Byleth, as a broke sixteen-year-old, was just as nervous as she was excited when her father told her of job opportunities. After spending what little money she had on some new clothes and treating herself to a few nice meals here and there, she had been desperately searching for whatever job she could come across. She had always gotten by with allowance from Jeralt, but after her recent splurging, he had decided to reinforce the responsibility that came with money and revoke her allowance. He wanted her to learn that money came from hard work, not binging soap operas and comic books.
Jeralt was the kind of man to work odd jobs to support his family. Mowing lawns, fixing fences, and even taking a part-time job as a construction worker. Byleth recounted ordering a pizza once while at a friend's house and her father being the delivery man. Jeralt did whatever he could to make money to maintain them.
"So what is it this time, dad?" She asked tentatively, slightly afraid of what was going to come out of his mouth. "Am I fixing furniture? Raking up leaves for an elderly woman? Filling in for the mailman?"
"None of that," Jeralt grumbled heartily. He seemed to be amused with whatever job he had found her. There was a tinge of teasing in his voice, like this was all some kind of prank that was about to blow up in her face.
Byleth crossed her arms across her chest, lowering her eyebrows with a slight pout. "Then what is it? You're scaring me."
"If you would be more patient, I would get to it," he assured, but he was still smiling. "While I was filling in at the construction site, a few of the guys there knew I had a daughter and wondered if she was willing to do them a favor."
Her mind raced a mile a minute. What would a bunch of construction workers want her to do? Sew up holes in their work vests? It wasn't even like she could sew-
"And I know how much you love interacting with other people so..." Her father leaned in, draping an arm over her shoulders. She wasn't liking where this was going. He was acting all nice because he was about to drop the bomb on her that she was-
"You're babysitting for their kids starting tomorrow." He leaned back, patting her on the back like she just got a trophy. Perhaps a trophy for having the most miserable reaction in all of history to what should have been happy news.
Byleth, finally putting her emotions into words, let out a huff. "Dad, you know I don't like people. I'm not good with kids. Why couldn't I just mow a lawn or plant some flowers for a neighbor?"
Jeralt put a hand on his hip, a pose that looked odd with his buff stature. "C'mon kiddo, it'll be good for you. Besides," he winked, "babysitting pays well. You wanted a job because you wanted money, so here I am giving you an opportunity on a silver platter. I wouldn't turn it down, if I were you."
Byleth sighed. He was right, but that didn't mean she would like it. She desperately needed the money right now; there was a new book series about to be released in hardcover that she wanted for her collection, so it gave her a light at the end of the tunnel in dealing with a few whiny, bratty kids.
Besides, how bad could they be? She was sure their families would send them with toys to keep them busy. And they would probably play among themselves. Byleth could sit in the other room with a warm cup of coffee, a book in her hands, and her feet put up on the table. It was easy money, as far as she was concerned. She was underestimating herself. This would be a piece of cake.
"Alright, dad," she began with new-found confidence, "leave it to me."
Byleth didn't realize just how wrong she could be about something.
She had been finishing the makeshift fortress of pillows on the living room floor when there was a knock on the door. Walking over, she hoped the parent wouldn't criticize how terribly unprofessional this all was. She wasn't going to buy baby gates or play mats or whatever else was needed if she was only babysitting for today. She didn't see herself lasting longer than one day.
With a deep breath to reassure herself, she answered the door to a brunette man with more than a few gray hairs sprouted above his ears. She hoped it was stress from work, not whatever child was holding his hand.
"You must be Jeralt's daughter," the man stretched out his hand to her, and Byleth took it with a nod. "He's given you the highest of praises, so I'm sure my dear Edelgard will be in good hands."
As if on cue, Edelgard, who stood to the height of Byleth's hips, moved her other hand to grip onto her father. "Why don't you smile?"
Byleth blanched. She had done it without thinking about it! She had a habit of not showing her emotions and wearing a blank face. Jeralt was used to it and could read her easily, but she had forgotten how off-putting it was to strangers - she must have looked downright inhumane to a child.
She forced a tight-lipped smile, glancing down towards the girl. "I do, I just save it for good little boys and girls."
Deep down, Byleth was cringing. She hated baby talk. Well, Edelgard looked to be elementary school age, so maybe just kiddie talk. Regardless, Byleth hated both.
Snapping her out of her dilemma, Edelgard's father chuckled, ruffling his daughter's hair. "I'm sure you two will get along." He knelt down, placing a kiss on Edelgard's forehead. "Daddy has to go to work now, so be on your best behavior for Miss Byleth, okay?"
