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When peacetime finally envelops Fódlan, Dorothea and Felix make their relationship official.
It doesn't come as a surprise to anyone. Even then, during their academy years, it was evident that the two had chemistry and some sort of tension buzzing between them. (Although Felix would have denied it.) And it seemed time only served to strengthen their bond as evidenced by the war. Anybody could see the love and devotion they felt for each other, be it in clandestine kisses and private, intimate conversations or on the battlefield where they fought side-by-side.
All in all, it could be said that it was about time.
In proper fashion, they're bombarded by a considerable amount of congratulations and well wishes. Petra had sent a letter spanning four pages to express her joy at the news. Caspar had offered to brawl them both in a celebratory match when he and Ashe returned from their travels. The gray-haired boy in turn, had sent them some trinkets as congratulations. Annette and Mercedes gifted them with a basket of sweets (that mostly Dorothea had consumed.)
All positive feedback, yes. But Dorothea couldn't help but feel like it was missing something.
Felix hadn't thought of anyone else's reaction but hers when he had officially asked her to be his partner. So when the tide died down, he didn't seem to be particularly bothered anymore. Dorothea, on the other hand, had different feelings.
Something that romance novels and operas had taught her when she was young was that it wasn't happily-ever-after right away.
No, sometimes there were political issues! Perhaps even an evil identical sibling! A dragon attacking the kingdom, the emergence of an ex-lover, a sudden murder, a conspiracy! The list went on and on. Dorothea had even starred in one involving an alien wedding crasher! Some things were definitely too silly to be put on a stage. (That particular opera had barely made any profit.)
One common occurrence she had come to accept as realistic though was the protagonist needing to appeal to the love interest's family. The need to be accepted by their beloved's flesh and blood was important, often becoming the main goal of the leading character in the novels Dorothea indulged in. Though she wasn't exactly partial to this becoming a main character motivation, she found it admirable.
Dorothea then decided early on that she wanted to be accepted by her future paramour's family.
Which brought us to the present day.
Felix didn't really have a family anymore. His mother had died shortly after his older brother did. And, as luck would have it, Dorothea had only ever spoken to Rodrigue once before his unfortunate passing. Though she is very grateful for that fleeting instance.
"Please take care of him." Those were his first and last words to her. At the time, she remembered being embarrassed. It had made her feel a little self-conscious at how she and Felix conducted themselves. They had both agreed to put things between them on hold to focus on the war, not wanting to make it look like they weren't giving it their all. So the discovery of their little affair by Rodrigue of all people had had her flustered for days.
But Dorothea was very much determined to honor his words.
However, she was at loss. What was she to do? Felix had no one else (besides Dorothea, of course.) No one to look out for him, to make sure he wasn't skipping meals to train, to make sure he was sleeping properly, to ensure he wasn't overworking himself, to care for him, to love him.
Well...come to think of it, Dimitri did that a lot. Ingrid too. And Sylvain. Which made sense since they had all been friends since-
Ah. She scolds herself for her stupidity when she realizes it.
Goddess, you'd expect her to know about families of choice more than anyone. Manuela was practically a mother to her! And the children of the opera were like her siblings.
It was no longer possible for her to get Felix's blood family's approval, but getting the approval of the people that were practically his siblings, his second family, was certainly within the realm of possibility.
She starts with Ingrid because she and Ingrid are already good friends.
The knight was one of, if not, the first Dorothea had shared the extent of her feelings for Felix with. She had held her hand along what was known as the prickly path of getting to know Felix Hugo Fraldarius. Listening to her rants when the boy was being particularly rude, aiding her in discovering his interests, and plenty more. She was even one of the first to congratulate them when they had gone public.
So she didn't think this was going to be difficult. (Hopefully.)
Dorothea thought it would be nice to talk about things over tea, so that's exactly what she goes with. The women enjoy their treats under a gazebo in House Fraldarius' gardens to the sound of birds chirping happily and the sight of flowers blooming.
