Azure Moon: Cerulean Tears

by skywolf666

Ancient conspiraces and enemies, clashing ideology and allegiances, and the burning embers of a war long stoked by shadows was not the world they knew, but it was the world they had been drawn into, and forced to live in against their will. They stood shoulder to shoulder with the future king of Faerghus now, and would see it through to the end... The total end. (AM, B!Sibling AU)

24. Impenetrable Veil

Genres/Ratings: Angst, Hurt/Comfort, Ideology, Romance, War. (M)

Characters: Raine, Dimitri.

Summary: It was foolish of him to want, to believe, and yet Dimitri could not fathom himself doing anything less than extending his hand, even if it meant being bitten in response. It was likely, no, it was an eventuality, that he would find himself wounded when he did so. There was no reasoning with someone so far gone, with someone so deeply entrenched in the path they had taken, and yet... He stood as he was, dagger in his hands, and wondering ceaselessly. Before they would clash again, and before one of them fell to the other, he wanted more than anything to understand what it had been that drove Edelgard to choose this path rather than any other to walk. Was it selfishness? He supposed so. But was that so wrong of him? He didn't know.

---

Verdant Rain Moon

Garreg Mach Pond

Late Night

The night was mostly silent as Dimitri sat on the edge of the wooden docks, watching the still blackness of the pond stretched out before him without truly looking at it. His hands worked ceaselessly, turning the sheathed dagger over and over in his palms even though he had long ago memorized its shape. He didn't need to look down at it to know where the sheath was scuffed, where the hilt of the blade met the shaft of metal and leather encasing, and even through the leather he knew where the metal had been nicked, had been smoothed, and how the edge had been sharpened. It had been well taken care of, despite its age, and that fact was both a balm and a wound to him. It was a symbol of parting, of an oath, and yet now it weighed more than the heaviest suits of armour and made his strong hands tremble simply from holding it.

He did not wish to handle it, and yet he had never been able to cast it away. Even in the depths of his worst madness, during his five years living as a beast and a monster, he had never been able to throw it away. Time and time again he had thought of it, of leaving it buried in the throat of an Imperial soldier in some twisted hope that she would find it and understand its meaning, but when the time had come, he never could go through with it. Instead he had returned it to its sheath, sliding it back into his belt, unused and unsullied because even in the depths of his depravity, he could not bear to make it a weapon of his own hands. It had never been for him, after all, and if he killed with it, he would be making it his. He would be claiming ownership of it and its oath and his old, old promise, and he could not do such a thing.

Had it been resentment that stayed his hand? Resentment that she had forced it back into his hands, and was making him decide what to do with it? Or had it been hatred, mad and wild and insane hatred that wanted her to see it when her eyes were dulling over, so she would remember, so she would know as the life flickered out of her that he had never forgotten? Even now, mostly clear of the fog, Dimitri had no answer. All he knew was the dagger he had given to her, so long ago, was still in his possession, and he dearly wished he could toss it away even if that option was simply something he could not feasibly do.

Edelgard had been so helpless then, when they had first met. A child prisoner, held at the whims of cruel, callous adults and their petty power squabbles that had ruined countless lives, and robbed her of her family and heritage. And he, he had been just a boy, naive and misunderstanding, wanting a friend and wishing she was not suffering, and knowing nothing but clumsy, formal overtures of his homeland that he hoped would bridge the gap and make her see she wasn't truly alone. He did not know if it did, he had been far too afraid to ask when he had seen that weapon on her waist and she had looked at him without an ounce of familiarity in her eye so many years later, and so he had kept silent. If she did not remember, who was he to bring it up again? If she had chosen to forget, to seal away her memories of that single year in their childhoods... He had to respect her wishes, didn't he?

A quiet, wary sigh escaped his lips, and Dimitri looked down to the sheathed blade resting in his open palms as his mind once again drifted to thoughts that had been ceaselessly clouding his mind. If he had spoken when they had met again, if he had forced his way through, if he had done something, said something... Perhaps he would not be here today. Perhaps everything would have gone differently, they would have taken a joint path rather than staring each other down at the end of it, and no blood would have had to be spilled between the two of them. They wouldn't have had to be enemies. Was that such a selfish wish to imagine? To hope for?

Reality was cruel, like an icy wind slapping against bare skin, a blade sinking in deep between the ribs, and Dimitri was fully aware of what kind of idiocy he was entertaining. It was not as if he hadn't been reminded, over and over again, that the foe he was to confront was not one he could reason with. That time had long since come and gone, and now there was nothing but enmity. He may have changed, forcibly and cruelly, but he had been pulled back from the shadows and grime and the blood, and... His shoulders slumped, and he had to once again take in a painful, shuddering breath. No. The hands that had pulled him loose, that had guided him back to humanity, had struggled for so long to do so that in the end, he had almost lost them in his pursuit of his goals... He was lucky that his saviour had lived through the ordeal of bringing him back from the brink. She was not like him, and he was not like her. He couldn't give Edelgard what she needed... Not then, and not now.

'Had she chosen to lead their house, would things have gone differently? Would she have been saved, as I was? Would she have seen the errors of her ways, and chosen a better path?' The questions continued, a roar in his head and blocking out all other thoughts, and reminding him again of why he had left the comfort of bed to find silence and stillness instead. He hadn't been able to sleep, not with the questions running endlessly through his head, and he couldn't in good faith lay still and silent while his partner slept on, oblivious to him and lost in what he hoped were peaceful, contented dreams. So instead he had pulled himself away, grateful that she slept so heavily, and slunk out into the night in a desperate, futile bid to find somewhere, anywhere, to think until he could come to a conclusion, any sort of conclusion, that would finally end his wondering.

It was indeed futile. He had spent too long now, sitting at the pond's edge and ruminating in circles until he felt he would simply go mad from the effort. There were no answers to all of the hypothetical questions and scenarios he posed to himself, and worse still, he did not want to imagine them in great detail. If he was to do so, it meant discarding everything he had known and experienced, and he clutched so desperately to those memories, to that past, that to sacrifice it, even to an imaginary life, was something he couldn't do. He was only here, only sane and breathing and finally approaching humanity again, because of one arbitrary choice that had been made long ago, and without his input. If that choice had changed, if he had been the one discarded, the one not picked...

"I would have died a beast to the end, never knowing that there was another life I could have lived." The words escaped him in a ragged, mournful mutter, and Dimitri closed his eye tightly as his teeth grit in an instinctive sneer of self-disgust. Even now, he was so incredibly selfish. So single-minded. He didn't want to fathom a world without her, even if it meant that he could dream of one where he and Edelgard had found understanding instead. He needed her too much to even begin to try. Everything fell apart in a world where she did not exist with him, beside him, and even if it meant peace and understanding and the sparing of countless lives, he wanted this world more than any other he could conjure in a dream.

It tore at his innards, breaking his heart and filling his throat with bile, and he wondered if anything had truly changed. He was still so obsessive... Only his target had changed. He still wasn't any less of a beast than he had been the moment he had killed his countrymen with his own hands, and fled his homeland for a chance, no matter how slim, to save his own skin. Now, instead of craving vengeance, all he craved was her, her above all else, and only she kept the beast at bay no matter how much she thought he had changed. It made him wince, made him ache, and again he was painfully reminded that he did not deserve her, nor anything else that had come to him since he had crawled his way through the muck and the blood and the corpses to where he now stood. He was a monster, and would be a monster until the end of his days. He was only pretending to wear a human mask, and going through the motions of having humanity.

Reality remained bitter and cold and poisonous. He stood where he was now because of the world he had lived in, and she stood opposite of him because of the life she had lived. There would never be reconciliation. Even if he reached out his hand, it would be a hand extended too late, and she would spurn him because her pride would demand it. Was there a point in trying? He knew there wasn't, and worse still, he was sharply aware that everyone else knew this, as well. No one had made a single attempt to plead for mercy or appeasement or negotiation, because they all knew that it would end poorly. They all knew this had to end with war, this had to end with death, and having come so far now... There was no reason why that would change. Edelgard would ensure it... and he knew that, just as he knew how much the snow could both freeze and burn simultaneously on bare skin.

