leicesters | IC INBOX: isleofavalon

[It might have been easier, really... if it had happened when Claude was asleep or waited until they were back home. Not for Claude, no, and he'd never wish that but the thought does cross his mind once there's... really no denying things anymore.

He hates this, waking up to find an empty room, tea gone cold and abandoned. Maybe she'd been planning to get them up soon. Maybe she hadn't been able to sleep last night and stayed up too late. It's hard to say. He even goes down the hall, looking to see if she's gone to have breakfast with Ferdinand, but the room is empty. Not just empty of the redhead himself but... empty. The kind of vacant gloom that had settled over Marianne's room and now Flayn's habitual spot on the couch in their shared quarters.

Byleth would be so disappointed in him but he stays there for a short time, in Ferdinand's empty room. Lets himself give in to the fear and uncertainty for a moment before he reins in his emotions and returns to Claude.

Lorenz spends the first part of the morning fussing about the room, cleaning and packing up their things, moving around the room with a cautious sort of hesitation that keeps him from going too near the half empty tea cup on the coffee table.

The plan had been to leave today for Camelot but... now...]

Khalid....?

[His voice is soft as he comes closer to the other man, setting a hand on his shoulder, uncertain if he'd even want to be hugged right now.]

Edited 2022-01-13 00:55 (UTC)

[Claude had spent the morning checking his phone, both to try to contact Flayn or to figure out if anyone had seen her. But it's a familiar routine by now, and he already knows she's gone. He knows, because when he'd followed her into the forest, he'd promised her she'd never have to be alone again. She wouldn't leave without a word, even for a good reason.

It hurts. Part of him was always sure this could happen, would happen, but even with the possibility weighing on his mind, he'd set it aside to focus on just enjoying what he had. And now she's gone, he can't shake the feeling that what if, next, Lorenz would be the one to--

Lorenz's hand on his shoulder snaps him out of his thoughts, where he'd been spacing out by the window.]

Oh, hey. [He says it with a wan smile, not even making the effort at forced cheer, but he does lift a hand to rest it on Lorenz's.] You okay?

[Ferdinand being gone had to be more difficult for Lorenz than anything Claude was feeling right now, he's sure.]

[Claude touches his hand and Lorenz takes it as some small indication that... maybe he is alright with a little contact. He steps up closer behind the other man so he can drape his arms over Claude's shoulders, crossing them over his chest and putting his face in those dark curls. Just squeezing him gently for a moment to reassure himself they at least still have each other.]

Are you? [A gentle retort. No, neither of them are okay. Nor are they going to be okay. Not if what they fear is true.

Oh and he doesn't want to admit it, doesn't want to say what they both know. But after a moment he lifts one hand to gesture vaguely at the phone Claude has been fussing over just as much as he's been fussing over the room.]

Anything?

[Claude relaxes a little when he feels Lorenz's arms around him, some of the tension easing out of his shoulders.] Nothing. Pretty rude of her to bail on us, but it is what it is.

[He almost sounds convincing at being lighthearted, except for the way he just drops the phone on the table, next to the empty teacup, his frustration leaking out into the gesture instead. He may have accepted the situation, but it doesn't mean he likes it.]

I'm guessing you haven't heard anything either? About Ferdinand...

[Lorenz frowns but, conveniently, Claude will not be able to see it. He knows it's a defense mechanism and he's probably not even consciously doing it but he does hate that Claude even feels he has to make that vague attempt at something lighthearted and careless. He tips his head, pressing a kiss to Claude's temple, something meant to be soothing when he has no words that can help.]

No, I- [A brief hesitation, trying to keep his voice steady.] I'm afraid it's... much clearer what happened with him. Without anyone else sharing the space with him it's just.....

empty.

Lorenz...

[He takes one of Lorenz's hands wrapped around him, brings it to his lips to brush a gentle kiss against his knuckles. He might force out a careless remark when it comes to his own feelings, but he won't dismiss Lorenz's in the same way.]

I know it's not much consolation now, but he might come back, you know? [He looks over his shoulder, then.] Dimitri did.

[Lorenz squeezes him a little tighter in response to the kiss to his knuckles.]

Perhaps they both will. [His smile is an attempt at encouraging though he is concerned, of course, that Claude will dismiss it as much as he usually does.]

That's all we can hope for.

Yeah. And in the meantime, we'll just have to keep trying our hardest to hold down the fort without them.

[They've got a world to save, after all. Many worlds, even. He moves out of Lorenz's arms; no matter how much the lead weight in his chest wants him to stay there all day and be comforted, those old leadership habits won't let him indulge them. He should rally the metaphorical troops in times like this.]

We should finish getting ready and hit the road, I think. Are you okay with that?

[It's obvious that Claude is pushing himself but it's also... not anything Lorenz doesn't expect or agree with. They can't just stay here moping all day, they need to move forward and at least once they get back to Camelot they can maybe take things a little easier.

So as much as he wants to pull Claude back into his arms as well... he just nods, trying to offer him a weak smile with marginal success.]

Of course... travelling through Elphame at night would be a terrible idea. Best if we get going soon.

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