godshattering | abraxas inbox + horizon contact

[ Sylvain just laughs, because of course rewriting all the rules would be what appeals to Claude the most there. Grinning, he tips his teacup slightly in Claude’s direction before bringing it to his own lips to taste.

He’s relieved, when it tastes as closely as he remembered. He’d spent weeks tweaking it. Adjusting the measurements of certain ingredients. A little less of this, a little more of this. Some of them had to be mixed from scratch, since he had to replace certain ingredients that didn’t exist here with ones that were close enough to mimic the flavor he remembered. It hadn’t been one of his favorite blends back home, but it had been one of Felix’s, so he was more than familiar with the scent and flavor after years of friendship.

Now, however, he watches over the rim of his teacup as Claude takes his first sip, holding his breath as he waits for the other man’s reaction. The smile that spreads across Claude’s lips as he savors it is enough, at least, to get him breathing again. Even if his smile at the compliment given a moment later is a little sheepish and self-conscious. ]

Did I get it close enough? I was worried the pine would either be too strong… or not strong enough. Nocwich pine works a little differently than Almyran, apparently.

[ He'd meant it, and that he'd meant it is enough to tinge Sylvain's smile with those same feelings he'd seen appear earlier with the compliments. Compliments Claude's no stranger to giving for various reasons, but it feels different to give them to Sylvain even as the other man almost always tries to shake them off or leave them there without acknowledging what was really being said. Or perhaps looks a little too pleased in with that too while trying to hide how much they're enjoyed - though those are usually in a rather different aspect than here and now.

Those reactions are all ones Claude's carefully cataloged over the months, and he watches the one now with a different kind of smile overlaid within the one on his face, something quieter and what would be to himself if it weren't for the fact he's not alone. Something appreciative, something else on top of everything since he'd walked into the loft tonight, something that almost feels like - ]

I wouldn't have minded if it was too much. It'd be close then to the nights I brewed a pot and forgot about it while I got distracted by this map or that one so it steeped for far too long. [ During the war particularly there'd been plenty of times he'd gone to take an absent sip of said tea and found it far more bracing than intended, but Claude figures mentioning studying maps will cover that enough. ] If you're planning on tinkering with it some more, I'm happy to provide any input. And taste test it, though hopefully that part goes without saying and will make the variety of input I'll have worth it.

Why doesn’t that surprise me in the least?

[ He can’t help but laugh at the mental image, well able to picture just that when it came to Claude. How many nights had he found him ensconced deep in the library long after everyone else had gone to bed, back in their Academy days? Of course, he’d still been out and about himself, but that was usually for far different reasons.

But his smile, as he watches Claude sample another swallow, is quietly fond. ]

I’ll probably tinker with it some more, if you think it needs it. I’m still cataloguing the spices and herbs I can get here and what they taste like when prepared different ways. It’s much harder when I have to learn all new ingredients from scratch like this. But I’ll be sure to make you the official taste tester, then. At least of this brew. I doubt you’d like the sweeter ones I’ve been fidgeting with very much.

Yeah, yeah. Laugh it up.

[ Sounding put out about that is purely to match Sylvain's too entertained laughter. Besides, Claude's willing to admit that even with the past behind them there's been plenty of nights here where he's done the same or come close to it. Including falling asleep while reading a book when he hadn't thought he was all that tired, but at least here it comes with getting actual rest instead of some quick amounts to scrape by between planning this movement in the war and the next. ]

A title I'm going to wear with pride, [ he interjects upon the matter of being a taste tester before taking another sip to let Sylvain finish his thoughts. It really is great tea. ] I'd be willing to suffer the sweeter ones in the name of helping find what you're going for. They're not my favorites but I remember the popular ones well enough to help, or at least help pick out the specific overtones I didn't like.

Though, [ speaking of sweeter teas and now his expression brightens slightly, ] if you happen to work on a version of Leicester Cortania that's another one I miss. And there's others in the Horizon who've had it when I've made it there, so I daresay you'd have an even bigger market for that one.

[ Sylvain doesn’t supply that he maybe helped with those nights Claude fell asleep, not realizing he was so tired. Because he might not have been, but he’d never complained about the extra rest the next morning, so Sylvain was still taking it as a win.

He grins at Claude’s continued excitement over the tea, feeling a soft rush of pleasure heat up the back of his neck. The praise is… nice. Not something he’s all that accustomed to, but doubly so when this is something he’d worked uncharacteristically hard at to get perfect. It had been important, and it was nice that it had turned out so well in the end. It wasn’t something he was accustomed to feeling, for one reason or another. ]

I can probably give that one a try. I’ll confess, I’m not as familiar with that one. This one, at least, I could cheat on a little, since it had also been one of Felix’s favorites. I was pretty familiar with it to start with.

