#like the dimiclaude tea time i did years ago

[pillow-boi]

wangxian academy days [part 1/?] -> part 1/2/3/4/5/6

[miss-1ng]

Dimiclaude kiss prompt no. 55?

this turned out... longer than i intended lmao

also hope you're okay with a soulmate au, because this is the only idea i had for this lol! thanks for requesting <3 <3

(also a warning for spoilers about claude's backstory and maybe dimitri's a little bit but otherwise i'm pretty sure everything is spoiler-free!!)

--

His name is Khalid, is what Dimitri’s mind - wide awake from the searing sting of finally gaining his soulmark - says, barely a whisper while when Ingrid got hers, she screamed with joy the moment she found out her soulmate was Glenn.

That was a year ago, on the fourth of the Guardian Moon, precisely the day of her birth, which was celebrated with her family and friends.

It’s legend that you become of age to receive a soulmark from the day you turn twelve to the day you turn sixteen. Sylvain, two years older, had, unsurprisingly received his two years prior to Ingrid and Felix who both received theirs when they officially became of age.

Dimitri however, while not exactly a rare case, though not a complete normality, had received his a year later than which his childhood friends did, at age 13.

Her mark glistens a glittering gold on the inside of her left wrist, corresponding with Glenn’s which is on the inside of his right one. Dimitri remembers her gushing how when the first time they held hands, their marks shone when they touched.

He also remembers Felix gagging and glaring at the two lovebirds for the rest of the day, completely enraptured with one another and nothing else.

As of that day, their betrothal was made official, now that Ingrid had her mark to confirm the one Glenn owned.

That was a while back now, and today, an exact year later, is Dimitri’s birthday. The mark on his arm stings, but as his eyes really take in the word in beautiful script on his wrist, he begins to ignore the pain.

Exactly three hours later, he’s at the Felix and Glenn’s home, sitting outside on the grass with the two of them, having recently abandoned the wooden training swords. Glenn is a full four years older than all of them, except Sylvain, who is only two years older. Yet despite his age Glenn still treats them the same.

When Dimitri finally shows the two his soulmark after lots of nagging, he notices the way Felix bites his lip and averts his gaze.

But before he can question it, Felix teases “You’re going to have a boyfriend!” before bursting out into laughter.

Dimitri hadn’t even thought of that, fully focused on the fact that he has a soulmark and not on the fact that his soulmate has the name of a boy.

He… isn’t too sure what to feel about that.

“And you are too,” Glenn calls in a sing-song voice to his younger brother, only to get fiercely elbowed in the stomach. A scowl has found its way onto the bright-eyed boy’s face.

Dimitri doesn’t say a word. Felix has been oddly secretive about his soulmark ever since he got it a month after Ingrid’s, while she had been flouncing it around whenever she got the chance and wasn’t with Glenn. Though at the same time, even at thirteen, Felix has been secretive, spending more time by himself than with the group unless he was absolutely forced too.

“Shut up!” he snaps, folding his arms and pouting. “I hate you.”

“So kind, Fe,” Glenn teases with a grin, ruffling his younger brother’s hair.

Silently Dimitri wonders what it would be like if he was in Glenn’s shoes, and he had a little brother of his own.

The silence Dimitri’s indulged in gets broken with a familiar call, and Dimitri turns to see Sylvain, even taller than the last time he saw his friend, standing alongside Ingrid who immediately rushes to greet Dimitri with a hug before running over to Glenn.

“Happy birthday, Dimitri!” Sylvain hollers the second he closes the door, separating the kids from the adults indoors. He joins the group. “How does it feel to no longer be the only soulmate-less one?” He adds a wink as if the very phrase itself wasn’t terrible enough.

A collective group of groans reverberate around the circle they’ve formed.

“You’re an idiot,” Felix grumbles to the older teen, averting all eye contact and instead vouching for a heated glare at the grass. Oh, if looks could kill.

“Aww, I love you too, Fe,” Sylvain teases, still grinning merrily as if he nothing is wrong with the world.

Felix’s face flushes. “Why does everyone keep saying that?”

Ingrid laughs. “I can say it too, if you’d like.” She clears her throat, as if beginning some long and important speech. “Aww, I love you too, Felix.”

“Now that’s left is Dimitri,” Glenn notes, looking at him.

The younger Fraldarius looks just about ready to bolt as Dimitri says “Aww, I love you too, Felix.”

Instead, he just mutters “It’s your birthday so I’ll take it. Just this once though.”

Sylvain leans close to Dimitri and whispers in a not-so-quiet voice “A little birdy told me you received your soulmark!” Bold black cursive writing stares up at him with non-existent eyes and he feels his heart start to thud.

