abraxaslogs | [ CLOSED ] the dawn is opening

[ Here Claude might be tempted to offer a roll of his eyes but considering he's not yet fully withdrawn his leg yet, instead he gives Sylvain's chair a light playful shove with his foot like there's any chance he could actually push it over. If anything it's more of a warning tap, both from amusement and a lack of any actual malice behind the action. ]

No? No questions at all, huh. I'm surprised you didn't invent some just for the sake of it.

[ Because that sounds like a very Sylvain to do (not to mention, a very Claude thing to do) for the sake of being difficult and/or entertainment's sake. As he sits back in his own chair it's then he notices the leg extended in return, something he eases around comfortably in another continuation of the various ways they've spent tangled up around each other over the past year. It's fitting, he thinks, though he discards the thought there to raise an eyebrow while reaching to bring his ale towards him. ]

And wait a minute, are you saying I missed out on that a year ago? And you just let me sleep on the floor instead? I see how it is.

Technically, the whole ‘naked-dip-in-the-pool’ bit came before I ran into you here. But I don’t see anyone saying we can’t do it differently this time around. Besides. I think my version has way more promise of a fun time. As is typically the case.

Besides. [ He adds as he nudges Claude’s knee with his own, his leg still snugly tucked in place between the man’s thighs. He lifts the tankard to take another swallow before continuing. ] I seem to recall offering to share the bed. You were the one who insisted on being a gentleman. Pffft.

[ Oh - right. The Summoning pool gets a brief wrinkling of his nose considering he was happier forgetting that ever existed even with the reminders of it every time there's a new face around the inn. Now that he's thinking about it - other than one of the spas, it's hard to picture a pool of water hanging out around the desert when it's in the hottest part of the year like now.

Claude offers a hum of acknowledgement while taking another drink though whether it's for how fun Sylvain would've made any dip in a pool (something he doesn't doubt) or the nudge is hard to say. Nothing further comes to clarify it save idling tucking one leg back without dislodging Sylvain's leg to hook a foot around the other man's ankle for the added contact. ]

I can't believe you just passed up an opportunity to make fun of me for not sleeping. [ That's his first proclamation as he puts the tankard down given that Sylvain knows it wasn't for reasons involving any kind of gentlemanly behavior. He's not interested in going over that yet again, so humor's the right option as a redirection. ] Besides, maybe I did that just because I thought I'd be kicking you out of my room the next night. Little did I know that it'd turn out you'd never leave.

[ Far from a real complaint despite as pained as he makes it sound, though maybe it's also useful for hiding what Claude knows would be far too much affection otherwise. ]

I’m sure you will give me plenty of opportunities to make fun of you before the night’s out.

[ Said cheerfully enough, even though he’s always careful about teasing Claude too much about his insomniac habits. Never wanted him to look too closely at why that bothered him less on some nights than others. Far easier to pick one of the myriad of other quirks and foibles to poke at. Like his mountain of books or the state of his room or his obsessive collection of things that could kill people slowly and painfully. You know, harmless fun like that.

But he takes a moment to play at mock hurt, his lips tugging down in a pout at the insinuation. ]

Are you saying you haven’t enjoyed my company all this time? Who else would have stuck around so long to make sure you didn’t trip over a mountain of books and break your neck in the middle of the night. Or starve. Or do laundry on any sort of a regular schedule. Honestly, I’m a little concerned about how you even survived until I got here.

[ The urge to roll his eyes is strong, but Claude manages to persevere and resist it. It surfaces again when Sylvain plays at being mortally wounded by any of that even if it's also part of their routine of never quite saying the truth in what they mean. Something that's nice to joke about considering they're both well aware the other is doing it at just about any time, and something which means it's all the easier to continue on with it at any given moment. ]

Hm. That makes it sound a little more like you're my retainer than I'm pretty sure you meant it to be.

[ Not that it counts for much, considering while he's sure some might consider Hilda his retainer, it's not like he'd ever expected her to do any of that even as he'll willingly give her the credit she well deserves for making sure he'd eaten, slept, any number of things during the war. Saying as much would complicate this when it's another way to tease and one he intends to prod at for as long as he can. ]

Or some sort of devoted knight at the least since I think there's plenty of books about just that. I'll have you know I made it through just fine while I was all by my lonesome, though it would've been an entirely different experience without you here.

[ There’s a momentary pause as something flickers briefly through his gaze, but then he’s grinning again, offering the man a playful shrug and spreading his hands wide, as if to protest his innocence here. ]

Well. I have had a lot of practice at that, being Faerghan and all that. Both at the retainer and the devoted knight role, in fact.

[ But he just nods along to the latter part, as if that statement was obvious. ]

I know, I know, your life would be utterly empty and boring without me. You’re welcome.

[ Though he'd reached again for his drink to turn it in place to burn off a bit of restlessness, Claude stops to pause afterwards to add some other nonsense line about something or other. What that really means is he catches that shadow passing over Sylvain's face even though it's artfully swept away like it was never there at all and a grin's tugged into place over top of it. Maybe it'd fool most people, but he's had several months to absorb the ways Sylvain conceals something. Well - over a year now, since that's the point of being here.