Nothing a trip into the Horizon won't fix when it comes to reminding you of what it's like.

[ A shrug of one shoulder, since - if there's any use for being able to conjure whatever they want and have it resemble exactly what it'd be in real life, at home, whatever else: it's absolutely to be able to bring all those teas back in. Useful too for ones he's not tasted in years from before Fodlan, though Claude keeps that to himself. ]

A little spice, a little bitterness - all of it makes for a pretty good tea and Derdriu's merchants usually kept it in stock. [ Pause for a slight grin over the rim of his cup as he takes one more drink and then sets it down onto the sauce to await a few more chess moves first as if there's not an entire teapot there still waiting to be finished. ] Almyran Pine, too, if you knew where to look in the corners of the marketplaces around since I found it while looking for something else.

But, you know, [ and that's absolutely a prelude to mild mischief in a sign Sylvain may well recognize by now, ] I'm not surprised to hear it might've also been popular in Faerghus. It's a good outdoor tea for all your wintertime trips, I'd imagine.

[ Yeah, he’s pretty sure he’d recognize that while blindfolded by now. Still, he snickers as he makes another move, supporting one of the pawns he’d moved forward early on. Setting up this new strategy, as ridiculous as he’s sure it looks to the mastermind on the other side of the board.

Maybe he’s just trying to throw him off by trying to figure out what the hell he’s up to. It’s about time he got to turn that particular table around on the man. ]

How often do you think we stop long enough to make tea when we’re on one of our ‘wintertime trips’, as you call it? [ Amusement gleams in amber eyes as he leans back and takes another sip of his tea, letting Claude make his move. ] Trust me when I say if you’re traveling through Gautier territory in the middle of winter, you’re not stopping for anything short of an emergency.

Look, I mean any trip. You're the ones spending any sort of time out in the weather at all.

[ As if that really refuted any of what Sylvain said, though Claude waves a hand in supposed confirmation. It's done at the same time he leans forward to move another piece to idly threaten one of Sylvain's from a couple squares away yet, and not without an entirely different plan in mind for it.

Right after he's done slandering Faerghus some more on the topic of winter, anyway. ]

I think you and I have very different definitions of wintertime, what with one of us enjoying the snow and the other not unless it's from inside and behind some windows, doors, and walls. Plus with a fireplace. [ He's trying to look serious while reclining back in his seat once more and somewhat failing. ] And I bet if it somehow snowed here in Cadens, like the kind of snow that absolutely buries the streets and everything else, you'd be out there in it with no coat or anything.

[ He stares at Claude’s move with a narrowed gaze. What are you up to, sir? ]

I’m pretty sure you still don’t know what an actual winter is meant to be like. Although I suppose some of the northernmost territories of the Alliance might get close. I’m also not sure Cadens has ever seen that kind of snow, but you’re right, I would absolutely be out playing in it if it did.

And don’t worry. If I’m not wearing my coat, that means there’s two we can bundle you up in so you don’t freeze off your delicate parts.

[ He’s smirking as he slides his knight out onto the board. ]

[ That stare's too strong to be anything but trying to figure out what he's doing, and Claude narrowly resists the urge to smirk. Better to keep the event smile on his face even as Sylvain lectures him on winter and he's watching the next chess move while half-running through the possibilities of what to do next in his mind. ]

Derdriu's not much for snow since the sea keeps it rather warm. There's always Edmund to visit for that, though really you'd be better off in Goneril.

[ A better use for Fodlan's Throat than the Locket, anyway, when it comes to reasons to be there. But that's not part of the conversation, and so Claude shrugs. ]

I think I'll need a lot more than your coat and mine to survive it. But speaking of freezing, maybe you should be more worried about that.

[ Claude slides another piece into play and this time to menace a different one of Sylvain's before holding a hand out with his palm to the sky to gesture to the board. ]

If I capture that one, I think you should lose a piece of clothing. It is my birthday, after all.

[ Don't ask him to explain the logic. There is none aside from finding a new way to undress Sylvain, and to create another little friendly competition between them where everyone wins. ]

[ The unexpected challenge from Claude has both of Sylvain’s eyebrows arching upwards in surprise before he starts laughing. ]

So your birthday wish is to play strip chess, huh? [ That is such a sneaky Claude idea he can’t even say he’s all that surprised by it. ] So for every lost piece one of us loses an article of clothing, huh? You’re just trying to distract me from beating you, aren’t you?

[ Eyeing the board, he’s pretty sure that piece is a lost cause, but he can angle another in behind it. Fair’s fair, after all. If he’s losing some of his clothes, so should Claude. ]

[ That laughter gets a wide grin from him since Claude would be lying to himself if that wasn't half of his point - the other half being that this is a valid challenge after all and not just from birthday wishes alone. ]

No, I think you should genuinely fear losing all of your clothes at a much faster rate than I will. [ He might be playing up the smugness there purely for effect, especially considering he knows Sylvain isn't likely to go easy on him. Just as much as the reverse is also true considering they're both a little too competitive for that.

