Title: time
Rating: G
Fandom: Fire Emblem Three Houses
Relationship: Annette Fantine Dominic/Lysithea von Ordelia
Wordcount: 690
Short summary: Annette knows the importance of time with Lysithea.
When Annette learned just why Lysithea worked so hard, harder than anyone else she had even known…when she found out from Linhardt the strain, the curse of Lysithea’s twin crests, she knew exactly how she wanted to spend all of her time. With Lysithea, she would have her best smile and do whatever she could to make Lysithea smile as well. Without Lysithea she would be busy researching crests. Even though Annette rejected Hanneman’s invitation to apprentice directly under him, she planned to communicate him as regularly as she could. It was funny…no it was sad that she found her direction in life because Lysithea’s was still in danger. Sure, when fighting in the war, they could have lost each other at any moment, but knowing there was still this thing that could prevent their long happy ending, this was her drive to work harder than ever.
At the same time she was all too familiar with disappointment. She had a father who cared about his duty so much, was so ashamed when he failed it that he abandoned his family. Although they can talk to each other now, it could never make up completely for all the time lost, all the feelings hurt. So leaving Lysithea to pursue a duty and not spending time with her…Annette could not do that. It’s not that Annette believed they would fail; she always put those thoughts out of her mind as much as possible. It’s that…she had seen much. She had seen how things didn’t always have a happy end, a peaceful end, even with good intentions. So should she lose the chance to make happy memories with Lysithea, to make her final days as pleasant as possible, for a possibility that wasn’t 100%? Especially since Annette impressed Hanneman and Linhardt with helping research crest removal (not that it was hard since they too cared a lot about Lysithea); there were no two people that Annette would want to help more. This was really the best arrangement.
Of course every time Annette helped tuck Lysithea into bed she re-memorized the small gap and slight curve of Lysithea’s lips, the soft sounds of her breathing. Every time Annette helped Lysithea dress in the morning she re-memorized the purple eyes that stared right back. Every laugh, every smile, every sigh, every yawn… Even seeing and hearing them a thousand times would not be enough.
They didn’t talk about it, what Annette was doing while Lysithea did what she needed to do for House Ordelia. They shared tea and cake, cuddled on the sofa, walked in the gardens, but never spoke about this issue of time. Not until they were ready, when Hanneman and Linhardt invited Annette and Lysithea to Garreg Mach, did they actually talk about it out loud.
“I’ll do it,” Lysithea said as she squeezed Annette’s hand. “I’ll do anything to have more time with you.”
“I love you, Lysithea,” Annette could only reply as tears ran down her cheeks. The procedure of removing a crest wasn’t supposed to be as dangerous as embedding a second crest, but it was going to be the first time they tried this. It would hopefully be the last time because it would be successful and Lysithea would be free to live a normal life by Annette’s side.
“I love you too, Annette.”
With that, Lysithea closed her eyes. It would stay closed for days, three nerve-wracking days. Annette barely ate or slept, only leaving when Mercedes coaxed her away. But when it was over…
“An…nette…” It was the first thing Lysithea said when she reopened her eyes. Annette cried; even with a weak, quiet, broken-up voice, it was the most beautiful way her name had ever been said.
“Lysithea, welcome back!” Annette did her best to tamp down her enthusiasm. Lysithea would still be weak from the procedure for a few days at least as her body readjusted to her new state. Although Annette had plenty of ideas on how to spend that time, first it was time to rest. But that was fine. From now on, they had all the time in the world.