Another perfect summer day in Derdriu. Claude was nearly out of the apartment building's lobby door on his way to the mandatory monthly face-to-face meeting with his Grandfather when Lysithea hurtled past the concierge towards him.
"Claude! Do you have any arrhythmias or underlying heart conditions?"
"Well good morning, Lissy, thank you for your concern over my health, and no, I am in perfect condition, as I'm sure you've noticed." He winked and Lysithea scoffed.
"Don't call me Lissy! And- um, wear this for fourteen days, please." She tagged on, lobbing a plain black band at him. Claude snatched it out of the air and held it up for a moment to examine.
"And what will this do to me exactly?"
"Only track your heart rate; I need a control group for the new study and you-"
"Aren't I supposed to sign some sort of consent form or something if you're going to be taking data off me?" Claude teased, slipping it on his wrist.
"Don't you dare start quoting Hanneman verses Ethics at me!" Lysithea stomped her foot "I'll put the papers under your door this afternoon, return them whenever. A-and thank you."
"You're welcome Lissy!" Claude sing-songed as he made his way out the door, already in a better mood than he'd started the day even as his neighbour's familiar refrain "Don't call me Lissy!" floated after him.
~o~*~o~
The good mood almost made it through the entire meeting with his Grandfather too; the old man's new medication seemed to really be helping, and he was still as sharp as ever. Which was possibly why he pressed for the assignment Claude had been deliberately putting off. The tip Lorenz had sent him.
And so that very night he found himself waiting for a table at The Rose. It was… exactly as pretentious as he had expected a tip from Lorenz would be, complete with the sneering maître 'd. Only Old Gloucester would think this a hot date spot. Poor Lorenz had probably just taken his father at his word when he passed the hint along.
Once the maître 'd had decided he'd been given the requisite stare down, he was seated promptly. The table linens were all in order and the seats were comfy; still, there were far too many knives and forks in his setting for the sort of clientele Lorenz claimed they were after.
He'd only just started running over the drinks menu when a voice chimed above him; "Is this seat taken?"
"Well, well, Galatea, how nice to see you." He said, standing to greet her and gesturing to the chair across from his "It's been what, five months?"
"Something like that -the little fusion place with all the art. Maya's?"
"That was it." Claude agreed as Ingrid slid down into the chair. "I was intrigued by your Mockingbird review, I think I'll have to make a tour of Faerghus soon. Hit up the Mockingbird, the Knight's Table -maybe find something you've overlooked."
"Good luck with that." She said with something of a smirk "You can't even cover your own turf; why haven't you done that Almyran place over on Archer Street? I'd have thought that'd be right up your alley?"
"Conflict of interest." Claude answered dismissively
"I didn't figure you the type to go into ownership?" Ingrid asked as she settled and dug through her handbag.
"Oh I'm not." He clarified, setting his menu aside "But the owner's known me since before I could walk. If I review the Barbarossa and am too critical, my parents will hear about it and I'll never stop hearing about it. If I'm too complimentary he'll take it as charity and I'll be banned. I can't win, so I'm not playing."
"So, you mean I can have the scoop myself, huh?"
"I suppose…" he trailed off eyeing the table between them "Ingrid. What blasphemy is this?"
Ingrid rolled her eyes "It's a notebook, Claude."
"Yes, I see that. Why is it on the table?"
"Please don't tell me you are about to start lecturing me on etiquette. I saw you that night at Maya's remember? I saw you battle that whole roast pheasant and lose."
"Well, now I understand why that rag is the only place you write for. Clearly no journalistic integrity. You're basically advertising yoursel-"
"Oh, stuff it Riegan. As if the staff here don't know exactly who we are."
Claude grinned, leaning forwards and lowering his voice "How much longer until they bring the champagne, you reckon?"
"Already on it's way" Ingrid answered conspiratorially.
~o~*~o~
At some point during the apéritifs a scheme was hatched.
"No, no, it's perfect!" Claude insisted "You review the Barbarossa without the notebook, and I get to eat at the Barbarossa without Nader staring me down as if I'm someone suspicious! Seriously, you'll just be there as my friend, not Ingrid Galatea, Daily Pegasus, see what it's really like."
"I hardly think eating with the owner's friend is going to be giving me the same experience as the ordinary customer." Ingrid countered, but Claude waived a dismissive hand.
