[Perhaps it is coincidence. Perhaps she remembers...
Either way he will hear a steady rapping at his door in some time. If he opens it for her he'll find the woman in a soft outfit resembling the summer uniform. Her hair is tied half-up in a bun that is styled to look like a rose. The rest of her hair falls freely about her shoulders in cascading silver-white.]
[ If it were not for the previous conversation, he would truly have no way of knowing she was feeling anything less than ideal. Her commitment to remaining well kept is impressive, as always. Even if it puts his own efforts to shame. ]
Edelgard, come in.
[ Outside of a desk that borders on cluttered, his quarters are tidy and bright. A sitting area lies to their right, large furniture circled around a dark wooden table. On it rests their tea and a small tray of light sweets. ]
[Her eyes fall upon the sweets. She'd indulge if not for the upset in her stomach. There's a bit of oddly placed longing as she stares at them before she breaks it off and seats herself. Her hands fold primly upon her lap after smoothing her skirt.]
Are you suffering from any headache or nausea, Dimitri?
[ Given her choice of topic, the rationale behind that expression of longing seems clear enough. Once the door is closed behind them, he takes his own seat across from her and begins to pour the tea. Perhaps she'll have the chance to partake, should the chamomile fulfill its promise. ]
Not especially, no. It appears I've gotten off lightly, all things considered.
[ Which owes more to his decision to abstain from most of the beverages prepared than luck.
After a moment, he carefully passes over one of the now filled cups. ]
Very well. If you are feeling otherwise fine, then I would like to ask you a favor to prevent any more misunderstandings. First, please be a little more clear about my answer to whom I said I would take to bed. Following that I will reply honestly how truthful I was to my real feelings last night.
[ Well. It's impossible to say this isn't a deserved turn of events. If he had spoken up earlier, chosen honesty instead of using the rare opportunity provided to tease and avoid the truth, they would never have found their way into this position. ]
First, I would like to apologize for being the source of those misunderstandings. It was never my intention to lead you astray or cause genuine confusion.
[ In that pursuit, he should have said the following long ago. ]
As for your third answer... You chose me. It came as a surprise, I admit, but please do not feel you owe any further explanation or honesty. It was just a game, after all.
...Very well. If that is the case, then I suppose I must say that all the answers you have told me are not far from the actual truth at all. I may have been more honest thank I would have liked, but I will not lie now.
[She will leave that to hang in the air to take as he likes while she decides to sip at the tea...
And decidedly try to find some sweetener for it. Honey, if it's available.]
[ Shockingly, honey is one of the options open to her. A boon that can be attributed solely to the frequency of various other guests — all of whom possess fully functioning tastebuds. Perhaps he would have remembered to offer some before this point under... different circumstances. One's that did not include a statement both entirely upfront and utterly confounding, all at the same time. ]
Really? I... I see.
[ How eloquent. ]
I'm not certain which is more surprising then. Your answer or that you felt the need to visit and make certain I knew it was truthful.
Look... a lot has happened between us. Especially in regards to moments forgotten and secrets kept. Even if such a silly game seems unimportant I do not wish to fall down that road again.
[Delicately she sets the tea back down on the table between them.]
[ When she puts it that way, he cannot help but understand her desire to see this through. It's a... grave perspective, maybe, given the origin, but then they've always been people best suited to seriousness. Why would this be any exception? ]
In that case, I should thank you. For being brave enough to take the first step and working to prevent any misunderstandings, however small. Even though I was making your task a more challenging one all along.
[ Unknowingly, yes, but still. He was being foolish. ]
[God, how can he be so calm about this?! She practically just confessed! And here she was hoping he may start stuttering or faltering and maybe she'd have a chance to see in him that little boy she knew from her past...
Edelgard sips down the last of the tea before glancing toward the door.]
Well, I suppose that was all I needed to say. If nothing has changed then that is quite all right. I will make my leave.
[ Little does she know, it's because he's an idiot about as skilled at handling these types of situations as he was back then and finds it easier to... discuss around them, when possible.
Which, clearly, is no longer the case. ]
There... was one other thing.
[ Stuttering? Eh. Faltering? Absolutely. This may take a moment. ]
I managed to avoid getting caught up in last night's activities. But you should know I feel the same. Or rather, what I mean to say... is my answer to that question would have been you.
