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Frost encases the desolate field riddled with death and destruction. Takumi breathes out a wisp of hot air through winter-chapped lips. His extremities have gone numb.
Standing beside him in contemplative silence is Leo who handles the chill with calculated grace. A chill wind billows past and only Takumi bends to it.
He can’t complain, though. He’s not the one who sent his steed charging through a patch of black ice. In spite of this, however, Takumi still thinks his friend quite regal.
Leo clasps his hands behind his back before every trial and during its aftermath, as if regarding the world in quiet reverence. Takumi sees the weight of Nohr’s troubles upon Leo’s brow. Nowhere else can you find a trace of it.
Meanwhile, Takumi bears his heart on his sleeve and dares anyone to try and provoke it.
Takumi envies the way Leo is able to carry himself no matter the storm that must be brewing inside of him.
“Takumi,” Leo begins even though his eyes have yet to leave the battlefield, “What are you fighting for?”
The distance between their thoughts catches Takumi by surprise. He opens his mouth, catches his tongue on silence, and purses his lips as he gives the question proper thought.
There’s a right answer and then there’s his answer.
“For peace. Isn’t that obvious?”
Much as Takumi wants to escape from his brother’s shadow, he falls back time and time again upon Ryoma’s convictions and inspiring words.
“No.” Leo lifts his gaze from the sea of bodies he played some role in. He regards Takumi with suspicion. “If you were after peace, you wouldn’t be cursed with so many nightmares.”
Bull’s eye.
Takumi cringes beneath the scrutiny. “Bah. If you already know how I feel, why bother asking?”
“Because,” Leo says, “You need to confront it. If not today, then tomorrow, or the next day. At some point in your life, you need to admit to it.” The joints of his armor rattle as he faces Takumi. “Given the nature of our friendship, it wouldn’t surprise me if we bore the same… desires.”
Takumi doesn’t doubt that at all.
And yet, it does little to quell the nausea churning against his gut.
With a face on fire, Takumi mutters, “If that’s the case, we might as well say how we feel at the same time.”
A chuckle rings in the air. Leo’s laughter. “Fine. We’ll do it your way. Ready?”
No, but Takumi can’t say that.
“Ugh, I guess.” Takumi fixes Leo with a look.
Leo nods.
“I want to prove myself to my family—”
“I want to protect you—”
Takumi yelps as Leo seizes him by the shoulders before he can finish.
He’s met with a furious glare.
What? What did he do now?!
“What did you say?” Leo attempts to shake answers out of Takumi.
Pressured into giving Leo something, Takumi doesn’t think twice before responding, “Y, you don’t need to be protected, I get that, but it’s how I feel!” Leo freezes and Takumi grimaces.
For all the good their friendship does him, Takumi can’t fathom what he’s done to Leo. He feels as though he’s choking.
Leo looks at him like he’s a threat. Months of forging precious memories between them evaporates just like that.
Okay, maybe Takumi is over-exaggerating all this.
In a low voice just shy of a snarl, Leo demands, “Explain yourself.”
Or not.
“I, err, I can’t exactly?” Takumi looks anywhere but at Leo. “I don’t know where this feeling came from. It’s completely illogical when you and I both know you’re practically a demon out there.” Takumi stiffens. His rambling will be the death of him and their friendship. “Wait, I didn’t mean that as an insult—”
“Takumi.” Takumi shuts up. “Is this related to the time you blew up at Hinoka?”
“Wha—? Why would you bring that up? How could it possibly be related to this?!” Not only is Leo mad at him, now Leo is sifting through all the dirt Takumi has ever flung at him in confidence.
Leo hesitates. “When I see you next to Elise, I… It’s not a pleasant feeling. I thought it was mere jealousy on my part and that I’d get over it.”
Takumi’s lips form a silent ‘oh’. Unbelievable.
“I think I get it now,” Takumi murmurs.
Leo arches a brow. “Do you?”
Petty is as petty does. “Your collar is inside out.” Takumi tries really hard not to laugh before he sells it.
Predictably, Leo releases Takumi and scans his confounded attire for betrayal. “You tell me this now?!”
Takumi uses that momentary distraction to rest his hand against Leo’s cheek. “Heh. Sorry for lying to you twice in one day.” No wonder Leo isn’t shivering. His skin is so warm.
“Takumi—”
Nuh uh. No way is Leo interrupting him before he says his piece.
“You’re too clever for your own good and no one’s ever gonna outwit you in combat. But for everything else? I mean it, Leo, I’m going to protect you.”
Leo places his own hand over Takumi’s. Apprehension laces his words, “I’ll be upfront, I don’t have any pretty words for you.” He glances to the side. “Here isn’t exactly the best place for any heartfelt admissions.” The cold finally gets to him as his cheeks grow rosy. “But when I’m with you… things don’t seem quite so bleak. You’ve brought a lot of joy into my life, Takumi.”
Takumi beams, even as he feels a twinge of guilt. "Leo, you don't have to force yourself."
"Please, Takumi. It's for myself as much as it's for you." Leo loosens his grasp, only to pluck at Takumi's fingers. One by one, Leo eases them off. But he doesn't let go of Takumi's hand. "That being said, I can't have this discussion with this somber backdrop. It's inappropriate." An awkward smile spreads across his face. "Some privacy would be nice."
“Should we go to my tent?”
“Um.”
“Why are you making that face—? I DIDN’T MEAN IT LIKE THAT!”
Leo flusters. “I, I know you didn’t. Even so…”
Takumi gives Leo’s hand a gentle tug. “What happened to all that arrogance when we first met? Did you burn through all of it?”
“Something like that,” Leo says as he takes his first step. The smile feels more natural now. “Maybe it’s my own way of protecting you.”
“From your bad attitude?”
“I’m the one with the bad attitude?”
“Yeah, you like to lord yourself over—”
“You snap at the smallest of—”
“At least I know how to dress myself—”
“I never played with dolls—”
“I’m not the one who set the shogi board on fire!”
“Remind me again who destroyed a fountainhead with a wayward arrow!”
Neither Takumi nor Leo take note of Corrin and co. eyeing their linked hands as they reach the encampment, nor do they seem to realize that their bickering is what draws so much attention in the first place.
Not that it matters much when all they ever wanted is each other.