Changing For Love

Disclaimer: I don't own any part of Fire Emblem

"If you could change one thing about me, what would it be?" Takumi asked his wife, Corrin, one day while they cuddled on their bed.

"Where did that come from?" Corrin responded with a small laugh. She always smiled, always laughed, in his presence. He didn't laugh with her that day.

"I'm serious, Corrin. If you could change something, anything, about me, I want to know what it is. Just tell me what you want most to change." He looked at her with earnest eyes. Eyes she could never say no to. Still...

"I can't think of anything, Takumi. I love you for who you are. I wouldn't change anything even if I could." Corrin replied with equal sincerity.

"You don't have to humor me, Corrin. Just tell me. I can take it, I promise." Takumi said. He looked away at the end of his promise. The action caused him to miss the flash of sadness in his wife's eyes.

"You think I'm lying?" Corrin asked.

Takumi sighed before he answered. "No, I'm sure you mean it now. I just think if you really think about it you'll find a lot that you would want to change something. I mean think about it Corrin. Remember how I first treated you? Remember the way I acted when you first asked to learn how to shoot a bow and arrow?"

Corrin held his face so that she could look him in the eye. "I wouldn't change even that. Because all of that led me to fall in love with you."

"There must be something." Takumi said.

"Why?" Corrin asked in a state of utter confusion.

"Oh come on, Corrin." Takumi took her hands from his face only to have his wife wrap her arms around him instead.

"Tell me why." She demanded. Takumi gently pushed her back into the covers and hovered over her.

"I would change plenty of things about me. You expect me to believe you really can't think of a single thing? It sounds like you just don't want to think about it. I think you don't want to upset me so you refuse to think about it and tell me the truth." He told her. "I want you to think about it though. I want to know what I can do for you to make you happier. I want..." to be worthy of you. His eyes finished what his voice could not and it ripped at Corrin's heart to know that he felt that way. "Just tell me. Tell me and if it's within my power, I'll change it. I don't care if it's hard. I'd do it. I'd do anything for you." He told her. Corrin could see in his eyes that he meant every word. He wanted to do this.

"Alright, Takumi. Alright. I thought it about it, and you're right. There is one thing I would change if I could..." Corrin started.

"Name it." Takumi told her.

"The only thing I would ever change about you is," she paused to kiss him, a quick, sweet, peck that never failed to make his heart leap. "the way you see yourself."

"What?" Takumi asked as he blinked repeatedly.

"If it were in my power, I would change what you see in you to what I see when I look at you. I see a capable, dependable, talented, courageous man. I see my most trusted advisor, my confidant, my lifelong companion, my best friend, my passionate lover, and my first choice of husband. Even when you were an impossible choice and there was no chance of ever being with you, I chose you. Even if back then I had my choice of any man in the world, I still would have chosen you. In my eyes, there is no one more deserving, more worthy of love in all the world. I don't know how, or why I was your choice. I only know I'm unbelievably blessed, and really damn lucky to be."

Takumi said nothing. He couldn't. Her words, her honesty, her love had rendered him totally mute. All he could do was embrace her, mostly because he needed it, but partly because he wanted to hide the tears she'd brought to his eyes. She let him, though he knew she could feel the wetness of his eyes leave traces on her skin. After a brief respite she pulled back a little, but he refused to relinquish her completely. His arms stayed firmly wrapped around her.

"Do you think you can change that, Takumi? Can you please try? Nothing hurts me like the way you view yourself. I've been in countless battles. I've suffered plenty of injuries, even a few life threatening ones. I still can't think of anything more painful than listening to the way you've been talking about yourself today." She pleaded. Takumi saw the pain in her eyes, the sadness. It gutted him. He embraced her again.

"I'll do it." He told her.

"You'll try? Thank you-"

"No Corrin. I won't try. If it hurts you I'm not going to try. I'm going to change. I refuse to be the cause of your pain. It will take some time. I know it will be difficult, but if you're here I can do it. I can do anything if it's for you. I'll probably have days where I'm weak, where I feel like I can't do it or it's pointless. When that happens just... just be close and maybe tell me again what you see, so I have someplace to start. I'll change the way I see myself. I promise." Takumi vowed.

Corrin had to fight back her own tears. In the end she pulled him to her and kissed him. The kiss was not one of passion. It was a kiss of tender reassurances, of deep affection, of endless devotion, but most of all, it was to seal his promise. To take his words into her being and hold them there for safekeeping. The kiss meant "thank you" and "I love you." The meaning was not lost on either of them. When they parted, breathless, she smiled at Takumi. This time, Takumi smiled back.