victory_road | [open] I don't want to be at the mercy of my emotions

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[open] I don't want to be at the mercy of my emotions

Who: Lorenz Hellman Gloucester.... and anyone willing to deal with him
Where: Mostly Vermillion and... Around?
When: Jan+
Summary: Catchall for arrival and sorting out what the heck is going on here
Rating: R - likely talk of violence, war, possibly blood experiments, genocide, etc. Fun Femblem themes
Log:

Around Town

Lorenz can be found exploring the city in... well just about everywhere, really. There is so much here that is new and novel for him. Electricity, indoor plumbing, never mind the pokémon aspect of it. The technology is so advanced and Lorenz is precisely the type of stuffy no-nonsense person to legitimately sit down and read through instruction manuals.

Whether it's staring at the drink menu of a café in wonder or sitting down somewhere to read through the Breeder's Guide that was in his bag (sometimes even the Gear manual) every other thing seems to have him stopping to watch how things unfold. He tries his best to be polite, to not stare outright, but even at his best there is only so much he can do. when dealing with so many new things. So it's hardly surprising when he eventually catches your eye, looking absolutely flabbergasted.

"Is this.... ah- common here?"

Toge what now?

The arrival of the togepi swarm is his first encounter with wild pokémon intruding on urban spaces and at first he is a bit terrified to move lest he ens up tripping over the little things that seem to be everywhere. "Certainly a new meaning to the phrase walking on eggshells." murmured to himself with a faint smirk of amusement.

But then the skitty he got from the nice lady in New Bark Town is pouncing out from under his chair and onto the nearest little yellow orb and Lorenz is suddenly scrambling after him with a shout of protest.

"Mister Whiskers!!" Oh no. He doesn't want to let this little pink furball hurt the poor thing.

Someone... might want to help him out with this whole "battle" thing.

Femblemtroika House

There's so much to take in that he's reeling with the volume of information very quickly. So many people that he knows but in no meaningful way and the one he does has been here so long and there has been such distance between them that he feels as though he needs to learn him all over again.

It doesn't help him feel any less unmoored than he already does.

He finds himself returning to a seat near a window that overlooks the yard, a cup of tea cradled in his hands, Mister Whiskers slinking up onto the arm or back of the couch, moving with the sun. If left to his own devices Lorenz will spend much of the first few days nursing too much tea, staring into the middle distance, caught up in whatever strange turns his mind is taking. Sometimes a small leatherbound journal will appear from a pocket as well as a delicate glass dip pen. Though his mind seems to wander away from him and there are bold ink spots on both the page and his fingers before long.

Inevitably, when someone passes through the room, he looks up, seeming startled to find someone else nearby every time and though he is always polite, offering a greeting and asking after their wellbeing, there's something distinctly off putting about his response. A tension whenever he sees someone, something almost skittish in the way he holds himself, the way his grip tightens on his pen or his cup trembles ever so slightly.

He can hardly recall the last time he saw so many different people so often and so many of the faces here were far from welcoming when last he saw them.

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"Sweet... really? Isn't soda a base?" Like lye but milder. There must certainly be some sort of miscommunication here. But Dimitri begins to go over the menu for him and Lorenz listens intently, fascinated and also rather impressed with Dimitri's pronunciation of some of these dishes.

"Ah just a moment, your Highness, if you don't mind." Hold on, too many new words too quickly. First, mental note, Duscur has chai, or something similar. Duly noted. He'll have to ask if Dedue has tried it, it certainly seems spicy enough to be to his taste.

"Misu soup?" Can this man pronounce anything correctly? Just, give him time. But he points at the line on the menu and... it simply has a price. "What is misu-oh? Wait is it miso?"

Seeing the spelling does wonders rather than trying to pick these things up phonetically. Sorry Dimitri you decided to give him a lesson in traditional cuisine, you have to deal with him asking a million questions now. Which, given his previous attitudes might be surprising, really. He truly does enjoy learning, though, and... perhaps is a bit too thorough when faced with a new topic.