Edelgard nodded, silver hair bobbing. Byleth noticed a small red backpack on the girl's back, so hopefully she was sent with toys or food. Hopefully both.
Byleth gave a small wave as the man drove away, goading Edelgard into the house before she shut the door. This was doable so far. Edelgard seemed quiet, so hopefully she would keep to herself. Byleth had a fresh pot of coffee and her newest comic book waiting in the other room, so hopefully the other two kids were the same way.
"So," Byleth began, watching Edelgard shrug off her backpack and take a seat on the floor, "how old are you?"
Edelgard, perhaps a bit sassy for her age, looked up at the teenager with a challenging stare. "Old enough to not need a babysitter."
Byleth blinked. Was this elementary schooler talking back to her? It hadn't even been five minutes since they met! Did all kids have this kind of attitude? ... What had Jeralt gotten her into?
She cleared her throat awkwardly. "I was hoping for an age-"
"Six," the girl said finally, unzipping her backpack. From what Byleth could see from the slit, there was a book in there and a small lunchbox. Thank the goddess. That was one less thing Byleth had to worry about.
There was another knock at the door, but it was quiet and tentative. If Edelgard hadn't been so silent, she might not have heard the knocking in the first place. She glanced from the door to Edelgard. "Hang on just a second..."
Byleth made her way back to the door, opening it with more force than she intended. There was... no one there? Maybe she had just imagined it? Belatedly, she noticed small fingers grabbing at the edge of the door from behind it.
By the goddess, did she hit the kid with the door? This wasn't a good start.
A small boy with hair the color of straw rounded the corner, brushing dirt off his blue shirt and khaki shorts. "Are you Miss Byleth?"
Luckily, he seemed unhurt. But... where were his parents? Edelgard was transferred to her by the girl's father, but there seemed to be no parents around for this boy.
"That would be me," she said finally. "What's your name?"
He smiled brightly, giving her a bow as if he were a prince. "Dimitri Alexandre Blaiddyd."
Byleth swallowed past the lump that had formed in her throat. This kid had probably read too many picture books about knight's tales. And what were his parents thinking, naming him such a long and formal name like that? Speaking of...
"Dimitri," she couldn't help but notice how he lit up when she said his name, "where are your parents?"
Dimitri blinked up at her, almost seeming confused. "I told them that I wanted to be a big boy and meet you myself!"
Byleth opened her mouth to rebut but realized she had nothing to say to that. His parents would let him leave, all by himself, and walk from wherever they lived to her house? She should be glad that nothing happened to the boy, lest it be blamed on her.
She nodded. "Right... how old are you again?"
"Six!" He put his hands on his hips with a triumphant grin on his face, and Byleth mused that all he was missing was the shining armor and the cape billowing in the wind.
"Your hair looks funny."
Byleth hadn't even noticed Edelgard walking up and standing behind her leg until the girl had spoken. And when she had, Dimitri visibly deflated.
"It does not!" He rebutted, narrowing his eyes at the girl.
Edelgard took the challenge wholeheartedly. "Does too!"
Byleth decided it was better to diffuse the situation before they began fighting. "Children, please. Let's at least try to get along before you start fighting."
Dimitri looked up at her with hopeful blue eyes, saw her determined expression, and moved his gaze to his shoes with a pout. "Okay..."
Edelgard stayed silent, but Byleth knew the girl was at least considering what she had said. It was a step in the right direction, at least.
In the silence, Byleth noticed Dimitri wearing a backpack. It was blue and... looked like a lion? She had forgotten that manufacturers still made those kind of things. The bag was kind of cute, actually. Hopefully it had food and toys in it. Byleth had gotten lucky with Edelgard's bag being packed, so maybe that wouldn't be a problem and she was just overthinking things.
Maybe the two kids would sit together and start talking, hopefully keep each other busy. After their first interaction, she had little hope for such a thing, but a girl could dream. Maybe they would warm up to each other and become friends.
The doorbell rang and Byleth nearly sprang to her feet. That must have been the last kid. She glanced back to Edelgard and Dimitri, who sat on her living room floor a fair distance apart and certainly did not look like they would be interacting any time soon. "Don't get too crazy with each other while I'm gone," she teased, but with her blank expression and deadpan, it hardly came across as anything but sarcasm.
