abraxaslogs | maybe i'm a mess

Sorry.

[ It's a quiet apology murmured absently when he can feel Claude tense beneath him when he finds a particularly stubborn knot. His touch is careful but he remains thorough, working around it as he works to ease it loose.

He gives a quiet hum at that information, however, making note of it. Something that would be useful to have on hand - especially if this is successful at getting Claude to sleep. He doesn't mind employing a few tricks if it will help in the long run. ]

I'll have to keep an eye out for it, next time I'm in the marketplace. And I'll forgive you for not being a mind-reader. [ A pause, before he adds with a grin, ] This time, at least.

...Then again, you're already terrifyingly observant, we definitely don't want to add mind reading to your arsenal. We're already way too unfairly outmatched around here.

Even if I don't tell you what the jar looks like? That'd be an interesting scavenger hunt to send you on.

[ Good luck, Sylvain, because this is exactly what he's about to do if given the chance. There's a few offerings out there before the apothecaries get involved, but of those in the market? The ones that actually work as intended narrow down significantly from there.

He can figure that out later since now he's distracted by Sylvain offering forgiveness and then almost immediately taking it back which earns a deserved laugh. ]

Careful what you wish for since I don't think you rescinded that quickly enough. If the Singularity's listening, I might end up with that next. That'd be quite the range between stars at one end and knowing everyone's thoughts at the other, wouldn't it? Hopefully it comes with an off switch.

[ Claude's grinning mostly to himself because he's entertaining himself with a ridiculous thought which successfully distracted him from that knot loosening, but if he only had any idea. ]

Yeah, an off-switch sounds too convenient. There's no way the Singularity would be that accommodating.

[ His voice is dry, internally laughing at the irony of that statement. Even though, Goddess, if Claude ever does learn to read minds, he is well and truly fucked.

More than an off-switch, Sylvain had wished more that his ability had come with an instruction manual. Or maybe an interpretation key. Either one of those would be imminently more helpful as he'd stumbled his way through figuring it out. Even now, he's sure there's things he doesn't know how to do, but being able to focus it or tune out the background information he gets is a godsend in itself.

He hasn't realized he's fallen quiet again in deep thought while he works on Claude's tight muscles, letting clever fingers continue to work while his mind gets momentarily distracted. It's not an uncomfortable silence, but still. As he brings himself back in to focus, he can only hope Claude thinks he's concentrating on his hands and not where his comment had sent his thoughts. ]

What would you want as an ability from the Singularity, if you could ask for one? [ It's idle curiosity, but curiosity all the same. ]

[ Fortunately for Sylvain, Claude's too busy between the multitude of distractions including thinking through what even mind reading would look like should it actually function as its very literal title and the hands moving over him. Another chuckle leaves him when Sylvain voices exactly what he was thinking: it'd likely be more of a curse than any sort of help, wouldn't it? Talk about overwhelming. He'll settle for having to comb through his own endless thoughts without the help of anyone else's cluttering in there, too.

The silence is a comfortable one and one Claude doesn't even feel compelled to fill with anything else. He could attempt to keep distracting the other from his task - something that's not worked yet - but there's a quiet kind of simplicity in just being here enjoying each other's company. Something he'd noticed long ago on nights where they'd spent time reading separate books or working on other projects. It's nice. Really nice. Not enough to put him to sleep quite yet, but maybe a little closer. ]

You know, you're the second person to ask me that recently. [ That's stretching the truth a bit considering he'd asked Jayden that first, but it still counts (to Claude) considering he'd had to answer it. There's a few seconds of delay while he contemplates that then arrives at a decision. ] I said then that being able to make something just from tasting it might be nice. Convenient, if nothing else. I wouldn't mind being able to create portals like the ones to the other cities either. Oh, or to snap my fingers and have everything around the room go back to where it's supposed to be.

[ That last one might be entirely an attempt to make Sylvain laugh, and now it's only fair to turn it back around. ] What about you, what would you pick?

Think if I pray to the singularity really hard, I can convince it to give you that last one? If only for my own sanity.

[ There’s soft laughter in his voice at that, because their bickering over Claude’s frequent messes have become a habit by now. In that Claude is barely ever aware of having left things cluttered around him and Sylvain’s almost-compulsive need to pick up after him. At least he’s never going to have to worry about getting bored.