Which is why after Sylvain brings his backup piece in, Claude immediately sweeps one of his other pieces lying in wait over to claim it and hold it up between two fingers to waggle it triumphantly. ]

Look, I'll even be nice and say you can pick the first thing to lose this time around.

[ Sylvain just arches an eyebrow, grin still playing about his lips as he eyes him a moment before scooching his chair back enough to prop one ankle up on his knee. One boot gets removed and set very deliberately on the floor beside their table. ]

I might lose them faster, but you're gonna lose just as many. So you should probably be relieved it's still so warm out here, otherwise you'd get pretty uncomfortable pretty quick.

[ Clearly the temperature isn't much of a factor for him. But considering Claude jumped on taking out his backup, he moves out another piece he hadn't even touched yet - specifically for this purpose - and takes the conquering piece Claude had just moved, claiming it as his own. He wiggles it in Claude's direction with a smirk. ]

Your turn.

[ He leans back in his chair again with that smirk lingering, arms crossing over his chest as he watches Claude. Laughter glinting in amber eyes. ]

You know, we better hope that Altair doesn't decide this is a good night to crash onto our roof. He might get a show.

[ A wave of his hand follows Sylvain's proclamation about losing just as many since he's as unconcerned about that as he's acting. That's half the fun - and he'll certainly take that challenge to run with it even more as Sylvain removes a boot, to which he offers a snort of laughter, and then it's his own turn to lose something he's wearing.

Two can play this game, quite literally. Claude doesn't hesitate to lean back in his seat while making a show of stretching one leg out over the other in very convenient semi-slow motion. The action's capped by resting one heel on top of his other foot to toe off his shoe. The shoe's left to its own devices in rolling to wherever it goes after it hits the floor as he leans forward again. ]

Get ready for the show then considering you'll be putting on most of it. [ With an easy grin as he moves another piece into place that'll help him with 3-5 strategies depending on what Sylvain does next, and because he has a feeling the other man will pick up on that due to being far better at chess than he stays and to keep up the teasing. ] Your wanting to dress extra lightly in the warm weather might be working against you, really.

[ Sylvain just watches Claude's shoe roll a short distance away before flopping on its side, his expression one of dry exasperation. Claude did that on purpose, he's sure, but he doesn't comment on it because he's already giving Claude more than he needs to lord it over him right now.

Still, he grins at the taunt, shifting another piece to both challenge and taunt Claude's move in turn, setting up several moves for himself in turn, depending on what Claude does. He usually plays far more offensively than this, comfortable taking the initiative, but Claude typically outmaneuvers him easily. So he's trying a different strategy. Not that he thinks he can pull of Claude's sneakiness anywhere near as good, but it'll be fun to throw him off while Sylvain tries it out. ]

That just means I gotta make sure to sweep off as many of your pieces as possible, then. There should be enough to give me a good show.

[ Although going with that plan probably doesn't match up well with his decision to not play offensively for once. Eh, whatever. ]

Looking forward to me losing my other shoe that much, huh?

[ Claude's resting all too casually in his chair now in between the (chess) moves being made. Sylvain's latest one doesn't seem to fit in his plans at first glance, though while studying the board mostly from the corner of his eye he flashes the other man a grin. Can't give away all that deep thinking so immediately even as a part of his mind is - unsurprisingly - still whirling through strategies. ]

Hope you don't mind working for both the shoe and the rest of the show while you're at it.

[ Stating the obviously there, Claude thinks as he decides upon his next move. One reach forward has him sliding yet another piece into play almost idly and like there's no stakes to this at all. Which there isn't aside from that potentially missing clothing, but that's all the better to tease. And at the last second, he sweeps over one of Sylvain's pawns rather than letting it sit, and places it next to the other one. ]

And with that I think I've earned your other boot now, so off it goes.

I don’t recall you saying we could dictate what the other person loses. No changing the rules in the middle of the game.

[ As if either of them are very good at listening to rules anyway, unless it suits them.

But he had a reason for making that objection, because his fingers have already started unbuttoning his shirt until he can tug the fabric off his shoulder and down his arms. And then drapes it over the back of his chair. It leaves him sitting across from Claude, naked from the waist up, muscled torso completely on display.

This, he thinks, will be much more useful in distracting his opponent. Which can only be to his advantage.

Especially because a moment later, he’s very pointedly stealing one of Claude’s bishops with a smirk. Worth the sacrifice of a pawn. Probably. ]

Your turn.

