👀 - to be caught staring at your muse . Takumi had not intended to stare so unabashedly. In reality, he was simply unsure as to whether or not the person he was looking at was the one he thought he was identifying. The hair color and height were right, as far as memory told...
When Elise (at least, he hoped it was Elise, or this would be embarrassing) turned and noticed him staring, Takumi's expression shifted to one of utter embarrassment.
"I apologize for staring, I just... You are Princess Elise of Nohr, correct? If so, it's a pleasure to see you again after all this time."
When Elise first noticed Takumi out of the corner of her eye, she didn’t even really notice him. Her subconscious mind just did the ‘hey someone is looking at you’ thing to her, but she didn’t see any reason to pay attention to it. Turning around by chance and actually noticing Takumi for real this time, Elise felt a small pang of fear in her heart that she couldn’t explain. Something about his eyes seemed… weirdly familiar. It’s probably nothing, though!
Elise smiled brightly as Takumi explained himself nodding along as he spoke. “Yep! That’s me-“ ‘Nohr’. Oh no. At that word, it all clicked for Elise, every memory rushing back to her. The way he addressed Nohr with such hatred, hatred that she saw in his eyes as he jumped to what they thought was his death, hatred that only burned brighter as he returned and killed her sister.
Elise gasped, hands flying up to cover her mouth as her eyes widen in fear, same eyes beginning to water as her legs shake as though they’re about to give out from under her as she slowly steps back. She can still hear everyone’s pained screams as she stares at him. Still feels the pain not only emotionally from losing her sister for a moment, but from the battle when he shot her as well. Her sister’s pain of having to fight her brother, and the remaining Hoshidian royal’s pain of losing their brothers.
“No, no, no no no no no. How— You’re— no, please— I—“ Millions of thoughts swirl around in Elise’s head, none of which she can get out. All she can do is stand there. Her breathing is erratic, matching her heartbeat as she continues to stare and panic. The longer Elise stares, though, the less she sees in common with the Takumi she remembers. His eyes aren’t as red, his body language not as angry, same as his words…
…Maybe this is what Corrin had talked about seeing when she was dead for a few minutes. Maybe this isn’t that Takumi. Maybe it’s the real one. Elise’s tears continue to fall, and Elise herself does as well, collapsing onto the ground in front of him.
“Takumi… I… I-I’m so, so sorry.”