#ler!dimitri

"Good afternoon, Annette. Done... what again?" he asked, setting the hawk on his perch and removing the glove.

"I've baked something new!" she said with a flourish, setting the basket down on the table beside him and whipping the cloth off like someone revealing treasure. Inside sat a neat pile of little pastries, golden brown and swirled with frosting. "These are cinnamon twirls, but with a little magical enhancement. Not dangerous, I promise! It's just, you know, supposed to boost your stamina and senses. Which you could probably use with all that training you do, right?"

Dimitri chuckled softly. "That is thoughtful of you. You needn't trouble yourself, but I would be honored to try one."

He reached for one of the twirls, the frosting glistening faintly with a magical shimmer that suggested Annette had indeed put her spells where her mouth was.

Annette plopped into the seat next to him, beaming as she watched. "Whenever you're ready! I stayed up half the night testing the recipe. Baking is all about precision, Your Highness, and believe me, I had to measure every grain of cinnamon just so. Too much, and it throws off the ratio with the sugar, and then-"

Dimitri nodded politely, already taking a bite, though Annette's... rapid-fire enthusiasm was clearly several steps beyond his experience. The pastry was warm, flaky, and sweet. Dimitri chewed thoughtfully, then swallowed with a small smile. "It is delicious, Annette. You have a true talent."

Her face lit up. "Really? Oh, I was so worried I'd overmixed the dough. If you knead too much, it gets tough, but if you don't knead enough, it falls apart! And then there's the proofing stage, which is an entire ordeal. Honestly, if people think baking is just throwing things into an oven, they've never-"

Dimitri suppressed a laugh, not at her words but at the sheer fire in her eyes as she launched into another tirade about yeast and flour. He had never baked a thing in his life, but her joy was... infectious.

"-and I thought, maybe if I just add a dash of Rune of Vitality in the butter, it'll give the pastry a little kick, you know? I mean, what is even the point of studying magic if you can't make your desserts more fun? That's what I think, anyway. Don't you agree, Your Highness?"

"I... suppose so," Dimitri said carefully. His shoulders shifted, and he frowned faintly. A strange tingling sensation ran down his arm where his sleeve brushed against the table's edge. He adjusted, trying to ignore it, but then Annette leaned across to poke curiously at his plate, and her knuckle accidentally brushed his side.

Dimitri jolted like he'd been struck with static.

"Your Highness?" Annette blinked. "Did I shock you? Or... oh, no, I didn't mess up the rune layering again, did I?"

"N-no, it's nothing," he assured her quickly, but when he reached to set down his fork, his elbow poked into his side, and he flinched again, suppressing an odd laugh.

Annette's eyes narrowed in curiosity. "W-wait a second." She furrowed her brows and then very gently poked his ribs.

The strangled chuckle that escaped him was entirely out of place for the stoic crown prince.

Annette gasped. "Oh my goodness. I think... Did I just make you ticklish?"

"Annette," Dimitri said firmly, though he was already getting red in the face. "I assure you, it must be some temporary... side effect."

Her grin spread ear to ear. "Side effect," she breathed. "That's amazing! I didn't even know magic could do that! Oh, I have to write this down! No, wait, actually-" She leaned forward with suspiciously eager hands. "I need to test it more thoroughly."

"T-test-? Annette, that is wholly unnecessary-"

Too late. Annette's fingers darted forward, brushing lightly against his side again. Dimitri barked out a laugh before he could stop himself, jerking back with surprising clumsiness for someone usually so composed.

"Annehehette! Plehehease compohohohose youhurself!"

"You're telling me to compose myself? You're the one laughing like- Oh, this is too good!!" She was giggling herself now, delighted by his uncharacteristic reaction. She poked his shoulder, then his arm, watching in wonder as every touch sent him into helpless squirms.

Dimitri tried desperately to maintain dignity, clamping his jaw shut even as laughter shook his chest. "ThiHihist Ihihis... uhuhunbehecoming of a prihihince-!"

"This is adorable, Your Highness!" Annette cooed, scooting closer to skitter her fingers along his forearm. He snorted, tugging away, but his big frame had nowhere to go in the narrow courtyard corner. "You're always so serious and all, but now... well, look at you!"

"Ihihihi... assuhuhuhure youhuhu..." Dimitri gasped between giggles, "...thihihis ihihis nohohot... tyhyhypical!"

"Of course it isn't! It's special!" Annette beamed at him, her hands hovering mischievously as though ready to pounce again. "I mean, who knew my baking could make the Crown Prince himself laugh? I'm writing this down as my greatest achievement ever!"

Dimitri buried his face in one hand, shoulders shaking, torn between embarrassment and amusement. "Annehehette... youuhuhu ahare incohorrigible."

"And you," she replied brightly, "are ticklish! At least, until the magic wears off."

She wiggled her fingers threateningly, and Dimitri groaned, half-laugh and half-plea, realizing there was no escape from her cheerful "research."

Annette was practically bouncing in her chair, her hands twitching with unspent energy as Dimitri sat there valiantly trying to compose himself. Every time she so much as shifted, his posture stiffened like a man staring down an enemy cavalry charge.

