[ Despite the circumstances, he wasn't about to let Felix's birthday go unnoticed. While he knows the man likely wouldn't like a spectacle made of it, he thinks what he's put together is... nice. Domesticity isn't his strong suit but he can follow a recipe well enough and make things look presentable.
They aren't living together officially. Mostly, Dimitri had fallen asleep on Felix's couch one night and has yet to leave solely out of convenience. There might be some part of him that longs for the comfort of his dear friend closeby. While he felt a solitary existence was all he deserved these days, he hasn't seemed to overstay his welcome just yet. ]
Ah- [ He starts a little once Felix returns home from whatever errand he was running. On the table is a dinner platter of smoked meat and a small strawberry shortcake. There's also a present but that's for later! ] Welcome back. I know it is modest, but... I wanted to make sure we celebrated your birthday somehow.
They aren't living together officially. Mostly, Dimitri had fallen asleep on Felix's couch one night and has yet to leave solely out of convenience. There might be some part of him that longs for the comfort of his dear friend closeby. While he felt a solitary existence was all he deserved these days, he hasn't seemed to overstay his welcome just yet. ]
Ah- [ He starts a little once Felix returns home from whatever errand he was running. On the table is a dinner platter of smoked meat and a small strawberry shortcake. There's also a present but that's for later! ] Welcome back. I know it is modest, but... I wanted to make sure we celebrated your birthday somehow.
[Felix pauses in the middle of brushing snow off of his hair and shoulders, surprised.]
You what?
[He's actually at a loss for words. There's always been a ceremony of gifts or tea whenever birthdays came up in the past, but Felix didn't imagine that they would keep up such things while they were trying to adjust to this new world.]
You what?
[He's actually at a loss for words. There's always been a ceremony of gifts or tea whenever birthdays came up in the past, but Felix didn't imagine that they would keep up such things while they were trying to adjust to this new world.]
[ Isn't a bit of familiarity a welcome thing? For Dimitri, it... It helps him feel a bit less lost at sea, so to speak, in this strange new world. ]
Did you think I would forget?
[ Teasing, now, but Felix makes it too easy. ]
Did you think I would forget?
[ Teasing, now, but Felix makes it too easy. ]
[He tosses his coat over a chair and steps closer, drawn by the smell of smoked meat.]
...You forgot last year.
[Dimitri was still out of his mind at the time. He wasn't paying attention to other people. At least not the living.]
The situation being what it is, I didn't think anyone would bother with birthdays. Anyway, that smells good. Did you make this?
...You forgot last year.
[Dimitri was still out of his mind at the time. He wasn't paying attention to other people. At least not the living.]
The situation being what it is, I didn't think anyone would bother with birthdays. Anyway, that smells good. Did you make this?
I-
[ He asked for that one, didn't he? Hm. ]
I... know that I wasn't exactly present in previous years, but I hope I can make up for it now. Even if it means celebrating all the ones I missed. [ About to turn into a birthday week. ] But I felt like it might help considering the situation.
I did though apologies if isn't quite as good as it smells. I can follow a recipe well enough but... [ The 'taste test' part, which some consider critical, isn't something he can do. ]
[ He asked for that one, didn't he? Hm. ]
I... know that I wasn't exactly present in previous years, but I hope I can make up for it now. Even if it means celebrating all the ones I missed. [ About to turn into a birthday week. ] But I felt like it might help considering the situation.
I did though apologies if isn't quite as good as it smells. I can follow a recipe well enough but... [ The 'taste test' part, which some consider critical, isn't something he can do. ]
[ Knock. Knock. Knock. That's a familiar knock, very distinct, the sound of your professor in fact. He shifts the box he's holding in one arm, peeking out from behind it as he waits. This was the right address, right? ]
[Ah, he knows that knock. Felix doesn't immediately go to answer-- he gets his boots and swords first, because surely the professor is coming over to collect him for practice, right? But when he opens the door, there's a box in his face.]
...Professor. What are you doing?
...Professor. What are you doing?
[ Byleth's deadpan face stares back at him with the utmost seriousness. ]
It's your birthday, Felix.
