Soul Bonded [Claude De Alger Obelia x reader ]

75. Attainable Happiness

"Papa," Athy started softly, tilting her head to one side. Immediately a stare-down ensued between her and Claude and the space shared between them lit up with invisible sparks. The stare down broke when Athy tugged at your hand in her, smiling broadly and Claude clicked his tongue, stoic expression almost breaking into an irritated one.

You blinked several times, baffled. You swore for a moment Athy looked like something straight out of a horror movie. You must be imagining it. There's no way your cute daughter was glaring murderously at Claude. Right?

As quickly as the eerie Athy came, she was gone. In place of it was your cheerful, bright daughter.

"I brought you this!" Athy grinned, showing the flower crown in her hands. "I made it myself!"

Laughing nervously as you shook off the strangeness, you picked her up and set her on the desk. "Go ahead, Claude put it on. Look! We have a similar one." You pointed to the flower crown nestled on your head and then Athy's crooked flower crown that was too big for her tiny head.

Claude's blank face shifted. "You want me to put that absurd thing on my head?"

You and Athy eagerly nodded your head in sync.

Eyebrows twitching, Claude took the flower crown from Athy's hand and dangled it in front of his eyes, looking unimpressed.

"Don't be shy now, Claude. " You said and sighed when Claude thinned his lips unwillingly. "C'mon it's not that bad. I'm sure you'd look beautiful."

Claude didn't look convinced instead his disdainful grew.

Felix arrived and immediately sweat-dropped at the current situation of you shooting puppy eyes at Claude while he avoided your gaze and Athy's sulking figure on the desk. Grasping the situation quickly, Felix helped in guilt-trapping Claude into wearing the flower crown. "Your majesty, Princess put her whole heart to make it for you, you should at least try once it to keep her heart."

Claude sent a chilling glance his way and Felix paled at the unvoiced threat, shutting up.

"It's okay," Tears sprang in Athy's eyes as she delicately reached for the flower crown and protectively held it against her chest. "Papa doesn't want to wear it. I don't want to upset him."

Seeing Athy sullen and gloomy, you shot a fierce glare at Claude.

Warily looking at your stern expression, he roughly exhaled and said begrudgingly, "Fine. Go ahead."

Athy immediately brightens up. "Really? Papa is the best!"

You clapped your hands with a grin. "Sweet! Athy, go on, put the pretty flower crown on your dad."

Expressionless Claude tilted his head down so Athy could place the flower crown while throwing you sour looks to let you know he was forced into this against his will and he didn't like it one bit. You only smiled benevolently.

Athy clapped her hands in joy, and a smile that almost resembled a smirk curled up on her lips. "Papa looks so pretty!"

The bright and vivid colours of the flower petals contrasted the shiny gold of his strands almost ethereally while popping out the blues of his eyes.

You held your chin as you let out an appreciative whistle, "No kidding! You rocking that Angel look. Should I call you an angel from now on?"

Claude's sour face scrunched up into distaste and he shot you an offended look.

"Haha, I guess that's a no." You put your hands up and smiled innocently, "Should we go for walk? The weather is nice outside."

Wordless, Claude stood up from his seat and arranged the documents back to the proper stack and put away the quill.