It's possible he's poked at something he didn't mean to when Fodlan feels so distant even in the ways it continues to place weight over all of them. It's yet another thread in the tapestry comprising everything that makes up the man sitting across from him, but one he'll trace through the bigger picture some other time. That next proclamation which has one corner of his mouth twitching in a suppressed amused smile. ]

Is this the part where I'm supposed to say thank you?

[ Even if Sylvain had already prompted past that, it's close enough. Enough for Claude to sit up from his chair to lean forward like he's contemplating leaning across the table in slow motion. He could, but instead he stops where he is when halfway there. ]

I suppose you might have a point about it in there. Something along the lines of what you said, since I can't argue with that. For now, since we'll see if that holds out over the night.

[ One might almost think he was simply trying to wind Sylvain up a bit from how casually that's said. Maybe that's all it would be, if it wasn't for also being a convenient way to hide a truth within the words. ]

I’m sure you’ll think of some way to argue about it.

[ It’s one of Claude’s best skillsets, after all. Even if the other man wouldn’t agree with him. Maybe. Nah, he would do whatever the opposite of what Sylvain expected of him, just to be difficult anyway.

He doesn’t know how that became Their Thing, but it’s totally Their Thing.

…they should really work on getting a better Thing. ]

But that still won’t make me wrong.

[ That's enough to illicit a laugh from Claude as he sits back again, whatever moment of a supposed standoff there over nearly in the same instant it started since it's too difficult to keep up. Too easy to slide back into amusement, too easy to be cheerful instead - and genuinely so in ways which haven't escaped his notice even in the name of being difficult to make Sylvain work for whatever it was spawning the difficulty.

Keeping that up when they're sitting here in the inn after what'd taken place a year ago - well. That makes it even more nonsensical even if sentimentality's been hidden throughout all those words rather than said openly since their arrival. ]

That's a bold proclamation. [ As if it's not one Claude's made before himself, as if it's only he wouldn't make now if the right moment came up for it - ] Hm. I'll consider it if you want to give some more reasons for why you aren't. Or maybe they'll come to you over the night since I won't give you a time limit of until we leave the inn or anything... this time.

[ Is he kidding? Who knows, but Claude merely grins and goes back to turning his glass in place like he'd meant to before. ]

I don't mind being bold when I know I'm right.

[ Sylvain's grin is plenty self-assured as he keeps his gaze on Claude's, amused and fond as he props his arms on the table and leans forward on them a bit. It makes his arms strain a bit around the snug sleeves of his shirt, but he's too busy pursuing his next avenue of teasing - the verbal kind - to realize it. ]

I'm not sure which part you expect me to deny at this point. Being your glorified housemaid and babysitter, or the fact that you'd be utterly bereft without me. Because I'm pretty sure both of those are true. One would think you'd be trying to think up reasons for why I'm not. Unless you're just surrendering to the inevitable from the start.

[ Well. He's mostly resisted enough that giving into an eye roll where Sylvain can now see it feels correct, even if it also feels a bit like giving into that teasing. Claude's not trying all that hard to resist it regardless which is likely apparent in the appreciative flick of his gaze over those arms. Whether Sylvain intended for that to happen or not, it certainly worked, though it'll take more than that alone to distract him. ]

Please, I never surrender to anything. Maybe I'm simply waiting for the right opportunity to strike to throw you off. Is it working?

[ Though it wouldn't be properly teasing if it wasn't for a follow up to that even if he might be slightly losing the point of whatever he'd started here, and so - ]

It must be. Otherwise you wouldn't be trying to use your arms against me right now.

[ Sylvain blinks at him a moment before glancing down at his arms, because he really hadn’t been doing that on purpose, but hey. He’ll take any advantage he can get. ]

Is that what you think I was doing? Please. I’m pretty sure we’d both be very aware of it if were actually using my arms against you right now.

[ They both knew what that looked like. Vividly. And in great detail. ]

Besides. Pretty sure that’s one of the things Mags would definitely kick us out over.

[ The blink tells him all he needs to know, and Claude's already put two and two together before Sylvain confirms it. That's all the more cause for a reason to hide a smile in his drink - something else that's become a habit more often than not over the past year - before responding. ]

Hey now, I didn't say I didn't appreciate what little I get to see here. Should I be thinking of this as a preview for later, then?

[ Is there an innocent way to ask that? Not really, but Claude's aiming for it anyway simply because he knows it'll entertain Sylvain in return. ]

Wouldn't want to anger Mags, after all, but maybe I can hang in there from knowing whether that's a promise or a threat.

[ Or whatever - since it goes without saying whatever 'threat' there is in arms behind used against him when it comes to this is something he'll enjoy. ]

What if it’s a promise and a threat?

