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roraruu · 9 months

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YOTO: July

Leonie/Bernadetta. Stars/friends to enemies to lovers.

The first time Bernadetta spots Leonie out by the little fishing lake is after Jeralt dies.

She sits on the edge of the dock, with her naked toes just grazing the surface to barely kiss the water.

Bernadetta originally snuck out of her room to snag some cake from the mess hall. But as she was creeping along the path, humming to herself, she heard a sniffle, then a sigh and saw Leonie seated there at the dock.

Bernadetta doesn’t talk to her, just observes her from her perfect little hiding spot outside Petra’s room. The shadows shield her enough from Leonie’s view. It’s been raining for the last few days so the air is very humid and there’s little relief; but the sky has opened up and there’s only wispy remnants of storm colours.

Bernadetta has never seen the stars shine so brightly. Varley is an arid region, but the skies are mostly covered by smoke from the factories that produce their weapons. Swords and scriptures, that’s what her people are known for.

She wants to open her mouth to ask if Leonie’s okay, because Bernadetta concerned and Leonie is Leonie. She’s like a hornet, strong, fast, zippy. Once, when she was sitting in on a lancing lecture to pass a horse backing riding exam—mandatory as she skipped so many of her assigned shifts in the stables—Leonie got hit several times by Dimitri of all people and did nothing more than stagger back and yell at him “again”. She even went as far as to taunt him, asking “is that all you got?”

Something inside Bernadetta—probably her anxiety—tells her that this is treacherous.

Maybe Leonie doesn’t want visitors? Maybe she came out here for peace and air?

Before she knows it, she’s calling out her name softly. “Leonie? Are you… um… okay?”

There’s a distinctly snotty sound and then Leonie vehemently insisting she’s alright, she’s okay in a salty, tear-streaked voice that insists she’s not okay.

Bernadetta stands in the dark night and says, “I don’t… um… know what you’re going through but uh… M-Maybe cake would help?”

“Cake?”

Bernadetta feels stupid. “Ye-Yeah. Cake always makes me feel a little better. And watching the stars.”

Leonie pauses.

“I-I was just going to go watch some. B-But maybe we could. Um. Watch the stars together?”

“That sounds good.” Leonie’s voice is small.

Bernadetta hurries and gets two slabs of cake—eating a bit of hers on the walk back—some stale cookies and thermos of tea to bring back to Leonie. She settles in beside her, but not to close and pushes the cake and cookies closer to her. Leonie finds it in her to laugh, and says “You can come closer, Bernadetta, I’m just crying, not sick.”

Bernadetta sheepishly slides closer along the dock. Panic rises inside her but it feels different this time. She fights back and tells it that it will not best her. “A-Are you okay?” Then admonishes herself. “S-Stupid Bernie, of course you’re not okay…”

“No, don’t worry.” Leonie runs a hand over her face, pushing back her bangs. “I’m just missing Jeralt. Captain… Captain Jeralt.”

“Oh.”

“He was sorta like a dad to me.” Leonie confesses softly, then mutters, “but I guess you figured that out already.”

“Sorta, yeah.”

There’s a silence between the two of them for a moment before Bernadetta squeezes her eyes shut tight and says, “I called Alois ‘Dad’ by accident.”

Leonie’s brow furrows and she sputters out a little choked laugh that’s obviously half-forced, half-genuine. “Do I wanna know?”

“Um… my father… He isn’t good to me.” She’s careful with her words, for she thinks that they’ll get back to him somehow. “Alois reminded me of my uncle, Francois. I always felt comfortable around him… I called him father a few times.”

Leonie looks at her like she understands what Bernadetta means. Her hand clasps over Bernadetta’s and for once—and at the perfect time—Bernadetta doesn’t flinch. “My old man wasn’t good to me either. Jeralt was.”

“We’re lucky to have them… Aren’t we?” Bernadetta asks.

Leonie’s voice cracks again. “Yeah. We are.”

“Stars are pretty tonight.” Bernadetta says.

Leonie nods. “Yeah. They are.”

—

Leonie is dragging Bernadetta back to her horse. Well, not dragging, but leading her back with her hand in Bernadetta’s. It’s late at night, after lights out. Leonie insists that she’s found the perfect spot to stargaze and when Leonie is right, she is right.

Bernadetta is shy and nervous and demure and ladylike. When Leonie told her of the plan during the lecture on tactics during battle, Bernadetta’s eyes sparkled in wonder and she murmured in curiosity if it was the same spot that Caspar took her to. She brought a little fabric knot of snacks—stolen hard cheese and bread—and her sketchbook with some thick charcoals.

“W-Would you let me draw you?” Bernadetta asks nervously. Leonie can’t help but think she looks pretty with that crimson blush and wide eyes. In the back of her mind, she wishes that Bernadetta was a little braver, not for Leonie but for herself.