Thump. Thump-thump. Thump. Thump-thump.

He doesn’t reply, instead peeling his sleeve a little higher above and shows Ingrid and Sylvain his soulmark.

The taller of the two squints at it, as if it’s hard to see. Ingrid’s reaction is more surprised, by the way her eyes widen, and her jaw goes a little slack. She fixes it when she sees his eyes on her with a small smile. “That’s great, Dimitri! It’s so pretty,” she gushes in a very un-Ingrid manner, but the twinkle in her eyes is all the same. “I wonder when you’ll meet your soulmate…”

“Khalid’s not a Fódlan name,” Sylvain offhandedly comments. Dimitri frowns at him, and he hastily continues. “I mean it’s not a Fódlan name I’ve heard. Who knows? You could get some hottie from Duscur or Brigid.”

“Of course, someone from Duscur or Brigid would come all the way over for our Prince,” Glenn drily says, pecking Ingrid on the cheek at her wide-eyed smile. “We’re not getting rid of him that easily.”

--

His soulmark was something Dimitri was very focused on for a while.

Then Duscur happened and everything seemed to fall apart.

His family, his friends… everything changed. The mark on Ingrid’s wrist faded to a black splotch, and the golden writing had completely disappeared.

Felix had shut himself off completely, not leaving his room unless he was training and not talking to anyone unless he was yelling at them.

Sylvain… seemed more closed off – more subdued. Dimitri saw him less and less as the months ebbed on.

And Dimitri… Dimitri couldn’t sleep, couldn’t focus, couldn’t even think. His dreams being haunted by the dead, his father begging for revenge, Glenn hissing in his ear, taunting him, his mother, crying at his feet.

“You should’ve saved us,” they hiss. “Kill them for us. Kill them all!”

It’s not the first time he wakes to a cold sweat, a scream hanging on the edge of his lips.

He’s sent to live, along with the Duscur boy he met, Dedue, at Rodrigue’s place, and there Dimitri finds it frequent where he gets the full brunt of Felix’s verbal abuse. He wants to talk back, to say it wasn’t his fault, but he can’t find the words, can’t even find the motivation to speak. Instead, he just nods, silent, and Dedue finds him, concern lingering in his gaze.

It’s like that for a while.

Then the rebellion happens, and Felix seems to hate him even more.

--

It’s almost a relief when he arrives to the Officers Academy.

There he meets Edelgard von Hresvelg (or reunites, perhaps, if his hunch is in fact correct), heir to the Empire, and Claude von Riegan, heir to House Riegan.

Claude is… well… Claude is a lot of things.

In their audience with Rhea, he is stiff and stoic-faced, though the second they’re released from the chamber, he introduces himself properly to Dimitri. “So, you’re the prince,” he says with a wink. “Nice to meet you.”

“It is good to meet you too,” says Dimitri in return, dipping his head. He offers a small smile.

It’s not the only time they talk. As the year ebbs on, Dimitri gets to know Claude, should it be through sparring together, or even tea times Claude has insisted on. Claude is… well, first of all he’s nice and he’s kind, and he’s also very funny. He seems to bring a smile to Dimitri’s face whenever he’s around, and not only that but he’s…

…he’s beautiful.

Maybe it’s his smile, Dimitri supposes, his genuine one, or maybe those piercing green eyes. He’s also been good looking.

Sometimes when they train, Dimitri catches himself staring, and Claude’s caught him too, offering a wink and a teasing comment without any heat.

Not only that but Dimitri’s heart flutters whenever he’s around Claude, and he has to remind himself constantly that this isn’t okay because Claude is not his soulmate. The mark on his wrist proves just that much.

“You’re staring, your Highness.”

Dimitri flinches, almost forgetting that Sylvain is opposite him, lazily twirling his lance. He smirks at his childhood friend. “Got your eyes on someone?”

It would be great if he was immune to Sylvain’s teasing, but he is only human, and heat rises to his cheeks. “No!” His voice sounds a few pitches higher than it usually is. He clears his throat, averting his gaze from Claude who turns away from Hilda who he’s sparring with (how he got her to do so remains a mystery to the school) to offer a questioning brow. “I mean, uh, no. Of course not.”

“Sure, sure.”

Sylvain doesn’t sound at all convinced. He leans closer, whispering in Dimitri’s ear, “I mean Riegan is pretty hot. I don’t think even your soulmate would blame you for checking him out.”

Dimitri splutters, “W-what?”