Is that so? Ah... well, do you think that might change things between us?
[Yes, Edelgard, you incredibly avoidant goober. There's no reason to hold back now!
Honestly? That scares her. No reason to hold back means the possibility of losing control. Becoming vulnerable. Can she really feel safe in that kind of position?]
[ It's fine. In a sense, she's the only reason they've managed to get this far. So, it's only fair he offers his own complete honesty in turn. ]
I'm... not certain.
[ He doubts either of them is the type of rush recklessly or casually into such an arrangement, even if their fears and hesitation stem from different sources. Still... ]
It need not change anything unless we're both in agreement. If you would prefer to put this behind us, then we will. But if it was up to me alone, I would not be opposed to the idea of... accepting change, as it were.
Is that so... I suppose it still surprises me to remember that even after all this time...
[She views him as a pivotal part in her survival as a child. He was the only one who wanted her to break free from the chains that the adults in her life shackled her with. She would cut a path. For him, for herself, and for those who suffered under the expectations of their societal structure.]
I simply do not wish to ruin those memories or, ah... disappoint.
[Especially since she looks so haunting at night in a white gown, or the way her arms and torso paint a grotesque picture of experiment and torture. Would she not make him uncomfortable?]
Disappoint? I... find it difficult to imagine a scenario where that would even present a possibility.
[ On her side, maybe, considering his lack of experience in matters like these and the signs of years better left forgotten still etched across his body... But for him? Impossible.
The woman who sits across from him is nearly unrecognizable as the child he first met, physically and otherwise, but she remains beautiful in spite of everything. Colder, yes. Unmistakably damaged and worn by cruelty, both hers and that of the world itself, yet strong and captivating. Physical interest is just one of the many reasons motivating his answer. ]
I highly doubt anyone would have much of an appetite for what goes on in a bedroom after seeing me. There is a reason I wear long sleeves even in the summer, Dimitri.
[Edelgard is not afraid of people seeing her battle scars. Not at all, and she'll wear them like a badge of honor - of pride: a monument to her survival. However the carved flesh, purpled and marred, is something else altogether.
She wonder if he noticed it, or if she was able to keep her facade up until now. Gloves and long sleeves even in hot weather. Refusal to join classmates, friends, in swimming at the lake. Other little things that she hoped escaped everyone's notice...]
[ Huh. She can rest assured knowing her facade was successful. Others may have seen through it but he certainly was not among them. Too caught up in his own head, his own goals, to pay enough mind to the specific quirks of a classmate. Even one who otherwise tended to draw his eye more than strictly necessary.
In hindsight, however... ]
Perhaps you should allow people to make their own decisions, instead of assuming the worst of them.
[ He cuts himself off with a sigh. Somehow, her taking umbrage against a clumsily worded yet genuine sentiment is almost nostalgic. In the very worst of ways. ]
I meant everything I said previously. I do not wish to make you uncomfortable or push you to show more than you'd otherwise prefer. [ An honest statement, if not a complete one. ] But... Edelgard, you deserve better than being bound by hypothetical fears.
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[ Regardless of the awkwardness brought about by last night. ]
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[ Assuming she can stomach the idea. In hindsight, he had failed to inquire about her own health in light of the evening's intoxication. ]
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[Her headache is gone, but only because Hubert was kind enough to craft a potion. Even if it has made her stomach uneasy.]
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[ An easy task, considering it remains his favourite. Whether or not she's aware of this fact or it was merely a lucky coincidence is a mystery. ]
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Either way he will hear a steady rapping at his door in some time. If he opens it for her he'll find the woman in a soft outfit resembling the summer uniform. Her hair is tied half-up in a bun that is styled to look like a rose. The rest of her hair falls freely about her shoulders in cascading silver-white.]
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Edelgard, come in.
[ Outside of a desk that borders on cluttered, his quarters are tidy and bright. A sitting area lies to their right, large furniture circled around a dark wooden table. On it rests their tea and a small tray of light sweets. ]
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Are you suffering from any headache or nausea, Dimitri?
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Not especially, no. It appears I've gotten off lightly, all things considered.
[ Which owes more to his decision to abstain from most of the beverages prepared than luck.
After a moment, he carefully passes over one of the now filled cups. ]
Here you are.