“I’ve never had someone draw me.” Leonie muses. “So yeah, of course.”

The horse is tied up beneath a tree and Leonie half expects to be posed like an elegant lady—in the back of her mind, she wishes that Bernadetta does that, fluffing up her messy hair, lacing her hands in her lap, tilting her chin up while murmuring ‘now look at me’. But her hair is short and her face is round and her clothes are mismatched compared to Bernadetta’s pretty eyelet nightgown and the little sweater over top of it.

Bernadetta is on her feet and pulls her up, she’s much stronger than Leonie expected. She drags Leonie next to the horse and then instructs her to braid its mane. “Or whatever you do around them. Just act natural.” Bernadetta insists. Her voice is giddy. “Like you’re just in the stables.”

Leonie does so, but it’s hard to act natural when Bernadetta’s big eyes are focused on her. But they’re not focused on her per se; they’re focused on a spot next to her, in a space that isn’t hers. Does that make sense?

In a half hour, Bernadetta has a sketch and is showing Leonie it as they eat stolen cheese and bread and gaze at the stars. “I-It’s not even my best work.” Bernadetta says. “It looks quite bad really. Oh goddess you hate it—”

Leonie rests a hand on Bernadetta’s shoulder. “No, Bernadetta. I love it.”

Bernadetta’s face goes red and she hides her face in her hands in embarrassment. She murmurs something unintelligible, and when Leonie asks her again, Bernadetta practically yells, “I’ll come to Sauin and paint you proper someday!”

That makes Leonie smile for real, perhaps for the first time since Jeralt died.

—

Bernadetta isn’t a gambler, but when she does play cards, she’s a shark. Her mind is hardwired for mathematics, for chance and probability. It’s probably why she’s so good at judging when to run and hide and when it play it safe.

Leonie however, likes to gamble only when she knows she’ll win. And while she and Bernadetta are friends, one of them is rich and the other is very poor. Leonie looks like she’s got the upper hand, a cute little smirk and sharp glimpse of the eye, and Bernadetta pulls out a 15-ten, launching her ahead of Leonie and into the final peg.

Leonie sighs and hands slides the little gold marks to Bernadetta. “You’re too good at this.” She sighs. “Crib isn’t my game.”

“Don’t say that.” Bernadetta insists, taking the change and rattling it in her hand. “I th-think I have enough to get us some tea.”

“We can have tea back under the gazebo. The professor won’t mind sharing some leaves, and I’m sure if you ask Lorenz for a teapot he’ll lend it. He’s got like twenty or something. Probably.”

Bernadetta pouts and shakes her head. “I won! I want to treat you.”

“Isn’t that a waste of money?”

“Shouldn’t you hush and let me treat you?”

Leonie can’t fight the logic in that and shuts up. But before they can get down to the tea shop down below in town, Bernadetta’s anxiety spikes. “I don’t think I can do it.” She mumbles and grabs Leonie’s hand for support.

Both girls blush hard. Bernadetta feels a little stronger when Leonie squeezes it back and tells her that it’s okay, that they can to another time. But Bernadetta is adamant. She wants to give Leonie something. They pass a flower seller and Bernadetta, overcome with energy and courage actually asks the seller for a bouquet of sunflowers. Her words come out in one breath, in sentences that linger along and make Leonie wonder why she’s never like this around her. Bernadetta comes running back with an armful of stalky blooming sunflowers that reflect their golden-yellow light back onto her pallid face.

She thrusts them at Leonie and says, “H-Here! For you!”

Leonie’s never had flowers given to her before. Back home in Sauin when Saint Cethleann day hit—which was typically recognized as a day to celebrate forms of love—people would always exchange flowers. Leonie never got a single one, aside from her mother but that doesn’t really count.

Leonie blushes hard and takes them from Bernadetta, murmuring a barely audible, “thank you.” Bernadetta must not notice her blush, for she turned away quickly. It’s a huge stack and Leonie plucks one, a small one that was plucked before it had fully bloomed so the petals are still small and holds it out to Bernadetta.

“But they’re for you.” She protests.

“And I’m giving you one.”

Bernadetta vehemently refuses, all the way up to the monastery. That night, when Leonie’s doing a final walk before bed, she takes the small sunflower and leaves it out in front of Bernadetta’s door.

The next morning, when Leonie’s the first one up and doing her morning stretches, she walks past Bernadetta’s door and smiles when she sees the sunflower gone.

—

Bernadetta is hiding behind a table of hors d’oeuvres at the ball. She hasn’t danced yet, refuses everyone until Leonie comes over and takes her hand and pulls her to the floor. Bernadetta was never a great dancer, always too jumpy and quick, which is why she’s probably a great archer. Leonie’s always been light on her feet but uncoordinated when it comes to dancing.

So instead of the floor, where they’ll surely bump into people and piss them off, Leonie takes Bernadetta outside where they spin in the grass and collapse in the blades laughing and dizzy.

