[All very casual things that are normal to say to one another, yes.
Words that have his chest clenching again. If he had doubted that his feelings now were different than five years ago then... well, he would be right. He had admired her, was awe-struck by her, when he was seventeen. His thoughts often derailed by her beauty when he was supposed to be focusing diligently on a lecture, finding himself so uncharacteristically distracted. He is all of those things now, but five years ago, it was an infatuation that surely would have passed if the war had not existed, if they went their separate ways and he never saw her again.
Now? Now, standing here with her hand clasping his, feeling its warmth... now, he knows that is far stronger, something deeply rooted. Trying to remove it would be like removing a piece of his heart, their bond strengthened so much more by pain and overcoming that pain. The idea of returning to Fhirdiad and to act as Faerghus’ King while she remained elsewhere? He does not believe the passage of time would heal that hurt, not like it would have five years ago.
What a... terrifying thought. What a wonderful thought.
If only he could somehow enunciate that to her without sounding like a fool, without putting too much of himself on the line. Byleth says these things to him, but he wonders if—]
Thank you, Professor. [He’s a fool. He cannot bring himself to ask.] There is no one else that I would so dearly wish to have near, when that time comes.
[He gives her hand a squeeze, with the same pressure he feels around his heart. He looks down at their hands, smiling dimly.]
...you are always so warm, you know. I do not think the cold will be much of a problem at all.
no subject
Words that have his chest clenching again. If he had doubted that his feelings now were different than five years ago then... well, he would be right. He had admired her, was awe-struck by her, when he was seventeen. His thoughts often derailed by her beauty when he was supposed to be focusing diligently on a lecture, finding himself so uncharacteristically distracted. He is all of those things now, but five years ago, it was an infatuation that surely would have passed if the war had not existed, if they went their separate ways and he never saw her again.
Now? Now, standing here with her hand clasping his, feeling its warmth... now, he knows that is far stronger, something deeply rooted. Trying to remove it would be like removing a piece of his heart, their bond strengthened so much more by pain and overcoming that pain. The idea of returning to Fhirdiad and to act as Faerghus’ King while she remained elsewhere? He does not believe the passage of time would heal that hurt, not like it would have five years ago.
What a... terrifying thought. What a wonderful thought.
If only he could somehow enunciate that to her without sounding like a fool, without putting too much of himself on the line. Byleth says these things to him, but he wonders if—]
Thank you, Professor. [He’s a fool. He cannot bring himself to ask.] There is no one else that I would so dearly wish to have near, when that time comes.
[He gives her hand a squeeze, with the same pressure he feels around his heart. He looks down at their hands, smiling dimly.]
...you are always so warm, you know. I do not think the cold will be much of a problem at all.