But he gives a quiet hum at that question, falling silent for several long moments as he continues to knead his way up Claude’s back. ]

A better memory might be nice. Being able to call up any fact I might have read or overheard at any given moment. Being able to preserve the image of a moment perfectly and recall every detail. Or healing, I guess - being better at it. I still don’t know nearly as much as the healers back home. Or maybe I can thwart all Hilda’s plans and make myself impervious to sunburn. That sounds useful.

Just for that, it's going to make it so that everything you straighten up goes right back to where it was before.

[ Since they're tempting the Singularity and all - Claude's kidding but also, he wouldn't be surprised if that was exactly how trying to petition for any kind of ability intervention went. The smile in his voice completely undoes any vague attempt at putting a note of foreboding into it as if they're invoking some unknown curse.

This time when Sylvain's hands traverse across a knot the shifting and slight murmur that results from him is more pleasurable than due to pain since this particular knot he was aware of while reading earlier. Too much sitting up reading without enough pillows to help, and it's a relief to be rid of it. Enjoyment's no distraction from listening to the other talk, and that last one gets another short laugh from him. ]

I think you should hope for the sunburn shield regardless with summer coming up. It'll be a whole different experience out in the desert then. [ One more small stretch in the name of helping with the massage as he thinks. ] The healing part - that you can do from being here if you want to when there's the academies you could take a few classes from. I sat in on a couple when I first got here and had nothing better to do.

[ A quiet snort at that. ] Yeah, that does sound more likely, doesn't it?

[ He can't help but smile at the stretch and the quiet sound Claude makes when he works the next knot loose, still taking special care and attention along every inch of his back. Honestly, he's loving the excuse to have his hands all over him just as much as he is to help relax him. He bends over him, trailing light kisses along the back of one shoulder as he leans into another knot. ]

You'd think someone around here would have already invented something like that, considering where we live. If not here, then maybe in Aquila.

I know they had some classes, but I was given the impression that they look more at medicine and new magic here, rather than the kind I'm more used to using for Healing. I talked to Jayce about it a little and I might hit him up for some more lessons. Or maybe Himeka, in the Horizon. Since transferring to Thorne to learn actual academic magic doesn't really sound like an appealing option.

[ Sylvain gets only a note hummed in acknowledgment since he doesn't think he has to agree in any other way to make it true. Besides that, the hands moving across him are more relaxing that he'd wanted to believe upon first stretching out. He should've known better, really.

An easy smile stretches across his face when lips move across his shoulder - a smile far too fond for the chance it might be seen after whenever Sylvain sits back up. He's tempted to reach up to run a hand through hair he knows is in reach, but that'd be too much shifting and might get him to pull back when the closeness is nice. Everything about this is nice. ]

Jayce is a good mage. [ Because he's remembered he's supposed to say something here after supposedly listening, though it takes his mind a second to replay everything said after getting distracted by all that affection. Maybe more than a little tiredness now, even if he's still trying to resist it. ] Kyle's learned a Faith spell thanks to the textbooks we put in the Horizon and we practiced it in Nocwich. You could always try that with Himeka.

[ Thorne was a joke and Claude knows it, but he's not entertaining that option even with a passing comment. There was something else he was going to add, but he might be trying to stifle a small yawn into one arm. Maybe it really is later than he thought. ]

[ He sees that yawn. Hears the sleepy pause before Claude remembers to answer him. He doesn't even bother to hide his victorious smirk, especially since he's pretty sure Claude's got his eyes closed anyway. He'll count it as a win that he got him this far, anyway.

But he does fall silent now, letting the heat from his hands and the oil sink in and lull Claude deeper as he works his way up to those broad shoulders finally, movements lightening here - just as thorough as he'd been on the rest of Claude's back but definitely softer now. Soothing. Intent on finishing what he'd started but also not draw Claude back out of the blissful state he'd been working him towards.

He's pretty sure, by the time he finishes, he should have Claude just on the brink of sleep, and from there, it should take very little to tip him over the edge. Although he keeps a close eye on him, just in case. ]

[ The silence really doesn't help him with the whole staying awake thing. By design, if he had to guess, but an effective one since doesn't interrupt the quiet either while Sylvain works which is all the better to enjoy those talented hands. Something he might make a joke about at any other point, but it'll have to be saved for then.