And then, as Bernadetta’s about to get up, Leonie leans in and kisses her.

It’s a short burst of a first kiss that makes both girls burn bright red and their hearts pound so loudly that they can hear it in their ears.

All Leonie can think of is “Oh goddess, oh fuck I’m so stupid, oh goddess,” in a repetitive loop.

Meanwhile, Bernadetta is staring off into space like she’s zoning out, her mind awash with “Well, everything makes sense now.”

Leonie’s mouth opens to apologize, to sputter out apologies like what Bernadetta would do; but as she begins to speak, the words die against Bernadetta’s lips as she kisses her again and again.

—

“The stars are prettier in Sauin.” Leonie says.

Bernadetta can’t help but believe her. They’re probably so much prettier against the open fields and bright skies. Wildflowers in the vale. The skies in Varley are shit in comparison, always covered up and smoky.

“I want to see them one day.” Bernadetta tells her.

Leonie presses a kiss against her temple. “I’ll show you. Promise, Bern.”

Bernadetta curls into her chest, her arms snaking around Leonie’s waist tightly. Leonie laughs and it reverberates through Bernadetta’s entire body. She feels warm, she feels at home.

“I’ll hold you to it, Sunflower.”

—

Leonie developed a taste for alcohol young. From fine brandy to shitty moonshine, she isn’t picky. But she honestly prefers it in her mouth instead of washing it over open wounds.

She’s had a stash of gin—not her favourite but it does the trick pretty quick—that’s just right to clean broken skin and wounds. She keeps it stashed in her boot, probably negating its purpose.

The arrow is lodged in Bernadetta’s thigh and she’s been unconscious for a while. She slumped over into Leonie and her grip went limp about twenty miles away from Varley Manor. Edelgard had ordered them to retreat if things looked bad, and things really started looking bad. Leonie had a feeling that the monastery would be either taken by the church and kingdom or overrun with wounded so she ran. It was the bravest thing she could do.

Leonie grabbed Bernadetta by the waist and hauled her up onto her horse, ignoring her yelp and her cries that Petra was left behind, that Petra was going to die and leave her siblings behind, that she needs to help Petra—

Leonie had grabbed Bernadetta’s hands and told her, in a low tone, a warning tone, a tone that she hated, “We can’t help Petra if we die.”

That sobered Bernadetta up. “I’ll guide Bennet. You focus on protecting Petra.” Leonie ordered.

Bernadetta nodded, her eyes glistening with tears. The two became a cohesive unit—Leonie guiding the horse, Bernadetta nocking arrows and protecting Petra from a distance as best as she could. Leonie circled around the town of Garreg Mach, fully intending to get back up to where Petra was so that Bernadetta could take Bennet and speed off to safety and Leonie could jump off and help Petra, who was surrounded.

Just as they were rounding the battlefield, another archer came outta nowhere. They missed Leonie but hit Bernadetta with a shrieking cry that made Leonie’s ears pop and Bernadetta drops her bow and cuss loudly.

Instincts drove Leonie to get the fuck off the field. Healers were scarce and her own vulnerary stash was near-depleted from a particularly nasty hit from Alois, who had nearly taken out Bernadetta. Leonie had seen it coming, saw the panic and fear in Bernadetta’s eyes, and remembered that one time, down at the lake, where Bernadetta recalled how similar he was to her uncle.

So Leonie had jumped in, Leonie had taken the hit and then knocked the shit out of Alois, ignoring the fact that he had a wife and child at home, ignoring the connection he had with Bernadetta, ignoring the fact that he had mentored her in axe-throwing when she first got to the academy.

Ignoring that he too had lost Jeralt.

Leonie snapped the reins and directed Bennet—who had been startled by Bernadetta’s high-pitched scream—away from the field.

“Okay Bernie, okay,” Leonie’s voice was uneasy, and she was trying her best to make it calm. Bennet got scared and in between soothing Bernadetta and the horse, Leonie was stretched thin. “Talk about something. Tell me anything, come on, Bernie!”

Bernadetta was half-sobbing, half-screaming and began spilling the entire story of a five-part saga about a hunter and a princess, a Cinderella story of sorts. Leonie took the reins in one hand and searched for the vulnerary that she tucked into her pockets and fished it out. She handed it back to Bernadetta who chugged the rest of it and cringed.

When Leonie realizes that the gin is in her pocket.—Leonie kept her talking by asking about the book she’s writing. Each time her voice got too faint, Leonie would shift the reins into one hand and clutch Bernadetta’s arm hard and ask, more like yelling over the hoofbeats, “okay Bern, what happens next? What happens next?”

When Bernadetta doesn’t answer, Leonie panics. Leonie isn’t used to panicking. Her mind goes through the motions of control, of what’s right, what’s logical.

We need to stop.

