[Hmm. He wonders if it's something to worry about that Dextera hears a voice sometimes that sounds like it could be his dead brother. Is that what it is? A spirit, a demon, something similar? But, even if the Order of the Imperial Moon never believed in an afterlife, he can see how Dextera would be comforted by hearing something like that and then moving to act on it.
As long as it's just playing chess, it's fine.]
It is something good. You're having fun, and so am I, so you don't have to thank me, either.
[He starts sliding the pieces back into place, satisfied with whatever he gathered from the last match.] If someone isn't there, asking me to play chess or shogi or video games, then sometimes I can forget to take a break for myself at all.
[ hm, well, yes, dextera is not going to tell guren everything that his brother says to him—the chess is the nice part to recall, and not the way he occasionally chants in dextera's ear that he's suffering, or that dextera is a traitor and a murderer. he's not thinking about those things right now, and tries to avoid it when he can, really. ]
...hah.
[ more a sigh than a laugh, but it's not nearly as tired as his sighs can often sound. there's a small smile, pulling at the corners of his mouth. ]
I've never had time to take breaks like this. It's all new to me, but [ this time, when he pauses... it's because he's shy. ] I'm always happy to do this sort of thing with you.
[Ah, that— he's happy to read it, of course. Happy enough that it feels like his chest swells, and the heat on his face is a little too much. He's worried it's obvious, and the more he worries about it, the worse the feeling gets.
At the same time, even though he scrunches up his face like he's going to come up with some tsundere comment, or tell Dextera to shut up when he's really said nothing at all, he finds himself unable to do it.
The message had been too nice. Despite the way that he pushed everyone and everything away, the automatic reaction to kindness that would scare most people off but kept good friends close, like a test— he doesn't want to test this. The last thing he wants is to push back so much that Dextera pulls away.
So, he stares back down at the chess board, instead, hoping that will help his burning ears.]
...Yeah, I know. [A long pause, like he's still struggling with what to say.] Me, too.
[...]
Want to play another one? They're faster like this.
[ dextera is waiting for it, really. he fully expects guren to tell him to shut up or for guren to forcibly close his laptop so he can't say anything else, and when he gets plain-as-day embarrassment instead, he wonders what that means—was it too much? has he been too sincere?
but then guren quietly admits that he feels the same way, and dextera blushes too, hiding the lower half of his face behind his hand as his gaze slides to the side of the room. he nods. the feeling in his chest is most certainly a happiness he's never known before, but guren looking like that has him all flustered.
so he's glad, when the out of another chess game is offered. to further hide the fact that he's almost dizzyingly happy, he ups the ante on their challenge. he is not looking at the keyboard or actually anywhere on the laptop as he types this out with one hand. ]
[Ugh... Thank god, now they can focus on chess, and he can pretend this never happened since he wasn't called out on it. Dextera being embarrassed is one thing, he's embarrassed half of the time. But him? He doesn't want it seen, or known, or commented on.
And an upped challenge is a good way to get him to settle down, if you can call getting hyped up on excitement "settling down."]
Ten seconds? I was already using most of the 12 last time. [Not that he's wanting him to change his mind. It's just an acknowledgement that this is going to be hard.]
[ dextera is definitely not going to pretend this never happened, and is in fact going to spend an entire day processing it beginning immediately after guren goes home. it's just that he has a distraction now that's hard to resist—the back of his mind, however, is buzzing with the excited acknowledgement that they're friends, not for the first time. he's just happy whenever it comes up, in whatever form it seems to take.
he nods, finally allowing himself to look at the board. guren, please start this match before he melts into a puddle. ]
[Dextera... is cute. Guren isn't blind to his suffering, over there. He's clearly embarrassed, too. But acknowledging that in any way would mean acknowledging that he was the same way, so he's going to pretend he doesn't notice and start this chess game, instead.
After all, this will be a big distraction to focus on. Ten seconds per turn, and Guren is already more prepared than the last match. He's entirely focused, and with knowledge on his mind, he intends to make the right moves this time.]
