"That should finish up the paperwork for accommodations for the upcoming festival." Liddy said with a sigh, the student council having worked around the clock to make sure everything was finished ahead of schedule. "Feels like the workload gets larger every time we schedule something."

"Attacks have been increasing, Vitaly's assault on Little Garden's gotten people concerned about safety." Erica stated, resting back in her chair as well after finishing her work.

"And it's our duty to make sure their concerns are handled, otherwise we can't even consider ourselves Slayers." Claire added in. "You two finished your work, how about you call it in early and get some rest?"

"You sure? Doesn't feel right to leave you by yourself." Liddy responded.

"Then take it as an order, you two have been working hard and I want you well rested." Claire countered, smiling to the two as she did. "I'm not that far off from being done, you two just focus on resting."

"If that's what you want."

"Call us if it get's late Claire." With her order made Liddy and Erica reluctantly left the blonde, her sighing and resting her head on her desk once the door closed.

'I haven't been able to even leave since this morning, if we're to be ahead of schedule I need to complete this no later then tomorrow. Just do it now and… well maybe you can celebrate tomorrow…' The blonde sat back upright and grabbed her pen, continuing with her work. An hour went by and the pile of paper she was working on had been halved, showing good sign of progress.

"Man, is this what I can look forward to when I have command?"

"Wha-!" Claire nearly jumped out of her chair when Artorian spoke up, turning to see the hybrid staring over her shoulder at the paperwork. She did however tilt her chair to the side, the blonde about to fall had the Slayer not caught her hand and placed a foot against a tilted leg, balancing her out.

"Whoa there Claire, no need to hurt yourself."

"Wh-What are you doing here!?" Claire asked, her face red from embarrassment as the hybrid carefully rebalanced her chair.

"Saw the light was on, thought I'd drop by and check on the Three Stooges. But apparently I missed Two and Three." He chuckled, checking on Claire's progress before looking to the blonde. "Say Claire, doing anything right now?"

"Aside from my work that I need to finish soon?"

"So nothing important, great."

"H-Hey!" Claire began to protest as the hybrid pulled her out of her chair, dragging her on her feet as he still held on to her hand. "You're interrupting my work! I have to get it done tonight!"

"Work can wait, you need some fresh air."

*Gruuuuuuummble~*

"And maybe something to eat…" Artorian barely contained a laugh, Claire's whole face turning red in embarrassment at the grumbling of her stomach.

'Kill me…'

"Artorian, is there no force in existence to point out that I wish to complete my work rather than waste time on an oversized meal?" Claire questioned, the blonde sitting across from the hybrid at a François restaurant.

"Hmmmm… no." He responded with a smirk, clearly entertained with her annoyed stare.

"It's important, security contracts are vital to us as a PMC and I can't keep pushing it back. There's something important I wish to have free time for tomorrow."

"Well personally I think today's more important. Today's the first time I finally fulfill a promise made and we have a date."

"The thought is nice but I… what?"

"You heard me." Artorian smiled as Claire's cheeks dusted red. "I distinctly remember owing you a date from when Sakura snuck out before her concert and I was at lunch with Emilia. And by the Gods I owe you a lot more over the past few months. So to start off, I thought of treating you tonight."

"Thi… This is hardly the time Artorian, I appreciate the thought but I must get my work completed before."

"Claire, just enjoy yourself for once." Artorian said, not moving to stop when Claire stood up. The commander saw the hybrid give her a sympathetic look, understanding her process of wanting to complete her work. At the same time though, it was clear there was no ulterior motive; no jokes or games being played.

"…Okay." Claire relented, sitting back down to the hybrid's relief. "Just a meal, after that I have to return to my work."

"We'll see." Artorian chuckled. "Now if I recall correctly, Emilia said this was a good choice for an appetizer."

"Whew! Say what you want about the country, but François certainly knows how to make a dinner." Artorian sighed in relief as he and Claire walked out of the restaurant.

"I never felt the need to eat so much before, is this what it's like being a Variant?" Claire asked, Artorian chuckling at the concept.

"I can't actually say for certain. Emilia and I have big appetites, but mine comes from being a Lord. Meanwhile our artificial comrades seem to lack that stomach."

