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Shortly after Professor Byleth resumed teaching their Golden Deer, the collective mood of Garreg Mach began to lift. Many of the Knights of Seiros were still gone in search of Jeralt’s killers— and the Professor did not seem wholly themselves again yet— but overall, students and staff alike appeared to be in better spirits.
This hardly applied to everyone. Hubert knew Jeralt’s death bothered Lady Edelgard in a way she couldn’t let on to others. Those Who Slither In The Dark did not often tell Edelgard the full extent of their plans, and Jeralt’s murder had been one of many details omitted when the Flame Emperor asked Thales about Kronya’s mission.
Whenever Edelgard scowled at nothing during lessons, Hubert could guess her thoughts. The memories of Remire had yet to fade. He and Lady Edelgard were entirely at Slither’s mercy, unable to lash out against their plans no matter how foul.
On the last day of the Guardian Moon, the pair were sitting at what had become their usual table in the library. Hubert had just handed his mock test to Edelgard for scoring when Claude von Riegan approached. “Hey there,” Claude greeted, resting a hand on his hip as he stopped beside their table.
“Good afternoon, Claude,” Edelgard returned flatly. She didn’t look up at him, but Hubert did. Something was off.
Claude caught his eye, easy smile slipping minutely. “Hubert, I found an interesting book I want to show you.” Though he spoke casually, it didn’t fool Hubert in the slightest. Claude’s arm was bent too purposefully— as if it took conscious thought to keep it posed there. His grin was too fixed, his posture too straight and, most telling of all, he never used any of their codes in front of Lady Edelgard.
Now Edelgard did look up, eyes narrowed in annoyance. “Can’t it wait? We are in the middle of something.”
“It shouldn’t take long,” Claude insisted. Hubert wondered if Edelgard could also hear the urgency in his voice.
Hubert stood. “I don’t mind, Lady Edelgard. If Claude is telling the truth, I shall be back shortly.”
With a slight frown, Edelgard nodded. “I will have this ready when you return,” she said with a wave at his mock test.
Claude had already walked off, forcing Hubert to lengthen his stride to catch up. At a near march, Claude led Hubert up the wooden stairs and through the maze of shelves towards the back of the library. Every step made Hubert suspicious. It wasn’t like Claude to move so briskly. Or to double back so often— usually they scouted out the best spot before approaching the other with this code.
When they at last came to a section completely devoid of students, Hubert caught Claude by the wrist, pushed him into a shelf, and kissed him.
He completely ignored Claude’s attempts to intensify the kiss. Instead he raised his other hand to Claude’s neck and began soothing his thumb over Claude’s pulse point there. He broke the kiss often, interspersing deeper explorations with kissing the corners of Claude’s mouth.
Something was troubling Claude, and Hubert wouldn’t be able to know what until Claude calmed down.
Slowly, Claude stopped trying to kiss as if determined to devour Hubert. He stopped scrabbling at Hubert’s jacket with his free hand in an attempt to access more skin. Hubert released his wrist and Claude wrapped his arms loosely around Hubert’s neck, a content sigh leaving his nose as they at last fell in sync with one another. The heat Claude had tried to bring forth had cooled into a lazy, thorough kiss.
They drew apart just as gradually. Hubert tried to step away to allow Claude more room, but Claude didn’t seem bothered at being crowded. His hands moved from Hubert’s neck to his shoulders and held him there instead, stopping Hubert from going far.
“What is the matter?” Hubert asked point blank.
Claude tried for a smile but it came out looking pained to Hubert’s eye. “Just wanted to kiss you. Isn’t that what the code is for?”
Getting any workable information from Claude was always like pulling wyvern teeth. “Did something happen?”
“No. Well, not yet. It will?”
“ What will?”
“Monica and Solon were spotted in the Sealed Forest and I convinced Rhea to let the Deer handle it,” Claude said in a rush. His gaze drifted down the aisle, fingers playing absently with a button on Hubert’s uniform.
When he didn’t elaborate, Hubert pressed, “How did you manage that?”
Claude shrugged. “Teach is the best shot we’ve got at stopping these people. And I may have lied and told Rhea it has nothing to do with getting revenge.”
