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[ she didn't want to doubt his optimism, which seemed rare for the dark mage to show in the first place, but it didn't seem like Edelgard to just... disappear like that. especially if he thinks she has 'probably' made all manner of friends, and didn't have any inclination as to who she may have gone to stay with.

it makes her heart ache with compassion. seeing him in this way made her feel crushingly sad. the two of them were like coffee and cake. this wasn't right. ]

Wait, Hubert ... [ her pomeranian DTF scampers over, and she holds up the ginger puppy in her arms. ] Have you tried using your companion animal to try and reach her? I could try with mine if you think you may be having issues with yours.

I have. But... I could not reach her. [The words come out more strained than he would like.] Maybe yours could reach her... If you don't mind trying. You can blame me if she is confused.

[Hubert's hands clasp together, not quite wringing them together but there is a nervous motion to be had. Maybe she can just do it. Maybe his is just broken. Or something. Something like that.]

You would have my deepest gratitude if you are able to contact her...

Of course. I'm happy to try for you. Let's see ... Gingerbread, can you go handheld mode?

[ the pomeranian DTF shapeshifts into a mobile looking device, and Annette scrolls through to see if she can access a list of inhabitants here. when she reaches the 'E' section, she doesn't see Edelgard ... nor in the 'H' section, under Hresvelg. she scrolls up and down and can see nothing. even when slowly skimming every name, she isn't here. ]

Hmmm ...

[ she can't see her name in the inbox list at all. it looks as though Edelgard is gone. but she knows that Hubert probably knows this. when the calls fail, she tries and tries, and tries again - but nothing happens. ]

... I'm sorry Hubert. I can't get through to her either.

[The longer this takes the worse it feels. He almost wishes, after a certain point, that he'd continued on instead of allowing this to happen.]

I know. I know you can't. No one can... because she's not here. But I must keep looking all the same. [He swallows thickly. He's been quite composed all evening. He really has... But he feels himself crumbling.] She's been taken from me again. The last time this happened... I ran after her for days. But I was eventually dragged back to the capital, forced to live my life without her. And again this has come to pass... So I will run after her once more. Until I am left with no choice but to return in utter defeat.

I suppose... this is all seen as well deserved by the Goddess or whatever wretched force brought me here. For the path of blood I have carved for my lady... I must atone. And though I refuse to believe I have done anything wrong... I understand that the losers of war pay the ultimate price.

Hubert ...

[ she folds her arms and her expression softens into sad one. it is unreal getting to see someone like him folding in and being vulnerable like this. ]

That's just not true. Someone leaving, whether they end up somewhere else or what, is no fault of your own. It certainly isn't something to punish you with.

[ sigh. ]

... You're not the only one who has lost someone. Granted, our relationship wasn't quite what you and Edelgard had, but ... I lost Mercie. My best friend. She was here, then she wasn't. I felt ... a lot of the things you are feeling. Sad, angry, the whole mess. But staying upset like this won't help you. Neither will blaming yourself. She wouldn't want that.

[ she steps aside and holds her door open. ]

You can refuse if you wish, but if you want some company and to continue our chat... you can come in.

I did not realize this was not so uncommon an occurrence. And you can make sure that I will be more guarded in the future.

[He can feel the talons of his DTF squeeze his shoulder wanting him to accept her invitation. But it's more complicated than that. He can't just stay in her home. And he takes in a deep breath that sounds stuttering and fragile.]

Your hospitality is deeply appreciated... but I do not think I can accept. I don't think your friends would care much for that. And I would not wish to be caught due to an unexpected visitor. I've had enough threats on my life this past week and I need not more.

I should keep looking all the same. Idleness serves me ill.

[And when his composure does finally crack and break he would like it to be in the privacy o his own home.]

Threats? I'm not here to threaten you with anything! Do I look like an armed girl right now to you? [ she gestures down at herself. c'mon. these are the nicest pyjamas she owns. ] I love these silky pyjamas too much to get blood stains on them.

[ she knows that as a blue lion she shouldn't be so hospitable. but she's seen all kinds of things the months that she has been here. allies forming in unlikely places, friendship ... apart from all the weird sex stuff, it's almost like ... kind of nice to imagine this is how things could've been if everyone were friends. ]

I won't push you, but I really don't think you should be wandering around to exhaustion while you're in this state. I won't judge you ... I want to help you. I mean it, Hubert.

Edited 2022-06-27 06:40 (UTC)

I did not mean you. [There is a huff that is nearly a laugh. Nearly.] I meant... the rest of the kingdom forces.

