The Imperial library was a peaceful, mellow place. The rows and rows of shelves lined up in straight, diligent line and filled to brim with books added to that sophisticated aura. The air filled with aroma of old pages and fresh book filled the place with tranquility.

But the mellow, serenity peace was broken by you who grunted as you did what Claude instructed.

"I said to focus on the core. Just how hard that can be?" Claude mercilessly criticized you, as leaned back on the chair nonchalantly. A thick book was placed infront of him as he leaned his cheek on his palm eyeing you in disapproval.

He had threw away his stuffy expensive dress coat at some point. Now he sat just relaxing in his shirt and black pants. Looking all the more handsome wearing causal clothes. When he's well dressed he looked like a true royalty but when he relax in casual look, he looked so effortlessly otherworldly handsome. So not fair!

You grumbled. "It's not that easy as you say! You never told me forming mana portal was going to be this hard. I'm dying here!!"

Claude rolled his eyes and flicked his wrist, the book flew through the air and back to the shelf and perfectly putting itself among the other books.

You felt jealous at his magic skills. How come he made it look so easy while you were struggling to even lift a feather.

"Show off."

You groaned throwing yourself on the floor. You'd going at it for hours, trying to link you and Ether but dammit it was so hard.

Claude sighed at your sulking figure. "We are doing this for months and you're still stuck on stage one. I didn't expect you to be this lacking even when I imagined the worst case scenario. You truly suck at this."

You made more grumpy incoherent noises while Ether swayed his twin tails looking highly amused at his master's antics.

You've been doing for past months. He would show his disappointed and in return you'd grumble in sulky manner. It always start like this. But during the time spent training together the distance between both of you shrank little by little. What started as banter and playful bickering would end up with heart to heart conversation with you rambling on and on about your day with a dose of insults to Roman and other rookies healers who looked down on you and you passionately insulting every nobles you encountered and vowing to yourself to run away from such entitled bastards.

He always looked disinterested, even bored but you knew he was listening, hanging on every word you uttered and inputting his own sarcastic, snide remarks which again end up putting you in sulky mood and him offering sweets to appease you afterwards.

Let's say it took a lot of efforts from your part to melt the steel walls and knock on his heart. Eventually he did up warmed up to you. Defense lowered, he trusted you. At least that's what you hoped. Because for the past few weeks he became less cold and more tolerant towards you. Not shying away from your causal hugs, not resisting when you drag him around. Yeah, you made lot of progress but dammit he wasn't lenient with you when it came to training! He was a strict mentor. One that made you cry tears of blood. That saying something when you've Roman.

"Please can I take a freaking break? I'm exhausted to my bone here." You whined as you sprawled on the marbled floor.

Claude's eye's flickered to you, blue eyes sweeping over your features in suspicion. "You don't look all that exhausted."

"I'm soul deep exhausted! A exhaustion that goes beyond physical! You wouldn't understand it." You huffed, curling into fetal position and pitifully looking at Claude with big teary eyes.

Claude's left eye twitched. He just exhaled roughly, trying to deplete the frustration that came along wherever he interacted with you.

"Fine. Take a 10 minutes break."

You shot upin disbelief. "What? Only ten minutes!? C'mon don't be stingy now! Give me some more resting time."

Claude deadpanned. "Make it 5 minutes."

"Hey! That's even less than I requested."

"Make it--"

"No, no, No! Wait. I'm fine with 5 minutes break! Thank you for you generosity!!" You hastily backpedaled, giving him stiff smile.

"So I'll enjoying my rest then. Bye!" Before he could his mind you whirled around and dashed away.

You went around aisle to aisle in awe at the sheer size of the library. No matter how many times you been here you couldn't get over the majestic of this place.

Rounding another aisle your finger brushed against the spine of books lined up neatly in the shelf.

You were just admiring the variety of books and the fresh, crisp scent of page when you saw Ether your troublemaker cat-- even more than you-- climbing the shelves with his sharp claws.

