vrdantwind | IC Inbox

[This was something Dimitri was always going to do for Claude, honestly - it's been something he supposes he's been planning for months, ever since his mind cleared enough to humor romance properly. Yet it's taken a long time for him to perfect this plan. This gift.]

[That Claude is clearly upset with Lysithea having disappeared... That's only given him more reason to do something like this for his love. Dimitri knows better than to assume that this will do anything powerful, but, well...]

[He hopes it does something.]

[Dimitri makes it to Claude's back, and reaches out to gently, carefully, place a small flower crown of white roses upon his head.]

[Claude jolts at the sudden soft touch - soft weight - on his hair, enough that if his hair were more smooth, he might just have knocked the crown right off. Fortunately it stays in place as he turns around in what's mostly surprise, but will always - after a life of fielding assassins - have a quiet undercurrent of alarm.

When he sees Dimitri, though, any tension floods right out of him again as he relaxes. Despite having been hurt by him once, that Dimitri would ever hurt him again - would ever even want to hurt him again - is beyond all possibility to Claude. There aren't many people he trusts implicitly, but Dimitri is one of them.

So he gets a smile, even as Claude reaches an exploratory hand up to find out just what is on his head with his fingers.] Dimitri? What's this - ?

[There's always a rush of concern, when he sees Claude act like this, to numerous little things. He understands it, on some level - it's why he still occasionally has so much trouble going to sleep even with Kent's help, unless his partner uses Hypnosis on him. But it doesn't make him any happier to see Claude react in such a way.]

[But to see that form relax at the sight of him... That is something as well, he supposes.]

Have you been keeping track of the months, as they'd be known in Fodlan, Claude...?

I mean, yes and no... [Claude can feel flower petals, and not just any kind. Roses? Did Dimitri just put a crown of roses on his head?] Why, is today some kind of anniversary I've missed?

It is not an anniversary, not quite...

[Dimitri reaches down into his pockets, searches for a very particular soft texture. All month, he's been practicing this, and the results haven't always come out well. Even with his Blaiddyd strength gone, well, it has been difficult. Leaves have fallen off, stems have snapped, and it's been quite a trial.]

[So it's no surprise that, for all that he has his prizes now woven together properly, he still has some things left behind as a sign of all that effort... and one of them would be the single and brilliantly white petal he holds out in his palm.]

It is Garland Moon.

[Claude laughs softly.] Oh, man...I was never great at remembering the Fodlan calendar, but I'm even worse here. [He smiles at Dimitri.] I thought it was women who made rose garlands, though? And it's been Garland Moon for awhile now, at least based on the calendars here. So what's the occasion all of a sudden?

I think it can be anyone who wants to give something to those they love. [It's nice to see Claude laughing again, and Dimitri brushes his fingers along Claude's.] And besides... I thought you were always fond of breaking little rules like that.

As for the timing... [Dimitri ducks his head slightly, embarrassed.] It was simply that I only recently gained the ability to make garlands like this properly.

Oh, I'm fond of breaking big ones, too. But you're right. [Claude smiles up at him.] This is exactly the kind of thing I like.

[He reaches out to take that soft petal from Dimitri's hand...only to set it aside, so he can take that outstretched hand instead.] I bet you've been working on teaching yourself how to make these for awhile, haven't you? [His eyes are soft as he gazes into Dimitri's.] It must have been hard.

[Oh - well. Dimitri supposes this is more than good as well, as he slides his fingers against Claude's and feels at ease. This sort of thing should be for Claude, not himself, but it's hard to feel any different.]

I had a good teacher - Silkie was more than happy to do that sort of thing alongside me, and her hands are good for such a task. [And, you know, the psychic energy] Despite that, it still took me practicing throughout the entire month, when I was not making wooden swords...

But if it makes you happy, I would have spent all the more time on it.

That you'd practice all month to make us things like this is so sweet that anyone would be happy. [Claude naturally assumes Dimitri would never leave out his other boyfriends for Garland Moon, and he's probably correct in that. Dimitri would never let any of them feel slighted.] Do you still have some flowers left?

Felix did seem pleased with it... [Dimitri smiles.] He even put off morning training so that he could continue to wear it.

[And that is a victory Dimitri will savor for a long time. For that Felix, to ignore the training between them that he so adores? It means a lot.]

And ah, yes, I do. I thought that it would be good to have spares, in case I ruined more flowers.

[Always a concern.]

Oh, now that is high praise coming from Felix. [And for a moment, Claude's eyes dance in that old, familiar way. It's been a lot rarer than usual recently, but clearly the warmth and amusement of this is bringing back some of that light his lovers are so fond of.] I'll probably wear mine for the rest of the day, so I can't blame him at all.