“I have to go,” Sylvain says. “Pick up some of the ladies- oh, hey, Fe!” He runs off towards the direction of Felix who enters the training ground, and Dimitri doesn’t stop him, staring into the distance as his cheeks turn redder and redder as the seconds pass.

--

Nevertheless, Dimitri still goes out of his way to spend his time with Claude, pointedly ignoring his soulmark whenever he does.

“Your princliness!” Claude calls, waving in greeting as he runs over to him. Dimitri tries not to blush when he yet again winks.

“Claude!” He tries his hardest not to sound too surprised. “What-what are you doing here?”

He looks amazing. Dressed in a sharp suit he’s seen many of the other students wearing, his hair tousled and falling in front of his eyes. “I think the proper question is what are you doing here? Dedue’s worried about you. Says you haven’t even showed up to the ball and-”

Dimitri’s brain seems to shut off, his mind not listening as he surges forwards, closing the distance between them with a kiss.

It lasts two seconds. Maybe three.

Because immediately after their lips touch Dimitri lets go, eyes wide. “I- that was out of line,” he rushes. “I’m sorry, Claude, I shouldn’t have done that-”

But Claude pulls him back in, and Dimitri feels the mark on his wrist burn and-

He stares down at it, watching the white handwriting shimmer to gold. “What…?”

“I have been waiting so long to do that,” Claude breathes, oblivious to Dimitri’s confusion. He raises an eyebrow, clutching his hands. “Hey, what’s wrong…?”

“Khalid,” Dimitri breathes. Claude’s eyes widen. “That’s your name?”

“I-” Claude pauses, before nodding. “Yes. It is.”

Dimitri pulls him close, arms wrapping around him. He kisses Claude – or is it Khalid? – again, and again, and again. “It’s a beautiful name.”

“Mmhm.”

“I love you.”

“I love you too.”

Their night ends not in the ballroom, but outside under the moonlight, the memory of soft kisses and warm embraces never to leave Dimitri’s mind.

[somepinkthing]

look at me

I wrote edelclaude and it was initially supposed to be cute but.... um. Anyways, I guess a lot of edelclaude and dimiclaude fics include claude just becoming cool with a lot of stuff very quickly and I just think I wanna see that sweet conflict. So.

VW run but with established edelclaude. Right after the holy tomb.

Might do a series of oneshots depending on how this one does. I love these two idiots.

---

“Your ideals, I can understand. They are not so far removed from my own,” Edelgard told him, telling herself it sounded less like a plea than it felt, “You can join me. Together, we can create the world we want to see.”

Claude shot her a lopsided smile, a flash of white teeth in the dark of the Sealed Forest. There one minute, gone the next. It seemed even the unflappable Claude von Riegan couldn’t keep up a smile in these circumstances. 

“You just want me to bring teach,” he joked. A flash of annoyance rose up in her. He always was good at that.

“I want you to bring as many allies as you can,” Edelgard shot back, “Including yourself.”

Especially yourself.

Claude turned his eyes to her for the first time since they met up at their secret spot in the forest. Edelgard wasn’t all too sure what she’d been hoping to find. She wasn’t exactly surprised to find Claude, should have known anger would hardly stop her lover from seeking out answers, but she couldn’t say she was expecting a confrontation so soon either. She’d thought... well, she’d rather thought her next meeting with Claude would be at the opposite ends of the battlefield, she’d counted on it. She’d prepared for it.

This? His big green eyes, vulnerable for once with exhaustion and a hint of grief? This was a hurt she had not prepared for. 

“El, El, El,” he groaned, “I--You--Why’d you try to kill Lysithea? I thought you two got along.”

Edelgard couldn’t help letting out a scoff in disbelief. 

“That’s your first question?”

“You gonna answer it?!”

Edelgard bit back her own snappy response. She’d never actually seen Claude so upset before, not even after Remire. Better to not push her luck if she hoped to make an ally here.

“She’s too dangerous to leave unchecked,” she answered honestly. Lysithea’s power was no secret to Claude, after all. “I have no force that could have matched hers once she managed to get her bearings. So she had to go first.”

“And for that you almost kill--you know what? Fair. Fine. Smart. I, uh, should have expected that from you.”

It sounded like an insult more than a compliment.

“Claude,” Edelgard started carefully, clenching her hands behind her back to keep from reaching out. He wasn’t hers to touch anymore, it seemed.

“Question two,” he cut in, “What’s going to happen now?”

Edelgard bit her lip.

“You already know what happens now.”

Now, it was war. She wouldn’t play into Claude’s games by reliving exactly what she intended to do. He knew, the game was to make her admit it.