Your eyes went wide. "Ether! Get down. You'll end up damaging the books!"

Instead heeding your demand he just lazily flicked his tail and end up sending a book right at your face.

It hit your face with a thwack! The book fell down revealing your red furious face as your lips twitched, a vein popping in your forehead.

"Damn stupid cat! No matter how cute and adorable you are, I won't overlook your--sorry!" Enraged you yelled at him only to quite down when Claude gave his infamous cold look.

You rubbed your face, picking up the book. Cursing your magical cat who curled up on top of the shelf and promptly fell asleep after causing you misery.

No cookies for him for a week!

'Her Mortal Lover'

Interested you flipped through the pages. It was a story of a immortal elf and a human. Huh? You haven't read it before but it sounded familiar. Didn't Nora used to tell you this as bedtime story?

How come you missed it? For past few months you at least half the books lined up the shelves. Ranging from romantic to horror. Most of the books were in language you couldn't understand but handful of books, you could read them. Your favourite genre of course was romance but you weren't going to yell at the world that you loved--

"You interested in stuff like that?"

You jumped whirred around with hand on your chest trying to calm down your startled heart. "Don't scare me, dummy!"

Unfazed as always he looked at the book in your hand and snatched it away from you.

"Hey!" You protest and try to grab it, your cheeks flushed, embrassment seeping through your pore.

No! Not my secret guilty pleasure!! It can't be exposed! Especially not to him!!

His height made it impossible even when you hopped around him with outstretched hands trying to grab the book.

"Pipsqueak." He smirked at you.

You glared at him, still hopping to catch the book. "You bully. Give it back!"

Claude raised an eyebrow once he read the title and made a face. "Love story?"

You cheeks puffed up in indignation as you crossed your arms over your chest. "Yes, I'm a sucker for romance. Got a problem with that?"

Claude flicked through the pages and flatly said. "No. Not at all."

His blue eyes darted to the shelf behind you and he looked even more amused. The shelf was filled with thriller and horror genre books.

"Yes, I like horror too! Surprised?" You huffed, raising a challenging eyebrow.

"No.." Claude deliberately paused. "Is what I wanted to say but you liking horror is a bit...not like you."

"What's with the high and mighty tone?! As if you know me or my exquisite taste in books! You're judging me, aren't you?!"

"Hmm. No. I'm trying to understand why you like it? What's so interesting about sappy stories? I find it incredibly boring."

Your uncrossed your arms and slowly tilted your head. "It's not boring. It's fascinating, interesting and heartwarming." Before you narrowed your eyes. "And you're totally judging me! But the real question is, you want to understand my taste in books?"

He grunted and for a moment you swore you saw pink tinge in his cheeks. "You made it adamantly clear you want to know me, understand me. It'd be weird if I won't be at least a bit curious about you."

No it's more weird that you are interested in my life. It's definitely not normal!

Claude muttered under his breath. "You told Felix everything about you. So what's wrong in telling me?"

"He had asked. I couldn't say no." You sweat-dropped at his accusing tone. Are you jealous that I told Felix about me before you?

You blinked rapidly, still taken aback. "You really want to know about me?"

Claude narrowed his eyes in annoyance. "What's so shocking about it? Why do you look so taken aback? You're curious about me, it's only natural I'd curious too."

You shook your head still surprised. "No. It just that you got this devil-may-care attitude. You honestly seem so disinterested in everything that it surprising to hear you curious about something let alone me."

Claude clicked his tongue before lightly hitting your head with the book and smiled. And you swore your heart leapt out of your chest from its sheer sight. "Why I'd be interested in anyone's story? They don't intrigue me in the slightest. The same old drama and gossips....But it's different with you, I guess."

You ears rung with sound of your heart thudding within your ribcage. Whether it was in disbelief or joy you couldn't decide. "So what do you want to know about me?"

"Everything." Claude paused before he added. "Or anything you're comfortable telling me about."

Whoa, he's been considerate and thoughtful?! What's next? Pigs raining from sky..? Or me spotting wings?

