[ That admission about the reminder just gets a bemused snort from Sylvain as he arches an eyebrow. ] Man, who did you piss off that day?
[ That’s definitely not a comparison he would have thought to make. Ever. He’s not even quite sure what prompted it. Sure, they’d played a few chess matches back in their school days, but it wasn’t like he and Claude had ever traveled in the same circles much. ]
And I don’t know. That is why I was asking you, after all. At the very least so I could avoid crossing any lines that would make you uncomfortable in the process.
[ …But maybe Claude didn’t know what those were either. Sylvain squints at him a moment, trying to remember if he’d ever heard anything or seen anyone coming in and out of Claude’s room, since it had always been so close to his own. He didn’t think so, other than maybe Hilda a time or two, but he wasn’t sure that counted. Or maybe it did, what did he know? ]
Have you ever had an actual lover before, for that matter? [ Because if Claude was still a virgin, Sylvain was definitely taking a number of things right off the table from the get-go. ]
[Claude's expression breaks for a moment with a stifled laugh. Ahh, the memories of simpler times...]
It was Ingrid, actually. [So yes, she was pissed off at him. Sylvain pretty quickly susses out the truth, and yeah, maybe there is something to the comparison because clearly he's smarter than he likes everyone to think.
For as much as Claude has a reputation for being a schemer and a liar, he doesn't straight up lie very often-- it's not that he can't, but generally he prefers to edge around the truth, or let people come to their own conclusions and avoid confirming or denying either way. And, well, he kind of wasn't expecting Sylvain to figure that out so damn quick. As close as they are, it'd be hard for Sylvain not to see his smile faltering for a moment, or the way he doesn't quite meet his gaze suddenly.]
I really wasn't expecting to run into a familiar face here. [He says instead of verbally answering the question, which is definitely an answer in itself.]
Oh man. [ Sylvain doesn’t know whether to laugh or wince in sympathy. ] If she brought me into one of her lectures, you really must have pissed her off.
[ Still, that falter is impossible to miss. Especially since he’d been watching for a specific reaction to that question and Claude might not have meant to give him so obvious and answer but… well. He really had.
He can’t quite keep his eyebrows from winging upwards in surprise for a moment because really?! No one had ever actually managed to land Claude von Riegan? That seemed so… ludicrous, honestly. ]
So… I’ll take that as a no, then. [ Because by not answering that question, Claude had very much answered that question. ] Well, that… just means I’m going to have to be more inventive than I initially realized.
[ He’s still leaning a hand against the back of the chair beside Claude and when the other man averts his gaze, won’t look at him, he slides his fingers under his chin to tilt his head back towards him. Forcefully bringing Claude’s attention back to focus on him if he has to. ]
Look, no one outside this room has to know what happens in here. So if you’re not comfortable with it going that far, you can say that and I’m not gonna judge. Same goes for if you are looking to change that. I realize getting a familiar face in here with you might make this more… awkward than you anticipated, but believe it or not, I do know how to be discreet.
[ There’s a faint twitch at the corner of his lips, because that’s already been called into question twice today and he’s still a little annoyed about it. ]
[Yes, well, your surprise at that just means you fell for his clever ruse! So there! Look, he's been kind of busy with a war and all and intimacy of all kinds is terrifying. Getting laid has not been a priority.
Just the touch has him looking back at Sylvain, and is that a hint of a blush starting at the tips of his ears? He is not immune to the charms of Sylvain Gautier...
As much as he was hoping to fall back on the tried and true 'fake it til you make it' approach even with this, it does make something in the pit of his stomach unknot to be told that he doesn't have to this time. Maybe it was fate doing him a favor, having it turn out this way.]
I wasn't actually worried about your ability to be discrete... but thanks. [He's back to seeming fully self-assured, though there's a softness to that thanks that speaks to all it extends to.] I was looking to change that, and I still am. [The fact that he's doing it this way instead of auctioning it off, which would certainly put him at an advantage in this place, is definitely telling. He's going to have to get comfortable with sex here either way, if he's going to get back home... hence the diving right in.]
[ You should really reassess your priorities, sir.
But at the very least, Sylvain can admire that he apparently doesn't do anything by halves. His thumb brushes against the man's stubbled jaw as he holds his gaze and considers those words. And where to proceed from there. Virgins. The only thing more terrifying than intimacy. ]
Okay. I can work with that. But it changes how I would go about this a little bit. Mostly because you're not going to have any way of knowing what you might like or not until you experience it and walking into a room like this without that knowledge is... sort of like jumping into the ocean without knowing how to swim.