She pulls hard on the reins and the horse halts, whinnying in protest. Leonie hops down from the horse and Bernadetta almost falls.

Leonie braces Bernadetta and helps her down as best she can. In a panic, Leonie undoes the cloak around her waist and bunches it up to make a shitty little cushion. She tucks it under Bernadetta’s hips. Elevation. Elevation is key.

She searches for a pulse, her breath. She’s breathing but shallow, and her pulse is weak.

Leonie stumbles over cusses. The vulnerary only did so much, and it wasn’t enough. First aid, she needs first aid. But pulling the arrow out makes a breeding ground for infection. And pulling out the arrow is not a good idea for the extra blood loss.

Now, she’s wishing she paid more attention to Lorenz in between his patronizing comments and remarks as he tried to teach her white magic. Leonie was almost hopeless. Guy was a jerk most of the time but he knew what he was talking out.

All she has is here and now. Stop the bleeding. She orders herself. She has to stop the bleeding before Bernadetta’s weak pulse goes flat and she stops breathing.

Leonie grabs the cloak and bunches it around the arrowhead. Bernadetta’s body flinches instinctively and Leonie feels uncomfortable hope. Don’t get ahead of yourself Pinelli. She warns.

The professor would know what to do. She keeps thinking that Byleth would tell her what to do. But Professor Byleth is back on the front lines with Edelgard.

She dodges those thoughts as deftly as she can and searches the packs for alcohol. Leonie developed a taste for alcohol pretty young. Bernadetta did too, though she can’t hold her booze.

Leonie waterfalls it into her mouth and bitter, intense juniper and florals run over her tongue to take the edge off, breathes a sigh and steadies herself.

“I’m sorry Bern.” She says before dousing her thigh in gin. Before the alcohol washes over her broken skin, Leonie is murmuring white magic spells, tripping over the words and half-crying because she can’t lose Bernadetta. She can’t. Bernadetta has to live because Leonie’s lost too much already—

Bernadetta shocks awake and stares at Leonie, eyes dazed and unable to hold Leonie as her focus. Leonie doesn’t care. Instead she’s sobbing and clutching onto Bernadetta and praising the all stars in the sky that the stupid spell worked.

—

Bernadetta tries to slow her thundering heart but she can’t. Camping sounded more fun on the first night, but after a week, her back is aching and she’s struggling to find a comfortable way to stretch out without kicking Leonie.

The idea, at first, was to try and get to Varley where they could hide out. Bernadetta remembers a few empty houses that they could wait out in for a few days until the monastery is recovered and they can contact the professor.

But after a few days, Bernadetta sends a message by express to the professor asking for instructions and gets nothing back. And worse, every time she tries to remember the way home to Varley it gets foggier. She’s blocked part of it out, the pathways and vale that’s cloaked in thick, jet-black pines. It would be easier if she could just fucking remember.

She begins to get worried when Leonie gets frustrated with her inability to remember. Leonie will ask questions over and over, trying to figure out a solution, but each time Bernadetta cries out that she doesn’t know or can’t remember, Leonie’s patience burns away.

At least they’re going back into imperial territory. Most of the noble houses bound together and are in agreement to fight against the church and Kingdom, but there’s still dissenters and Bernadetta is constantly on the edge of a panic attack.

Their plan becomes treacherous and after a week of camping with stolen blankets and in dirty clothes, Bernadetta is done.

“I can’t remember the way home.” She says into Leonie’s back.

Leonie stirs a little. Her voice is distant. “You can’t?”

”No.”

“Seriously?”

“I can’t, I’m sorry, Leonie, I can’t.”

“Can you remember the path you took up to the monastery.”

“No.” Bernadetta’s voice gets shaky. “I… I was pretty much shoved in a bag and carried there, I remember nothing. I’m sorry Leonie, I’m sorry.”

Leonie sighs and sits up. Bernadetta stares at her frame, lit by the stars. Her freckles melt into her skin and disappear; shame, for they were Bernadetta’s favourite part of her, they looked like a tiny sky painted across her cheeks and down her neck.

“Then you have to go back to Edelgard.”

Bernadetta sits up. “M-Me? What about you?”

Leonie is cold and quiet. “I can’t go back.” Her voice is defeated. “Claude needs me.”

“You’re deserting? She’ll kill you.“ Bernadetta says desperately. Her hand finds Leonie’s and holds it tight. “Leo, I can’t—I-I-I won’t… Don’t…”

Leonie’s arm comes around her shoulder for a moment and she feels her lips brush her hair. “I’ll run with you. I’ll run! W-We can figure something else out! We can go to the kingdom.”

“They know you’re with Edelgard.” Leonie warns. “The second someone sees you, or recognizes you, you’re done.”

“But I don’t… I can’t. I can’t be away from you, Leonie.” Bernadetta holds her gaze. The words jumble in her throat, thicken her tongue and take forever to come out but Leonie is patient. “You make me strong.”

