abraxaslogs | i'm reaching for the clouds

[ That surprise might not be as well-concealed as he hopes, not that Sylvain's doing anything to give that away yet. Other than the slight growth of his smirk when Claude abruptly straightens up and looks him over. ]

You are the last person to be complaining about a flair for the dramatic. [ Just saying. But he lets Claude continue to play at this, even as Sylvain gestures to the bartender to bring him one of whatever Claude's drinking. And then he just laughs when Claude squints at his color choice, as if trying to decide if it was deliberate or not. Of course it was deliberate, yellow is not one of the colors that does him a lot of justice, but he's trying anyway. ]

You're cute, Claude, but you're not that cute.

[ He's pretty sure the Professor would have been the only reason strong enough to lure him to a different house. And even that's a little questionable. Besides. Lysithea was scary. And don't even get him started on Lorenz. ]

Who said I was complaining?

[ The advent of leading Sylvain around in circles has officially started. Well - more like started again, and started for the umpteenth time. Claude's just going to ignore that his comment more or less meant that especially in light of slander being tossed his way. A scoff leaves him like his pride's seriously wounded over the denial of changing houses a whole almost decade too late. There's a snappy comeback on the tip of his tongue, but. He thinks better of it a millisecond later, and instead leans an elbow on the edge of the bar and his chin in that hand. It might almost be in feigned disappointment if Claude wasn't also using it as a chance to survey Sylvain for a second.

All the better to follow that up by leaning over, just slightly, to regard the other man from beneath his lashes with a smirk of his own. ]

No? Sounds like you're not looking closely enough.

[ That's barely getting started since before he can, the bartender sets Sylvain's drink down and he sits back just in time for the ongoing argument nearby to escalate as one of them breaks out into tears. ]

Well, at least we're going to have a better night than them.

[ Probably. ]

The night's still young.

[ The words are a little flippant, even as he casts a slightly worried look in the direction of the arguing couple. Especially since he'd just gotten slapped in the face with a wave of very unhappy emotions. He makes a face and reaches for his drink to take a long, bracing swallow before turning his grin purposefully back on Claude.

He doesn't miss the way he's leaned close, or the look he shot him, and that just has fond amusement glinting in dark eyes as he chuckles and props his chin in his palm and leans back, smirk still lingering on his lips. ]

You have no idea how closely I've looked. [ A playful wink, before his gaze glances around the room around them. ] Should we grab a table?

[ A safe distance from the drama happening at the other end of the bar would be helpful for his focus for the rest of his night. ]

[ The temptation is there, as usual, to roll his eyes at Sylvain's cheeky response as he so often does whenever some line Claude's still half-convinced Sylvain doesn't actually mean is tossed his way. That's also ignoring that he was the one who went there first this time around, but really - in another line also possibly right out of the other's book - that statement had deserved it.

He could say as much, but that'd be delaying an escape from whatever's going on far too close to him for his liking and in what's a bit more like an average sight around Cadens' taverns. And that's not the point of this outing, is it? Whatever Sylvain's reaction to the argument's lost on Claude since he's too busy turning around on his stool and making sure this infernal skirt moves with him (something he'd been warned about, but is infinitely more annoying in practice, he's discovered) before grabbing his mug to bring with next.

And of course he could slide the rest of the way off the stool, something he's quite capable of, but it's far more fun for him to look Sylvain's way expectantly regardless of whether what's about to be proposed is about to happen or already is. ]

Pretty sure this is where you're supposed to offer me your arm or something to help me out here, Gautier.

[ Sylvain just shoots him a cheeky grin and seems to consider that option. ]

But if you’re on my arm, then I can’t enjoy the sight of following behind you to the table. [ He gives a very pointed look to where Claude’s blue-covered ass is still perched on the stool, smirk very much lingering on his lips, before he gives a dismayed sigh. ]

Fine, I guess I will maintain my gentlemanly air a while longer, then. [ His gaze still dancing with laughter, he holds out his arm to help Claude down to his feet.

