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Edie Baby, Won’t You Give Me a Kiss?
A/N: Well of course when the Winter Alt FEH Dorothea dropped with 'gifts for the Black Eagles, featuring a love heart-shaped chocolate box with the emperor's insignia on it and a mistletoe' I had to write it. Super self indulgent stuff! Title is parody of the famous song, 'Santa Baby'.
A/N(2): Here are some of my past Edelthea fics (my writing has vastly improved from earlier works, but I still love them story and character-wise): A Companionship Worth an Opera Play, Five Kisses from a Commoner, One from the Emperor, The Princess and The Commoner; The Songstress and The Emperor, Do I Have The Right To…?, and my on-going Hegelthea (Hegemon Edelthea Fic) Can There Still Be a Brighter Dawn?
Edelthea Week 2022 Series: Metal Gear XANA's Edelthea Week 2022
The best NSFW ones: To Love, Even a Monster (Hegelthea smut), A Song Shared Between Two (Companion piece to 'A Companionship Worth an Opera Play) & Do it to Me Again and Again
Dorothea is never bashful.
She’s been on so many dates—too many—across her life that she has grown cynical and all too saccharine to seem friendly whenever she is invited on another. After all she is but a prize for these suitors: a trophy they wish to display and show off to their friends and enemies. A toy to play with, to be discarded after it proves cumbersome or boring. Good girls look pretty and must never speak back or display any semblance of intelligence.
But for the first time she feels joyous.
She actually loves this feeling.
Her cheeks tint pink and she grumbles. Behind her back she grips the box of chocolates tighter. It’s so... she feels so stupidly excited. She once would have laughed at herself for acting like some protagonist from those unrealistic romance books. Yet here she is, donned in a cutesy Seirosmas dress that Manuela naturally hemmed to articulate her ‘greatest weapons’, walking towards the emperor’s tent with the intent to woo her and get her to kiss her. Somehow with those thoughts in mind she doesn’t bolt away back to her tent to scream into her pillow. Even if she wanted to Manuela and Monica threatened that they’d tell Edelgard her feelings if she doesn’t.
Look at her: acting like some school girl who has fallen in love for the first time and feels like she is floating through clouds. Whatever happened to the cynical woman that doesn’t believe in genuine romances, who doesn’t think anyone would want her once she inevitably loses her voice and looks, and whose only interest is to bag someone with a tolerable personality to ensure her financial stability?
Yet how couldn’t she fall for Edelgard?
This is Edelgard, someone so ambitious, so driven, so selfless, and so, so sincere. Everything she does is with good intentions and she is always honest, never one to beat around the bush or sugar-coat anything. Whenever she says she believes in something and that she will commit to her goal she is truthful; she is no talker. It’s so easy for anyone to utter words but when it comes to action it all falls flat. But not Edie. She puts her everything into all she does.
And she adores even the littlest things about her, like how she pretends she’s not the one feeding the homeless cats, or when she, and sometimes with her joining in, acts like such a loving mother with any child be that orphaned or not, or whenever she’s being doting on everyone—Oh she’s so in love. She’s so in love. But for once it feels like actual love. Not ‘oh this suitor is more tolerable so best to bag him or her’ feeling… Actual real love.
She’s nearing Edie’s tent and her heart is racing in a way she has not felt around another person. She’s gifted every other Black Eagles (and she smiles at recalling their reactions) so now it is just Edelgard. No big deal. Even if she turns her down she will be kind because that’s so her. So long as they are best and dearest friends then she is content. Might be awkward in the long run but all will be good! There is no way things can go wrong!
Hubert assured her that he has diverted all tasks that Edelgard was meant to receive today to the prime minister—and that Ferdinand was thrilled to take in on board. So no surprises that Hubert (and Manuela and Monica) knows about her feelings for Edie, but Ferdie? Surely she’s not that obvious; if he picked it up then that would mean everyone else has picked up on her feelings. Everyone save Edelgard.
The two guards stationed at the tent are individuals she has gotten to know due to every outing with the emperor. They are both grinning a bit too knowingly for her liking. One leans to the other to utter ‘young love’ and Dorothea shoots the two a glare to halt them from cooing or shooting her proud looks. They mouth ‘you got this, Miss Arnault’. She takes a deep breath, sucks in her chest, and musters her most sincere smile.
“May I come in, Edie?” Dorothea inquires; the two are familiar with her nickname for the emperor—most of the soldiers have heard her utter it on the battlefield.
“You may enter!” Her heart flutters every time she detects that lit in Edelgard’s tone whenever she is thrilled to see or hear her.
