Once again, Byleth listens, just... rapt. Edelgard has always had a bit of a tendency to go on, but she enjoys it—especially when she's telling her about something like this. Without even thinking about it, she scoots a bit closer to sit properly next to her, wanting to enjoy the simple intimacy of all of this.
"I'm told that being oblivious about these things at that age is normal. And it's hardly the same skillset as revolutionizing our society," Byleth notes, lips again quirked into a fond smile. "But... yes. When I chose the Black Eagles, I chose you. I suspect I always will choose you. That day, I... I couldn't understand why I threw myself between you and Kostas. You were a complete stranger, and that... simply wasn't in my nature. I could have died—I would have, if not..." Her eyes flick slightly away from Edelgard, and she reaches for some of the charcuterie. That topic is a separate conversation, and not for a day such as this. Somewhat distracted, she begins to stroke at Edelgard's hair with her free hand.
"So I wanted to understand you. I needed to. I thought that if I could get a better sense of you, I might... understand why I put myself on the line that way. That I might begin to understand myself, if only a bit." There's a slight pause, as she considers. "I never considered the other Houses for a moment. I want you to know that. Claude and I are both outsiders, Dimitri and I were... both struggling with our nature, but both of them were pretending to be something they weren't, and I saw it from the start. But you... the way you looked at me, you just wanted to take my measure. To understand."
no subject
"I'm told that being oblivious about these things at that age is normal. And it's hardly the same skillset as revolutionizing our society," Byleth notes, lips again quirked into a fond smile. "But... yes. When I chose the Black Eagles, I chose you. I suspect I always will choose you. That day, I... I couldn't understand why I threw myself between you and Kostas. You were a complete stranger, and that... simply wasn't in my nature. I could have died—I would have, if not..." Her eyes flick slightly away from Edelgard, and she reaches for some of the charcuterie. That topic is a separate conversation, and not for a day such as this. Somewhat distracted, she begins to stroke at Edelgard's hair with her free hand.
"So I wanted to understand you. I needed to. I thought that if I could get a better sense of you, I might... understand why I put myself on the line that way. That I might begin to understand myself, if only a bit." There's a slight pause, as she considers. "I never considered the other Houses for a moment. I want you to know that. Claude and I are both outsiders, Dimitri and I were... both struggling with our nature, but both of them were pretending to be something they weren't, and I saw it from the start. But you... the way you looked at me, you just wanted to take my measure. To understand."