"Your Highness," she said sweetly, drawing out the syllables, "you really should sit still. For research purposes."

"I will not sit still to be tormented," Dimitri answered, managing to sound every inch the noble prince despite his ears burning red.

She giggled and lunged anyway, her small fingers diving toward his side. Dimitri twisted away, but she was faster than he gave her credit for. Her fingertips grazed the curve of his ribs, and he broke into helpless laughter all over again.

"AnnEhehEHheHETTE!! AnnEhehEHEHETte mehEHEheRcy!!"

"No mercy! For the sake of culinary advancement!" she cried, delighted.

Her hands darted higher, brushing along his neck. Dimitri practically folded in half, laughter bubbling from him like water escaping a cracked dam. His hand flew up instinctively to shield himself, but she was relentless, her cheerful determination overwhelming his knightly defenses.

"Hm... You're really not used to laughing, are you?" Annette teased, blinking as she noticed the way he struggled to fight it back even while his body betrayed him. "That's so sad, Your Highness! Everyone deserves to laugh once in a while!"

He tried to answer, but the only sound that came out was another string of laughs. Annette slowed her attack, smiling softly despite her victory. "See? That wasn't so bad, was it? You don't have to be so serious all the time, you know. Even big, scary princes can laugh sometimes! Like, what if someone tells you a funny joke? Or your friend sneezes in a silly way? It's a valuable habit, laughing. It's the best medicine, I think."

Dimitri, catching his breath, rubbed his face with both hands, shoulders shaking. "...Ihi fear... you have discovered something terrible."

"And I plan to use it!" Annette said proudly, readying her hands again.

Annette pounced once more, but this time Dimitri braced himself. She poked his ribs, waiting for the usual burst of laughter, only to find he didn't even flinch.

She blinked. "H-huh?"

The prince slowly lowered his hands from his face, his expression almost too calm. "Annette," he said gravely, though the corner of his mouth twitched. "It seems... the effect has worn off."

Her eyes went wide, and she gulped. "Uh oh."

In a single smooth motion, Dimitri reached out and caught her wrists. Annette squeaked as he gently but firmly tugged her toward him. "Now," he murmured, leaning in just enough for his shadow to loom, "a true knight cannot allow a lady to bully him endlessly without reprisal."

"W-wait, no fair! Y-you were the test subject!" she protested, but her squeal turned into laughter as Dimitri's gloved fingers found her tummy. He was mercifully restrained, just a few light squeezes, enough to make her wriggle and giggle uncontrollably. "Y-YouHuhUhUr HIhIhIHighness!! ThiHIhis ihihis- EheehEK-! UhUhuNbehehecohohoming of youhUhuhu!" she laughed, kicking her feet.

"Perhaps," Dimitri said, eyes soft with amusement. "But you yourself claimed that even princes should laugh. Surely the same applies to diligent magicians?"

"D-DihihihihIligehehent pahahahastry chehehehfs!" she corrected, squirming in his grasp. "Ahahand youhuhuh're teheheherrible fohohor tuhuhurning ihihit bahahack on mehehehehee!!"

Dimitri chuckled, letting her go at last. Annette collapsed back onto the bench, still laughing breathlessly. After a moment, she sat up, brushing her bangs from her flushed face. "W-wohow... okahay, I admit, I kihinda deserved that."

Dimitri smiled faintly, the warmth in his eyes gentler than the laughter had been. "You... once told me you saw me as a big brother. I believe I understand that sentiment a little better now."

She blinked at him, then beamed, catching her breath. "Yeah! And you bullied me like a big brother would, too!"

"Bullied?" Dimitri repeated, feigning offense. "That was the lightest retaliation imaginable. You left me at your mercy for quite some time."

"Fine, fine," Annette said, waving her hands dramatically. "We'll call it even. But next time I bake, you'd better watch out. You never know what the side effects will be next time!"

He laughed quietly at that, shaking his head. "I'll consider myself warned."

For a moment, silence stretched between them, comfortable and warm. The air smelled faintly of cinnamon, and the sun filtered through the greenhouse glass, casting golden light across the table.

"Thank you, Annette," Dimitri said at last.

"For what?"

"For the pastry. For... the laughter. For reminding me that there's joy to be had in small moments." His gaze softened, and for an instant, he looked far younger than the crown prince she knew.

Annette's smile gentled. "You're welcome, Your Highness. Just... let me know if you ever need more of that joy, okay? I'll be right here. With sugar, and just enough cinnamon."

He chuckled again, a sound less forced than before. "I'll hold you to that."

They rose together, Dimitri walking back toward his hawk, and Annette beginning to take the basket of twirls.

"I suppose I ought to take these back. It would be kind of a hindrance in battle, right?"

"No-!" He turned a little too quickly, extending an arm to her.

She tilted her head a little in confusion, and an awkward silence filled the greenhouse.

He cleared his throat, a little embarrassed, and stood upright, looking off to the side as he spoke in a lowered voice, "They tasted really good, Annette-"

Annette immediately smiled again and nodded. "Certainly! I'll just leave them here for you then!"