[And Claude rises to his feet, keeping Dimitri's hand in his.] But good. Let's go find Silkie. [He smiles at Dimitri.] I need to learn how to make one for you.

[Ah... There it is, and Dimitri's smile grows all the warmer to match that look in Claude's eyes. It's been a wretched thing, to see Claude so withdrawn... Not only because Dimitri loves how beautiful he looks this way, happy and brilliant, but because it means Claude is happy.]

[And Claude deserves to be the happiest man on earth.]

Oh? You are? [Dimitri seems to expand with happiness, becoming even more himself than he normally is.[ Then I will gladly wear it, should you give it to me.

[He adjusts himself against Claude, their arms together, until he's in a position to properly escort him... even if it's only a few steps to his own room.]

Of course. How could I let my lover go without a garland for Garland Moon? [Claude squeezes his arm, smiling up at him.] I might need to make them for the others, too...unless you think I'd be stealing your thunder by doing that. [He grins.] Only you know how jealous Felix gets. Remember when I didn't write him a note for Christmas?

Oh, I remember. Sometimes I wonder if he knows whose attention he wants the most. The only difficulty would be them trying to decide which garland to wear... Or wearing multiple ones at the same time.

[Dimitri grins, endeared at the mental image, before he opens the door to his room.]

[Things are already set out and prepared: a blanket spread out on the floor, a small pile of roses gathered, and various other things that make garland weaving all the easier. Silvie clearly prepared all of it, as she gives a little bow to the two of them as they enter. She looks incredibly pleased with herself.]

Ah! Thank you Silkie. Did you hear us coming down the hall?

[Silkie just tilts her head to the side and smiles. Sure! Something like that!]

Dimitri. [There's laughter in Claude's voice, which he lowers to a stage whisper.] She's a psychic type.

[She can definitely, say, pick up on their thoughts from a couple rooms over, probably. Especially if they mention her by name.

He grins at Silkie.] So, mind giving me a flower crown lesson so I can make sure your trainer is appropriately adorned? You did such a great job teaching Dimitri.

[Claude is aware of Silkie's temper, and this is absolutely shameless buttering up. Which, because she's a psychic type, she probably knows. But a guy who cares about Silkie's trainer as much as Claude does, who knows how to be properly ~~fearful~~ respectful to Silkie? Claude doesn't think she's going to object to him, just because his play for her favor might be deliberate. Not having the manners or sense to make a play for her favor - as though anyone who wants to be close to Dimitri might not need Silkie's favor - could well be more offensive to her.]

[While Dimitri and his smile freeze in place, Silkie tries not to look too smug even as she gives a nod. Claude's guess is, of course, completely right. She knows he knows, et cetera, et cetera, and that he's still going along with it clearly speaks to his good character... or at least his smarts. She's only here to serve, sure, sure... but also she needs her skills recognized.]

[The pride of a perfectionist.]

[After Silkie bows, gesturing to the blanket so that they can sit down, Dimitri snaps out of it. He is terribly sheepish as he goes onto the blanket, one hand against his face.]

I... forget she can do that.

[It just doesn't come up!]

[Claude laughs and pats Dimitri's knee as he settles in beside him.] Relax, it's no big deal. Anyone forget that sort of thing. [Except Claude, who tends to feel horribly exposed around psychic types at the prospect of having his mind read. A guy who likes to carefully curate who knows what about him, being faced with the prospect of not being able to have any secrets around a mind-reader...Claude is always uncomfortably, acutely aware. He's already considered the possibility they could be weaponized against him.

Claude will never understand how Dimitri trusts so easily, especially after having been betrayed several times to extreme cost. He wishes he could learn the trick, though. The stress of constantly trying to anticipate the ways people can use anything you give them (or anything they can steal from you) against you...Jaskier tried to claim Claude made him feel like this, and Claude can only conclude Jaskier's never known what true information warfare looks like, never mind the stakes it's usually played for. Maybe he left the nobility too early in his life to learn.

What must it be like, to trust unreservedly? To not fear other people knowing the same things you do? To not need that little edge over others to feel remotely safe? Claude wishes he knew. His life would be far easier.

But for now, he smiles at Dimitri, and reaches for the flowers.] So where do I start?

Considering the name of the typing, I wonder...

[But then again, maybe it's because he simply trusts Silkie so much that he doesn't think twice about it. It's simply 'Silkie' before anything else, not "the Psychic type on his team".]

[Either way, it doesn't matter right now. This place is mostly safe, he thinks, and the more important thing isn't his own feelings or thoughts, but rather those of the man besides him. Leaning gently against him, Dimitri smiles as Silkie comes to stand before them. With a faint glow of her eyes, she lifts up some flowers of her own, and orients them just right for the perfect view so that the two men can see exactly what is being woven into where.]

She did this for me as well... It's quite a unique but clear way of demonstrating the method, isn't it?

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