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Very well. If you are feeling otherwise fine, then I would like to ask you a favor to prevent any more misunderstandings. First, please be a little more clear about my answer to whom I said I would take to bed. Following that I will reply honestly how truthful I was to my real feelings last night.
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First, I would like to apologize for being the source of those misunderstandings. It was never my intention to lead you astray or cause genuine confusion.
[ In that pursuit, he should have said the following long ago. ]
As for your third answer... You chose me. It came as a surprise, I admit, but please do not feel you owe any further explanation or honesty. It was just a game, after all.
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[She will leave that to hang in the air to take as he likes while she decides to sip at the tea...
And decidedly try to find some sweetener for it. Honey, if it's available.]
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Really? I... I see.
[ How eloquent. ]
I'm not certain which is more surprising then. Your answer or that you felt the need to visit and make certain I knew it was truthful.
[ Just how is he meant to interpret that? ]
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[Delicately she sets the tea back down on the table between them.]
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In that case, I should thank you. For being brave enough to take the first step and working to prevent any misunderstandings, however small. Even though I was making your task a more challenging one all along.
[ Unknowingly, yes, but still. He was being foolish. ]
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Edelgard sips down the last of the tea before glancing toward the door.]
Well, I suppose that was all I needed to say. If nothing has changed then that is quite all right. I will make my leave.
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an idiotabout as skilled at handling these types of situations as he was back then and finds it easier to... discuss around them, when possible.Which, clearly, is no longer the case. ]
There... was one other thing.
[ Stuttering? Eh. Faltering? Absolutely. This may take a moment. ]
I managed to avoid getting caught up in last night's activities. But you should know I feel the same. Or rather, what I mean to say... is my answer to that question would have been you.
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[Yes, Edelgard, you incredibly avoidant goober. There's no reason to hold back now!
Honestly? That scares her. No reason to hold back means the possibility of losing control. Becoming vulnerable. Can she really feel safe in that kind of position?]
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I'm... not certain.
[ He doubts either of them is the type of rush recklessly or casually into such an arrangement, even if their fears and hesitation stem from different sources. Still... ]
It need not change anything unless we're both in agreement. If you would prefer to put this behind us, then we will. But if it was up to me alone, I would not be opposed to the idea of... accepting change, as it were.
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[She views him as a pivotal part in her survival as a child. He was the only one who wanted her to break free from the chains that the adults in her life shackled her with. She would cut a path. For him, for herself, and for those who suffered under the expectations of their societal structure.]
I simply do not wish to ruin those memories or, ah... disappoint.
[Especially since she looks so haunting at night in a white gown, or the way her arms and torso paint a grotesque picture of experiment and torture. Would she not make him uncomfortable?]
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[ On her side, maybe, considering his lack of experience in matters like these and the signs of years better left forgotten still etched across his body... But for him? Impossible.
The woman who sits across from him is nearly unrecognizable as the child he first met, physically and otherwise, but she remains beautiful in spite of everything. Colder, yes. Unmistakably damaged and worn by cruelty, both hers and that of the world itself, yet strong and captivating. Physical interest is just one of the many reasons motivating his answer. ]
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[Edelgard is not afraid of people seeing her battle scars. Not at all, and she'll wear them like a badge of honor - of pride: a monument to her survival. However the carved flesh, purpled and marred, is something else altogether.
She wonder if he noticed it, or if she was able to keep her facade up until now. Gloves and long sleeves even in hot weather. Refusal to join classmates, friends, in swimming at the lake. Other little things that she hoped escaped everyone's notice...]
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[ Huh. She can rest assured knowing her facade was successful. Others may have seen through it but he certainly was not among them. Too caught up in his own head, his own goals, to pay enough mind to the specific quirks of a classmate. Even one who otherwise tended to draw his eye more than strictly necessary.
In hindsight, however... ]
Perhaps you should allow people to make their own decisions, instead of assuming the worst of them.
[ His tone is kinder than the words themselves. ]
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Is that so? Do you wish to prove yourself now?
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[ He cuts himself off with a sigh. Somehow, her taking umbrage against a clumsily worded yet genuine sentiment is almost nostalgic. In the very worst of ways. ]
I meant everything I said previously. I do not wish to make you uncomfortable or push you to show more than you'd otherwise prefer. [ An honest statement, if not a complete one. ] But... Edelgard, you deserve better than being bound by hypothetical fears.
[ Of his reaction or anyone else's. ]
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