Leonie just stares and holds her hand, her calloused thumb running over the back of Bernadetta’s palm. She’s quiet, gentle and attentive as Bernadetta attempts to regain herself and fails horribly. Bernadetta wants to collapse into Leonie’s arms and sob and yell that it’s not fair, it’s not fair, it’s not fucking fair.

“We’ll make it someday.” Leonie promises her. “We’ll just wait and see, okay? I know this isn’t the end, I know it, Bern.”

Bernadetta feels her world come crashing down on her, but Leonie’s holding it up like she always does. She’s always so cool under pressure, nothing ever gets to her and it’s one of the reasons why Bernadetta is so intrigued by her.

“We’ll head back to the monastery tomorrow.” Leonie decides. “How’s your leg?”

“Fine. I’ll survive.”

It still hurts a lot, and Bernadetta’s moving slower than she should but the important thing is that she’s alive. She would’ve been dead without Leonie. Soon enough, Leonie won’t be there to make sure she doesn’t get hurt.

“They’ll take care of it better, I’m sure they have the supplies.”

Tears prick at Bernadetta’s eyes. Her arms slither around Leonie’s waist. She hugs Leonie tight, trying to remember how she’s all strength, all hard edges and sinewy muscle. Every since really taking archery seriously, Bernadetta’s slowly become like that, but village life and planting and sowing and hunting since she was a kid has sculpted Leonie into that mould.

Bernadetta focuses on the feeling of Leonie’s body against hers, her steady breathing, the rhythmic gentle thud of her heart. Bernadetta focuses on that for a long, long time until Leonie melts into sleep—she’s always been a better camper than Bernadetta—then slowly extracts herself from around Leonie.

She gets up, empties her pockets of her change, they were playing an anxious game of cribbage, trying to pass the time before the attack on the monastery, and leaves her entire coin purse of cribbage winnings by Leonie’s head, writing in the dirt, You win, Sunflower.

She says goodbye to Bennet, leaves all the rations they collected and her cloak because Leonie will surely need it and leaves the campground without looking back.

—

In five years, Bernadetta throws herself on Edelgard’s mercy; Leonie does the same with Claude. Naturally, as both are skilled fighters, they’re accepted back into the fold.

Edelgard keeps a close eye on Bernadetta to make sure she doesn’t run and hide. Claude makes sure that Lorenz, who has employed Leonie as a mercenary out of the knowledge of his father, keeps tabs on her.

Bernadetta doesn’t dare send a letter to Leonie, though she writes many and addresses them to the hearth in her room. Leonie doesn’t either, because she goes where the money goes.

But soon enough, five years lapse and the war goes full tilt.

—

Leonie is thrown from her horse. Bennet, the dumb bastard, rears up when Raphael lets out a roar to gas himself up. The battle’s barely started and she’s already half-concussed. The one fucking battle, that is the most important and she’s already messed up.

Leonie forces herself up into the saddle and follows Claude’s orders. She and Raphael are on the front line, their job is to cut a path through so that their reinforcements—mages—can sneak in and set fire to the field.

It all goes to plan, Leonie cuts down allies and enemies alike, their faces and bodies bleeding together like paint.

There, across the field she sees Bernadetta at the ballista. She looks different. Stronger, more mature, there’s a fire in her eyes that Leonie never saw before and she keeps murmuring, that can’t be Bernadetta, that can’t be her. It can’t be.

Then it occurs to Leonie that she’s on the bridge they’re going to set fire to.

Bernadetta, who left her in the ruins of a ravaged town. Bernadetta, who she thought would have died long ago. Bernadetta, who she would never have imagined in a thousand years to be here, on the front line at the Battle of Gronder Field.

Before she realizes it, Leonie is barrelling towards Bernadetta, screaming her name like it’s the only words she knows. She’s breathless, her lungs burning like hell as she pushes poor Bennet, faster, faster, faster.

She feels an arrow graze her shoulder. From the corner of her eye, Leonie sees crimson seep through her shirt sleeve and she cusses. Bernadetta nocks another one and screams at her to stop or she’ll shoot again. There’s a wild look in her eyes, a dangerous look, a look that says, “we have unfinished business”.

Leonie feels a lurch of anxiety and stops short of dismounting Bennet.

There’s a tense moment of eye contact as Leonie drinks in how Bernadetta has changed. Her hair is different, like she’s finally gotten used to using a hair brush, and she’s taller, much taller, almost as tall as Leonie herself. And she looks mature in a bad way, in a way that gives her dark circles beneath her eyes and quaking hands. She doesn’t look like the Bernadetta that she kissed, the Bernadetta that she shared secrets with, the Bernadetta that she loved and still loves.

She must have gone back to her father. Leonie shivers as she thinks it.

There’s the din of swords and shields. Leonie almost drops her lance. Bennet grows anxious with all the fighting.