Ingrid blew on her tea. "I must say Dorothea, it's been quite a long time since we've met up like this," she says with a smile. The knight was there on official Kingdom business, protecting the king as he went to consult with his right hand regarding a political matter. Dorothea had wasted no time dragging her away as soon as Felix and Dimitri entered the study.
She laughs. "True. We haven't exactly had the chance, what with restoring peace and all." Despite her ulterior motive, Dorothea was thankful it gave her the opportunity to catch up with the blonde. She had missed her friend, always locked away in the palace and training little knightlings. (Dorothea liked to call them that.)
"It's as you say. Everyone really has been hard at work, haven't they?" Ingrid takes a sip of her tea. "But the peace is more than worth it."
Dorothea makes a sound of agreement. "Tell me about it. It's nice to finally have Felix settle in one place instead of always going around the country putting out fires." It had happened quite a lot in the earlier months.
Ingrid chuckles. "That's typical of him. I swear he's just looking for reasons to draw his sword nowadays. It's no secret that he's always itching to fight." Dorothea laughs at the observation. "How is he treating you, by the way? Not too much of a brute, I hope?"
Ah, Dorothea thinks. Opportunity.
"That's actually what I wanted to talk to you about, Ingrid..."
The knight looks at her worriedly. "Is something wrong?"
How was she to explain this? "Nothing bad, per se, just something that concerned me." She's surprised to see Ingrid's stance turn rigid and hostile all at once.
"Is he treating you ill, Dorothea? What did he do?" Her voice is stern and angry. "Did he accidentally insult you again? Ugh, I've warned him of that mouth of his. Just say the word and-"
She raises her hands to calm the woman down. "No, no, nothing like that, Ingrid! Don't worry, he's been nothing but a gentleman!" Ingrid eyes her suspiciously. "I promise. I wouldn't lie to you about this."
Dorothea reaches across the table to take hold of her friend's hands in assurance. And to prepare her for what she's about to say next. "This issue is actually between you and I."
Ingrid's eyes widen at the revelation. "We have a problem?" The singer is mortified to hear the concern and confusion in her voice.
Okay so this wasn't really panning out the way she wanted it to.
Dorothea groans. "Okay, wrong word. Ah, how do I say this? Please calm down," she tells the wide-eyed blonde. "I was actually hoping for your approval."
"My approval?"
"Yes-er, I want your approval." She says it confidently because she should. "I want you to approve of Felix and I's relationship." It's finally out.
Ingrid blinks. Dorothea waits. Ingrid stares at her. Dorothea continues to wait. A look of understanding crosses Ingrid's eyes.
"You want me to approve of your and Felix's relationship." It's not a question.
Dorothea nods. "Yes."
Ingrid bursts into a fit of laughter. The singer is thrown off.
"Dorothea," she says between breaths, "what gives you the impression that I disapproved in the first place?" She doesn't let her answer yet. "Forgive me, I just thought the situation was graver than it actually was. Don't get me wrong, I'm relieved this is all it turned out to be."
Dorothea huffs. "It is grave! I don't appreciate you making light of this, Ingrid!'
"My apologies," Ingrid says as she catches her breath. "I- What ever made you think I disapproved?"
"It's more like you never really gave indications that you did approve."
"Was my congratulations not enough? And the fact that I stood by your side as you courted him?" Ingrid asks, incredulous.
Dorothea reddens. "I just... I've never heard you say it explicitly. I wanted to be sure," she said quietly.
Ingrid's eyes soften. "Dorothea, what is this really about?"
And so she tells her. Tells her of her goal. Of why that is. Of her plans. Much like in their academy days, Ingrid listens quietly as Dorothea pours her heart out. When she finishes, Ingrid looks at her in a similar way a mother looked at their child.
"That's sweet of you to go to those lengths for Felix," Ingrid tells her.
A smile finds its way onto Dorothea's face. She thinks of Felix. His smile. His laugh. His kindness. "I would do anything for him," she admits without fear.
The blonde grins.