"Interesting… eating helps replenish energy so perhaps that's the way to compensate the usage of Variant mode." Claire began to ponder, now curious on the attributes behind Variants.

"Well if you want, I could turn Erica into one so we have a third sample subject. I'm willing."

"Humoring, but I'm fairly certain that's the wrong ball park for you."

"Yeah, but it's just fun to-wait you know?" Artorian was caught off guard, Claire looking to him.

"Of course I know, Erica and I have been friends for years." Claire responded, sounding offended at the insinuation. "Just because I don't return the feelings doesn't mean I'm unaware."

"Fair enough." Artorian shrugged. "Have you… confronted her on it?"

"She's never made an outward attempt, I won't bring it up to her until she herself is comfortable with it." Claire explained. "Unlike you, I'm concerned on the impact confrontation has on others. Ripping the band aid off isn't always the best solution."

"I'm just saying at some point the bomb has to be dropped. But it is your affair at the end so heed no wisdom from me." The hybrid said, leaving the discussion at that as it wasn't his business.

"I appreciate you understanding it's my affair." Claire thanked the boy, looking down and seeing his mechanical arm was missing. "You detached your arm?"

"Yeah, Charlotte's still fixing it." Artorian said, raising his arm up to look at the docking unit implanted in his forearm. Flexing his arm a bit, he chuckled as the inner mechanism spun in the locking/unlocking process. "I've even started to get the hang of this thing, a little bit longer and I won't need the glove to regulate energy into my hand."

"As beneficial as that is, I wish it didn't come at such a steep cost."

"You are not allowed to talk on that." Artorian argued, motioning to her with the housing unit. "You had both feet in the grave, I saw how much blood you lost. You being alive is far better than me keeping my cool and my arm."

"I don't like people getting hurt for my own sake."

"Well get used to it, cause I'm the same damn way."

"How long have you started to get the hang of your Variant mode?" Claire asked, Artorian throwing a stone over Little Garden's lower deck into the ocean water.

"Seriously? Getting to know each other better and that's what you lead with?" He chuckled, tossing a rock to Claire who blushed at the accusation.

"W-Well what would you ask!?"

"What's your favorite color?" He responded, throwing another rock into the ocean, clicking his tongue as he only got it to bounce once.

"Oh. Um… red." Claire admitted, unsurprising but a good way to calm her as she tossed her own stone, getting it to skip five times from a casual throw.

'Just always gotta show me up, can't even give me this.' Artorian grumbled to himself, tossing another stone and seeing it skip once again.

"What about you? What's your favorite color?"

"Purple." He answered.

"Really? I don't think I've seen you wear even a bit of purple."

"Purple doesn't look good on me. I just like the color on other things." He shrugged. "Alright next question, favorite pass time for relaxing?"

"If I had the choice sitting down and reading to take my mind off things. Otherwise some light music and yoga does the trick for me."

"I'd be up for that second one any time if you'd like a partner." Artorian chuckled, watching as Claire skipped a rock seven times across the water. "I relax with cooking or working out, otherwise my mind goes racing and I can't sit still."

"Do you… ever regret becoming a Slayer?" Claire's more serious question was met with a moment of silence from the hybrid, tossing a rock up a few times before throwing it to the water, getting it to bounce six times.

"Sometimes, life was harder on a day-to-day basis, but it was simple. Gangs and muggers were the worst of my trouble, that and Karen's medical bills. Nowadays I got civilians and objectives to worry about. And don't even get me started on my suicidal teammates that I have to protect like a mother hen." He then looked to Claire with a smile, sighing in relief when he looked away again. "And now I have to keep myself well for the sake of others, Karen's not the only person worried about me anymore. What about you? Ever wish you had the choice to say no?"

"Never." Claire answered. "It may have been tough, and Liza had gotten hurt because of me, but things could have been so much worse had I not taken up the responsibility. I've saved hundreds of lives, even before Erica, Liddy and Matthew joined Warslran. I've done good things, and I've formed relationships that I'll treasure for all my life."

"Gods, you're just too upbeat for me." Artorian said, shaking his head with a smile. "The storybook hero, how lucky Little Garden is to have you."

"You make it sound as if I'm a paragon of perfection."

"Well, you are the Perfect Queen."

"That's hardly able to hold up anymore, given your experience with me."

