To Cut a Path to a Brighter Future

[crimsonflower]

[When Edelgard was called to the conference she did not expect to see Claude there, but after certain events it did make some sense. It gets her to tense up in the beginning, but when Claude mostly hangs back for the conversation he's mostly forgotten. For now.

So then the conversation between Emperor and King went as follows—

Dimitri: Edelgard. I did not think you would actually accept my request.
Edelgard: Call it a whim. Well then? What did you want to talk about?
Dimitri: I will get straight to the point. Why did you start this war? There had to be a way to change things in your territory without the need for so many senseless casualties.
Edelgard: It may be hard to believe, but this is the way that leads to the fewest casualties in the end. Don't you see?
Dimitri: How could I? Countless people have already lost their lives in this conflict.
Edelgard: The longer we took to revolt, the more victims this crooked world would have claimed. I weighed the victims of war against the victims of the world as it is now, and I chose the former. I believe that I have chosen the best path, the only path.]

Comments

[inaurate]

[Claude laughs at Dimitri's protest, trying to ignore how that sigh sounded.] Just checking. Don't undo all my hard work, now.

[He spends a little longer just... rubbing up and down Dimitri's back, presumably to check for any knots he missed but mostly just to keep feeling that warm skin beneath his palms.]

[azuremoon]

[Dimitri certainly doesn't seem to mind. Eventually, though, he does start feeling guilty over making Claude do so much work, and he reluctantly straightens up again, turning to him with a shy smile.]

That was lovely. Thank you, Claude. Please let me know if you would ever like me to return the favor.

[Though perhaps not right now if he's worried about having his work undone. Dimitri would tense right up again due to having to take so much care not to hurt him...]

[inaurate]

[Claude leans back when Dimitri starts to straighten, smiling in return.]

Heh, I'll be sure to.

[Yeah sorry he's gonna be a touch reluctant to call in that favor... He'd have to be pretty damn sure he wasn't going to end up with a broken spine.]

I take it that's my cue to let you get some sleep?

[azuremoon]

[He visibly hesitates a moment, feeling reluctant to say yes. It's not at all cold out, and Dimitri doesn't mind the cold, anyway. So why does losing the warmth of Claude's hands bother him? A part of him almost wants to invite him to stay over, which is ridiculous because he's not twelve and being anxious about working things out with Edelgard is a silly reason to want to have a sleepover. Grown men don't just have sleepovers!

Dimitri just reaches for his shirt and pulls it back on.]

We should both be well-rested for tomorrow.

[inaurate]

[He's not sure what to make of that hesitation. Did Dimitri... want him to stay?

Gods, he really couldn't even if he was asked. He has plenty of his own tension to try and work out now.

The shirt goes back on, which is both a shame and a relief.]

Yeah, yeah. The work never ends.

[He gets to his feet, brushing dust off his knees, glad for the looseness of his pants.] Good night, Dimitri.

[azuremoon]

[Right. This is fine, he still feels loose and a little sleepy, he doesn't need company. Dimitri nods, standing to hold the tent flap open for him because he can't just not.]

Good night, Claude.

[inaurate]

[It's with monumental effort he doesn't linger faced with that soft, sleepy look in Dimitri's eye. That he doesn't tug him down by the shirt and kiss him right there, because goddess, he's only a man, there's only so much temptation he can handle and Dimitri is so close as he leaves.

He makes it out without doing any of that, thankfully, and walks in the general direction of his own tent until he's out of earshot, then abruptly turns to go to the baths. They're almost always empty this time of night and he could use the privacy.]