More quiet and stillness, and yet all Dimitri felt was a deeply burning sense of unease and restlessness. His mind continued to spin, useless and getting him nowhere, but he did not know in which way he was meant to move. Again, he felt lost, and untethered. The path ahead was clear enough, there was no running away from what was to come in the following moon, but... Still, he did not wish for it. There was no escaping the future path he had laid out for himself, from the path she had carved out in response, and they would clash hard and angrily at the ends no matter what occurred in the weeks of preparation to come.

Footsteps on the stone behind him made him twitch, but despite himself... Dimitri could not raise his head. He knew that footfall, surprisingly quiet like a predator always stalking prey, and now she was working doubly in order to not disturb him overly much. She had come looking, as he knew she would eventually if she woke to an empty bed, and the guilt made his throat tight with that knowledge. He could only sit where he was, dagger still laying in his palms, and wondering if she knew, if she would scold him, or if she would turn around and leave him to his misery and ghosts out of well-earned impatience.

A few moments passed, then there was a low exhale before the footsteps drew closer. Dimitri glanced up from the corner of his eye, not daring to lift his head, and he watched carefully, warily, as she came about on his good side. She was wearing her bedclothes, light, sleek shorts and a thinly strapped shirt, and she had pulled her mercenary's cloak over herself for some semblance of coverage against the night. She said nothing as she sat down next to him, and for the life of him, he didn't know what he could possibly say to her, either. It proved to be unnecessary, as she arranged herself comfortably at his side, and kept her silence before she reached over to settle her hand gently, purposefully, over his closest forearm.

Dimitri closed his eye at her touch, wondering at how something so simple could cause him such pain while simultaneously offering him peace. Her fingertips brushed lovingly against his wrist, caressing his cool, bare skin and offering him nothing but comfort and support in lieu of speech. It proved she did indeed know, or had at the very least guessed, and there wasn't a hint of judgement in her touch as they sat together at the pond's edge. Yet, that exact kindness made him ache and ache deeply, and he didn't know how best to respond to it, or if there was even a way to do so.

Raine offered him nothing but her touch, proving she was willing to wait for him to fire the opening salvo, and Dimitri both loved and hated her for it. It would have been so much easier if she had come to him accusing him of being selfish or stupid, or even naive, but she gave him nothing of the sorts. He could tell, though, that there was some part of her that had to feel such things of him. How often, how sharply, had she spoken of what was to come in his future? In their future? She had already put Edelgard into her grave and was long looking past the battle to come. For her, it was that plain and that simple... and she would not let his wishes, his hopes, his foolishness, blind her to the facts.

She was still a mercenary. She and her brother both saw the world for what it was, and though they both disagreed when it came to idealism and their views on humanity, they both still were realists at heart. And realism demanded they see that their enemy would never be moved by any other way but force, and they were prepared, long prepared, to meet Edelgard as she wished to be met. The clash of weaponry was the only lullaby they knew, and they would accept it without flinching or second thought. He envied them for their simplicity, and knew himself a fool for being unable to do as they did.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, Dimitri settled the dagger onto his lap and let out a long, ragged breath that he had been holding in for far too long. Raine did not stir, nor did she pull her hand back, but for the life of him he could neither look up, nor reach for her in answer. Instead he kept his eyes on the dagger, looking down at it and feeling its weight doubling, tripling, despite its trifling size. How did such a small thing carry so much? He wasn't sure, but he supposed it wasn't his place to know those things. Instead, he could only speak, slow, painfully, and warily as Raine sat silent and unmoving beside him, "I'd... beg a favour of you... though I know full well that it is... something I should not ask of you. I know where it is you stand. You've been unafraid of making your views clear. Yet... I must ask this of you, all the same."

"Go ahead and ask, then."

"I wish to beg a parley of Edelgard, before the storming of the capital. Enbarr will be heavily fortified... and with the loss of Fort Merceus, we will have no choice but to assemble camp close by in order for our troops to be able to take to battle fresh and able. But, if there is to be a chance, no matter how slim, to avoid this fight... I wish to take it." The words spilled out despite his better judgement, despite his shame, and he winced away instinctively from her touch and her closeness as he spoke. It felt so wrong, pushing himself and his desires onto her when he knew exactly how it was she felt and what exactly she foresaw coming. She hadn't been wrong yet, and she knew just as well as he did who and what Edelgard was. "It is likely she'll spurn an offer, even more likely that she will continue to fight to the bitter end, but... I need to make an attempt to speak to her. To hear her reasons, of her world... so I can understand where it was we parted ways before this comes to a close."

"She likely won't indulge you... However, if she does, it won't end pleasantly. You know her motives already." Raine pointed out bluntly, but her voice wasn't entirely unkind. She withdrew, folding her hands in her lap, and she, too, turned her gaze away from him. She instead looked out across the water, focussing on the small, barely noticeable ripples that peeked through the surface every so often as her chest tightened and became cold and tense. She kept her body from tightening in on itself, forcing her posture to remain lax and unconcerned, but it was an effort to do so as she continued on, "Hearing it from her own mouth I suppose will be one thing, but it's still a very long shot you'll be aiming for... Still. If it's your wish, I won't stop you. I may command the men, but only at your behest. This is still your war, and you are still the future king. Make the calls as you see fit. I won't stand in your way."

"But you will not approve." Dimitri noted with a bitter smile, and though Raine did not answer, he knew she didn't need to. She was attempting to be professional, to be pragmatic and distant, but he knew her better than that. The mask of the Ashen Demon was simply that now; a mask. She had grown too much in touch with her emotions, with her humanity, and she could not longer wholly hide herself from him. He had expected her disapproval, he knew he earned it, but it amused him in a bittersweet way that she was trying so hard to speak to him without allowing it to shine through. No one else would have earned such mercy, and he didn't believe he had yet, either. "Be blunt, as you would with anyone else. Don't spare me. I want to hear what you truly think."

"You know already what I think. As you said, I haven't been shy in expressing my opinions." Raine dismissed him with a flick of her hand, though her lips remained thinly pressed together all the same. Her eyes were cool though they did not once glance his way, and her voice was clipped and short. She knew she was frowning, knew that her distaste was showing through, but she couldn't quite help it. She had expected this, had been waiting for it, but it didn't mean she had to enjoy it now that the time had finally come. "What I told Claude was the truth, as ugly as it had to be for you to hear it. I've already buried her, and moved on. Killing her is merely a formality. There is no negotiation to be had with her. There is no chance of peace. She wants bloodshed, and bloodshed she will have. That is the ending of this war with the Flame Emperor. If you want to try to stem the flow, then do so... That is your right as the future king. That's all I have to say on it."

"My right as the future king... Is that why you won't tell me it's foolish? Because I am to be king?" Dimitri questioned, and he watched as Raine's eyes flickered, hardening and cooling simultaneously into a glare that almost made his spine stiffen in reminder of how deadly she truly was when her temper flared. It was a rare sight, her true anger, and even Claude had only managed to break the surface of it. She saved her rage in a way he could not quite understand, holding it quiet and tranquil close to her chest, and only in the smallest bursts did it ever escape her hold in rare, small shows of cold fury. Whatever she was holding it for, whoever she was saving it for, he did not want to know, and he admitted honestly he felt pity for the poor fool who would be on the receiving end of it when the day came for her to choose to let it all loose. Still, if it was to be him tonight, because of his decisions and wants... Dimitri steeled himself for it, and pressed further when she did not answer, "You've never had trouble letting loose your tongue against nobles before. Why are you doing it now?"

