet for his own good.

You were both ready for this phase of the pregnancy to be over, but until that time came, Dimitri would be waiting with plenty of hugs and kisses for you (if he survived it).

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

Felix: He had his sword at the ready, but when he reached the main hall of House Fraldarius, his wife was nowhere to be found.

Instead he found your sword, still in its sheath, lying in the middle of the floor. He had just come home from a far too long journey, having been gone three months.

You discovered you were pregnant four months before he left, so he’d be lying if he wasn’t eager to get home and see just how much you’d changed.

He could picture you now, a healthy baby bump beneath your hand, wearing a pretty and light, flowing dress to maximize comfort while still sustaining your beautiful glow.

You were with child, the heir to the Fraldarius name. He couldn’t have been deeper in love with you if he tried.

However, seeing as he had arrived to your duel alone, with no sparring partner, he was feeling less love and more confusion. He found his answer when the head butler, two maids and a cleric were crowded around the master bedroom’s door, everyone in great distress.

“What’s going on here?” He asked, a sword in each hand.

“M-Milord!” The head butler straightened up, bowing quickly. He looked pale, as though deeply worried. “It’s the Archbishop, milord- she refuses to leave the bedroom, and she has been crying for hours.”

“What?!”

Felix nearly dropped both swords and flung himself through the door had he no restraint. Immediately whatever exhaustion he felt on the journey home was erased, overcome with worry over the fact that you were so upset.

“Byleth!!” He knocked on the door, fist pounding against it with great urgency, “Hey, what’s going on? Are you okay? Do you need help??”

He couldn’t hear anything inside, which frightened him even more.

“Go get the master key, and whatever clerics you can spare!” Felix ordered the butler, “If something’s wrong with her, then-”

“Felix?”

He started at the sound of your voice, turning to find the door open and his wife staring up at him. What freaked him out the most was seeing your face flushed, your lip trembling and your cheeks wet with tears.

“What the hells is going on?” Felix demanded, but his brow was furrowed with great worry. There was no malice in his voice, and he pushed the door open the rest of the way to get a proper look at you. His hands fell to your shoulders as he asked, “Is everything all right? Are you hurt, or ill?”

“N-no, I just...I…” You trailed off, overwhelmed with sorrow. “I just m-missed you so much…!”

Felix could feel the heat rise on his face, and he waved away the manor’s staff. He could handle this on his own (he hoped).

He shut the door with his foot, so that he could receive you fully into his arms.

“That’s no reason to cry. I missed you too, but I’m not tearing up over it.” He pointed out with the most patient tone he could muster (which wasn’t much for Felix, in all honesty).

“I-I know, I just...I-I was so upset that they wouldn’t let me duel you.”

“Who wouldn’t?”

“T-the clerics...the midwife e-even said I couldn’t, because I’m seven months pregnant...I-I mustn’t strain myself.”

“Seven months…” He trailed off, realizing just how much time had truly passed. He knew you were four months along when he left, but realizing you were already nearing the end of your pregnancy, he felt like he’d already missed so much.

He would send word to Dimitri to keep him off those longform missions for an extended period after his baby was born.

Perhaps even longer after that.

He carefully pulled back from you, looking down at you to get a proper look. Sure enough your baby bump had gotten much larger, reminding him that there was indeed a tiny human growing inside you.

Felix crouched down, placing his hands over your swollen belly, feeling how tight you had become. It couldn’t be comfortable, he thought to himself, but was enamored with the thought of a child really waiting for him in there.

“You’re all right, aren’t you…?” He asked quietly, feeling the soft tap of a foot against his palm. His heart skipped a beat

You nodded with a sniffle, “I-I’m fine, I just...hate what the pregnancy has done to me.”

“What do you mean? Aren’t you happy? That’s our baby you’re carrying- I...I’m happy.” He offered, but you shook your head, placing your hands on his chest.

“I’m happy about the baby, but I’m...I’m n-not happy that I can’t fight with you!”

“...Come again?”

“I was w-waiting to spar with you at the front door...I-I was so looking forward to it, but when the midwife found out she made me leave the sword and rest, instead…”

“Is that why you locked the door?”