“I know how war works, yes. I read your manifesto too, very well done by the way. But what about the students? Are you gonna let them escape or will you cut them down? Your own classmates?”

He asked it so casually, as if she knew the answer. As if she hadn’t agonized over the very same question every day for the past year. Could Ferdinand be convinced to fight for her? Could Yuri be coaxed from Abyss? Could she explain her connection with those monsters to Lysithea in a way that would make her understand? Could she afford to spare Dimitri? Could she leave them an opening? Would it come back to bite her?

Could she allow Claude to live?

“I will not kill anyone who doesn’t stand in my way,” she answered neutrally.

“And what counts as standing in your way?” Claude challenged back. Always challenging, always asking the hard questions. 

“Claude,” she hissed, “If it is not your intention to help me, say so. Take a stand for once and declare which side you are on. Mine or hers.”

Claude chuckled.

“El, I’ve heard that question so many times I’m half sick of it. Are you this or that, one or the other? I’ve heard it enough to know there’s always a third option, one that they’d deny you. You know what? Neither side.”

And wasn’t that just classic Claude? Always with the third option, always with the “better way”. As if change could afford to wait for the perfect way to drop into their laps. Did he think she wanted things to be like this?

“Neither isn’t an option!” she yelled out in frustration. 

“Neutrality is protected under international law actually, not that anyone in Fodlan seems to know what that is,” he muttered the last half under his breath.

“Claude! Stop playing around!”

“El. I’m dead serious this time.”

She sucked in a breath. Claude let out a sigh. Silence reigned supreme in their secret spot where laughter and lively debate rang out just yesterday. Claude, almost reading her thoughts, turned to look around at their little hidden alcove nostalgically. 

“I love you, El. How’s that for a declaration?”

Edelgard wondered if she looked paler. Impossible as it would be, she felt paler. Claude’s words were his best weapon just as Edelgard’s resolve was hers. For all the tea parties spent discussing near mutinous topics, for all the times they snuck away from prying eyes for Claude to teach her odd dances he picked up somewhere she doubted was Fodlan, for all the times they’d sat in this very spot and held each other through their worst nights, Claude had never said those words. He couldn’t afford to. And Edelgard couldn’t afford to hear them.

“Haha, don’t look so sick,” Claude laughed, “I was just joking. Guess I just… wanted to see how you’d react.”

Edelgard knew how to take an out when so obviously presented.

“You shouldn’t joke about things like this. If I was more prone to emotion, I’d slap you.”

“Sorry, sorry, please don’t. You hit hard,” Claude griped. 

Yes, she did. She could still remember Claude crumbling and clutching at his left shoulder. She wondered if it was healed now or if he’d somehow escaped from Manuela’s motherly grasp before the blood had even dried. That’d be so like him--Manuela and the professor must be beside themselves.

Manuela…

Byleth…

“Claude…”

“Hm? What’s up, princess?”

If I could afford to stop, I would have considered it for you.

“I need your answer.”

“You never let up, do you?” he scoffed, rolling his eyes almost fondly.

No. Never.

Claude gave in to the silence this time. Plopping himself down onto a log with a huff, he refused to look at her as he answered, head bowed down. It’d be so easy to strike him from this position, so easy to raise her dagger and sink it into the back of his exposed neck… he actually seemed to believe she wouldn’t do it. Why else would he feel safe exposing himself like this?

Well, he’s right isn’t he? You’ve not yet steeled yourself for that. Not yet.

“I won’t get in your way, El. I have no reason to.”

There’s a but in there so loud Edelgard didn’t even need to ask about it. But he wouldn’t abandon his classmates to fire and death and ruin, but he wouldn’t give her the Alliance, but he didn’t want to fight her war. 

But he wouldn’t stand by her side.

But she was all alone in this after all.

Edelgard nodded. She’d been ready to lose him from the start. Even if she hadn’t been, what clearer way was there to break up with someone than to bury an axe in their shoulder? This didn’t hurt, it didn’t.

“I see.”

Edelgard turned her back and walked away. Claude never even looked up from the floor.

---

“I’ll finish the job for you,” Claude grit out, nocking an arrow as he spoke.

Edelgard looked at the man aiming the legendary Failnaught at her with fire in his eyes. Her axe lay somewhere in the throne room, flung far from reach. She wouldn’t need it anymore.

She looked at the boy who still wore the bead she’d carved for him all those years ago, wearing his grief in the tremble of his lips. Her own matching bead was ash in the air, burned away like she’d had to burn away all the other pieces of herself. 

Edelgard turned her eyes toward him. His gaze never left her.

---