"Because your reasons are beyond your title, and I am attempting to respect it, even if I disagree with the mindset behind them." Raine's reply came sharply, and the hands that had been laying in her lap clenched down into fists despite her better judgement. She had woken in a sour mood, knowing exactly why he was gone and where he likely had fled to, and though she had tried to hold her tongue, he was needling at her all the same. Almost as if he wanted her to give him a lashing, and despite all desire to give into his masochistic wishes because of her irritation... She held herself back, trying to reign in her temper as best she could as she continued flatly, "I understand your reasoning. I think there's a part of me that even feels sympathy for you because of them. But that's as far as I can go. I've tried going farther. I don't have it in me to do so. I'm not like you when it comes to kindness. I never have been. My heart is for my family... For innocents. Edelgard is neither, no matter what it is she suffered in her youth."

"Kindness... It isn't kindness... At least, I don't think it is." Dimitri disagreed with a slow shake of his head, and he frowned to himself as he wondered at her words. Was reaching out to her a kindness? It didn't feel as it was. Kindness was empathy, was altruism, and this felt far more self-serving. He leaned forward, elbows resting on his knees, and he shook his head again as he mused, more to himself really than to her, "I know full well she is beyond reason. I also know she will never surrender. It is who she is. Yet, I am compelled to at least give an offer... To give her a chance at escape. If it had been me... When it was me... There were no such chances. If I am to prove myself, should I not do anything... everything... within my power to end this war with the least amount of bloodshed possible? Even knowing that path to be futile? Even if it simply going through the motions, simply acting out a role... Shouldn't it still be done?"

"I can't answer that. You're asking the wrong person." Raine replied with a slow, painful unclenching of her fists, and she felt her body aching with the pent up tension in her muscles. She pushed herself fluidly to her feet, unable to bear remaining seated and appearing calm, and the maelstrom of emotions tangling its way through her chest would not permit for it. She folded her arms over her chest, closing herself off all the further as she turned herself slightly away from him when she continued, "This is all beyond me. I'm a soldier, not a scholar, or a philosopher... These overtures mean nothing to me. Doubly so because I know where this all is going to end. As I said before, do what you want, because I won't stand in your way. That's all I can give you. If you want more, you'll need to find someone else to confide in. Someone with a more understanding soul than my own."

Dimitri looked up at her, taking in her tight body language, the discomfort and anger and dislike on her face, and wondered. She seemed almost defensive in trying not to say anything too harsh or sharp, which made little sense to him, considering how blunt she was with anyone other than him. He remained where he had been seated, not wishing to stand and knowing it would look too combative if he tried, and so he merely looked up, tilting his head slightly to the side before he questioned her bluntly, "Do you think, had things been different, had you chosen to lead the Black Eagles... That things would have gone for the better? Would your influence have done for her what it did for me?"

"Don't you dare suggest that woman is anything at all like you. She was far beyond anyone's grasp long before I met her, met you, in Remire." Raine heard herself snarling the words well before she thought them, and though part of her flinched away from herself as she did so, another was exultant in allowing the venom to flow. The mere thought angered her beyond belief, and she scowled down at him and that surprised look he was giving her in answer as she snapped, "Think. She's been at this for far too long. Ensnared as she may have been, that doesn't make her blameless for continuing on when she had allies aplenty to turn to. It was pride and arrogance that stopped her from reaching out. My being her professor would not have changed that an ounce. I would have been nothing but a tool for her to use. Her and Claude both. I couldn't have changed either of them no matter what I would have done. This is the path I chose, and I don't regret it, and I refuse to imagine a different one."

"I don't wish to imagine a different one either... but that's just selfishness. Had you led any other house but ours... I would have never had a chance to know you." Dimitri admitted with a low breath, and he palmed the dagger in his lap before slowly, tiredly, reaching to slide it back into the pocket of his cloak. He ambled slowly to his feet, his muscles aching from how long he had been sitting without movement, and he turned to look at her, still standing proud and defiant and angry beside him... It made his heart ache, and impulsively he reached for her, but he caught himself and lowered his arm before his hand could touch her before sighing, "Forgive me... I know this is just... idle and useless speculation. There's really no question of what is to come, but I don't believe I'll find peace unless I do this. I will go through with the offer, because I feel it right to do... but when the time comes to fight, I will fight. I can promise you that with certainty."

"You speak as if I ever doubted you'd give it your all..." Raine let out a breath of her own, unwilling to hold onto her annoyance when he looked so tired and tortured. She could read him as easily as she could a book, and she was well aware of what it was that had kept him up for so long. He wished to prove himself rehabilitated, to have moved past his hate and anger and need for vengeance, but he also was at war with his own wishes to proceed with the war, and behave with mercy. If he wanted to prove himself different than her, it meant he had to act differently, even if it would result in nothing but harm. She, at least, could understand it even if she didn't know why he was so convinced it had to be that way. "You aren't like her, Dimitri. You've seen the depths of hell, and you came out stronger for it. More understanding. Kinder. It may have taken you long to get back to how you were, but you're here, as yourself, better than as you were. Believe in that, if nothing else."

Dimitri watched her without a word for a moment, feeling her words piercing in deep and soothing some of that hurt, some of that worry, that his own mental musings couldn't even begin to touch. Her belief in him was true and earnest, and though he doubted he deserved an ounce of it, he couldn't help but love her all the more fiercely for it. She gave him permission to hope, to believe that redemption wasn't truly that far out of his reach, and he couldn't find the words, or actions, to let her know of the depths of his gratitude. But that was not a problem for him, as he was happy with the idea of spending the remainder of his living days trying to find ways to do so, and he finally allowed himself to reach out, brushing his fingers along the back of her hand before he promised her quietly, "If that is what you believe... then I can follow well enough in your footsteps. Bit by bit, if you'll be patient with me."

"I can do my best to wait for you." Raine allowed with a small smile betraying her despite herself, and she shifted her hand, spreading her fingers to interlace them with his own in a smooth, natural movement. He held on tightly, enveloping her much smaller hand easily in his, and that strong, callused warmth gave her calm and peace that she had much sorely needed after waking up to a cold and empty bed. There was warmth and life again in his face, though his cerulean eye remained tinged with pain that she knew she couldn't heal on her own. It softened her still further, and she reached for him with her free hand, stroking his cheek carefully before she said softly, firmly, "If this parley is truly what you want... What you believe you need... Then I will support you through it should it come to pass. I'll stand at your shoulder, as I always have. I can't promise good behaviour, but I can promise you to be there. You and I will always walk together."

Dimitri smiled slightly despite himself, and spurred by her gentle gesture, he reached to wind his arm about her waist to pull her close to him. She came willingly enough, leaning against his chest, and he curled both of his arms snugly around her to hold her even tighter. She felt warm, warm and comfortable and familiar, and he wanted to hold her until the sun stopped rising and the world grew completely still. He allowed himself a moment to nuzzle the top of her head, relishing in the scent of her hair and her svelte curves pressing against the harder planes of his body, before he finally muttered against the shell of her ear, "We've spoken enough I think... You need your rest, and I do, also... Shall we retire?"

"All right." Raine agreed quietly, and she allowed for him to turn her about, guiding her by the hand back in the direction of her quarters, which they had been sharing so often now that it was more theirs than her own after the past few moons. She was glad for the chance to hide her face from him as they began their walk back through the dark and away from the dimly lit pond, as her stomach remained clenched with discomfort despite things. It was good to see him relaxed again, to hear him speaking with surety, but... She looked down at her feet, holding her tongue despite the comforting strength of his hand as they walked together. He was in a better state of mind now, having freed himself somewhat with speech and reassurance, but for herself, she knew she wasn't at all feeling the same.

She felt ill at ease, as she had when she had first woken to an empty bed and the sinking realization in her stomach that Dimitri had abandoned the comfort of her quarters to slink into the darkness to battle with his thoughts. She didn't quite blame him for it, as she knew it was his way to want solitude rather than burden her with his problems, but it hadn't made her feel any better. If anything, it only made her more discomforted and awkward, though she was well aware it was rather childish of her. The feelings though, the tension and the cold and the restlessness all refused to be denied no matter how much she tried to chastise herself for it.