[ Offered playfully enough, because Claude would never take any threat from him seriously at this point and time. Or if Sylvain intended it as a threat, it would only be for something they both thoroughly enjoyed. ]

Although I don’t know why you’re asking me about a preview. This whole night is your setup, after all. Don’t you have “later” planned out already?

Oh, you're right.

[ Said like this has just occurred to him with that supposed reminder from Sylvain, and that 'remembering' wipes any other expression from his face. It's a practiced move of Claude's, what with shifting between one look to another in an instant to project whatever feeling he wanted.

This particular one is something like innocence that someone who was just lightly corrected might put on like there's some element of chagrin here, all because - ]

I planned this to be just like that very first night, so guess that means you'll be sleeping in a bed by yourself with your clothes on after all.

[ He leans back in his chair, fingertips tapping at his chin, as if he’s thinking backwards to recall something. ]

Actually. I’m not sure there were many clothes involved. Unless you were speaking of yourself, of course. But you know I don’t like to wear all that much to bed. Even if it was your bed at the time…

That's even worse that you made me sleep on the floor if that was the case.

[ Because now it's morphing into Sylvain's fault with that revelation, even if Claude was perfectly happy occupying himself with any number of his equally high numbered books while the other man slept off that confusing first handful of days. Given what he knows now, though, he'd pretend to be mock offended, but that also just opens the door for something else. ]

So what you're really saying is that's going to be part of tonight's reenactment then, right? Given that you don't like to wear much whether it's summer or otherwise, for consistency's sake.

‘Make you’, as if we hadn’t already established that all was your stubbornness and none of my non-existent prudishness. If you didn’t want to take me up on my very obvious invitations, it was hardly my fault.

[ He waves his hand around to accompany the flippant comment, shaking his head. ]

It was clearly your loss, don’t try and pawn that off on me. One can only hope you’ve learned better in the year since and won’t leave me so lonely up there this time around.

I hardly think it was stubborn. But if you're saying you want to see stubborn, I can arrange for that.

[ It's not at all what Sylvain meant and the grin on his face is proof he knows it since that's something he doesn't bother to hide. That doesn't even qualify as a threat even in the name of playfulness considering it's difficult for him to think of reasons that might even happen. Or, well - reasons it legitimately might happen instead of something like this. ]

And I suppose my answer to that depends on what it is, exactly, you plan on trying this time around. Something more elaborate than before? You've had a year to think about it, after all.

Do you ever stop being stubborn?

[ That might have sounded a little more taunting… if Sylvain’s tone hadn’t been so full of fond affection. But there’s playful humor still dancing in his gaze as he props his chin in his palm and grins at the man across from him. ]

Oh, trust me. I’ve thought up a lot over the past year. So much so that sometimes I’m not even sure where to start first.

Wouldn't you like to know?

[ Is that showcasing the stubbornness with an entirely unserious question fired right back? Maybe. But Sylvain likely doesn't expect anything less by having asked in the first place, so that's all the more reason to hide yet another smile by taking a drink before following that with a raised eyebrow as he sets it back down onto the tabletop. Because that is intriguing - something else he knows Sylvain meant it to be in an ever familiar way with which they tease each other with details of future plans not fully shared now and then all for the fun of it. ]

I think the saying goes something like taking one step at a time. [ Claude's making a point to say this loftily as if imparting great wisdom rather than yet another form of kidding - minus the part where he's not taking it seriously since 'a lot over the past year' is still holding his interest quite clearly. ] That's the best way to take on a plan since it certainly sounds like you have plenty.

Mmm, but some of them would go so well together, though.

[ Sylvain muses this aloud, tapping a fingertip against his chin as he appears to be considering a great number of options at his disposal right now. ]

Besides. You know I tend to be greedy. Why take one step when I can take three?

Are you expecting me to protest something that's going to benefit us both?

[ That's how that works, Claude's assuming, what with the mention of one step growing into something more exponential. Something he certainly doesn't mind considering they're rather good at that; there's certainly been any number of months which prove it on top of that.

Of course, that won't stop Claude from tapping a finger against his drink as if contemplating something to borrow that motion from Sylvain with a poorly suppressed smirk. ]

Because I think, by now, you know the answer to that is I won't.

Actually.

[ A finger gets waved in Claude’s general direction as Sylvain smirks across the table at him. ]

I expect you to protest everything. Just on principle. Whether it benefits anyone or not.

I wouldn't protest something that benefits me.

[ Whatever mirth had been on his face is quickly wiped away to look Very Serious and with eyes wide in a complete projection of innocence like he hasn't the faintest idea of what Sylvain's talking about. (He does.) ]

Really now, that doesn't sound like me at all! [ Just ignore that he's doing another form of it right now. It's fine. And in case that thought crosses Sylvain's mind, Claude also follows that up by leaning forward slightly over the table like he's about to impart a great secret. ] But maybe I'd protest less if you told me what any combination of the three things were. Still wishing you'd made me wear those boots much sooner than you did?

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject