abraxaslogs | [ CLOSED ] the dawn is opening

I certainly don’t have any complaints.

[ He’d almost forgotten that ‘near miss’ in Nocwich, actually, although now he adopts a faint pout over it. Leaning back in his chair, he casts his gaze towards the rafters as he gives a thoughtful hum, recalling. ]

I suppose Nocwich can be blamed on me, however. I chickened out at the last moment. Like four times.

Four times, huh.

[ The grin's disappeared but left a smile behind playing about the corners of his mouth as he considers that pout. He could tease Sylvain about it much as he always would, and the temptation's certainly there, but - a sliver of honesty might not be the worst thing to substitute in instead. ]

I suppose it probably helps we were evenly matched in that, then. Even if it means we're responsible for making it not one but multiple near misses after all, but close enough.

[ Sylvain arches an eyebrow at this unexpected honesty and then grins impishly as he props his chin in his palm and regards Claude with intense speculation. ]

So just how long were you pining for me, then?

[ Claude's immediate response is to arch one eyebrow and then after a pause of a couple seconds, to arch the other right after. All the better for his supposed scandalization going on here, minus that it's completely undermined by also looking entirely too entertained by that question, that propped chin, and the supposed speculation. ]

You can't possibly expect me to answer such a thing just like that. Better yet, how about this: you name a number, and I'll consider telling you if it's close.

[ No promises on anything, after all. ]

[ He just gives an indulgent-sounding sigh, wiggling his fingers at Claude’s put-on scandalized expression. ]

It’s okay. You can admit it was love at first sight. I promise I won’t tell anyone.

That's not a number, Gautier.

[ He'll match that sigh as well like there's Some Disappointment here (there isn't) and that he's put out by Sylvain choosing to play along in a different way (he's not). Along with it Claude lets go of his drink to twirl a couple of fingers as if to say, go on. ]

I bet you can name one if you wanted to. C'mon, entertain us both.

[ His lower lip juts out slightly in a faint hint of a sulky pout at the denial. ]

The number was implied, since I assume you do know how to count. Besides. That number is different for you than it is for me anyway. They’re not going to match.

[ You’ve still got a year on him, Riegan.

That’s also very much implying Claude’s been pining since before Abraxas as well. ]

[ A flash of a smirk crosses his face despite the acts they're both putting on here before it fades out to looking pensive. Claude lets more than a few beats go by just to further the illusion he's giving something deep thought. ]

I have always struggled with numbers.

[ A deeply facetious proclamation for the sole purpose of entertaining Sylvain since there's nothing believable about any of that combination of words coming out of his mouth, what with multitudes of evidence to prove otherwise. All of it helps serve as a cover for contemplating whether to pull upon the thread of something else offered to see what, if anything, it might unravel. After a sip of his drink, Claude decides to do just that. ]

Sounds a lot like you're expecting them not to match. Which makes me all the more curious about what it is you have in mind since you clearly have something leading up to four near misses.

You know.

[ Sylvain just reaches for his tankard again, peering down into the amber liquid as if it holds the secret to the best answer to give here. ]

Since you’re so bad with numbers anyway, maybe I’ll just decline to answer. Besides. I asked it first and you’ve yet to answer me, so perhaps I’ll just keep these cards close to my chest for now.

Looks like we have ourselves a regular little mystery here, then.

[ With a grin again since - as Sylvain's noted, Claude's not willing to reveal his own answer without getting one first even if that's really not how that round of questioning is supposed to go. What he's about to say will surely come as no surprise then, either. ]

I vote we keep it that way. Think of it as some added intrigue even after all this time, what with a whole year having gone by to just stretch that time you've been pining for out even longer.

[ A beat, and then - ]

It's certainly still been a year worth looking back on, at any rate.

[ For the briefest of moments, Sylvain’s expression softens as he stares down into his ale, swirling the liquid around in his tankard before flitting an almost hesitant gaze across the table at the man with him. ]

Full of regrets yet?

[ His lips quirk crookedly, sardonic humor layered in his tone, his expression carefully bemused. ]

About the drink I ordered? Absolutely, since while this ale is still fine it's not the best one here by far as we know now from sampling them all. Maybe I shouldn't have stuck that close to memory.

