leicesters | IC INBOX: KENOS

[This time, Byleth is a lot more confident in reaching out in Communion with someone he's comfortable with, so whereas his first invitation had been a very tentative poke, this one was more like a knock on the figurative door.]

Claude, it's me. Come to Daystar Café.

[...his invites are still kinda awkward, though.]

Right now? Sure thing. I'd been meaning to contact you anyway, so it works out.

[Fortunately Claude is very used to Byleth's awkward, so the invitation doesn't faze him any.]

[Claude wishing to speak to him wasn't anything unusual in his mind. He was quickly growing accustomed to making room for him in his vast amounts of free time, and it wasn't a bad thing.]

Good. I'll meet you soon.

[With that, he cut the Communion, deeming that as a sufficient goodbye. When Claude arrives at Daystar, Byleth will already be there, having ordered tea and cakes for both of them. It seemed he'd already been at the café when he made his Communion call...]

[Claude is both... surprised and yet not surprised at all to see Byleth already present and having seemingly been there a while. As he enters, he's not so subtly hiding something behind his back.]

Hey Byleth! Thanks for waiting. [Then, a little mischeviously:] I have someone who wants to meet you, but they're a little shy, so you need to close your eyes first.

[Read: it's a surprise and more fun this way.]

[At Claude's mischievousness, Byleth looked somewhat intrigued and puzzled.]

I assume this 'someone' is what you're hiding behind your back? They must be quite small...

[But, he saw no harm in playing along, even if he wasn't sure what he was playing along with. He trusted Claude. So, he closed his eyes and neatly folded his hands together on the table, the very picture of non-threatening.]

Alright! Aaaand... Now you can look!

[Claude takes a seat at the table, and sets the deer plushie he'd brought with him on the table. Once Byleth has opened his eyes, he offers the beginnings of an explanation.]

It's your very own Golden Deer.

[Byleth stared at the 'Golden Deer' Claude had set in front of him, briefly uncomprehending. It was a stuffed toy, he could recognise that, even if he'd never actually interacted with one before. Its proportions were more for aesthetics than for realism, with no hard edges whatsoever to be seen, and its plush fur gave it a rather squishable appearance. All in all, it was rather unthreatening, and very cute.

But, weren't these given to children? Byleth wasn't so prideful as to be insulted, but he was puzzled. Had he just been misinformed over who could have them?]

I see. Thank you for the kind gift.

[He couldn't quite keep the confusion out of his voice, but there was clear interest in his gaze as he carefully picked up the toy deer. It wasn't overly big or heavy, but it was large enough for him to sit it in his lap and have its head just about peek over the edge, its wide eyes peering at Claude.]

I've never been given a stuffed toy before. [Carefully, he squeezed the deer's front hoof, feeling how it easily... squished.] It's very soft...

[Claude watches his reactions, and he can believe from how baffled he seems by it that he's never had one before. Once again he's different from the Byleth that Claude knew, one that had bought a stuffed bear from the market and surprised Lysithea with it once in their student days. She had flushed bright red, but instead of angrily denying she liked such childish things, she had told him she loved it, and Byleth had been happy.

Now, he's not even sure this Byleth knows who Lysithea is. Nonetheless, he's accepted the gift all the same, which is the important thing.]

Yeah. Do you know the legend about the Golden Deer? They say that in a time of crisis, it's a mythical beast that will appear to protect Leicester. Of course... [Claude's smile becomes a little more bittersweet,] this deer's a little short on places to protect right now, so I thought I'd entrust him to you instead. Maybe when I'm not around, he'll help you sleep better at night.

[Byleth hadn't known that legend - barely knew anything about the nations of Fódlan except that they existed and that their various differences was a constant source of coin for mercenaries like him. He looked down at the Golden Deer sitting innocuously in his lap, soft and adorable and not at all like a fierce protector.

But he understood the symbolic sentiment - and the pragmatism. Claude couldn't spend every other night with him, just because Byleth was irrationally paranoid about sleeping alone to the point of near self-destruction. This was a gentle compromise, one that Byleth was grateful for all the same.]

