fire emblem x readers | UNDER REVISION

parents? [3] | claude

"What do you want?"

"Can I not eat dinner with my two favorite people?"

"Lorenz and Hilda are at the other table."

Claude laughed at your annoyance and sat down beside you. You wished August had wanted to sit beside you today, but he insisted on sitting across. He saw everyone else sitting across from the person they were talking to, so he wanted to try it out as well.

"That was a good one. It's a shame I tend to despise Lorenz more often than not."

You decided not to respond, instead watching August as he ate the fish you had cut up for him. The chatter of the dining hall faded away as a warmth enveloped your hand. You furrowed your eyebrows and looked down, seeing Claude's hand on top of your own. You looked at him questioningly.

He wasn't looking at you. "I just wanna say that you're doing a good job with him. And that I'm sorry for being an ass about him."

You were confused. "What? What spurred this on?"

"When August stayed with me the other evening and I taught him how to tie his shoes-"

"I taught him-"

"It was a mutual thing, okay? We both did it." He sighed, "I realized that it was kinda hard to watch after a kid for even an hour and that I was being harsh on you since you had to take care of him 24/7. So, I'm sorry. And I want to help you more. The kid's kinda grown on me."

"Oh, and I haven't grown on you?" You teased.

"You certainly have, but this is about the kid you're raising alone at 17. I wanna take him off your hands for the rest of the night. He and I can have a dude's night and you can relax."

You watched his eyes for any kind of suspicious glimmer, but it was hard with his hand still on yours, warming your entire body. August was listening patiently to the both of you, excitedly kicking his feet as he finished his dinner.

Reluctantly, you sighed. "Okay. But, please, don't teach him any bad things."

Claude linked his pinky with yours. "I promise. And be safe, now, it looks like it's gonna storm soon."

You watched as Claude then walked around the other side of the table and picked up August and his plate, the younger boy giggling the entire time. People in the dining hall had begun to watch, expecting you to yell at Claude, but you just sat there, eating your dinner.

The two boys waved goodbye at you as they went back to Claude's dorm and your heart slightly hurt. You missed him already. Which boy were you talking about? You didn't really know.

Your hand felt cold now without Claude's, but you shook it off. He may have some newfound respect for you or whatever the fuck is going on, but he's only doing it to make you flustered. Hilda said so herself.

But, was Hilda really someone you should trust when it comes to such things? She can be a little... much. But she's Claude's best friend. She has to know something, right?

Goddess, who knows.

You cleaned up and headed back to your room, getting ready for bed.

———

The storm was slowly picking up, the clouds covering the normally starry sky. You sat on your bed, reading a book, not used to your room being so quiet anymore. Usually August was telling you a story that he made up or playing with the little wooden horses and soldiers that you had bought him at the market, but now the toys lay motionless in the middle of your floor.