Chapter Text
"Khalid, dear, you have to move." Byleth said gently, ruffling his hair.
"No." Claude replied adamantly. "I want to feel the baby kicking."
Byleth sighed as she watched her husband lie down on his side on their bed, placing his hands on her swelling tummy and pressing little kisses where he noticed the baby had kicked.
They had just finished eating the dinner prepared by Dedue since Byleth had some craving for his cooking.
The palace cooks' pride were a bit hurt because of Byleth's sudden shift in preference of food, since in her first term she had constantly craved Almyran food.
The Court Physician had told them not to overseason the Queen's food even if she asks for that extra flavor. Too much of salty or sweet food, or those of high cholesterol is bad for her health and the baby's.
Especially when she had learned (thanks to Claude) that Byleth's mother had complications giving birth and died because of it.
She's going to make sure that won't happen to Byleth.
As for Claude, he didn't mind omitting the fact about Byleth's real condition.
The baby's kicking and seems healthy inside her body, which is a good sign that it's probably not being influenced with the Crest stone's power.
Right?
Claude pressed his forehead on her tummy.
"I can't wait to see you." He said against Byleth's tummy.
"Khalid, the baby's going to be here in two months." Byleth told him, then pursed her lips when she felt the baby turn inside her. "And the baby wants to sleep. Stop bothering it tonight."
Claude grinned at her as he sat up, and leaned forward to kiss her on the lips before giving her a bigger space in bed. Byleth gingerly moved towards the center, her back propped up with multiple soft pillows.
Her husband then leaned on her shoulder, all admiration in his eyes as he lazily rubbed her tummy.
"How was your day?" Byleth asked him.
"Terrible." He replied. Byleth raised an eyebrow at him questioningly. "I've missed you and the baby terribly. Can't I have a paternity leave or something?"
Byleth frowned at him as she reached out to pinch his cheek. "I didn't teach you to slack off."
Claude chuckled at that, pressing a light kiss on her cheek. "Alexandre seems to be excited as well, doesn't he?"
"Well...he has a soft spot for children." Byleth replied, smiling at the thought of Dimitri holding her baby.
"I've noticed." Claude said softly, remembering how Dimitri had taken care of his nephew when Claude was called for duty and he doesn't have anyone to leave the baby with.
One could have mistaken that the child is his, by how Dimitri have cared for it. The baby was a bit fussy with Claude, but with Dimitri, the baby is a literal angel.
Probably because he's intrigued by Dimitri's mask and the blond hair that Byleth has finally agreed to let out the natural hair color after Rodrigue talked to her about it some months ago. They have already established that the Prince of Fodlan has dark hair, so no one would suspect if Dimitri "colored" his hair blond.
Dimitri had to cut his hair short to how he used to have it before the war with Dedue's help, since the colored parts were conveniently on the longer strands. Claude had helped on changing the hairstyle a bit by combing it back a little like he does to his hair, with the shorter locks falling down on Dimitri's forehead.
Claude inwardly cursed at how handsome Dimitri is when he saw that. Even Byleth's eyes widened at it, making the blond feel insecure, thinking it looks weird on him after all.
Byleth shifted on the bed, preparing to go to sleep, bringing Claude back to reality. He helped ease her down on her side facing him as he covered the two of them with a blanket.
"What are we naming the baby?" Byleth asked sleepily. "It's coming out in a few weeks and yet we haven't discussed that..."
Claude tucked a lock of hair behind her ear. "If it's a girl, we name her Dena. Or Daena. Or Sara."
Byleth let out a small chuckle as she placed an arm on his torso for a loose hug.
"No baby boy names?" she inquired.
"We can call him Dimitri." Claude told her, half serious about it. "Since...you know. He's not using that name officially anymore."
Byleth rolled her eyes at that, then shifted to turn to her other side, with her back towards Claude.
He only blinked at the back of her head, wondering what got into her. Shrugging it off, he scooted closer to her, snaking his arms around her and placing his hand on her tummy.