Dedue isn't surprised that Felix needles at him on the subject of Dimitri; he always does. But Dedue is tired after having walked for so long to get here, and he has only so much tolerance for the sandpaper abrasiveness of Felix's personality on a good day.
He calls Dimitri by name, at least, instead of by his usual insult. That is one fewer of the thousand tiny cuts that he seems intent on killing Dedue with.
"I see little point in retreading old ground," he says. "We have had this conversation before."
Though, again-- fewer insults. They have been in each others' presence for at least ten minutes now and Felix has not called him a dog even once. Perhaps Dedue should be impressed at his restraint, but it is such an abysmally low expectation of him. And, anyway, the conversation is not yet over-- there's still time for Felix to fail to meet even the lowest of expectations.
"I do not know how the battle at Gronder ends, nor the worst that is yet to come." Nor could he be expected to, as it hasn't happened yet. "I do know that no matter what the future holds, I shall remain at His Highness' side. I shall never abandon him."
Without lifting a finger to actually help him.
Where were you, Dedue could say, when Dimitri cried out from his night terrors?
Where were you, Dedue could say, when he needed to be coaxed to eat, to bathe, to sleep?
Where were you, Dedue could say, when the executioner's axe was waiting for him?
Everything that he has done has been for love of him. There is no greater insult that Felix could leverage at him than to accuse Dedue of lacking it-- of seeing Dimitri not as a man worthy of all of his loyalty and devotion when Dedue is the one who knew him to the core, both the darkness and the light of him, and accepted it.
And perhaps Dedue will not be the one who saves him, who pulls him back from the brink of his madness and frees him from the voices of the dead. But Felix did not save him either.
There are many things that Dedue could say, but he has only just arrived and he does not want to fight this battle, regardless of how Felix tries to goad him into it.
no subject
He calls Dimitri by name, at least, instead of by his usual insult. That is one fewer of the thousand tiny cuts that he seems intent on killing Dedue with.
"I see little point in retreading old ground," he says. "We have had this conversation before."
Though, again-- fewer insults. They have been in each others' presence for at least ten minutes now and Felix has not called him a dog even once. Perhaps Dedue should be impressed at his restraint, but it is such an abysmally low expectation of him. And, anyway, the conversation is not yet over-- there's still time for Felix to fail to meet even the lowest of expectations.
"I do not know how the battle at Gronder ends, nor the worst that is yet to come." Nor could he be expected to, as it hasn't happened yet. "I do know that no matter what the future holds, I shall remain at His Highness' side. I shall never abandon him."
Without lifting a finger to actually help him.
Where were you, Dedue could say, when Dimitri cried out from his night terrors?
Where were you, Dedue could say, when he needed to be coaxed to eat, to bathe, to sleep?
Where were you, Dedue could say, when the executioner's axe was waiting for him?
Everything that he has done has been for love of him. There is no greater insult that Felix could leverage at him than to accuse Dedue of lacking it-- of seeing Dimitri not as a man worthy of all of his loyalty and devotion when Dedue is the one who knew him to the core, both the darkness and the light of him, and accepted it.
And perhaps Dedue will not be the one who saves him, who pulls him back from the brink of his madness and frees him from the voices of the dead. But Felix did not save him either.
There are many things that Dedue could say, but he has only just arrived and he does not want to fight this battle, regardless of how Felix tries to goad him into it.
"I have no more to say to you on this matter."