[ He hasn't missed that the question asked isn't, in fact, about ale, or their surroundings, or anything else he could attribute it to or for in the sake of keeping things light. Nor is it a joke meant as an evasion but more to fill a space to consider what it is Sylvain isn't telling him in there by way of asking something indirectly, or what feels like it. Claude had followed that up frowning down at his drink as if seriously offended by his own choice though in looking up a second later it's with a grin to meet the look on Sylvain's face. ]

But about the rest of it? No, I can't say I am.

[ Claude’s immediate reply carries on the humor he’d started and, well… he had no one to blame for that but himself, didn’t he?

It doesn’t keep his heart from dropping somewhere down into the depths of his stomach anyway. Still, he laughs, a wry chuckle, fingers tightening momentarily around his tankard as he tries to shove off the automatic sinking of disappointment all the same.

What had he expected, really? And why had he let himself expect anything to begin with? He knew better than that.

He doesn’t know what his face is doing when Claude glances up to finish his thoughts, but he doesn’t think he’s managed to convincingly match it to his chuckle as well as he’d hoped. ]

Well, then I can’t be doing all that badly, then. Or your memory’s just getting faultier in your old age.

[ Better to keep the topic light, then. Like always. Nostalgia or not, he doesn’t want to ruin Claude’s efforts at a celebration for the evening. Two friends celebrating a milestone reunion, and all that came after. It’s a dance he can bluff his way through well enough, at least. Claude makes it easy, as he does most things. ]

Or maybe that ale is more potent than you realized.

Just remember that every time you call me old you're really calling yourself old since you're still older. Not even the Singularity's sparing you from that one.

[ There was no way he wasn't going to latch onto that immediately, much of a call back to their friendly squabbling as it is and what with his birthday being all of a month ago. Call it another version of that while he puzzles through the rest of Sylvain's reaction.

It's that time spent together on top of years spent watching people to be able to read them which tells him something is out of sync between how Sylvain's reacting outwardly versus whatever it is on the inside. But what the inside could be - that's the part which feels like a totally unknown variable for why something about that answer so clearly hit wrong. It wasn't as hidden as Sylvain meant it to be, Claude thinks. ]

Maybe the ale's secretly taking us both out in revenge for my casting aspersions upon it. Even if it is, that still doesn't change my answer about not regretting the rest.

Please. I age like a fine wine.

[ Considering Hilda’s hilarious reaction when he’d adopted a Lorenz impression as a distraction technique, he figures it can’t go wrong here, complete with an upturned nose and disdainful sniff.

But it’s quick to melt into a cheeky grin a moment later as he sets his tankard back down on the tabletop, making a face. ]

…Which this is most certainty not. Goddess. Maybe my memory is faulty, I don’t remember it tasting this bad. Maybe Mags is the one getting revenge here.

I think admitting you age well is still the same as calling yourself old in the process.

[ Claude grins shamelessly, endlessly pleased as always to have found what feels like a loophole he can use to continue teasing Sylvain. For the sake of it, and not at all because he disagrees about the fine aging part.

It feels extra fitting after that impression of a certain noble which couldn't be mistaken for anyone else on the topic of snobbery or something adjacent. Something he's certainly entertained by even while taking another drink of the thoroughly slandered ale. ]

Well, she might be considering she has us back to cause trouble for the night. Though we don't have to stay here for too long since, [ with a casual shrug of one shoulder, ] following along with the whole night as we knew it isn't terribly exciting, and I do have some other places in mind.

Well. We’ve established that you’re allowed to be wrong every once in a while, so I’ll let it go this time.

[ Maintaining that snooty impression for one more reply, he lets it go for good with a laugh. Especially since Claude’s followup comment has him arching an eyebrow in surprise as he drains the last of his ale and leans back in his chair. ]

Wait, you planned more?

[ Rather than giving that a signature eye roll as much as he's tempted to do, Claude stays in the spirit of Lorenz mockery and offers up a very particular scoff. It'd be more effective with the handwave that usually went with it to dismiss whatever utter nonsense was said, but Sylvain will probably get that effect regardless.

Dwelling on anything Lorenz related is less entertaining than capitalizing on the surprise of the man in front of him, after all. ]

What, you thought I was just going to leave it at bringing you to somewhere we always go, let alone used to live? Now I'm insulted. [ Said insult is assuaged by Claude finishing his own drink even as he sets the now empty glass down with a deeply pained look. ] Who do you think I am, Gautier? I always have a hundred plans to go with everything.

