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Linhardt isn’t a man of action, not one bit; he usually prefers sitting back and let things unfold by themselves, because usually they’re never worth the effort.
He’s actually not sure if this will be worth it; it will depend on the result. Still he can’t ignore the signs: everything about Claude suggests a lack of sleep, and Linhardt will not stand for that, so he’s decided to do something about it, even if such a behavior would be uncharacteristic of him.
Well, there are reasons behind this decision of course: first of all, Claude is their leader - he wasn’t Linhardt’s at first, but since he’s changed house now he supposes he is - and if their leader gets hurt during tasks or in battle because of his lack of rest, then it becomes Linhardt’s problem - and Marianne’s too, that girl needs some rest as well - and he would like to avoid having to do more work than what he already has to do, and secondly… let’s just say that he doesn’t want him to get hurt.
This relationship between him and Claude has been a surprise, he’s not going to lie.
Sure, he’s been one of the main reasons that brought him to change house, except from the Professor of course, but what else is there? Linhardt can’t deny his fascination towards him, and it’s not only because of his Crest, although that also plays a big part in it and has also played a big part into them getting closer in the first place, because Claude has been generous enough to agree to let Linhardt study it.
To Linhardt, Claude is like a puzzle, but every time he gets a new piece to add to the general picture, he suddenly finds out that he’s lost others or that the combination he’s put together is wrong. If it was anybody else, Linhardt would’ve given up long ago - it’s just not worth it - but with Claude it’s different: it’s obvious that he hides something, but there’s also a certain earnestness about him that Linhardt appreciates, and he also likes how fond of mysteries he is as well. They have shared many conversations talking about different topics, but they have found themselves agreeing on the fact that Fódlan is a land of mysteries, many of which come right from here, from Garreg Mach.
Other than that, he’s also very good-looking, which might make Linhardt appear shallow, but he’d lie if he said that this doesn’t play a part - only a small one however - in the way he feels about him.
He shakes his head. Right, he should focus on the task at hand.
First things first, he needs to find Claude, which might be in itself a problem: Garreg Mach is big, and Claude has no moving pattern. There are a few places he visits more often that the others, but there is no guarantee that Linhardt will find him there. Still, it’s worth a try.
He goes to the library first, but finds it empty. Not surprising. He tries the main hall, then the gardens, but there is still no sign of Claude. Could he be busy with one of the teachers?
Apparently, he’s not, because even as Linhardt peeks inside class after class, he doesn’t find him. He even sees professor Byleth walk through the halls and asks them if they have seen Claude, only to be met by a negative response. Curious.
For just a moment he ponders if he should keep searching - the effort is starting to become not worth it anymore - but he pushes those thoughts away. At least this once, he wants to give more than his usual; he can always rest in case he doesn’t find him anywhere.
Should he be worried about this sudden disappearance? Not really, because it wouldn’t be the first time something similar happens: Claude is nowhere to be found, then the next day he’s back at Garreg Mach, acting like nothing ever happened. Most of the time he leaves out of business, he told him once, because even if his grandfather is still alive, there is much he also needs to be doing and he’d rather start learning now rather than later, when he’ll be entrusted into the position of leader of the Alliance. Nobody would like an incompetent leader after all, wouldn’t they?
There’s still one place he needs to look in, then he can call his search complete. He hopes he’ll find him there…
He softly knocks on the door of Claude’s dorm room. If he isn’t here either, then he truly has left Garreg Mach for the day.
The relief he feels when he hears light footsteps from the other side is immediate, though you would never guess with Linhardt’s practiced neutral gaze on his face. This means that his search hasn’t been useless.
When the door opens, Claude is there to greet him. He looks like he’s trying to hide how tired he actually is, but Linhardt knows the signs: those bag under his eyes, unkempt hair, eyelids just one moment away from closing… Yes, Claude needs some sleep.
“Who’s-- Oh! Linhardt!” Even in his tired state, he clearly lights up when he understands that the surprise visitor is Linhardt and no, he’s not faking it. “To what do I owe the pleasure?”
“Could I step inside before talking?” Linhardt asks, keeping his voice even. A smirk appears on Claude’s lips.
“Oh, do you need help with your studies again?” he asks. Help with your study is a sentence that, since they’ve begun seeing each other, has gotten a new, more exciting, meaning: it’s a code for making out inside his or Claude’s room. It’s very good because they can spend time together without drawing unwanted attention to them and because, let’s be honest, it would be weird doing so publicly where everyone can see them, or at least Linhardt finds it weird - thankfully Claude is of the same opinion.
“Indeed I do,” Linhardt lies, knowing that this is the key that will grant him access to Claude’s room.
Speaking of Claude, he smirks, opening the door slightly more and stepping aside, allowing Linhardt to enter with a gesture of his hand.
Looking around, Linhardt finds the same state of disarray that he always finds in Claude’s room. He says that, no matter how much he tries to clean up, he always ends up making a mess anyway because he’d get curious about a certain topic and then he’d gather all books containing information about said topic and then where is he supposed to put everything? The only option is finding whatever places are available, thus making another mess.