[ dextera doesn’t let his embarrassment muck up his opening. it’s the easiest part to find patterns in, and even if guren isn’t playing by the book, dextera’s responses are automatic enough to certain configurations that he almost doesn’t need to think.
once they get into the swing of it, he’s calmed down enough to play like normal—and he’s grateful that they’re on a timer, because it keeps him from watching guren for too long. it’s tempting, to let his eyes flicker up, but he avoids it as much as he can.
this match is closer than the last one, even with the two seconds shaved off. guren is leaving no openings, and so dextera just has to try to play a better match. smarter moves. ]
[Guren, meanwhile, has no problem looking at Dextera. In fact, he does it a lot. He's searching his expression for clues about the game, and just watching him play. It's fun like that, seeing him thinking, acting on it, and he might catch a couple of those glances he attempts to hold back from.
He's not letting himself get too cocky, since that'll definitely be his downfall in this. Dextera's too good, but Guren is trying his best in his ten seconds. He thinks outside of the box, tries from a weird angle, moves that wouldn't work for just everyone but might work with Dextera's thinking.
It's too close, he can't tell who's going to win yet.]
[ guren is doing really well for someone who doesn't have plain experience under his belt, but ultimately, it's dextera's impulse for following certain strategies that helps him out here, and he places guren's king in check. ]
...
[ and checkmate, he realizes, glancing over the board. there are no moves left to make that can protect guren's king. it's just up to guren to call it! ]
[ ...dextera tries not to smile in apology, since he thinks that might just piss guren off for him to be too humble about winning, but he nods and accepts the outcome with a little bit more satisfaction than before. he turns to his laptop, pulling up the document again. ]
[He's sort of right. Even that nice comment there, about doing really well, gets his lips to twitch in their frown. He's not pointing any anger at Dextera, but he is blaming himself. If he had done "really well," then he would have won. It wasn't good enough. He didn't get there, so he needs more work.
And as much as he wants to fume and get angry and focus on the work himself, he relaxes a little and stares at that question for a good few seconds before sighing.]
[ dextera sets the board up to the way it was quite a few moves ago, perhaps about halfway through their quick game. he remembers it, though, because it was a point where guren had the clear advantage, and dextera isn’t sure that he noticed it.
then, he closes the laptop, a signal to forget about the timer, and he motions for guren to pick up the game again. this time, with a few more seconds to think... ]
[He... hadn't noticed it at all. Nothing about this part of the game stood out to him before, but now that his attention is being drawn to it, he blinks back down with a little more focus, curious. Interested.
He sees it, now. A move he could have made before that he didn't. An entire opening. He reaches for it now, moving his piece with confidence, even if the only reason he found this in the first place was Dextera pointing it out to him.
That part is a little embarrassing, but... he's getting used to it. Dextera is just good at this.]
[ dextera know already that he’s going to lose if they pursue this particular formation, but he’s willing to play it out—it’s fun to teach, too, and even if this doesn’t fulfill the requirements of the quest they looked at, learning skills is on his mind.
he answers guren’s move with one of his own, but even these two moves in, it’s easy to see that the entire flow of the game is changed. ]
[Guren... really appreciates this. He's learning, he sees, and now the game branched off so completely from earlier. They can change this drastically, from one move. Again, he's thinking of real life, real combat, real war, but none of his knowledge helps here. Still, with his attention brought to it, and his new focus on the game, he can see that he's winning now.]
...I feel like I'm going to have to start practicing on the side to catch up to you. [It's a joke, mostly, but it's a real thought, too. Dextera is so good?]
[ dextera laughs, quietly. he’s already won two games, so he’s not focused quite as hard as he was before, but he’s not going to let guren just have the game either! there’s no point in teaching if he throws the match after making a point. ]
Hmm.
[ still, he’s flattered that guren thinks he’s that good. as it turns out, amnesia doesn’t have any effect on his ability to remember patterns.
still, with the formation he showed guren, his disadvantage is distinct, and guren has momentum on his side. dextera loses his queen a few turns later, which is more or less a death sentence in this game. ]
[Guren doesn't play any less focused than he did before. If anything, he's more focused, determined not to lose now that it's been handed to him. And with the queen out of the way, a few turns later, he's got checkmate.]
It's like a nice way of telling me I wasn't good enough to win, even if I could have.
[He says that, but there's a soft laugh, and he leans to the side, resting his wait on a palm.] Just one missed chance made a difference. I can't believe I missed that.