At least he can admire the high boots that Hilda had picked out to match the dress in the meantime. ]

Maybe you haven't earned that sight yet.

[ Blithely, and as if this makes sense as a retort considering it's not like there isn't going to be some point where one of them ends up following the other. To not invite further protest (for a few seconds) Claude accepts the arm so generously offered on their way to the table like this is an every day occurrence.

And - because he'd noticed one particular admiration: once he's seated, it's not in the standard way one might normally sit at a table. Rather, Claude opts to sit somewhat sideways, which is all the better to cross one leg over the other. Just for good measure since it seems like a shame to hide the boots beneath the table, even if it's not particularly comfortable and will be something he likely gives up quickly. ]

So, tell me. Did you let Hilda pick out your outfit since it's only fair to keep the circle of fashion choices going? Because you look entirely too comfortable right now.

If I waited to earn things like that, I'd never get to enjoy them.

[ His cheeky teasing is back as he leads Claude over to an empty table - and then even pulls his chair out for him like a gentleman, winking playfully as he does so. Might as well play this up entirely, after all.

He also doesn't miss the way Claude chooses to sit and stifles a laugh of his own as he busies himself sitting... right next to him so he can continue to admire the view. ]

She might have had some input in helping me narrow the options down. [ he grins, because taking Hilda shopping had been an Adventure. ] But I'd had something like this in mind already. Even if the colors are still terrible. [ A smirk, as he takes a drink and settles comfortably in his chair. ]

That payoff's the whole point of earning it first, I'm pretty sure. And there's something about anticipation in there to go with it, somewhere. [ There might be a slight smile of fondness hidden by taking a drink, partially for that and to distract himself by whatever supportive part of the dress is digging into his side thanks to how he's chosen to sit, but still worth it as he sets the ale down afterwards with a contemplative hum for that opinion on non-Faerghan fashion. ] No? That's a shame. You do look rather nice in Leicester's colors.

[ But that does skirt too close to things from home they're avoiding, even if it's an association in the most abstract sense and if he's already sitting here dressed in a rather deliberate shade of blue. Too late for that, though not for Claude to tap a finger against his mug slowly like he's weighing an important decision while scrutinizing Sylvain at the same time. ]

I'm not sure that specific yellow's really doing you any favors, though. Fortunately, now you've figured out a source of dye you can use to fix it to be something... better.

[ Or however that works; this is possibly one method of prying to know more about the dye that'd made this all happen rather than remain a (mostly) joking concept and definitely not at all an attempt for Claude to figure out how to get some for himself for other ideas. ]

As long as you don’t want me to wear red. [ His smirk lingering, he just shoots Claude a look over the edge of his glass before taking another drink. ] It would clash horribly with my hair.

[ Not that either one of them would be all that fond of red in general, and Petra’s not currently here to scold him over it so he can get away with it. Or so he tells himself. ]

Besides. There is such a thing as too much anticipation.

[ At the mention of hair and clashing, it's too difficult to not let his gaze drift to the hair in question as though he's seriously considering the options here. ]

Hm. There's plenty of other reds out there that wouldn't clash and would let both shine rather nicely.

[ Like not Adrestian red, but he doesn't think he needs to reference that aloud. He doesn't want to think about the Empire anyway - not with that last statement, and Claude none too subtly shifts in his seat to switch how his legs are crossed by swapping the opposite one over the other now. Just because. No ulterior motives here. ]

But that just sounds like you've run into the wrong kinds if you think so, and - [ heavy sigh of disappointment, all for effect since in his mind he's purely messing with Sylvain for fun like this outing requires, ] what a shame.

[ Sylvain doesn’t bother to stifle his laugh this time, shaking his head as he leans back in his chair, slouching comfortably there. It also gives him a really nice line of sight with how Claude’s shifted his posture, even if he’s being subtle about that.

