#m!claudeleth

[xenonsdoodles]

late night scheming + byleth's nonexistent sense of personal space

[raddcoral]

Happy Mermay 🧜‍♂️ 💛💙

Byleth's topping for once lol

[fe-fictions]

Any Claude angst.

(Claude getting kidnapped and rescued by his wife??? Speaking of reverse kidnaps... ;0 )

There’s always a bigger fish.

You and Claude lived by those words, without any question. However, when things were finally calming down and peace rose in the nations, you started to think that maybe, just this once...you hadn’t any danger to worry over.

Then you woke one morning to blurred vision, hot wetness dripping down the side of your face, and your limbs bound while submerged voices panicked around you.

You had been in a fight the night before, trying to protect your husband, before you were incapacitated and left to die. Hilda discovered you when the two of you didn’t show for morning training. The Queen of Almyra was assaulted; the King was taken.

It would be a painful few days before you could strategize without getting a headache. But it was imperative that the Golden Deer reassemble and hunt down your husband’s captors. 

Who would have it out for him, besides the obvious? After all, countless threats had been extinguished following the end of the five year war.

At this point, you weren’t worried so much about “who” as you were “where”. If your husband was in danger and you couldn’t find him...that needed to change as soon as possible. 

Hilda searched like a madman; she knew how frightened you were, and it made perfect sense given that she was also best friends with the man. She knew how it felt to have a part of you ripped away all of a sudden. 

She was with Raphael and Ignatz, who put their tracking skills to use as best they could. You remained on the ground, where Marianne was basically by your side constantly. Seteth and Flayn had traveled from the monastery all the way to Almyra, where they needed to make sure you were safe and recovering.

Seteth’s concern wasn’t that troublesome man, he snapped at you, applying the herbal salve to the deep gash on your head, it was your health.

But he would be lying if he didn’t understand your fear. Claude wasn’t his favorite individual, but he knew how deeply you cared for the man- he would do whatever he could to help you bring him home.

Flayn made sure to keep your health on the road to recovery with Marianne walking in lockstep beside her.

You didn’t enjoy all the extra attention; it was too much trouble. You weren’t the one who needed help- Khalid did.

Sleep was rare on the days where no information was found. There were minimal clues, little to nothing for you to go by, and as far as you were aware...he was just gone.

You didn’t know what to do, and you could only think about what was happening to him. Or rather, what you thought was happening. Hilda told you not to think on such things; otherwise you’d look like Marianne when she was still a student.

You wanted to at least humor her advice, but how could you? Where were you supposed to find any semblance of mirth when Claude wasn’t safe in your arms?

Your fists would clench at every meeting where the same thing was repeated b y the reconnaissance team.

Nothing was found, nothing to report.

For two weeks straight, that was the answer you always received.

You weren’t sure you could handle a third. 

It was midnight on the turn of the week that saw Hilda bursting into the bedroom with that fanatical sparkle in her eyes.

They had a hint. A solid, confirmable lead.

They had found Claude’s signet ring.

Fallen from a great height, likely being carried on the back of a wyvern. It was Khalid’s beast that had found it in the first place, several hundred miles from the castle and hidden by forest brush. But it was something.

Seteth took you into the air, following Hilda’s directions to regroup with the Deer that had found the ring.

You recognized the bright white beast from quite a distance, spotting him charging along the ground, following a faint trail that he wouldn’t be able to follow from the air.

It was like watching a giant, scaly bear trample an entire forest. It was difficult for the people on the ground to follow, Seteth’s dragon only barely keeping up. The poor thing was just as frantic as you were on the inside.

You rushed after him and refused to stop for miles. The sky would jut begin breaking into sunrise when the wyvern suddenly stopped, growling and whining and chuffing at a very specific point in the ground.

The ground.

“They’re keeping him somewhere below. There’s a hideout, here. We need to find the entrance.” You realized, and found your army quickly spreading out to find the secret door.

“Not to worry, Professor; It can’t be far from here; any Almyran hideaways like this are always quite small. Whoever’s using it is either a bandit or someone who wasn't planning on keeping him here for long. We’re very close to the border of the neighboring country...and they weren’t thrilled with Claude becoming king.”

