Is it? [Dimitri startles, pulling away to look at Claude's face. He's as surprised as Claude is. Is it truly so important?
Age had only been important when he had been too young to be crowned as king. And even at that time, he only remembered his birthday in relation to Felix's - exactly two moons after his own.] Claude, how do you even know when my birthday is?
[ Claude blinks again. Why is his guess Felix? He can't remember ever speaking with the guy one-on-one. And honestly, he's not sure Felix even likes him.
But anyway. ]
No - it was the professor. [ Archbishop, technically - but they'd always be the professor to them. ]
Oh, of course. [Of course the professor would remember. They were always very good at picking just the right gift for all their students, weren't they. Dimitri looks down at Claude, still in his arms, and it suddenly hits him how very silly this conversation has become.
Dimitri's expression softens and he reaches to caress Claude's cheek.] I'm sorry, that's besides the point isn't it. You came to see me and I - thank you.
[ Ever since he set foot in the castle, Claude's cheeks have been ruddy - but as Dimitri stares at him with affection shining in his endlessly blue eye, his face heats up just slightly. His lips curl up into a fond smile and he meets his gaze. ]
... Yeah. I missed you too. [ His hands slide down to his shoulders, and he leans up on the balls of his feet to kiss Dimitri, soft and sweet. ] Why don't we get a little more comfortable by the fire? I'm still feeling pretty cold. [ And curling up with Dimitri after spending a long time on the saddle of his wyvern sounds so nice. (plus, he can take the moment of separation to grab a couple of the smaller gifts from his bag - if dimitri think's claude's presence is his only birthday present, then he's terribly mistaken.) ]
[Dimitri essentially makes a nest of the space in front of the fireplace with all the blankets and pillows from the room. As he's loading blanket upon blanket onto the ground, because they are going to be undignified and cuddle on the floor, a maid also comes by the room with their tea.
He settles, wrapping himself into a kingly burrito, and invites Claude in with open arms.]
[ At his invitation, Claude happily settles into the now double king burrito with Dimitri. With his back against his chest and head tucked by his shoulder, he hums, content. ]
Oh man, that's so much better. [ He takes a sip of his tea, letting its warmth seep into his system, before taking one of Dimitri's hands to play with his fingers. ]
Now, I know you're going to say I didn't need to get you anything for your birthday. But you forgot it, so you don't get to protest. [ Would he have let Dimitri protest, had he remembered? No.
Claude opens up Dimitri's palms and places two wrapped gifts in them. One's a bit large than the other, but they're both rectangular and fit easily in his hand.
The first gift is a book - "You asked me once about what poems I liked. Well, this is one of my favorite collections." - and the second... well. ] Be careful with that one. [ It's a box! And inside that box is...
a dagger. A very beautiful, ornate dagger, covered in crystals and yet still functional. ] I heard there's a tradition in Faerghus surrounding daggers. Something about using the blade to cut a path forward? [ And, okay, maybe he heard some of the details of that ol' dagger fiasco of his childhood from Sylvain. (but not the bit about edelgard.) ]
[Dimitri colors, instantly knowing who might have told Claude about that tradition and what story might have been told alongside it (sylvain is never going to let him live that down is he?) But Dimitri can’t be too fussed about it. Not when Claude is presenting it to him so earnestly and the dagger is beautiful, really.
He takes the dagger out of its box carefully, oh so carefully, to turn it over in his hands are really admire it. The craftsmanship is amazing, each detail purposeful and more beautiful than the next. The crystals shine by the firelight and while it is still functional, Dimitri can’t imagine every sullying it.] Claude... this is stunning. You really didn’t have to – this must have cost a fortune. [Claude has already given him too much just by showing up for the birthday he couldn't even be bothered to remember. But the book? And this? It’s so much.
Dimitri takes a shuddering breath and gentle places the dagger back in its box so he can wrap his arms around Claude.] I love it. I love you. Thank you, Claude. Truly.