Rather, those feelings all grew louder with every step they took closer to her quarters, and she realized with a sinking sensation in her stomach that she wasn't as prepared as she had assumed she was when she had left her bed to give chase to him. She had been irritated at first, then had allowed worry and care to take over, and she had grown frustrated with him again, but that was settled for the moment. He was back firmly in the present, even if he still was in obvious pain. That was his right, and she would not deny him that, but it didn't mean that just because she had been reassured he was once again thinking forward and not backwards that she was well, too.

She felt cold, despite the warmth of his hand. She had felt cold since the moment she'd woken to his absence, and realized what had taken him away from her. It was illogical, it was petty, but she couldn't help the emotions even if she heavily disliked them, as well as herself for feeling it. It made her want to pull away, to withdraw somewhere safe, quiet, and solitary if only until her wounds had been sufficiently licked, and the very idea made her feel all the more pathetic. Her pride had taken a beating, though she hadn't quite realized the true extent of it until that moment, and she abruptly no longer wanted his company.

Her body halted in its tracks at the foot of the small staircase that led up into her room, and gently, but firmly, Raine pulled her hand away from Dimitri's as she turned awkwardly on her heel to look at her closed door while simultaneously giving him her back. He let her go at once, always respectful of her desires even if he didn't understand them, and she winced inwardly as she sensed his confusion at her actions. It had to look ridiculous, and felt even moreso, but she allowed herself to speak, even if her voice was far more directed to the ground when she explained quietly, "I... I think it might be wiser if... if you sleep in your dorm tonight."

Dimitri frowned as he watched her body language closely, taking in the slump of her shoulders and the way her head tilted down so she could squarely look at her feet rather than at the entrance to her room. Despite her earlier agreement, he had sensed something was not quite right, but he hadn't been sure if it was his place to address it or not. Now, she was requesting his leave, and though his first and largest instinctive desire was to give way to her... He hesitated all the same. Something felt amiss, and she had given him no reason for dismissing him. She did not need to give one, of course, as her quarters were her own and she was not in any way obliged to share her bed with him if she did not wish to, and yet... He spoke quietly, cautiously as she awkwardly folded her arms about herself, while still firmly keeping her back to his gaze, "If I've offended you in any way tonight, I am truly sorry for it... I will leave, if you wish for it, but... Could I ask what it is I did to make you wish me gone?"

"It's not a matter of offense... I just..." Raine stumbled over her words, hating herself for the ugly mixture of emotions that were choking at her throat and making her entire mouth taste of bile. She was no inexperienced, innocent maiden, nor was she a stumbling little schoolgirl, but she felt awkward and embarrassed and irritated all at once, and she wasn't entirely sure how much of it was directed at him, or at herself. She loved him for his simplicity, his earnestness, but perhaps that was why she suddenly wanted to be very much rid of him. Having to explain it, to put those pathetic feelings into words... She shook her head, voice low and eyes downcast, "I'd rather be alone to lick my wounds right now, is all. I'm aware it's idiotic, and even childish, but... I'm not used to these things, and I'd rather not be seen while trying to come to terms with it."

That only served to confuse him further, and Dimitri hesitated as he wondered how it was best to answer such a thing. It was completely nonsensical, as well as contradictory, and not at all like he was used to her usual behaviour. She had clearly been hurt but was trying to downplay it, and clearly he had done something to make her feel so ill at ease. If he had done something, she would normally have told him so straight away. She had promised as much when they had first reconciled, and she had yet to allow him even one moment of idiocy that could have sent him spiralling all the way back down from where she had first found him. His brow furrowed, and he resisted the urge to reach out to touch her shoulder, but he spoke as calmly and clearly as he could despite his confusion and concern, "You say it isn't a matter of offense, and yet you want to lick your wounds...? I'm afraid I don't understand."

"I'm a woman as much as I'm a mercenary, Dimitri." The words left her lips before she could bite them back, and a sharp heat lifted into her cheeks and her ears as the embarrassment came to the forefront in an uncontrollable display. She glanced over her shoulder helplessly, taking in the confused and startled look on his face, and though she knew he was genuinely unaware of her injured pride, it did her no favours. Her right hand curled tightly at her side, and her left tugged both awkwardly and angrily at her hair as she explained heatedly for him, "Waking up to an empty bed, realizing you've left me in the middle of the night, and knowing that when I find you, your head is going to be filled with thoughts of someone other than me? It stung. It still stings. It's pathetic and childish and illogical, and believe me, I know that, but I still don't like the idea that another woman has such a hold on you. Even if it's Edelgard."

Dimitri mused that he couldn't have been more shocked if she had reeled back to hit him, and for a moment, all he could do was stare blankly at her in response. Some part of him understood, at least on a very base, instinctual level. How many times had he spotted her with Sylvain, sharing some sort of joke, and watching with a sudden, inexplicable plume of jealous rage when his friend put a hand on her shoulder as they smiled and laughed together? Or seen her sparring heatedly with Felix, her lips pulled back into a fearsome, adrenaline-fuelled grin of someone thoroughly engrossed in a good battle? Both men he knew and trusted deeply, both men he knew to be intimately involved with another, but in the heat of the moment, he wanted them nowhere near her, and wanted her only to look, to smile, to laugh with him?

He knew he was the possessive and jealous sort. He had become sharply aware of it early on in his boyhood. She was his professor. His teacher, his guiding light, and he wanted her warmth, her kindness, all for himself. Now, as a man, he wanted her all the more sharply, and indulging in her was both the biggest pleasure, and the greatest selfishness. No one knew her as a lover but him, and he wanted to keep her for the rest of his days. He had no true claim on her, he would not make one until he could give her something beyond his scarred and miserable self, but it did not make him any less wanting and wilful. He had thought it to be a problem only he had to deal with, another part of the beast he had been living with for so long, but to hear her say outright that she struggled with similar feelings caught him quite off guard.

It didn't help that her chosen target was someone they both knew full well was not a threat to her in any way, shape or form. Only once had she ever teased him of having a case of "puppy love" for his step-sister, and when he had informed her of their true relationship, all such japes had ended immediately. She had even apologized for her assumption and her rudeness, and he had offered her a smile and forgiven her readily. After all, hadn't Sylvain made similar claims when he knew so little? It was no fault of theirs for assuming his feeling of kinship was more than that. And considering how closely guarded their relationship had to be, it was only natural that assumptions would be made. Now, however...? Now, he had to fight to keep his voice steady and not incredulous when he attempted to clarify, "Forgive me, but... You're... jealous of Edelgard?"

"I said it was pathetic, didn't I?" Raine answered hotly, and she scowled at her door as her back stiffened and that accursed heat continued to spread its way across her face and down her neck. She felt like a child, and her pride was sorely wounded to have to say such things aloud for him to hear. She was in no danger of losing him. That had always been clear since the moment he'd come to her quarters and woken with her that following morning. But still, she was haunted with uncertainty and restlessness and irritation, and she muttered sourly as she felt his stare keenly on her back, "Just... Let me have tonight to just... repair what's left of my pride. I'm more angry at myself than anything, and I'd just rather be alone for awhile until it passes."

"I'm afraid I can't allow that."

The words surprised her, and she turned to look over her shoulder to see him studying her with a furrowed brow, and a dark look passing over his cerulean eye. She opened her mouth to question him, but her words died in her throat as he stepped forward smoothly, causing her to instinctively step back in answer. In moments he had her effectively pinned up against her door, and he reached to settle a hand far too close to her face, blocking any attempt at an escape as he crowded her in. When she looked up at him, surprised and mute, he leaned down, his bangs brushing against her skin as his mouth brushed her ear, "Do you truly think after telling me such a thing that I'd simply turn about and walk away to leave you alone? If you're feeling possessive, why would you send me away? You already know that I belong to you. All you need to do is reach out to take me. And if you won't, because of something as paltry as pride... Well, then I'll act first, and beg your forgiveness later."