Ah, he supposes it is a rather lot of information. Dimitri holds off for a moment patiently as Lorenz leans over to inspect the menu himself, already full of questions. Perhaps that is a good sign... Dimitr is not sure how much time Lorenz had spent staring out the window, but his dazed response had made Dimitri... wonder.

"I do not know how they make it, but here, soda simply seems to refer to a kind of drink," Dimitri explains, letting his gaze skim along the menu again. "As for miso - that pronunciation was correct - that is a sort of seasoning native to Johto." He pauses, doing his best to recall the intricacies of what it is, exactly. "They ferment a kind of bean, and the other ingredients added to it define the exact flavor, before they make it into a paste, or seasoning. For the soup itself, many restaurants like this one seem to favor having their menu reflect the seasons, so the exact ingredients are always changing."

Oh, that reminds him - "They used a very soft food called 'tofu' often, however. It is white, often cut into small blocks, and apparently takes in the flavor of its surroundings. It is very easy to easy." And thus hopefully will go down well for Lorenz in particular.

Lorenz is attentive, nodding along as Dimitri explains. He doesn't know the first thing about cooking but fermented bean paste sure sounds complicated.

"Well... I would certainly be interested in trying this soda of yours." It's the one vaguely familiar thing they've discussed so far and it's being used in a completely different context here. "Though, perhaps, some of this green tea as well."

If tea is offered he's, obviously, always going to lean toward tea.

"So, we begin with miso soup and fried vegetables... and from there move to a rice and fish dish?" How many parts are there to this particular style of cuisine? Soup with a side of vegetables sounds quite enough to him but then rice and fish in addition to that? "And you said that is served raw?"

Not unheard of, he's certainly had his share of oyster shooters, but it's rarely fish itself.

"Then we can try both," Dimitri says amiably. For something fresh like fish, what would be good to pair with it...? Maybe something with a more fresh sensation. The Spritezee? He think he'll go with that. He can't say from experience, but that is the impression that he got of its taste. "If you do not care for it, then I will finish it, so that nothing goes to waste."

Dimitri isn't entirely sure if this is as much of a concern to Lorenz as it is for him. Best to mention it just in case he does worry about it - or perhaps just that it was a waste of money. Would that be more likely?

Either way, he supposes it will all work out in the end. Dimitri gives the order to the server when they come over, before his attention returns to Lorenz. "It is not necessary, but I thought perhaps vegetables and soup would be more familiar to you," he explains. "The fish that follows it is cut up into small portions, so it should not be an issue to finish a small bowl." The tempura is for him more than anything; Dimitri feels in the mood to crunch down on something a bit.

"And yes, it is served raw, from what I understand." Probably. It's hard to say when he's never, like... seen an actual fish be fished up and prepared to be eaten. All the fish that are in Johto and Kanto waters are, like... kind of sentient? And it is frowned upon to eat them? He still doesn't know how it all works, really.

Although speaking of eating... Dimitri picks up the small pair of chopsticks that have been left for him. "Oh, this is also a common sight in this manner of eating, you know. Apparently, in Dagda, they use utensils much like this." Carefully, he adjusts his fingers, until he is holding them in the proper form. It's a good thing he's been here a year; he would never have managed to wield them this decently even six months prior, he suspects.

One of the benefits of living in the Alliance is that food scarcity was never really a concern, certainly not in the same way it was in Faerghus. Even during the war if it had been an issue it had been one largely removed from him. Though he suspects as time wore on things would have been getting tighter but... never something that reached him while he was in Derdriu and-

Well he wasn't in a position to learn much about anything going on in the region on a larger scale than the dealings his father had with the Agarthans when he wasn't in Derdriu.

Still the meal is on Dimitri's coin, as it were, and Lorenz would never wish to be intentionally wasteful, especially of another's generosity. He nods, grateful for the assurance. As well as the insistence that the fish is served in a small enough portion that it should not be too excessive.