[ dextera is happy to see guren happy, even though that win was technically handed to him. still, if they hadn’t been timed, guren probably would have been able to pull it off.
dextera retrieves his laptop. ]
It’s called the Maroczy Bind.
I don’t have a good defense for it yet, so please don’t use it until I figure it out.
[And he did it on accident? After it was pointed out to him, sort of. Well, he guesses there are a large number of formations of defenses and moves that they've both done, knowing or not. Still! He moves from where he is across the board to sit next to Dextera, instead. It's easier for him to type without turning the laptop each time, he's sure.]
Thanks. [For showing him. He's looking back at the chess board, now, remembering their conversation just moments before the latest match, thinking. For now, he's content to just sit here like this.]
[ dextera adjusts so the laptop is more comfortably seated in his lap, and he makes himself more comfortable as well by leaning slightly against guren. ]
I should thank you, too.
I had a really good day today.
[ he’s having more and more of those lately, and it’s hard to believe sometimes. ]
[He can't help it. He grins, but at least this time he's not acting like a giant baby over experiencing emotion. He can hold back from being too embarrassed about this. It's just an admission of a good day, an opening of those warm feelings between them, and Guren is here to accept it and give his own back. He leans a little into Dextera in turn, sharing that.]
Mine wasn't all that good, really.
[Purposefully full of it, not even trying to sound real, he makes it a joke. Even he's aware that he's a tsundere loser.]
[ dextera falls for it at first all the same, because he’s stupid, but one look at guren’s face helps him realize that he’s only being teased. how rude!
he laughs a little, shy to have been caught being so worried, and shakes his head as he playfully bumps his shoulder back against guren’s. ]
[He can't believe Dextera sometimes. How can one guy be so pure?? He moves with the bump, swaying in exaggeration and ending up right back where he was before.]
Mmm, nah. I think I'd rather stay right here. You can't get rid of me that easily.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
no subject
As long as it's just playing chess, it's fine.]
It is something good. You're having fun, and so am I, so you don't have to thank me, either.
[He starts sliding the pieces back into place, satisfied with whatever he gathered from the last match.] If someone isn't there, asking me to play chess or shogi or video games, then sometimes I can forget to take a break for myself at all.
I bet you just need the reminder, too.
no subject
...hah.
[ more a sigh than a laugh, but it's not nearly as tired as his sighs can often sound. there's a small smile, pulling at the corners of his mouth. ]
I've never had time to take breaks like this. It's all new to me, but [ this time, when he pauses... it's because he's shy. ] I'm always happy to do this sort of thing with you.
no subject
At the same time, even though he scrunches up his face like he's going to come up with some tsundere comment, or tell Dextera to shut up when he's really said nothing at all, he finds himself unable to do it.
The message had been too nice. Despite the way that he pushed everyone and everything away, the automatic reaction to kindness that would scare most people off but kept good friends close, like a test— he doesn't want to test this. The last thing he wants is to push back so much that Dextera pulls away.
So, he stares back down at the chess board, instead, hoping that will help his burning ears.]
...Yeah, I know. [A long pause, like he's still struggling with what to say.] Me, too.
[...]
Want to play another one? They're faster like this.
no subject
but then guren quietly admits that he feels the same way, and dextera blushes too, hiding the lower half of his face behind his hand as his gaze slides to the side of the room. he nods. the feeling in his chest is most certainly a happiness he's never known before, but guren looking like that has him all flustered.
so he's glad, when the out of another chess game is offered. to further hide the fact that he's almost dizzyingly happy, he ups the ante on their challenge. he is not looking at the keyboard or actually anywhere on the laptop as he types this out with one hand. ]
10 seconds.
no subject
And an upped challenge is a good way to get him to settle down, if you can call getting hyped up on excitement "settling down."]
Ten seconds? I was already using most of the 12 last time. [Not that he's wanting him to change his mind. It's just an acknowledgement that this is going to be hard.]
