Work Text:
There is not a single being in the universe that would ever describe Dimitri Alexandre Blaiddyd as smooth. He was awkward to a fault; often spoke without thinking beforehand and never knowing how to probably express himself in the first place. Goddess Almighty, he could hardly pay his dearest of friends a compliment without shoving his foot in his mouth, so wherever the young prince got the idea in his head that he’d be capable of doing so to someone he aimed to court without making a fool of himself is a mystery.
Maybe he should have gone to someone for advice before; he couldn’t go to Sylvain, or the person in question might find out before Dimitri gets the chance to make his move. He considered going to Dedue, but he’s sure his best friend had already noticed his infatuations, and Dimitri’s not sure he could live through the embarrassment of his transparency being confirmed. Not Claude either, the teasing would be unbearable within seconds of his confession. There wasn’t really anyone he felt like he could go to with this sort of thing; maybe he was just being too cautious, or maybe it was something else, something that he refused to allow himself to dwell on.
Everything that was about to happen was all Dimitri, for better or for worse. The blond strode into the Blue Lions’ classroom with misplaced confidence, spine too straight and head held too high. It was rare for him to enter a room without a few heads turning, but this time it was every last one.
“Ashe!” He calls out with a booming voice, face and tone lacking any sort of amusement. “Do you have a moment to spare? I would like to discuss something with you, privately.”
The archer had paled as soon as Dimitri’s gaze landed on him, body becoming stiff as he scrambled to his feet with a curt nod. The young prince smiled proudly as Ashe shuffled over to him, oblivious to the wave of anxiety he just sent crashing into the other.
Across the classroom, Dedue sighed heavily, dropping his head into his hands.
The walk over to the courtyard was silent, Ashe a few paces behind the other with his eyes locked on the ground. Dimitri was starting to regret this entire idea; he hadn’t planned how he was to go about asking the other out, just woke up with an unrelenting resolve to do so and no one to talk him out of it.
This all felt wrong. Usually, Ashe would fill any silence with a seemingly never-ending stream of consciousness, only pausing briefly to catch his breath before jumping back into the next thing to cross his mind. But...it wasn’t like the pair was often alone, nor was it ever like Ashe was speaking to Dimitri and only Dimitri. Most of the time Dedue was there was well, and he knows how close those two are and all they share in common. When the whole house was together it was a chaotic scene; Felix threatening anyone who looked at him for a second too long, Ingrid lecturing Sylvain over whatever mess he had gotten himself into this time, Annette and Mercedes laughing over whatever silly jokes or stories they were sharing all while Dedue smiled to himself as he watched it unfold while Ashe floating between different conversations.
Thinking back on it, Dimitri never really had the largest presence with everyone. Sure, his status created a certain air around him, but the out of place feeling was due to something else. It wasn’t his fault, really. He hadn’t been around this many people his age in so long; the isolation and self-loathing had shot him in the foot and he was unaware of that fact until he enrolled at the academy. The wound had gone untreated for so long that he’s not sure if it’s capable of healing back up properly at this point.
“Your Highness?” Ashe calls out meekly, fingers lightly brushing against Dimitri’s arm cautiously. “Is everything alright?”
Dimitri hadn’t even realized that he stopped walking, too caught up in thoughts of his insecurities. He did lean a bit into the other’s touch, heartbeat speeding up at the soft concern expressed plainly in Ashe’s voice.
Before responding, he turns around slightly to better look at the smaller boy, a genuine smile spreading across his face as he catches the archer’s gaze. If he hadn’t been preoccupied with getting lost in Ashe’s eyes-- his refreshingly charming eyes that seemed to glimmer even without capturing the warm sunlight within them --then he might have noticed the endearing way the silver haired boy’s mouth fell ajar, whole demeanor melting into a state of awe while a faint blush tinted his cheeks.
“Ah,” Dimitri starts, clearing his throat awkwardly as he began to feel the tips of his ears heat up. “Everything is...yes, everything is alright.”