The chopsticks, however, are... fascinating. "In Dagda? Really?" Lorenz picks up his own pair, scrutinizes Dimitri's hold for a moment, and... well he makes an attempt. Surprisingly not terrible given how badly he butchers the pronunciation of things. His fingers, it seems, are cleverer than his tongue. "How did you discover that?"

Was Petra or Shamir here at some point as well as Lysithea? A slight adjustment and he holds his hand out for Dimitri to inspect his grip.

"From Felix, if you would believe it," Dimitri says, putting down his own pair of chopsticks so that he can reach over for Lorenz's hands. He wouldn't say he is an expert, but... He knows enough to help make some minor adjustments on his end.

"He has some distant relation to Dagda... and I believe he spoke with Shamir, at least when we attended school all together." Dimitri doesn't know much about that, granted. Why would he? During that time in their lives... Felix made himself hard to get close to, the two of them often drawn to one another, and yet Felix constantly making an effort to push him away.

He pauses for a moment as the server comes back, depositing various glasses. Two of them are just water, as a courtesy clear and with cool ice that helps offset the gentle warmth inside the restaurant that is in turn contrast against the chill outside.

Yet the true stars of the show are of course what they actually ordered: the green tea, brilliantly colored in its simple but beautiful white cup, and the soda, bubbles still suspended amongst the ice cubes.

Gently, Dimitri places a small plastic straw in the soda glass, and nudges it closer to Lorenz. "Here. It may be good to try this first, so that you can enjoy your tea afterwards."

He is certainly surprised to hear it is Felix that passed on that particular bit of knowledge. He found it hard to believe he'd have taken interest in anything that wasn't violence, really, but it's hardly as though he really knows the man, merely his reputation. Judging a person based on hearsay is never a good idea. Something he'd always believed, that one should take the measure of a man themselves rather than rely on gossip, but had never really appreciated until he'd had his own reputation working against him. As with Mercedes, for example. Even moreso once he accepted that his Father's word was just as much hearsay as anyone else's.

Maybe even worse.

No, certainly far worse.

He is a bit startled when Dimitri reaches out to adjust his hold. The casual way the other man touches his hand somehow, after so long kept at a distance from others, surprising him enough that he nearly jerks his hand away. Just a twitch, a slight tensing before he relaxes his hold to let Dimitri move his fingers. He's still focusing on memorizing the way his fingers are placed, the way he's meant to move his hand to grasp things when the drinks are delivered.

"I see... hmm... I may need you to help me adjust these again when the food arrives." Because he's not positive he'll remember precisely how the hold works when it is something so foreign to him.

The fact that Dimitri immediately nudges the soda toward him earns a raised brow, a bit of gentle amusement tugging at his lips. "You're expecting me to hate it."

Not a question, a statement. He wouldn't be telling him to get it over with if he didn't expect the glass to get shoved back towards him in a moment. Lorenz, used to tea and wine, makes the terrible mistake of sniffing the drink to try to get a sense of it before he actually takes a sip. Which, of course, backfires horribly as bubbles go up his nose and he immediately jerks away, wrinkling his nose and turning to press a cough into his sleeve.

"What in the world-?!" A startled, frantic look at Dimitri and then back to the soda, looking for all the world like he expects the glass to bite him.

Given the behavior of his sinistea, not an unreasonable concern.

In some ways, it's almost a relief that Lorenz requests his help again with adjusting the placement of the chopsticks. Dimitri had wondered if he was overstepping his boundaries with the quiet way that Lorenz had jerked. Claude's words still linger in the back of his mind - from when he had first contacted them all about Lorenz's state.

Dimitri cannot say what it is that Lorenz has gone through... He and the man before him have only just met after five years of constant war.

...But he can understand being tentative about the idea of even being touched, even when one is almost ravenous for another's touch.

Depressing thoughts to be sure. That's why, it's almost a delight when Lorenz tries to sniff the soda, only to recoil with a look of alarm on his face and bubbles in his nose. Dimitri raises a hand to his mouth, leaning forward. "Oh- Are you all right, Lorenz? No, it is nothing like tea at all." Or wine, but tea is what Dimitri honestly associates the strongest with his mental image of Lorenz. Then again, that was just how it was back in their school days - tea was easily available, but sneaking in alcohol past the watchful glare of Seteth?