"Bah, still a lot closer than going in as a critic openly. Or don't you think you can hack it without your notes?"
"Watch it Riegan." She answered, eyes narrowing. Claude grinned widely.
"Chiiiiiiiiiicken-" he sang at her.
"Fine!" Ingrid exclaimed "I'll go along with this experiment of yours. When?"
"How are you set for, oh, next Wednesday?"
Ingrid shook her head "Heading back to Faerghus. Tuesday?"
"Done." Claude agreed, and over the table they shook on it.
~o~*~o~
When he got home at last, only a little the worse for wear, he almost slipped on the papers Lysithea had delivered as promised. He browsed them as he bypassed the lounge for his study with the view overlooking the line of one of Derdriu's more trafficked rivers, ignoring the sight of the river taxis all lit up and taking the last of the wine-and-diners home as the night-life really began to kick off.
He put the papers aside for the morning and opened his laptop. Instead of starting his assigned review he opened the usual search tab. The usual queries gave the usual result, which is to say; none. Idly he ran another search and, yep, there she was; Ambassador Cethleann still going strong, even as the last of the green seemed to have finally turned to silver in the tiny woman's hair.
Of course, neither of the men framed behind her in the nondescript black suits and shades were Jeralt Eisner. Hadn't been for a few years now, as far as Claude had been able to find.
Not since the Dagda incident.
It meant nothing, he told himself. Jeralt had probably transferred to desk work, was likely training a new generation of terrifying service agents. Even if he had been injured in Dagda, it's not like he'd have had his family living with him out there. Not like when Cethleann was working in Almyra. He wouldn't have brought them into a situation like that.
Byleth Eisner was alive and well. He was sure of it.
He just had to find her.
~o~*~o~
The rhythmic thudding of his trainers on path, then wooden bridge, then path again, beat through his head as he came to the end of his last lap through the park the next morning. Hilda fell in beside him for the last quarter-mile so by the time they reached the usual coffee spot she had a good glow about her, but her make-up was still perfect.
Without needing to be asked, Claude caught the phone she tossed over and snapped a quick roll of full-length pictures as Hilda posed, before handing it back over for her to work some close shots while he went to get their drinks. From the angles she was taking he figured the focus was earrings today, or maybe hair clips.
Annette was behind the counter and sent him a cheery greeting as he shivered in the air conditioning.
"Morning Claude! Two of the usual?"
"I'm going to miss you when you finish your term here and go back to Fhirdiad, sweet Annette." He agreed, sauntering over to lean on the counter next to the register.
"Oh, don't go saying things like that Claude." She smiled, sliding Hilda's order over and beginning work on his.
"It's not like your over-protective boyfriend is around to misconstrue this conversation and give me a black eye. Again." Annette just smiled. "He's standing behind me isn't he?"
"No, I'm beside you."
"Bah!" Claude exclaimed, half of Hilda's ridiculous smoothie jolting out of the cup to splash over his arm as Felix just smirked.
"Oh no!" Annette exclaimed quickly mopping the counter up with a napkin. "Let me make you another."
"No, it's fine." Claude said, looking out of the window where Hilda was doubled over laughing "She only deserves half a smoothie anyway. Do you do this to every guy who wants a decent coffee around here or is it only me?" he asked, turning back to Felix.
"Only the annoying ones."
They glared at each other for a moment.
"You know, I met Ingrid last night. She was telling me about this new relationship councillor who's doing a letters section for the Pegasus. Maybe you should consult him about this unhealthy behaviour- what was the name again? Oh right-"
"I swear, if you're about to say what I think you're about to say I'll-"
"Sylvain Gautier!" Claude announced with a snap of his fingers
"Annette, are you sure I can't kill your customers?"
"You can't kill Claude, Felix. He's a good tipper."
Felix muttered something incomprehensible under his breath as Claude stuck a couple of notes into Annette's jar.
"I wish you two would get along." Annette bemoaned, turning back to them with Claude's coffee and a new smoothie "Actually, there's an open day at the gym Felix is taking me to once my shift ends. Maybe you could come with us."
"Sweet, naive Annette" Claude thought, recognising a terrible idea a mile off without even needing to glance at Felix to see what he thought of that. "Ah, but why go to the gym when I have the whole outdoors to run in?"
