sranks | we are the cursed we came from fire and ice

[Losing to the Golden Deer was a bit of a disappointment, if Xander's being honest with himself. If he didn't know better, he'd say that Edelgard was holding back... But no, surely that isn't the case. She was so adamant about everyone putting in their best, and as far as he could see, all of his classmates did try. They just weren't quite as skilled as the Golden Deer.

The loss would sting less if it was the Blue Lions, he thinks. Camilla is with the Golden Deer, and even though one of their own took her out, her class was still victorious. Xander tries his best not to think about Camilla too much, but it was a bit hard to do that today.

Anyway, the celebration for the Golden Deer is lively, and since everyone's been invited it's a good chance to get to know their fellow students. Xander's already spent some time chatting with the others and he's finally sitting down to get a bite to eat when Dorothea approaches. He smiles easily, inclining his head to indicate she should sit.]

Not at all, please feel free to join me.

[He's picked a spot on one of the end tables where they're not likely to be disturbed right now. He wanted a bit of a break; it's a bit difficult to keep up with some of them! Claude is certainly intent on entertaining everyone, much to Lorenz's chagrin, and if it's not Claude then it's Ferdinand who is captivating attention. Sylvain's been chatting up every woman in the room and Ingrid's dragged him away more times than anyone cares to count, and overall everything is bright and loud and festive. Everyone seems to be happy together, and it's this sort of camaraderie that Xander was hoping to experience when he enrolled.]

You seem to be having a good time. Finally decided to take a break from socializing?

[Well, with everyone else. He's not surprised that Dorothea's been busy chatting with everyone.]

You're always so sweet to me.

[Dorothea winks easily at him, all too full of her usual playfulness. It's never explicitly flirting with him; it's kind of nice that it hasn't been, really. It's been nice to just view him as a friend, and nothing more or less. He's not like the other noblemen and knights she's been currying favor with.

Of course, Xander's observations get some light laughter from Dorothea.]

Only for a little bit! I figured I'd see how you were holding up. You were starting to look like you could use a bit of a break yourself, and I wanted to check on my friend to see if he was having a good time.

[Dorothea smiles, though, easily. It's a nice, easy question to ask while everyone else goes about their business.]

[Xander returns that smile; it is nice of her to check in on him, even if it is just because she needs a break.]

You're right, I did need some time to rest. In truth, I'm not sure how they all can keep going... It's wonderful to see everyone so happy and bonding like this, but it's certainly a bit... much.

[Sometimes you get a little overwhelmed, no big deal.]

[Dorothea listens, and honestly, she seems surprised.]

I take it you weren't one for big noble parties back home, were you?

[There's no judgement in Dorothea's tone, just a simple observation.]

That's what everyone else seems to be pretty used to...or, well, they're just happy to be among their friends and trying to hide off to the side. It's pretty easy to get super exhausted when there's so many people around.

[Dorothea rests an elbow on the table, bringing up a hand so she can rest her head on it.]

No, not at all. Though admittedly, I haven't been to very many. Father only rarely hosts them.

[For many reasons, he's sure. It's best not to think too much about it. Even then, Duke Garon only took him to a few scattered parties here and there, mostly the ones that were important for House Krakenburg's political ties. Xander hadn't liked any of them; they'd felt far more oppressive than this atmosphere, though this is certainly overwhelming in its own way.]

This is the first time everyone has gathered together like this, isn't it? It's nice to see everyone getting along so well. Though it is a bit much after awhile... I'm not surprised some people have left already.

Huh...well, he always has seemed like a pretty private guy. I guess I can't blame him too much.

[It's certainly a difference from all of the bragging and preening Ferdie does about his father's parties, at any rate.]

Yeah, it is. We haven't had a lot of opportunities to get all together. [Dorothea grins easily.] They're all out here enjoying themselves and making connections. It's honestly really nice to see them all getting along so much...

[But he does have a point.]

Well, it's not like this is a dance or anything like that. There's no real obligation here, and sometimes...it can be a little too much for everyone. [Dorothea looks at Xander, winking.] Besides that, peoplewatching can be it's own sort of fun too--wouldn't you say?

