(𝑟𝑒𝑞𝑢𝑒𝑠𝑡𝑠 𝑜𝑝𝑒𝑛) ❤︎𝙵𝚒𝚛𝚎 𝙴𝚖𝚋𝚕𝚎𝚖 𝙾𝚗𝚎𝚜𝚑𝚘𝚝𝚜❤︎

Mercedes X Reader- To convince (Request)

Request: FinalPersonaEmblem
Warnings: None
Word count: 1251
Pronouns: They/them
Additional Info: None

I kinda disappeared again... Sorry about that. I guess I'm really back now though? We'll see. This week is a bit busy but I'm on holidays after!!
Anyways, enjoy!

Mercedes did not seem as calm as she usually was on that particular day. She still attended class, but instead of doing so with her typical motherly smile and calming aura, she did so with a gloomy and darkened expression. She also sat in the back of the class, instead of at the front, and seemed lost in her thoughts, instead of chatting with Annette or listening to the lesson.

Byleth had to go see her and find out what was wrong with her student.

And so, when class was over, Byleth went over to Mercedes and told her that she would like to speak with her in private and asked her if she minded.

"Not at all, professor. Of course, I don't mind," but the truth seemed a bit more nuanced then that, "Is something wrong?"

"It's your behavior. You don't seem to be yourself this morning. You look... lost and even a bit moody."

Mercedes remained quiet.

"You don't need to tell me anything! I just wanted to ask you if everything was alright."

"Everything is fine, professor," she quietly muttered, "I'm just tired, I suppose."

"Having trouble sleeping these days?"

"A little. And I sure do hope you don't think that how I'm feeling has anything to do with your lectures! They're wonderful! But it's just... Never mind. I hope I didn't worry you too much, Professor."

"I'd be lying if I said you didn't worry me at first but... I understand. If sleeping troubles is all you're having, then I guess I worried too much.  But if there's something else, then let me know if you need any help at all. I'd be more than happy to help in case there's something you need of me," and so that was the last thing the professor told Mercedes, before dismissing her.

Mercedes took that last advice to heart, but did not act upon it until a couple of days later, when her pain became too much for her to bare.

~~~~~~~~~~~~•~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Professor, may I speak with you?" Asked Mercedes when she finally caught the Professor alone after class.

"Of course. I've already told you I'm all ears when you need me."

"Well, I'd like to take you up on that offer. See, it's becoming... a lot to handle," and so Mercedes took out a bundle of papers- that looked like letters- and set them on the professor's desk. Byleth raised a brow, confused.

"Letters?"

"From my father. He's sent me three of them in the past week or so- It's almost driving me mad," she pursed her lips, and for the first time, Byleth noticed a hint of disappointment upon her usually forgiving student's face.

In the heat of the moment, Mercedes did not say much else, but after gaining some composure, she looked back at her professor and noticed their confused. She finally clarified.

"They're marriage proposals. He's been sending a lot of them lately, and it's getting worse. I have to send him a letter each time telling him I'm not looking for marriage and that I wish to integrate the church, but he doesn't seem to care."

Byleth sighed, "I've noticed a couple of students having the same problem as you. Is it really that common for parents to want to marry their children?"

Mercedes looked up at her professor with wide eyes. It was odd for her to think that the professor had never heard of such things, "Of course. I don't mean to be rude, Professor, but it's one of the most obvious things a child of noble bearing must face- especially if that child is a crest bearer. My father is no different, unfortunately and wants me to marry, even if it means calling me the cruelest of names in order to force me to do it."

"I'm so sorry to hear that. And that is why you've been so down lately?"

"It's difficult not to be, but I didn't expect him to react any differently," Mercedes sadly muttered.

Mercedes was very mature, but Byleth just wished it had gone another way. Why did Mercedes have to bend down to her father's wishes this way? She was an adult and could clearly choose for herself (and that was how it was supposed to go, in their mind). For Byleth, who did not understand and did not live with these kinds of social standards, it felt strange to see her student go through this sort of pain, but she was in pain, and they knew that they had to help her go through it.

"What if I go with you?"

"Go where?"

"To your father's, and I will help you convince him," Byleth said with a certain determination in their eyes.

"Oh, my dear professor," Mercedes softly said, and she sadly smiled. She found her professor's will to be sweet, but useless, "It's of no use, unfortunately. Many women went through what I'm about to go through. I won't be any different. I'll be fine. Even in marriage, I can still devote myself to the church, even if not apart of it officially."

But Byleth did not seem satisfied with Mercedes' reassuring.

"We won't know unless we try."

"Try what?"

"Try to convince your father!"

"Professor! Let's stop thinking all this nonsense," and for the first time in their life, they saw Mercedes becoming tense, nervous, "Let's just hope my future husband will allow me to live on with my life."

"You won't have to if we try to convince him. It doesn't hurt to try, Mercedes. Please. I've never had to deal with this sort of situation but if there's one thing I know, it's that it never hurts to try, even if it might end in failure."

Mercedes said nothing.

Byleth rested their hand on Mercedes' shoulder.

"Would you rather live your life, married, perhaps unhappy, wondering what would've happened if you had come with me, or would you rather live your life, still unhappy, but at least knowing you've tried your best."

Mercedes shyly smiled at the professor's slight silliness, "Oh, Professor. You make it sound awful- Both solutions, when you say them like that."

"We'll just have to convince him then! And convince him well. We've learnt the art of speech, haven't we? I'm sure we'll do well."

"I don't know... My father is stubborn, and I'm his only child- a crest-bearing one also."

"That doesn't mean we shouldn't try. Mercedes, one of my duties as your professor is to help you, in school or not."

And for a moment, Mercedes had forgotten that Byleth was still her teacher, and that formal relations had to be maintained. For a moment, they felt like more of a friend to her than anything else.

"Of course... Professor."

"Please, call me Byleth, when it's just the two of us."

"Byleth, thank you."

"I haven't done anything yet. Why are you thanking me?" Byleth innocently asked.

"You want to help me, and even if this plan to meet my father and convince him doesn't work, you'll still have all my thanks. I will forever be grateful."

"Is that so?"

"Byleth, I'm not very good at making jokes, nor do I really make them," and she chuckled, for the first time in weeks. Byleth couldn't help but smile.

"I think it's best you keep your thanks for until I convince your father. I'll try to think of something... Something that might help our case. Until then, pack your bags. We're leaving in the morning."