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[ 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.

[ Meanwhile, Claude's leaned back in his chair with one leg crossed over the other with one arm thrown over the chair's back. Completely casually and not on purpose, and definitely not as a way of conveniently stretching a little just to add to the view or entirely for Sylvain's benefit.

The game being tossed aside gets a chuckle from him since it'd certainly be a lie to say this wasn't being done entirely for that. Same for shifting slightly as if he suddenly feels the need to stretch. ]

Well, in that case. I take you won't mind if I do this.

[ Because this game is clearly Very Serious, and because Claude's not above cheating in more ways than just the carefully planned and less noticeable ones. This one, as he leans forward in his chair to peer at the board before looking up at Sylvain through his lashes with a smirk that says he knows exactly what he's doing, is blatant: without waiting for the other to take his move, Claude just moves his next one to capture another piece and sits back to twirl it through a couple fingers as deftly as any arrow. ]

Since it's my birthday and all, I think losing two items of clothing is only fair.

[ Sylvain's jaw drops open in mock outrage at this blatant display. Both the physical one and the complete disrespect for the sanctity of chess. Or something like that. ]

You cheater! How could you?

[ Actually, he's not really surprised at all, and the way a corner of his lips keeps trying to twitch into a grin should be proof enough of how amusing he finds the whole exchange.

He playfully narrows his gaze on the man across from him - still ogling him all the while, of course. ] Now you're just blatantly trying to get me naked. Are those the rules now? In that case...

[ He takes his knight, completely ignoring all rules of movement, and plops it down next to Claude's king. ]

Check.

[ That's absolutely not check. A knight can't do anything to a piece right beside it.

And he still hasn't shed his two articles of clothing. Although he does start glancing down at himself, trying to decide what to lose. ]

Edited 2023-12-17 16:51 (UTC)

[ That accusation just gets loud laughter from Claude since no, he doesn't regret a thing about making up any rules, moves, or whatever else might happen now. Such as Sylvain also completely disregarding the game they were playing before to join in, and Claude doesn't make even one solitary attempt to hide the mirth apparent on his face when that move plays right into what he'd hoped to do. Sort of, since he can't really take credit for predicting that would really happen. ]

Oh, well. Hope you weren't attached to that knight since they're falling in the name of my hopes and dreams here.

[ It's all the warning ("warning") Sylvain gets before Claude offers one more languorous stretch, then leans forward, deposits the piece in his hand off to the side of the board with his other proofs of victory, and moves his king to swipe the supposedly offending knight right off of its square. This one gets considered for a minute as he holds it up in front of his face, though not for long before he shifts his gaze to meet Sylvain's with a smile. ]

Said dream being now that you're up to a count of three, that is. If you're just looking to add to the count of how much clothing you're going to lose, I'm certainly not going to complain.

I never thought I would actually say this, but I should have started tonight wearing more clothes.

[ His tone is dry but there's laughter in his gaze as he watches Claude take the knight and then study it intently. ]

And I mean I was a little attached, since I'm pretty sure you just captured me, but that should be a surprise to neither of us. Fine, fine, you shameless cheater.

[ He turns sideways, shedding his second boot. And then one sock, before he sheds the other, winking at Claude as he does so. It leaves him barefoot now with only his pants left, pretty much. And whatever was under them. ]

And here I was thinking you should've started by wearing less clothes.

[ Just for the obvious counter as he taps a finger in faux thought against the chess piece in his hand and as his smile changes ever so smoothly into a smirk following as Sylvain loses a boot first. That's fair, sort of, if only because there's still more to be lost afterwards. The socks - well, those weren't exactly what Claude had in mind, though given that the alternative would've been Sylvain stripping off his pants to be left in only socks, he'll take it.

Something probably evident by the sweep of his gaze over the other man as he lowers his hand to keep twirling the knight through his fingers and while thinking over what Sylvain's said, since there probably is some symbolism there. If only Sylvain knew the king part of it. ]

Besides, I'm not sure what I'm supposed to regret in what you just said when it still means I end up with you at the end of it anyway. Seems rather like I win either way if you think about it.

I think, technically, we’re both winning either way here.

[ Yeah, gee, Claude, it’s almost like there are things he doesn’t know about you. Or even that he doesn’t know there are things he doesn’t know!

Still, since they’re making up the rules as they go now, he reaches out to steal the bishop with his remaining knight. ]

Might as well get rid of that, then. No one wants to keep the bishops around. Especially if we’re getting naked.

You don't want to bring the church into this?

[ Asked while his smirk grows from that into a grin without bothering to hide any part of that or his amusement, given that he knows Sylvain's answer to that without even needing to ask. And his own, but going with the truth rather than this wouldn't be any fun at all.