Before she could get to the door, the doorbell multiplied in frequency. Whoever was pressing it was now hitting it like a maniac. She heard giggling and a light reprimand from behind the door. Somehow, Byleth knew she was in for a real one-of-a-kind once she opened it.
Twisting the knob and pushing the door open with a masked feeling of dread, her eyes found a young boy, finger hovering over the doorbell, and a man, probably in his late twenties at most, standing behind him.
"S-sorry about that," the man apologized, but Byleth could still hear the laugh in his voice. "Claude gets a bit excited. I tried to tell him to stop but he just kept going."
That wasn't a good sign for discipline. Byleth forced a small smile on her face, belying her true feelings of dread. "It's fine. As long as it isn't hurting anybody, I don't have a problem with it."
"Wow, really?" The boy, Claude, looked up at her with glimmering green eyes. He looked like she had just changed his entire world with her thoughtless, offhand comment. "I like you already!"
Byleth couldn't help the smile that tugged at her lips. "I'm glad to hear that."
Realizing she should have started asking the question back when Edelgard was dropped off, she turned towards the man standing behind Claude. "Is there anything I need to know or be prepared for?" Another thought came to her. "Oh, and does Claude have food or some toys packed with him?"
The man ruffled Claude's hair (with 'hey!'s and similar halfhearted protests from the boy) with a chuckle. "The kid's more nosy than he should be, but that's really it. And he should be packed with everything he needs for the day."
Claude leaned towards her, placing his hand besides his mouth to whisper to her. "Don't listen to him, it's good to know as much as you can." His mischievous smirk did nothing to quell Byleth's nerves. She had a feeling this kid would somehow get her killed.
She forced a laugh. "He's in good hands with me."
She was convincing the man as much as she was convincing herself. She could only see disaster in her near future.
"I wouldn't doubt it. Your father gave you the highest of praises when it comes to babysitting." The man smiled so genuinely at her, she couldn't find it in her to deny such claims. Jeralt really stretched for this one, but a job was a job and he had done it for her.
"I'm not all that, but I'll gladly take the compliment." Besides, it was nice to get praise every now and then. Even if it wasn't fully warranted.
"I guess we'll see after today," he mused, but it seemed he was only teasing her. He looked towards Claude with a warm smile. "Don't cause too much trouble, alright?"
The boy locked his fingers behind his head and leaned back leisurely. "No promises..."
The man sighed, returning his gaze to Byleth. "Good luck with the little rascal. If you need anything, my phone number is written inside his backpack."
Byleth nodded and they said their goodbyes. She led Claude into her house, closing the door behind her for the final time, and nearly ran into Edelgard and Dimitri, who hid behind the corner. They must have been watching her conversation.
"Hey, it's not nice to eavesdrop, you know." She frowned, placing a hand on her hip.
Dimitri hung his head in shame. The kid took her reprimands a little too seriously. Maybe she would have to talk with less harsh language. If that could even be considered harsh in the first place. But she had to remind herself that they were kids and took everything to heart. Well maybe not Claude - and definitely not Edelgard. Maybe it was just Dimitri? She'd probably find out by the end of the day.
Edelgard copied her pose instinctively. "It saves the time of introducing Claude to us."
Claude raised an eyebrow. "I still don't know you two."
Dimitri perked up instantly, as if he had never been upset in the first place. "I am Dimitri Alexandre Bla-"
Edelgard glared at him harshly. "You can just say Dimitri."
The blond shrunk under her violet gaze, grabbing his elbow in anxiousness. Byleth probably should reprimand Edelgard for being so blunt with Dimitri.
"Dimitri it is," Claude smiled, "and you are?"
The girl flipped her hair over her shoulder, acting like she was ten years older than she was. "Edelgard."
Byleth clicked her tongue, directing her eyes to the newest child of her babysitting collection. "Claude, I never asked - how old are you?"
He closed his eyes with a triumphant smile. "Seven." He opened one eye, emulating a wink. "I bet you thought I was older."
Truthfully, Byleth hadn't cared enough to guess. She figured they were all around the same age, so hopefully the day could go smoothly. Edelgard - silent, sassy, and blunt - was six; Dimitri - passionate, anxious, and princely - was also six. Claude - mischievous, charming, and charismatic - was seven. This was doable. All she had to worry about was if they would get along. Kids got along and became friends regardless of similar personalities and interests, right? They were kids.
And for the second time that day, Byleth didn't realize just how wrong she could be about something.