"Wait, that's not what I-" The protest died again in her throat as Dimitri's teeth scored her earlobe, eliciting a sharp gasp and making her thoughts flee her head far too quickly for her liking. She hated how easily he could flip the tables just by laying a hand on her, but her body betrayed her far more often than it fought back. It didn't help that he was rarely so demanding or forceful. He was too cautious, too wary of himself to ever let himself get swept up in lust whenever they were intimate, but something had lit a fire in him and she could feel it from the tense way his body pressed so intimately against hers and into the door behind her. Her knees trembled as his mouth left a hot, wet trail down her throat, and his free arm wrapped itself snugly about her waist to pull her closer even as she gasped, "That's... That's not fair, Dimitri..."

"I said I'd beg your forgiveness later. You want me, don't you?" Dimitri's voice came dark and growled somewhere in the crook of her neck, and she bit back a groan as his teeth dragged lovingly against the sensitive skin of her throat. He was surprisingly insistent, pushing her further into the wood of her door and between his body, forcing her to feel just how aroused he was and giving her no avenue to struggle. He was far too strong for that, but any ideas she had of escape were already gone. The hands she'd raised to push him back were limp on his chest, and her strength had flown with her better sense as his hand traced the shape of her curves as it lifted along her side, "Be honest with me. With yourself. You aren't the only one of us who suffers from jealousy... and I know just the cure for it."

"Mn..." Raine bit her lower lip, desperately attempting to muffle her voice as he effortlessly took her from her feet, winding her legs about his hips as he used her door to brace her. His hands grasped down powerfully on her hips, dragging her core down onto his, and this time she couldn't help herself as a moan started deep in her throat and escaped her mouth at the delicious and sudden friction. She felt him baring his teeth against her shoulder, smirking with arrogant pride, and she shivered despite herself as her arms looped weakly, helplessly about his shoulders. She couldn't fight him. They both knew it. She would have to wait until his hands left her body, and the heat faded from her skin to take him to task for this. Any attempts now would only be frail and half-hearted, and he wouldn't listen to her unless she meant what she said. She could only bite her lip harder, trying to restrain herself as best she could as she begged raggedly in a last-ditch attempt for control, "Don't... take me out here in the open..."

"Then you won't complain if I take you in your quarters?" Dimitri asked roughly, and a quick glance up into her dazed, pleading seafoam-coloured eyes was enough of an answer. He held her easily with one hand as his other slid for the door, pushing it open and carrying her inside with no effort whatsoever. He kicked the door shut behind him, barely minding the noise as he placed her down on her cot, laying her down flat as he leaned down over her in the next movement. His mouth brushed once, twice against her own, urging her answer, and the third time earned him another of those deep moans he craved as her fingers raked through his hair and tugged him down more firmly to her.

She moved restlessly beneath him, hands now tugging at his cloak to pull it loose and off of his shoulders, and he granted her what she wanted without delay. He sat up, discarding both his cloak and shirt in a smooth movement, and she followed him upwards almost instantly to trace her fingers across his scarred flesh. His breath caught in his throat as her lips joined her hands, leaving a path of hot, open-mouthed kisses everywhere she could reach, and he hissed as he grasped roughly at her clothes in response to rid her of the thin garments hiding her body from him.

It was a flurry of movement that followed, hot kisses, grasping and groping hands, and clothing sliding off of slick skin to find a home somewhere on the ground to be discovered later in the morning. Dimitri heard her moan his name more than once as he pinned her back down into the thin mattress of her cot, holding her still as his mouth and hands roamed her flushed, trembling body, and it took far more effort than he ever would admit to keep himself from marking her skin with his lips and teeth. Hearing her admit so honestly that she was jealous that another woman had driven him from their bed had set fire to his blood, making him want her more hungrily than ever to soothe her worries, but he knew indulging his own lusts wouldn't sate her the way she truly needed to be sated. After all, when it had been him, taking her for himself had only ever been the real balm, and he couldn't very well satisfy her if he continued to take the lead.

It took effort, far more effort than he wished it did to finally draw back from her, and he pulled her with him as he moved to lay down underneath her. A quick and easy flick of his wrists had her straddling his waist, and she looked down at him with both surprise and embarrassment as he relaxed himself and his hold on her body. She was flushed from head to toe, eyes half-lidded and lips swollen from their furious trading of kissing, but he could see the reason returning to her at the momentary lull. He settled a hand gently on her hip, lifting his other to stroke her reddened cheek, tracing the shape of her face before he spoke quietly, gently, "I belong to you. You, and you only. There's no one else I wish for, no one else I want this way... Just you. It's been like that since the day we first met. You never have to fear me straying."

"I don't fear that... Truly, I don't..." Raine murmured quietly, turning her face into his hand to nuzzle his palm and press a gentle kiss to his callused skin. He touched her so gently despite the previous rush of passion, and she believed every single word he spoke without hesitation or concern. She knew he was being honest, that his heart was always for her hands and her hands only, but... That lance of hurt and uncertainty and bitterness had struck all the same. Her emotions went to war with her better sense, and they won out more often than not because of how strong they were, and how weak she was to them. "I know that you love me. That's why I was so..."

"Remind yourself." Dimitri coaxed her gently, his smile tender and easy as he turned her head back in his direction so she could see his expression clearly. He lay willing and still underneath her, exposed and at her mercy, and he was completely at ease as she looked down at him both uncertainly and with more than a little embarrassment. He reached for her hand, gently taking it from her side to rest it on his chest, and when she looked to him with a bit lip, he reassured her softly, "Take me as you would, my beloved. Without restraint, or the need for permission. I'm yours to do with what you will, until you're finally satisfied. Remind yourself that I'm yours, and any thoughts I may have had tonight were just fleeting whims to be discarded in a moment in comparison to you."

"That's... asking a lot..." Despite her words, Raine felt her hands reaching to feather their way across his chest in accord to his permission all the same. He closed his eye, inhaling deeply as her fingertips brushed along his defined muscles and raised scars, caressing every inch she could reach instinctively and hungrily. It was different than what she was used to, taking him for herself when usually it was so much more shared when they were intimate. No matter who initiated or how, in the end it was always the two of them tangled in one another, finishing at the same time or so closely together that there was never a doubt of whose pleasure mattered more. Telling her to take complete control of him was new, but she wouldn't lie and say she didn't feel a small thrill at the idea.

Letting instinct take over, Raine leaned herself down across his chest, her lips tracing playfully on his neck as she reached to settle his arms down at his sides. He obeyed her without question or complaint, laying still for her and only moving when she directed him, and she rewarded his compliance with a little nip to the hammering pulse point in his throat. The catch in his breath made her twitch, and her hips moved slowly against his, grinding their cores together, as her teeth sank into his skin more purposefully this time to leave a mark that would last long past the heat of this night for the very least.

"Raine..." Dimitri hissed without thinking, eyes closing tightly as her bite was accompanied by that painfully sweet feeling of their cores grinding together without the damned feeling of clothing to get in the way. She was careful and intentional with her movements, ensuring he'd only feel teasing moments of warmth and friction despite what she knew he wanted most, and her teeth sank in deep into his neck to ensure the imprint of her bite would last well after the sun rose. The idea made his body quiver, and made him throb with want to return the favour... but he had surrendered his control to her for the moment, and he had to restrain himself despite his baser wants.

"Don't move..." Raine murmured softly, and she arched her back, savouring the sensation of him sliding against her for that delicious pressure that only made her want him more with every passing breath. He was panting heavily underneath her already, and that throbbing heat between her thighs was like steel in testament to how much he already was wanting for her. It made her smirk, and she nuzzled his neck again, peppering his skin with kisses again before slowly, painfully slowly, she started to slide herself down.

