DesuDesuWritings

Just a nerd who writes. Sometimes.

[welpthisishereiguess]

Unorthodox Tactics

Leo and Niles Cafe/Modern AU

(Or Odin is the best third wheel AU oops)

For @leonilesweek Day 6: Alternate Universe

Niles smirked as he finished washing the counter. They finally reached the end of the work day. This, and the fact that it was the last Friday of the month, meant only one thing.

It was time for game night. 

Odin, being Odin, decided that employee of the month should go to whoever could win the most games. The games seemed to range from Coffee Pong to breaking out a Wii and some old Dance Dance Revolution pads. At the beginning, for the first employee-of-the-month competition, Leo had been a bit apprehensive. However, after a few months and a bit of persuasion from Niles (“You don’t want to forfeit to Odin in this, do you?”), his lovely boyfriend seemed to take their game nights quite competitively. 

Once everybody had gotten comfortable with it, the contests led to some of Niles’s most treasured memories. Leo “just dancing” to Single Ladies against Odin to break a tie was quite the sight to behold. The three of them playing Mario Kart (“You didn’t think I would actually lose on Rainbow Road.”) and the refusal of acknowledging the CPU winning their game of Mario Party.  

At the present, they had even created a nice little wheel to decide the three contests of the month. Only two things were really off-limits: Chess, much to Leo’s dismay, Dungeons and Dragons, despite Odin’s cries that it wouldn’t take that long, and Monopoly, since he apparently wasn’t allowed to rob the bank when nobody was looking.

“Niles?”

Niles snapped out of his thoughts and looked over towards the sound of his name: Leo. 

“Are you coming? I assumed you of all of us would be the most excited for Cards Against Humanity.”

Niles gave a smug smile. Leo wasn’t wrong there. 

“Right away, my love.”

Three contests later, one victorious Niles stood before a laughing Odin and a very flustered tomato. 

Since Odin had lost Twister, Leo and Niles were then fighting directly for the title of employee of the month. They each held a victory, and it had been the deciding match.

“Y-you can’t kiss me to make me fall! That must be cheating!”

Well, there was nothing against it. Besides, what else was he supposed to do when Leo’s face was in front of him? He always did look cute when he was in his competitive spirit. 

Niles couldn’t stop the smile growing on his face as Leo’s face seemed to keep finding new shades of red. Going from being left on the street outside to employee of the month and finding himself a dashing prince of a boyfriend in less than a year...

Niles saw it as quite a pleasant turn of events.

[welpthisishereiguess]

Concerned

For @leonilesweek Day 5: Family

As Leo had looked around the table, staring at the faces of his siblings, a thought came to him.

It was not that Leo was scared about telling his family about his relationship with Niles. 

He was more...concerned, he surmised. 

Xander, despite being a bit distant at times, was still very protective of them all. While their relationship was a bit strained in the past, they had overcome a bit of the barrier between them, and it made Xander feel like somewhat closer to him. Even with Xander taking the throne, they had found ways to bond, from training to reading in the library. He knew Xander cared about him, but that made him a bit worried for what Xander would say about Niles. 

Camilla was practically known for caring about her family. It would not be a shock to anyone. The shock comes when someone would pose a threat for them, and Camilla would turn into a defensive shield to protect all of them and an axe to eliminate any threat. He knew Camilla would support him no matter what, but he just hoped she would not deem Niles as a threat. 

Corrin, unfortunately, was currently in Valla with Azura. They took it upon themselves to restore Valla while Hoshido and Nohr were left to their respective royals. In a form of irony, they were the two Leo had not been too concerned about. They were good at convincing and persuading others, so it probably would have been to his benefit.

Elise was always a cheerful face. Leo was less worried about when she found out; however, he was worried about Niles being swarmed by Elise’s overbearing nature. She was genuinely sweet, and she was a generally happy person. 

Leo just hoped things would stay that way. 

While he wanted to keep things more secretive for a while, he knew Niles would prefer if people knew. Leo had assumed that defeating Anankos, a dragon god, would make this seem easy, but now that he had decided to do it, officially, he was a bit anxious. 

Niles had told him that everything would be fine, and he really wanted to believe it. He even had a rarely-seen genuine look in his deep navy eye. Leo had found it entrancing. 

After a chaste kiss, they headed to the dining hall. And that led to Leo, in the present, sitting before his family with Niles beside him. 

