I Will Keep You Safe And Warm

Author's Notes: Written for FE Rally for Gaza. Specifically written for Moon!

The sound of her brother’s knuckles against her bedroom door might as well have been a violent crash of thunder that threw Hilda to the floor. Panic pulsed through her system as her eyes snapped open and she flailed underneath the thick feather quilt. Or rather, she tried to. It was a bit hard to flail about with your boyfriend strewn across you.

Claude’s eyes slowly opened as he felt Hilda wiggle in his grasp. A smile crept itself across his lips only for it to get knocked off his face when she elbowed him in the collarbone.

“Wake up!” she stage hissed to the young man. Before Claude could even ask what was happening, her hand smushed against his mouth and half-muffled any nonsense that might have spilled from his lips.

“Hey, Hildie? You in there?” Holst’s deep bass rumbled through the door and at the base of the two lovesick teens’ spines. Finally, the nobleman caught up with the rest of the world. Forest green eyes snapped wide open as he finally let go of his girlfriend’s waist and slid off the bed. His legs kicked off the heavy duvet as he tried to find his pants.

“Y-yeah, Holst, I’m just... waking up! Don’t come in!”

“Alright, but your big brother really wants to see you! Hurry up!

She and Claude’s relationship wasn’t public yet. There was no formal courting. Hilda wasn’t sure if Claude was capable of properly courting anyone. He was casual and treated everyone about the same. It was one of the reasons why she was drawn to him. He was completely unlike the other stuffy nobles who made proposals and courtship attempts to her. Of course, every one of those would-be suitors were chased off by Holst, her older and very protective brother. Claude wasn’t intimidated. He stuck around despite the heaviness of her big brother’s gaze whenever he visited Goneril territory.

Still, it wouldn’t be a good look at all for the upcoming ruler of the Alliance to be caught in bed—not that they had gotten up to anything besides relatively chaste kisses and sharing the same bed—with the unwed and seemingly uncourted Hilda Valentine Goneril. Even if most would approve of their relationship, it’d cause a scandal if they were caught like this, surely!

Of course, there was also the risk of a scandal not being at all thanks to Holst. Claude might wind up nothing more than a stain on the dorm room floor.

Hilda scrambled across the dorm. Her silken locks flew behind her like a war flag as she tried to figure out what to do. Could she push Claude out the window? No, his shoulders were too wide to fit even if he managed to climb up high enough to reach the window.

Claude’s head spun as he pulled on his uniform the best that a panicked young man with uncharacteristically shaky hands could anyway. His eyes flickered across the room in search of a hiding place. The wardrobe? No, he’d have to take the shelves out and there just wasn’t enough time. Behind the desk? Would he stick out from Holst’s point of view?

Once more, his eyes flickered towards Hilda who was yanking on her own uniform. Their eyes met each other’s and something sparked inside his chest. His lips curled into a smirk as he reached for her shoulders and pulled her into a quick kiss. His smile widened as he saw stars flash in his lover’s eyes. She stared at him with half-lidded eyes as a dreamy smile graced her beautiful features. However, this might have been a mistake.

“Comin’ in—”

As Hilda was just in the white button up shirt and nothing else yet.

“N-no! I-I’m not decent! Holst! No!” With that, Claude dove back into Hilda’s bed and threw the heavy blanket and pillow over his head. “Ugh, you are just the worst!” the young woman cried as she tried to shove her brother out the door.

“Hey, hey, hey, it’s nothing I haven’t seen—”

“Oh, shush! A woman can’t be seen in this state by anyone. Looking pretty and ready at all times is important to girls!”

Claude snorted.

Holst rolled his eyes as he pushed past his little sister and closed the door behind him. He took a deep breath. The scent of dusty books, wild grass and creaking wood mingled with Hilda’s perfume that lingered in the air was all too familiar to the former student. The dorm rooms were still decorated the same, it seemed. Though, the bedspread seemed... fluffier and thicker than he remembered. Then something caught his eye. Among the sea of off-yellow linen, something hanging off the bed shimmered as the morning sun poured through the dusty windows.

Heavy footsteps rumbled inside Claude’s chest as he heard Holst grow closer. He held his breath. A slight gasp escaped him as he felt something tug on his shoulder until a loud tear—the small golden cape he wore as house leader— echoed throughout the dorm room. He hissed in displeasure. He would have to get his uniform tailored again—

Suddenly light poured into his eyes as the thick comforter was thrown off of him and he was face to face with a panicked Hilda and surprisingly stoic Holst.

“I...” He began despite being unsure of how to go forward.

“Well it looks like the rumours are true... I’ll be getting a brother-in-law very soon, won’t I?” Holst said with a wide smile.

Claude gulped.