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‘Since when?’
That was the only question Dedue asked him, he didn't care about anything else, only 'since when'. But even Dimitri himself couldn't tell the exact day. He supposed it started months ago, one day happened and he couldn't get it out of his head anymore. Fortunately, Dedue wasn't one of those who overwhelmed him by asking a thousand questions, that’s why Dimitri chose to tell him. Anyone else would only make it worse and it would be a scandal considering that he was the future king of Faerghus. The fact that Dimitri was in love with Claude von Riegan was undoubtedly a scandal. He couldn't point the exact reason, or why he started looking at Claude, it just happened. Some people said that love had no explanation. You never know your tastes until you find that person. Dimitri made Dedue promise not to say anything, but his loyal friend would never do anything to make him unhappy, so he would keep the secret.
Dimitri explained it to him because he couldn't take it anymore. Every day he saw Claude, every day he stared at him at some point without realizing it. Sometimes they exchanged words, but only between classes and formally, although Claude always tried to make jokes, as usual. At first Dimitri couldn't bear Claude's personality, always joking, always with ironic and sarcastic tones. But in the end Dimitri adapted and it was enough to be mesmerized. Dimitri had already lost count of the number of times he wanted to have him in his arms while looking at him. Claude was always surrounded by his classmates and was very friendly, he didn't mind winking at them or putting his arm around their shoulders and getting very close. Only the gods knew how much Dimitri wanted Claude to invade his personal space like this, he wouldn’t let anyone do that but Claude.
Only Dimitri and Dedue were talking
i
n the classroom, they took a moment after class for it. However, the door swung open and Sylvain came in more energetic than usual.
"Hey guys, wanna play?" asked the redhead without any context.
"What are you talking about?" Dimitri asked.
"They have organized it right now, almost all the students are going to participate. We're going to play hide and seek together. Although some say it's a competition between houses and the best one will win and blablabla. I'm not interested in that, it's just that it's been a long time since I've played anything like that. You're in, aren't you?"
Dimitri and Dedue looked at each other. Was that serious? Weren't they a little older for this kind of children’s game? But for some reason, it sounded exciting for that very reason, they haven't played something like that since they were kids. Could a little fun hurt? With Sylvain's half-tearful face and eyes pleading like a kitten, it was impossible to refuse the offer.
They were all gathered at the Courtyard. They knew soon that it was obviously the Golden Deer house who organized the game, it couldn't be another house. Few students didn't want to participate, those who considered all this 'nonsense' either went to their bedrooms or sat on a far bench.
They had to choose a 'lucky' person to be the seeker. They did a competition of rock, paper and scissors. Members of the same house would play each other with a single round, and the one who lost most rounds would face the two who lost most rounds from the other houses. Dimitri got rid of being the seeker and felt relieved, he didn't want to be the one. The victim was on the side of the Golden Deer: Hilda lost all rounds. She wasn't happy about it, but she covered her eyes with her hands and said she would give three minutes.
Everyone ran to find the best hiding place. Dimitri preferred to be a lone wolf with this game, it was better to not get involved with someone. He wanted to find the best hiding place, but the best options were running out because he was doubting and walking too much. Dimitri opened a door leading to an extremely small maintenance room, but found Ingrid there. She just shrugged her shoulders and Dimitri understood he had to find somewhere else.
He kept looking for a while, all the doors he opened and all the narrow gaps he looked at were occupied. He had mentally calculated the time, he had about thirty seconds left until Hilda started searching. Dimitri opened a closet door in some bedrooms, but Sylvain and another girl who couldn't remember the name were there.
"Very busy!" Sylvain said as he closed again.
Obviously Sylvain was going to take the opportunity to get someone with him in a closed space. Dimitri sighed and followed the hall to a classroom. At that moment he didn't realize where he entered. Only when he opened the door of the only closet and saw Edelgard, he realize where he was. She just looked at him in utter silence and Dimitri didn't say anything, just closed the door, understanding he couldn't stay there either. He mentally calculated there were about ten seconds left to hide and he no longer knew what to do. He entered the last room he didn't look at, time was running out and he could n’ t be outside. At least there was a fairly large closet with two wooden doors, one of which had a hole. Dimitri opened the pierced door and saw no one. At last! His last hope didn't fail him. He went inside and closed slowly, but looking straight ahead, he found someone in the dark, Claude was right there. Dimitri couldn't process it well at first, he was just very surprised. Claude raised his eyebrows and offered him one of his silly smiles with a look that said; ‘Yes, I’ve been here the whole time.’
"Hello there." Claude greeted with a smile.
"I... should look for another place. Apologies." Dimitri was about to leave, but Claude stopped him.
"We can share, I don't mind it."
Dimitri did mind it. He was in a narrow spot with the boy he loved, of course he mind it. This was awkward, too much. He could feel the nervousness going up his chest.
"Hey." said Claude.
"Y-yes?"
"If Hilda finds us, you go out. I found this place first." Claude winked.
"Okay..."
Dimitri looked away, couldn't look at him. Claude was attractive, Dimitri realized that as soon as he started paying attention to him. The shape of his face, his skin, and those emerald eyes made him very attractive. On top of that, he saw Claude in light clothing in one occasion. It was light enough to let Dimitri's imagination run wild. He wasn't as fit as Dimitri, but Claude was still very pleasing to the eye. Claude didn't have a strong musculature, but his skin was for sure super soft.
"Did you hear me?" Claude asked almost laughing. Dimitri had been so enraptured by a memory that he didn't realize Claude said something to him.
"Huh?" Claude laughed softly.
