A/N; Thanks to everyone who has been patiently waiting! This month I am very busy with irl things and I will have to cut back to updating once a week, most likely on the weekend. Make sure to follow/subscribe to this story so ya'll know when I post an update! 3 xo p.s. also, I wanted to do a bit of a time skip for this one, so I fast forwarded a few months. I personally cannot wait for post time skip, but I'm trying really hard to be patient.

PSS also also warning this chapter contains some fluff and smuttier smut then I thought it would. I mean, it is Kinktober I guess? *shrugs*

The Battle of the Eagle and Lion seemed as if it were a distant memory, though it had been merely a few months before. The Golden Deer had dominated the battlefield thanks to Byleth's expertise on militia tactics and Claude's endless scenarios. The entire team was in great spirits as the Golden Deer were not the ones expected to win.

Last month they had a far more personal mission that hit Byleth and Jeralt to their cores; Remire village was in trouble. It left more questions than answers, though something very important had been revealed; there were far more enemies within the walls of Garreg Monastery then they had initially assumed. The Professor was left to calm her students and keep them focused on their education despite the turmoil that had happened around them.

As a distraction from it all, Rhea and Seteth announced that there was to be a ball held for all students to attend. Needless to say, many had looked forward to it. That evening, Byleth was in her room going over a few exams for the students when a familiar knock came from her door.

"Come in."

She announced, though her head never moved from the paper she had been reading.

"Ahhh, Teach. I thought I would find you holed up in here."

Claude. A warm feeling ran over Byleth as her head darted to the entrance to see the young man standing there, propped against her closed door.

"Mr. von Riegan. Are you not wanting to be out with your fellow classmates getting ready for the ball?"

Claude crossed the room and sat comfortably on her bed; his elbows rested on his knees as he brought his palms together.

"Nah, I've had extensive practice with dancing. Plus, Lorenz and Hilda were in a debate over what all the Golden Deer students should wear to the ball. Hilda had made some little insignia broches, but Lorenz called them…tacky."

Byleth smirked as she turned around and faced the man on her bed, the few feet between them became noticeable. He wore a golden tunic and black trousers, simple garments for lounging about the monastery. She wanted to move beside him, but there seemed to be something on his mind. She wore nothing but a thin, white linen shirt and black leggings, the faint outline of her body visible through the sheer material. It was her usual attire when she was resting in her room and since the two had grown closer since she started there, the thought of being indecent in front of him no longer flashed her mind. After all, he had seen far more of her.

"Are you okay, Claude? What's troubling you?" She asked curiously as she crossed her legs and hooked one of her elbows behind the chair.

"Ahh Teach, you know me well." He said before he ran a hand through his brunet locks. "I can't stop thinking about Remire Village. It just doesn't add up. Those people were so nice to us when we first met. They didn't deserve what happened to them."

Even though his expression was light, it was obvious to Byleth that her student felt guilt and pain for those that had lost their lives in the village.

"Claude, one day you're going to be the leader of the Alliance. Whatever our future holds until then and beyond that, I think it's important for you to not get caught up on things like this. I've witnessed many people die in my life. Some who deserved it. Some that didn't. A leader doesn't dwell on these things because there are still so many people alive and looking to you for what to do next."

Byleth stood up and walked over to Claude. She sat next to him on the bed and draped an arm around his shoulder. The woman realized that though he played things off a lot of the time, in the end he was still a young man struggling to cope with losing people. He looked up at her, the faintest hint of a smile on his lips at her words. She laid her head on his shoulder and continued.

"I'm not saying to ignore this tragedy but use it as leverage to push forward. We will find out who is responsible for this and we will make sure this never happens again."

Claude snaked his arm around her waist and within seconds, the two were laying on their sides on her bed. Their arms were intertwined as he pulled her closer to him and he nestled his face into the curvature of her neck. He seemed to have felt reassured by her words and inspired.

"What would I do without you, Byleth?" He murmured into her skin. Byleth pulled him closer and wrapped her arms around his neck, her hands resting in his hair. His statement brought that familiar warmth to her gut and for once, she allowed it to swallow her whole. They laid there for several minutes, eyes closed and lost in each other.

As they embraced, she felt something hard press against her legs. Claude's hands roamed from the small of her back to lower as his head dipped to her clavicle. His teeth brushed against her skin and she groaned, arched against him.

"Did you lock the door, Claude?" Byleth asked in a breathy voice as his body moved a few inches down, his head not level with her breast. His teeth made quick work of her buttons and before she knew it, the shirt was splayed open at the top to reveal her supple breasts. Her nipples tightened as the cool air hit them, though he quickly trapped one in his mouth. She found in hard to think as she pulled his head closer to her. "Claude, we have to make sure the—ah!"

The devious student suckled hard at her breast and pulled himself on top of her. He had her pinned beneath him as one hand grabbed both of her wrists and held them firm.

"I didn't. Don't you like a bit of danger, Teach?"

Her body spoke for her as she arched against him. The hard mass in his trousers pushed at her entrance, only a few small layers of cloth separated them. He pulled back briefly to remove his shirt. Her hands had begun to wander up his stomach and over his chest before he grabbed them once more and pinned them back against the headboard.

"Why don't we try something a little different today? I want this to be about you. Do you trust me?"

Byleth nodded in agreement, a curiosity filled her eyes as she watched him tear a thin strip of material from his tunic. He removed her top and tossed it to the floor along with the remnants of his. It seemed wasteful for him to ruin his shirt and she was not sure what he had planned until he bound her wrists together above her head to the wooden post of her headboard.