“Given that you are my family, I wanted to inform you that Niles and I are romantically involved.”

He saw the immediate reactions. Xander seemed to be looking at him quizzically, Elise had a smile, but that was normal, then Camilla. Her face looked almost downcast. Leo bit his lip. Perhaps he should have waited. Maybe it was too soon after the war. He should have waited until things were more stable in Nohr, maybe then...

“Darling, did you really think we didn’t figure it out?”

Well, he certainly did not expect that.

“W-what? What do you mean by that?”

Suddenly the air was filled by Elise laughing. Great, now she is making a mockery of him. 

“Heehee, it means that we already knew that, Leo! Come on, how were we NOT supposed to see it?”

This was followed by Xander’s stern voice.

“Leo, you were not really that subtle. We are all happy that you seem to be happy in this relationship.”

Leo was at a complete loss for words. He turned to Niles, only to see a smirk on his face. Then he realized. 

“How was it not subtle?”

This was followed by much more laughter, and Camilla finally telling him what gave him away.

“Well, dear brother, maybe you should work to improve on choosing more secretive places to make out after killing a dragon? Something like that.”

Leo could practically feel his face flair up, and Niles, his faithful, trusting, and loving partner.

He was smirking and chuckling to himself. 

“Well, milord looked simply enchanting after that battle, I suppose I just couldn’t help myself.”

Leo’s face went from light red to tomato in a matter of nanoseconds. And, judging from the laughter that filled the dining hall afterwards. 

Leo was more concerned with just how much Niles seemed to fit in with his family.

[welpthisishereiguess]

The Boy and His Lady

Day 6: Balls / Festivals / Weddings

Kliff + Clair. 

For @ferarepair-week

___________________ 

It felt nice to get ready for a ball again. The last time was just before Zofia had fallen to Rigel and Desaix’s betrayal. It felt absolutely enthralling to dance across the floor with others. From the dresses to the lights to the music to the dancing to the people, Clair loved the entirety of the occasion. 

So she was fairly astounded as to why Kliff, the resident dour mage of their previous ragtag, god-crushing army, could still manage a grim outlook at the war celebration ball. Clair had assumed that after saving his country and participating in putting an insane god to rest, he would at least show some manner of happiness. Even surrounded by his friends, whom Python had dubbed “The Village People,” he could not even seem to crack a smile. 

She was spending most of her time with Clive, Mathilda, Lukas, and the others of the “original Deliverance.” However, she decided that it would be rude of her to not also dedicate some time to the others of the army that she had come to know. She had to help Delthea to get Luthier to stop focusing on his magic for one night. She greeted Zeke and Tatiana earlier. It seemed that Alm and his friends from Ram were the only ones left. 

They were sitting, congregated in a circle. Tobin and Gray seemed happy to see her, but that was not anything special. Faye seemed a little more withdrawn than usual self, but maybe Clair was seeing things. She and Kliff tended to be quieter than the others from her observations. Alm and Celica seemed to be absent, but they were the hosts, in a way, so it was not too surprising. Kliff looked at her almost...indifferently if she had to choose a word. She had not thought anything of the small boy’s glare then. 

She stayed within their small circle until it seemed people began pairing off. She spotted Clive and Mathilda, Alm and Celica, and even Delthea seemed to be trying to get her brother to dance a little. Forsyth, Python, and Lukas, somehow, were trying to dance together. Although, as she looked closer, it seemed like it was mostly Forsyth that was trying. Eventually Faye went with Silque, and Gray and Tobin left shortly thereafter, leaving Clair alone with Kliff. 

It was not like no one had offered to dance with her, but all of them were people she did not know, merely attracted to her looks or status. Looking at the lonely purple-clad boy across from her, she seemed to come across a most splendid idea.

“Kliff, the boy will offer the lady his hand for a dance.”

Kliff looked at her, perplexed. Maybe that was not the best way to start talking to the boy. He rested his head upon his hand.

“Or I could continue to sit right here by myself, and you could go frolic over there. That is a much better idea in my opinion.”

Clair was not denied a dance often, and one statement was not going to stop her. Especially not when the boy was wearing such a smug smile.

“So you would rather set yourself here alone, looking oblivious, awkward, and useless in social outings?”

Clair watched his face carefully. It seems her provocations affected him at least slightly. He did not look upset, maybe displeased? Or worried? Before she could think more, his words broke her reverie. 