Well. Some certainly tried, he supposes.

Dimitri's obvious amusement gets a brief glare as Lorenz goes for a handkerchief to dab delicately at his nose, though it's clear he's fighting the need to scrub at his face to make the tickling stop.

"You might have warned me before I sniffed it." But even the indignant little huff is something muted, more pouty than in any way his old obnoxious self.

Not only that but he sighs immediately after, dismissing any retort Dimitri might make by carrying on as though he didn't huff about it. Still stuffy and fussy but... he almost seems exhausted with himself as well. None of it stops him from lifting the glass, bringing the straw carefully to his lips and taking a small sip. He jerks back a little, brow furrowed, nose wrinkled. Confused but curious in equal measure.

"Hm... it's... strangely refreshing for something so sweet?" Hold on let him take another, more certain, sip. Then he simply nods, setting the glass back down between them, not quite handing it over to Dimitri but also not quite prepared to lay claim to it either. It's good but it also seems like it's Dimitri's preference.

"It did not occur to me that you would go to do so," Dimitri admits, accepting the placement of his drink. It's not something he needs right away after all. He can wait for their food to get here. "I do apologize. I should have been more mindful." He wonders if that bit of nonsense may have eased Lorenz's feelings any... Although it seems as though just getting worked up about it was enough to exhaust him.

Well.. There's no point dwelling on it. Best to try and occupy Lorenz's mind as best he can, and Dimitri gestures to the tea for Lorenz to try next. Perhaps it will be a bit more to his liking.

"It is quite popular during the summer months especially, from what I have noticed. There are many different flavors, but all of them share that same bubbling effect. I believe it is called carbonation; quite an interesting effect in my opinion." And something that makes mealtime enjoyable. Although speaking of food...

Considering that they are no doubt in hot demand as appetizers, a small rectangular plate of tempura is laid down before them, along with Lorenz's bowl of miso soup.

It's a small bowl, relatively speaking, but it's clearly packed with various diced and cut food. Onions, potatoes, green onions, thin slices of celery and carrots, shiitake mushrooms... and small cubes of tofu, although they're likely unfamiliar to Lorenz as a food for right now.

The fact that Dimitri actually, genuinely apologizes to his huffiness only makes him feel guilty for it in a way he hadn't in a long while. It was habitual in many ways but it had become that way largely because of the familiarity the other Deer had with it, especially Claude. There was a level token protest with nearly everything between them, even though they'd begun to understand one another well enough that it was clearly only a token gesture.

And he'd had precious few options for conversation in the last year that were not with his father. It made slipping back into that familiar role a bit too easy when he really should be on better behavior. Much as he hates moments like these where he does something foolish.

"You needn't apologize, Your Highness. I should not have spoken so, I was merely... startled." And embarrassed but that was clear enough from the way he ducked his head, cheeks hot and brow furrowed. "I was out of line."

"It is an interesting effect, I will give you that. Not entirely unpleasant but strange enough that I think it would take some getting used to." Moving along, as smoothly as he can without turning things into a round about circle of apologies for apologies and also not letting the conversation linger too long on his misstep.

Lorenz puts on a strained sort of smile for their server, nodding his appreciation and murmuring a soft word of thanks as the soup is set before him. He had somehow not expected it to be so dense and thin at the same time? Neatly diced vegetables and plenty of them, though the broth is just that, broth not the thicker, heavier creams that so many Fódlish soups were served in.

Now that the soup is at the table though he also realizes that the sort of spoon it is served with is completely different to what he's accustomed to as well. He tilts his head, quizzically. Looks from Dimitri back to the spoon and again... It isn't until he scoops a bit of the soup up and brings it up towards his mouth that he recognizes the positioning one is supposed to use for it and-

"Who knew we've been fools all along, making ours spoons in precisely the wrong way?" Hold on. Mind. Blown. He's just... this spoon is genius????

