[The earring is given another look. Questions are there, but they should probably focus on something more pressing, like the not-so-late Emperor. Ashe folds his arms and sighs, having mixed feelings.]
[Claude's expression darkens even more at that, dangerously close to a scowl for a moment before he smooths it back into something more neutral. ]
Of course. Stubborn, fierce, rash.... of course she's Ruby.
[He shoves a hand back through his hair, frustrated.]
In case things weren't strained enough already. Dimitri's here, you know. Do... I'm guessing you remember Teach taking the Blue Lions? Do you think he's even capable of checking himself? Of not....
[A pointed look. Is there enough non-crazy left in Dimitri's brain to allow him to function knowing she's still in possession of her head?]
Do you think that the gems and our personalities really correlate like that?
[But then, he hadn't really considered it much. Leave it to Claude to connect the dots, honestly.]
I think so. I really do. I... know His Highness has been through a lot, but I also know he's mostly come to his senses. He even gave Edelgard a chance to stop the war when he didn't have to. Everyone called it fruitless, but he wanted to try anyway.
[Claude nods, one hand dropping to hover at his waist for a moment before he just hooks a thumb through a belt loop. His gem isn't exactly in a place that's easy to display but it's certainly an accurate correlation for him. Amethyst and his ideals line up so very neatly.]
Merciful... [A soft whistle under his breath.] I'll have to take your word for it. So far as I know when she put him down there was no sense left to be found in him. I'm... I'm glad he recovered with you guys.
[Hearing that makes his blood go a little cold. Thinking about how it was different for Claude, that there was another version of Dimitri that just... never got better. That he died, still mad, still driven by his ghosts.]
It came with a cost, like anything in war. And I couldn't say that he's completely recovered, but he's certainly come a long way from where he was.
[Maybe it's just him being foolishly optimistic, but he does truly have hope in Dimitri. Under all of that suffering is still a noble heart.]
I won't argue that it'll be prudent to keep an eye on Edelgard, but I want to believe she'll accept that she has no reason to continue her motivations here.
[He shrugs a little, giving Ashe an apologetic look. Come on Ashe, you know how he is. Maybe he didn't recruit you in your time line but you're smart enough to get it. No matter how much they both might hate it.]
I'm still going to plan for the worst case scenario.
[He doesn't remember them being close, but he's not blind to the fact that Claude is someone who thinks and plans and schemes. Which were never with ill intent, mind you, despite how it sounds on paper. So, he nods, not in the least offended. Ashe, like most of the other Blue Lions, tends to think with his heart first before anything else.]
It's probably smart, honestly. I want to believe in the best, but if I'm wrong, then it's good someone else thinks ahead. I don't really have the mind for tactics anyway.
[Claude shakes his head a little. He honestly wouldn't want to see what would have to happen to make someone like Ashe become cold and calculating like him.]
This is... definitely going to make me re-evaluate some of my plans...
[And who he lets himself associate with. A thought which might just have his fingers coming up to touch that tasseled earring briefly. Dammit.]
[Ashe doesn't see himself changing much. He does want to believe in others when it seems feasible, but he also perfectly understands how people are capable of being cruel and selfish. Still, if someone gives up at the wrong time and there's someone in need, that seems so much worse.]
Your plans, huh? I won't ask. I imagine you'll share them if it becomes relevant for me to know.
[That earring! Again! He really wants to ask about that!]
[Well congratulations Ashe. This time he's winding down from his anxiety attack over Edelgard's mere presence. So asking about Bernadetta gets him to pause, head cocked for a moment, trying to follow the logic that would have lead Ashe to-
His gaze cuts to the side as though he can actually look at the little tassel that's given him away and this time his cheeks flush darkly.]
[And somewhere in the days before this conversation he had his hands on her ass. Yeah uh he's blushing okay. Hush, Ashe. You'll scare him away before he lets something slip.]
L-like I said, it's... sort of an agreement. Not- Whatever you're thinking it is.
[Information? What could Bernadetta possibly provide to Claude? Then again, he doesn't know, and... sadly, he does not have anything to offer him anyway. Ashe isn't sure he believes him completely, but he does shrug helplessly.]
I don't have much, even if I wanted to offer you something. Okay, I won't press on it.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2021-03-03 03:06 am (UTC)You don't have to tell me that.
[The earring is given another look. Questions are there, but they should probably focus on something more pressing, like the not-so-late Emperor. Ashe folds his arms and sighs, having mixed feelings.]
Ruby, I think.
no subject
Date: 2021-03-06 03:20 pm (UTC)Of course. Stubborn, fierce, rash.... of course she's Ruby.