“I would rather not make a fool of myself.”

Clair was about to interject. After all, both of them were looking foolish currently by not dancing. Then, a thought crossed her mind.

“Is it, perhaps, that you have no knowledge in how to dance properly?”

Kliff’s mildly shocked expression was all of the confirmation she needed of her assumption. 

“That does not seem to be stopping anyone else. I doubt that your friends have any knowledge either, but they are still doing their best.”

Kliff looked like he was warming up to the idea, albeit slowly. 

“I could teach you how to dance properly if it bothers you so much. Naturally, you would have to still lead, and it will not be anything too detailed, but it could work.”

After a while, Kliff nodded and stood up. He walked over to her, and almost mockingly, he held out his hand.

“The boy is offering the ludicrous lady his hand.”

Clair took his hand and stood up. She had not taken into account how short Kliff was, but that was not going to stop her now. However, if he thought he could get away with teasing her, then she would prove herself as a worthy opponent.

“The lady will accept the rude, inconsiderate boy’s hand.” 

She took Kliff’s disappearing smugness as a victory as they made their way to the floor. 

“Now, Kliff, I will guide you, but I will still require you to take the lead. Please do try to keep up.”

“Then I will try not to completely annihilate your honor, Miss Overbearing Expectations.”

Kliff had not been the smoothest dancer. He seemed almost out of his element, but eventually, after a few minutes, he could dance the steps decently while not relying on her guidance. Although Kliff would deny it, after a while, she knew.

She saw him smile.

[welpthisishereiguess]

Don’t Leave Me

Day 4: Battles / Loss / Victory

Leonardo + Edward

For @ferarepair-week

--------------------------

Leonardo’s mind, usually calm and collected, was being overrun with one repeated, panicked thought.

Run.

Equipped only with his bow, he continued to dash through the forest, screams of pain echoing behind him. Each one deciphered in his brain; some associated with a name, a friend. He winced at each one. It seemed like the rain could block out everything but those screams of pure fear. They had not planned for Begnion to come after them so quickly. He had not planned for it. There was barely any time to grab anything when the soldiers had burst through the beaten oak door. Some of the teenagers were unable to even make it out of the building before they had their lives brutally cut short. When they had regrouped in the forest, he had thought that was the last of it. 

It never seemed to be that way. The Begnion soldiers kept finding them over and over again, people being taken each time. From Thomas to Linda to Rebecca to Walter. Eventually there were just seven of them. He had heard five screams he recognized, and he prayed to Ashera that Pierce would not get caught. 

Leonardo quickly ducked to the right behind a tree. He crouched down, peering around the moss-covered trunk. He saw a few soldiers in the distance, but it seemed the surrounding area was safe. He hid back behind the tree and caught a sliver of breath. He was never the most physically durable, and he certainly regretted it now.

He prepared to get back up and run opposite to them, but then something had stopped him.

A scream. Pierce.

He peered behind the tree, and there was Pierce. He was completely surrounded. It explains why the soldiers were concentrated in the area. Before Leonardo could even nock an arrow into his now, he heard Pierce again.

“Stop! PLEAS-”

And he could not hear anything. Not the rain. Not the scream. He only saw the lance spear his friend, silencing him. That was it. His world went silent. 

He was alone.

The next thing that he heard was a scream that he knew he recognized. His own. And it almost seemed like Pierce was yelling back at him.

“Why didn’t you help me?! You were right there! You failed me!”

“LEO!”

He shot up, hyperventilating, tears streaming down his face. Through his bleary grey eyes, he managed to see him.

Edward.

Leonardo launched himself at the brunet, gripping his back. he couldn’t stop the words from spilling. 

“They’re gone, Edward! I..I let them die! i completely failed them! All of them! They were counting on me! I should have been the one to-”

His litany was stopped by a hand stroking his blonde hair and another rubbing his back. 

“It’ll be okay. You have me. You have Micaiah, Sothe, and Nolan. You did the best you could, and I’m sure they are watching over you proudly.”

Leonardo continued his weeping into Edward’s shoulder, almost shaking in terror.

“I cannot lose you and the others. I can’t, Ed. If I did, I would...I wouldn’t know what to do.”

“I’m not going anywhere, okay? Just try and relax a little. Come on.”

Leonardo let Edward guide him back down towards the bed. Edward held him close to him, kissing his head. 

“I’ll never let you go.”