How many prayers were whispered night after night, begging for begging that Khalid be brought back safe and unharmed/ And now your wishes were becoming reality.

All you had to do was find a way in.

It was Lorenz who spotted the entrance, ushering everyone over to try and formulate some sort of strategy. You didn’t want to just charge in and give Claude more cuts and bruises than he already had.

Unfortunately, your desires were overrun by a very angry wyvern crashing through the door and spitting hellfire through every corridor that it would reach.

Panicked screams filled the air and you launched into action. There would be little time to strategize, after all.

“Marianne! Take Seteth and head down the far east corridor- I want Hilda and Lorenz to the west, and Raphael, you’re with me and Flayn!! Everyone else, take the final hall to the south and do not come back unless you have taken every enemy down or found Claude!!”

And so the investigation began. You were sprinting, refusing to slow down for half a second. If you did, Khalid could be dead.

Raphael muscled his way through the doors, cutting through the wooden old things like it was paper.

You would have been proud of him had you not been so full of worry.

“Pleas, let him be here.” You mumbled to yourself, swerving around the corner and sending Raphael through the door. There was another door smashed, then another, and another. Then, suddenly, you reached the fifth entrance.

There was a shift inside, and then a heavy, wet cough muffled by the door. Raphael wasted no time bringing it down, and thank the Goddess for it.

There, crumpled and pathetically propped up against the wall, was your husband.

“Kh- Claude!!” You nearly forgot yourself as you rushed to him. The chains rattled as he drew further into himself. He was trying to protect himself.

“Oh Sothis- what happened to him?” Marianne gasped, stumbling over herself when she came into the room. The sight of him made the Deer recoil in shock.

Was this truly their fearless leader?

You were far more concerned with getting his eyes open. Your fingers closed, shaking, around those nasty chains. They were broken away from his limbs, at the very least freeing his movement. Then you touched his face, trying to draw his eyes back to you.

“Claude, it’s me. It’s Byleth.” He seemed to shift some at your voice, but you weren’t convinced he could hear you. 

Dried blood was caked on his skin, little remaining of his clothing that wasn’t ripped or torn. There were so many injuries, so much that had been beaten out of him.

“Claude...Claude.” You echoed his name over and over, holding his face in your hands. His eyes were foggy, darkness looming and consciousness fading. Had you been too late?

You bit your lip, fighting back the sob welling in your chest. You pressed closer to him, ignorant of the Deer that were quickly filling the nightmarish space.

It was just the two of you.

“Khalid.” 

Claude’s eyes flickered, if only for a moment. You inched closer and searched for the recognition in his expression. His brow tensed, as though trying desperately to focus on what was in front of him. To figure out if this was real or not.

If he really heard his wife calling his name.

“...By…”

You all but broke down sobbing, right there.

“It’s me. I’m here.” You whispered, “We found you.”

His smile was small and weak, but it was very much so there. You were sure he was laughing, had it not been overwhelmed by a wet cough.

“Oh, baby.” You whispered, “Let’s get you home.”

You held him to your chest as the healers worked their literal magic. He was slumped against you, his back to you while they worked on the most egregious wounds.

The suspicions of terrorism had been correct; countrymen that shared a border with Almyra wanted Claude gone. But not before they got some valuable information from him.

It made your nerves crawl and your arms tighten around him.

Claude was supposed to die.

He was limp against you while they worked, but he was breathing; you wondered if it was because he was too weak to properly move, or because he was truly relieved that he was in your hands, rather than those of a very violent enemy.

A few hours passed before Claude was cleared for movement outside of the room. You helped carry him from the room, Raphael and Seteth by your side and getting him to the caravan that had only just arrived.

It would be a longer journey home, but what mattered was you were bringing a living Claude with you; not a lifeless body.

He didn’t speak after being taken from the hideout, having fallen asleep in your arms. When he woke, though, he was safe and warm, lying in his bed back at home.

Like everything he had suffered through was only a dream.

But when you saw him wake, and he felt you crying silently against him, he knew it was real. Horribly, terribly real.