Alright, fine. Ten seconds. Let's go, you ready?
no subject
he nods, finally allowing himself to look at the board. guren, please start this match before he melts into a puddle. ]
no subject
After all, this will be a big distraction to focus on. Ten seconds per turn, and Guren is already more prepared than the last match. He's entirely focused, and with knowledge on his mind, he intends to make the right moves this time.]
no subject
once they get into the swing of it, he’s calmed down enough to play like normal—and he’s grateful that they’re on a timer, because it keeps him from watching guren for too long. it’s tempting, to let his eyes flicker up, but he avoids it as much as he can.
this match is closer than the last one, even with the two seconds shaved off. guren is leaving no openings, and so dextera just has to try to play a better match. smarter moves. ]
no subject
He's not letting himself get too cocky, since that'll definitely be his downfall in this. Dextera's too good, but Guren is trying his best in his ten seconds. He thinks outside of the box, tries from a weird angle, moves that wouldn't work for just everyone but might work with Dextera's thinking.
It's too close, he can't tell who's going to win yet.]
no subject
...
[ and checkmate, he realizes, glancing over the board. there are no moves left to make that can protect guren's king. it's just up to guren to call it! ]
no subject
[He tried for about 8 seconds to find a way out of this, but he finally groans that out, letting his turn slip past as he waves it off.] You win.
[He felt like he was so close!! But he was so far... Now he's frustrated, staring at the board, trying to figure it out again.]
no subject
You did really well.
Could I show you something?
no subject
And as much as he wants to fume and get angry and focus on the work himself, he relaxes a little and stares at that question for a good few seconds before sighing.]
Yeah, sure. Show me.
no subject
then, he closes the laptop, a signal to forget about the timer, and he motions for guren to pick up the game again. this time, with a few more seconds to think... ]
no subject
He sees it, now. A move he could have made before that he didn't. An entire opening. He reaches for it now, moving his piece with confidence, even if the only reason he found this in the first place was Dextera pointing it out to him.
That part is a little embarrassing, but... he's getting used to it. Dextera is just good at this.]
no subject
he answers guren’s move with one of his own, but even these two moves in, it’s easy to see that the entire flow of the game is changed. ]
no subject
...I feel like I'm going to have to start practicing on the side to catch up to you. [It's a joke, mostly, but it's a real thought, too. Dextera is so good?]
no subject
Hmm.
[ still, he’s flattered that guren thinks he’s that good. as it turns out, amnesia doesn’t have any effect on his ability to remember patterns.
still, with the formation he showed guren, his disadvantage is distinct, and guren has momentum on his side. dextera loses his queen a few turns later, which is more or less a death sentence in this game. ]
no subject
It's like a nice way of telling me I wasn't good enough to win, even if I could have.
[He says that, but there's a soft laugh, and he leans to the side, resting his wait on a palm.] Just one missed chance made a difference. I can't believe I missed that.
no subject
dextera retrieves his laptop. ]
It’s called the Maroczy Bind.
I don’t have a good defense for it yet, so please don’t use it until I figure it out.
[ a joke... but also, yeah. ]
no subject
[And he did it on accident? After it was pointed out to him, sort of. Well, he guesses there are a large number of formations of defenses and moves that they've both done, knowing or not. Still! He moves from where he is across the board to sit next to Dextera, instead. It's easier for him to type without turning the laptop each time, he's sure.]
Thanks. [For showing him. He's looking back at the chess board, now, remembering their conversation just moments before the latest match, thinking. For now, he's content to just sit here like this.]
no subject
I should thank you, too.
I had a really good day today.
[ he’s having more and more of those lately, and it’s hard to believe sometimes. ]
no subject
[He can't help it. He grins, but at least this time he's not acting like a giant baby over experiencing emotion. He can hold back from being too embarrassed about this. It's just an admission of a good day, an opening of those warm feelings between them, and Guren is here to accept it and give his own back. He leans a little into Dextera in turn, sharing that.]
Mine wasn't all that good, really.
[Purposefully full of it, not even trying to sound real, he makes it a joke. Even he's aware that he's a tsundere loser.]
no subject
[ dextera falls for it at first all the same, because he’s stupid, but one look at guren’s face helps him realize that he’s only being teased. how rude!
he laughs a little, shy to have been caught being so worried, and shakes his head as he playfully bumps his shoulder back against guren’s. ]
Then you can go home.
no subject
[He can't believe Dextera sometimes. How can one guy be so pure?? He moves with the bump, swaying in exaggeration and ending up right back where he was before.]
Mmm, nah. I think I'd rather stay right here. You can't get rid of me that easily.
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)