“They’re gonna light this on fire.” Leonie tells her against the deafening sound. “If not them, us. You have to move.”

Bernadetta stares at her. “You said they’d protect me.”

“I was wrong!” Leonie cries out desparately. “I was so fucking wrong! I should have protected you. But you should have stayed! All you had to do was stay!”

Bernadetta’s eyes flicker behind her. She keeps the bowstring pulled tight as Leonie gets off Bennet and then lets it fly into Leonie’s shoulder. It lands hard and Bernadetta drops her bow, immediately realizing what she’s done.

She’s swearing, half screaming the words and then a cacophony of Oh goddess, oh Goddess, but all Leonie can think about is that she’s missed that anxious little voice and then realizes, “Oh fuck. You shot me.”

Bernadetta is stumbling over apologies before taking action. Like years before, but now in reverse, Bernadetta hauls Leonie on the back of Bennet and snaps the reins hard. She yells at Leonie to tell her about Sauin Village, about her home, about her travels, and Leonie, while feeling the blood ooze from her shoulder and the cloud of adrenaline fade from her mind, can talk only of the stars back in Sauin as they desert Gronder Field and their armies.

—

Bernadetta, Eternal Loner Leonie, Blade Breaker II

After fleeing Gronder, Bernadetta and Leonie were said to be spotted on the run for many, many years, though no official documents or records state this. Folk songs and rumours suggest that they became some sort of heroes to everyday folk, and The Ballad of the Bear and the Hornet, can be found in many children’s books.

Reports exist that an older woman with a fair amount of battle scars could be spotted inside taverns and pubs with many a great story to tell. These fun nights would follow promptly with a woman who only referred to herself as Bear, coming in to pay her wife’s tab and give her apologies.

Bonus CF Ending: Upon inheriting House Varley, Bernadetta completed her duties in solitude. When Leonie was called to dispatch some bandits, she and Bernadetta reunited and ended up staying together. Leonie became captain of her personal guard and Bernadetta ascended to become a wise, caring and authoritative leader with Leonie’s help. It was rumoured that in the early days of their relationship, Leonie would sit in and warn visiting dignitaries and politicians to mind their manners when Bernadetta was speaking with a weapon at hand; in respect to this, Bernadetta gave her a golden dagger, engraved with the name Sunflower.

#ru writes #3h #fanfiction #I got super fucked up today about bern and leonie and this just came out #Leobern #I can’t be the only one who thinks they’Re neat ok #leonie pinelli #bernadetta von varley #These poor girls are super fucked up and i want them to be ok #Tw abuse #i get the vibe that Leonie’s dad is pretty absent hence the attachment to Jeralt #And we know Gregoire is gonna get the folding chair if Leonie ever sees him #I usually hc bern as a beautiful bi lady but in this she spends 18 years of her life wondering why every man she meets she thinks is mid #EXCEPTING RAPHAEL KIRSTEN #But the second leonie kisses her she’s like “OH. OHHHHHH OK OK I GET IT NOW!!!” As if she didn’t see Petra and Edie and Dorothea and didn’t #Think: wow these girls are so pretty i mean beautiful i mean hot i mean—#year of the otp

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ankhlesbian · 2 years

Text

leonie/bernadetta - little talks

Game: Fire Emblem: Three Houses

Pairing: Leonie/Bernadetta

Title: little talks

Rating/Length: G, ~2k words

AO3 Link: Here

Leonie and Bernadetta have a date planned that will take them around Garreg Mach, with the goal of helping Bernadetta feel more comfortable leaving her room. Leonie is right there to support her as they do their best to follow the plans they made and have a good day, even if it does end up getting a little rocky.

Leonie knocked on the wooden door in front of her. There was a muffled squeak and a lot of rustling on the other side, but Leonie waited patiently. Bernadetta had agreed to this beforehand, after all.

At last, the door swung open, revealing a shaky-looking Bernadetta. She was wearing a sundress, hand-embroidered with delicate flower petals and cheerful rays of sunshine. Leonie had watched her do it, and the outcome was something even Leonie could admit was pretty, even if it was perhaps an impractical outfit for anything other than a special outing.

“It looks great! Looks just as nice being worn as it did when you were working on it.” Leonie praised as she thrust a bouquet of flowers at Bernadetta. “Here. To start a date off right.”

Some of the plants she had been tending to in the greenhouse had flowered, and she figured there was plenty to go around. Some even looked like the same kind of flower Bernadetta had put on her dress, if you squinted.

“Oh! I can put them, uh..” She trailed off, turning around to look frantically about her room. Leonie had gone through the trouble of bringing her flowers, there had to be something she could keep them safe in. Her eyes fell on a half-empty glass of water on her desk, so she snatched it up eagerly and held it out to Leonie. Leonie unrolled the fabric holding the bouquet together and slid the flowers in.

