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Snow drops in little trinkles, their white gleam bright against the torches shining below, grouping into soft piles on the cobbled floor. The balcony of the tall tower wasn’t one for a person seeking warmth, but for the two - one cloaked in blue, and the other in yellow - it was an escape from the suffocating and tense atmosphere of the bright ballroom.
They sat shoulder to shoulder, looking up to the cloudy sky that drizzled specs of white, sapphire eyes following the tracks of falling snow, while emerald eyes searches for something unknown, both in contemplative silence.
“There are no stars tonight…”
The voice was a mere whisper, but it was enough to cause the blonde to jerk in surprise and look to his companion. He waits for the other to continue, yet his companion makes no noise. He prompts, “Forgive me, Claude, but I hadn’t caught your words.” Claude shows no signs of acknowledgement, his eyes still seemingly cast far away into the night sky...
“There are no stars tonight.” Claude speaks louder this time, but his voice was still soft and almost fleeting, as if it could be drowned out by the wind.
Blonde brows scrunches up in confusion, as thin lips purse into a frown. What Claude says is true, however it is unlike him to burst with needless facts unless it was to trade information. He hesitates to try and dig for answers from his secretive companion, but maybe…
“What ever do you mean?”
Claude remains silent. Only the sounds of freeing winds and soft crackling fire from torches could be heard accompanies his question. His patient wait for an answer he doesn’t know he will receive is rewarded with a sigh from Claude’s lips.
“Dimitri…”
Claude folds his legs up, his knees touching his chest with his arms crossing each other. He rests his chin on the top of his arms, his gaze never leaving the empty sky. “So many things have happened this past month, with Remire village and all. I can only think of what waits for us all in the future.”
He shakes his head, the braid swaying with his movements, chuckling in thought. “Makes it kind of hard to focus on the present sometimes…”
A gloved palm greets his vision, and his voice trails off. His eyes meets with Dimitri’s, who stood, crouching with his arm stretched to him. Claude quirks an eyebrow, “And what is this supposed to be?”
Dimitri shakes his gloved palm, a small smile on his face, “Hopefully, a good distraction.”
Claude takes the hand, and Dimitri pulls him up, leading him away from the cold balcony air and into the tower. A laugh bubbles up out of Claude, “I wonder what would this distraction be, hm?”
Once they’ve reached the middle of the cobbled floor, where the snow still swirled around them, yet never touching. Dimitri stops to turn and face Claude, his expression nervous as he places a hand on Claude’s waist, and takes Claude’s chilly hand into his.
Momentary surprise shows itself on Claude’s face before a smirk covers his face. Mischievousness written all over it. “A dance? Without even asking? Why Dima, you’ve grown awfully confident haven’t you?” he teases.
“Apologies,” Dimitri says, a light blush on his cheeks. He takes in a breath, as if to steel himself, and asks, “Claude, will you do me the honour of dancing with me tonight?”
Claude hmms as if in deep thought, “I suppose I should give in to the whims of the Crown Prince of Faerghus.” He gives a wink, causing Dimitri’s face to redden further, stammering from the implications of his words.
Claude chuckles, as he places his hand on Dimitri’s shoulder, his smirk smoothing into the small uplifts of his lips, cheeks showing slight dimples. He looks up to Dimitri, “It’d be an honour, your Princeliness.”
A breath of relief escapes Dimitri. He looks down to Claude, the corner of his lips curling up into a smile. “Thank you, Claude.”
Dimitri leads, with Claude following to match his pace perfectly, a steady rhythm on their feet as they dance with small movements, circling the middle of the cobbled tower floor. Emerald and sapphire eyes never leaving each other, trusting one to lead, and the other to follow.
Puffs of white fills the space between them, as only the sounds of the calm blowing wind and the soft footfalls of their dancing fills the air with a serene cloud, easing their tense shoulders. Deep blue and golden yellow flowing in tandem with their movements.
Two steps backwards, and one step forward.
Two backwards, one forward.
Repeat.
Soon, their dance settles down to simply swaying with the breeze that filters through the open balcony. Claude rests his head on the blonde’s shoulder, while Dimitri presses his cheek to the carefully messed brown hair.
“Would you like to talk about it?”
“Hm?” Claude questions his voice muffled by Dimitri’s shoulder.
“About what you were pondering on the balcony.”
“Ah, that.”
Claude lifts his head off Dimitri’s shoulders, studying Dimitri’s face, perhaps searching for any signs of deceit. Dimitri keeps his expression as open as he could possibly make it, his lips in a line and his sapphire eyes warm, patient. Satisfied with what he saw, Claude looks outside, eyes looking past the flurry of white snow, teeth biting his bottom lip as he continues to sway in tandem with Dimitri.
“There are no stars tonight,” Claude starts, voice soft as if he was caressing Dimitri’s ears with gentle hands. “Much has happened these past months, and as always the future is uncertain, but the stars have always been constant light for me, even when they are shrouded by dark clouds in the night sky, yet somehow… Somehow, what might come next fills me with dread.
I see no stars tonight, and I fear that I might not see them for much longer…” His voice wavers as he continues, “I hope you don’t view me as pathetic for being afraid of it.”
The swaying halts, as firm fingers grasp his chin, forcing him to face gentle blue eyes and a firm frown.
“Claude,” Dimitri starts his voice strong and confident, “Erase such thoughts from your mind. You can rest assure that I have never nor will I ever think you pathetic to fear something out of your control. For I too fear what the future holds for us.”
A gloved thumb caresses Claude’s plum lips, easing the downturn of lips.