Ah, he can see what Lorenz is doing, even as the two of them turn their attention to the food. Well, Dimitri can understand wanting to move on from a rather embarrassing or awkward event. Perhaps it is for the best that they just move on.

Besides... He wanted to help lift up Lorenz's spirits, and focusing on the food is a far better way to do that than linger on apologies. So Dimitri carefully adjusts his chopsticks, reaching over for the tempura that is there - mostly vegetables, which he is quite fond of. He's still debating on if he should bother dipping them into either salt or the sauce when Lorenz freezes, staring at the spoon.

Hearing him be so impressed and delighted at the simple shape of a spoon... Dimitri smiles a bit. "It is always fascinating, to see how different the route is for another culture to a similar goal, isn't it?" he says, deciding to abstain from any sauce for now. Best to leave it more to Lorenz, as someone who can properly appreciate it.

"I can imagine, in theory, how our own ancestors decided on our versions of spoons... and it is impressive to see how those in Johto changed things just enough.

What Dimitri says makes Lorenz' expression turn thoughtful, an edge of regret there but one he tries not to dwell on.

"I don't know that I've ever given another culture's development that sort of consideration before." His gaze drops from Dimitri's, unwilling to look at the other man when admitting to something so narrow-minded. A moment to sip the broth of that soup, licking his lips after and tilting his head a little. Hmm... it's a fascinating blend of flavors.

"Claude would be so very disappointed in me." There's something in his tone that suggests amusement, a hint of humor that he tries to push in there, imagining Claude's reaction to such a thing when he speaks so often of embracing change and differences. But it doesn't hide the fact that he's also clearly disappointed in himself.

Not something he should probably even mention but the words are out before he thinks better of it, probably because on some level Claude is always on his mind. And now he'll certainly have made things awkward... which leads him back to his default action to hide his discomfort, only this time he's stirring soup not tea.

Ah. Dimitri thinks he can see even more clearly what Claude was warning him about, how different Lorenz is from when they were young. He'd never been able to get close enough to the other, not quite, and mostly knew him from a distance. But this... is a far cry from the pride he thought he saw back then.

...Well, he supposes it was likely always there, much like Sylvain's quiet was always with him, and he just never had a chance to see it.

"Hardly," Dimitri corrects him, carefully biting down on his tempura. He thinks he can recognize the shape, roughly... Sweet potato? That would fit the coloration. "Claude would be delighted by you, honestly. Instead of feeling troubled by the different shape, or annoyed at how unlike it was compared to what you've known, you were immediately fascinated. You even complimented it, recognizing its use."

Another bite, finishing the tempura off, and he smiles over to Lorenz. "Appreciation and interest are some of the first steps to thinking further on the subject. You have never had a chance to truly meet other cultures or eat their food like this, so it is understandable to still be on those first steps, isn't it?"

Lorenz blinks at Dimitri in surprise at first, not at all understanding how he could say there's anything about his behavior that Claude would be delighted by. But then the blond goes on explaining his reasoning and praising Lorenz for taking steps he'd never had the opportunity to before and by the time he looks up again Lorenz is blushing but still not looking at him. He shakes his head a little, trying to dismiss Dimitri's positive impression.

He absolutely does not deserve such praise.

"I- Thank you, Your Highness, but I fear you think far too charitably of me." There is clearly no good reason to excuse the kind of closed-minded thinking he has been struggling to correct for years now, for not realizing how wrong that was. For not realizing how wrong all of what his Father heaped upon him was. He'd been a puppet for far too long and there was no making up for that.

"My thoughts only come from what I see happening right before me," Dimitri says, a gentle rebuke, before he smiles. "I am afraid I am quite stubborn, so there is little chance of changing my mind on such a thing, I am afraid."

Lorenz is just going to have to deal with Dimitri thinking he is a good person. Dimitri can only hope that Lorenz walks away with the desire to continue doing such things, instead of thinking himself an imposter. Still, if he pushes too much on this, who knows how Lorenz would react.