"That if Hilda enters the room, she can see you because of that hole in the door." Dimitri looked to his right, indeed that hole let in enough light to see him. "That's why I put myself on this side. Come closer."
"What?"
"Come closer to this side so you won't be seen."
"But there isn't enough space." anything but that.
"I'm skinnier than you." Claude took a small step back, resting his back against the wood and drew Dimitri closer to him with one hand enough so no one would see him through the hole. But now they were face to face without any personal space. "See? We fit. We will run out of air, but we fit."
"I see that…"
Dimitri didn't want to see anything, couldn't look at him. He was grateful that the place was dark because otherwise Claude would realize that he was blushing. All the heat he felt in his chest rose to his head as soon as they got so close. And still, Dimitri didn't want to ever be discovered. Being so close to Claude was what Dimitri had wanted for a while. He could only sigh to try to relax, but the heat he felt didn't go away.
"I suppose it would be a scandal." Claude said suddenly.
"Huh? What?"
"Lords from different houses caught like this, rumors would fly!"
"Yes, some would sure have fun with it..."
"You are used to it, right?"
"A little, but I learned to not pay attention to them."
"That's the best. So you can look at whoever you want without worrying, because you don't care." Dimitri blinked, it seemed strange that he made that emphasis.
"Why do you say that?" Claude looked sideways nervously.
"Oh, the twists and turns of life... Here we are, totally committed by the reduced space, why not take the moment to speak?" now Dimitri was confused. "Do you think I haven't noticed the way you look at me?"
Dimitri thought he was out of air. It couldn't be, he has been caught. And worst of all, it was Claude himself who caught him. His heart was pounding because of how nervous he was, he had to get out of there.
"Do you think I wouldn't notice how you drink of me?" Claude asked, closing the little distance that was left. "The way you devour me with your eyes?" Claude tiptoed to approach Dimitri's right ear and whispered. "Tell me, do you want to savor me as much as I want to savor you?"
Dimitri felt his legs tremble. Claude also wanted to savor him? Since when? Now he was sure that even Claude could hear how fast his heart was racing or his nervous breathing. Did Claude want it as much as Dimitri wanted it? Dimitri had to say something, but the words stuck in his throat. He could only articulate one question.
"Why... would you do it?" Dimitri asked. Claude never looked for him or anything like that, why was he saying that to him now? Since when did Claude look at him? Claude put his arms around Dimitri's waist.
"And why shouldn't I? I'm not blind, Dimitri." Claude bit Dimitri's lobe lightly.
"What are you doing?" Dimitri asked walking away.
"I look at you, Dimitri, as much as you look at me. Since I saw you the first day, I couldn't stop anymore." Claude sighed. "Your attitude intrigued me from the beginning, but I couldn't get close, so I just looked at those little details. The way your jaw tightens when you get angry, how much your eyes shine when the sun shines on you, your white skin highlighted by the dark uniform... The way sweat beads run down your chest while you train without a shirt." Dimitri noticed that he blushed more.
"Were you...?"
"Looking when you train without a shirt? Of course. Thanks for the views, by the way." he winked. "And I was very glad when you started to look at me a month ago."
"I..." Dimitri tried to calm down. "I don't know what's wrong with me…"
Claude got close enough to brush his nose with Dimitri's. Dimitri just closed his eyes, completely paralyzed, he wanted to surrender to the temptation. Claude took the first step and gave him a little kiss on the lips, just to see Dimitri's reaction. That was all the permission Dimitri needed, he kissed him back and Claude hugged him around the neck and tangled his fingers through Dimitri’s hair. They only separated for air, there wasn't much inside the closet. Dimitri hugged him around the waist, drawing him to feel his body, the one he had wanted to touch so many times. Claude cut off a second to bite Dimitri's lower lip very gently and slid his tongue inside. He licked down the lip area until Dimitri instinctively opened his mouth, giving him permission to go inside. Claude explored everything he wanted, his tongue going from one side to another. Dimitri wasn't quite sure what to do. He brushed Claude's tongue with all the inexperience in the world, but the feeling he had was too gratifying. He finally understood that expression of 'feeling butterflies in the stomach.' But all the clothes they were wearing were too annoying now, Dimitri wanted more. He wanted to explore the rest of Claude, to feel his skin against his, to know how he would react if he touched him even if Dimitri had no experience.
Claude lightly pushed Dimitri's chest, causing them to pull apart suddenly. Dimitri frowned in fear, had he done something wrong? But the closet door suddenly opened wide, Hilda was there.
"Found!" she exclaimed. Dimitri rubbed his eyes, that was very close.
"Very well, Hilda." Claude congratulated.
"You can now join those I found."
The three of them went out of the room and the two boys joined the ones who had been caught. Almost everyone was there, so they were almost the last men standing. There was only a somewhat awkward silence between them. They couldn't speak now because they were surrounded. Dimitri wouldn't know what to say to him either, so he was partly grateful. What would he say? That if they hadn't been discovered, maybe he would have ripped off Claude's clothes?
In the end, Felix was the last man standing for taking the game very seriously. Dimitri was about to join his house when Claude held him for a moment holding his arm. Dimitri looked at him confused, but Claude smiled at him.
"Well." Claude began. "After what has happened, will you pretend that nothing has happened? You could at least buy me dinner... Or tea."
No, Dimitri couldn't pretend that nothing happened in that closet. He wanted to feel that sensation again and savor Claude's lips more times. Of course they were going to have dinner together... and whatever comes next.
"Are you free tonight?" Dimitri asked.