All This Time

Stargazing

"It must be awful to have the Professor angry with you, Claude."

He could recognize Edelgard's mocking and calculating tone from anywhere. She approached him with a pleasant smile on her face.

"Yeah, it was," Claude let a relaxed smile play out on his face, pretending that her animosities didn't confuse him. "It's a good thing we reconciled."

At this, Edelgard's smug expression disappeared, replaced with a look of horror and shock. Her jaw was hung open, until she tried to quickly compose herself. It was Claude's turn to smirk.

"Why do you even care?" Claude questioned, his emerald eyes glimmering in the light as he watched her. "My Teach isn't associated with you in any way. I know you're not talking to me out of the goodness of your heart."

"T-The professor was in incredible need of consoling after what you pulled," Edelgard stammered, and then she pulled herself together with a clear of her throat. "I simply didn't think you'd be able to reel her back in. Well done."

"More like you were trying to get her to join your house instead," Claude mused. He found it so easy to read Edelgard, it was laughable. "What are you trying to play at?"

"The same as you," Edelgard said steely. "We both want the professor."

Thinking that she meant in a tactical way, Claude laughed.

"I hate to burst your bubble, but my Teach isn't going to join you anytime soon."

"Hmmph. We'll see about that."

———

Byleth was walking towards the Cathedral, with the intent of reporting the information collected back to Seteth, when she noticed Claude by the training halls petting a kitten. She smiled as she saw him talk to the kitten playfully, watching as it climbed into his lap. Byleth couldn't resist the urge to sneak up behind him, and scare him. She snuck up behind him, and whispered into his ear;

"Claude."

"GAH!" Claude jumped up in shock, holding the kitten in his arms. Upon turning around, he rubbed the back of his neck with his other hand awkwardly. "Impressive, Teach. I guess I got a little distracted by this cute kitten."

"He is adorable," Byleth smiled, reaching her hand out to pet the kitten's head. It mewled, waving it's tail. "Does he have a name?"

"Not yet. He kept following me around everywhere, so I eventually just fed him," Claude had a guilty smile on his face. "Can you blame me? Look how adorable he is."

"I didn't know you liked kittens."

"Well, I've always been an animal person," Claude winked, speaking in his carefree way as usual. "I had a dog back at home."

"Huh," Byleth mused, watching as the kitten purred under her touch. "The home before you mysteriously showed up, or the one for House Riegan?"

He smirked.

"The one before I 'mysteriously showed up'," Claude quoted her with an easygoing smile. He stroked the kitten's soft fur, refusing to go into further detail.