So as he goes for another bit of tempura - brussell sprouts, maybe? - he nods to the soup. "Still, we are getting slightly off track from what I brought you here for. Does the soup suit your tastes?"

Lorenz starts to nod, realizes he hasn't taken a real bite of the soup, and then finally scoops up some of the vegetables to take a proper mouthful. It's really quite impressive, the vegetables are cooked perfectly, tender but not falling apart into mush like they so often do in stews. Then he finally bites into the smooth softness of a piece of tofu and blinks in surprise.

"It's quite good and- these little white cubes here, these are the tofu you mentioned, yes?" As he carefully plucks out two of the blocks with his spoon and puts them in his mouth, chewing ever so slightly. "The texture is divine, I must say."

Even though he cannot take any true pleasure in the ingenious design that is tofu, Dimitri still finds himself a little pleased nonetheless when he finds people who like it. Maybe that's just because of the strong association his mind has ended up making with Dedue - a fine cook who knows how to appreciate something like this, and likes vegetables or fish. It's a fine ingredient for such matters, apparently.

And if Lorenz is interested... It is better than being disinterested. Awareness and curiosity are healthy.

"That is right," he confirms. "Apparently, they are made from some sort of... almond milk? But they are much different than actual cheeses." No he doesn't know how almond milk works, do not ask him. "Apparently, they have a gift for taking in the flavors of whatever else they're cooked with. That makes them rather versatile."

Awareness has certainly not been a strong suit of his since arriving.... well... for a long time before that if he's perfectly honest. As the weeks had dragged on into months and it became more and more clear that he was more likely to end up taken down into the chambers beneath the estate than he was to be rescued by Claude or any of the other Deer time had gradually lost much of it's meaning. He had little to do but stare longingly out of windows, read and write, scribble out a thousand letters that would never be sent. Sanity slowly slipping away beneath the blanket of fear.

"Versatile, yes I suppose it would." Adaptable in a way. Though now that Dimitri has mentioned the fact it's made from some sort of... milk? The comparison to cheese is clearer in it's texture. He takes another spoonful of soup, savoring the richness of it without being heavy like a stew.

"This really is lovely, Your Highness." Another weak attempt at a smile. "Thank you... I... cannot recall the last time I had occasion to enjoy a meal like this.

Back in Derdriu surely, possibly even with Claude. But even he had not suspected his father of such villainy as what had kept him from returning to Claude's side and as such he had not truly appreciated the time he'd had.

On one hand, it has been five years since they were all able to take meals together in the same dining hall. Whatever else were in its many faults - the secrets it kept, the orders its leader gave, the snakes that slithered right into their midst - the dining hall of Garreg Mach was certainly pleasant in some ways. Dimitri knows that many people complimented its menu, and even he found the smells pleasant. Maybe not to the level of people's personal chefs, but enough to keep too many people from complaining. Five years of war would make it seem even better in ones memories.

But on the other hand... He's still been in Derdriu. He's still been with friends, surely, or family.

That he's not had a chance to enjoy a meal... Well, it explains his current condition, Dimitri supposes. That's by far not a good thing.

"Hopefully you will enjoy this one," he says, before he holds up his hand in such a way that Lorenz will get a good look at the way he's holding his chopsticks. "Do you want to try some of the fried vegetables now as well? I imagine they'll prove to be quite a good contrast alongside the soup, for when your mouth wishes for a change of texture."

Dimitri waits for a few moments, waiting for Lorenz to pick up the chopsticks again in order to mimic him. He even offers a few pointers and help, if it's needed.

It's after those few moments that he speaks up again. "You know, if this meal turns out to be something to your favor, perhaps we could go out again tomorrow for another meal elsewhere. There are many different foods in a city like this, I'm pleased to say. The citizens of Johto and Kanto are quite fond of new things - my own Kingdom could learn well from it."

Lorenz nods at the offer, setting aside that ingenious spoon to take up the chopsticks again. He is pretty good at getting his fingers into an approximation of the position he'd had before, only needing minor adjustments to his grip. Once done he picks up an almost lacy sort of disk, lifting it to very carefully take a bite of it. Which ends up being a bit more difficult than he anticipated.

