A/N: Fates is giving me too many emotions. Thus, this piece was born.
Constructive criticism is welcomed.

please (listen to me)

His Corrin chose to side with the enemy, with Hoshido. And for what? To dethrone the man who raised her since she was a child? Even if her birth family laid with them, Xander, foolishly, thought the princess would decide to be with them.

Is it so wrong to think she may have felt the same as he did? Apparently. It hurt the core of his being to turn his sword against the person he loved, as both sister and woman, for so many years, but it had to be done. If he didn't defend the crown, who would?

As Corrin lay panting on the ground with the one thing holding her up being her sword, Xander feels his heart constrict as he raises his blade to end her. He's almost thankful when the Hoshidan prince, Ryoma, gets in front and blocks his attack at the last minute.

I have to put my heart to making Corrin my enemy, he thinks, the constriction becoming stronger as the words echo in his mind. No matter how much I do not wish to.

-v-

Time passes, and eventually, Xander and Corrin stand in front of each other, not as family but as enemies. However, Corrin doesn't draw her blade, the Noble Yato, and instead looks at the Nohrian prince with a tearful smile.

"I'm so sorry, Xander," she whispers to the smoke filled air. Xander feels confusion course through his nerves as the woman he loves unsheathes her sword. Instead of pointing it at him, she aims it at her chest. "And to all my families, both in Hoshido and Nohr."

"Corrin!" the prince exclaims, reaching a hand towards her. "Whatever you're thinking, don't!"

"I saw so much death…" Corrin mumbles, tears cascading down her cheeks. "You die, Elise dies… and if I didn't choose this path, Ryoma and Takumi die. There's… no hope for life…"

Xander feels his heart pounding in his ears and cautiously moves towards the distraught princess. "We can find a way to prevent your vision from happening. Just, please, you'll hurt so many if you do what I think you're about to."

"Garon claims another life," the girl murmurs, stabbing Noble Yato through her abdomen. Blood pours out of the wound and she stumbles to her knees. "Maybe now people will believe me…"

"Corrin!" Uncaring this woman is supposed to be his enemy, Xander drops his sword and shield to move to her side. He cradles her against his chest, feeling tears burn his eyes but refusing to let them shed. "Someone, please!" he yells, voice choked with emotion.

Elise runs to his side, as well as another woman sporting bright red hair. Hoshidan princess, the Nohrian prince's mind supplies, but he doesn't pay attention to it. Instead, he brushes back Corrin's white-blonde hair, finally letting the tears flow down his cheeks to land on her own.

"Please, gods, don't take her from us… from me," Xander begs to the gods above, hoping they'll listen to his prayers just this once. However, as the princess's hands begin to shake and color drains from her face, he curses the gods for not listening.

"I'm so sorry, big brother…" Elise's voice breaks his thoughts, sounding choked up. "No amount of healing can stop the internal damage."

This is it, then. Corrin is going to die, fighting for her cause, to stop the king of Nohr. She killed herself just to beg the Nohrians to listen.

Xander rests his forehead against Corrin's, watching the life bleed out of her crimson irises. "We will stop father," he promises her, cupping her cheek and watching the smile spread across her face. "So please, come back. You don't have to die…"

Corrin raises her bloodied hand to rest it on his face. "Time to wake up, Xander."

Now the prince is confused. "What?"

"...up!"

-v-

Xander bolts upright in bed, breaths coming out in heavy pants. What happened? He looks around frantically. Corrin… Corrin was dying!

"Xander?"

He looks over, seeing his queen's shocked face. He grabs her and holds her close, burying his face in her hair and biting his lip to fight off the tears. Corrin wraps her arms around him, but the king can feel she's confused.

"What's wrong, love?" she mumbles in his nightshirt. She pulls away from the tight embrace, but Xander pulls her back, and she can feel the trembling through his clothes. "Whatever happened, I'm here," she reassures, tightening her grip on her husband.

After a few minutes, Xander takes a few calming breaths and looks at Corrin, seeing concern on her delicate features. "I'm sorry," he says, embarrassment coursing through him as his cheeks flush. "That was a rather… embarrassing display."

"Not at all," his wife reassures, a little smile curling her lips upwards. "Will you tell me what's bothering you? I've rarely seen you so emotional."

"The nightmare," is all he has to say and immediately Corrin pulls him down to press their lips together. It's her ultimate show of promise she's still here and it works as effortlessly as always. He cups the back of her head as the other wraps around her waist, and they stay this way until air becomes an issue. The Nohrian king pulls away, a small chuckle erupting from his throat. "Thank you, Corrin."

"You'll always protect me, remember?" Corrin teases, bopping Xander on the nose. He huffs at her in annoyance, causing the queen to giggle. "There's the Xander I know and love."

He rolls his eyes at her, but her smile lights up his life like a million fireworks. Xander pulls her down, wraps the blankets around her, and kisses her lips once more. "Until my last breath," he promises, and Corrin smiles against his chest.

You'll protect me, and I promise to protect you from your dreams.

Fin.