She saunters right on in. Immediately her eyes settle on Edelgard. That smile that creaks her lovely lilac eyes makes her look so lively, a contrast to the stoic emperor that ploughs through enemies like a wildfire. Still donned in that silver and red armour when away from the battlefield. She can never seem to truly relax; yet here she is appearing lax and free of the burdens of being a ruler because of her. No—she’s always at ease when speaking with friends, not just her…!
Yet she did note those lilac eyes stray to her breasts for a second. That slight falter in the smile right after she looks away from her chest and the guilty glaze in those eyes for a split second is further proof she was checking her out.
“You look lovely, Dorothea, but then again you always look wonderful,” Edelgard compliments with that sincere smile of hers. Suitors have made similar comments, but hearing such compliments from Edie always has her heart soaring.
Edelgard then places a hand under her chin in that adorable manner of hers whenever she is pondering deeply on an issue. “I never took you for one to celebrate Seirosmas.”
Dorothea’s smile hardens against her face and her eyes glaze with sullenness. She stopped celebrating it when she learned the Goddess does not exist, for the so-called ‘loving’ deity abandoned her mother to die and left her alone to survive. They say prayers during this time will make your wishes come true. None of her prayers came true. What a disgusting lie…
Oh no—the way Edelgard’s eyes are raking concernedly across her face reminds her that like the eagle she is associated with she is perceptive and can pry almost anything out of someone. Curses: she’s here to showcase her feelings not make her worry over her. Though it is always sweet whenever she’s like this.
“Admittedly I don’t believe in it,” Dorothea confesses—why lie about it, when she and Edelgard have spoken blasphemous beliefs with one another before during the academy days. She then lights up at a thought that makes her truly smile. “But I suppose it has its perks, like gift giving to friends and family.”
Edelgard’s worries dissipate and she nods in agreement. In her peripheral vision Dorothea spots a pine tree with some decorations. She grins her pearly whites knowingly and mischievously at her. “For one so intent on abolishing traditions you seem to really love Seirosmas.”
That pink blush on Edelgard’s pale cheeks make her look ridiculously adorable for one described as unflinching and stolid! That crooked smile and embarrassed glaze in her eyes only makes her look cuter. When Edelgard looks over to the pine there is this reminiscent look, of one thinking of wonderful times when she wasn’t meant to be the emperor.
“It reminds me of days when I would excitedly gather around a tree with my siblings to receive our gifts from our parents,” Edelgard says with that soft tone of hers she rarely uses: a vulnerability of someone opening up to another without fear.
A tinge of jealousy courses through Dorothea, but she quickly supresses it when she reminds herself that her and Edie are both orphans. It’s… always a gut-punch to her heart when she keep reminding herself that Edie is an orphan too.
“I can’t remember celebrating under the tree,” Dorothea states. There is a gloomy glint in her eyes; goodness she never anticipated heavy discussions. “I remember taking offerings from the tree put up in Enbarr, such as warm clothes and food, to survive.”
“It’s unfortunate you and others had to resort to such matters,” Edelgard utters, ever sincere and never ever judgemental of her actions in the past and present. Her eyes soften in guilt. “My family and other nobles should have been supporting people like you instead of feasting on more than enough food for one family…”
Dorothea can’t help but soften her face and smile with a gratitude no opera could put into words. It’s not easy to admit that your family may have done little or nothing to help when they could have.
“You’re more than making up for it, Edie,” she assures truthfully and with pride. But enough of this sullen reminiscing and of Edelgard feeling guilty over something she could not control when she was younger! “I doubt little Edie would have had sway in her family court, especially when she was probably too busy gorging on sweets.”
Edelgard snorts amusedly at that. Excellent—she got her to crack a grin. “You know me a bit too well, Dorothea.”
She grins at that. “Well you’re not exactly subtle, Edie,” Dorothea states, her grin widening at the mortified look on her dearest friend’s face. “I’m pretty sure everyone knows you like Seirosmas.”
Edelgard crosses her arms: that means she’s getting defensive. “I refuse to think I am that obvious.”
Green eyes dart to a small black cat playing with the small ends of the pine tree. She calls out to Mewbert, whom stops to look at her to meow in greetings. “So I am supposed to believe that no one saw the great Emperor Edelgard von Hresvelg adopt a cat and sneak in said cat into her tent? Pretty sure I saw a couple of guards say they wished they could pat Mewbie.”
Ah the twitch of her brow means she’s fazing her. “Did you come here just to embarrass me, Dorothea?” Edelgard asks oh-so exasperatedly, yet there is no denying the quirk of lips showcasing mild amusement. “And you are one to talk of subtlety. You are clearly hiding something behind your back.”
Ah… right.
The reason she came here.