"The equipment" Felix answered bluntly, as if he couldn't help but argue "but, if your routine works for you then it's best not to interfere."
"Well… if you're sure." Annette agreed, actually sounding disappointed, before perking up again "Oh! But, I got the grant I applied for! Felix is looking at coming down long-term too, so we'll actually have plenty of time to hang out! Isn't it great?"
It was an act of superhuman will for Claude to not look at Felix. To paste a grin on his face and focus solely on Annette, giving no hint that he knew exactly how much Felix hated the idea "Sounds great! Let us know when you're all settled yeah? And if you see Lissy today tell her I said hi."
"You know she hates it when you call her Lissy!" Annette called after him as he made his way to the door.
"That's why I do it!" He called back.
~o~*~o~
He sent Hilda an arch look for laughing at him as he handed her smoothie over, but she just smiled winsomely at him "So, you ready for the baby shower? Got a gift all ready?"
"On order, should arrive in time." Claude agreed as they ambled back along the path. "And yes, I took one of your suggestions, thank you."
"Well, naturally." She answered, flipping her hair back over her shoulder. "I shudder to think what you would have settled on if I left you unsupervised."
"Puzzles were not a terrible idea! Aren't you supposed to get kids started early?"
"Ah-huh. Puzzles sure. Like building blocks. Not chess. Oh- Petra!" she called suddenly, skipping ahead to a girl stretching out against a bench "Petra, good morning! Have you met Claude?"
"Good morning, Hilda, I have not been meeting -ah, I have not met Claude. Hello."
"Claude," Hilda began in that very specific saccharine, don't-fuck-this-up, tone he'd learned to expect when she thought she was doing him a favour "Petra's come all the way over from Brigid to train for the triathlon."
"Huh, cool" Claude added, in an effort to be polite "How're you finding Derdriu?"
"The lakes are having great stillness" Petra answered with some enthusiasm "Not fighting waves makes training more -regular? I can do a great deal more with consistency. Are you- are you starting or ending?" She asked glancing between Hilda's still-fresh look and Claude's significantly more sweat-drenched and worn appearance.
"We're just wrapping up." Claude answered quickly before Hilda could contradict him, putting his hand on her back to start herding her away "But it's nice to meet you, have a good session!"
"Yes! My trainer will be here soon and I will be working hard! Have a good day!"
Hilda pouted as he led her away back towards civilisation and, most importantly, a shower, but Claude had long since learned immunity to that particular look.
"Hilda" he began in that very specific flat, remove-your-nose-from-my-life, tone he'd learned was the only one she'd respond to when she thought she'd been doing him a favour.
"Oh come on!" She exclaimed immediately "She's cute! You could go running together! She's new in town, you could show her all the good places! What is the problem!?"
"All women are cute, Hils. Doesn't make me any more available."
Hilda scoffed, but abandoned the argument with only one last shot; "When you die alone you can't go blaming me."
~o~*~o~
Annette fixed her hair into the loops that she'd worn when she was younger to keep it out of the way and shuffled out into the main area of the gym. Felix was waiting for her, and took her around the floor showing her how all the machines worked before they separated so he could get through his reps while she hit the treadmill, pulling up her "Happy Boppy Gym Time" play-list, made specially for the day, and losing herself in the music and people-watching as the tread rolled on beneath her. It was a quiet time in the gym, during the day so the only people present were those who made their living from the fitness industry, or those who had shift work like her and could avoid the after-work crush. Most people seemed to be here alone, but over on the arm press a blue haired woman with a stern look was spotting for woman who had a face tattoo.
That was so cool.
Felix came by to check on her as he moved between legs and arms and she pulled out an earbud to speak with him as he leaned over to guage her settings and how much longer her program had to run.
The blue haired woman tapped the girl she was spotting for to let her know she was moving away and came over towards the treadmills as Felix left "Is he bothering you?" She asked.
"Huh?" Annette responded, slowing the treadmill down.
"That guy." She indicated with her head. "Is he bothering you?"
"Who? Felix? Oh! No! He's my boyfriend" Annette beamed "But thank you for checking on me though! That's really kind of you."
"Alright then." The woman nodded sharply, and made her way back over continue working with the girl with the face tattoo.
With that kind of bluntness, she'd probably get on really well with Felix, Annette thought with a giggle.