[ Claude chuckles, light and fond, and presses his (scruffy) cheek to Dimitri's. ] Even if it was a fortune - which, by the way, it wasn't - it would've been worth it to make you happy, my loveliness.
[ He rests his hands against Dimitri's forearms and leans into the embrace as much as he can. ] But, in all seriousness... I love you, too. More than I can say.
[ This honesty - this vulnerability - has never come easily to Claude. But love can make even the most calculated and careful of men bold. ]
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Age had only been important when he had been too young to be crowned as king. And even at that time, he only remembered his birthday in relation to Felix's - exactly two moons after his own.] Claude, how do you even know when my birthday is?
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Of course I know when it is - we've been courting for years! [ what kind of boyfriend do you think he is????? ] You remember when mine is, right?
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He remembers Claude's, Felix's, and his father's birthday. He remembers what moons Ingrid and Sylvain's fall under but...
that's besides the point!] You must have told me at some point. But, how do you know mine when I don't even remember?
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A little birdie told me, since you didn't tell me yourself.
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Felix?
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But anyway. ]
No - it was the professor. [ Archbishop, technically - but they'd always be the professor to them. ]
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Oh, of course. [Of course the professor would remember. They were always very good at picking just the right gift for all their students, weren't they. Dimitri looks down at Claude, still in his arms, and it suddenly hits him how very silly this conversation has become.
Dimitri's expression softens and he reaches to caress Claude's cheek.] I'm sorry, that's besides the point isn't it. You came to see me and I - thank you.
I've missed you, Claude.
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... Yeah. I missed you too. [ His hands slide down to his shoulders, and he leans up on the balls of his feet to kiss Dimitri, soft and sweet. ] Why don't we get a little more comfortable by the fire? I'm still feeling pretty cold. [ And curling up with Dimitri after spending a long time on the saddle of his wyvern sounds so nice. (plus, he can take the moment of separation to grab a couple of the smaller gifts from his bag - if dimitri think's claude's presence is his only birthday present, then he's terribly mistaken.) ]
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He settles, wrapping himself into a kingly burrito, and invites Claude in with open arms.]
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Oh man, that's so much better. [ He takes a sip of his tea, letting its warmth seep into his system, before taking one of Dimitri's hands to play with his fingers. ]
Now, I know you're going to say I didn't need to get you anything for your birthday. But you forgot it, so you don't get to protest. [ Would he have let Dimitri protest, had he remembered? No.
Claude opens up Dimitri's palms and places two wrapped gifts in them. One's a bit large than the other, but they're both rectangular and fit easily in his hand.
The first gift is a book - "You asked me once about what poems I liked. Well, this is one of my favorite collections." - and the second... well. ] Be careful with that one. [ It's a box! And inside that box is...
a dagger. A very beautiful, ornate dagger, covered in crystals and yet still functional. ] I heard there's a tradition in Faerghus surrounding daggers. Something about using the blade to cut a path forward? [ And, okay, maybe he heard some of the details of that ol' dagger fiasco of his childhood from Sylvain. (but not the bit about edelgard.) ]
no subject
He takes the dagger out of its box carefully, oh so carefully, to turn it over in his hands are really admire it. The craftsmanship is amazing, each detail purposeful and more beautiful than the next. The crystals shine by the firelight and while it is still functional, Dimitri can’t imagine every sullying it.] Claude... this is stunning. You really didn’t have to – this must have cost a fortune. [Claude has already given him too much just by showing up for the birthday he couldn't even be bothered to remember. But the book? And this? It’s so much.
Dimitri takes a shuddering breath and gentle places the dagger back in its box so he can wrap his arms around Claude.] I love it. I love you. Thank you, Claude. Truly.
no subject
[ He rests his hands against Dimitri's forearms and leans into the embrace as much as he can. ] But, in all seriousness... I love you, too. More than I can say.
[ This honesty - this vulnerability - has never come easily to Claude. But love can make even the most calculated and careful of men bold. ]