[He is so... unbelievably tired. The only break he's had was with Corrin having that cup of tea. Perhaps he could allow himself another small reprieve before returning home. Though the thought of going back to his residence is unappealing at best. He needs to put her few things away. And... clean up her room. And...]

If you had coffee... I might be inclined to stay for but a moment.

[ she's relieved, honestly, that he won't go out and run himself into the ground. Annette leads him into her home, a quaint and humble cottage with a stocked pantry thanks to the sparse peaceful interactions she has had here. ]

It is pretty late for caffeine, but ... if it offers you comfort, of course I'll make some.

[ she encourages him to sit down on her sofa while she prepares the drink, taking care to ensure that it is a warming tasty blend. foodstuffs were her speciality, after all, and Annette knew that an indulgent treat was just as good as a hug in a time of need. she gently places the cup and saucer down on the table in front of him, before sitting beside him. ]

Hope it's okay. And for what it's worth, I don't think the rest of the Lions would do anything. Besides ... [ her face darkens while she brings this up again, but. ] you've seen me at my worst. So it would be hypocritical of me to judge you for anything you are feeling right now. Especially when it's relatable. Lions, Eagles or Deer ... none of that matters right now. We're all human, we feel emotions. Emotions you are allowed to feel. They may not be pleasant or nice, but they're there. So ... if you need to vent, I'm here for you. No matter our past grievances.

[He steps into her home, albeit, a bit reluctantly. For a moment he feels a small sense of calm as he just looks around. Her home is quite quaint. Very... comfy? He supposes is how he'd describe it. Far superior to where he is staying.

At her insistence he takes a seat on her couch and then waits for her to return. And even just being alone for the few moments is... difficult. Thoughts immediately begin to wander and he has Jeeves, his DTF, turn into its handhold mode. Again... he tries to contact her. But it is fruitless. She simply no longer exists.

Hubert's gaze glances upward as she returns, the smell of coffee being freshly brewed is truly quite heavenly. And he offers her soft thanks as he picks up the cup, blowing on it gently before taking a small sip.

It tastes... exceptional. Probably the best cup of coffee he's had since coming here. Before the war... even. As they were losing it was hard to get goods with supply lines being cut.

Hubert feels her sitting beside him more than he sees her, his bangs being in the way as they are. Annette's words are... sweet and kind in a way he is vastly unfamiliar with. That it's okay to feel and have emotions. He wants to scoff... as if it could be that easy to just feel so blatantly and freely. For her it probably is. He has, after all, lived a vastly different life than most.]

I was not raised that way. To feel or do anything you just said. I was to be her shadow. To follow behind when needed or carve a path ahead to light her way. It was different... when I first arrived. I could prepare for an eventuality that may never come to pass. But prepare for it all the same. Waiting for something that may never be is still better than losing that which you longed for. Thus when she came and went so quickly... [His voice audibly breaks and his gloved hands grip the teacup tightly.] It just hardly seems fair... is all.

[His breathing audibly hitches and a very heavy surge of unwanted emotions bubble forth. Like a dam finally crumbling.]

I let myself unwisely remove the barrier between us. And the moment I did... she was gone.

Edited 2022-06-27 10:13 (UTC)

[ Annette listens respectfully, feeling an unprecedented amount of compassion for the man sitting beside her. her mind was nowhere else apart from how much she wanted to provide him comfort. she wasn't as close to anyone as Hubert was to Edelgard and felt entirely ignorant of his duties, but she can see just how badly affected he is. she hesitates a little before reaching out a hand to gently and soothingly stroke his back. she allows him to finish before she shares her thoughts on the situation. ]

The flow of time here is a strange one.

[ she gazes up at the ceiling. ]

When I arrived here, the first person I saw was Felix. And one of the first things he told me was that there are two versions of himself here. Two versions from two different points in time. Same for Sylvain, and the Professor. Knowing that multiple versions of a single person can arrive here ... means that this could apply to anyone.

[ although she can't see him through his dark curtain of hair, she returns her gaze to him. ]

Your case is a special one, Hubert. You're right. You are her shadow. But that's a good thing because it means that there is no doubt in my mind that every branch of fate streaming through time has you at her side. From how close the two of you were in the Academy and here also ... if time pulls another Edelgard to you, no matter where she's from ... she will need you, Hubert. She will always need you.

[He was prepared to not feel anything at these attempts at comfort. He hasn't necessarily steeled himself against it exactly, his emotional state is simply far too fragile. But he was confident that there was nothing that could reach his heart as anything but empty words.

He is very wrong.

Perhaps it's because he doesn't know Annette very well and the mixture of not ever being spoken to in such a way. But there is something so painfully kind and honest about what is being said. And she also isn't wrong.