Great now she is flushing red. Hopefully her fingers aren’t sweating, otherwise she’d ruin the box and mistletoe. She’s meant to be the smooth one here. She’s meant to have experience giving suitors gifts to appease them. But this is no suitor. This is not some person she wants to bag to ensure financial stability in her life. This is Edelgard, the woman of her affections. The first person she has fallen for.
“I actually got you a gift!” Dorothea speaks with a lit, her back straightening—hopefully she doesn’t seem stiff. She makes some strides—please don’t look forced—towards her.
Edelgard has to crane her head a bit to look up at her. Well do something Dorothea. She takes out the box from behind her and offers it to Edelgard. She can’t even make eye contact with her. Her ears are ringing. Her breathing has halted.
“Merry Seirosmas, Edie.”
Gloved hands take the box. Somehow that gesture makes Dorothea look up to regard Edelgard’s face. Those lilac eyes widen as the owner runs her hands over the heart box, treating it like a delicate ornament. Edelgard then carefully opens the box and her eyes light up with a childish delight Dorothea has not seen since learning of her love for saghret and cream. She looks back up at her face all wide-eyed with a look that says ‘are these for me?’ and Dorothea can’t help but snort amusedly and nod.
“Dorothea I—” it’s surreal seeing Edie acting all speechless. This is a woman who seems to always have something to say, even when she doesn’t know the answer. “Thank you. Such words sound pitiful, but… truly thank you.”
Edelgard bites a piece of chocolate and her face lights up. “Oh these are my favourites—how did you know?”
“I naturally asked Hubie and he told me,” Dorothea answers, feeling a tinge of her fears dissipate with how joyous Edie looks and is behaving.
Edelgard’s face drops and once more her softened brows and eyes, and her pursed lips express shame. “But these are so expensive; allow me to pay—”
Dorothea shuts her up by taking a chocolate piece and gently shoving it into her mouth. “That’s not how gift giving works, Edie.”
Edelgard grumbles as she chews the piece shoved into her mouth. She takes out another piece and offers it to Dorothea. “At least allow me to share.”
There she is: ever sincere and considerate of others in her unique Edelgard-ways. She takes the piece and winks. “Who am I to argue with the emperor?”
Edelgard smiles triumphantly at her mighty deed, and Dorothea giggles as she chews on her piece. With the way Edelgard is blissfully and blithely eating the sweets two things dawn on her. One is that she didn’t seem to think much of the love heart-shaped box. And two:
She ignored the mistletoe.
Knowing that Edelgard is clearly well versed in Seirosmas traditions she wonders if maybe she doesn’t want to kiss her or that she feels she is taking advantage of her if she agrees. Also Edie, though she will always deny it, because she’s the ‘definition of pragmatism’, is a hopeless romantic at heart, so there’s no way she doesn’t know mistletoe traditions. Best to catechise; she has gotten to the stage of offering chocolates so there’s not turning back.
She carefully places her hand atop Edelgard’s one reaching for another piece of chocolate. “You missed something else on the box, Edie.”
When she takes off her hand she takes the lid from under the box, unsheathes the mistletoe, and dangles it in front of Edelgard’s line of sight. “You do know what mistletoes entail, yes?”
A red blush encompasses Edelgard’s face all the way to her ears and down her neck. Dorothea has seen her scream across a battlefield, all red-faced from exertion, but she’s never seen Edie this red. Not that she’s any better; she’s flushed like a tomato in human form.
“I had assumed you mixed up a holy with a mistletoe,” Edelgard stammers and oh Goddess she’s telling the truth, and it would have been hilarious if Dorothea wasn’t mesmerised by how tongue-tied and flustered Edie is.
“Me, mixing a plant of white berries whose traditions means you’re supposed to kiss the giver—” Dorothea chuckles too high-pitched to come across as confident, “With a plant that has red berries and no tradition of that sorts? After the countless times suitors have tried to make me kiss them under a mistletoe?”
Now Edelgard looks like she’s considering just how foolish she was to think otherwise. Her lilac eyes search hers with a vulnerability to them that makes her look like an everyday woman receiving a mistletoe and not the revolutionary emperor.
“You—you wish to kiss me?”
Dorothea wants to groan towards the tent’s ceiling with how torturous this all feels. She hates being so open and exposed, but at the same time she’s cherishing it for once.
“Yes, Edelgard: the love heart-shaped box and mistletoe really should have spelt it out to you…!” Dorothea responds a bit too exasperatedly than the vision she had of being oh-so flirty and swooning on the spot.