“S’okay, dearheart.” He rasped to you, his voice hoarse and devoid of any real tonality. He was definitely not back to 100%, but at the very least, he was no longer on the verge of death.

“Khalid...you almost...I-I...nobody knew if you were going to wake back up.” You whispered shakily, squeezing his hand and holding it to your chest. “I thought we were too late.”

“Looks like you got to me just in time.” He replied with a patient smile, though opted not to move his head or body more than he had to. That pain wasn’t going to fade for a long while. “Y-you really...saved me.”

“You stayed with me long enough to get to you.” You stroked his hair tenderly, “I’m just glad that you’re home.”

“Me, too.” There was something akin to a laugh that escaped him, especially when your lips touched his forehead. “Hey, now...y-you missed.”

“Khalid, you’re still weak.”

“You think a kiss is gonna kill me?”

“I’m trying to be gentle with you, you old goat.” You chided him without a lick of anger in your tone. He rolled his eyes and tilted his chin up, prompting a proper kiss.

“Come on. I’m suffering; a-aren’t you gonna ease the pain a little bit?”

“I’ve half a mind to make it worse.” You muttered, but you complied all the same. Your hands rested against his chest with a very gentle touch,

Rather than smacking him upside the head as you were tempted to...you kissed him. It was gentle, and slow, and filled you with warmth you had longed for. Claude tilted his head, turning to deepen the kiss almost enough to get himself into trouble.

You held him to you for as long as possible, breaking away with a soft pop that made Claude blush beneath all those cuts and bruises.

“There’s my girl.” 

“You need to rest.” You whispered, playing with his hair and relishing that dreamy expression on his face. “The sooner you’re back on your feet, the better.”

“Couldn’t agree more.” He murmured, leaning into your touch. “I owe you big time, dearheart.”

“Please. Having you home is more than enough.”

Claude would dismiss your insistence that he needn’t repay you, but the love he felt for you could very rarely be contained. After all, you meant the world to him, and he wasn’t going to stand by and let you give him one nice kiss and then let things go back to normal.

No, the second he could shower you in every gift and form of affection as physically possible, he absolutely would.

You saved his life. 

Just when he thought he couldn’t love you anymore than he already did...you proved that there was so much more inside him, a thousand fold.

He would spend every second of the rest of his life showing you just how much you meant to him.

[lemon-pilled]

draw a ship of your choice in the i HATE you palette

these two occupy my mind 24/7 like a burrito in a microwave.

i used EVERY SINGLE COLOR on that palette. the only one you wont find is the color of claudes skin ok? i cheated a lil :p

shitass poopoo color gauntlet

[bjdavis5]

Doing Claudeleth Week on the twitterverse

Day 1: Comfort

– Spent the night scouring Jeralt’s diary, tryna unravel your secrets Or maybe indulging in the written memories you and your father shared

[feshippingpolls]

claudeleth specifically with m!byleth

FE: Should they kiss?

Claude x Byleth

[gascon-en-exil]

Something interesting I noticed about the three lords and their relationship with the avatar, retainer and rival. Dimitri is the only one that explicitly marries Byleth in their paired ending & it goes into detail about their relationship, Edelgard's paired ending is pretty vague on their relationship with Byleth but they tell you that no one knows how they privated enjoyed life together and Claude's ending with Byleth ignores their relationship entirely and only tells you that there was another final battle and Claude returns. With the retainers Claude explictly marries Hilda, Dimitri and Dedue's paired ending is pretty homoerotic but isn't confirmed in how homoerotic it is and Edelgard's ending with Hubert tells you that it was platonic and didn't evolve into a romance especially in Japanese. With the rivals, Edelgard explicitly marries Ferdinand (and he's the only man she explicitily has children with), Dimitri married some no name woman but Felix's anguish at Dimitri's death being greater than the queen's makes it come off as homoerotic and Claude's relationship with Lorenz is pretty platonic and just them setting up a meeting. tldr; In concerns to the paired endings: Dimitri only explicitly marries the avatar, Claude only explicitly marries the retainer and Edelgard only explicitly marries the rival. All other relationships with the avatar, retainers and rivals are homoerotic to vague to completely platonic. I feel like this was on purpose by the devs but to what end, I have no idea. Thoughts?