"Well aside from the poolside incident can't imagine you messing up stuff you knew about." Artorian said, smirking at the vivid memory.

"D-Don't even start with that." Claire responded with a blush, embarrassed from such an obvious blunder. "I can handle indecency, but that was a level of deb-"

"Say debauchery and I swear I'm throwing myself into the water." He interrupted.

"Wouldn't throwing me get the message across more?"

"Because unlike you I can't swim, the fear I'll drown in the ocean would shut whatever argument you have down instantly."

"You wouldn't-!" Claire stopped herself, her eyes snapping down at the realization. "Why can't you have a normal counter to an argument?"

"Says the person who opens my door without knocking ever and claiming I'm the naughty one."

"You are."

"I know, but you aren't so innocent yourself. Attempting to flaunt yourself at me, always bursting in when something intimate is happening, I'm completely invested in calling you the Cock-Block Queen."

"You're unbearable."

"You know you love it."

"I can't believe I lost track of time like this." Claire whined as the two walked the empty street, temporary lights replacing the damaged ones. It was late, far too late for the blonde to return to her work.

"Oh well, at least it was a nice night right?" Artorian responded, escorting his commander back to her home.

"You don't get it Artorian, I had a plan for today and tomorrow. There was something I wanted to do but now I'll be backed up for hours on tomorrow." Claire's shoulders lowered in defeat. "I had nearly forgot about it too until a week ago."

"What, your birthday?" Artorian asked, Claire's body going stiff when they reached her door and she looked over to him.

"W-W-W-W-Wait… you knew!"

"Well, kinda? Why do you think I decided today to take you on a date?" Artorian responded. "I mean, yeah I guess it could've been a better one, but with repairs still going on there wasn't much we could do. Guess I'll have to do better next year."

"Why didn't you say anything! I thought this was just one of your stunts to get me out of work!"

"Because I'm not good at this Claire." He admitted. "I just sort of wanted things to go well, and letting you waste your birthday sitting in your office didn't feel right." He then reached into his jacket, pulling out a small box. "There's one last thing to cement the day, but before it I wanted to give you this."

"Artorian you… you didn't have to get anything." Claire said, unable to refuse the gift as Artorian carefully put it in her hands.

"Well I wanted to, so don't try that." He responded, the blonde taking the string keeping it closed off. "I didn't know exactly what to get for you, after all how to buy something for someone who can get anything? So I went on a fallback plan and put some Lord traditions in."

"Artorian… I…" The commander was surprised when she opened the container, seeing a silver chained bracelet with several green gems across it, a faint glow seen in them.

"Shards from the Dragonfly Savage's core that was embedded into my arm. Cleaned and purified of course, don't want you contracting anything from it." Artorian explained, appearing self-conscious as he looked to the side and scratched his head. "It was just an important moment and I couldn't really think of anything else on short notice. So I figured why not put it forward for a companion band, although I guess since you're rather unfamiliar with Lordran culture this probably seems weird."

"Not at all." Claire said, taking the bracelet out to see the full design. "After Qin, I started to put my effort into researching Lord customs. And to be honest… I'm flattered at the notion." Claire admitted, hiding her blush as she put the bracelet on. "Who would have thought, a few months ago I saw you as an enigmatic son of a legendary hero."

"I didn't even know you before orientation day." Artorian added.

"And now we're close enough to consider each other companions. That isn't a gesture Lords give out nonchalantly."

"Well… you're a good friend through it all, rough as we started."

"Thank you Artorian, I'll treasure this." Claire said, the two sharing a moment of peace. "But now you know this means I'll have to make you a companion band as well."

"I can't stop you, but let's just say I'm not encouraging it." Artorian chuckled. "Well, guess there's only one thing left now for the night."

"Pardon?" Claire asked as Artorian opened the door, ushering her in before the lights suddenly turned on.

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY!" In the hall of Claire's home, she was met with deafening cheers. Erica, Liddy, Chris, Emilia, Sakura, Karen, Miharu, Mei Mei, Touka, Reitia and even Matthew all were present, the room decorated for the Slayer's special day.

"W-When did…"

"For almost the entire day, we had to gather the supplies and set everything up right after you left." Reitia explained. "You wouldn't believe it, but Matthew's a pretty good baker, he made you an entire cake Lord style!"