The knight in his hand is set down at the edge with the rest of his collected pieces though Claude presses one fingertip to its top to steady it in place. He's winning, yes, and not just from the sight in front of him alone (not that it hurts, either). But it extends beyond the chess game and back to dinner, back to walking in the door to find all of this, and - in honesty he grants himself - back to that feeling of falling when Sylvain kissed him and trusting he wasn't taking that leap alone.

Best to stay in the present as he glances down at himself like he's contemplating options and like he doesn't know precisely what he's doing to do next. Which is: lift his other leg in what's absolutely a stretch and nothing meant to tease, especially when Claude follows it up by reaching for his other shoe to toss it off to the side with the same grin on his face. ]

Thanks for helping me get rid of that since sitting here with one shoe left on this whole time's been rather uncomfortable. [ Since no rules apply, he reaches forward to swipe that second knight also with his king purely for his own entertainment. ] And speaking of winning...

[ Only in regards to losing another layer of clothing. That's close enough. ]

Was that a serious question?

[ He's laughing as he says it, shaking his head when Claude sheds his remaining boot, because he has no one to blame for that but himself. Especially since this has turned into more teasing than any actual chess strategy.

He's down to his pants, his underwear and...

His finger lifts to stroke against warm gold at his ear when Claude steals his second knight, as if deeply considering shedding it next. It would make the most sense, still counting as an article of clothing while not actually revealing anything to the man across from him.

But he's reluctant to shed that, even for something like this, so he just winks at Claude and leaves it precisely where it is as he pushes to his feet and starts to unfasten his pants. ]

Yeah, yeah, yeah, I'm working on it.

[ He's expecting the earring to go first. It makes sense on multiple levels, not the least of which is their shared silliness in so many ways given that Claude himself thought of removing his earring not all that long ago, so Sylvain doing the same makes a sort of sense which nearly makes him smile to himself.

But - it wasn't to be, it seems, since when the other man's hand ghosts past it Claude immediately raises an eyebrow. He's certainly not going to complain at something more substantial being removed and especially so when the item in question is a layer he doesn't mind seeing go on this night or any other one. ]

And you're taking them off while standing up? This is a nice view.

[ Because the pants feel a little easier to focus on than why Sylvain might've left the earring there as the gold glints in the patio's lighting to remind him it's there like on all the other nights he's spent studying it, and this is a part Claude can play. He should recline in his seat to enjoy the sight every bit as much as he does whenever he's watched Sylvain undress or undressed the other man, though another thought comes to mind as he lifts a hand to gesture for Sylvain to come closer. ]

Come over here first, though.

[ Claude's just lucky Sylvain hasn't realized how much the other man's been obsessing over the earring when he's not looking. He'd probably never let him live that down.

He'd only gotten as far as getting his pants unfastened when Claude beckons him over, which has him arching an eyebrow in surprise. And here he thought Claude would be eager for him to lose this piece of clothing, considering the way he was watching him.

Letting his pants hang loose around his hips instead, he rounds the table to where Claude still sits, coming to rest his hands on the arms of Claude's chair to either side of him, leaning him looming over the other man. he's smirking faintly as he presses into Claude's personal space. ]

Yeah? Did you want something?

You, obviously.

[ That approach, the pants left partially abandoned, and the leaning over him are all far more than enough to have the smirk on his face growing wider by the second with something like satisfaction. That's not all though considering it also comes with that thrill he's learned to associate with Sylvain being nearby in something which goes far past anticipation alone. Something which reaches into the depth of those feelings he knows the name to but won't voice in favor of keeping them secreted away.

The same applies to now as he tilts his head back with chin raised slightly in a familiar request for a kiss. It's all of a second later before Claude has another idea and while the kiss request doesn't get set aside, it is paired with something a little more pleading. ]

Wait a minute, are you not one of my presents? Hm. [ While speaking Claude lifts his hands to trail fingertips down Sylvain's sides with a featherlight touch from his ribs down to rest his hands on his hips with fingers hooked into that waistband to give it a small tug. The faux pleading might be a little ruined by mirth seeping into his gaze because he's absolutely not apologetic for what's about to come out of his mouth. ] I think I'd like to unwrap you anyway.

[ He's halfway bent in to deliver that kiss when Claude delivers that second half of his request. Which means the kiss is a little more full of laughter than he intended. He lingers anyway, playfully nipping at warm flesh before his tongue tangles with Claude's. ]

Should have known you had ulterior motives here. But your logic is sound. This time. I suppose I'll allow it.

[ He remains braced there, letting Claude do whatever he likes. Most of it will be something he's happy to go along with anyway, and he's curious - as always - to see what the other man will do. Besides. He'd anticipated them ending up here sooner or later, once clothes started coming off.

And maybe he just enjoyed any excuse to have Claude's attention - and hands - on him. ]

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