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[grafts]

No, no, I get it. I mean, it's really very tempting. I get the same giddy flutter in my stomach when I look in the mirror. It's like, "wow, Dimitri, just look at you, you handsome devil you".

So it's okay, really. Not all of us can lead the life I lead, and boy, do I lead it well. Guess I should give you a slap on the back and welcome you back into the fold, huh? Not that your whole deal is real. It's fictional. Mine is real, so let's not get too cocky, alright?

Comments

[staynoble]

[IF SHE HAD TO GUESS...]

I don't know if your mun is the cocky one here...

[grafts]

[ hit the nail right on the head, why don't you. ]

You know, a lot of people mistake confidence for cockiness. [ uh huh, sure. but he's waving a hand now. ] It's really a common mistake. You'd probably be surprised by just how common, actually.

[staynoble]

[Pauses, as if she's thinking hard about that.]

Hey...how often do you find yourself saying that?

[grafts]

Often enough to know the spiel by heart. [ oh, wait. ]

What, you don't believe me? That's pretty harsh.

^his Gaston face

[staynoble]

No, I think it suits you somehow. [She laughs at that. And as a way to show that she doesn't mean anything rude about it:] I'm Utena Tenjou. Our muns are friends [hence why she's okay with him. Because nice muns have nice friends with nice muses, right?] so I figure I'd come by to say hi.

are you swooning yet

[grafts]

Oh, well, thanks. I think. [ but he grins, clearly pleased with the quick turnaround. he's not exactly going to stop his preening anytime soon, though. ] Utena, huh? That's an interesting name. I kinda like it — it's very unique.

[ no, he really does. he's just taking his sweet time testing it out. ] I'm Dimitri, by the way.

[staynoble]

Thanks. Dimitri sounds pretty unique too. [Or at least, she has never met anyone with that name before.] Nice to meet you!

[grafts]

Nice to meet you too, Utena. [ wow, she's really polite. what a change. ] So, where're you from?

[bringmehome]

So that is what the boy I used to steal glances at grew up to be.

[grafts]

Used to? [ he may not like the past tense part of that, but he likes the rest. ] I don't know, Anya. I've caught you a few times since then.

[ only because he was doing it to. ]

[bringmehome]

Only because I love you, and because you do too many things that don't fail to grab my attention.

[grafts]

Yeah, well, I love you too. I've only caught you stealing glances at me because I do it too.

[bringmehome]

[ She elbows him softly, then leans over his shoulder to put a kiss to his cheek. ] Flatterer.

[grafts]

[ and how can he resist giving her a genuine smile after that? he'll also reach out to take her hand in his. ] It's the truth.

And hey, that whole spiel did exactly what it was meant to. [ it got her attention. ]

[bringmehome]

[ She leans her head on his shoulder since he has taken her hand. ]

Is this how we're going to get by until we find someplace to settle? Going place to place with only your charms to pay the way?

[grafts]

Unless you have a better idea. [ but he'll press a kiss to the top of her head. being tender isn't exactly natural to him, but it feels like it is with her. not that he'll stop teasing her. ]

Planning on making an honest man out of me?

[bringmehome]

[ Her nose scrunches about at the teasing and she turns her body so that she faces him, hands go to resting on his shoulders. ]

Ever since I first saw you in the palace kitchen.

[grafts]

[ his lips curve into a smile, that teasing edge softening a little. ]

If anyone can do it, it's you. I'm pretty stubborn, though.

[bringmehome]

You think you can out-stubborn me. I used to climb trees to get away from having to wear frilly dresses that Olga got me.

[grafts]

I convinced you to come with us to Paris, didn't I? I think we're evenly matched.

[ except not. she's totally got a leg up on him. he just doesn't want to admit it. ]

[bringmehome]

Fine. You win this one. [ A leg up on him? Boy, she's got more than just a leg up on you. ] But like-minded people can still outwit one another.