What he and Edelgard have is special. The one that was here wasn't even from the same time as he. He lost the war. But she was victorious. And they moved as if that didn't matter. She was still Edelgard. He was still Hubert. Nothing changed. Not a single beat. And that will be true no matter what happens. There is... there is a remarkable amount of comfort in that.

He is also blessed with the knoweldge that he knows that she needs him. That all he is does is useful. She has told him as much in the past. He knows his role and all the good it does for her. Should perhaps the Lady Edelgard that he knows ever arrive or another version that lost the war this will still be true.

But still... To have lost her at all. It still hurts. But that isn't what Annette is trying to fend off again. It's more... that it's okay to hurt. A concept he wants to scoff at regardless of its apparent merit.

He remembers the last time he cried. It was a lengthy affair. Running through the woods of the Empire territory trying to chase down a long gone carriage back to the Kingdom. The tears started to come as he was being dragged back kicking and screaming. The angry lecture and subsequent things to come about how he must forget about Lady Edelgard for the time being caused him to have a tantrum that only a small child is truly capable of.

He supposes it is fitting that the next time he should shed tears it is again at her disappearance to a place he cannot follow. And where he must move on for his own sake. They fall slowly down his sharp cheeks, as if his body is struggling how to remember to make this phenomena happen, and into his very delicious coffee. The rest is less graceful for the act crying is far from that. The shaking of shoulders and sniffling. It's all very messy and not pretty to look or listen to. But it happens all the same.]

[ his silence speaks more than words could ever say. Annette knows that what she said has affected him, for better or worse - but nothing could prepare her for the crack in her heart she feels when those tears pour out of him and fall down his cheeks. slowly and carefully, she gently removes the cup of coffee from his hands and places it down on its saucer - before she does what comes to her through instinct. she circles both arms around Hubert in a gentle hug which doesn't smother him by any means. by staying upright she allows him to lean into her if he felt so inclined. she would stay here for as long as he wanted her to. both hands stroke the fabric of his clothing, and in passing she wonders just how many people have comforted him like this in his life. ]

[Hubert is not good at comfort. He doesn't know how to give it all that well. And he certainly doesn't know how to receive it. When she wraps her arms around him his body is torn between melting into it or remaining rigid and unyielding.

He already misses the cup in his hands. The warmth of it permeating through his gloves but he also may have been in danger of spilling it or dropping it... But now he knows not what to do with his hands. He simply stares at the white gloves a bit smudged and dirty from all his running about today. They shake a little to his keen gaze. Due to these emotions, maybe. Or the strain of the day. Lack of proper rest, food, water. None of which he wants very much. Well... maybe sleep. He feels so incredibly exhausted and the thought of eventually walking home is a weary thought indeed. But there is much to do and...

All thoughts stumble to a halt as her hands, so gentle and kind, gently stroke in what he supposes is a comforting gesture. It's stopped him from the tumbling flow of unhelpful thinking he is prone to so... perhaps yes, comforting.

He really isn't sure what to do when someone holds you like this. But he supposes, maybe, he could be pliable. It would be no more humiliating than what is currently transpiring. He frees an arm from her embrace and with blatant hesitation awkwardly wraps it around her as well. He tries to be mindful of where he touches her, her sleep wear doesn't cover a great deal but resting his hand upon her arm would be fine, he thinks.

He still has no words. Nothing he can utter that would mean anything right this second. All he can do is squeeze her tight in his embrace. A silent offer of gratitude in his vulnerable and fragile moment.]

[ the way he returns her gesture of affection makes her sigh in relief. she wasn't expecting it. not in the least. she would've had no problem dishing out affection towards him for the sake of comfort. and so she remains. when the minutes blend together, she doesn't mind. her thoughts begin to drift about the circumstances of Hubert's health while enduring this. did he have somewhere to stay? food to eat? was he bathing at all?

she breaks the silence with a soft, gentle statement after a good long while of holding him. ]

You can stay here if you don't want to be alone tonight.

Edited 2022-06-28 00:34 (UTC)

[Staying here feels like such a terrible idea. A very good way to give Felix a reason to kill him again or any of the others really. He brings his free hand up to wipe at his eyes. Such draining things emotions. And though he is not without them it is nevertheless quite taxing to feel them quite so deeply.]

I would think it unwise for someone like you to have someone unsavory like myself in your home... to say nothing of spending the night.

[His voice is much more hoarse and scratchy than he would like it to be. Such is the way of it.]