None of that is terribly surprising, and I don't think there's a greater pattern or anything. Same-sex content is always going to be worded more vaguely, especially with major non-Avatar characters. Even with Avatars, the implementation is so lazy (one or two word swaps, at most) that the effect is practically the same. As for Edelbert, it's probably meant to be a meta joke about how Edelgard won't even look at Hubert twice as long as her teacher is around, even when he's delivering her a continent on a silver platter. The player is simultaneously Byleth, who can reach for Edelgard's hand because they (presumably) paid money for IS's product and are thus the most important person in this universe, and Hubert, the horny incel who can never be with Edelgard because of reality interfering.

Claude is straight, and he's such a mystery even up to his S rank that of course the Claudeleth ending isn't entirely satisfying. Hilda, not being the player, can be filled in offscreen.

Dimitri is bi with numerous marriage options although the narrative of both games favors his relationships with men - including, technically, m!Byleth who only misses out on the S rank conversation.

Edelgard loves the self-insert, but if Byleth doesn't pick her she'll settle for marrying Ferdinand or Caspar or having "an affectionate and fulfilling relationship" with Hanneman or remaining unmarried and close *coughs* with Manuela. All of these further the joke at Hubert's expense.

That's how I've always looked at these.

[outerspacebun]

Hdhsbshd I need to write more M!Claudeleth stuff. I miss them.

[yyorkwest]

16. Sylvix, no contest. their stories being so intertwined due to literally growing up together, their growth both as individuals and companions, their paired endings, wow.

FE3H 5th Anniversary Countdown Questionnaire

In celebration of FE3H's 5th Anniversary being this month (July) on the 26th, here is a countdown questionnaire for each day until 26th!

When did you hear of FE3H?

What got you interested in FE3H?

Which was your first House?

What is your favourite House and why?

What is your favourite story and why?

Who is your favourite character and why?

Who is a character you thinks deserves more love and why?

Your favourite class?

Your favourite weapon type?

What is your favourite main level and why?

What is your favourite paralogue and why?

What is your favourite song?

What is your favourite monastery activity?

What is your favourite m/f ship and why?

What is your favourite f/f (wlw) ship and why?

What is your favourite m/m ship and why?

What is your favourite polyship and why?

What is your favourite rare-pair and why?

What is your favourite Support Chain and why?

What is a Support Chain you think needs more love?

If you could create a Support Chain what would it be?

Which class do you wish existed in FE3H (i.e. Malig Knight, Summoner [FE8])?

What is a meal you'd eat from FE3H?

What is a place you'd love to visit in FE3H?

Who do you think you'd get along with at Garreg Mach?

Free theme!

[reki-of-the-valley]

IGNORE IF I JUST UNFOLLOWED-REFOLLOWED BY ACCIDENT. SORRY BOUT THAT I CLICKED THE WRONG BUTTON.

Anyways. For the fanfic ask:

2, 5, 8, and 24? :]

Lmaoooooo don't worry about it!!

2. Will you participate in any fandom exchanges or fic challenges, etc.?

I don't plan on participating in anything simply because I'm only starting to get out of a major burn out, but I'm not opposed to it either! It could be fun!!

5. Which WIP is first on your list to complete this year? Will you post a snippet?

Ooh!!! I think the first thing I'll post is this Claudeleth sparring session I've been editing this past week, but have been hoarding it since September and it's a rewrite of something I wrote in 2019 for some OCs! My best friend dared me to rewrite it now that my writing has improved quite a bit since then, and it just was fitting for Claudeleth

Here's a snippet!

“Not bad, Teach, but,” Claude grins as he wipes away beads of sweat that drip from his forehead, “is that really all you got? I thought you said you weren’t going easy on me, make me work for that victory. Unless that really was your best shot and you’ve lost your edge, Ms Renown Merc.”

