[ As Hilda keeps her head on his shoulder and after a few steps, Claude carefully shifts. Despite his best efforts there's a bit of jostling, not to move her out of a place he's always thought of as hers at his side but to move so he can wrap the arm she's leaning against around her instead with his hand resting on her hip after. All the better to idly let his fingers trace over her side as he's done a thousand times before in moments of closeness, never one to keep still even if they're still in motion at a leisurely speed to their destination.
More laughter escapes him at Hilda's protest about dealing with cantankerous lords - a complaint he understands well and especially when it comes to the Alliance's particularly obnoxious ones who insisted on being as difficult as possible on any given topic. Claude had, rather shamelessly, also involved Hilda in knocking a few of them back down and sending Lorenz after the others. An effective team, he'd always thought. Other quips about it rest on the tip of his tongue and ready to go in an instant about further teams since there's no reason that couldn't continue, right?
She reminds him of one in a way which quiets the joke he was about to make when it doesn't feel right. Because it sounds like that nebulously described future is one again which doesn't overlap with his own vague outline of one he'd placed before her; or does it? It could on a technicality, but it's the have to get married which doesn't. ]
Don't forget you'll have a trip to Almyra to make in there. [ With a pause to tug on the fabric beneath his fingertips like he has to get her attention and it's not already focused on him, and despite the uncertainty over what it is Hilda's envisioning for her future there's nothing but lightness in his voice. ] Or more like several since Almyra's a big place with lots to see, and because I know it'll completely surprise you if I say I plan on showing you all of it before you get to declare your trips done.
[ Or to ask her to stay, he thinks fleetingly, but instead of saying so he squeezes her closer as they turn towards the path to the waiting beach. ]
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More laughter escapes him at Hilda's protest about dealing with cantankerous lords - a complaint he understands well and especially when it comes to the Alliance's particularly obnoxious ones who insisted on being as difficult as possible on any given topic. Claude had, rather shamelessly, also involved Hilda in knocking a few of them back down and sending Lorenz after the others. An effective team, he'd always thought. Other quips about it rest on the tip of his tongue and ready to go in an instant about further teams since there's no reason that couldn't continue, right?
She reminds him of one in a way which quiets the joke he was about to make when it doesn't feel right. Because it sounds like that nebulously described future is one again which doesn't overlap with his own vague outline of one he'd placed before her; or does it? It could on a technicality, but it's the have to get married which doesn't. ]
Don't forget you'll have a trip to Almyra to make in there. [ With a pause to tug on the fabric beneath his fingertips like he has to get her attention and it's not already focused on him, and despite the uncertainty over what it is Hilda's envisioning for her future there's nothing but lightness in his voice. ] Or more like several since Almyra's a big place with lots to see, and because I know it'll completely surprise you if I say I plan on showing you all of it before you get to declare your trips done.
[ Or to ask her to stay, he thinks fleetingly, but instead of saying so he squeezes her closer as they turn towards the path to the waiting beach. ]