After a bit he opens his eyes - realizes he can't even remember shutting them, curiously, which is another sign this has been rather effective on him - and finally does tilt his head enough to see a sliver of Sylvain's profile. Even if he's closer than at the start of the massage, it's still not enough for what he wants. ]

C'mon. Lie down with me already, will you?

[ The reach he makes backwards in an attempt to grab onto whatever part of the other man he can to pull him forward is far from graceful and he knows it. That's not going to stop him from trying anyway with another insistent tug on wherever his fingers have latched onto. ]

[ He chuckles when Claude’s arm sluggishly reaches for him, finally withdrawing his hands and leaning over to wipe his hands off on a handkerchief on the nightstand.

Pausing to strip out of his own clothing at last, he folds them and leaves them on a chair to be dealt with in the morning before climbing into bed beside Claude and drawing the sheets up over them.

He no sooner settles before he’s reaching out to draw Claude in close against him, arms sliding about him as he leans in to press a kiss to his brow, not missing the yawns or how he can’t seem to keep his eyes open now. ]

Better?

Still maybe.

[ That's a protest in words only considering every other action is showing the truth that it's far past a maybe and firmly into a yes. It wouldn't be the same if he just outright agreed, would it? Never mind that when Sylvain pulls him closer he was already reaching to do the same, searching both consciously and not for a familiar comfort as his eyes fall shut yet again while resting against the other's shoulder.

But he doesn't want to sleep quite yet, even if tiredness is winning out with each passing second and the body heat next to him is exponentially increasing it, so he tilts his head back in an angle he's unconsciously memorized to press his lips to Sylvain's neck in a lingering kiss. ]

Thank you for this.

[ He tucks Claude in against his shoulder, shifting until they're both comfortable and settled. One hand finds it way up to card through Claude's hair slowly, even as he turns his head and brushes a fond kiss against his forehead. A smile lingers about his lips as he lets his own eyes close, soaking up the familiar comfort as well. ]

You don't have to thank me. Trust me, it wasn't all selfless. I appreciate a good excuse to get my hands all over you. [ Making light of it is more habit than anything else, even if he feels a faint flush of pleasure at the thanks. Not that he's ever been very good at accepting things like that. ]

You do have very talented hands.

[ He's too close to half asleep (or more) to make that sound like he's about to conduct some kind of playful appraisal, possibly put together a list spontaneous on the spot of a ranking of hands of all time, but that'll have to be saved for some other time as he settles back in with the kiss successfully left behind. A problem for later, maybe, like in the morning.

Secure flits through his mind again, but this time Claude realizes it's not the right word. The one he's looking for is safe with arms wrapped around him and the sigh that leaves him is somewhere between wistful and content as he presses into Sylvain's shoulder a bit more in the name of comfort. That's all. ]

I don't think you need much of an excuse at this point either, really.

[ That just gets a chuckle from him as he continues to card fingers soothingly through Claude's dark hair, letting his own eyes close as he relaxes himself. ]

Shhh. You'll want to rethink giving me permission like that when your brain starts working again. [ A soft laugh, as he presses another light kiss to Claude's forehead. ] But not tonight. Sleep, Claude. I've got you.

No, I won't.

[ It's partially mumbled but clear enough and happens immediately. Sort of, since it ends up being more delayed than Claude realizes and has the potential to sound like a response to not sleeping rather than any question about whether his brain is working. It is, is what he meant, but it's not the best clarification.

Maybe Sylvain will get it anyway since there's certainly no protest to the rest of it or anything else following. That's a line he's heard often lately - mostly because he's the one that's been saying it, but it's not lost on him that it's something else to have it turned back around on him. Words feel too far away now so he'll save some sort of better retort for later. Maybe.

It'll have to remain to be seen, since putting his guards down enough to trust Sylvain means it, that he'll keep watch like all those times before, that feeling of safety almost as warm as the arms around him - it's enough to let go of what small shreds of consciousness he has left little by little until there's none left at all. ]

maybe i'm a mess

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