What a wily trick, though, she did not protest as desire plunged throughout her body. He wasted no time in undressing her and lastly himself. Her eyes flitted over his form as she dug her hips into the bed when she gazed at his throbbing, erect manhood. She wanted to reach out and hold him, but the binds on her wrist prevented her from moving. She groaned in annoyance as his eyes glided over her body, a proud smirk on his lips as he noticed her impatience.

"Claude, why do you like teasing me like this?" Byleth complained, though she gasped when his hands glided her legs open and his lips trailed kisses up along her thighs.

"Because I love watching you squirm. It's my favorite look on you…well, top three at least."

She had become increasingly wet beforehand, though with his mouth being inches from her womanhood she felt drenched. She arched her back and opened her legs further, her body ached for his touch between her legs.

"Aren't you impatient, Teach? What is it that you want, hmm?"

He had teased with her beforehand, though this taunt was further than they had gone previously. It wrecked her body with a strange delight and ache. His mouth had gotten to her inner thigh as his sturdy hands had dipped under her thighs and now rested on either side of her hips. He knew what she wanted. What she needed. She shouldn't have to say it, but it seemed that was a part of his game.

"Come on, Byleth. Say it for me. I'll do whatever you want, but you have to tell me what you want." He teased further as he sucked and licked hard against a spot on her inner thigh. Her body arched harshly off the bed, or it would have had his hands not been there to hold her in place.

She let out an annoyed, frantic noise as he prevented her from moving away from him. Her weathered hands strained hard against the headboard post as the wood creaked.

"You mouth between my legs, Von Riegan."

She sighed as she expected him to comply with her request. Her body waited in anticipation but to no avail when his mouth hovered over her opening. She could feel his warm breath as he chuckled, nothing more but a tease.

"That wasn't very polite, Byleth. What was it you taught us in class about manners? I remember it being about using please when you want something."

Byleth's face flushed as the rest of her body as he used her own lessons against her.

"Your mouth between my legs, Claude. Please." She retorted impatiently, a sigh of relief left her mouth as he slid his tongue between her folds and then pulled back.

"Now, that wasn't so hard, was it, Byleth?" He murmured against her warmth; his laugh echoed through her core. She moaned loudly against him; her hips pressed firmly to the bed to keep her in place. His tongue made quick work of her sex and before she knew it, she orgasmed from the sheer anticipation mixed with being granted what she wanted.

He didn't stop, if anything, his pace increased as he lapped against her opening. A hand snaked down between her legs and his fingers toyed with the sensitive nub. They were slow at first as he ate hungrily, though the pace increased enough to illicit a delightful spasm through her body once more. Normally he took his time, but something had changed in their relationship and he seemed greedier than usual in making sure she was thoroughly pleased. As her body tensed for her third orgasm in ten minutes, his free hand moved to her mouth to stifle her pleasurable scream.

As much as her body had felt in such a short time, she was still hungry for more and needed to feel more of him.

"Claude…please…I need.."

Her words stuttered out through shallow breaths as she bit her bottom lip. He moved his body of hers so that his lips crashed against hers. She could taste a slight tanginess on his mouth from her sex that drove her mad. He moved his hand between her legs once more. Two fingers teased up and down her slit as he moved his mouth to her ear.

"What was that? What do you need, Byleth?" He whispered, his voice deep and lustful.

"I need you inside of me, please, Claude." Byleth begged as his fingers dipped into her wet, soaking core. Her body arched off the bed as he entered a third finger into her and pumped them swiftly.

"Is this what you had in mind, Teach? Or did you want something else?" He questioned and she groaned with frustration, though her body continued to rock along with his fingers. "Did you want my dick inside of you, Byleth?" He teased, causing her body to wriggle underneath him in pleasure as yet another orgasm swept through her.

"Yes, please, Claude. I need your hard dick inside me. I love you."

Her eyes shot open as soon as the words left her lips, surprise in both of them. Did she really just say that? With her being so vulnerable before him, did she finally find the words to describe what she had been feeling? It shook her, though there was not a second for her to overthink it.

He wasted no time and immediately granted her relief as he slid himself inside of her. His hands went to her wrists and untied them with a simple pull before he laced their fingers together. Claude took her with more passion then he had ever displayed, his body rocking his manhood into her at a steady pace. Their lips crashed together several times; their teeth bruised the other's lips as they collided.

His pace quickened as he pumped inside of her fervently, their moans drowning out the world around them. After she had reached her peak once more, he removed himself from her quickly as hot, sticky liquid poured onto her lower stomach. His body sank against hers before he rolled to the side, though he clasped her body tightly to his to keep them together.

The smell of sweat and sex filled the room with a haze as they took a few moments to gather their breaths. Claude placed a sweet kiss against her forehead before he nudged her head into his chest.

"Byleth, I love you, too. We're in trouble, aren't we?" He chuckled as she raised a hand to his chin.

"I think we are. Let's worry about that later. For now, I need you to go lock my door in a few minutes."

He let out a booming laugh as they cuddled quietly, the raw emotions lingered in the room, but it was a lion that she did not want to prod. Yes, they were in trouble. Maybe it had been in his plans all along, but somehow, he had her curled around his finger. He would bring her more trouble than he was worth, but she thought that maybe it would be worth it. Even if she could experience love for a brief amount of time, maybe it would be worth the pain of it being pulled from her.