“Do you ever give back these books?” Linhardt asked once. If things kept going like that, Claude was going to empty the entire library. He doubted Thomas was happy with this arrangement.
“Of course I do… When I manage to find them again that is…” Claude sheepishly replied, though he didn’t look that sorry about his behavior.
Well, that wasn’t Linhardt’s problem, so he never brought that up and he won’t start doing it now; besides he finds it rather adorable how eagerly Claude makes space for them on the bed, methodically removing each book and then looking around to find a suitable place for them. He could easily just throw them away, let them land on the ground, but he’s always careful in the way he treats them, not wanting to actually ruin them, which is something that Linhardt appreciates quite a lot. It wouldn’t be respectful of him to treat those books like simple toys.
Once there’s enough room for the both of them, Claude climbs on the bed, lying then on his side. He wiggles his eyebrows at Linhardt, something that makes the other chuckle.
“The floor is yours,” he says then, a clear invite to join him. Linhardt raises one eyebrow then, smirking, then he moves. It’s time to make his plan come to fruition.
He lets himself fall on the bed, but not on the empty space Claude has left for him, but on Claude himself. The other grunts at the impact, surprised, but he doesn’t move him away for some reason.
“Getting frisky already?” Claude asks then. Ah, so that why he hasn’t moved him: he thinks he’s about to do something different from what he actually wants to accomplish.
In response, Linhardt completely flops over him, blocking Claude’s arms by closing his own around them and his waist in a semblance of a hug, and burying his face between his chest. He nuzzles just for a moment, finding the right angle, then he completely relaxes.
“Linhardt?”
“Sssssh,” Linhardt mutters not even bothering to open his eyes, “It’s nap time.”
“Nap… time? Linhardt, what are you talking about?”
This time Linhardt raises his head, looking at Claude.
“Yes, nap time,” he replies, calm as usual, “I’m having troubles sleeping, and since I’ve noticed that you’re in great need of rest as well, I figured I’d kill two birds with a stone.”
“I don’t-- I can’t--” Claude bumbles, but nothing more comes out of his lips. In the end he chuckles, shaking his head. “Well played.”
It’s the biggest concession he’s going to make, Linhardt knows it already. At least he’s not taking it in stride; actually, he looks like he’s accepted his fate. Maybe it’s because he only needed an excuse to lie down or maybe… he’s planning something.
“Is this an intervention?” Claude asks in fact, breaking the silence.
“Isn’t it obvious?” comes the reply, reply that makes Claude huff a laugh.
He tries to break free, but Linhardt keeps holding him down. Claude might not be the strongest in the school when it comes to physical prowess, but he’s definitely stronger than Linhardt, so the fact that he’s managing to hold him to bed this easily means that he’s not trying that hard. It’s fine, whatever floats his boat and makes him sleep better.
He hears a defeated sigh, then Claude’s body relaxes against his.
“Fine, you win.”
Linhardt can’t help but to smile when he feels a couple of arms closing around his frame. Claude must be serious about this.
He had entertained the idea of maybe having a brief conversation before, easing Claude into sleep, but he finds out soon that there’s no need for that: in a matter of moments in fact, Claude is already out, if his soft snores are of any indication.
With nothing else to do, Linhardt knows that he can safely fall asleep as well, and that’s exactly what he’s going to do. He’d never pass up and excuse to have a nap.
Besides, Claude is so comfy…
When Linhardt wakes up, he first has to let the drowsiness wash away - it’s always like this when he wakes up from a nap.
It takes him a moment to remember where he is and why he’s there. Right, his intervention. It worked way better than Linhardt thought it was going to work; he had actually feared that he was going to have to fight Claude over this, but no such thing happened.
Speaking of Claude, how is he doing?
All Linhardt needs to do is to open his eyes to check on him and… he’s still asleep.
Uh, this is new.
Usually, when Linhardt wakes up, Claude is always up and about already. Not this time, however: this time, Claude is still sound asleep.
It’s a testament on how tired he was, and even though Linhardt would love to get revenge for all those times when it was Claude the one awakening him from his slumber, he leaves him be, knowing that he needs this.
He takes some time observing him, and he can’t help a smile from forming on his face at how relaxed he looks now. It’s endearing and… cute. Yes, Linhardt will admit, even though “cute” isn’t his most used adjective to describe Claude, there have been moments in which it applies, like this time. He stretches a hand, caressing Claude’s face, then he presses a soft kiss to his lips.
Maybe he could do something else, employ his time to do something more productive but… he doesn’t want to leave Claude. Besides, it feels so warm and pleasing being in his arms that Linhardt sees no reason why he shouldn’t indulge in this moment of pause.
A loud yawn breaks the silence. Maybe Linhardt isn’t as well rested as he thought he’d be - when is he ever?
Well, now he has an excuse to go back to sleep, not that he actually needed one. Maybe this time he’ll find Claude already awake when he wakes up, who knows.
He snuggles closer to Claude, and once he’s satisfied, he closes his eyes. Even if he has just woken up, in such comforting surroundings, it doesn’t take him long before he’s pleasantly asleep again, together with his partner.