[ For his part, Claude just watches with a smirk since he'd caught Sylvain reaching for the buttons even with the suggestion about the boot, and that's the perfect moment for him to rest an elbow on the arm of his chair and to prop his chin on his hand to fully appreciate the sight. It's a nice view, and one he certainly hasn't tired of. The teasing makes it all the better, really.

By the time Sylvain drapes the shirt like he's organizing even this when it's supposed to be a haphazard losing of clothes, there's already fond laughter leaving him. It's hard to mind the payback in losing one of his own pieces when everyone wins here. ]

Did I change the rules or just find a way to make you do what I want? What a mystery.

[ It's partially teasing since he should've seen this coming - that by asking Sylvain to do something it of course resulted in something else. Time to play along with that.

Claude sits up again and reaches for the unbuttoned collar of his own shirt with both hands, letting it run through his fingers before moving them down to the first button. For good measure he undoes it slowly - then lets his hands trail right down to the sash still around his waist he'd never bothered to remove after being more than a little distracted since getting home. The sash gets tossed aside as carelessly as the shoe, this time because he's too busy grinning, all too pleased. ]

I think that counts.

[ With all the faux innocence in the world as he reaches to move his next piece to keep setting up the greater strategy, of course. ]

[ Sylvain just clicks his tongue in disappointment, already shaking his head as Claude drops his sash onto the ground. Which doesn't make him twitch. Mostly. ]

Barely. I'd accuse you of cheating, but I expect you to be slippery about everything.

Besides. You have much easier ways of getting me naked than putting me through a chess match, you realize.

[ Even if this does add a fun new aspect to it. ]

Oh, it counts. Didn't you just say something about not changing the rules? Whatever you're wearing counts.

[ Clearly flawless logic right there, and Sylvain probably wouldn't be surprised to find out Claude's considering taking off his earring at some point if it gets down to it. At this point, the only thing stopping him is not encouraging Sylvain to find some way to do something close. And the best way to prevent that? Appreciate the view right in front of him yet again, and openly.

Up until he puts on a faux thinking expression and tilts his head up to look at the night sky in supposed focus, narrowing his eyes to complete the picture. ]

Huh. What was it I said once, something about anticipation paying off in the end? Something like that.

[ He does have an earring now, after all. If it counts, it counts! He'll remember that, Claude.

That thoughtful pondering just gets another snort of laughter from him, however, as he takes advantage of Claude's gaze turned away to make a quick move. Not that he thinks it will do him any good, but it amuses him to try. ]

I'm pretty sure you didn't say anything of the sort. I know for a fact that you can be just as impatient as me when you want something.

[ Although Claude is way more masochistic when it comes to denying himself those things, in Sylvain's opinion. ]

No, I'm pretty sure I did, if only because I certainly remember you cursing me for it a few times.

[ With an immediate grin as he tilts his face back down to let his gaze fall on Sylvain again, since - it might've been an effective tactic to be used a time or two. Or more than just a few times, speaking of bringing out that impatience all around.

There's a shrug of his shoulders in the same instant Claude leans forward to make his next chess move and to continue setting up the larger idea he has in mind, complete with a couple more traps both visible and not for Sylvain's next turns. ]

And it's always worked out for you, hasn't it?

I curse you for a lot of things.

[ That's true enough, even if there's a chuckle under the words as immediately jumps on that move, sliding one of his pieces forward to capture the one Claude had just moved.

He smirks, waggling his eyebrows at Claude. ]

Neeeeext?

You say that like I don't do half of it to make you swear on purpose.

[ A smirk which says that's his exact intent for definitely more than a mere half, and something Claude doesn't feel like he needs to say aloud for it to be heard loud and clear all the same.

The same goes for his piece disappearing, and the temptation to find some other small item of clothing is certainly right there. In the end, saving it for later when it's more advantageous wins out, and this time when Claude reaches for his shirt it's not a tease. Not entirely; there's still a bit of it considering there's a show to put on. He takes his time in undoing button by button, sliding one arm out of a sleeve followed by the other at a leisurely pace, and then dropping the shirt also to the forgotten realm of the ground below.

It is, of course, followed by reaching for his next move to swipe one of Sylvain's to move it to his growing stash of captured ones. ]

And now, I think that means it's your turn again.

I knew it!

[ He jabs an accusing finger in Claude's direction but it's with a laughing grin as he settles back to see what Claude will take off this time. He's really expecting him to pick something inconsequential again, so he's pleasantly surprised when that's not the case.

And then he's just sitting back shamelessly ogling his boyfriend's lithe torso in all its glory - and looking completely unashamed to be doing so.

Claude, of course, immediately captures one of his pieces, but he waves off that prompt from the other man because he's still preoccupied here. ]

Wait a minute, I'm still enjoying the exquisite landscape over here.

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