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Chapter Text

He always smelled of lightning. That clean scent that always lingered after a thunderstorm. No matter how much he scrubbed, or how his heart raced on the battlefield, the scent clung to Hubert’s skin and clothes from countless spells cast.

The Sword of the Creator hung loose in Byleth’s hand as he hugged the mage. It was a gesture of simple relief, of worry lifting from their shoulders. At least until the next battle.

Byleth held Hubert a little tighter. The smell of magic chased away the far worse scents that permeated the battlefield.

“My, my, Professor,” Hubert hummed. “Is something the matter?”

“I lost sight of you for a bit,” Byleth replied. The implication was clear to Hubert. Losing sight of a comrade often meant losing them for good.
“I’m alright.” Hubert’s voice softened only a touch.

Hubert gave Byleth a tiny, reassuring smile, one that was easily missed by less observant people, then moved away to account for the others.

For now, they were alive and the scent of lightning lingered in Byleth’s nose.

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Byleth’s hands were strong. They were covered in cuts and calluses but his touch was as gentle as a breeze. He knew his strength and power and yet could be softer than silk. His fingers brushed across Hubert’s bare ribs like a pianist and, like a musician, he could elicit the sweetest sounds from his instrument.

Hubert arched up into the touch, gasping with pleasure. His dull nails dug into Byleth’s well muscled shoulders. Byleth’s caresses were painfully slow but Hubert refused to ask for anything more. He was harsh, sharp, all cutting words and poisoned blades. But Byleth, oh Byleth, treated him like something delicate. Like something to be treasured. Like everything about Byleth, it confused him at first, though it very quickly became evident it was just one of Byleth’s many quirks. Byleth saw him in a very different light than most and that was something to be treasured, not questioned.

How could he question when Byleth looked at him so earnestly? Byleth kissed him and Hubert whimpered.

“We have all night, my love,” Byleth whispered.

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The emperor’s teacup hovered at her lips.

“You… wish to marry Byleth?” Edelgard asked. She knew there were things that Hubert wouldn’t tell her but this?! “You’ve kept something so fascinating from me!?”

“At the time,” Hubert said. “It wasn’t as important as winning the war.”

“That’s fair,” Edelgard conceded. She sipped her tea for a moment. “I didn’t know you had any attraction to Byleth.”

“Neither did I,” Hubert admitted. He stared at a napkin as if he wanted it to burst into flames. “You… know that I am not particularly good at asking for help.”

“That I do know,” Edelgard chuckled. “But what could you need help with in this matter? You must simply ask him.”

“I have dedicated my life to you, your cause.” Hubert spoke quietly. Under the table, he dug his fingers into his palm. “I do not have two lives. Can I truly give him the attention he deserves as a husband?”

Edelgard set her teacup down with a gentle clink. “I understand,” she hummed. “But I ask you this, Hubert. Do you think he wishes you to dedicate yourself to him as you did to me?”

“No. There is no doubt that he doesn’t,” Hubert replied quickly. “Nor would I want to.”

“Then I think you have your answer.” Edelgard smiled.

Hubert frowned and narrowed his eyes in thought. “Please, explain.”

“You certainly don’t have room in your heart for two dedications,” she said. She took a small bite of a cookie. “But you have room for a partner, don’t you? Someone to share thoughts and troubles with.”

Hubert’s hands relaxed on his legs. He hadn’t considered it like that.

“I cleared a path for you alone,” he said. “But on this new journey… yes, I think I have the room for a companion.”

“As your friend, Hubert,” Edelgard said, holding out her hand. “We’ve created a world where we can follow our hearts. Take advantage of it.”

Hubert slowly took her hand. He couldn’t recall the last time he held her hand. He’d certainly been a child.

“Besides,” Edelgard continued. “I would much rather you marry Byleth than someone I didn’t trust.”

Hubert laughed. “Yes, some dubious individual could use him to get close to you.”

“I meant that I trust you won’t break his heart,” Edelgard said.

Hubert smiled. “I have no intention of doing that, your majesty, you have my word.”

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The beating sun wasn’t the only source of discomfort. Everything in Byleth’s body ached and pulsed with unfulfilled need. Even removing his clothes did nothing to help the sticky, wet sensation that clung to his body.

And the alpha pressed against him barely helped.

“Hubert…” he whined. “Not enough.”

“Again?” Hubert’s voice was hoarse from effort. “I am no expert, but your heats are not usually this bad. Should you see a physician?”

Hubert had a point. But things had changed drastically since his last heats. He’d lost the crest stone that connected him to Sothis. For the first time in his life, his heart actually beat properly.

“Or is this a side effect of your changes?” Hubert was on the same page, it seemed. Of course he was. Byleth’s alpha was the smartest of them. And, despite what everyone else thought, he was the gentlest. He was the only one for Byleth.

“Hubert, please.” Byleth was on the verge of tears.

“Ah, my love,” Hubert sighed. He held out a cup. “Drink some water for me first. You can do that for me.”

Byleth dutifully drank a bit of the cold water. It felt amazing on his parched tongue and soothed his too hot body.

“That’s it,” Hubert murmured, brushing Byleth’s sweaty bangs away from his forehead. Byleth pressed desperately into the touch.

It was going to be a very long heat.

Chapter Text

Even with the windows open, it was warm in the room. But Byleth still crawled into bed with his socks on.

“I don’t like summer,” he grumbled.

“Darling, you can take off your socks,” Hubert said. He fluffed up the pillow and laid back.

“Um, no?”

Hubert sat up again. “What?”

“I can’t take off my socks,” Byleth replied. He crawled under the thin summer blanket with a sigh. “I can’t sleep without them.”

“I don’t understand.” Hubert frowned. “Why can’t you sleep without them?”

“What if something happens?” Byleth pointed out. “What if I need to get my boots on quickly? I can’t put them on without socks. One less thing I have to put on.”

They stared at each other.

“Byleth,” Hubert said. “You sleep naked.”

“I never said it made sense!”