Title: Claudelix Week Drabbles
Rating: G
Fandom: Fire Emblem Three Houses
Relationship: Felix Hugo Fraldarius/Claude von Riegan
Wordcount: 1400
Short summary: 14 x 100 word drabbles for Claudelix Week 2021.
Prompt: archery
Thunk, thunk, thunk. Three targets selected; three targets hit.
Felix has sheathed his sword, yet he remains here watching as another burst of arrows fly from Claude’s bow. Felix twitches. He might feel most at home with a sword in hand, but archery is his second love.
He tells himself he’s merely admiring Claude’s skills. He admires anyone with skill. That’s why he’s even in the training hall right now; his spar with Byleth showed that he made the right choice transferring to the Golden Deer house.
The fact that its leader is a skilled archer… is merely a bonus.
*****
Claude pulls his arm back with dramatic flair before settling to the right tension. It’s an eye-catching move that Claude performs because he feels Felix’s eyes on him, and Claude wants him to keep watching.
Sure, Byleth is the reason Felix transferred into their house, but Claude has learned that Felix has an interest in archery as well. And Claude wants Felix to stay because he will be Claude’s insight into Dimitri. After all, the more he learns about Faerghus’ future king, the better, right?
And, well, Felix is beautiful. Having someone like that looking at him… It feels nice.
Prompt: dance (culture, celebrations)
Felix hates dancing.
More specifically, he hates formal dancing. He hates these pompous social events; he hates that people are watching and judging him. Who cares how close he stands to someone, how high or low his hand is on their torso, how tightly he holds them? Why does dancing have to involve anyone else besides him and his partner?
His partner, who would be nimble and light on his feet. His partner, who would be leading and following, taunting and teasing, smiling and laughing…
In truth, Felix could enjoy dancing, but only if he were with a certain person…
*****
Felix is a good dancer, even if he’s standing on the sidelines glaring at anyone who comes close. Claude just knows it.
The question is how best to coax Felix into a dance. How does he get the Felix, the one who smiles like he does in a fight?
Claude has finished his obligatory dances, so maybe if he went outside towards the…
“Training hall.”
Oh. Oh…
It’s an unusual choice but very Felix, Claude thinks to himself as he follows Felix to the training hall. But it’s worth it; Claude finds out that Felix is indeed an excellent dancer.
Prompt: secrets
The most obvious thing about Claude besides his love of schemes is his desire to know people’s secrets. Felix knows that Claude itches to ask about his secrets every time they talk in private. But frankly Felix isn’t sure what to say?
Well, he supposes his relationship with his father isn’t exactly good, but that’s not really a secret.
Obviously Claude has many secrets. Felix only cares about the ones that keep Claude awake. Catching sounds of activity when there should be none… It’s annoying. That’s the only reason Felix knocks on Claude’s door and drags him to bed, right?
*****
Claude likes to keep secrets, even unimportant ones. He won’t die because someone knows his favorite color per se, but If he can keep secrets, he can protect himself and survive. Though he wonders sometimes if it’s worth fighting to live, but he’s competitive and hates losing.
Besides, there’s someone he likes seeing, even if he’s just an acquaintance.
“Hey Felix, I really like you,” Claude says casually during dinner, just as Felix starts eating.
As expected, Felix blushes. “Shut up, Claude.”
Claude laughs. In truth, Claude’s in love with Felix, but he’ll keep that secret to himself for now.
Prompt: battle/sacrifices
Felix has known of death from an early age, but he’d not seen it so clearly. Back then he could only think about how pointless it was to make sacrifices, especially if it just meant empty words of praise in your honor.
But when Claude is on one side of the battlefield with his axe and Felix is on the other side… Felix wants to throw all plans away. He wants to be by Claude’s side, fighting with him, protecting him…
Even if this is the right battle plan, Felix almost thinks it’d be worth the sacrifice to instead be…
*****
As leader of the Golden Deer turned leader of the Alliance turned secondary leader under the Crest of Flames, Claude is tired of calculating gains and losses, especially since these aren’t just numbers. These are people.
War takes a heavy toll. If he sacrifices sleep, if he sacrifices free time, if he sacrifices his feelings…
Felix is on the other side of the battlefield. Logically it makes the most sense, but Claude doesn’t like it. Claude wants to keep track of Felix, but…
He also wants to live. He wants Felix to live. For that, Claude will make any sacrifice.
Prompt: touch
Felix is not an open person.
He doesn’t like to talk; he prefers getting straight to the point. He also doesn’t like to touch others or even stand close to them. And he definitely doesn’t like when other people talk or touch without regard for his personal space.
But with Claude, when Felix struggles to describe how he feels, he’ll touch Claude. Felix doesn’t really know why it’s easier to touch Claude than to talk to him, but it works. Claude doesn’t seem to mind.
And when Claude wants to touch him, it’s easier to touch Claude first then too…
*****
“Can I touch it?”
While Claude gives Felix free reign to touch him whenever, Claude knows to ask first before reaching out for Felix if he doesn’t want to be knocked out.
“Do what you want.”
Claude laughs. “You could just say yes,” Claude teases. “It only requires one word.”
Felix grunts. “Are you going to touch me or not?”
“Do you want me to?”
Claude knows that Felix has given permission already. But Claude wants Felix to say he wants it.
Or Felix can grab Claude’s hand and put it squarely on his scar. Claude supposes that works too.
Prompt: pining
Another day, another lonely night.
Felix has been apart from Claude before, for the rough five years before the Alliance and Church joint campaign into the former Adrestrian Empire. Back then he and everyone were too busy thinking of survival first to miss someone.
But now, separated from Claude, barely even getting a note… Felix knows it’s hard for Claude to contact him right now, that some of the letters are being intercepted, misplaced. He knows that Claude is thinking of him and will come for him when things are ready.
But it doesn’t make it any easier to wait.
*****
Claude is getting used to sleeping alone once more. Although how well he sleeps is a different issue.
Things will get better when he garners more support for his bid for kingship. But right now there is a lot of scheming to do and there isn’t time for thinking about things like combing his fingers through Felix’s hair, or touching those cheekbones, or…
If Claude had felt comfortable enough bringing Felix along to Almyra, he would have. It’s for both of their sakes that they are separated right now.
Knowing this doesn’t make his heart miss Felix any less, though.
Prompt: free
Sometimes Felix just looks at Claude and knows that Claude is contemplating something. So he’s not surprised when Claude shares his thoughts.
“What if we were just Claude and Felix with nothing else to our names?”
Is Claude thinking about running away from their current lives? Freedom sounds nice, but… “I don’t know, can you truly just be some nameless Claude? Wouldn’t you be bored?”
“Hmm, you have a point.” Claude smiles. He leans against Felix. “But if I were with you, it’d be fine.”
Felix blushes. “I wouldn’t be bored either.”
Maybe it’d be nice to be free, together.
*****
Even though he loves Felix and he thinks Felix loves him back, Claude still thinks about what ifs. What if Felix hadn’t joined the Golden Deer house? Would he have found happiness with someone else? Claude doesn’t know if he himself would, but…
And if so, someone else is better for Felix, right? Should Claude set him free? Release him from this bond? Maybe Felix is only here because he can fight with or for Claude to his heart’s content.
But every time Felix shows that he cares for Claude, Claude knows, deep down, that he’ll never let Felix go.