Shocking, he knows, but he does know how to be subtle. Else his conquests back home would have ended up with a whole lot more black eyes and enraged male relations. ]

Alas. I’ve always been cursed with attracting the very worst kinds. Either they wouldn’t know how to build anticipation if their lives depended on it… Or anticiption is all they know how to build because they have no intention of ever going any further than that. [ Which has him shooting Claude a teasing look. ] I don’t think my luck has changed any, despite being in an entirely new realm. [ Claude definitely strikes him as the latter. ]

[ There's a callout in there somewhere, he's pretty sure. Granted, there's only enough time to spend a second or two dwelling on it, but it seems clear enough. Despite himself, that gets Claude to raise an eyebrow since - that'd mean some part of this isn't a game, wouldn't it?

Curious. Now's not to time to ponder it too deeply; that's better left for later. Making Sylvain laugh is far more gratifying. ]

Maybe you're looking in the wrong places. Or trying the wrong tactics. [ A shrug of one shoulder like this though couldn't have possibly ever crossed the other's mind before to meet the look sent his direction. ] Whole lotta things to consider there rather than sounding so defeated. Where's the fun in giving up before you find out?

[ Some part of this feels like there's more loose threads waiting for him to pull on and unravel them to see where they lead, but hold that thought - Claude glances up when a shadow falls over the table to see a confused looking server standing there with menus in hand. Time to behave, temporarily. ]

[ Sylvain’s actually grateful for the interruption, because the arrival of the server looming over them is a great distraction from the slight wince he can’t quite hide at Claude’s words. They’d jabbed a sore spot for him, one he usually kept pretty deeply buried.

He didn’t think it counted as giving up when you knew it was pointless to actually try in the first place.

He hadn’t missed that surge of intent focus, however. Curiosity? Something else? He was still working at interpreting the things he picks up from Claude half the time. Mostly because what he felt and what he showed often didn’t quite match up. Nothing with Claude was ever as straightforward as he might make it appear.

But for now, he just smiles charmingly at their confused server as he takes the pair of menus and passes one over to Claude, asking for an appetizer and drink refills for them both while they figure out what they want to order. When the server wanders away again, he glances up from his menu to wink at the man across from him. ]

Order whatever you want. I can finally pay back those first few days when I had to mooch off you shamelessly.

[ Meanwhile, Claude's too busy looking at the menu to notice anything's off after that comment though it does seem a little strange there's not some witty comeback fired back his direction. Food options are a bit more distracting since lunch seems like it was forever ago, but he does glance up when Sylvain speaks again in time to both catch that wink and what follows. ]

That's very gentlemanly of you. So you're saying that I should pick all the most expensive things on the menu, right? [ With a grin since that's definitely overdoing whatever generosity Sylvain's extending here, and because Claude doesn't really care about any paying back of anything. ] Considering the alternative was you enlisting since it's not like they make any other options clear, it was money well spent. Same for keeping everyone else out of there too.

[ He says it rather nonchalantly, like this is a joke they're both in on and that it wasn't that much of a matter of life and... well, not death since that's too dramatic even for Claude. But the alternative would've still been drastic, certainly, and he doesn't think that's an understatement with the hindsight of what they know now. Back to studying the menu it is though with so many options it's difficult to narrow down to a handful of choices and before too long - pestering Sylvain a little more follows. ]

What if, [ in what's absolutely a too casual prelude the other will probably recognize as what happens before a Claude Suggestion, ] we order a few things and try them all? Seems a shame to possibly miss out on something since who knows if we'll ever get to come back. Well, come back mostly for free, anyway.

You can pick whatever you like. [ He's feeling generous. And it's been a while since he's let himself indulge in much. The past weeks have been too full of relief and rebuilding work in Libertas for him to be able to relax much.