...then, I'm very grateful that your esteemed Golden Deer has deemed me worthy of his protection. Does he have a name?

He's yours, so you're welcome to pick one. What would you like to call him?

[Since Byleth has ordered them tea and cake already, Claude will set about pouring himself a cup while Byleth takes the time to think it over, smiling slightly at how cute Byleth looks with the plush in his lap.]

[Byleth didn't say anything for a long moment. Instead, he stared at the corner of the table, his expression giving away nothing in his thoughts as he tried to think of a suitable name. This toy was to be a Claude substitute, and what were the purposes of stuffed toys...?

Aha!

So, it was without any context or lead up that he finally said:] Clauddles.

Claude... dles?

[He has absolutely no clue what the thought process behind that was, so he merely gives him a mystified look.]

Is that just a cutesy version of my name?

Yes, but it's also a pun.

[Oh, Byleth actually seemed a little proud of himself about this! He was usually pretty bad at puns, hence why he was slow to pick up Alois's jokes, but this time he successfully used one! It only took him a few minutes to think of it.]

Claude and cuddles. Clauddles.

Oh! That's-- very creative.

[Sadly Claude isn't a great pun enjoyer, but Byleth seems proud about this, so he's just going to run with it.]

Then from henceforth, he's Clauddles the cuddly deer. I hope he proves a handy little guardian for you.

Yes. I'll take care of him so that he takes care of me.

[A mutually beneficial arrangement for all. He adjusted Clauddles so the toy deer sat a little more comfortably in his lap, and even let its front hooves rest against the edge of the table to balance it a bit better as he went to pour himself some tea.]

Thank you again, Claude. I appreciate the gift. Speaking of...

[Tea poured, he set the teapot back down.]

...what would you like from the Beyond?

[Once again, giving no context.]

[Cute... Except moments later, Claude is back to being baffled again, almost spitting out his tea mid-sip.]

The Beyond? What, are you planning a shopping trip there?

Yes.

[Wait.]

No. I'm joining an expedition to the Beyond, and it's likely I'll come across rare or mysterious items. I've no interest in them, but I'm willing to collect a few relics for you, if you so wish.

I see... Just be careful. I don't know much about that place, and I don't need you to risk your neck for me on the off chance you might pick up something interesting.

[It'd be a different story if he was going in with something already in mind to swipe, but that not being the case...]

What's the objectives of this expedition? This is the first I'm hearing about it.

The mission objectives are twofold, as laid out by the expedition leader: Set. Objective one is the retrieval of a rare medicinal herb for interested parties. Objective two is to reach a temple in the far north, as it's allegedly of some importance to Set.

[The latter was more of a personal objective, but Byleth didn't care. He was being paid whether they were out to pick flowers or to go hunting for some long lost temple.]

So, I'll have plenty of opportunities to come across interesting items of possible worth.

Hmmm... If you do reach the temple, do you mind filling me in on anything you find or learn there? I'm interested in what's got him so fixated on it.

[Why does the Beyond have temples anyway...? That definitely gets his mind ticking.]

Very well. I'll compile a thorough report on everything relating to the temple for your perusal.

[Hope you're prepared to read some chicken scratch upon his return, Claude.]

But, why're you interested in what interests him? Are you just curious?

Frankly, he's a god of war, and a wildcard who doesn't tend to see eye-to-eye with me. The more I know about him, the better.

[Claude doubts he'll ever be able to control this particular variable, but he can at least try to learn enough to predict his behaviour in the same way he can for other members of Meridian.]

[Byleth blinked slowly at him.]

Is that so...? Then, I do have some information that may interest you regarding him. It's something I gleaned whilst conversing with him from time to time.

Yeah? Then by all means, please share.

[He's even leaning forward in his seat a little. what's the juicy gossip, byleth]

[Byleth leaned in, as if he's about to impart a very important and dangerous secret:]

He's married to Manon.

Teatime with (Bizarro) Teach Take Two

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