“I was tired of being treated l-like a child, and...I-I just missed you so much. If you were there you would’ve been able to help.”

“Of course I would have.” He hugged you again, resting his chin on top of your head. “Sothis knows you can kick my ass pregnant.”

“Maybe not,” You giggled, the first sign of levity since he came home. Felix smiled softly, patting your back.

“We’ll never know, now. I’d rather not risk the wrath of the midwife if she has the strength to keep you away from our duel. We can always reschedule.”

“Good...I’ve been aching to duel with you since you left. Um...among other things.” His arms tightened around you, eliciting a squeak.

“Byleth Eisner Fraldarius- did you just say what I think you said?” “...I may have...”

“You realize a man who’s missed his wife for three months is a very dangerous creature.” He grinned at you, your face cusped in his hands as he wiped away your tears. But you nodded all the same, your fingers wrapped around his tunic with no intention of letting him go.

“Nothing I haven’t tamed before.”

“Don’t say I didn’t warn you,” He growled playfully, proceeding to capture your lips for the first time in ages.

You were beyond glad to see your dearest husband again, and his comfort eased all the worries and anguish in your heart.

Which was good, because there would be a lot of that for the next two months; he made sure to stay close byjust in case.

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shiro-pom · 3 years

Note

even though she’s both the arch bishop and the queen of faerghus, byleth always wants to be the one to bathe her little child instead of having any of the maids do it. dimitri finds it adorable (as do we)

(Story 8 of 10! Literally nothing is better than blue lion dads JUST saying)

When Dimitri was summoned to the royal quarters, he assumed something was amiss. Had something gone wrong with the young prince, or the queen?

He was perplexed on the walk across the castle to reach your side, but more so when he didn’t see anything wrong.

You were just standing there, holding your baby, and refusing to let any of the nursemaids take him away.

Everyone was fine, though, so...he went from perplexed to just straight vexed pretty quickly.

“Er...Beloved? Is everything all right?”

“Yes, everything’s fine.”

“Your Majesty, Queen Byleth will not allow us to take the young prince for his bath, tonight.” The head nursemaid informed him, looking quite pale and anxious. “It is very important for us to bathe him every two nights, and if we don’t give him his first bath soon, he could fall ill with disease or worse!”

“Is this true?” Dimitri looked to you with a great deal of concern, to which you shook your head.

“It’s not that I don’t want him to be bathed. I want to bathe him, myself.”

“But my lady, that’s preposterous! The queen should never have to do such a lowly chore.” Another nursemaid spoke up, horrified by the mere suggestion.

“My father bathed me when I was a baby,” You explained in a quiet voice. It dawned on Dimitri that you were feeling shy. Almost embarrassed. “I...wanted to do the same for my son.”

Ah.

“Y-yes, my Queen, but your father was a mercenary! You are-”

“That is enough, all of you.” Dimitri spoke gently, but his tone was firm. “I understand and appreciate your concern, however if the queen wishes to bathe her son personally, then she may do so.”

The women exchanged nervous glances, but eventually, they did concede. It was one thing to try and convince the queen not to do something, but...to go against the king’s will was a very different beast.

They curtsied and apologized, quickly exiting the bedroom.

Dimitri approached you slowly, seeing how closely you held the babbling little boy in your arms. Your cheeks were flushed ever so slightly. You had been quite flustered by their desire to take the baby and do your job for you, it seemed.

“Beloved...are you all right?”

“I’m fine. I just...worry that I’m being silly. Maybe I should have let them take care of his bath.” You said half hearted, looking at your son. “It seems so normal, but they have a point. I’m not a normal person.”

“To be fair, you never were.” Dimitri chuckled softly, placing a hand on your shoulder. “But it matters not. If you wish to bathe our son, you are more than welcome to. After all, you are the queen, and that means you have final say on any decisions you choose to make. You’re allowed to stand up for yourself, my love.”

“I know. I’m still just...new to this.” You gestured to the room around you, “And I didn’t want to upset anyone, but I also want to be close to our son.”

“You will be. Giving him a bath will certainly help.” He assured you with a sweet smile. “Come along, then. Shall I escort you to the washroom?”