Although he does eye the other man a little warily as he hears the start of what is absolutely a Claude Suggestion, which is always 50/50 chance of being either great or the Worst Thing Ever. But tonight's suggestion sounds perfect, so he just grins and flips his menu closed. ]

A sampling of a bunch of stuff sounds great. Pick out a couple, I'm not feeling picky tonight. [ He's in too good a mood. ] And it turned out to be a pretty good alternative, all things told.

[ Claude's certainly not going to question that generosity twice, given he might have been teasing the first time around but if Sylvain's not going to say no? Well. If there's anything consistent about Claude von Riegan, it's that when he's given an inch he's going to take a mile if no one stops him.

This particular application requires a bit of reason, however, considering there's a limit to how much they can eat and probably an even shorter limit to how long leftovers will keep even if they disperse them among their friends. Or if he saves some of them for Hilda, since Claude doesn't doubt he'll be accosted once they return for all the details, though there aren't many. All thoughts which filter through his mind now that he's narrowing down options and feeling considerably less limited by not having to choose one as the end result. ]

What alternative might that be? [ He might be a little distracted thanks to debating the merits of a couple dishes and checking them against the mental list of ones he knows Sylvain enjoys before their server makes it back to their table. Can't have him spending his hard-earned coin without getting a little enjoyment out of it, especially because Claude still doesn't particularly want to know what this dress cost. ] One where I empty your coin purse entirely? In your own words, might I remind you, the night's still young.

I meant the alternative of enlisting.

[ Sylvain’s chuckling as he watches Claude focus. He has no idea what has the guy doing mental gymnastics, but he’s pretty proud of the fact that he knows him well enough now to pick up when he is. Which actually isn’t that much of an accomplishment, since Claude’s brain runs circles around everyone else, but still. ]

But I’m well aware to the imminent demise of my coin purse. It’s fine. It’s there meant to be spent, isn’t it? [ That was a rhetorical question, don’t disabuse him of that notion before you get your order in. ]

Did you find what you want? [ He spots their server heading back with drink refills and an appetizer. ]

Oh, right.

[ Claude already forgot he'd mentioned that not.. what, ten seconds ago, and now has to press his lips together to keep himself from smirking while he still studies the menu to weigh up all the choices. This is obviously an important decision considering the time to choose is limited, but at the mention of Sylvain apparently being all too ready to surrender his coin - that gets Claude to look up without lifting his head. There's a joke he's ready to make, even if it's not a very good one, but fortunately they're both spared from it when he recognizes a glance that means the server's approaching and said decisions have to be imminent.

All the better to sit up and move his menu out of the way in time for everything to be set down. And sure, he could read the entrees off the menu like most people would, but why not drag out his own idea of suspense instead by looping the server in with some short ramble about surprises and the like, and then tilting the menu very deliberately away from Sylvain to point to the dishes they're going to get.

With the order in, nothing to do but grin widely when it's just them again. ]

Don't worry, I ordered everything they have with crayfish.

[ He just makes a face, because of all the random things for you to remember, Claude, the fact that he hates crayfish is pretty high on that list. How do you even know that? ]

I take it back, you can pay for tonight instead.

[ Not that he resisted Claude stealing away his menu or passing it back as he sneaks in their order in the most secretive way possible. In fact, he pretty much just grins and rolls his eyes at the lengths Claude is going to drag it all out. ]

[ As the server leaves, Claude doesn't even bother turning his reaction into anything else. No, what Sylvain gets is actual, unfiltered laughter to his visible disgust. ]

Now, now. You've already offered multiple times to pay, and I don't think you get to just take that back now all because I named the monastery's best fish dish. Since you miss it so much, it wouldn't be that difficult to recreate in the Horizon sometime so you can relive everything about it right down to that delightful smell that always preceded it.

[ Claude hated the crayfish as much as that look on Sylvain's face suggested the other man did, but - speaking of actual delicious smells, there's a plate of food in front of them thanks to the appetizer Sylvain ordered. He leans forward to investigate it while reaching for the basket of bread slices to put one on a plate for Sylvain first and then grabbing one for himself. ]

This, on the other hand, I don't think I've had before. Something available only in Aquila, maybe?