Dimitri gritted his teeth, fighting not to hold his breath as he opened his eye to watch as her kisses trailed farther south across his stomach and down to his thighs. She moved like silk across his skin, easily sliding her way south, and he knew she could feel him trembling as he held himself as still as he could manage for her. Despite her initial complaint, she seemed to be taking to her instruction well to do what she pleased with him. It wasn't as if he was unused to her assertiveness, after all, she had proven multiple times already she could be just as hungry for him as he was for her, but this felt different as he restrained himself from reaching for her. He wanted to thread his hands through her hair, to cradle her closer and arch and curve into her touch, but she had made it clear she wanted him still. It was both torture and pleasure, twisting together into something bittersweet and burning, and he ground his teeth together as he reminded himself to behave.

Raine smirked as she watched his inner struggle, watching as the frustration, pleasure, and hunger flickered across his face in waves depending on her movements and teasing. It was oddly freeing, being told she could do what she wished with him, and her mind was spinning with ideas and fantasies that would take far more than one night to get through. Still, she supposed she could have one or two to work through while he was giving her the opportunity, and she scorched his inner thigh with her breath before teasing him a little further with a warning, "I'll quit if you move, so hold as still as you can..."

"Now who's the one asking a lot...?" Dimitri groaned, tilting his head back against the pillows as her breath feathered across his skin before she took him into her mouth without warning. His fingers grasped down tightly into the sheets as he fought to keep his hips from lifting in answer to the sudden sensation of being enveloped in that sharp, wet heat. It was almost cruel, trying to remain absolutely still as she tortured him, but he knew that was exactly what she intended. After all, he had told her to have her way with him, and if that meant reminding him what kind of pleasure she could give him... Who was he to argue?

Raine moaned deep in her throat as she attended to him, reaching to grasp his hips to keep him firmly pinned down to the bed despite his promise. She could feel his muscles straining underneath her hands as her tongue and lips worked him over, and it made her ache as she instinctively squeezed her legs together in a desperate effort to stymie her own wants. She wanted to hear him groan, to milk out her name from his mouth until he couldn't restrain himself any longer, and the excitement made her all the more eager. It was definitely far too exciting, and she well understood now what he had meant to do by giving up his control for her to take. She was hungry for him, for the things she could do and make him do, and the thought was intoxicating.

Dimitri's grasp tightened on the sheets as she continued her work, thoroughly engrossed in giving him as much as she could manage. Her nails scraped playfully across his thighs, her tongue tracing every inch of him, and it was torture to keep his hips down every time she took him deep and added more of that sinful suckling and licking and movement of her lips and head. It was taking more self-control than he had guessed it would to hold himself still, and he was both glad she was holding him down as much as he wanted to move. He gritted his teeth, breath catching as he felt that familiar pressure building as he gasped out warningly, "Raine... D-Damn it, I... can't...!"

Raine groaned despite herself, feeling and watching his hips twist against his better sense before his orgasm surged through him and tore apart his control. One hand flew abruptly from the sheets, threading into her hair to hold her firmly in place as his hips jerked helplessly, and she closed her eyes and surrendered to both him and her own wants as she attended to him eagerly. His responding groan was almost anguished, as if he'd been run through, and she felt his nails scraping at her scalp as she pushed him mercilessly on throughout his climax.

It felt like a lifetime before he finally felt himself collapse, shuddering and panting as the white-hot shocks of pleasure continued to lazily wind their way throughout his system. He numbly was aware that somehow he still was erect and willing for her, but she gave him mercy as she pulled back when she felt his hand relax and slide down lifelessly back onto the bed. He watched through a half-lidded eye as she lifted her head, and his stomach and thighs both clenched reflexively as he watched her lick her lips, removing the evidence of her torture with the tip of her index finger before likewise cleaning it away as she stared up at him with catlike sadism. His breath caught in his throat, making it hoarse and rough as he whispered raggedly, "Raine..."

"Mm..." Raine shifted herself slowly, painfully aware of the hot throbbing between her own thighs that reminded her of her unattended to desire, but she ignored it as she carefully, tenderly moved to once again straddle him. She was wary to avoid contact with his core, leaning down across his chest to feather gentle kisses across his shoulder and neck, and she was doing a poor job of hiding her smile as her hands lazily, lovingly, brushed through his hair and down his shoulders. Every touch was soothing and gentle, watching and feeling his rough breathing settling, and she pressed herself flush to him, nuzzling her cheek to his before she murmured teasingly, "Did you enjoy that?"

"More... than I likely should have..." Dimitri admitted through his deep breaths, and he could barely manage to sling an arm over her waist as she settled herself on his chest, crossing her arms to cushion her chin before she offered him a smile as she watched him with a smug sort of smirk. She looked far too beautiful to be doing such a thing to him, and if his accursed limbs weren't still so weak... He let out another breath, applying as much pressure as he could manage to squeeze her close before he asked her roughly, "And you...?"

"There's a little more I could... enjoy having from you... but it can wait for a moment. I like the view." Raine answered with a small laugh, and her eyes twinkled with affectionate mischief when he looked at her with raised eyebrows. She uncrossed her arms, looping them loosely about his neck before she slid herself carefully up a little bit more so she could properly nuzzle him. Her fingers gently traced the slick string of his eyepatch, following it until it was lost in his hair, and she smiled as he turned his head, his lips chasing every inch of skin he could reach when she gave him the chance.

The sight made every ounce of her melt, made everything that had been aching and hurting earlier that night seem distant and dull in comparison to what she was now feeling. Her chest was pleasantly full, warm, and tight all at once, and she ached for him in that bittersweet way that she was growing all too familiar with. She wasn't sure how he did it, how something so simple as a touch, a kiss, or even a glance could tear away every shield and barrier she had, but she was glad he had the ability. Otherwise, she knew she would have been tossing and turning in the cold emptiness of her bed, cursing herself for sending him away rather than where she was now.

Dimitri had regained enough of his strength now to move himself, and while one arm remained snugly curled about her waist, his free hand was moving idly up and down the contour of her spine. His fingers drifted every so often, errantly tracing the upraised skin of her scar, and she shivered despite herself at the warmth that erupted across her flesh at the caress. It was sensitive to touch, even moreso than the rest of her body, but he was always gentle, and never once had he hurt her, even by accident in his search to touch and familiarize himself with her wound. His lips travelled gently across her wrist, reaching her palm as she drew back for him so he could feather all over her fingers. He watched her quietly, but his emotions were written plainly on his face, and after a moment or two, he nuzzled her fingers and questioned softly, "Are you all right?"

"I'm much better than I was... Thank you." Raine answered softly, and she stroked her fingers through his hair before settling herself a little more lazily across him. Her free hand stretched across the bed, finding the edge of her blankets before she tugged them haphazardly up and over them. For his credit, Dimitri helped her pull the sheets over as best as he could without dislodging both himself and her, and she rewarded him with a kiss to his jaw before she settled again. He continued to watch her closely, his one eye calm and affectionate, and she nestled close into his hold before sighing, "I'm not sure how you knew what I needed, but I am grateful for it. Even if you did start off a bit more forceful than I'd have liked. Still, I guess I can't complain... I feel much better. More settled... I'm still too childish about all of this, I think."

"Isn't this as new to you as everything else?" Dimitri pointed out with a tilted head, and Raine looked up at him sharply, confused and intrigued at his quizzical, but gently probing tone. His hand drifted again up her shoulder, now reaching to caress her hair and tuck her bangs behind her ear for her so he could see her face better. He adjusted himself slightly, sliding up so he could better rest his head against the pillows behind him, before he continued idly, "Intimacy, affection, jealousy... That's all pack and parcel of being human as much as anything else. And you've had no experience with that, either, yes? So all of this is doubly new to you. It makes sense you'd struggle with how to define, and how to feel, the things that you're feeling. You were the same way five years ago. Why would it not be the same now?"

"I suppose that's one way to put it..." Raine mused, tilting her own head thoughtfully as she wondered at his words. She hadn't thought of it in that kind of manner, though she realized Dimitri had a point in what he was saying. It was new, in many more ways than one. Intimacy had brought on a fresh new wave of emotions for her to sort through and understand, and while many she seemed to be able to handle, it was clear she still was struggling with the learning curve. It made her smile wryly, and she rested her cheek on his chest, feeing the comforting thrum of his heartbeat on her skin before she sighed, "And here I thought perhaps I'd grown out of that... It seems I'm still learning. When did you become my professor? Is there something you need to tell me?"