“They’re already dying, so don’t sweat it. I just figured the colors were nice.” One or two were something Leonie recognized as sometimes going in herbal remedies, but the rest were lost on her. Leonie may not be super experienced with romance, but she could see the merits in flowers to start a date off. Something for Bernadetta to look at and remember the good times with for the next couple of days.

“I-I’ll watch over them for as long as they last,” Bernadetta promised, returning the glass carefully to her desk.

Then they were left standing in the doorway, Leonie firmly outside, Bernadetta still technically inside, one step away from crossing the threshold to leave her room.

Leonie offered a hand. “You ready for this?”

Bernadetta took a deep breath. “Okay. First, the fish pond. Then, we walk through the dining hall on our way to town… we do some errands. And come back here.”

Leonie nodded encouragingly. “Exactly! And if you want to turn back at any time, just say the word. I know you want to push yourself, but I want you to have fun, too.”

Bernadetta went to grab Leonie’s hands, but something stopped her. She pulled it back at the last second. “A-are you sure? About people… seeing us? You won’t be embarrassed?”

Leonie raised her eyebrows. “Embarrassed? I’m proud to be dating a girl like you. Getting to show it off my girlfriend is the cherry on top.” She snagged Bernadetta’s hand and gave it a squeeze. “The only opinion I care about when it comes to holding your hand is yours.”

Bernadetta stifled a laugh, her cheeks flushing red. She still wasn’t used to the rush of joy she felt every time Leonie said girlfriend.

“Okay. L-let’s go then!” She marched forward before she could change her mind, tugging Leonie along behind her. Leonie laughed and quickly caught up, legs a good bit longer than Bernadetta’s.

It was a typical day at the monastery, if a little sleepy due to it being earlier on a weekend. The sun was strong and warm, floating in a clear sky. A light breeze kept it from becoming miserably hot. The few students milling about in the courtyards paid them no mind as they walked, taking their time so Bernadetta could get used to the scenery.

There was a strange insect crawling up a stalk of grass. Bernadetta took a moment to crouch down for a better look. Leonie made a face, resolutely refusing to be pulled down with her.

“I’m good up here. Never been able to stomach bugs,” she confessed.

Bernadetta reached out a finger to nudge the insect into moving so she could see how it walked. “You go to so many scary places, do so many scary things, but a little guy like this is where you draw the line?”

“We all have our weaknesses,” Leonie replied defensively. “You can appreciate it as much as you want, and I’ll stay a nice foot or two away from it.”

Having had her fill, Bernadetta stood back up. “They’re so different from us, and from other animals. It’s cool!”

“But all those legs… I find it just plain creepy. Hey, if there’s ever a bug in my room, will you come kill it for me?”

“I-I wouldn’t kill it! But I’d definitely come and s-save you.” she promised solemnly, voice turning shrill during the second sentence.

“Heh. I’ll look forward to it.”

There were a couple of people at the fish pond, taking advantage of the early morning insects buzzing about the water.

Alois raised a jolly hand when he spotted them, the other clutching a fishing rod.

“Good morning, you two!” He hollered, voice booming out across the courtyard. Bernadetta jerked at the sudden noise, tightening her grip on Leonie’s hand. Her grip loosened when she recognized who it was.

“I think he just ruined his chances of finding any fish for the next hour.” Leonie whispered as she raised a hand to wave idly back. She blinked in surprise when Bernadetta bounced to her heels, waving furiously with her free hand at Alois.

“He’s nice,” she explained sheepishly. “I wanted to say hi back.”

“You’re right. Might not be the best at catching fish, but he’s always got a joke in store.”

Bernadetta nodded in agreement. “He kinda reminds me of one of my uncles… I like talking to him.”

“Do you want to go over and talk to him right now?” Leonie asked carefully.

Bernadetta considered. They had planned to go to the fish pond. They were at the fish pond. But they hadn’t planned on talking to anyone here. They were going to other places, more crowded places… She needed to stick to the plan and save her energy. She shook her head.

“I’m just happy I waved back. Maybe we could talk to him out here another time.”

“Alright, we can shelve that. I see him out here pretty often, so it should be easy enough.”

The route they were taking walked them around the edge of the pond. The water was surprisingly clear, light reaching far enough down into it to show the roots of the lily pads descending into the depths. Occasionally a fish or two would poke its silver head to the surface, munching at some sort of microscopic plant or bug.

“It’s nice,” offered Bernadetta. She walked past here often on the way to the greenhouse, but had never stopped to look at it proper. Something about the murky bottom concealing the Goddess knew what didn’t appeal to her. But right now, it didn’t seem so bad. “What kind of fish are in there?”

“I think it’s mostly whatever we stock in it. It’s an artificial pond, so. I think the rarest thing I’ve ever reeled in was a Teutates pike or two.”

“Ah… those are tasty.”

“Especially fresh! Next time I find one, I’ll let you know.”