[It gets a soft laugh out of him.]

I can't deny that. There is something fun about watching them all interact... Quite a few of them are very entertaining, after all.

[...look he's a noble but we all find Sylvain being rebuffed to be hilarious, right]

[oh in this house we are all here to watch sylvain be dunked on]

Ohhh? Come on, Xandy, you can't just leave it at that! Who's been super entertaining tonight? I'm all ears.

[Dorothea is super here to gossip.]

It's rather rude to gossip about our peers.

[...]

So I trust you won't let word of this slip to anyone.

[oh my god is that a smirk?? well, it's gone in an instant...]

Sylvain and Hilda have been playing some sort of game all night - he keeps tracking her down only to get distracted by her asking something of him. Ingrid has also dragged Sylvain away at least three times so far. At one point, Claude decided to insult Lorenz's favorite tea, and within two minutes of yelling, Ferdinand appeared to back Lorenz's arguments up. Linhardt has fallen asleep no less than four times. Caspar's tried to pick fights with at least a couple of people...

Despite everyone being in such a good mood, this is a bit chaotic.

[oh my god???]

Don't worry, Xandy, your gossip is more than safe with me.

[Oh, Dorothea's eyes gleam a bit when she sees that smirk, and she knows he's got something good for her.

And boy does he. Dorothea is already corpsing by the time he's talking about Sylvain and Hilda's game--she thought she saw them talking to each other multiple times, but she absolutely didn't put two and two together--but Lorenz and Ferdie defending the honor of tea? Linhardt napping? Caspar...well, being himself?

Dorothea absolutely finds that she's laughing by the time he's finished, dear goddess--]

Ferdie and Lorenz really decided to come together to defend the honor of tea, of all things! Oh, Claude, that poor foolish boy, he had no idea what he just got into.

[Dorothea has to take a moment to laugh.]

And Sylvain and Hilda...he's fallen for her act hook, line, and sinker and she's playing him like a fiddle... [Okay, okay, let her get herself under control--] I guess I shouldn't be surprised that everyone's being so chaotic. It's not often you have every single one of us here, and naturally, we've all gotten a little stir-crazy for some fun for once...

[Dorothea chuckles, again.]

It's definitely chaotic. But it's so nice, too, to see everyone enjoying themselves. [Dorothea looks at Xander.] You're actually pretty good at keeping tabs on people. I knew about Lin and Caspar, but your eyes and ears are even better than mine.

It's kind of cute, how perceptive you are.

[And that's a light bit of teasing, with nothing flirty behind it.]

I suppose I find it interesting, seeing what everyone is up to.

[The praise earns a smile, and he flushes slightly as he glances away, back toward the others.]

They're all fascinating people, after all. I like seeing how they interact with each other.

...Ah, but you've been speaking with so many of them, have you heard anything interesting?

[Cute...Dorothea likes that flush on his face. It's adorable.]

You don't have to be so embarrassed about it! It's very cute, Xandy.

[And then he turns the spotlight back onto her, and Dorothea is more than ready with every little thing she's heard.]

Oh, absolutely! Annie and Mercie have been absolute delights tonight--Mercie and I heard Annie singing, and we tried to get her to teach us the song but she was so embarrassed! Annie just has the cutest singing voice in the world. Oh, and then there was Iggy--he was trying to ask me for some advice for someone he wanted to talk to, and I tried to give him something good. I think he doesn't know just how obvious his crush on Hilda is...

I tried to talk with Hubie earlier, but he was still being his usual self. Edie was pretty happy with the result of the battle, though, and we got to talk for a little while before Ferdie tried to butt in. [ferdinand von aegir was a mistake, friend] So, once that was done, I went and chatted with Bernie for a little bit. Even she's coming out of her shell a little...even if she's hiding under one of the tables. She seems happy here, though.

I think that's a common thread between all of us--we're happy. And if we could have more actvities like this...I think it'd go pretty well.

