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Five years. How time flies. War engulfed the land of Fódlan as the different regions chose their side and battled for control. Professor Byleth of Garreg Mach Monastery, had been missing since Edelgard von Hresvelg usurped the throne of the Adrestian Empire and proclaimed the destruction of the Church of Seiros. The students of the Blue Lions had scattered across the land to fight for what they believed in and protect those caught in the crossfire.
During a battle on the outskirts of the Monastery, Felix, Sylvain, and Ingrid had banded together with a few other soldiers to defend against a large wave of bandits. They strategically split up to take down the first wave one by one between the remnants of destroyed buildings while they cut off the approaching forces leading behind. They were well equipped for anything, but even the best could be outwitted.
Felix took down a pair of bandits sneaking in from the sidelines with ease. His eyes darted around the surrounding area until he caught sight of the leader. His eyebrows furrowed in disgust. The more he fought in frustratingly pointless battles, the more impatient he became to end the misery of his foes. Bandits in particular posed many issues that were of little consequence compared to the war at hand. Their disgusting actions were to end by his hand.
Felix was determined. He wasn't going to wait for his friends’ help when he was more than capable of handling the leader on his own. Adjusting his stance, he bolted towards the man to land a powerful blow even the most skilled opponents couldn't dodge. The man shouted in anger and readied himself. Felix let out a guttural growl before he swung the blade at his target.
"You will die!"
"Not today."
He heard another voice from his left side. It felt as if everything went into slow motion as the hidden bandit, armed with a slender yet long dagger, quickly dug his foot into the dirt to swing it at Felix. Initially, Felix reacted, using his practiced footwork to dodge the oncoming blow. However, he made a grave mistake in choosing to block the next swing from his right, and didn't notice the man's left hand gripping the blade's twin. The tip landed far from its intended target when Felix attempted to flee its path. It dug into his far abdomen and pierced through to the other side.
He knew he had to think fast, so Felix flipped his blade around and slammed the pommel into the man's face, breaking his cheekbone. The bandit lost his grip on the weapon and fell to the ground before the leader tried to finish the job. In quick succession, Felix dodged and swung several times even with the dagger still set within his body. Blood quickly soaked his clothes from the sudden movements slicing at his insides with even the slightest movement. His eyesight slowly began to waver and the adrenaline set in a feral aggression to finish what he started.
After a few additional minor injuries, Felix drove his sword into the leader to claim victory. The man's body fell to the ground beside his comrades with a heavy thud. Felix suddenly felt a wave of exhaustion and pain shoot through his body. He gripped his sword hilt with both hands in an attempt to stay standing.
Little did he know that his body had been exhausted far before the battle even began and it showed in his performance. All it took was one mistake. He fell to his knees then took in a sharp breath of air. He couldn't give up. He wouldn't. All around him, sounds of swords clashing and the breeze rustling nearby trees were muffled. He could see blood drip onto the ground for a few seconds. Felix's grip on his sword gave out and he fell to his side; head striking the stone beneath him with a sickly thud.
That battle was three days ago. Since then, they traveled with Felix in Sylvain's arms to Charon. They managed to find a house they could temporarily stay in and medical supplies to treat his injuries. One gloomy and rainy day when Ingrid was out on a scrimmage, Felix finally woke from his coma. He blinked his eyes in an attempt to regain proper focus. Even the slightest bit of movement brought immense pain, with the worst focused in his abdomen. He was still dressed in his pants but his shirt and armor were stripped. Someone had expertly bandaged his torso every day to keep it clean and used every vulnerary they could buy.
Felix let out pained noises, face scrunched up in discomfort.
He moved his arms in a poor attempt to adjust himself and bumped into Sylvain's head. He had been exhausted from constantly nursing and guarding his friend that he fell asleep against the bed; sat on the floor. The chair he was originally sitting in had been shoved to the side by Sylvain's foot. Felix could only tilt his head slightly to see and make the assumption that he fell out of it. If it wasn't for the man's bright red hair, he would have believed he was alone.
