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It was the day. The day of the Garreg Mach Ball. Claude watched the clock as he got dressed. His messy room made it a little difficult to get dressed, but it was okay. It was an organized mess. The words of what the students had been discussing swam through his head.
“Every girl dances with a boy!”
“Girls get to dance with every boy at the ball!”
“Boys have to treat the girls so kindly!”
Girls and boys. Girls and boys. Why was it only girls and boys? Claude sat on his bed after shoving his shoe on. He put his head in his hands. There was only one person he wanted to go to the ball with. His “supposed” rival Lorenz Gloucester.
“Claude, you know we can’t dance together. We have a noble status to uphold,” Lorenz’s voice rang in his ears.
“I know, but we can’t be happy if we keep doing things like this,” Claude replied.
“I know, Claude, but we have to think of the future of the Alliance.”
“The future would be better if we could just be together,” Claude muttered.
The scene replayed in his head on repeat. He laid back on his bed, hands behind his head. The face of a defeated Lorenz stayed in his mind. The rare sight. He felt like he was lucky he could see it, even if it hurt. Why did things have to be this way? And how come out of all the students in the Officers Academy did I had to fall for Lorenz Hellman Gloucester? Well, perhaps it was the childhood connection. He remembered their good times together as kids. Running around, pretending to be commanders together, leading their armies of rocks. Claude always sat back and watched as Lorenz acted like the noble he wanted to be. Funny how he always seemed like more of a leader.
Knock. Knock. Knock.
Oh god who could that be? Don’t they know the ball starts in like fifteen minutes?
Claude groaned as he got out of bed. He just wanted this night to pass. He opened the door and there she stood, he knew that bright pink hair anywhere, Hilda Goneril.
“Hilda?” Claude said. “What are you doing here?”
“Um. . . I came to check on you, silly. All the nobles are already in the ball room getting ready and you were missing,” Hilda replied.
“Oh, shoot. I forgot we were supposed to arrive by now. Sorry about that.” Claude looked down for a second before shaking his head. “I’ll head there now, then.”
“Claude, wait,” Hilda said.
“What?”
“Listen, I know you wanna dance with Lorenz. I know it’s against the tradition.”
“Yeah? Tell me something I don’t know.”
“Just listen, will you?” Hilda began doing that charming way of talking she did. “So, Marianne and I put a little arrangement together.” Suddenly, she had Claude’s attention. “I’ll dance with you, she’s gonna dance with Lorenz. Then we’ll just have you two switch between us, putting a little time to dance together in between.”
“Ah, I see,” Claude said. “But. . . Marianne is going?”
“Well. . . It took some convincing, but I promised her more stable duty.”
“Isn’t that just your work?”
“C’mon, Claude! Do you want this to happen or not?”
Claude thought for a moment, even though it would only be a few seconds, it was better than nothing. “Fine, as long as Marianne’s comfortable with it.”
“Well, duh, she gets to dance with me in between exchanges!”
“I guess that is true.”
“Well, let’s get going then! I just wanna get this over with. Being a noble is so much work! I don’t know how you do it,” Hilda said as she lead the way.
“Yeah, tell me about it,” Claude said.
***
Claude and Hilda finally arrived at the ball five minutes before hand. They panted hard from running all the way from the dorms.
“Well it’s about time you showed up,” Lysithea said. “We’re about to start!”
“S-Sorry,” Claude said breathlessly. “We got a little caught up in something.”
“Can’t imagine what it was to make you all almost late,” Lysithea said.
“Ah, Claude! Hilda! There you are!” Oh boy it was his voice. Claude’s heart started fluttering, but he tried to play it cool as always.
“Hey, Lorenz,” Claude said as he put his hands behind his head. “We just barely made it!”
“I see that, it’s not very noble to almost be late to such an event,” Lorenz said.
“Yeah I know, I know,” Claude said. He looked away trying not to blush.
“Ah, Hilda, you’re here,” A sad, yet soft voice said. Marianne walked up, dressed as nicely as she could be.
“Marianne! Hi! I told Claude everything,” Hilda said.
“Ah, that’s great,” Marianne said as she looked at the ground.
“You okay Marianne?” Claude asked.
“O-Oh yeah! I’m glad I can be of use to someone.”
“Use? Awe c’mon don’t say it like that, it makes me feel bad,” Claude said with a frown.
“What is she talking about?” Lysithea butted in.
“Ah, it’s nothing,” Claude said. “Don’t worry about it.”
“Hush everyone! I think it’s starting!” Hilda said.
In came the music. The chatter faded away and the room got quiet as everyone began taking the floor. Everything seemed magical, almost surreal. Claude danced with Hilda as planned and Marianne with Lorenz. The two “couples” stayed close to each other, so Claude and Lorenz were back to back.
“You don’t think this looks suspicious?” Lorenz whispered.