Happy Birthday. We're having tea.
It's your birthday, Felix.
Happy Birthday. We're having tea.
[ He simply nods to Felix, walking past him and going to put the box down in the kitchen so he can unpack it.
He indeed brought the whole tea set, a box of pine-nut tea, and a neatly wrapped gift decorated in matte blue paper with dark gold ribbon. The card pinned to the top is clearly his handwriting.
Lastly, a small container with some kind of cake. ]
How old are you now? Twenty-four, isn't it? [ Provided Felix's timeline was close to his anyways. He goes about heating some water to brew everything. ]
He indeed brought the whole tea set, a box of pine-nut tea, and a neatly wrapped gift decorated in matte blue paper with dark gold ribbon. The card pinned to the top is clearly his handwriting.
Lastly, a small container with some kind of cake. ]
How old are you now? Twenty-four, isn't it? [ Provided Felix's timeline was close to his anyways. He goes about heating some water to brew everything. ]
Your life could end up changing While your dancing through
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
bottomless_bowl
2021-05-25 05:41 pm (UTC)(link)
[He needs to reach out more. He needs to spend more time with others. He needs to let people in. But every time he tries he ends up hurting those people. His solution, for now, is to try to just... be candid.
Preferably with people he's not going to hurt.
The fact that he has a convenient excuse of teaching and training on top of being pretty sure he could never do anything to hurt Felix's feelings makes him an obvious choice. To.. probably no one but him. It's fine.
So Felix eventually gets a text, some directions, an invitation to escape the somewhat crowded space of Byleth's new farm and learn a thing or three. In the meanwhile Claude
collects the pieces he's gotten commissioned to add to Felix's attire as well as one he's gotten for himself.
Then he plops himself onto the couch to play with the daf Rosie had made him until Felix arrives.]
Preferably with people he's not going to hurt.
The fact that he has a convenient excuse of teaching and training on top of being pretty sure he could never do anything to hurt Felix's feelings makes him an obvious choice. To.. probably no one but him. It's fine.
So Felix eventually gets a text, some directions, an invitation to escape the somewhat crowded space of Byleth's new farm and learn a thing or three. In the meanwhile Claude
collects the pieces he's gotten commissioned to add to Felix's attire as well as one he's gotten for himself.
Then he plops himself onto the couch to play with the daf Rosie had made him until Felix arrives.]
[Felix shows up like he's dressed for sword training, which is to say dressed like he nearly always is. But he has his dancing outfit in a bag with him, at least.]
[He freezes still a second after he enters, listening to the daf for a moment like the sound has caught him off-guard. He doesn't even greet him, but goes right to a question.]
......You play music?
[He freezes still a second after he enters, listening to the daf for a moment like the sound has caught him off-guard. He doesn't even greet him, but goes right to a question.]
......You play music?
[It's less coming in and more coming up but Claude nods at Felix as he approaches. His hands slow, not stopping immediately but letting the rhythm gradually die out before he sets the drum aside.]
Yeah... hard to dance without music y'know.
[A light shrug as he stands, eyeing the other man with a look that says he's very unimpressed.]
Thought we were going to work on dance moves, not sword play.
[It's just a slight tease, an edge of amusement in his expression. Still he nods to a corner of the tent where he has a privacy screen set up. Not that he uses it often, there aren't many people that can even get up here, never mind worrying about people peeking in.]
Yeah... hard to dance without music y'know.
[A light shrug as he stands, eyeing the other man with a look that says he's very unimpressed.]
Thought we were going to work on dance moves, not sword play.
[It's just a slight tease, an edge of amusement in his expression. Still he nods to a corner of the tent where he has a privacy screen set up. Not that he uses it often, there aren't many people that can even get up here, never mind worrying about people peeking in.]
[Felix lets him finish playing the music before he speaks again, head tilted a bit to listen.]
...The footwork for dancing is nearly the same as it is for sword fighting.
[He huffs, looking aside, like he’s trying to convince himself of this more than Claude. When he glances back, he sees Claude gesturing to a private corner.]
What, you want me to put this on now?