[grafts]

Glad we're on the same page. [ shhh, he has an ego to maintain. she gives him a run for his money, though. ] It keeps life interesting. I wouldn't have it any other way.

[bringmehome]

[ She rolls her eyes, though smiling fondly. ] I wouldn't have it any other way, either. But you're aware that, just because I love you and want to marry you, that I'm still not going to go easy on you whenever you do something dumb. And I expect the same of you for me.

[grafts]

If you went easy on me, I'd start to think you were ill, Anya. [ but he sobers up, letting that smile soften. ] Don't worry. We'll make this work, I promise.

[bringmehome]

I know we will.

[ She puts her arms around him. ]

But just because we're going to get married doesn't mean we're going to sit around like spuds or whatever my old nursemaid used to call it. There's an entire world beyond Russia that I've always wanted to see, and I couldn't have picked a better partner even if I tried.

[grafts]

[ a laugh and he rests his hands on her hips. ]

Spuds? Really? There's no way we could just sit around. For one, I'm too restless for that. Two, the rest of the world doesn't know what it's missing having not seen you. We can't let it stay that way, right?

[bringmehome]

[ She wryly smiles. ]

Do we have to tell people that I'm the Grand Duchess? I just want to be Anya for a little while longer.

[grafts]

We don't ever have to tell them, if that's what you want. [ really, he means it. while her title might get them some perks, it probably wouldn't be a fun fuss to go through often. ]

Any idea where you want to go first?

[bringmehome]

Anywhere. I want to see Notre Dame. The English Queen's palace. But we'll end in America.

[ She's heard about the opportunities and she and Dimitri could probably make an entire new life in the states. ] I hear there's opportunity over there.

[grafts]

Doable, very doable. America won't know what hit them. [ he's back to grinning, easy and boyish. ]

[bringmehome]

I'm going to have to pick up stitching again. Apparently its a useful skill in America's job market. [ Which is a bummer, because she never liked stitching and could never sit still long enough to learn the skill properly, anyways. ]

[seethelanterns]

You sound like Flynn. [He has the same ego, at least. That same confidence. She wonders if this Dimitri has a 'smoulder' as well.]

[grafts]

I'll take that as a compliment since you sound kinda fond of this Flynn guy. [ nope, no smoulder, but he handles dynamite pretty well. ]

.

[seethelanterns]

Well, I think he likes me? And....I like him too. [Dynamite. You never know when it might come in handy. Or a frying pan.] But, my mun is thrilled to see you here, says it has been years since she saw your movie when she had the video.

[grafts]

You "think"? Maybe you should ask him, see what he says. [ it's almost a boyish jab, but he's being nosy. though, he doesn't mean it in a rude way not on purpose, anyway. ] I have to say, your mun has good taste. Mine's riding some sort of nostalgia wave herself.

[seethelanterns]

I guess I could. [Well, she is pretty sure Eugene likes her, or has come to start to at least a little, since the campfire.] She's now wanting to see about getting it on DVD or blu ray to watch it again. Even if she says it isn't...historically accurate.

[grafts]

Couldn't hurt, right? [ dimitri probably shouldn't give love advice, because seriously. ] Yeah? She should. "Historically accurate" is for schmucks.

[ he's biased, obviously. ]

[seethelanterns]

[Well, technically she knows it could, knows perhaps there is a chance she is wrong but she is trying to ignore that possibility.] I guess not. And she is probably just grateful for the movie in sparking her interest in the Romanovs and history in general, or at least reinforcing it.

[grafts]

[ ahhh, hm. he pauses at that, scratching his chin in mock thought. ] Anya does seem to have that effect on people.

[seethelanterns]

Really now?

[grafts]

She's got this irresistible spark. [ a shrug! so maybe he doesn't realize he's crooning about her. ]

[seethelanterns]

[Yeah, she can tell, and it amuses her. But she doesn't mind.]

She seems pretty amazing. I'd like to meet her myself sometime.