“Nah, I think it looks like we’re just dancing normally,” Claude said. “You worry too much.”
“Well, one of us has to,” Lorenz said. The two of them chuckled.
“Hey, lovebirds, it’s time for the switch,” Hilda whispered as Claude twirled her.
“Oh, right,” Claude said. He and Lorenz let go of their dance partners, faced each other as they each waltzed by to switch partners. Now Claude held Marianne and Lorenz had Hilda, it felt a little off. “See? Everything’s fine, Lorenz,” Claude said.
“I guess you’re right,” Lorenz sighed. Suddenly, it seems an idea came to him. “Claude, how about I come by your dorm after this?”
“Oh, that’s not very noble is it?” Claude joked.
“Oh, please, just say yes or no.” Even though he sounded frustrated, Claude could feel Lorenz’s smile.
“Fine, fine, Mr. Gloucester,” Claude chuckled. He knew Lorenz got all flustered from that saying. Lorenz didn’t respond, but he knew his face was red.
***
Claude headed back into his room. Phew. Faking it sure was hard work. As soon as he got in his dorm, he stripped down from his so called “noble wear” and put on some more comfortable pajamas. He laid on his bed, exhausted from the ball. Social activities usually left him a little tired, but never this bad. He rolled over on his side, losing himself in thought. Oh what he would do if he could just dance with Lorenz. Sigh. Wait, Lorenz. He was coming by.As exciting as the thought was, he was so tired he couldn’t drag himself out of his bed. Why did he have to be a noble? Why did they both have to be?
Knock. Knock. Knock.
Oh, it must be Lorenz! Claude got out of bed and answered the door. “Lor-! Ah? L-Lysithea?”
“Uh, yeah, why were you expecting someone?” Lysithea crossed her arms as she spoke.
“Oh, uh, no. What do you need?”
“What was with the ball?”
Oh no. Panic. Keep it cool, Claude. “What?”
“Oh please, don’t act like no one noticed. Noble men are supposed to dance with as many girls as possible at the ball. Yet you and Lorenz only danced with Hilda and Marianne!”
“O-Oh that. Well, it’s just we both like them so much. It was the only time we get to dance in that kind of environment!”
“If you were so into Hilda why were you making googly eyes at Lorenz the whole time?”
“What? I wasn’t doing that. It must be your imagination.”
“Claude, I’m no child! I can see these things you know.”
Quick , Claude make something up! “Ah well. . . You see we’ve been trying to figure some stuff out with the Alliance. It’s a big responsibility. It’s a really bad situation, it takes up almost all of our thoughts.”
“I get how responsibility works,” Lysithea snapped. “Well, it’s obvious you’re not going to tell me the truth. So, I’ll take that for now.” Lysithea walked off, she always had that strange almost intimidating aura about her, despite her age. Claude sighed of relief. He shut his door once again and tried to gather himself. Nothing could get past that Lysithea, he just hoped no one else paid as much attention as she did. Then, another knock. God, who could it be now. Claude reached for the doorknob, but before opening it he took a deep breath. He opened it with as stern of a face as he could.
“Claude, you look so angry!” A shocked Lorenz said.
“Oh, thank goddess, it’s you,” Claude sighed.
“Well, who else would it be?” This conversation was too familiar. Claude looked around then pulled Lorenz in his room by the arm. Then he shut the door. “Claude, what are you doing?”
Claude spoke quietly, despite it being just the two of them. “Lysithea just came by. She’s onto us.”
“Oh, dear,” Lorenz put a palm to his forehead. “I know someone was going to catch on.” Claude didn’t respond. He just looked at the ground. “Well, I don’t think anything will come out of it.”
“Wow, you? Not worrying? Are you really Lorenz?” Claude joked.
“Joking, even in a time like this. At least I know you’re still Claude.” The two smiled at each other blushing.
“Wait, why did you come here?”
“For our dance,” Lorenz said.
“Huh?”
“Well, I couldn’t bring music, but we can still dance. . . Even if it quite the mess in here.”
“Sorry, I have some research I’m doing,” Claude said embarrassed.
“Claude, I’m the last person you have to apologize to,” Lorenz replied. Claude then started chuckling, which turned into almost full-blown laughter. “W-what’s so funny?”
“You’re just so different when we’re alone than when we’re out there in front of everyone. It’s just entertaining. “
“Well, we have to keep some sort of façade up,” Lorenz chuckled.
“I guess we do.”
“Well, as a noble, it would usually be proper for me to start our dance. However, you are the lord.”
“Oh we don’t need the formalities here,” Claude said as he smiled. He placed his arms around Lorenz’s neck and placed Lorenz’s hands on his own waist. “It’s just us.”
“Of course, Claude,” Lorenz said softly. They leaned each other’s heads on each other and slowly began swaying. This is all Claude could ask for. He knows it couldn’t last forever, no matter how much he wanted it to. But just this moment was enough for now.