"professor, don't you need a break?" flayn asked nicely, seeing you carry multiple heavy books towards your classroom.
"that's nice of you to suggest, flayn, but i am tasked with many things today. i need to get them done."
"but professor," hilda joined in, "you've been tasked with things for three weeks now. how long has it been since you've slept?"
"there is no rest for the wicked!" you replied, "the enemies, nor your tests, will wait, so neither will i until this months mission is over and i complete everything lady rhea has asked."
you walked faster to your classroom, your arms aching from the textbooks. hilda and flayn shared a look of concern behind your back.
——
"teach?" claude knocked on the door to the class, but upon hearing no answer, he opened it. "holy shit, y/n, are you good?"
you suddenly jerked awake and rubbed your eyes. "of course i'm good! i just need to finish these lesson plans and then i'll be off to bed!"
claude quirked an eyebrow. "how many plans do you have left?"
"not too many!" you remained cheerful in attempts to not worry him. "i'll be done before sunrise, i hope!"
you stood up and walked into your small closet space in the classroom and heard claude yell his farewells as he exited. you suddenly felt dizzy, but brushed it off and decided to grab a small snack before finishing the plans.
the dizziness kept occurring as you made your way to the dining hall, but you trudged on. in the hall, you tried to rummage through the cabinets without much noise, but a dizzy spell caused you to lose your balance.
you grabbed onto the counter and accidentally knocked a pan over, the metal clanging on the stone floor.
"hello?" you heard a voice as the room kept spinning. "who's in here?"
everything went black.
——
you opened your eyes once again, expecting to be on the floor of the kitchen, but instead you found yourself in the infirmary. surrounding you were flayn, manuela, rhea, and seteth.
you tried to sit up, but seteth gently pushed you back down. looking at his face, you felt guilty as it was covered in worry.
"professor," manuela started, "how are you feeling?"
"i'm okay," you answered, "i need to get back and finish working, though. im almost done with the reports that my father asked for, and then i'll work on the strategy that you asked for, lady rhea."
you turned towards rhea as you said that, but she only shook her head.
"y/n, you're too much. you need a break." she said.
"no, i'm okay! i promise," you smiled to try and convince them, "all i needed was a little nap, now i'm up and rested again!"
seteth opened his mouth next. "you've been having a little nap for two days now. tell me, how long has it been since you've had a proper night's sleep?"
you looked down, feeling guilty. "i can't remember."
manuela took ahold of rhea and flayn's wrists and led them outside for a moment, leaving you and seteth alone. he pulled up a chair beside you and placed his hand on yours.
"why?" he asked softly.
"why what?"
"why are you so reckless? running into battle constantly, working nonstop, not even taking care of yourself. do you not care about yourself?"
shame burned in your cheeks. "i care about my students. and you all. if i must work and fight to protect you, then i will."
seteth moves his hand to your cheek. "but what will happen if you don't take a break? if you're bed-ridden, then you won't be able to do anything."
"why do you care so much?"
"because i care for you." his eyes casted down, away from your face, "i care so much. and seeing you work nonstop and hiding your pain- that hurts me. because i can't bare to see the ones i love suffering."
"you love me?" you smiled slightly.
"i do," he moved to lay his forehead against yours, "but i guess i'll have to help take care of you and be by your side, since you can't do it alone."
you pressed a chaste kiss to the tip of his nose, and then to his lips. "i'll be pretty okay as long as i have you, then. i love you too, seteth."