Leonie squinted at the sky, trying to estimate the time as they stood there. Bernadetta noticed and bit her lip.

“I-I’m ready to keep going.”

She gave her a reassuring smile. “Just cutting through the dining hall, then circle back the long way around the wall back to town. No stopping to chat, no need to eat in front of anyone, just passing through.”

It was still an hour or so until noon. There would be a few late risers in there, but it would be well before the lunch rush that would fill the place up. Leonie knew that from experience, from ducking in for a bite after morning training sessions that ran long more than once.

The coolness and dimmer lighting was a nice change from the outside weather as they ducked in. The noise level was higher, no more wind and birds and the occasional cricket, just a constant level of chatter.

The air felt like it was biting into Bernadetta’s skin. Suddenly, she felt like she was wearing far too little. There were more people in here than she’d anticipated. At least a couple looked over at them as they entered, and she swore their eyes were lingering on her. It was only fair. She wasn’t here often.

Her hand left Leonie’s, instead crossing her arms across her chest as she hunched in on herself, leaning forward slightly so her hair would fall to cover her face, a shield from the unwanted attention.

Leonie reacted smoothly, shifting her arm to wrap around Berandetta’s shoulders and pull her close. She kept them on track, guiding them around anyone who was loitering about and towards the exit opposite of where they had entered.

Bernadetta gulped, swearing the noise in there was getting louder. Were they talking about them?

They stepped back out into the fresh air, the breeze a balm against her face. Leonie pulled them gently towards a quiet corner of the garden, hidden amongst the hedges.

Leonie had seen Bernadetta have a panic attack a handful of times, and knew one wasn’t far off.

“Hey, we’re outside now. No one’s around anymore. Can you hear me?”

Bernadetta sucked in a breath. There was a long pause before she let it out. Rinse and repeat.

“You’re breathing, that’s good.” Leonie moved her hand down from her shoulder to rub circles on Bernadetta’s back. “Keep it up.”

After a few minutes, Bernadetta was able to speak. “S-sorry.”

“I’m glad you’re okay. Do you want to talk about what was overwhelming back there?”

“I-it was loud. And they were looking at us! I wish I had my hoodie.” She hugged her arms around herself. “I feel like my… you know… are too visible...”

While working on the dress, Bernadetta had also decided to sew a pair of breast pads. Leonie had helped brainstorm possible fillings, from tissues to feathers to cotton, until they found one that worked.

“Do you want to take them off? Or cover them up?” Leonie had dressed up a little, but she still had her hoodie wrapped around her waist. She patted it with one hand.

Bernadetta closed her eyes to think.

“C-can I have your jacket?”

Leonie tugged it off, the knot coming undone easily, and handed it over.

The other girl tugged it on, sleeves dwarfing her. She rolled up the sleeves and zipped it up, nestling her chin into the collar.

“Ah. Much better.”

“You never know when you need a jacket. Never leave my room without it, naysayers be damned. I don’t care if it’s gaudy.”

“I think it’s a nice color! It matches your hair!”

“That’s what I always say! It’s a good color on my head, it’s a good color on clothes. You can never have too much orange.”

“Unless you’re trying to hide from bugs…”

“Hey!”

They broke down into laughter, snug and comfortable in their own corner of the world. When it died down, it was Bernadetta who spoke first.

“We should keep going!”

Leonie blinked. “Are you sure?”

“W-well, if it’s too crowded at the market, we might need to turn around… but I want to try!”

“Fine by me! I’ve got a couple things I’m looking for.”

They circled back around to town, staying outdoors, tracing a path along the monastery walls. While lively, the market was much more spread out than the mess hall on top of being open-air.

Bernadetta perked back up, still as jittery as usual, but more energized than nervous. She watched with wide eyes as Leonie hemmed and hawed and haggled her way through her shopping list.

The haggling grew rather heated with one particular vendor, until Bernadetta couldn’t take it anymore, shouting “That’s a rip-off and you know it!” at the man. The vendor had flushed red, either with embarrassment or anger, and had given Leonie the price she wanted just to get them away from his booth.

Leonie snickered and managed to coax Bernadetta into accepting a high-five for her contribution.

They found themselves back at the door to Bernadetta’s room, a bag of spoils looped over one of Leonie’s arms.

“Thank you for a great day. It was a lot of fun, and you did great.” Leonie caressed Bernadetta’s cheek with a warm palm.

Bernadetta leaned into it, almost nuzzling Leonie’s hand. “It was a little, uh, tiring. But I’m glad we went. Thanks for going with me.” And then she rocked onto the tips of her toes, pressing a short kiss to Leonie’s lips.

“Anytime,” Leonie beamed. “Whenever you want, whatever you’re comfortable with, I’m happy to be right there with you.”

#leobern #leonie pinelli #bernadetta von varley #leonie/berndetta #fire emblem three houses #fe3h #fe16 #it writes #leodetta

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