[Being called "cute" is a bit embarrassing, but thankfully Dorothea moves on quickly enough, and Xander's smile eases as she continues.]

I agree. I hope we're able to find more reasons to come together like this. Seeing everyone so happy is... really wonderful.

[He hadn't missed the smile on Camilla's face either, and even though that sends a pang of something through him, it really is nice to see she's enjoying herself too.]

It sounds as though you had quite a time dealing with all of that. You seem to be very happy as well.

I think everyone deserves a little bit of reprieve. Especially since we're fighting so much...it's a good way to keep everyone's spirits up.

[Sure, a fair portion of this is just training, but there's no denying that the missions the Black Eagles have been sent on haven't been draining as well. It's a good way to keep morale up.

But Dorothea smiles, easily.]

I am, absolutely. I really enjoy seeing other people happy. It's just nice to see them all going about their business.

[Even if she doesn't feel like she belongs in the Black Eagles sometimes, that's a universal fact.]

...And it's nice, to have somewhere to belong.

[Somewhere to belong.

Yes, that's what it is, isn't it? They may not be equals here, but they're on more or less the same footing as far as the teachers are concerned. They're taught equally, and they're trained to the best of their abilities, and at the end of the day, nobles and commoners can come together and all befriend one another like this.

And personally, it does feel like he belongs here. He isn't the only kid in a room full of adults; he isn't the "legitimate heir" in a room full of half-siblings. He blends in, and it wouldn't be surprising if many of their classmates had no idea who he is or who his father is. Here they're all students first and foremost, their ties and families are second. Here, a commoner can make strides just as great as any noble. It's wonderful.]

Yes, that's exactly it. Somewhere to belong... I wonder how many of our classmates feel the same way.

[Most of them, he'd guess. They all do seem so happy tonight, after all.]

I can see why people speak so highly of their time here. This place... it feels so far removed from the rest of the world. I mean that in the best way possible; it feels so serene here.

[He's struck with the childish thought that he doesn't want to return home. That isn't something he's going to entertain, so he brushes it aside, but the fact that it occurs to him at all speaks volumes for how wonderful this place is.

Or perhaps it means that he's really not fond of his life at home, but that's definitely not something to consider now.]

[Dorothea smiles a bit at that.]

Probably more than anyone realizes.

[The words are kind, at least, and a lot more serious than Dorothea usually gets. Hearing Xander talk like this is...nice, honestly. He sounds so genuinely at ease with it all, and seeing him like this is...

...

Dorothea doesn't want to focus on that.]

It really is. There's nothing separating the walls between nobility and commoners...everyone is really equal. Everyone can make a difference, and it's almost like those walls don't exist.

[...]

I'm glad that you're so happy, Xandy. You've come a long way from that brooding boy I met at the docks.

It's wonderful.

[And maybe that isn't the sort of thing he should say, given his position as the future head of House Krakenburg. But he does believe that; he truly believes that commoners have just as much right to the things nobles do. It isn't something he ever thought about before arriving here, but every single commoner he's met has been just as skilled and talented as the nobles. The lines between them are so weak here, and it makes him wonder what it would be like were this possible in the rest of Fódlan.]

Ah, have I? Thank you for your kind words.

[He flushes again, though his smile is still open and honest. It's nice to hear that she thinks he has, although he's not entirely sure that's the truth. He's more outgoing now, certainly. He gets along better with his peers than he would have thought. But that feels like the only real change, aside from the new abilities he's learned, of course.]

I'm very pleased to see you this happy as well, Dorothea. It's... really nice to be able to see you relax like this.

Anytime~

[That comes easily, and she's not surprised that Xander agrees. Even if he is a noble, he's always struck her very...differently, than most. He's such a sweet kid, and he could have grown up to be just as cruel as the rumors surrounding Duke Garon, but...

He's way too kind-hearted, despite his serious nature. Not that Dorothea minds. It's a cute feature among Xandy's many, and--

Oh.]

Oh, am I?

[Dorothea sounds surprised, if only for a moment, and there's a faint tint of pink on her cheeks but--

No. No, she's not getting flustered. Dorothea laughs easily, turning away for a second as if to muffle the sound of it.]