"Oh-kay." You nodded like you weren't just rethinking your life. "Let's make ourselves comfortable then. It's going to be a long trip down the memory lane!"

You sat down leaning against the wall as the sunlight from window above fluttered in. A perfect place for story telling. It was relatively warmer and comfortable than other place.

Claude stood, towering over you unimpressed at your choice of sitting place.

You rolled your eyes and stubbornly sat there. You patted your side, encouraging him to sit down. But he refused to budge narrowing his eyes.

You both had a stare off, blue eyes clashing with [c] eyes. No one willing to back down. Before Claude let out a defeated and exhausted sigh and you lit up with victorious smile.

Behold the power of my puppy eyes! Even Claude couldn't stand against it and yield before it!!

He sat down, his arms touching yours as he relaxed back. One knee up to his chest with his elbow resting on it while his other leg outstretched in lazy manner.

"Hehe..So let's see. Okay so I'll start from the beginning." You tapped your chin in thought before you started. "I was born in Almayan village near the outskirt of the Empire border, living peacefully with my mom and Nana...."

Claude relaxed back, listening to your words with gentle affirmation that he was paying attention. "Hmm."

As you narrated your whole adventure since you were born here, you wanted so desperately to tell him about your life back in your world. But something in your guts told you it wasn't time. Maybe in the future you'd tell him everything about yourself but for now you were content with telling him your life here in this fantasy world.

"......and then I found this cave filled with magical crystals. That's where I first met Ether too! He saved me from this ugly serpent who could talk!! And then--!"

You jumped when a weight fell on your shoulder. Claude rested his head on your shoulder, eyes closed, breathing deep and expression relaxed.

"Why did you stop? Keep going. I'm listening." Without opening his eyes he mumbled softly, almost tiredly. His whole weight shifted on you as his head nestled on your shoulder. His breathing trickling in your ear like gentle brush of feather.

So you started prattling about anything that came to your mind in desperate attempt to ignore the heat on your cheeks. From your Mom's overprotectiveness to Iseka's dry attitude. To your childish antics that drove her up the wall. To arriving at Judith Manor.

The more you talked the more your chest felt light. It was first time you talked about yourself with someone. You were glad it was Claude you shared the moment with.

At some point Diana came up in the topic.

You lit up, excitement coursing through your vein as you action and words became more animated. "She's soo beautiful and adorable! When I met her for first time I literally called her angel. God, that so embrassing. But she was cool with it. She totally ignored my weirdness and we became best friends. I kinda lost touch with her since I came to capital but I never forget her and I'm sure she feels same too. It's hard to forget your very first friend afterall."

You paused your excited rant and saw Claude sleeping soundly. His chest gently raised and fell with each deep breath he took. The sight made your eyes go wide before the suprise faded replaced with tender feeling, one which was hard to put into words.

"How rude. I was in middle of telling you about my first friend and you go and fell asleep on me. Literally." You said smile evident in your tone.

Claude didn't respond, only his peaceful breathing sounded. His golden locks brushed his forehead and his nose twitched before relaxing.

Your heart slowed down at the sight. Filling with serenity as you looked at his sleeping face.

"He can't be comfortable sleeping in that position." You whispered to yourself careful not to wake him up.

You slowly shifted and carefully, gently let Claude bent down to rest his head on your lap along with his body which curled up closer to you, subconsciously seeking your warmth.

You gently stroked his soft hairs with a soft hum leaving from back of your throat.

"Hehe. Look at him sleeping like a baby. He looks so adorable!"

People weren't lying when they say people look the most vulnerable when they sleep. Right now the sight infront of you affirmed it.

He looked so innocent. Not a trace of strain in his face. No cold calculation, no instincts of survival. Just carefree angelic face sleeping peacefully. Right now he truly looked like a child. A innocent child caught up with stupid grown ups problem.

You leaned down and pressed a soft, sweet kiss on his forehead and whispered against his warm skin. "Sweet dreams, Claude."