[ If they weren't otherwise occupied, there'd be a quip to that. Maybe a handful of them all related around to this part of the day's chase or the future plans for Hilda's birthday where he's already thinking of exactly how many silly things he can loop together to make it happen. Which might be slightly besides the point given that Hilda's version of this is very thoughtful, but. No reason to not escalate it into their usual sort of competition.

Fortunately for Hilda and any patrons that might be within range of overhearing until the librarian catches them, kisses take priority over anything else. As does her hands winding their way beneath his shirt since even those nails are just another good layer of teasing, light as they are.

He's also absolutely not going to take them as any kind of potential warning to behave. ]

Don't listen to her, Liesel. She used to use that as an excuse all the time when we were in school.

[ Said in a stage whisper as if Hilda's not sitting right here and won't offer her own retaliation for that. It's what comes to mind when those days in the library both at the academy and then in the late nights in the years after with the setting much the same. Claude's reason ("reason") is about as well received by Liesel as any of the librarians at Garreg Mach. Which is to say, not at all, considering she looks very unimpressed.

Before Claude can open his mouth to offer something else charming, like maybe an actual sort of apology, Liesel adds a gentle reminder that they are in public and that if they're looking to get back into good graces - putting those books away he has scattered all across the table would be a good start. ]

Noted! We'll leave this even better than it was when we got here.