Byleth narrows her eyes, sucking in a heaving breath. The boy had gotten stronger since the last time they had sparred; maybe such is the effect of his becoming a man behind her back. He’s as cunning as  ever, but there’s more to him now. Now, he seems stronger, more calculating, less predictable. He seems steadier on his feet; it’s not as easy to knock him back as it had once been. It’s not as easy to pin him down and claim victory.

8. Is there a story idea in your mental vault that you've never been brave enough to try writing? Is this the year? Can you tell us about it?

I can't think of anything super concrete, but I've been thinking about writing sex scenes a lot more recently. I used to be super scared of writing (and God forbid posting) smut but I posted my first rated M fic last week! And I think I'd like to write more sex scenes in the future! It's a dynamic in relationships I'd like to explore and also it'll push me to develop my own way of writing it! Because I know I will never be extremely explicit, but I can still make those intimate scenes beautiful 💛 and Claudeleth is a ship I don't feel weird about the prospect of having sex, sooooo

24. By the end of this year, you want your fandom to think of you as "that author who..."

Oh man, that's a really good question. For anyone who reads my fe3h stuff, id like to be that author who makes messes beautiful. Because that's how I've been portraying Claudeleth: a beautiful mess

I wanna write more renga stuff this year as well, and I'd like to be that author who writes Langa as unapologetically gay, confused, and Canadian. Or that author who portrays (gender) queerness in a way that will bring tears to their audience

[spicysigil]

[raddcoral]

I want FE3H art moots, anyone who likes fe3h, shipping, and m/claudeleth, don't hesitate to talk to me!!!

[venjubilation]

You Are My Destiny

Fandom: Fire Emblem: Three Houses Pairing: M!Claudeleth (Claude / Male Byleth) Rating: Explicit Summary: Claude thought he had a good grasp on the meaning of life. It was merely a game of survival; you start from nothing and build yourself up until you have a home, a family, and all the riches a man could ask for. At least... that's what his dreams seemed to have hinted at. A life he seemed to have known so well danced at the tips of his fingers, close enough to touch but still too far to grab. But every morning he would wake up to the same four walls, that version of his life left behind to his dreams until he saw the man that haunted those vision standing right before him. Now Claude is forced to confront his dreams and this man to figure out what exactly fate has in store for him.

[ AO3 Link Here ]

Chapters: Prologue | 1 | ...

[earnono]

Big Stretch~!

[lapinbunwrites]

Title: The Merman and The Fisherman

Rating: G

Warnings: None

Fandom: Fire Emblem Three Houses

Relationship: M!Byleth Eisner/Claude von Riegan

Additional Tags: Mermaid AU, Fluff, Some Angst

Word Count: 2,790

Ao3 Link

The ocean was as deep as it was vast. It held many creatures, many different types of fish, sharks, dolphins, and creatures no one has ever seen. However, there was one such creature that sailors and fishermen were said to have seen, but remains elusive, merfolk. No one has ever been able to catch one to prove one another wrong. Not until recently anyways.

Claude swam through the deep seas, communicating with all sea life. Being their prince, he made it a point to talk to everyone he could. Even though he talked to everyone, the one creature he was never allowed to talk to were humans. They always intrigued him, especially one human that he saw. Claude always saw him sitting on a pier, or sitting in sand on the beach. This man always had a fishing pole with him and he always looked so serene. Sometimes he was with someone, sometimes he wasn’t. The man fished at the same time everyday. It was odd to Claude, but it was interesting to him at the same time.

On one particular day, Claude swam until he saw the pier, where the man was in one of his usual spots by himself. Every time the man fished, he wouldn’t get much. Just some small fry fish that probably won’t last him, and his family, very long

It gave Claude an idea. He dove back into the ocean, finding, and catching, any big fish that he could. When he went over to the pier, he placed the fish on the hook, smiling as the line disappeared. He continuously gave him fish until he had enough chasing them. He bobbed part of his face over the water to see the man’s reaction. Claude became confused, because his expression hadn’t changed. Was it the fish that he caught and gave away? Or was it something else. The human he had focused his attention on perplexed him. He was so odd, he only interested him more.