[ He might have sulked a little longer, but that was impossible when he'd earned such a genuine, open laugh from the other man. One he could feel as well as hear, and it was hard to do anything but grin in response. Because like he'd told Hilda, he always felt successful when he managed to render Claude speechless. Apparently he felt the same way when he managed to make him honestly laugh, too. Huh. ]

Crayfish has been banned from the dining hall, I made sure of it. [ The cheeky retort is made with a smirk, even as he reaches for his drink. ]

And I think so. One of the merchants was raving about it earlier. Said it would be a tragedy to visit and not try it at least once. So here. We're trying it. You're welcome. [ A playful wink as Claude pushes a plate his way and he thanks him quietly. ] So how brave are you feeling?

You say that now, but wait until nostalgia hits you and you'll regret that ban.

[ Or some other such nonsense. Time for a sip of his own drink considering the refill though at that query about bravery, Claude merely gives Sylvain a flat look over the glass's brim though there's a fair bit of curiosity at the edges of it by the time he sets it back down. ]

Bravery on what kind of scale? Because if we're talking from 'one' to 'wearing a dress' I think I might have every part of that one covered. [ Then again, the dress isn't bad so it doesn't really belong as part of that scale; he's pulling it off. Also, it's why they're here, isn't it?

And that is not a thought he's intent on following anywhere further than brushing it aside, but it's replaced by something else which has him looking with mild wariness at the plate first and then back to Sylvain as he puts on a decidedly theatrical look of Deep Concern. ] You're not about to tell me this is the jelly we just spent all that time getting back into the ocean, are you?

I think the crayfish are safe from any unexpected nostalgia from me.

[ He doesn't anticipate that regret anytime soon. He can't think of a single person that actually liked the crayfish dish back home. And he usually paid attention to things like that.

He can't help but laugh at the Concerned Suspicion that gets tossed his direction, even as he adopts an innocent expression - even if it's one that looks slightly insulted by this hurtful Doubt. ]

Considering that's been a specialty for longer than our large friend's been stuck on dry land, I think you're safe. But it might be a little spicy. Just a hunch.

Also, is that our new scale now? I have to remember that one. Where does 'horse-sized scorpion' fall on that, exactly?

[ The mention of spicy gets a slightly raised eyebrow from Claude as he now surveys his plate considering he wasn't actually concerned about the contents so much as exercising a small chance to mess with Sylvain. But he is ready to try something new to him like always, which jogs his memory back to something else in recent times considering Aquila's provided more opportunities for discovery. ]

You would've liked the food they served us at Luna back at that party from the very first time we went to Nocwich. The werewolves used a lot of different spices including on the seafood which was better than anything I've ever had in Fodlan. I'm still hoping some of it might be available in Cadens somewhere I haven't found it yet.

[ A bit wistfully, since he didn't think of getting the names of the different kinds until later with the assumption he'd have time to ask before the night had turned out to be what it was. The more recent visit was all the inspiration Claude needed to try more of what was offered to them, and now? Now he grabs a fork and then looks at Sylvain expectantly. ]

I'll answer your question about the scale if you agree we'll both take a bite of this at the same time. That's fair, right?

The vampires had bloodwine. Which was supposed to be safe to consume, but uh... I wasn't quite brave enough to try that. And lucky for me, you weren't there to dare me.

[ He's smirking as he reaches for his fork, letting it hover over the plate of appetizer with a grin of anticipation. ] Sure, fair enough.

[ He jabs a piece of spiced meat - he thinks it's some sort of fish, fried maybe? - and lifts it to his mouth, waiting for Claude to do the same. Not that he's too worried. Spicy food is one of his favorites. ]

We could look for the spices in Nocwich, they might have some there.

there is no emote to convey the level of sylvain's smug

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