It was Byleth's turn to freeze from shock. Her brain completely turned off as he kissed her passionately and held her closer. Byleth slowly melted into the kiss, her arms wrapping around his shoulders to pull him closer.
Was this...real?
The moment seemed to fly by. It was all too quick that he pulled away from the kiss, an astounded look on his face. Byleth was sure she looked the same as she suddenly grew aware of how close they were now. She was on her tip toes just to have her arms around his shoulders...
"You kissed me back?" Byleth breathed, confused and exhilarated. There was no way this was real. She was dreaming! She had to be. She pinched her finger...
Nope. She didn't wake up.
"I did," Claude said, a small smile on his face. As Byleth just stared in shock, Claude let out a small chuckle. "I did because...I love you."
"Y-You love me?" Byleth practically forgot how to talk. Claude nodded.
"I thought you knew," Claude said sheepishly. "I wrote a song for you, I thought that was obvious..."
"T-That was for me!?" Byleth sputtered, a bewildered look on her face. Suddenly, it all began to make sense. He really felt...the same way? Claude shrugged.
"Of course," Claude replied. "I was planning on confessing while we were at the venue tonight, but..." He trailed off, his smile fading. "Teach, regardless of how we feel...we can't stay together. I love you too much to put you in danger."
"And I love you too much to leave you," Byleth responded stubbornly. Her heart was beating so quickly. While it hurt, as if often did more times than not, she didn't care. "Claude, we can get through this together."
"Teach..."
"You can't leave me, not after this," Byleth said quietly and desperately. "I love you. I love you, Claude! And I'll be damned if you leave now. I don't care if I'm in danger. I'm sticking by your side."
"You might not care, but I do," Claude frowned, clinging tighter onto Byleth. "I love you too much to let you be in danger because of me."
"Well, you can't make me leave. You're not dying or anything, so there's no actual excuse," Byleth told him sternly. "This was a one time thing. If you're so worried about our safeties, you could hire security. I don't think we need it, but-"
"We need it. If a mafia boss is coming after me, I expect others," Claude was getting more and more worked up, even as Byleth tried repeatedly to get him to calm down. "Bodyguards, maybe? That would be sufficient-"
"I was thinking just an amped up security system..."
"What if they don't attack while we're at the house!?" Claude exploded, the highest amount of anger or fear that Byleth had ever heard. She let him rant as she stood in silence, slightly stunned, but she knew he needed it.
Once he was done, she slowly brought her hand down to cup his cheek. His emerald eyes were full of worry.
"Bodyguards it is."
"But where am I going to get some?" Claude stressed. "Who is going to agree to watch the son of the von Riegans, everyday?"
Hm. Who was in need of a job, good at protecting people, and someone she knew...?
Byleth could think of a couple people...
"I think I might know," Byleth said softly. "But if I don't...it doesn't matter. Because we're going to figure it out together. I know you're worried, but...we can't let fear control us. I love you...and nothing is taking me away from that. Not mafia bosses, fear, the companies, or illness. Nothing."
"I love you too," Claude replied, slightly distracted as Byleth ran her hand down his cheek, trailing her hand down to his chest. "But Teach...How can we take the risk? If we're here together and you die because of me...how can we risk something like that?"
"...Because love is stronger than fear," Byleth pressed her head against his chest, feeling the pounding of his heartbeat against her ear. Alive. Just how he had awakened her...Byleth couldn't leave that. "And if I have to die to love you, so be it."
"...Okay. I love you," Claude pulled her closer to him as they hugged. Byleth could tell he wasn't fully on board with her thought process. As she closed her eyes, enjoying the warmth and earthy scent of his embrace, she hoped she wouldn't have to argue with him later.
But for the moment, she'd focus on the present. Like how she was glad she could hug him like this. Like how she was glad that she had kissed him, and he had reciprocated.
Like how she was glad she could finally say the right words to him...
"I love you too, Claude."
YOU ARE READING
Race Against Time
Fanfiction"BYLETH, YOU'RE DYING." Those were the words Byleth Eisner had heard her entire life...but it had never rang true. She had always known that the doctors were wrong, that she was going to keep living, but the fear of death was constant. Born with a h...