Dimitri smiled at her pert remark, propping himself up on his elbows to press a kiss to the top of her head before he leaned back down. She looked slightly abashed but not really all that troubled, which was a relief to him. He well understood what it was she meant and how troubling it all could sometimes be. The progression they had gone through was faster than most, with far more turmoil than either had been ready for, so it made more than enough sense that despite it all, they still had hurdles left to them. He pet her hair again, threading the strands lovingly through his fingers as he remarked, "Perhaps we moved too quickly, at the start? It's possible, though I admit, I don't want to think of it as being a poor decision... It's been quite a long time since I could sleep in peace. That I know is because of you."

"Perhaps. Though if you think it's been too fast, imagine how I feel." Raine returned with a short laugh, but there was no bite or heat to her words. Sometimes she still slipped, forgetting the time she'd lost and remembering things that to others, seemed far too vivid after their five long years away. That, though, was her burden to bear, and not theirs, and she wouldn't blame or fault them for it. She'd had to adjust to her new reality, moon by moon, though some times were easier than others. Still, in the end, she knew she agreed with him, and she curled herself more snugly into his embrace as she sighed, "Still... You're right again, though. Even if it was too quick... I'm glad... and thankful."

Dimitri curled his arms more tightly about her, holding her close and enjoying the feeling of her body nestled so intimately against his own. That feeling of the outside world becoming distant and irrelevant was returning, driving everything else out of his thoughts until there was nothing but her and how warm and good she felt as they lay together in her bed. Her scent was everywhere, permeating him through, and he ached at the thought of needing to leave either in the morning, or at any other time. It made him smile somewhat wryly, wondering at how easily he'd adjusted to sharing her space and staking such a claim on her, and he kissed the top of her head again, musing mostly to himself, "You're far too good to me..."

"I could be worse, if that's what you'd prefer." Raine teased him gently, and she reached over to playfully poke the tip of his nose as he looked up at her with a lopsided smile of his own. Her fingers lingered, tracing his cheek in a light, careful caress before once more losing themselves in his thick, shaggy blond mane. Again he turned his head, lips chasing at her forearm to cover any inch of skin he could reach in kisses, and she bit her lower lip as the familiar prickles of warmth began to stir again every time his mouth brushed over her flesh. A little shiver she couldn't quite control fled her body as he continued when she quit her own movements, and her body clenched instinctively as his teeth grazed her wrist lovingly.

She felt Dimitri's lips curve into a smile, and she opened her mouth to scold him for it before she was aware of movement beneath the sheets and directly behind her. Too late did she feel his hands suddenly catch her hips and pull, and her face reddened sharply as her lower body was cruelly reminded of what she had been ignoring at the sudden friction between her thighs. She pushed against his chest, knowing full well she couldn't escape him but making a token effort nonetheless as that accursed heat began to burn its way over her skin as if it had never left when she gasped, "H-Hey, that's-"

"Underhanded? Perhaps... but you've tended to me already... When is your turn?" Dimitri finished for her smoothly, and he met her startled, embarrassed glance with a fearless, hungry smirk of his own. She twitched under his hands, body shivering against his as he drew her firmly against him, and he took full advantage of her new position to lift himself up on his elbows to trace her jawline with his lips. Her breath caught in her throat, her hands clenching on his shoulders, and his right hand slid easily about her waist, teasingly, tauntingly venturing down as he nipped at her throat and told her bluntly, "I want you... Properly, this time. As good as it felt, being at your mercy... I won't be able to rest without returning the favour."

"W-Wait, I'm not-" Raine felt her protest die somewhere in her throat as he sat her up on her knees with rough, unforgiving movements, but admittedly she didn't care overmuch when he pulled her hips back down in the next stroke to ensure she didn't lose a moment of that friction between their cores. He moved her body for her, reminding her of the fact that she had only pushed her desire out of her mind for the moment, and her body had been more than eager to leap for it again the moment an opportunity had presented itself. Still, she fought him, holding back against those insistent hands of his as she begged for mercy, "Please... I'm already... You don't have to tease me like this... It already... It aches..."

Dimitri gritted his teeth at her earnest plea, and he sat up abruptly under her, yanking her mouth to his in a fierce, unrelenting kiss. She moaned almost immediately, body going limp as she surrendered to his passion, and his hips ground upwards as hers pushed down in search of sorely needed fulfilment. It made him burn, hearing her admit so easily that she wanted him to the point of pain, and his fingers bit into her hips as he lifted them again, roughly adjusting her before pulling her down again so he could plunge her onto him in one, smooth movement. He swallowed her next moan, his hips bucking roughly in time with his hands, and his breath was harsh and ragged when he spoke against her lips, "Let me... make sure you feel everything you need... until you're fully satisfied..."

"Goddess, yes...!"

Dimitri bared his teeth in a wild smile against her throat, his hands firm and strong on her hips as she moved with him without restraint or reserve. She wanted him as badly as he wanted her, and nothing as petty as injured pride could compete with that single-minded desire. His tongue laved at her pulse point, feeling the blood pumping underneath her skin despite her heart laying still inside of her chest, and he returned her mark with dark pleasure. He'd give her plenty more to look after for the morning, before he was through with her. He would make sure she knew nothing but him throughout the rest of the night, putting her worries, her jealousy to rest. And his teeth scraped their way up her neck, biting at her earlobe as he hissed, "This bed... We'll stay here as long as it's needed... I'll remind you over and over... until you scream for mercy... that I love you..."

Eager fingernails scored his back as her arms curled tightly about his shoulders, and all sense of speech was forgotten as she pressed her mouth heatedly to his in answer to his promise. Their tongues met and danced, breathing heavy and bodies already slick with sweat as they moved together. Better sense was already gone, leaving only grasping hands, panting mouths and an ever higher burning flame that demanded quenching. Errant thought mused that the evidence would be much harder to hide from curious eyes on the morrow, but for the moment, Dimitri's promise held true. In her shared quarters, in her bed, with just the two of them... There was no room for anything else but each other.

Strong, bruising hands grasped at her hips, anchoring her movements as she rocked herself against his each and every thrust eagerly. He was forgetting himself, eager and hungry for her, and some wild part of her delighted in it. It was rare that he allowed himself to be rough, to be demanding, and knowing he was seeking after her just as much as she was seeking for him was a jealous sort of pleasure. Her hands answered his, combing through his hair, fluttering down his arms and back to feel his tensing muscles, his raised, jagged scars, and grasped down tighter when his teeth scored her flesh over and over between harsh breaths for air.

"I love you..." He whispered the words raggedly against her skin, lips moving with desperate purpose to find every inch of her body to mark and mar if it was within reach. She answered him wordlessly, tilting her head back for him, presenting her body for his greed, and he bared his teeth in a dark, animalistic smirk. She would be littered with marks on the morrow, and while a distant little part of him knew he might regret it when he saw the extent of it in the morning... In the moment, he wanted to see it more than anything. Each and every mark that denoted her body as belonging to him... Reminders of how she sounded and felt in his hands, against his body, in her bed.

"More... Give me... more..." Raine's breath was a hot gasp against his mouth as she tugged his face back up to her own as his hands fixed themselves firmly on her backside. His thrusts were harsh and calculated, each one reaching back where it ached with bittersweet pleasure for him, and her hips rocked with him to meet him stroke for stroke. But it wasn't enough. Her skin was burning, on fire from all of his caresses and the remembrance that she hadn't been pleasured as he had yet, and she groaned as his tongue plundered her mouth, robbing her again of speech and thought with one cruel kiss.