Your shoulders relaxed, feeling far more relieved that he was on your side rather than trying to convince you otherwise. You linked your arm with his, letting him escort you to your personal washroom, rather than the prince’s nursery.

Dimitri drew the bath for you, letting you bounce the baby happily on your knees and unbuttoning his little outfit.

“So, do you know how to do this?” Dimitri questioned you, a thought he should have asked prior to agreeing to this.

Mainly because he had no idea how to bathe a very small baby.

“It isn’t my first time bathing a newborn.” You assured him, beaming at your bundle of joy. “I had taken on several jobs caring for children when Father and stayed in various towns. While he was off on jobs, I would take on small jobs until I was able to fight alongside him. I made little money, but I learned a lot.”

“I see. You have truly lived a colorful life, Beloved.”

You smiled shyly at your husband, who was gazing at you as though you were Sothis herself (well, I mean).

Once the bath was properly filled, you passed the baby to his father and began to undress. Of course Dimitri couldn’t look away. As if he wasn’t captivated enough by you.

When you stepped into the bath you received your son back, trying your best to ignore the pointed stares of your husband.

“Dima...would you like to join us?”

“W-what? You...you wish for me to bathe with the both of you?”

“I don’t see why not. It would be a good bonding experience for all of us, don’t you think?” You suggested, and Dimitri’s heart could have soared from his chest into the heavens.

“If you wish for me to join you, Beloved, I would be glad to!”

It didn’t take long for Dimitri to undress, joining his family in the suds and gentle oils.

You were already getting to work on the baby’s hair, softly scrubbing the soap and making sure to rinse thoroughly (to prevent little scales of soap forming in his hair, you explained to Dimitri later).

Your husband sank in behind you, prompting you to lean back against his chest. His arms came around your waist, hugging you close while he watched you take care of the baby.

It was mesmerizing watching how you washed the child with such care. Your hands slowly rolled over each limb, making sure to clean every inch of that baby.

Said baby was simply babbling along, captivated by the foamy bubbles that were all over the place.

Dimitri smiled against your shoulder, watching his child’s happiness with nothing but delight in his heart.

“...Dima…?”

“Hm?”

“Did you hear me?”

“What’s that, dear?” Dimitri lifted his head, clearly having drowned out whatever conversation you’d been having with him.

“I asked if you could wash my back. Since we’re all in here, we may as well clean ourselves up, too.” You explained.

Dimitri could not have agreed faster.

In no time you were all squeaky clean, with the king having scrubbed you clean (with very gentle, precarious work). The baby fell asleep in his arms while you were working on your husband.

Dimitri’s hair was barely washed before he informed you that your son was ready for bed. You made quick work of the rest of Dimitri, though effectively scrubbed up all his handsome muscle and ensured he was good and clean like the rest of his family.

He helped you from the bath, handing you a towel while he tucked the baby up nice and cozy in his own cloth.

The three of you emerged from the washroom, quite a sight in your matching towels and sopping hair.

You swiftly changed into your nightclothes, and you had the young prince nice and cozy in his wool onesie to make sure he didn’t catch a cold. Faerghus was hardly forgiving to vulnerable children, even if it was the king’s child.

Once he was settled in his cradle and fast asleep, you returned to bed, finding Dimitri already drifting off to sleep.

It was always a long day for the king, you thought. The fact he was able to stay awake through the bath was a feat in itself.

He stirred when you shuffled under the blankets with him, curling your arms around his chest and resting your head against his back.

“Dima?”

“Yes, b’loved…”

“Thank you.”

“Mm…”

“Thank you for letting me do that, with you. I...know it was strange.”

“Not at all.” He yawned, covering your hands with his own. “If it makes you happy...and it is important to you...that is all I care about. Besides...I liked it.”

You smiled into his tunic. “You did?”

“Very much. We must do it again…”

“Then we will.”

“Wonderful…” He yawned again, fading quickly. “G’night, my love.”

“Good night, Dima.” You whispered, feeling closer to your husband than ever before.

You were able to sleep soundly, that night. Mostly thanks to how wonderful your husband smelled, which soothed you to sleep.

An excellent experience, indeed.

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