I really should finish my drink and get out of your hair. [He removes his arm from around her to pick up his cup once more. Everything still feels shaky and fragile but... The few tears shed have, at the very least, ceased for now.] It's quite good... your coffee. [It should be noted. He should say it.] It's been a very long time since I had one that tasted quite so good. Everyone was so infatuated with tea at the monastery...

[ Annette notices that he is struggling to dry his eyes and would probably like to remedy that ... she steps to her feet once he releases her from his hold and walks over to the kitchen counter, where she plucks a few tissues from a tissue box. after a moment's consideration, she decides to bring the entire box and places it down on the coffee table, handing the stray tissues so that Hubert can properly dry his eyes. ]

Now that's just nonsense, Hubert. You aren't unsavoury. You're a person going through a tough ordeal, and it's not something you have to face alone. Even though the temptation to resist is pretty strong, I'll bet. [ she returns to sitting next to him. ] I wouldn't offer you something I didn't mean. If I could use my magic to take your pain away, I would in a heartbeat. But the next best thing I can offer is company and care. It's no trouble at all, really.

[ the compliment makes her smile. honestly, she's ... not the most confident in herself across all avenues in her life, so hearing praise like this from an unexpected source really tickles her. ]

Thank you. My door is always open if you'd like another, any time.

[Again, he thanks her softly for the tissues taking the few that she offered. He dabs away the rest of the remnants of this breakdown and lets out a soft sigh.]

You are either trying to flatter me, which is most unnecessary, or are naive about the kind of person I am. [And what her friends think of him.] For what it's worth I don't doubt your sincerity... But all the same, I should take my leave of your home sooner rather than later.

[He sips at the coffee once more the taste still impeccable now that it's not quite so searing hot.]

Mercie... That was the the tall pale haired one at the Academy, yes? [He remembers her because she was always exceptionally friendly. And offered him baked goods on more than one occasion.] While I often do tend to come off as callous as possible... That was not my intention this particular time. I am sorry about your own losses. I am sure you two will meet again.

[ she folds her arms. ]

I'm far from naïve. I know plenty. But I'm not here to berate anyone over past grievances, especially not you. We all lived such different lives across many timelines, and I know that His Highness wants to keep the peace here.

[ a pause. ]

One of the Felixes here left the Lions to side with the Empire, you know. The other one stayed with His Highness. [ a soft breath. Annette has had strong feelings for Felix for a long time. it introduced a new area of conflict to her that she never thought possible. and yet: ] ... It would be a waste of my energy to belittle him for what he chose, even if I don't understand it. Everyone had a reason for the choice they made back then. The war was brutal. It scattered us across time. But it's over. We're here now. And I am offering you the same kindness that I offer the Felix who chose the Empire. I am an informed woman who will not turn her heart away from helping someone in a dark place when the boundaries we had earlier are no more.

[ ah ... yes. time to reminisce a little here. ]

Mercedes. Yes. Mercie is my nickname for her. We went to sorcery school together. We go waaaaaay back. She was- is- [ she corrects herself, ] my best friend. At first I felt so lost here without her. I've really... needed her here. But the more I thought about it, the more I realised that if Felix and Sylvain can appear here twice, then she can too. And I know she'll be my best friend still no matter where she's from. It doesn't feel like naïve optimism when I've seen firsthand what it looks like when this realm pulls people from other places.

I am sad without her, but I will always hang onto hope that I will see her again. Thank you for seeing it this way, too.

Edited 2022-06-28 15:27 (UTC)

[Well, unsurprisingly, she’s a bigger person than he because he absolutely takes issues with traitorous classmates. He also has to withhold a scathing remark about the feral prince wanting to keep the peace. All he can do is take a deeper sip of coffee and listen.

Keep the peace indeed. The same prince who was screaming for his Lady’s head so he could wear it as his own or some such? That prince wants peace? Nonsensical.

However… Lady Edelgard had also desired peace. His very being rebels against the idea to offer peace to his killers and simply rollover for them. But to go against her command, especially when it would not be to her benefit was also something he could not do. So in silence he must continue to suffer.]

I am aware of the Felix situation though I am disinclined to speak to either of them… It’s no easy thing to look upon your killer and play nice. [The blade cutting through him so easily is mostly what he remembers. The buzz of power at his fingertips slowly fading. And his concern for Edelgard turning into deep despair as the word grew colder and darker. And then he was here.] I am of the mind that there are things that cannot be forgiven or reconciled. Not everyone is worthy of your forgiveness or acceptance.

I am one such person. And I would argue that it is naïve to allow me into your home. Much less stay. Without Lady Edelgard here to keep me on that much talked about leash who knows what manner of things I am capable of. Or what I might do.