Dimitri needed no further prompting, and with firm, rough hands he pushed her onto her hands and knees to take her from behind. Her loud, resonant moan as he began to move again was all the proof he needed that he had given her what she wanted, and a hand snaked about her neck, sliding across her parted lips before slipping into her mouth. She groaned again as her body shuddered and arched under his harsh pacing, and he gave her no reprieve as his free hand reached about to roughly grasp at her left breast and grind her pert nipple against his callused palm. He growled into her ear, arching her head further back so his tongue could easily circle the shell of her ear as he pushed her down into the thin mattress of her cot, "I told you before... that you weren't the only one who suffers from jealousy... You've made me realize that you've only chained the beast in me to you, rather than banished it... Every time I see a man even so much as make you smile, I want to tear him limb from limb... You've made me into a whole different animal, haven't you...?"

"Nnm...!" Raine's fingers grasped desperately at the sheets as her back arched, eager to take him as deep as this new position would allow and feel the strength of his body on her own. His words made her tremble and turned her bones to water, a hot reminder of how much he was hiding beneath that polite smile and the tender, casual caresses she was so used to. She didn't need more than this to prove he meant every word he said. He was a jealous, possessive man who wanted to keep her all for himself, and for the life of her, she couldn't help but be incredibly pleased with the knowledge. She wanted him the same way, with the same single-minded desire, even if it wasn't something she should be able to have.

The cot creaked beneath them from their frenzied, desperate movements, providing a natural rhythm in the dim room as hands gripped tighter and their bodies moved more desperately. The moans came broken and muffled, either by hands or teeth, and the sharper, more louder noises came abruptly and with too much fury to be stifled. A haze settled itself over them, blinding them to time, volume, and restraint, and it was only found when Dimitri felt Raine's body shudder uncontrollably beneath his yet again, and her lips pleaded weakly for mercy through strained, almost anguished panting for air. She was no longer holding herself up by her own strength, her limbs having long since lost their ability to keep her upright, and it was his grip and his grip alone that kept her from simply melting into a heap below him.

Dimly, Dimitri was aware he had pushed her too far, he had taken too much, but his hands refused to obey those signs for a moment. They continued their work, lightly teasing and brushing between her thighs, eliciting weak mewls of pleasure combined with barely audible protests for a reprieve. She was too weak to stop him, breathless and trembling in his arms, but eventually he pulled his hand away and gently lowered her into the cot. Only after she touched the mattress did he follow, his own body realizing the extent of his exhaustion, and the last bit of good sense he had left made sure he fell to the side and not on top of her entirely. He curled up behind her, an arm thrown loosely over her waist as he nuzzled into her neck, panting and fighting for both calm and control.

Even still, he wanted her. The beast he'd been caging was roaring and rampaging, uncaring of how tired its mate was and demanding sating, but he coldly locked it back behind its bars. He couldn't do more to her even if he wanted to, not after she had all but begged for him to stop. She was overstimulated and oversensitive, shivering each time his breath touched her neck, and though he knew deep somewhere in him he had the reserves to continue... He wouldn't push her farther. Instead he curled himself carefully about her, his arm tightening gently about her waist when he felt her stirring, and his voice was hoarse, rough, but still gentle when he cautioned her quietly, "Don't move, my beloved... Relax..."

"I love you..." The reply was whispered and breathless, almost barely louder than a sigh, and Dimitri felt his lips pull back into a smile despite himself. She didn't move again, though whether it was from sheer exhaustion, or a wise decision to follow his advice, he didn't know. He felt her relaxing in his hold, her breathing steadying as her hands weakly clasped the much larger one that was resting protectively on her stomach as he cradled her closely to him. Exhaustion proved the culprit as only moments later her entire body had uncurled and gone limp, her breathing steady and her eyes closed as the gentle grip of sleep pulled her under without effort.

He almost chuckled, watching how easily she succumbed to it, but he was well aware that he was no better. Despite still feeling the smouldering embers of desire, his muscles ached, and the long scratches trailing across his back were beginning to smart. He had already been mentally and emotionally drained, and now his body was catching up to the rest of him. He reached with his free hand, finding the blankets Raine had tossed aside earlier when she had left the bed to find him, and slowly, carefully, he spread them out over their entangled forms.

He nuzzled her neck gently, listening to the sound of her even, calm breathing and feeling the warmth of her skin under his hands as they lay together. She was always so warm to him, sometimes so that he wondered if she would one day burn him, but he knew that was only unconscious fear speaking. Old habits that demanded isolation, demanded a strict amount of distance between his body and that of another's, had made him forget just how warm another person's hands could be. And the small, fragile grasp on his wrist was indeed warm, and a comfort he took all too gladly even though she was no longer aware of it.

Carefully, oh so carefully, Dimitri adjusted his hold and clasped her tightly in his arms. The rush had faded, leaving only that strange, unyielding sense of peace that he had grown so addicted to. An afterglow, he dimly remembered her calling it once, and he had to agree that the words were apt. His chest felt full, his arms were cradling the most precious thing in the world close to him, and despite everything that was standing outside of the safety of the monastery's walls... He felt completely at ease. Here, with her, he was home. Here, with her, they were safe. The seductive thought lured him, and as he tucked his face against her shoulder, eye closing despite himself, he whispered with the last bit of consciousness he had left, "Nothing will part me from you... Not in this world, nor in the next... I love you, Raine..."

AN:

Just a warning for the future, but the next chapter is going to cover a very pivotal, and very divisive moment in AM, as I am sure you can all guess. The parley scene is kind of infamous, with all of the connotations concerning the characters of Dimitri and Edelgard (and apparently translation/localization, but I'm not touching that with a ten foot pole!), and when you throw in two rather strong-headed personalities with Warin and Raine, I'm sure you can imagine it's not about to go just as "simply" as it went in canon. Especially considering the differences in story that have taken place up to this point in this particular fanfiction.

Now, to be very clear... This has never been a story where Edelgard was a protagonist, and I have never been very generous in my depiction of her, or of how Warin and Raine think of her. Of course, I am also aware that this is just my own interpretation of her character and actions, especially in this singular route, so it's very likely that some, or most, people will not agree with how she is depicted in the next chapter. However, with all that said... I don't intend to change what I have set out to write, and if you find you disagree, I can only apologize and say I warned you ahead of time.

In this route, in almost every route, Edelgard is an antagonist. Debates can and have been made about whether her actions were justified, whether her actions can be excused or warranted, whether she is a tragic hero, and if she should be supported or vilified... And, I think by now, it's pretty obvious where I lean on these kind of subjects. I won't go into detail, because this isn't a story about my views. It's a story about the views of Raine and Warin and Dimitri, and the experiences they've lived through and the consequences those experiences have wrought on them. So, as I said with Claude, if there's disagreements to be made, I'm only going to apologize that this story is not a story where sympathy for Edelgard will be a main focus, nor will I be treating her with kid gloves. I'm unfortunately not that type of author, and these characters aren't those type of characters. They're blunt, opinionated, and just as flawed as the people they're being pitted against, or allying up with. There are plenty of shades of grey to be had in Three Houses... but some shades of grey are darker than others.

Either way, the chapter to come is not something I'm looking forward to, but it's going to be done. I likely won't leave much of an AN on it, if only because I don't like writing essays justifying my writing of a character, especially when I know what kind of minefield I'm walking into when I'm doing it. I tend to have a very hands-off approach in how I handle fandom in general, as I only write and rarely read, and I even more rarely participate in discourse. But I do see how fandom tends to bash, burn, love and worship characters, and that's just how fandom works. (And after almost sixteen years of writing, this is something all fandoms are guilty of!) All I ask is that you please don't do that here, and assume that because of my writing that my opinions must be X or Y and therefore I think Z about them, and am a terrible person as a consequence. I don't make those assumptions about my readers, so please don't make those assumptions about me. Please be respectful and kind, and I shall be respectful and kind in turn.

Thanks for reading thus far, and I hope to see you again in my next update. Please drop a review should you feel the need, and stay safe and healthy until next time!

Mood: Bemused.

Listening To: "Firelight" - Within Temptation

~ Sky