Inspired by a comment @courtoftheclueless made to me in a discord we're in:
Claude has made many jokes about us getting married. They stopped being jokes.
Then it became a game. How many times can he slip in a fantasy about married life before he gets scolded for joking around too much? During the early days of the war after I return to Derdriu, the record stood at 2 times a week, with a cool down period of three days minimum between jokes. After the professor wakes up, he surprisingly cut down on it himself. Before, it would be things like:
"You know, for someone so serious, you look like some shopkeeper doing her bookkeeping. It's almost cute."
"Claude."
"I am serious. Unless you want me to call you Sovereign Duchess of the Leicester Alliance, talented in housework."
"Gods, that sounds worse. Count Gloucester would literally combust." Not like either of them actually care 😂
Or:
"Do you think your parents will be able to survive on what you're sending them every month?"
"There's been no complaints from the courier. I think they may even want to meet my oh so generous benefactor when the war is over."
"What? Really?"
"You think they're going to ignore the person I left home for, especially to fight in a war? Their weak and cowardly daughter? To them, you are a gift from the divine."
"Not sure how they'll feel about me when they actually meet me, but I'm glad to know for now they love me."
"You might be a handful, but not unlovable."