"Sylv," Felix struggled.
His throat was dry from lack of water and food, and his voice was strained. The desperate need for help led him to endure the pain momentarily so he could knock his hand into Sylvain's head again. Sylvain groaned when waking then lifted a hand to rub his eyes. He turned slightly to check on Felix and saw his dulled brown eyes slightly glaring back at him. Sylvain jumped up immediately onto his knees.
"Felix! You're finally awake! Man, we were so worried about you. I found you unconscious and felt so guilty for not coming sooner."
"Ugh… Wat-"
"Huh? Are you in pain? Do you need something?"
"Water," he forced out and groaned.
"Coming right up!"
Sylvain quickly got up off the floor and ran into the kitchen. He grabbed some water, food, and more medical supplies just in case. There was a gut-wrenching feeling of fear inside him that was alleviated when he saw Felix awake, but that didn't mean he was in the clear. Until his injuries fully healed, anything could go wrong and he wasn't going to leave his side. Sylvain set down the supplies then offered the water. Felix couldn't lift his arms to sit up, so Sylvain carefully tipped the glass to his mouth to take sips. After a few minutes, they carefully sat him up without tearing open the wound and Sylvain sat nearby.
"Everything hurts. What happened? It all went so fast."
"I found you with a dagger in your side. I thought you were dead!"
"You really think with my experience that I'd die to something like this," Felix scoffed and glared. "This is minor compared to what could have happened."
"Minor?! Dude, you were unconscious for THREE DAYS! I had to carry you all the way here and stop you from bleeding out. If I hadn't found you, you'd be dead."
"Don't be a drama queen. You exaggerate everything. Where's Ingrid?"
"She's out fighting," Sylvain replied; frustrated. "I didn't want to leave you alone."
"Not off charming nearby women? That's a surprise. Maybe you're the one that's truly ill and needs a bed. Get me my blade, I'll do the work myself."
"You can jest or insult me all you want. You're not leaving this bed for any reason," he snapped. "You can barely sit up let alone get to your feet."
"I'm not an invalid. I don't need to be coddled like a child," Felix growled then took barely an inch of movement and a burning pain shot through him. He inhaled sharply and fell back against the pillow. Sylvain leaned forward, concerned.
"Don't be so stubborn! Shit. You’re bleeding again. Don't move."
"Fuck. Why was I so reckless? I'm such a fool."
"You're supposed to be saying that about me. Not yourself," Sylvain jested and rummaged through the supplies to grab new bandages. "Seeing you all vulnerable is actually pretty hot. I feel so special catering to you like this."
"You're fucking sick. Perverted whore," Felix spat.
"Haha! That's more like you. Allergic to compliments."
"Go fuck yourself, Sylvain."
"Why would I when I have you?" he asked smirking, then went back to the task at hand. "This is going to hurt a lot. Can you handle it?"
"How about I stab you and you can feel it too?"
Sylvain chuckled and used the scissors to cut through the soiled bandages. He leaned over Felix uncomfortably close, which rewarded him with the sigh of his friend's face tinting pink with an unintended blush. Sylvain couldn't help but grin as he carefully peeled the bandages off of him. They were temporarily rested against the bed next to the stab wound to catch any blood though it was already too late and the sheets needed to be replaced. With a gentle touch, Sylvain inspected the stitch work to make sure none of them popped open then grabbed a bottle of water and a cloth.
"I'll be as careful as I can."
He was given uncharacteristic silence as his answer. The sounds of Felix's strained breathing and occasional sharp inhale hurt Sylvain’s heart, but it had to be done. After he finished cleaning, he grabbed the bandages, then lifted Felix to sit up. Sylvain wrapped his left arm around Felix’s torso so he could begin wrapping. Felix's mouth was only inches from his ear. Even he couldn't help but blush at the subtle sounds that escaped his friend. Despite knowing its cause, it didn't stop his dirty mind from wandering uncontrollably.
"Shut up."
"I didn't say anything," Sylvain replied with a higher pitch.
"You're thinking about it. Shut up."
