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It’s been a long time since Dimitri has tasted any sweets. He honestly doesn’t think he remembers the taste. It has never bothered him that much in the past. It was not that he hated it like Felix did before Lysithea’s ah, “gentle” persuasion, he just never thought about it too much.
But now as he watches he hum to herself over the batter she’s mixing, he wonders. From his place in the shadowed doorway, he imagines that it would taste like her. How her smiles turn soft when she looks his way. The light kisses she blesses him with every morning. Her gentle hold on him when he’s so close to breaking.
He’s broken out of his contemplation by Byleth waving him over. His Byleth, as the ring on her finger proclaims. The weight of the ring, on a simple chain around his neck for now, rests warmly against his chest and reminds him that he is also hers. She wants him, and she chose him, despite the bloody sins on his hands. She will never know the truest extent of how much that simple thought means to him.
He warps his arms around her from behind, mindful of the batter cover spoon in her hand. She turns just enough to look at him.
“Hello, Love.” She follows her greeting with a kiss which he happily returns. He revels in her open affections. It took awhile for her to properly express herself to him, to show him how he made her feel. She still struggled on occasion after years of suppression to an almost extreme point, but he was patient.
He kisses her forehead. The smell of the prize in the oven reaches him. “What are you making?”
“Oh! It’s a recipe Mercedes gave me awhile ago. I finally got the chance to try.” She offers the spoon to him. “I can’t say how good they’ll be when they come out, but at least the batter’s good.”
He takes the spoon from her and brings it to his lips. She watches him for a reaction. It’s.....well, it’s sweet. He doesn’t know what he else he was expecting honestly, but he does find that he likes it.
“It’s good. Thank you beloved.” He doesn’t miss the slightly blush that adorns her face with the nickname. He sets the spoon down to hold her tighter.
They stay like that for awhile, just enjoying the feeling of each other. The world seems to narrow to nothing more than the two of them. It would be easy to forget the war raging on. Forget the death, the pain, the terrifying close calls. Just to take a second to pretend there’s nothing wrong. Byleth sighs and leans farther into the oasis of Dimitri’s arms
“I love you.” Her words are muffled against his chest but he hears her all the same.
“I love you too.” He coaxes her head far enough away for him to lean down and capture her lips. He can can taste the batter she must have snuck for herself. It’s then he decides, that he likes the taste of sweet.