The next day, Claude saw the man again, only with someone else this time. He did the same thing as the day before. The only difference between the two days was that the older man was happy with the bounty. Why was the one man he was interested in so indifferent and the older man with him so excited about it? Claude wanted to know why the man was acting like this deep down in his bones, but the repeating words of his parents echoed in his mind to never talk to humans.

He shook his head, he didn’t care, he was going to talk to him the next time he was alone on the beach. The day the fisherman was alone, a grin swept across Claude’s face. He swam close to the shore, letting part of his face appear over the water. At first, the man didn’t realize; he only noticed Claude when he tugged at the fishing line.

“Hello,” Claude said, swimming closer to him.

“Hello,” the man said, calmly.

“What’s your name,” Claude asked, tilting his head.

“Byleth,” he responded, reaching his hand out.

Claude shook his head. “Why are you here everyday?”

“Because it’s nice,” Byleth said, reeling his line back in. He placed down his fishing pole next to him, stopping his fishing for the day. “What’s your name?”

“Claude,” he smiled.

“What a nice name,” Byleth said, nonchalantly.

“Thank you, my parents gave it to me,” Claude chuckled. He looked at Byleth with confusion. His expression had changed.

Byleth gave him the same expression. “What is it?”

“You seem sad,” Claude replied. “Is everything alright?”

Byleth sighed.

“Is it the older man that’s always with you,” Claude asked, swimming back and forth.

“Oh, hmm,” Byleth paused. He let out a little sigh before speaking again. “He is my father.”

Claude became confused. He swam closer to him, reaching out his webbed hand out towards him. “Did something happen to him?”

Byleth moved his face away from him.

Claude retracted his hand quickly back into the water, swimming backwards.

“Sorry,” Byleth sniffed. “Touch isn’t my strong suit right now.”

Claude let out a little sigh as he backed away from him.

“My father passed away,” Byleth said, trying to hold back tears. He wiped off the tears that still fell from his eyes.

Seeing the man cry, Claude felt sad. He swam back into the ocean, looking deep into the vast waters, searching for something. He searched and searched until he found one thing that might pique Byleth’s interest. When he swam back to shore, he saw him clutching onto his fishing pole.

“Here,” Claude said, holding out his hand. “For you.”

Byleth dropped the pole, rushing over to the fish, placing it in his bucket full of water. “Wh-What kind of fish is this? I’ve never seen it before.”

“It’s called a Leafy Sea Dragon,” Claude replied, faintly smiling.

“I will cherish it,” Byleth smiled.

Claude looked around, seeing the setting sun.

“Is something wrong,” Byleth asked, wiping the tears off his face.

“I have to go, before I get in trouble,” Claude huffed. “I will be back tomorrow.”

Byleth reached out to him as Claude swam away, seeing his tail.

Swimming up to the beach the next day, Claude saw Byleth, giving him a big smile. He held out his hand, handing him a seashell. “When I was younger, my parents would find abandoned shells and give them to me to make me feel better.”

Byleth smiled as he took the seashell. He held it close to his ear, hearing the wispy wind that flowed through it. “My father did the same.”

“What are you doing,” Claude asked, titling his head.

“Hearing the wind in the shell,” he replied, holding it out to him. “It sounds like the ocean is with you wherever you go.”

“For you that’s more than true,” Claude chuckled, taking the shell from him.

Byleth laughed a little harder than he should when he saw Claude’s face.

“It really does sound like the wind!” He said in shock, giving Byleth back the shell.

Byleth smiled, holding the item close to his chest. He let out a sorrowful sigh, remembering that his father won’t be around anymore.

“Are you okay,” Claude asked, swimming closer, making his way to the sand.

“Wait, don’t!” Byleth said, bruskly. “Don’t let yourself be seen, you’ll get hurt.”

Claude nodded, moving his way back into the ocean.

Byleth took off his boots before walking into the water.

“Anyway, are you okay,” Claude said smiling as he re-asked the question.

“I, I don’t know,” he sniffed, feeling tears roll down his face.

Byleth sat in the shallow part of the waters, Claude swam closer to him, sitting between his legs. “It’s going to be alright,” he reassured him, wrapping his arms around Byleth’s neck.

“Thank you,” Byleth sighed, moving Claude to his side.

