Trouble had arisen in the Golden Deer House as the attention of all the young nobles was focused on their new professor and Claude had to admit some interest himself. She was like a beast in battle but a few naps in the lecture hall had let slip her armor as Hilda would guide her back to her chambers. She was sexy and lithe but she was also stubborn and cute

He loved to tease her, it had become more entertaining than tormenting the young lion prince but it a very unique way. She would entertain his devious remarks and underhanded tactics, agreeing that above all else casualties must be minimized. And on occasion a playful wink in her direction would result in a rather attractive rush of color to her cheeks, one he now found himself longing to see in a secluded overlook of the castle

But her attentions were, politely, divided among the other young men trying desperately to woo her. Raphael had taken to popping his shirt buttons everytime their professor walked by to the degree that it had become a projectile hazard.

Lorenz would attempt desperately to wrest her attention by giving his own to any other female in sight, sugaring them with unwelcome honeyed words and territorial advantage

But it was Ignatz who truly worried him, sketching away in a leather journal and filling it with her image from every angle. Goddess knew she stayed at her desk enough for it. But with those sketches he had one night begun a portrait of their professor, working so furiously at his secret muse that he had given himself away.

The very next morning Raphael and Leonie had come to his door attempting to rise him before Raphael simply pulled it from it's hinges. The scene inside was gruesome, paint powders strewn seemingly randomly across the carpet and floors, brushes arranged haphazardly in a vase of dark oily liquid and Ignatz himself lumped at the foot of his bed with his glasses still on

Scowling at the mess Leonie advanced on the sleeping man while Raphael stood Frozen in the door frame. His eyes resting on the half finished portrait, the Byleth looking back at him was smiling with an infinite warmth in her eyes, enough for the man to drop to his knees and weep

As the story went Leonie attempting to rouse Raphael of his histarics, attracting the attention of Lorenz. He soon found himself in similar histarics and she had to call for Marianne to soothe them to sleep with a calming prayer. The two men had needed to be lugged back to their rooms and as there weren't enough hands on deck they enlisted the hands of anyone nearby

By this point perhaps the only one unaware of the portraits existence was the muse herself.

Claude could almost have settled for a painting, but a painting can't kick his ass: a quality he found more and more endearing the more it presented itself

He found himself keeping the professor busy when male students would hang around her, even walking backward to catch any lingering gazes

He'd caught Dimitri before in this action but today he was scandalous, continuing to look after she passed him and through Claude's knowing gaze. He would come to learn that the combined manpower of both Dimitri and Dedue were instrumental in moving Raphael's towering form, giving the prince plenty of time to observe the painting

"You're very attentive today." She teased, he assumed she was teasing, as she turned sharply to cut through the garden

"You already know you're my favorite teacher." He was sent scrambling after her bit slid up to her side winking casually to cover his haste

And there it was again. Her cheeks burned softly as she fumbled with her keys, her normal composure shattered for just one instance. She nodded, answering his comment with a soft grunt as she forced the door open

"If there's nothing you need I really must score these exams before the end of the week." Her eyes met his and suddenly her found himself diving into them, searching them for any hidden meaning to her words. He pressed down his own frustration when he found her, as always, deprived of ulterior motives the naivete in her eyes seemed only to flicker to him

"Just don't mind the guys if you see them, I think you've been working them too hard." He winked again, this time only to be met with playful smirk

"You know they don't have duties this week. Try again." She chuckled softly, shaking her head as she closed the door "Good night Claude."

He found himself lingering in the doorway for a minute, his heart pounding hard in his chest. Cute sure, but when she's got the upper hand? That's when she really took his breath away