“Perish the thought,” Hubert said with a chuckle. Gently, he took Claude by the chin and turned him to face forward. “You’re scared,” Hubert ventured.
The last time he had seen Claude afraid of anything, it had been just after their first kiss, giving Hubert a shaky smile as if preparing to pass off the moment as a joke.
Not that such a thing had been required. More kisses had followed, as well as other codes for other actions. Hubert had always felt a kind of pride over the fact that no one seemed to question their strange way of speaking to one another.
Covering Hubert’s hand with his own, Claude grimaced. “Not exactly. You know, in all the crazy missions we’ve done, the Golden Deer have never lost anyone. We recaptured a Hero’s Relic, stopped a mutiny, defended the Holy Mausoleum— I guess we got cocky. Jeralt’s death really shook us all.”
“You’ve lost your confidence.”
A spark of defiance lit Claude’s eyes. It made Hubert want to kiss him again. “Never.” Claude tugged Hubert forward by the collar. His voice lowered almost to a whisper. “We’re leaving in a few hours. I just wanted… I wanted to show you an interesting book. In case anything happens.”
Hubert knew what these people were capable of. He knew Claude had every right to be worried for the safety of himself and his classmates. He knew exactly, personally , how scared Claude should be right now.
If there were some way to strike a blow at Thales and his lackeys while still appearing obedient, Hubert would do it in a heartbeat. If there was some way to protect Claude and Edelgard from becoming victims of their whims, Hubert would do it.
There was nothing to be done. And so Hubert was to let Solon and Kronya and Thales do as they pleased. Even if Claude and his Deer were killed as a result.
But looking at Claude now— Hubert felt a stir in his chest. The want for a different path. One where Claude and Edelgard could somehow be spared.
Claude pecked Hubert on the cheek and slid out of his grasp. “Anyway, I have to get ready. I told Rhea I had a brilliant strategy that would echo through history or something. I should go make a strategy.”
A strategy. Claude turned to leave but Hubert grabbed his wrist again. “Convince the Professor to invite me as mission assistant.”
“Convince—” Claude stopped in his tracks, cocking his head. “Retainers aren’t part of the mission assistant program.”
“And school children don’t take on agents of darkness.” Hubert squeezed Claude’s wrist. “Tell them to invite me. If they don’t, I am joining you anyway.”
Claude stared. The codes were discrete ways of making their intentions known in mixed company— and they were also ways to express emotions neither felt comfortable putting into words. Claude could probably read the anxiety in Hubert’s request plainly. Hubert hoped he could, anyway.
Then Claude smirked. “Agents of darkness?” He repeated.
“They killed half a village and snuck members into our ranks. What else would you call them?”
“Bastards. But your name is more dramatic. I like it.” Claude winked. Hubert rolled his eyes on reflex. “I’ll talk to Teach.”
Hubert nodded. Then, because he could, he pulled Claude close again and kissed him. Without having to moderate Claude’s intensity, Hubert could actually enjoy the kiss this time.
There was a phrase they had been saying to one another more and more as the moons passed. It had the cadence of a code, but neither had set a strict meaning to it. As Claude broke the kiss, breaths puffing into Hubert’s mouth, Hubert murmured, “Find me later.”
Claude licked his lips. “Yeah. Find me later.”
It was only after Claude disappeared around the corner that Hubert realized he would have to explain to Lady Edelgard why the Professor was asking him to assist in this mission. Which would mean explaining this… relationship with Claude. Which would hopefully not mean explaining their codes to her. Hubert would rather face the Immaculate One single-handed than tell Edelgard what “Can you help with my cavalry tactics homework?” meant.
Hubert pinched the bridge of his nose. Their study session was about to go hopelessly off subject.
It would be worth it. It all had to be. Thwarting whatever the Slithers had planned would have its consequences— but one of those consequences would be Claude’s safely. Another would be fewer atrocities piled onto Edelgard’s guilt.
So Hubert set back his shoulders. He stood straighter. As he left that little corner of the library, he trailed a hand over the spines of the all but forgotten books. “I’ll find you later,” Hubert murmured to no one.
Then he was off down the stairs.