“Hey, Byleth,” Claude asked as he turned to face the ocean.

“Hm,” he hummed.

“Do you want me to take your mind off of everything,” Claude smiled.

“Yes, please,” Byleth said.

“How well can humans see underwater?” He asked, swimming into the ocean.

“Not very well, it’s all blurry,” he replied, following him. “We also can’t hold our breaths underwater very long either.”

“Well, we won’t go very deep into the ocean or stay down there for very long,” Claude chuckled.

Claude took his hands, jerking him into the water. As Byleth dove beneath the waters, he held his breath, moving his body around  until he saw a giant blue glowing light.

“Over there is my home! That’s where a lot of merfolk live,” Claude said, pointing into the direction of the light. “One day-” He was cut off when Byleth started to gasp for air. He laughed some more when Byleth moved his head above the water. “Heheh, you weren’t kidding when you said humans can’t hold their breaths.”

“Glurbel gurlble, bleh,” Byleth coughed hardly. “Some, gurlble, gurlble, some people are better than others.”

“Hehe, you’re a fisherman, you should  be well equipped,” Claude said, pulling him closer to the shore.

“I have never actually been on a boat before,” Byleth replied, feeling the after effects of his coughing.

“Hehehe, that is so weird,” Claude laughed. “A fisherman that never goes out to sea on a boat to fish.”

“My father never took me on one and I never had any care to be on one.” Byleth moved his body, scooting his way back to the water. “He never took me because he was fishing one day, and when he came back home, my mother had died.”

Claude felt his heart sink. He never lost his parents, both were alive and well. He couldn’t imagine how it would feel to lose not one, but two parents. “By, I’m...I’m sorry.”

“It’s alright, my mother died shortly after I was born. I have no real memories of her,” Byleth said, softly, reassuring him. “By the way, what were you saying? When we were underwater,” he added, trying to change the subject.

“Oh! That!” Claude smiled as he looked around the area. With the sun setting, there were less and less people. When he thought he was in the clear, he placed his head on Byleth’s chest. “One day, I want to be able to show you my home!”

Byleth sighed. As much as that sounds nice, to escape the pain and the sorrow, it wouldn’t last long. “How would that work if I can’t breathe in water?”

“Hm,” Claude said, sitting up and placing his hand on his face. “There is one way! I can give you a kiss and you can turn into a merman!”

Byleth stayed silent. His offer was very tempting.

“The only problem with it is you will be a merman for the rest of your life.”

He was not helping his case.

“I don’t know. I have a few friends here that I don’t want to leave.” Byleth looked at the darkening sky. The stars were slowly starting to appear.

“I know the feeling. My mother told me of a story of a mermaid that met a sailor fishing on his boat and how hard it was to leave,” Claude started. He laid on his back, enjoying the star gazing. “The two fell in love and the woman told her friends. She also told them that she didn’t want to leave them since she was so close to them.” He looked over to Byleth and smiled, the story having piqued his interest. “But mermaid and sailor’s love was forbidden. They weren’t supposed to interact with each other because of a war that had been waged between each other.”

Byleth started to laugh as he positioned himself to face Claude. “How is that even possible? Both humans and merfolk would be at a disadvantage.”

“Heheh, I know. It’s a bit more complicated when you get down to the nitty gritty of it,” Claude smiled, facing him as well. “Anyway, the royal family wasn’t pleased with it. She pleaded her case again and again, since they were the only ones who can change merfolk to humans and humans into merfolk. Eventually the royal family caved in. They gave her the wish she desired and she became a human. She lived happily with the sailor she fell in love with. She felt a hole in her stomach as she left her friends, but knowing that she would make new friends, the hole didn’t last very long.”

“What a wonderful story,” Byleth smiled. “Do you think it would be the same for us?”

“Only if you allow it,” Claude responded, moving closer to him.

“Do you know whatever happened to the woman?”

“Ah, I think my parents told me that she died sometime after she became a human,” Claude sighed. “They never specified when or how.”

Byleth felt a pit in his stomach. He looked around, hearing some footsteps.

“By,” Claude softly said. “Are you okay?”