...The footwork for dancing is nearly the same as it is for sword fighting.
[He huffs, looking aside, like he’s trying to convince himself of this more than Claude. When he glances back, he sees Claude gesturing to a private corner.]
What, you want me to put this on now?
Well yeah? Or at least the important parts.
[And, by way of demonstration, he does a little hip pop that makes the sash around his hips chime. So clearly the important parts are the parts that jingle.]
[And, by way of demonstration, he does a little hip pop that makes the sash around his hips chime. So clearly the important parts are the parts that jingle.]
Fine. But you're going to let me know what your plans are soon as I come out.
[He disappears behind the screen, tossing his regular clothes over the top of the screen. It takes him awhile to get into the dancer outfit and its pieces and accessories, but eventually he steps out, glaring as usual. Maybe the icy stare has a slightly different effect while he's dressed sexy.]
[He then remembers that he's not supposed to have his hair up for this anymore, and tugs out his hair tie with an irritated gesture, letting his hair spill free.]
[He disappears behind the screen, tossing his regular clothes over the top of the screen. It takes him awhile to get into the dancer outfit and its pieces and accessories, but eventually he steps out, glaring as usual. Maybe the icy stare has a slightly different effect while he's dressed sexy.]
[He then remembers that he's not supposed to have his hair up for this anymore, and tugs out his hair tie with an irritated gesture, letting his hair spill free.]
[Claude is content to let Felix take his time changing. While he does he's fiddling around on his phone, trying to find a long track of the right style of music to use while they're working so he doesn't have to personally supply the beat.]
Very nice.
[He gets a grin and an approving nod when the swordsman frees his hair, though his attention swiftly shifts to appraising the other's musculature.]
Have you been practicing the stretches I gave you?
Very nice.
[He gets a grin and an approving nod when the swordsman frees his hair, though his attention swiftly shifts to appraising the other's musculature.]
Have you been practicing the stretches I gave you?
[There's a difference between checking someone out and trying to determine if they've actually been doing their homework, Felix, calm down.]
Yeah? That's great. [A pause as he realizes that... he has no idea what sort of "spa" they might have here.] Anything to loosen you up y'know?
That's the big difference between dance and pure swordsmanship. It's not about strength it's about precision and control... and if you're as tight as you usually are you don't have the kind of control you need.
[As he speaks he sinks into one of the yoga poses he'd shown Felix before, motioning for him to follow suit. They can go through some warm up stretches while they talk.]
Yeah? That's great. [A pause as he realizes that... he has no idea what sort of "spa" they might have here.] Anything to loosen you up y'know?
That's the big difference between dance and pure swordsmanship. It's not about strength it's about precision and control... and if you're as tight as you usually are you don't have the kind of control you need.
[As he speaks he sinks into one of the yoga poses he'd shown Felix before, motioning for him to follow suit. They can go through some warm up stretches while they talk.]
That's important for swordsmanship, too. I need to be able to actually hit when I'm swinging a sword at some fool.
[Perceiving is perceiving!! He glances back over as Claude indicates for him to copy his pose. He doesn't immediately join him, but seems to be thinking it over.]
...You're turning into a teacher. You didn't have to offer to help me at all, but you've been training and improving me. Is this what you intended to be doing?
[He brushes a length of the dancer outfit out of his way and lowers himself into the stretch pose.]
[Perceiving is perceiving!! He glances back over as Claude indicates for him to copy his pose. He doesn't immediately join him, but seems to be thinking it over.]
...You're turning into a teacher. You didn't have to offer to help me at all, but you've been training and improving me. Is this what you intended to be doing?
[He brushes a length of the dancer outfit out of his way and lowers himself into the stretch pose.]
[Claude kind of shrugs the question off at first, focusing more on his breathing as they go through the first few stretches and Felix might think at first that he's not going to answer him at all. But after a few moments he pauses, gesturing for Felix to continue though.]
I'm teaching a few things, really. But if you're willing to learn things that aren't.... exactly Fodlish I'm not going to miss the opportunity to teach. Especially when the outfits are clearly such rip offs.
[He huffs a sigh, shaking his head a little as he comes around to face Felix.]
