"'Spoke' might be putting it generously. 'Agonized' is closer." Claude chuckles. "He was very interested in you, and who could blame him, but you know Lorenz. He had all that baggage from Count Gloucester to deal with, and then he had to deal with the idea of polyamory? He barely knew what to do with himself. It's a testament to just how into you he was that he pushed through all his issues and uncertainties to pursue something; he tried to squash it down, for a dozen ridiculous reasons, but there was too much for him to hold back."

He pauses. "Did you...return his feelings at all, Dedue? Or was it so out of nowhere you didn't really have a response for him right away?"