Sylvain simply chuckled and continued to wrap his torso until it was properly bandaged. When Felix was propped up against the headboard, he watched Sylvain clean up the mess from the corner of his eye. His pride prevented him from giving thanks, though he knew he'd owe Sylvain far more when he was back on his feet. The war would go on even without their help. It was only a matter of time before they had to pick up their swords again.
There was an extended amount of silence between the pair. The concern for Ingrid's safety was high when they couldn't be there to make sure she got back in one piece. That anxiety showed in Sylvain's mannerisms. No matter how hard he tried to hide it, the fidgeting and micromanaging began to grate on Felix's nerves.
"Do you want to eat? I can go cook something if the snacks aren't good enough. Ingrid should be back today with the vulneraries after visiting the nearby shops."
"Sylvain..."
"We're in Charon by the way. This town hasn't been directly affected by the war just yet. They still struggle with supplies, but the guards keep away the bandits."
"Sylvain!"
"What? Something wrong?"
"Your incessant worrying is infuriating. Sit down," Felix demanded with his head turned away. He reached over to grab a snack from the food Sylvain brought in and sighed. "This is fine for now. If it makes you feel better staying with me, then I can wait till Ingrid returns before you cook something."
"Oh... Alright," he replied and obeyed the command. "Does it feel better at all?"
"No."
"Do you remember what happened?"
"I remember I got stabbed," Felix said with a raised eyebrow. "The rest is a blur. I was trying to take down the leader, but they ambushed me. I was a fool to think I could handle it alone."
"No, you're not. You never would have known they were hiding."
"I could have taken precautions. Checked behind corners and..."
"Felix," Sylvain said sharply and snapped him out of his self deprecation. "It's already done. You can't change what happened. The war can wait. I don't want to see anyone die, but especially not people I care about. Especially not you."
"Psh. Stop being so sentimental. Everyone dies eventually, but this proves I'm still not strong enough. I have to keep fighting."
"When will you ever be strong enough? There's no satisfying you, is there?"
"You're too stupid to understand. I won't stop until I'm strong enough to protect those I care for," Felix growled again and clenched his fists. "I won't watch idly as you fools get slaughtered. Without me, you're useless!"
Instead of hearing a witty remark in return, Sylvain stared at Felix with sorrowful eyes and struggled to find the right words. He was aware that Felix was hiding behind his attitude, but he didn't fully understand the extent. Felix was never open about his feelings. There was an occasional compliment or encouragement, but it would be hidden behind insults.
"Damn Felix... I'm sorry."
"Sorry won't bring you back if you get killed like Glenn did! I can't make mistakes like this. I made a promise to you and I intend on keeping it," Felix hissed and put a hand over the injury; wincing. "If I'm not here… if you're alone… who would save your sorry asses?"
"You're right for the most part, but you can't do everything alone either. You can't keep the entire world on your shoulders. Maybe this isn't your fault per se. Maybe you need to let someone help you for a change. Someone like me," Sylvain said with a sad smile then turned his head down towards the floor. "I care a lot about you Felix. You have no idea what it was like seeing you on the ground like that. I really thought I lost you. I'd never been so terrified."
Silence.
"Please. Just rest. I don't want to talk about this anymore."
Sylvain got up from the chair and made his way to the door. He stopped just as he was about to open it then sighed. The struggle to return to his typical cheery self was difficult, but he managed to force out a happier smile.
"You're probably really hungry. I'll go make you one of your favorite meals. Thankfully Ingrid stocked the fridge before she left. I'll be back in a bit."
He left the room without another word and Felix was alone in his thoughts. It took a lot to truly sour Sylvain's mood, but when it happened, Felix's heart broke with it. He normally wouldn't regret the things he said. There was a lot of truth in his words, but he also didn't know when to stop sometimes. Today was a day he went a little too far. The thought of losing Sylvain in any capacity became unbearable. He was right. He couldn't do everything alone and the more he thought about it, the more he was forced to accept that he was far stronger with Sylvain than without.