Ashe’s hand retreats back to his own person, rocking on his heels nervously. “What is it that you wished to discuss?” As soon as the words left his mouth, he was fumbling to apologize for the stringent tone, but Dimitri could only laugh in amusement.
“Please, Ashe. You need not apologize-- after all, I did abruptly ask you to speak with me.” Dimitri pauses, and Ashe looks at him expectantly. Goddess, there’s no way he could go through with this. His heart is pounding so loudly against his chest that he’s positive the other can hear it, and the sweat under his collar is becoming unbearable.
The honey sweet voice of the archer calls out for him again, and Dimitri can feel goosebumps making a home all over his skin. His hand flies up in a desperate attempt to hide away the deepening flush spreading across his face, looking off into the distance at nothing in particular to avoid looking at Ashe and worsening his lovestruck symptoms.
“Truth be told, Ashe…” His voice cracks, and he takes a few deep breaths before continuing. “I often find myself thinking of you. That is to say-- I mean, all good things. Good, but distracting, yes. Very much so, of both, that is.”
A bubbly laugh escapes from Ashe at the other’s panicked sentiment, not a drop of ill will tainting the angelic sound. Dimitri so wished that he would be the cause of such a sound again in the future, hopefully with some more intention on his own part.
“Your High--”
“Dimitri, please.” The young prince interrupts pathetically.
Ashe hesitates for a long moment with a furrowed brow before he continues. “...Dimitri, I’m-- well, I’m not, uhm, I’m not quite sure I follow…”
The shorter boy is playing with his hands nervously, and Dimitri would be quick to call the sight endearing. He was feeling a bit more grounded now, smirk born out of tenacity finding a home on his face. Without a second thought, Dimitri inched closer to Ashe, placing a gentle hand on the other’s upper arm, tentatively gripping at the fabric of his uniform.
Ashe makes a surprised noise, cheeks turning a deep red as Dimitri pushes forward.
“I do believe I have what most would call a crush. On you.” His face is starting to match Ashe’s as the archer looks up at him with a tenderhearted expression that makes Dimitri go weak in the knees. “So I had been wondering if...well, uhm-- if you’d ever, perhaps sometime you would like-- that is, if you have a moment to spare --if you’d like to get unthirsty with me?”
Fuck, he was an idiot dumbass fool. But who could blame him? Words were hard in general, especially when an angel was basically staring through you with hearts in their eyes.
“Eloquent.” Ashe laughs harmlessly, pressing his palm against Dimitri’s shoulder softly. “I would...I would be most honored, Dimitri, truly. It would be unfair of me not to confess to something as well...uhm, you asking me such was something I have fantasized about at times-- not that I was often daydreaming of you and I being intimate, Goddess Almighty, I don’t-- I would never-- not like that! Augh, I am making a fool of myself, it seems.”
It was Dimitri’s turn to laugh, an ugly one that caused his head to toss back. After a few more moments of Ashe trying to save himself from the implication of having late night thoughts of the young prince, they parted with exact plans of when and where for their date.
Said date went perfectly; well, as perfectly as it could go with two bashful young boys intoxicated by blooming new love. Dimitri had stocked up on Ashe’s favorite tea and sweets for the occasion. Ashe came with a bundle of Dimitri’s favorite flowers.
Both boys had bullied the information out of Dedue, who was delighted to watch the two closest people to his heart fall into a jittery happiness with one another.
Dimitri split tea on himself when Ashe smiled crookedly while calling him handsome. Ashe tried to place a kiss on Dimitri’s cheek at the end of it, but ended up missing and pressing his lips into the other’s eye.
And maybe now they stood a bit closer to one another, shoulders bumping at dinner as they stole quick lovesick glances when they thought no one was looking, fingers messily intertwined under the table. The archer no longer referred to Dimitri with formalities, choosing to toss out nicknames that never failed to fluster him. The prince was seen sneaking back to his dorm late at night, sometimes caught in a shirt that was unpleasantly tight on his form and smelled of Ashe.
It was obvious, the change in their relationship. But neither boy cared, not even when their friends would jest and tease them over it.
Love either gave you a thicker skin or made you too caught up in the feeling to notice.