Just because you don’t believe in the barriers that seperated us doesn’t mean they don’t exist. I feel them so very keenly… these great walls that cannot be breached.

It is most unwise to grant me anything other than your disdain. Such things will keep you safer.

[Perhaps a much more compelling argument had he not been brought to tears on her sofa moments ago. But the hope is to spook her enough that she just tells him to leave.]

Felix killed you? [ so that's something new she's learnt about Hubert today. ] I died in the war too. It happened so fast I didn't see where the blow came from. Ironically it was ... to save Felix's life.

[ without hesitation, really. that statement can speak for itself on how she feels about the angry cat man. ]

Pfft. I'm more afraid of the dark than I am of you, Hubert. [ she's smiling when she says this. how does she have more confidence in her own optimism than the fear he's trying to instil in her? probably because she knows with her own magic she could take him on tome to tome. or the lions would chew him apart and leave not a hair from his head if he dared to harm her. but still. ] Besides, I'm already dead. We all are. You may live your life with walls high up, and granted - I can very much see why this would be. I can understand this even from the very limited things that I know about you. But whether you like it or not, I'm going to treat you with kindness and give you a safe space to process things however you may need to. That's final.

[She died to save Felix's life? If he wasn't so acutely aware of how slightly different everyone's own path was right down to the gender of the professor he might have a similar vendetta against her. It could be that her actions that ultimately led to his death. But... the infinite possibilities make it too tiresome to accuse her of any wrong doing. Especially when he cannot remember if he saw Annette during the invasion to begin with.

And realistically... if it hadn't been Felix's sword it would have been Dimitri's spear or Byleth's unforgiving weapon. Better Felix than any of the above to be honest. The thought of having his insides torn to shreds by the Sword of the Creator is a most unpleasant thought indeed.

Regardless he has something far more indignant to speak up over.]

More afraid of the dark than of me? [He huffs unhappily at this.] Then I have not been doing a very good job of upholding my reputation. All I had to do was laugh and Bernadetta would be scampering off of the monastery ground before you could blink. [His fingers tap at his cup idly. He has become too domesticated in too short a time. Too complacent in the company of the Emperor.] I'll have to work on all that...

[It's a lost cause with Annette now, he knows. She's seen him at about the lowest he can be. There's certainly still room to fall and he'll likely get there upon his return home. But...]

Fine. Fine. I will stay. If only because it is a long walk home and it's already quite late. But I will be out at first light.

[ oh, that statement just tickles her to the core! she brings a hand to her mouth while she giggles! ]

Heeheehee! But if you did keep that up, then you wouldn't have any friends! And friends are good to have around, you know. For instance ... [ she gestures at he coffee cup with both hands ] ... some friends can make you a good cup of coffee, whenever you want! And now that I know you like coffee, I'll make you a tasty coffee cake to enjoy alongside it the next time I brew you one. [ because there WILL be a next time, Hubert! ]

Plus there's the whole "being there for you emotionally" part of friendship ... that's pretty great too. Even if you think you can live your life running away from how you feel, it will catch up to you. You're a human being with emotions. And that's okay.

[ him agreeing to stay delights her! she's already combing through her head some ideas on what she could make him for breakfast. ]

First light you may say, but I'm not letting you leave my home without a tasty, nutritious meal in your belly. And another cup of coffee, of course.

[He has nothing to say about that first part. He can only huff and drink his coffee. This is their first actual conversation to be fair. He's not going to give her the privilege of thinking she knows him. And there will be absolutely no next time. But as she's so delighted by the prospect he will keep some proclamations to himself.]

I've been quite adapt at it thus far, Lady Annette. I will continue to do so after this stumble. [He's not aware how unlikely it will be to get away from Annette now.] But I suppose the sentiment is appreciated.

And yes. First light. I would ask that you do not go through any more trouble on my account. I insist... I don't usually take food in the morning anyway.

If you say so. But my offer still stands.

[ no wonder he's looking so lithe and withered... but she won't say anything about that. ]

When you smell my cooking we'll see about that. [ she won't use magic this time. no explosions. ] Let me get you a blanket. I assume you'll be wanting the sofa.

[ she heads upstairs to look inside the cupboard to see if a spare blanket has spawned and lo and behold, there is one. she comes down the stairs with the blanket and two pillows, handing them to Hubert. ]

Please help yourself to anything you need. I'll just be upstairs. Sleep well, Hubert. Don't be afraid to wake me up if your mood drops or you need to talk.

[ and with that, she walks to the staircase and heads to bed, dimming the cottage lights but leaving a night light on upstairs for herself. she wasn't kidding about that scared in the dark thing. ]

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