Sylvain snaps - Sylvain x Byleth (heavy angst, trigger warning)
Sylvain had been off ever since the death of his brother. He had pushed almost everyone away, even Byleth, who he once showed extreme affection towards, which was a key sign something was wrong.
Byleth was especially concerned when he got into several fights, started hitting on randoms again and she started to receive more serious complaints about him. She decided to confront him as his lover and professor. Partially out of jealousy but mainly out of concern for his well being. He ignored and brushed off all of her questions for the majority of the following three months until she cornered him in his room.
"Sylvain, we need to talk, you can't avoid me forever."
"I can and will!"
"Sylvain... I don't understand, what have I done to upset you?"
"Noone understands! That's the problem!"
"Then help me understand! I want to stand by your side!"
"Why!...I need to go... I've got a date and I'm going to be late!"
"A date?! Sylvain! You promised you wouldn't do this to yourself anymore! Or me!"
"Why do you care?!"
"Because I love you!"
"How can anyone love someone like me! My own family doesn't even care about me! Only my stupid Crest!"
Byleth stood in shock, she thought they had moved past these insecurities at this stage in their relationship. "Sylvain I've already told you I don't care if you have a Crest or not!"
"Yeah right! You just want to have crest babies with me like all the other women-"
Byleth slapped him. "You! I can't believe you right now!" She walked away leaving him staring into space thinking about what he had done.
He started to cry and locked himself in his room. "Damn it!" He kicked over the desk, all his stuff flying everywhere. The neighbouring rooms, mainly Felix, Ingrid and Dimitri wondered what the hell was going on.
"Sylvain!" Felix was the first to speak knocking on his door. "Open up!"
"Felix, leave me alone." Sylvain sighed, but they could all tell he wasn't himself.
"Sylvain... Talk to us!" Ingrid begged her friend. "I can only imagine how you must be feeling, after Glen I couldn't talk to anyone either, but it helps..." she glanced at Felix who ignored her.
"THIS ISN'T ABOUT MIKLAN!" Sylvain laughed as he yelled at them but his voice shook giving away that there was something wrong.
"Sylvain please... Open the door..." Dimitri says calmly. Sylvain opens the door and they all see the terrible state he's in.
"Sylvain, you look like shit." Felix points out the obvious. "You should come with us, we were about to get something to eat-"
"No! Byleth- I mean the professor will be there!" Sylvain quickly corrects himself hoping the others didn't notice.
"I- I didn't know the two of you were so close... I see you're on a first name basis..."
"How could you not know? It's so obvious they're together!" Felix glares at Dimitri for his innocence. "don't act all innocent!"
"Felix thats enough!" Ingrid sighs dragging them away from each other. "Sylvain, You need to talk to her..."
Sylvain holds his breath and decides now is a better time than any to tell Byleth how he's feeling. So he goes with his childhood friends and immediately spots her.
"Byleth... We need to talk..."
She offers him a smile. "so you've come to your senses?"
"I've realised something yeah..." He takes a deep breath. "I can't do this Byleth"
"W-What are you saying?" She looks at him like he's just kicked a puppy.
"Us... we need to stop this... You need to move on... I want you to see other people, better people, you deserve better than me!"
"Sylvain! how can you say that?! you're amazing!" She lets out a few tears.
"I'm sorry, that's just how it is!" He sighed, struggling to stop his own tears from flowing. Then he leaves her there,crying as he ran to town, where he knows she won't follow.
*After Time skip*
Sylvain smiles as he watches her walk down the aisle, and when she dances with Dimitri. But inside he feels his heart clench with jealousy. It was his fault though so he had no right to be jealous. He had her but he gave her away, now one of his best friends had her and he had to pull himself together.
Ingrid marries Dedue soon after, much to everyone's surprise. Sylvain supports his friend the entire way and the feeling begins to stir once more.
When Felix marries Annette the feeling only gets stronger. Sylvain is the oldest after all. He begins to feel like the failure his father always suggested he was. Felix seems to become inseparable from Annette and Sylvain only feels more alone than ever.
Then the biggest hit... Dimitri chooses to make Felix and Ingrid his first child's godparents, seemingly forgetting all about him. He just laughs it off at first. Too happy for Byleth to say anything. It's Mercedes who brings it up to Dimitri. Dimitri simply apologises and informs him he wasn't sure he'd want anything to do with the child. It hurts a lot and causes a scolding from Byleth. Sylvain reassures her it's fine and he should have said something earlier making Byleth drop the subject at dinner. During dinner he catches Mercedes staring at him multiple times so he keeps up his cheery facade.
Mercedes is the one who finds him. Dead. A note next to his body confirming her suspicions. She doesn't read it, it hurts too much just seeing him like that. She starts crying and can't stop.
Felix is the first to be informed and he breaks down as soon as he hears the news. "Fuck... Why didn't he say something! How did we not notice!?! I should have done more!" Annette holds him as they both cry. Mercedes letter falls out of her hands.
"Felix...No this isn't your fault!"
Dimitri and Ingrid find out at the same time as she is in shock when Dimitri has tears forming in his eyes. "Dimitri?"
"Ingrid...I-its... Sylvain's gone... He's dead!"
He hands Ingrid his letter and she reads it and immediately starts crying. "no....no he couldn't!"
"Ingrid..." Dimitri shakes her to snap her out of her shock. "Ingrid listen to me! Byleth can't find out about this! She'll blame herself!"
"Dimitri! She'll find out eventually!"
"I'll find out what?" Byleth walks in with their son. "Dimitri?"
"It's nothing beloved-"
"Sylvain killed himself!" Ingrid blurts out before thinking earning a look from Dimitri.
"W-what....And Dimitri... he didn't want me to know..." She looks on the verge of tears.
"He was trying to protect you!"
Dimitri goes over to her and holds her. "Byleth... I'm sorry I didn't do anything..."
"I knew there was something wrong! Mercedes, she said he seemed off, I ignored her! I thought he was just jealous! I should have done something! It's my fault! Sothis!" When Byleth yells out for Sothis time seems to stop. " Help me go back... I have to save him..."
"I'm sorry...I'm afraid it just isn't possible to go back that far..." Sothis says with regret.
"No...Did you know about this?!"
"I swear I didn't! I would have made you do back as soon as possible if I had! He's gone..." She holds Byleth until time resumes and she disappears once more.
