𝐎𝐍𝐄 𝐋𝐀𝐒𝐓 𝐓𝐈𝐌𝐄 ( wmmap )

★ 21. memory lane

You had an idea on what the gift Claude had planned to present you with, but you still couldn't believe it yourself. Who would imagine that he would initiate intimate contact as soon as the banquet ended after all?

Despite having said that, you didn't bother to argue back when he began to lead you quickly into his room. Rather, it would've been more accurate to say that you let yourself be pulled into what he planned to do. True to that, you responded just as quickly ( pathetically so ) when his lips landed on yours as soon as the doors were shut behind you. 

When he pulled away, you took it as a moment to catch your breath, "When you said it would refresh my memory about our first encounter, I thought you'd reference the fact that I counted the people that passed by."

"I don't have the patience to wait for that amount of number," he whispered as he began to bury his head deep in your neck, his tongue tracing down your collarbone, "And I'm sure you don't either."

You were about to voice out words of agreement when he bit down on your skin and caused a wince to leave your lips instead. You stared down at him with a small frown, "You're forgetting we still have other parties to attend. You can't leave marks. What will the people think?"

He gazed up at you and met with your eyes. He didn't move his mouth away from your skin, but rather, you felt them curve upward into another smirk. He broke eye contact and continued with leaving small kisses on your skin as his hands undid your dress. 

You knew he wouldn't listen, but you still felt surprised when he bit down on your body again. This time though, he left it near your chest, knowing that your dress would be able to cover the mark he created there. 

"I can make them bow their heads during the entirety of the celebration if you're incredibly bothered by the idea of them seeing these," he stood up straight to shrug down his blazer. As he waited for you to come up with a reply, his hands began to unbutton his dress shirt. 

You followed his example and attempted to remove your dress, but was reminded of the fact why it took several maids to fit you into the dress — there were too many layers for you to remove on your own. You clicked your tongue in annoyance, and whether or not Claude noticed, he didn't say anything. He continued to completely drop his dress shirt off his shoulder, and already had his hands on the ends of his pants when he glanced at you. 

"You don't need to take care of a dress you'll only wear once," he told you as he approached you. Your back hit the wall, and before you could open your mouth to ask him what he meant, he already grabbed hold of the ends of your dress and ripped it in half. Your upper body was revealed in just a moment, "Neither of us have the patience to remove it the proper way anyways."

He was right — you didn't have any plans to wear the dress again — but that didn't mean you didn't treasure it. 

"Why would you destroy something so pretty?" you muttered under your breath as you watched him crouch down. Claude's hands were placed on your skirt, ready to tear it like he did with the upper portion of your clothes, but paused when he heard you talk, "I wanted to leave it up for display."