"And that's exactly why I approve of you. Commit these words to memory," she tells Dorothea sternly. "Dorothea, I approve of you and Felix. This hasn't changed then, it won't change now, and it never will."
She and Dorothea seem to be of the in sync because they get up at the same time to wrap ach other in a hug.
"Thank you," Dorothea whispers. "It means a lot."
Ingrid pats her back. "It's nothing. But, you know," the blonde pulls back a bit to look at her, "Felix would probably agree with me in saying that you don't have to do this for him."
Dorothea grins wistfully. "I'm starting to think I need to do this for myself."
She doesn't need to seek out Sylvain because he confronts her himself.
A few days have passed since Dimitri and Ingrid's visit. Since then, she and Felix have both been swamped with work. He was busy with negotiations with other regions and all sorts of paperwork. She, on the other hand, was busy writing operas and directing them herself. They went to bed tired these days, no energy to do anything but kiss languidly for a while before eventually drifting off to sleep. Then morning came and he retreats to his office and she to her study.
It's quite taxing, Dorothea thinks. All the work combined with the knowledge that the man she loved was just a short walk away, but was otherwise too occupied to spend time with her. She's further miffed by the fact that she herself had too much on her plate. Even if Felix could make time for her, she wasn't even sure if she could afford to do the same for him.
The stress and the romantic tension are why she supposes they both miss Sylvain's letter. And can only stare at each other in alarmed confusion when they wake up one day to a servant telling them through the door that Margrave Gautier was waiting in the library.
It's unexpected, sure, but it's an opportunity to finally get to talk to Sylvain about her little concern, so she's not as displeased as Felix is at the news.
They get dressed quickly and once they finish, Dorothea drags her partner into a heated kiss. She had missed this, she thinks as his hands encircle her waist and her arms are thrown over his shoulders.
"Really?" Felix asks when they pull away. His tone is sarcastic and a smile adorns his handsome face. "Is there something attractive about the situation?"
Dorothea rolls her eyes. "Can't I kiss my loving paramour at the start of another hectic day?"
Felix snorts. "You can and you do. Everyday." He reminds her with another kiss. Dorothea giggles against his mouth. "Just not like that."
"Like what?" She asks coyly as they lean in close. Dorothea is glad she's the only one who will ever have the privilege of seeing him at this distance.
Mine, she thinks. All mine.
"Like..." Their noses are touching now, breaths mingling with one another's. "this."
Felix captures her lips once more, returning the heat of the first kiss. Dorothea responds eagerly, opening her mo-
"Good morning, Duke and future Duchess Fraldarius!" Sylvain's jolly voice booms as he enters their bedroom. Dorothea and Felix spring apart and Sylvain's grin turns positively gleeful. "I wasn't interrupting anything, was I?"
"Hello to you too, Margrave Gautier," Dorothea responds, unfazed. She innocently wipes at her mouth which gives Sylvain all the answer he needs.
Felix glares at the smirking intruder, effect reduced by his burning face. Dorothea thinks it's a cute look on him. "Who the hell said you could come in here? I thought you were at the library!"
"I was, but I got bored," the man says nonchalantly. Behind him, Dorothea sees one of their maids looking at them apologetically.
"My apologies, Duke Fraldarius, Lady Dorothea. Margrave Gautier insisted. I couldn't-" Dorothea raises a hand.
She gives the maid an understanding look. "It's quite alright, May. Our guest's insolence is hardly your fault." She ignores the pained whine Sylvain makes. Felix snorts. "You can go now." The maid smiles gratefully before bowing and running off. Sylvain watches her go.
"She was pretty," he says, eyebrows wiggling.
Dorothea sighs exaggeratedly. "Sylvain, If you hit on another one of our maids, I'm kicking you off the property."
"Aw, come on! It was just a joke! And, Fel, you'd really let her do that to me?"
"With pleasure," the man in question says bluntly. Dorothea laughs as Sylvain clutches his chest in mock-pain.
"Hurtful. Absolutely hurtful. And to think you already had the gall to keep me waiting for your presence in the first place," Sylvain sulks.