“I-I’m fine,” he sighed. “I have to go.”

Claude nodded as he watched Byleth leave.

The next coming days, Claude would talk to him, asking him many questions about his life, and Byleth would do the same to him. He would come back time and time again, to talk to him and to watch him. There were days where he wouldn’t show up, and Claude would just shake it off. It was just him trying to deal with his father’s death and him having to bury him. After a while, however, he became more and more concerned when Byleth wouldn’t show up, though he made sure to show up every day on the off chance he wanted to talk.

From afar, he would watch Byleth when he couldn’t talk to him. He would watch him talk to a few other people. From what he saw, it would be the same fisherman, or sailors. It always ended up with everyone yelling at each other. Were these the people that Byleth said were his friends?

Claude swam up to the shore, letting part of his face bob over the water, waiting for everyone to leave.

“Claude,” Byleth said, rushing into the ocean.

“Hm,” he asked, swimming towards him.

“We can’t meet anymore,” Byleth told him, clutching him close to his body.

“What, what do you mean,” Claude asked, moving his head out of his grip.

“They are out for you,” he started, catching his breath. “Those people you saw me yell at, they are out for you. They are going to hunt you and kill you!”

Claude held onto Byleth’s body tightly. “That can’t be true!”

“It is, and, and I’m sorry…” Byleth released his grip on Claude’s body, slowly backing away from him.

Claude could hear the twinge of sorrow coming out of his mouth. “What? Where are you going?”

“The sailors,” he said, tears flowing down his cheeks. “They are getting suspicious of us and trying to make me hunt with them. They want me to lead them to your friends...your family. Please...Please don’t come back here.”

Claude watched Byleth leave the ocean, walking back to the city.

Claude came back to the shore every day after the conversation. Byleth was nowhere to be found. He could feel his heart breaking into a million pieces. He didn’t want to believe what Byleth said was true.

He didn’t believe it until he came back to the shore one evening. Claude watched as the sailors forcefully carried Byleth onto the boat. When the boat left the harbor, he followed it from afar, not losing sight of them. As they kept floating, Claude noticed a big storm brewing. He swam as fast as he could, weaving through the waves. He saw Byleth being led to a part of the boat where there was a plank that they surely would throw him off the boat.

His eyes became wide as he started to swim faster, being thrusted around by the waves. His heart sank as soon as Byleth was thrown into the stormy waters. Claude dove into the ocean, quickly rushing over to him. He did everything he could to wake him up, to see him gasp for air, but nothing was working.

In a last ditch effort, Claude pressed his lips against Byleth’s. After a few seconds of nothing, Claude felt his heart seep into his stomach. As his eyes fell down to Byleth, Claude could see the seashell he gave clutched in his hand.

With a green glow, Claude could see Byleth’s body changing. His skin was becoming scales, his hands were becoming webbed, his legs were becoming a tail. When his eyes opened, Claude clutched onto his body, swimming in a circle.

“By! You are alright,” Claude sighed in relief.

“How, how am I breathing,” Byleth asked, looking at his hands. “I’m, how?”

Claude smiled at him with more of his scales falling off.

“You are...royalty,” Byleth softly asked in shock.

Claude nodded as he took Byleth’s hand. “My parents won’t be pleased, but I’m happy to see you alive.”

“Me too. I’m also happy I finally get to see your home,” Byleth said, placing his forehead against his, and taking his other hand.

“Yes, let’s go,” Claude said, leading the way.

Byleth took one last look in the direction of his home. He looked at his hand, smiling as he looked at the seashell. He could only hope that his friends, and his Leafy Sea Dragon, would do okay without him as he followed Claude to his new home.

“By the way, are you going to be okay without your pet fish,” Claude asked, looking back at Byleth.

“Yes,” he sighed. “They are in good hands with one of my close friends.”

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sdfgadsjk;gkljdslafk my second piece I wrote for the Claudeleth Zine I modded and participated in. While coming up with ideas for an AU, I couldn't just pick one, I had to do this one too. Even if there was someone else doing a mermaid au.

Again, this fic was beta read by the lovely Blahzor.

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