Hello, Goodbye

Great Tree Moon Battle

For weeks after that I avoided Dimitri. He would come knocking on my door every so often but I wouldn't answer. When I would see him in the dining hall, I refused to meet his gaze. Eventually Claude noticed something was up because he confronted me about it the day of the mock battle that was taking place our first month here. "Spill Thal! What's been up with you? You've been acting distant towards everyone. Not to mention a certain Fodlan Prince. So what's the deal?" I shrugged him off and followed the rest of the class.

"Nothing is wrong. I'm just ready to get this mock battle over with." He cut me off causing me to crash right into him. He grabbed me by my shoulders before I could walk away. "Did Dimitri say something to you? What did he say?" I looked at the ground. "No Claude he didn't. I just felt it unwise to become attached without truly knowing who a person is." Claude blinked trying to understand what I was saying. "Wait... you felt yourself becoming attached to him. So that's why your avoiding him like the plauge?" He then began to laugh uncontrollably.

I shrugged him off once more and began to walk. "Are you nuts Thal?! Do you not see the way that boy looks at you. You not talking to him is making him miserable." I rolled my eyes, hoping my act was working. "Claude let me remind you of one painful fact. I'm an outsider here. Almyran remember. Like it said. Attachment is unwise." We came to a halt on a huge field just outside the monistary. Professor Hanneman guided us to our places and we were instructed  by Jeralt about the nature concerning the mock battle. I gripped my lance in my hand while trying to fight off my nerves.

No sooner than the battle started Lorenz made a dash for the Blue Lions. I could tell Claude was getting frustrated as Ignatz dove in to cover for him. He shot an arrow towards Professor Byleth and missed. The professor then immediately disarmed both him and Lorenz in one fell swoop. I looked to Claude for some sort of instruction. "Wow Teach! Gonna make us work for it huh?! Hilda! I want you and Thalia to hide in the trees and try to get as close to them as possible." I nodded and began my silent advance. I thought I heard footsteps behind me and turned to see but nothing was there.

I heard something else and turned almost violently but felt my body freeze as I saw Dimitri stand there, lance pointed at me. He had yet another pained look on his face. "Thalia.... how much of that conversation between Felix and I did you hear?" I blocked his lane with mine and backed away, making sure to put ample distance between us. "All of it." Dimitri grimaced and just looked down at the ground. "Thalia I." He began to step towards me and I held my lance up and stepped back. "Listen Dimitri. I don't care what happened in your past. A persons past is not meant to define them as a person but... Can I trust you, Dimitri? Please, tell me. Can I? Because after my past experiences its very hard for me to open up to anyone. Especially a Male. So tell me now so I don't waste either of our times."

Tears begin to prick my eyes as I watch Dimitri mull over his words. "Of course you can Thalia. I would never intentionally hurt you. That night... that night in your room was the first night I was able to sleep without being plagued by nightmares. I have you to thank for that. I want you to be able to trust me." I thought over his words before jabbing at him with my lance. He easily blocked my advance. "Okay then. I trust you. But know this. The second that trust is betrayed that's it. I don't give second chances." I went to jab again but he jumped forward and kicked my legs out from under me. I swung my lance and done the same to him causing him to fall on top of me. We were both disarmed at the same time.

He slowly put his arms on either side of my head straddling me. I could feel heat rise to my face. "Umm... Dimitri could you get off of me please?" Then I saw something I had never seen before. A smirk. "Of course. But only if you promise to have tea with me after the battle." I nodded sheepishly. He then got up and pulled me up as well. "And the winner of the mock battle is... The Blue Lions." I gently patted Dimitri on the shoulder. "Congrats! Your house won." He smiled at me and we made our way back to the others. He stopped me just before I walked to Claude. "Meet me in my room just before midnight." I nodded slowly as he was walking away. An arm draped around my shoulders and I turned to my depressed looking best friend.

"Well that was a bust. Who got you Thal?" I sighed and shrugged his arm off me. "Dimitri." Claude looked surprised. "Well... how did that go?" I turned to face him and smiled. "It went just fine." We began to walk back to the monastery. "Thank the goddess. I was beginning to worry about your sanity." I only rolled my eyes and laughed as we arrived back at Garreg Mach. "So Claude, where are you headed." He then pointed towards the dorms. "My room. It's time for my afternoon nap. I suppose you'll be training then?" I nodded and then we parted ways.

The training room was empty which gave me all the space in the world I needed. I picked up a training lance and began to work on the dummies, slicing one down after another. This was good and all but was nothing compared to the way Dimitri handled a lance. I flushed slightly as I recalled him on top of me just earlier that day. I brushed it off as I went to work on a few other dummies. All in all I practiced for about two hours, completely uninterrupted,  before I decided to retire the practice lance.

I recalled that I had promised to meet Dimitri and made my way back to the second floor dormitory. Once up the stairs I took a deep breath before walking to his room. I knocked on the door and he answered almost immediately. "Hello Thalia. I was afraid you wouldn't come. Please, come in." I walked into his room and immediately noticed how organized it all was. Everything had a place of it's own and there wasn't a speck of dust to be seen. There was a small two person table in the room and he motioned me over to sit down.

"Thank you for coming Thalia. Really." I smiled softly while sipping on my tea. "Of course. I did promise you I would. Somethings on your mind. What's wrong Dimitri?" He looked at me, almost astonished. "You read me so well Thalia. I feel that I should apologize for the conversation you overheard a few weeks ago. Everything Felix said was right. As bad as I hate to say it there is a more demonic side of me. A side that was brought out as a result of the tragedy at Duscur. I'm not proud of it. Not in the slightest. I truly hope this does not color your view of me." I reached over and took his hand in mine.

"Of course it doesn't Dimitri. We all have a sinister side just lying dormant within us. I am sure I have one as well, just waiting to awaken. We've both been through a lot Dimitri. It's only safe to say we would come out of it scared." I then looked out the window into the night sky. "However, it's what we do with that demon. Who we chose to fight for that matters." I felt Dimitri turn his hand over to intertwine his fingers with mine. I gazed at him and he had a look of peace on his face. He felt at home and this was the first time I had ever seen this from him.

He then looked at me with sincerity in his eyes. "Thalia... this may sound selfish of me and I completely understand if you object but... could you sleep here? Just for tonight. The voices and the nightmares... they stop when your around." I just looked at him not sure what to say in words, so I just nodded. We talked for a while longer before we both were too exhausted to talk anymore. We then both laid down in his bed. What surprised me the most was when be pulled me into his chest right before he fell asleep. I instantly began to burn up but didn't dare move. Instead I closed my eyes. Letting sleep take over remembering the nights Claude would share a bed with me because even to this day... my own nightmares still continue to haunt me. And I feel...they always will.