"We didn't know you were coming," Dorothea told him regretfully.
"I sent a letter!"
Felix raises an eyebrow. "You sent a letter?"
"A week ago! I told you I was coming to visit!"
Felix narrows his eyes. "So it's not important?"
"We haven't seen each other in a month or so, so no," Sylvain crosses his arm, "It is important." Dorothea muffles her laughter into her palm at the sight of the distinguished Margrave Gautier pouting.
Felix stares blankly. Sylvain stares back defiantly. Felix shuts his eyes in irritation before turning to kiss Dorothea on the forehead. "I'll be in my office."
Sylvain gasps in "outrage" as Felix side-steps him on the way out of the bedroom. "Cold! I should've visited Dimitri instead!" The ginger-haired man calls after him. The songstress rolls her eyes.
Oh, the joy of childhood friends.
To her surprise, Sylvain does not go after her lover, instead watching him leave his sight before closing the bedroom door with him still inside. Dorothea's eyebrows recede into her hairline.
"I hope you're still not hoping for anything from me at this point because it would seriously alter my opinion of you, Sylvain," she says.
He lets out an easy laugh. "No worries, no malicious intent here. I just want to talk." He walks to one side of the bed and sits down, patting the spot beside him. Dorothea knows him well enough to tell when he's speaking the truth so she takes a seat.
Sylvain leans back on his hands and turns to her. "Ingrid told me a little something about you and Fel." His voice is suddenly soft.
Oh, Dorothea thinks. Oh. "Is that why you visited?"
The man shrugs. "A big part, yeah. But I also just missed him. And you, of course." He winks. Dorothea hits his arm playfully.
"That's quite thoughtful of you, Sylvain."
Sylvain hums. "You flatter me.... So my approval, huh?"
Dorothea stills. "How much did Ingrid tell you?"
"Just that, don't sweat it. Why does my approval matter?"
"Because you're his family," she says firmly.
"His family," he says it thoughtfully. He looks up the ceiling. "Did he really say that?" His voice is wistful.
Dorothea shakes her head. "He never needed to." Sylvain stares at her questioningly. "You've been together since you were kids. You look out for him. You tell him when he's wrong. You fight beside him. You fight for him. You've saved his life, Sylvain," she finishes softly.
"If you aren't considered his family then I don't know what you are because you're definitely not just a friend. The same goes for Ingrid and his highness too."
Sylvain is quiet for a while and Dorothea fears that she might've said something wrong. It's been a long time since she'd seen Sylvain look vulnerable with emotion.
But he eventually shakes his head and lets out a gentle laugh. "You know, I used to think of him as a little brother."
"Sylvain-"
"But I'll tell you about that next time," he says passively, waving it off before he grins at her. "Ok, so you've convinced me on the family part."
Dorothea returns the smile. "Good-"
"Now convince me on why I should give you my approval."
Dorothea feels her mouth drop open a smidge and her eyes widen. Had she heard him right?
Sylvain looks on amusedly. "You want us to accept you, right? Tell me why we should." He laughs at her face. "What? You can't have expected it to be easy now, did you, Dorothea? I thought you were prepared to do anything? Or maybe that was just Ingrid talking you up." His eyes glint mischievously.
Dorothea huffs. She was prepared to do anything. Ingrid had just made it sound like Sylvain and Dimitri would agree with her in saying that this was unnecessary and that Dorothea already had their approval. So to be met with the negativity from Sylvain was unexpected.
"I am," she says determinedly. "You simply caught me off guard." Sylvain shrugs.
"Go on then." He encourages her.
"I love him. More than anything. Just like you, Ingrid, and his highness, I've cared for him. I've stood by his side through thick and thin and I plan to do that for the rest of our lives." She's vaguely aware how cheesy she sounds but if it only serves to spur her on, "I... can't remember what it was like before him, Sylvain and I know I don't share the history you all have with him, but I refuse to live any longer without him. He's become my everything."