So. We can try to ease into this, or we can just... try some different things and see what appeals to you. What are you going to be more comfortable with here? Because I can adapt to either pretty easily.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
timeasmymeasure
He should have seen that one coming
Date: 2023-12-24 06:25 am (UTC)[ That’s definitely not a comparison he would have thought to make. Ever. He’s not even quite sure what prompted it. Sure, they’d played a few chess matches back in their school days, but it wasn’t like he and Claude had ever traveled in the same circles much. ]
And I don’t know. That is why I was asking you, after all. At the very least so I could avoid crossing any lines that would make you uncomfortable in the process.
[ …But maybe Claude didn’t know what those were either. Sylvain squints at him a moment, trying to remember if he’d ever heard anything or seen anyone coming in and out of Claude’s room, since it had always been so close to his own. He didn’t think so, other than maybe Hilda a time or two, but he wasn’t sure that counted. Or maybe it did, what did he know? ]
Have you ever had an actual lover before, for that matter? [ Because if Claude was still a virgin, Sylvain was definitely taking a number of things right off the table from the get-go. ]
calling his bluff like this, rude behavior gautier
Date: 2023-12-24 06:50 am (UTC)It was Ingrid, actually. [So yes, she was pissed off at him. Sylvain pretty quickly susses out the truth, and yeah, maybe there is something to the comparison because clearly he's smarter than he likes everyone to think.
For as much as Claude has a reputation for being a schemer and a liar, he doesn't straight up lie very often-- it's not that he can't, but generally he prefers to edge around the truth, or let people come to their own conclusions and avoid confirming or denying either way. And, well, he kind of wasn't expecting Sylvain to figure that out so damn quick. As close as they are, it'd be hard for Sylvain not to see his smile faltering for a moment, or the way he doesn't quite meet his gaze suddenly.]
I really wasn't expecting to run into a familiar face here. [He says instead of verbally answering the question, which is definitely an answer in itself.]
He lives to ruin the days of any nearby golden deer, clearly.
Date: 2023-12-24 07:05 am (UTC)[ Still, that falter is impossible to miss. Especially since he’d been watching for a specific reaction to that question and Claude might not have meant to give him so obvious and answer but… well. He really had.
He can’t quite keep his eyebrows from winging upwards in surprise for a moment because really?! No one had ever actually managed to land Claude von Riegan? That seemed so… ludicrous, honestly. ]
So… I’ll take that as a no, then. [ Because by not answering that question, Claude had very much answered that question. ] Well, that… just means I’m going to have to be more inventive than I initially realized.
[ He’s still leaning a hand against the back of the chair beside Claude and when the other man averts his gaze, won’t look at him, he slides his fingers under his chin to tilt his head back towards him. Forcefully bringing Claude’s attention back to focus on him if he has to. ]
Look, no one outside this room has to know what happens in here. So if you’re not comfortable with it going that far, you can say that and I’m not gonna judge. Same goes for if you are looking to change that. I realize getting a familiar face in here with you might make this more… awkward than you anticipated, but believe it or not, I do know how to be discreet.
[ There’s a faint twitch at the corner of his lips, because that’s already been called into question twice today and he’s still a little annoyed about it. ]
no subject
Date: 2023-12-24 07:54 am (UTC)and intimacy of all kinds is terrifying. Getting laid has not been a priority.Just the touch has him looking back at Sylvain, and is that a hint of a blush starting at the tips of his ears? He is not immune to the charms of Sylvain Gautier...
As much as he was hoping to fall back on the tried and true 'fake it til you make it' approach even with this, it does make something in the pit of his stomach unknot to be told that he doesn't have to this time. Maybe it was fate doing him a favor, having it turn out this way.]
I wasn't actually worried about your ability to be discrete... but thanks. [He's back to seeming fully self-assured, though there's a softness to that thanks that speaks to all it extends to.] I was looking to change that, and I still am. [The fact that he's doing it this way instead of auctioning it off, which would certainly put him at an advantage in this place, is definitely telling. He's going to have to get comfortable with sex here either way, if he's going to get back home... hence the diving right in.]
no subject
Date: 2023-12-24 03:46 pm (UTC)But at the very least, Sylvain can admire that he apparently doesn't do anything by halves. His thumb brushes against the man's stubbled jaw as he holds his gaze and considers those words. And where to proceed from there.
Virgins. The only thing more terrifying than intimacy.]Okay. I can work with that. But it changes how I would go about this a little bit. Mostly because you're not going to have any way of knowing what you might like or not until you experience it and walking into a room like this without that knowledge is... sort of like jumping into the ocean without knowing how to swim.
So. We can try to ease into this, or we can just... try some different things and see what appeals to you. What are you going to be more comfortable with here? Because I can adapt to either pretty easily.