"She's been a good friend and a fair leader, it's the least she deserved." Matthew waved off Reitia's compliment, smiling over to Claire.

"As good as Thunderhead and everyone doing their part was, none of this would've happened with Four-Eyes here." Artorian stated, walking behind Erica and placing his hand on her shoulder. "She set everything up to make sure we were all on the same page."

"Erica, you set this all up?" Claire asked, the girl getting cold feet but answering when Artorian pat her back, pushing her forward a few steps.

"W-Well I… Liddy and I have seen you spend your last three birthdays alone and I just… well we… we wanted to remind you that we're still here for you."

"You've been working yourself hard, this years been hard on all of us, you especially." Liddy said. "So we wanted to do this for you, to give you a break you deserve."

"Honestly, it's a little sad that every time we want to do something for you it always circles back to getting you to relax. But that's commander business I guess." Artorian shrugged.

"I… you all didn't have to… thank you." Relenting, Claire cracked a smile and looked to Erica. "Erica, I can't thank you enough. It was a sweet thought, I'm lucky to have a friend like you."

"Of course Claire, you're too important of a friend to me not to do something like this."

"Alright then!" Sakura cheered, her Hundred active as she flew up. "Let the celebrations begin!"

"You were staying out here?" Hours into the party, things were calming down as half of the guests have either fallen asleep or were idly chatting. Having noticed the silver-haired Slayer's disappearance, Claire checked her deck and saw the hybrid casually flipping his lighter open and closed, sitting against the railing.

"Not sure if you ever noticed, parties haven't been my forte." Artorian responded, the blonde going next to him to enjoy the ocean breeze. "So, enjoy yourself?"

"It was a nice change of pace; the cake was amazing too."

"Claire Harvey has a sweet tooth, gonna have to keep that in mind." The hybrid noted, putting his lighter in his pocket. "Guess Thunderhead's good for something besides poking with his oversized fork."

"Don't be mean." Claire pushed his shoulder, the two laughing as the calmness settled in. "Thank you again for the date Artorian… it was nice."

"I should be thanking you, I'm the one who got the honor of dating the Perfect Queen."

"I mean it Artorian, I needed this more than I thought."

"And I'm the only one you couldn't say no to getting dragged out of your office. Exactly why Erica begged me to get you some fresh air." Feeling his PDA vibrate, Artorian pulled the device out of his pocket, blinking in surprise before looking over to the blonde. "Hey, call for you."

"From your phone?" Claire questioned, taking the PDA and looking at the caller ID come up as Little Rose before answering. "Hello?"

"Happy birthday Claire…" It was only for a second, but the voice was recognized instantly by Claire. Unfortunately before she could even sputter a response, the call was hung up, having her look down in shock at the PDA screen.

"Well… I guess that's out of the bag." Artorian said, rubbing the back of his head. "I… I would have said something but she's barely conscious for more than a few seconds every few days and I didn't want to-!" Before he could finish, Claire hugged the hybrid tight, pressing her head against his chest as she hid her face from him.

"Thank you… thank you… thank you…" Hearing her cry repeatedly the same thing, Artorian relaxed and placed his hand against the back of her head, patting her in a silent comfort as she continued to cling to him.

An emotional end to the day, but there wasn't any better news possible for her to hear. And there was no better day to learn of such a miracle.

(A/N): Well now, this was certainly something I wasn't expecting to write, but when sitting down I checked the Hundred Wiki and saw it was Claire's birthday in a week and spent the time I could to get this out. Past couple days have been kinda shit for me, barely sleeping and getting sick really drained me. But I'm starting to get back into the swing of things so I figured what better way to start out then celebrate the Cock-Block Queen's special day? This chapter I will say is a "technically canon" chapter, I would put this in the main story but wouldn't be able to get it in when I want it, as it takes place after the next arc. So a lot of details have been pulled to prevent spoilers of any kind. Perhaps when the arc is completed and I get around to the timeframe I imagine this takes place I'll make a few updates and perhaps make it a full chapter. But for now, this is my tribute to my favorite character in Hundred.

I hope you all enjoyed it and look out for future updates in Abysswalker and Abysstreader. Peace!