Every word drips with sincere emotion. In truth, Dorothea could go on and on about the reasons why she felt like she deserved Felix, but she doesn't think it will ever sink in for her.
Because Felix is brilliant and beautiful. Felix is courageous and stalwart. Felix is everything, and, somehow, he is Dorothea's.
Sylvain is, once again, quiet when she finishes, his eyes boring into hers as he examines her with a blank face. It's one of those rare moments where she gets a glimpse of what he's hiding underneath all the blithe and pomp that is known to be the skirt chaser, Margrave Sylvain Jose Gautier. What's lying under all the flirty comments and fake smiles.
Sylvain lets out a breath.
"He thinks the world of you too, you know?" He finally says. Dorothea feels breathless at the statement. "When he first caught feelings, he was running around like a headless chicken. He didn't know what to do about you. All he knew was that you made him happy and it scared him because the last time he'd ever felt anything so strongly was when Glenn died." Sylvain lets out a humorless laugh.
"He loves you a lot, with his everything, really. Anyone can see that." She's leveled with an unexpectedly severe glare. "But that also means you're capable of hurting him. A lot."
"Never," Dorothea tells him firmly. She could never imagine hurting Felix. If she ever did, she'd do everything she could to make it up to him. "Sylvain, I'd never do that to him."
The man sighs.
"Then," A pause. "It'd make me a jerk to say no to you at this point."
Then, as if a switch was suddenly flipped, Sylvain is back to grinning at her with his usual ire and charm. The tension dissipates and so does Dorothea's anxiety. "You have my approval, Dorothea. I wish you and Felix the best."
She hugs him, whispering thanks while she's at it. He hugs her back and tells that he'd show the same amount of protectiveness if Felix ever hurt her.
They're undisturbed until a maid comes in to inform them that Duke Fraldarius would "slice the haughty asshole in half if he dared to make a move on Dorothea." The brunette laughs as Sylvain proceeds to run out of the room.
His highness is last on the list.
Which makes a lot of sense because he's the king. To seek out an audience with him amidst his, no doubt, busy schedule seemed selfish of her. And they were never particularly close, back in the academy or the war, so to comfortably ask him as his friend for his company didn't seem realistic to Dorothea.
As a result, she's in quite a bind.
Weeks pass before the opportunity finally presents itself. It's in the form of a necessary trip Felix has to take to Fhirdiad for a conference amongst other Kingdom nobles. Dorothea immediately tells him that she'll be accompanying him and is pleased to know that Felix was always planning on asking her to come anyways.
"Not that I'm complaining but," Felix begins as they mount their horses (both had agreed that a carriage was unnecessary,) "why were you so keen on coming with me?"
Dorothea shrugs. "I heard that plenty of handsome, young nobles were going to be in attendance. I might finally find myself a husband." She pats her horse and urges it to start galloping away. She smiles as she hears Felix snort behind her before following suit.
The king's knight greets them when they arrive. Ingrid gives them both a hug before having her underlings tend to their horses and leading them to Dimitri's study. There the man is hunched over some files before he's alerted by their presence with a scoff from his knight. Dimitri looks up from his work.
"Felix! Dorothea! It's nice to see you again after so long," he says as he stands from his desk. The king's towering form still managed to surprise Dorothea sometimes, but it's quickly tamped down when they share hug. Dimitri does the same to Felix and she and Ingrid share a look at the sight of the awkward expression settled on Felix's face as he tries to reciprocate.
"You're quite early. The conference doesn't start for another few hours. And I must say," he looks at Dorothea before continuing, "I didn't expect to see you here, Dorothea."
Before Felix can open his mouth, Dorothea does a theatric little curtsey in response. "Felix was rather insistent that I come along, your highness. Couldn't take no for answer after we've been so, quote, 'deprived of each other.'" She sends a playful wink at Felix. Dimitri and Ingrid chuckle at the display.
Felix merely rolls his eyes, fondness evident. "I seem to recall you approaching me about this firs-"
"Hush, snookums, not in front of the king and his knight."