So the whole thing you're supposed to be able to move..... anything, everything, without moving another part. Like... doing a figure eight with your hips, you should be able to keep your torso, shoulders, head, all perfectly still even while doing this- [He does at least start slow so Felix can get an idea of what exactly is happening with his hips.]
I'm teaching a few things, really. But if you're willing to learn things that aren't.... exactly Fodlish I'm not going to miss the opportunity to teach. Especially when the outfits are clearly such rip offs.
[He huffs a sigh, shaking his head a little as he comes around to face Felix.]
So the whole thing you're supposed to be able to move..... anything, everything, without moving another part. Like... doing a figure eight with your hips, you should be able to keep your torso, shoulders, head, all perfectly still even while doing this- [He does at least start slow so Felix can get an idea of what exactly is happening with his hips.]
[Felix snorts at the Fodlish comment.]
If I was so traditional, I'd have taken the honor of being a mangled corpse at the Boar's feet years ago. If you know of better ways to do things, I'd rather hear what you have.
[He doesn't have a lot of hip to work with, but he tries to imitate Claude. Maybe just a little too abrupt in his motion.]
...So... thanks. For teaching me. But I still want to try weapons training with you, too.
If I was so traditional, I'd have taken the honor of being a mangled corpse at the Boar's feet years ago. If you know of better ways to do things, I'd rather hear what you have.
[He doesn't have a lot of hip to work with, but he tries to imitate Claude. Maybe just a little too abrupt in his motion.]
...So... thanks. For teaching me. But I still want to try weapons training with you, too.
One thing at a time~
[He flashes the other a smile but after a moment he steps closer, setting his hands on Felix's hips and trying to help work him through the motion a couple of times to smooth it out.]
If it helps at all... while the discipline and muscle control is great for sword dancing it is supposed to be sexy as hell, too. So y'know.... just... keep that in mind.
[Surely considering applying these fascinating hip motions to sex will make it that much easier to smooth the movements out. Right?]
[He flashes the other a smile but after a moment he steps closer, setting his hands on Felix's hips and trying to help work him through the motion a couple of times to smooth it out.]
If it helps at all... while the discipline and muscle control is great for sword dancing it is supposed to be sexy as hell, too. So y'know.... just... keep that in mind.
[Surely considering applying these fascinating hip motions to sex will make it that much easier to smooth the movements out. Right?]
[Felix frowns as Claude smiles, and glances away, because he can't hold eye contact at all at such close range. Then there's hands on his hips guiding him, and he rolls his hips to the direction he's being pressed, because it's as much instruction as a touch on his elbow to correct the way he holds a sword. But he still finds himself beginning to blush hotly from the way his hips are held, especially when Claude brings up the word "sexy".]
Ugh. Motivating. Can't you just call it motivating?
[At least that was his supposed purpose on the battlefield when dancing.]
Ugh. Motivating. Can't you just call it motivating?
[At least that was his supposed purpose on the battlefield when dancing.]
Oh no, you lot decided it was meant to be motivating.
[Claude laughs more at the Fodlish ideas than anything Felix is doing. He'll even be a gentleman and not mention the blush, as much as he wants to fluster the hells out of him.]
This sort of thing was always meant to be enticing. Dance well enough and you make more coin- [One hand drops to gesture pointedly at the small hammered coins that ring on both of their belts.] More coin means a larger dowry or, if you're really lucky, catching the Sultan's eye and being allowed into the Imperial Harem.
Bringing magic into it to inspire one's fellow soldiers is certainly one way to interpret that, I guess?
[Claude laughs more at the Fodlish ideas than anything Felix is doing. He'll even be a gentleman and not mention the blush, as much as he wants to fluster the hells out of him.]
This sort of thing was always meant to be enticing. Dance well enough and you make more coin- [One hand drops to gesture pointedly at the small hammered coins that ring on both of their belts.] More coin means a larger dowry or, if you're really lucky, catching the Sultan's eye and being allowed into the Imperial Harem.
Bringing magic into it to inspire one's fellow soldiers is certainly one way to interpret that, I guess?
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