𝐒𝐈𝐋𝐊'𝐒 𝐒𝐂𝐄𝐍𝐓 .°* | wmmap.

━━ chapter LII.

"feeling hypnotized by the words that you said
don't lie to me, just get in my head
when the morning comes, you're still in my bed
but it's so, so cold"

LIKE WINE SPILLED ON SATIN ,  azalea tinted hair was scattered over the bedsheets  ;  the room was dark ,  soft wisps of wind hushing within the room past the curtains , letting the moonlight enter past the cracks . the glow was dim , but enough to let him see the outlines of her bare back , as she laid on her stomach , reading with her elbows propped on the bed .

her face was concentrated , lips moving in accordance to the words she read ,  but never once making a sound . he watched her with interest ,  quite liking the dip of her back ,  and the way she chewed on the nail of her thumb while reading . she looked younger like this — more human than the empress that she was in the court — and he was certain he liked her better this way ,  relaxed ,  at ease .

claude reached out to brush his knuckles gently against the skin of her shoulders , letting his fingers slither down her arm languidly , cool as ever beneath his touch . it was fitting — he mused to himself , watching her lack of reaction with amusement — that she was cold on the exterior just as she was inside . 

as if reading his mind ,  her eyes turned to his ,  vacant as they always were — like the light in them had been dimmed long time ago — did his own look the same ?  he wondered sometimes . what was it that made her this way ?     " what ? "  she questioned . and for once , claude felt like talking . he sighed ,  leaning on his back .

" there are times i feel i don't know who you are . "  he replied , staring at the ceiling . she didn't reply back immediately , and instead closed the book that she was reading . idle eyes turned to her ,  giving her a dry smirk .  " guilty ? " he quipped cheekily .

" not really . " she answered , rising to shift closer to him . leaning on his chest ,  she traced a finger down his forehead ,  mapping his profile .  " knowing too much always leads to conflict , and it's not like there's much worth knowing about me . i'm basically an open book . " he scoffed at the irony , tilting his head back as her finger traced down his neck .

or maybe you don't think the limping one* is worth telling your secrets to  ;   he thought ,  but he didn't say it .  " it's late , "  he commented out of sudden —  hand rising to stop hers ,  " why are you not asleep yet ? " 

" i don't feel like sleeping just yet . " she stated ,  not choosing to elaborate on her statement further . not using words , anyway . penelope leaned down ,  capturing his mouth with hers . there were no words spoken ,  and she felt distant to him despite the growing proximity ,  cold despite the shared heat . but he didn't ask questions ,  he couldn't  ;  asking meant putting what he had in hand at risk ,  and he wasn't sure he was daring enough for that .

so he gladly took what he got ,   even if it was nothing but physical ,  at least it was intimacy .

the next morning would be when they leave to lay siege on doth ,  and he couldn't sleep  ;  sitting by himself in the empty room ,  he laments now that she was gone .  her absence brought back that dread he'd struggled for years to rid himself of .  you've been played all over again ,  you fool — a mocking voice in the back of his head laughs at him — you walked into it , you've put yourself through it once again ,  and it's completely your fault !

i know —  another miserable voice replies — i know .

lil snippet of claude x penelope fluff before we get to fighting the war ! i kinda feel bad for putting claude through this but ah well it's  not like he is my kid , i can make him suffer all i want to muahahaha >:}

also tell me , what are you guys' opinions on claude x penny ? do you think they work together ??  and who do you think is in the wrong for this situation they are in the moment ??

  i personally think they both are , since penelope really needs to shut people out  AND claude needs to realise that she is not diana ! she will not be adamant as she was ! all women are different . but then again i completely understand him comparing to diana since he loved her a lot and she was his support system when he was at his lowest ( although i'd argue bc i feel like even now he's in a really bad position , depression wise . )