“And in turn, I hope you think me not as pathetic for fear of losing you,” Dimitri continues, sapphire blue soft, his gaze warming Claude’s cheeks with a deep blush.
Flustered, Claude blinks, his lashes grazing his blushed cheeks, “You’re awfully romantic tonight.”
“I’m serious, Claude.”
…
The gloved hand brings Claude’s face closer to Dimitri’s, their breaths mingling with each other in the cold air as white mist. Dimitri stares intently, his voice quiet as if anything louder would scare Claude away, “Forgive me if I seem too forward, but… I’d rather not lose you a second time. It had pained me to lose you when we were children, and to have found you again, especial- especially after-”
Dimitri takes in a shuddering breath, his eyes shut behind tight lids. The sudden pause brings Claude’s attention to the absent hand from his chin, and the arms that encircles his waist in a strong grip, seemingly to try and pull him closer than possible.
“Claude…”
“Dimitri.”
Dimitri’s nose nuzzles Claude’s cheek. Claude shuddering from the breath that ghosts his pierced ear.
“You had left without even a word of goodbye.”
“I-”
“It’s alright, Claude. I do not hold it against you,” Dimitri whispers, pressing a short kiss to the tip of his ear. “And I never will.”
Tension seeps out of Claude’s shoulders.
“Dimitri…”
Without warning, Dimitri pulls away, bringing his heat with him. Cold envelopes Claude, as panic grips his heart.
Had he done something wrong? What was he supposed to say? What could he do to take back control of the situation? Why was it so cold without Dimitri’s presence? Rapid thoughts that took over his mind came to a halt.
“Claude.”
A pouch covers most of his vision.
He takes it.
Dimitri turns his face away, as if nervous of Claude’s reaction. “I hadn’t been fast enough to give this to you before you went away last time, but now-” Dimitri smiles sheepishly, “-it seems fate is giving me a second chance.”
The pouch in his hand feels light, on closer inspection has the symbol of Faerghus embroidered in silver on the bottom right corner. Although the pouch itself looks to be pristine, it carries the slight smell of old leather.
Untying the knot of the leather pouch, he pulls out a white box. A chuckle escapes him as a certain memory comes to mind, “You’re not planning to propose again, are you?”
“Claude!” Dimitri blushes, the tips of his ears burning red. “That was quite a while ago, please forget about that particular moment.”
“But you were so cute back then!”
Dimitri grumbles, a pout on his lips. Claude laughs.
“Alright, alright,” says Claude, calming down from his bout of laughter. “Let’s see what’s inside the box.”
…
Gleaming silver greets his vision. Claude knows he’s seen them before, everything about it looks familiar from the intricate bends of silver twisting like branches, and the carefully placed blue and white gems that shone brightly under the torches’ light.
Emerald orbs slowly widens in surprise, as realisation strikes him. The earrings- they’re-
“These are your mother’s.”
“Yes,” A fond smile graces Dimitri’s lips. “They were my birth mother’s beloved possession.”
Claude remembers the paintings placed in certain places of the Faerghus Palace. Paintings of the late King and his first wife. In every one of those paintings, although their clothing had changed, the earrings were a constant accessory on her Majesty.
Gloved hands envelope his, and Dimitri takes one of the earrings out of the box. His fingers gripping them with restraint eager, bringing it closer to the piercing on Claude’s left ear. Grazing the gold earring, he hesitates.
“May I?” Dimitri asks.
It takes Claude a moment to answer Dimitri. A carefully placed mask covers his face, his breathing faster and short, the only indication of life.
Claude bites his lip, “Sure.”
Dimitri makes work of the earring, his touch soft yet clumsy, unlatching the simple gold band from Claude’s ear to fasten the decorative light silver in its place.
He steps back, and his heart jumps from what he sees. The silver gleam from the earring contrasts beautiful against olive brown skin. Light reflecting from jewels brings attention to Claude's face, the blue shines with emerald green. Under the torches light that highlights his high cheeks, and plum lips, Claude looks absolutely-
"Stunning. You look stunning."
Claude blushes, "Surely you're kidding, Dimitri. It's only a simple change of accessories."
"I'm not."
He wasn't. He knows what he sees, the earring that carry the memories of his father during happier times where he would tell stories of the past, of his birth mother, as his father tucked him to sleep. And Claude, the entity that carries his fond memories of childhood, fleeting academy days, with many more to come.
Claude now holds both his past and future.
And isn't that a comforting thought?
Slender fingers tangle themselves into blonde hair, pulling Dimitri closer. His arms finding their way back to the small waist.
Claude gives him a small grin, teeth peeking slightly, the blush now subtle. "Then I suppose, I have to thank you for that."
"No," mutters Dimitri. "Thank you, Claude. For everything."
Plum lips captures his own. Soft and sweet. He melts into the kiss, chasing after the feeling blooming in his chest and playful lips. The slender fingers in his hair tugs him away, holding him in place, a hairbreaths away from Claude.
Has his eyes always been this lovely?
Claude’s breath tickles his skin.
“Now,” Claude starts, “Where did we leave that dance?”
An olive brown hand rests on his shoulder, as the other takes his hand.
“I suppose,” Dimitri tightens his grip, “With me leading.”
...
For just a moment, it was as if time stood still, a momentary pause to allow two people, one cloaked in blue and the other in yellow, to breath. Free from their responsibilities. Yet, the falling snow sets a quiet reminder that time still passes, but maybe for just this once, maybe it would wait for them. To allow them to enjoy the warmth emanating from the other, as their breath puffs in the chilly wind, wrapped in a swirl of blue and yellow.