You know, I never noticed that. But I guess it's hard not to be relaxed and happy, in a place like this. [Dorothea turns back to him, the flush suppressed and a wink easily coming to her.] You really are such a sweetheart to notice that, Xandy. But I'm glad that it makes you happy, too. We're nothing if not people pursuing happiness, right?

[Oh, that... He certainly hadn't expected the blush or the laugh, and he's not exactly sure what his feelings are doing, but it's sort of a nice feeling. It's sort of like adrenaline, in that it's a rush and exhilarating and he doesn't want it to end.]

In a way, yes. But I think it's unfair to say that's all it is. We're here for our futures as well, and I think... I think it's easier to hope for a bright future after seeing everyone here tonight.

[And maybe seeing her smile so easily is part of that, as much as it frightens and excites him to think about it.]

I'm looking forward to the rest of our time here. I'm so pleased I've had the opportunity to meet so many people.

[He doesn't look away, though; he doesn't need to.]

I'm very pleased we've had the opportunity to get to know one another as well.

[Futures...

Dorothea's expression dampens some at that. That's right, she does need to think about her future, doesn't she? She won't be young and beautiful forever. Eventually she'll be old and gray, and by then nobody will want her, so she has to find someone quickly--]

Yeah. Yeah, I think I can agree with that. There's still so much of the school year ahead of us, but I think we've got a shot at a bright future.

[Her words are a little uncertain, but her smile isn't. She's gotten good at smiling even when uncertain, and she can't help but agree with all of that.]

And I'm...pleased that we've gotten that chance, too. I'm glad that we've gotten close, Xandy.

[Even if her heart is...definitely being weird dear gods Dorothea don't even think about it. Dorothea starts to stand a bit, though...]

I think I'm probably going to start heading back to my room. I think the chaos is getting to me a bit, too. [...] Did you wanna stay? Or do you wanna walk back with me?

[Her smile is the same, but her words... Hmm. He's not really sure what to make of it. He watches as she stands and for a brief moment his heart sinks, thinking that he's managed to upset her with something he's said. But she offers for him to accompany her and he's nodding and on his feet before he's even really aware of it.]

I'll walk you back. I could use the fresh air, I think.

[And maybe a little more space from everyone, for just a little longer. He gestures for her to lead the way.]

Such a gentleman.

[Dorothea says that happily, and she winds up just. Taking one of his hands, if he lets her, and leading him out the door without even taking stock of any others. They're probably occupied anyway, so as far as Dorothea's concerned, it's fine!

...Hopefully!

The night air is very nice, and Dorothea is more than happy to start leading the way.]

This is much better, right, Xandy?

[O-Oh, that's... kind of nice... He'll allow it, and let her lead him outside. It's fine, surely no one saw or cared about them leaving hand-in-hand??]

It is. I certainly do enjoy spending time with them, but it is rather loud in there...

[It's late now, and the night sky and cool air is a welcome relief.]

[Surely not a soul!! Not a single one!]

I get it. I'm used to all of the loud noise, but...a little peace and quiet can do wonders, when all is said and done.

[Dorothea will gladly lead him towards the dormitories, and toward her room, though. It's nice to be able to walk like this, though the longer she holds Xander's hand, the more it kind of...hits her, that she's. Well. Holding his hand. It's certainly nice, but--

They hit the door of Dorothea's room eventually, and Dorothea...isn't sure she can bring herself to let go, honestly.]

Well, here we are! You're so thoughtful, to bring me back here...I don't know if I can thank you enough.

[It's nice. The peace and quiet, the canopy of stars overhead, the feeling of her hand in his...

Oh. He's not entirely sure when he started gripping her hand in return, but he doesn't want to let go. It is nice.

They're at her door quicker than he would like, but he supposes that's natural. He smiles, easily, though he doesn't move to let go just yet.]

You don't need to thank me for it. I'm happy I could accompany you.

[Not like he needed to; her room isn't all that far away. But still... it's nice.]

we are the cursed we came from fire and ice

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