They are both so stupidly hopeless. Neither imagined such a confession would entail both floundering like newborns learning to walk. All her life Dorothea had to play the swooned girl or flirtatious charmer, and here she is acting like a fool. No doubt Edie, one who has imagined romantic situations from all the novels she read and one who believes she’ll never have an authentic lover, is completely lost. Everything is falling apart…! Now Edelgard is avoiding her gaze, so unlike the woman who always looks you in the eye, to not doubt turn her down.
“I would like to kiss you too…”
Wait—!
Dorothea gawks at Edelgard with shimmering eyes, waiting for the punch line or to see if she’s only approving so she doesn’t hurt her. When Edelgard looks up at her with that red blush, solemn look, and quivering brows it hits Dorothea. She wants to. Edie wants to kiss her. They both want to kiss each other.
“I must confess I don’t know if I would be an adequate kisser but…” Of course that is something that Edelgard would be worried about, the adorable romantic at heart. Then Edelgard smiles so lovingly at her. That smile… oh that smile. “I would like my first and only kiss to be with you, Dorothea.”
Somehow she has the willpower to suppress herself from lunging forward to kiss her. She just lets out a chuckle of disbelief, and Edelgard nods to showcase she is truthful. It seems like Dorothea forgot how kissing works with how she just stands there staring into those lovingly soft lilac eyes. With sudden compulsion she lifts the mistletoe and tentatively slips it into the golden tiara. Edelgard uses one hand to fix one of her holies in her hair from falling off, a smile etching onto Edelgard’s face as she points to the plant in her hair and in her own. Is this stalling from the two? No it’s something more, something tender and loving.
Dorothea cups those pale cheeks and leans forward until she is a breath away from those tantalising pink lips. Edie opens her mouth to no doubt warn her that her lips are chapped, but Dorothea doesn’t care as she leans in to capture those lips. They are indeed chapped, but the way Edelgard shyly and carefully kisses her back is so indicative of her soft and warm soul. The way she is being kissed isn’t some possessiveness of a suitor wanting to claim ownership over her. It is sincere, of someone sharing the love and loving her for being her flaws and all.
She tastes chocolate when she tentatively pries her tongue into Edelgard’s mouth. It’s sweet and intoxicating, just like Edie. Ever determined to learn Edelgard pries her mouth open with her tongue, and Dorothea gladly allows it. That’s one way of sharing chocolate. Edelgard uses her free hand to trace her jawline, treating her with the delicateness of a lover forever in awe of their love. This tenderness is so overwhelming for her.
When they pull away Dorothea’s eyes twinkle when she sees Edelgard lick her lips. They’re both flushed, smiling, and chuckling in disbelief that this happened, that this is the reality, and that this is everything they have ever wanted and more. Dorothea leans her forehead against Edelgard’s. The two simply bask in the other’s presence.
“So…!”
“So…”
“Am I still the ‘Dearest Friend of the Emperor’?” Dorothea grins and then brushes her nose with Edelgard’s own.
Edelgard giggles at the sensation and musters her most loving smile when they pull away. “No. I think ‘Dearest of Edelgard’ would do.”
It’s all so sappy and domestic that Dorothea knows that this is what love is meant to be. “As would ‘Dearest of Dorothea’.”
She then places her hands on her hips. “‘The Dearests of the Empire’ would make a lovely opera title!” She snickers when Edelgard groans and rolls her eyes.
A meow echoes.
“Even Mewbie agrees!”
The two then dine on a few chocolate pieces. Dorothea offers one in her hand and understanding the implication Edelgard takes the piece in her mouth. Edelgard offers a piece to feed Dorothea, in which the former songstress slyly slips it to out her mouth with her tongue so it lands squarely between her breasts. She asks if her Dearest would be so kind to take it out, only for Edelgard to flush on fire, splutter, and dart her eyes away. Dorothea bursts out laughing. Ever the gentlelady Edie is.
When they near the end of the chocolates Edelgard looks over to her with a reflective look in her gaze. That is the fond look she always has whenever she observes the Black Eagles that has earned her the Mother Eagle moniker. One of her fingers taps atop Dorothea’s to seek permission to hold, and Dorothea happily nudges it so the two hold hands.
“I would like to celebrate this year with the Black Eagles. With how things have quietened down and how negotiations for a temporary ceasefire have proven fruitful it would be the best time to celebrate it amongst family.”
Dorothea has found a group that fits the definition of family, and a person whom she can say she loves and who loves her back. Her greatest Seirosmas wishes have come true.
“I think that would be marvellous, Edie.”
A/N: I had wanted to write all the Black Eagles' reactions to Dorothea's gifts but the fic would have been way too long.
A/N(2): I'd love to hear your thoughts (be that a multi paragraph analysis, a keyboard smash, or even if it is an emoji) and if possible some feedback!