For someone that tries to be dainty with his bites the tempura rather demands he take a larger bite than originally intended. Something that leaves him bashfully covering his mouth for while he crunches through the rather large piece in his mouth. Which is quite lovely, really. Light and airy and soft, not unlike potato but somehow... more. Which has him nodding his approval.

"We could all learn from such appreciation." Lorenz is quick to agree, eyeing the sauce for the vegetables curiously but unwilling to dip something he's already taken a bite of into it. "Though it is quite unnecessary to take me to another meal, Your Highness."

Because he can't help looking at it as Dimitri doing him a favor and not the blond using his inexperience as an excuse to go out and about trying more new things himself or enjoying bringing such experiences to others.

"Many things in life are unnecessary pleasures," Dimitri says idly, "and yet it is what makes life worth living to indulge in them, now and then. It is rather enjoyable to me, eating with another. With so many people doing so many different things within our residence, it can be somewhat difficult to find someone interested in dining together."

Another bite of tempura, before he pauses to survey what's left. He'll purposefully go slow, as if enjoying his food, he thinks. Mostly he doesn't want to eat too many and leave nothing for Lorenz.

And who knows? Maybe this will convince him into putting more weight into his words.

"Of course, I could understand if you have no interest in indulging such a selfish desire of mine." There, that should be it. Lorenz may not be as close to him as some of the others, but... Dimitri has noticed a trend that people respond well to demands when it's framed self-deprecatingly.

Lorenz has spent his life denying himself even the simplest of unnecessary pleasures, the idea of allowing such frivolous indulgence now simply because he's dead seems... strangely even more off putting. As though making such allowances now somehow negates the pains he went through for the last 24 years.

Still he watches Dimitri consider and rather than striking him as odd or something to be protested, that phrasing simply gets an understanding nod. Yes, of course. He is quite familiar with the subtle desires to make exceptions and allow oneself little pleasures like that but it is the duty of a man, especially one with such responsibilities as a noble, to discipline oneself against such lax behavior. Besides that, were Dimitri going to permit such an indulgence it should certainly not be for him.

"I'm certain there are others that would be far better suited to your company than myself, Your Highness." Not a denial precisely but they both know Dimitri would much prefer to have others at his side than Lorenz. "If that is your desire I will accompany you but... please, I insist. You need not make such arrangements for my sake."

...Hm. That's not the response he was hoping for, exactly. Dimitri wonders if he would have been able to do better, if he were more familiar with Lorenz. Would Claude have foreseen this kind of response instead?

Well, all he can do is live and learn, he supposes. Something to keep in mind for next time. Instead, it seems rather clear to him that at least Lorenz is not refusing him outright, and Dimitri can work with that much, at least. If anything, it's the least he can expect.

"Maybe that is so," Dimitri says, gesturing for Lorenz to take another piece of tempura, and try some of the sauce as well. "Still, you have not disappointed me as a dining partner, Lorenz. It has been pleasant, to see your reactions to a new food such as this. It is rather easy for me to imagine the future where I can hear more of your thoughts on the various cuisines and recipes in Johto."

"O-oh...." Lorenz actually freezes in the midst of picking up another vegetable, blinking across at Dimitri in surprise. The... uh... Crown Prince thinks he's an interesting dining partner? Oh.

For as subdued and uncertain as he's been since he arrived, and largely throughout their meal, Lorenz actually shifts from surprised to a soft, bashful smile despite himself. Possibly the first time he's smiled about anything that hasn't been directly Claude related in... longer than he cares to admit, really, and a light flush colors his cheeks.

"Well... if you'd enjoy such outings then... perhaps we will have to have a repeat." He finally finishes collecting that veggie, dipping it into the sauce, nibbling lightly only to make a pleased little sound and dip again, more heavily this time before he thinks better of it. Sorry Dimitri this sauce is too good not to use.

"Do you not care for the sauce?"

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nastyboy - 2022-02-22 04:22 (UTC) - Expand

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