[He shoves a hand back through his hair, frustrated.]
In case things weren't strained enough already. Dimitri's here, you know. Do... I'm guessing you remember Teach taking the Blue Lions? Do you think he's even capable of checking himself? Of not....
[A pointed look. Is there enough non-crazy left in Dimitri's brain to allow him to function knowing she's still in possession of her head?]
no subject
Date: 2021-03-06 06:14 pm (UTC)[But then, he hadn't really considered it much. Leave it to Claude to connect the dots, honestly.]
I think so. I really do. I... know His Highness has been through a lot, but I also know he's mostly come to his senses. He even gave Edelgard a chance to stop the war when he didn't have to. Everyone called it fruitless, but he wanted to try anyway.
If anything, I think he will be merciful.
no subject
Date: 2021-03-07 03:40 am (UTC)Merciful... [A soft whistle under his breath.] I'll have to take your word for it. So far as I know when she put him down there was no sense left to be found in him. I'm... I'm glad he recovered with you guys.
no subject
Date: 2021-03-07 03:50 am (UTC)It came with a cost, like anything in war. And I couldn't say that he's completely recovered, but he's certainly come a long way from where he was.
[Maybe it's just him being foolishly optimistic, but he does truly have hope in Dimitri. Under all of that suffering is still a noble heart.]
I won't argue that it'll be prudent to keep an eye on Edelgard, but I want to believe she'll accept that she has no reason to continue her motivations here.
no subject
Date: 2021-03-09 09:55 pm (UTC)[He shrugs a little, giving Ashe an apologetic look. Come on Ashe, you know how he is. Maybe he didn't recruit you in your time line but you're smart enough to get it. No matter how much they both might hate it.]
I'm still going to plan for the worst case scenario.
no subject
Date: 2021-03-09 10:50 pm (UTC)[He doesn't remember them being close, but he's not blind to the fact that Claude is someone who thinks and plans and schemes. Which were never with ill intent, mind you, despite how it sounds on paper. So, he nods, not in the least offended. Ashe, like most of the other Blue Lions, tends to think with his heart first before anything else.]
It's probably smart, honestly. I want to believe in the best, but if I'm wrong, then it's good someone else thinks ahead. I don't really have the mind for tactics anyway.
no subject
Date: 2021-03-12 07:31 pm (UTC)[Claude shakes his head a little. He honestly wouldn't want to see what would have to happen to make someone like Ashe become cold and calculating like him.]
This is... definitely going to make me re-evaluate some of my plans...
[And who he lets himself associate with. A thought which might just have his fingers coming up to touch that tasseled earring briefly. Dammit.]
no subject
Date: 2021-03-12 09:31 pm (UTC)[Ashe doesn't see himself changing much. He does want to believe in others when it seems feasible, but he also perfectly understands how people are capable of being cruel and selfish. Still, if someone gives up at the wrong time and there's someone in need, that seems so much worse.]
Your plans, huh? I won't ask. I imagine you'll share them if it becomes relevant for me to know.
[That earring! Again! He really wants to ask about that!]
How is Bernadetta doing?
no subject
Date: 2021-03-14 12:25 am (UTC)His gaze cuts to the side as though he can actually look at the little tassel that's given him away and this time his cheeks flush darkly.]
She- uh... she's fine. As far as I know.
no subject
Date: 2021-03-14 12:33 am (UTC)Ashe is so delighted.]
When did you two get so close?
no subject
Date: 2021-03-14 03:51 am (UTC)L-like I said, it's... sort of an agreement. Not- Whatever you're thinking it is.
no subject
Date: 2021-03-14 05:47 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2021-03-14 10:54 pm (UTC)Books! Right! HAH]
Probably something chivalrous and knightly out of some fairytale. I promise you it's just a form of collateral.
no subject
Date: 2021-03-15 12:05 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2021-03-15 12:47 am (UTC)[Ah but he can't meet Ashe's eyes and say her name at the same time.]
Not Bernadetta.
no subject
Date: 2021-03-15 02:12 am (UTC)[His arms are folded now and he's VERY curious.]
So collateral for what?
no subject
Date: 2021-03-16 06:51 pm (UTC)[He's bluffing so goddamn hard but no matter what Ashe offers it's not going to be enough so it doesn't matter.... right?]
no subject
Date: 2021-03-16 06:54 pm (UTC)I don't have much, even if I wanted to offer you something. Okay, I won't press on it.
[FOR NOW]
no subject
Date: 2021-03-16 07:00 pm (UTC)You come up with something good and maybe someday I'll tell you~
[He's just going to sip his coffee and walk away because goddamn that was too close.]