[ Sylvain arches an eyebrow to regard this show with a mixture of curiosity, amusement and skepticism. But then he just breaks into a grin as he sets his empty tankard back on the table and jabs a finger in Claude’s direction. ]

If any of those plans involve a horse-sized scorpion, I’m out.

Then I guess you'll just have to follow me and find out if they do.

[ Claude's already sliding out of his seat while speaking since - what better way to talk about the potential of plans than while dangling them (sort of) right in front of Sylvain's face? In actuality there's no scorpions involved in any part at any time aside from there being some figurine if he can find one in the markets to gift as yet another tease, but he's happy to play along with it like so many other things they do.

All of those things adding up to a far greater sum of being happy around Sylvain ways he couldn't have accounted for months ago, and yet here they are as he holds out a hand for the other to take it. ]

Besides, you said a scorpion and nothing about if there's scorpions plural, so I'm holding onto that loophole.

[ For a moment, Sylvain doesn’t move. Just gives that outstretched hand a suspicious look, as if he’s half expecting Claude to just pull a scorpion out of nowhere on him, just because he can.

Actually, he wouldn’t put that past him. Just for dramatic effect. The troll.

But then he just gives a long-suffering sigh, putting his hand in Claude’s and letting the other man haul him to his feet. ]

You’re a terrible person. Remind me why I like you so much again?

Oh, I can think of a few reasons why. But I think I'd rather have you say them since that's the point of flattery, right?

[ Yes, he'll take that as a chance to supposedly inflate his own ego rather than responding to the teasing question and sigh, though the latter gets a slight quirk of a smile out of Claude briefly before he goes back to the smirk that better matches all those statements. With a wave to Mag on their way out, they're on their way down the street towards another destination he's going to choose to not reveal yet, because of course he isn't. ]

I won't even blindfold you this time since that's just how nice I am, though I might make you guess just to entertain myself.

[ Which - probably goes without saying. ]

You need more flattery about as much as Hilda needs a new hat.

[ Not including the one he almost flung off the roof. That had been an accident. Totally.

His hand is still tucked in Claude’s, even as they head out of the tavern and down the street. To whatever surprise Claude has planned next. Because they have a direction, but Sylvain can think of half a dozen places in this direction and isn’t sure which one would have tugged on Claude’s devious attentions.

He tries not to get distracted by the warm grip still tangled with his, but he can’t quite hide the small smile either as he falls into step at the other man’s side.

At least until that last statement drags a snicker free from him. ]

And now he implies I’m boring him. Wow, Riegan, maybe we need to work on your flattery skills. You’re clearly rusty.

So I need it desperately if we're going by the hat scale? Thanks, Gautier. On that we can agree.

[ Because Claude knows Hilda will agree in a second flat, much as he's watched her accumulate hats and other accessories over the years and all of them with their own distinct purposes, and that response is fired off as quick as ever and with all the cheerfulness to match being deliberately ornery.

It's a nice evening, Sylvain's hand in his feels nice - many other sentiments crowd into that, none of which nice fits anymore as Claude now knows given that it'd been so flimsy of a descriptor, a cover for everything else to begin with. But it's the sort of private thing he'd decided to keep to himself a bit longer like a growing flame sheltered from wind threatening it, though the glow it casts is no dimmer to him as they walk hand in hand. ]

Besides, and to borrow a line out of your book here, [ cheeky grin on full display now for being completely unrepentant about this as well, ] I think you've heard plenty of praise from me in different scenarios by now. One might even say enough to last you a lifetime, but I'll think of a few more ways if you give me long enough.

I said need, not want.

[ Can you tell where his opinion on Hilda’s hat collection stands? Probably right around the same level as her shoe collection. And Claude’s book collection. Although at least those are pretty useful, even if Claude does tend to leave them everywhere.

His face screws up as he considers this comeback, lips twitching faintly in his amusement at Claude once more stealing his lines. That’s only fair, he supposes, considering he steals Claude’s just as often. ]

I suppose that’s true. Alright, I’ll let you pass with an ‘acceptable’ this time.

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