Felix reddens at the pet name and the king and his knight begin to laugh in earnest. Dorothea is pleased to entertain.
"Aren't you guys sweet?" A new voice joins the fray. She is pleased to see Sylvain swagger into the room. "'Snookums'? Really, Dorothea? I would have thought that you could do a lot better." Dorothea smiles at him sweetly.
"You should hear the rest of them. There's 'pumpkin,' 'sweetums,' 'baby doll,' 'sugar li-" Felix clamps a hand over her mouth.
"Please stop," her lover says, face burning red. Everyone else in the room laughs delightedly, much to his chagrin.
"I'm impressed, you're actually herem early, Sylvain." Ingrid states approvingly. Sylvain looks offended.
"Hey! I'm not always late, you know." To Dorothea's surprise, the man gives her a conspiratorial wink. "And Fel, I needed to show you something."
"What?" Felix raises a brow. "Is it important?"
"Just a document I need your opinion on." He nods at Dimitri. "The king's made his judgement, but we want to hear your thoughts too."
The shorter man nods. "Where is it?"
Sylvain promptly takes hold of his wrist and proceeds to drag him out of the room. "In my room, Fel, come on!"
"Sylvain, what th-"
"I'm going to carry you if I have to."
"Let go off me!"
"Why can't you follow me in peace?"
"I will slice y-"
Ingrid grins at Dorothea and Dimitri before trailing after the men and shutting the door behind her.
Huh.
Dorothea is not completely lost on what had just happened.
The king chuckles after his friends before walking back to his desk. "They never change," he says as takes his seat. He fixes Dorothea with an expectant look.
"I was told you had something to talk to me about, Dorothea?" He asks politely and gestures for her to take a seat.
Dorothea bows her head as she laughs softly. "They really weren't subtle, were they?" She sits down on across from him. "How much did they tell you, your highness?"
Dimitri shakes his head. "Dimitri is fine. And not much, just that you needed to speak to me."
"That would be correct," she pauses, "Dimitri." She doesn't think she's ever spoken his name to him yet. "That will take some time getting used to."
The king chuckles. "Don't worry about it." He tilts his head a bit. "Is it safe to assume we'll be talking about Felix?"
She nods. "In part, yes, but please don't worry," she hastily assures him, "he's done nothing wrong."
"I didn't think he had," he tells her calmly.
"Ingrid jumped to conclusions when we talked." Dorothea sighs. "She was ready to give him a lecture before I had even explained myself.
"That sounds just like her." Dimitri smiles. "Now what is it about Felix?"
Dorothea takes a breath.
"I was actually hoping... for your approval, Dimitri." She having a hard time meeting his eyes. "You're practically family to Felix and it would mean a lot to us- to me if you gave us your blessing."
Dimitri's one visible eye widens. It's reminiscent of the look Ingrid had given her.
"Don't misunderstand! You've done nothing to convince us that you were against our relationship, but it would just be nice to hear you say it. Explicitly, I mean." She's stumbling over her words. "Explicitly express your approval is what I mean to say."
Dimitri's eye lights up in understanding (and relief, she guiltily notes.) But there's something else that she can't quite place.
"I see." He gives her a gentle smile. "That's very sweet of you, Dorothea."
"Hardly. It seems a childish part of me just wants to fulfill an old dream," she scoffs. He looks at her questioningly, urging her to continue. "When I was a child, I vowed to win over my future beloved's family."
"It's admirable that you've held on to something for so long, more so that you've set out to achieve it," the blond praises her. "You and Felix are of the same mind. You're truly meant to be."
Dorothea freezes.
"What?"
Dimitri looks at her curiously. "You... weren't aware?"
"Aware of what exactly, your h- Dimitri?"
"Before asking you to be his partner officially, Felix sought out Manuela and asked for her blessing," Dimitri explains. "It's one of the reasons why he waited to ask you. As you know, Manuela was essential in healing those wounded in the war. She was swamped with patients for a long time." He bows his head." And, unfortunately, I had to have Felix take up his father's mantle early on to help establish some semblance of governance in the kingdom. My apologies."
Dorothea is stunned into silence.
Felix had went to Manuela? Felix had asked for her blessing? He had really done that for her?
She didn't know what to feel. On one hand, her heart thudded strongly in happiness. She was a lot more delighted about the revelation than she had expected to be. (Felix went to Manuela for her approval.) On another hand, she was in awe. How did Felix know to do that for her? Was he even aware how much it meant to her? Was it an old dream of his as well?
Right now, she wants nothing more to see than her beloved.
"I suppose you didn't know," Dimitri states quietly. "In truth, I don't think anyone was supposed to. I only happened upon them accidentally as it was happening. It was quite endearing, Felix had brought flowers."
Dorothea feels her heart warm. "He did?"
Dimitri nods, smile adorning his lips. "Manuela looked positively elated."
"That's... really nice to know. Thank you for telling me, Dimitri."
"It's not a problem. I felt like it had to be said, I don't think he was ever planning on telling you, but upon learning that you're doing the same for him, I couldn't help myself. Though I fear for my life, if he were to find out," the man adds gravely. Dorothea laughs.
"Felix wouldn't hurt you."
"Ah, because we are family, are we not?" Dimitri gives her a hesitant smile. "I have no qualms with that, but I doubt he feels the same."
Dorothea glares. "Oh no, you don't. I've already had this conversation with Sylvain." She stands up and places both her hands on his desk.
"He sees you as family, Dimitri. Even if he won't admit it."
He stares at her wide-eyed before chuckling. "I suppose if his beau says so, then I cannot argue. You have my approval, by the way. You've had it for a long time. Please keep making him happy."
She smiles at him. "That's the plan."
When Felix enters their room in the palace after the conference, the first thing Dorothea does is plant a sweet kiss on his lips.
Felix reciprocates with fervor and their lips stay locked for a while before they eventually pull apart for air.
"What was that for?" He asks, hands around her waist.
"When were you going to tell me you went to Manuela for her blessing?"
Felix reddens. "When were you going to tell me you were singling my friends out one-by-one for theirs?" He counters.
"Your family, you mean," she corrects him. Felix makes a face. "Don't look at me like that! They are and you know it!"
He buries her face in his neck before Dorothea hears a muffled "I guess" escape his lips.
"And, hold on, you knew?"
Felix nods into her hair before pulling back to stare at her once more. "Not until Sylvain. I found it odd that he didn't chase after me directly after I left the room. And Ingrid had mentioned something cryptic in relation to your motives. It made me remember that time you mentioned it-"
"I mentioned it?" Dorothea asks, surprised. Felix nods.
"Once, when you were explaining an opera to me."
"And you remembered?"
"Of course." She gives him what she hopes is her most brilliant smile. He kisses her forehead in response.
"Anyway," he continues, "my suspicions were confirmed after they dragged me away earlier so you could talk to the boar."
"Ah, well they weren't exactly being subtle."
"Tell me about it. So?"
Dorothea cocks her head to one side. "So what?"
"How did it go?" Felix is genuinely curious.
She smiles. "I have all your siblings' approval." She giggles when he winces at the word "siblings."
"I wouldn't have cared, you know. If any or all of them had disapproved," he says quietly. "I love you, that's all that matters."
Dorothea's heart seizes at the confession. She places his forehead against his and they stay like that for a while. Heads pressed together in the silence. It's nothing, but it's also everything.
"That's nice to know, but Sylvain and I could have been gossiping, you know," she says, referring to his earlier inferences.
Felix doesn't miss a beat. "Not in the bedroom, you wouldn't. And that doesn't explain why they left you with Dimitri."
"Who knows? What if I was trying to court him?"
Felix scoffs. "You wouldn't."
Dorothea feels breathless. "Why not?"
"You love me."
She laughs softly before taking hold of his face.
"Like a death."
Dorothea goes to sleep that night in the arms of the man she loves and bearing the knowledge that she had earned the approval of those who loved him.
That is to say, Dorothea goes to sleep happy.