he doesn't quite drop the act yet, mostly because it's proving useful for the most part, still, to manipulate sena into making mistakes and putting his pieces into more vulnerable positions.
is this what it looks like when memories are triggered? he has some, but he's never seen them actually happen in person, so by the time sena's snapped out of it and levels an angry glare at him, lelouch looks rather unflinching, but instead of just looking almost predatory, he looks almost thoughtful.
he still has sena's knight piece in his hand, his fingers still idly brushing against the detailing. and it's something that's easily missed, probably, but lelouch picks up on it anyway. ]
He? [ there's the barest hint of a frown, and lelouch sets the piece on his side of the table, aside from the rest of the captured pieces, just off the board. ]
It's your turn. [ it's smooth, but if sena's listening closely, there's a slight note of doubt in his tone. most of the conditions have been cleared - sena just has a few pieces in the way, but once he deals with them, it's easy to push through with a win.
but then again-- ] I'm interested to see how you turn this around.
[ another pause, and then said somewhat offhandedly, although he's also watching closely for sena's reaction, since he's. also rather aware that he's dropped several bombs on sena within the past few minutes, actually. and there has to be something behind the agitation, right? time to push a little further to try and find out what it is, then. ] You're not bothered by the fact I was both those things?
Nothing. [ he lowers and clutches his head in one hand, massaging his temples. he hopes that maybe it's a different tsukinaga, but the last time he'd thought of that he and keito connected the dots. the fact that he's getting a lot of memories about leo the most proves it as well.
leo was important to him, or at least to his past self. why else would a kid emperor talk about him so highly? and why were they talking as if it was the end of the world? did that pale-looking guy really kill someone? just what the hell is that school?!
he's overthinking too much, and he can tell because he's been navelgazing for a few minutes now. shaking his head, he looks up at the chessboard again, scrutinizing the moves that they'd both made so far. lelouch was on a roll, and if sena isn't careful, it really would be a checkmate against him for sure. but even though the only consequence in losing is giving up the drink, sena still can't give up. it really is as if he's fighting for his life here.
after a few more minutes of rumination, he smiles. ]
I wasn't bothered at all. After all, I did see it coming, didn't I? Just like this formation.
[ he only has five pieces left, and he's going to put them all into good use. he pushes his bishop to eliminate the queen that killed his knight. ah, revenge. so sweet. ]
Let's save the memory bullshit for later. Right now, I have a match to win.
[ he doesn't look convinced, and for a moment, lelouch wants to push the issue further - ask maybe what's happened to force sena into that navelgazing, and when sena returns his attention to the chessboard and their game, lelouch is still wearing a frown on his features as he looks upon the board, concentrating.
it's sena's smile that makes his brow quirk upward, the doubt being replaced by curiosity and well. to his credit, lelouch doesn't flinch or look too concerned when he loses his queen.
he inclines his head slightly and pushes his king forward instead into another square, protected by a rook and a knight. the action is almost regal. ]
You owe me an explanation later. [ he says - it sounds pleasant enough. i do too, is what goes unsaid, but lelouch is fairly certain that sena is more than capable of reading between the lines to understand that. ]
I wouldn't be so confident, if I were you. [ and with good reason, too. without his queen, lelouch has lost his trump card - so even if he can't fight to win, he's going to at least push for a stalemate, manipulating the pieces such that they can at least force each other into check.
a draw is more palatable than an outright loss, in any case. ]
[ sena's mind is still a little out of it, from lelouch's machinations to that acquired memory he just got to this chess match in hell, but he has to defeat him nonetheless. playing chess with yet another emperor - guess some things just never change in between alternate universes.
noticing that lelouch is going for a stalemate, sena works towards that goal as well. they can have another intensive match some other time, when they're not being bombarded with shitty memories and regains. so after an hour or so sena leans back in his seat and breathes out a sigh of relief, staring back at the chessboard where two kings stay standing. this is for the best, he muses. but he needs to address one more thing - ]
So who's taking the drink?
[ because it's still sitting there, waiting to be consumed. ]
[ that was. way too intense. sena's always been a good opponent, that much is true, but for some reason, sena's play style is giving him a sense of deja vu, especially of the nameless opponent that he's seeing in these dreams? visions? memories? whatever they're supposed to be, at any rate.
but now that it's over, lelouch is just kind of flopped over his seat like a semi-contented cat. ]
... Split?
[ a wry grin. nothing like the emperor that sena was probably battling against. ] We did draw.
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adoringpast) wrote2017-04-26 10:17 am
no subject
he doesn't quite drop the act yet, mostly because it's proving useful for the most part, still, to manipulate sena into making mistakes and putting his pieces into more vulnerable positions.
is this what it looks like when memories are triggered? he has some, but he's never seen them actually happen in person, so by the time sena's snapped out of it and levels an angry glare at him, lelouch looks rather unflinching, but instead of just looking almost predatory, he looks almost thoughtful.
he still has sena's knight piece in his hand, his fingers still idly brushing against the detailing. and it's something that's easily missed, probably, but lelouch picks up on it anyway. ]
He? [ there's the barest hint of a frown, and lelouch sets the piece on his side of the table, aside from the rest of the captured pieces, just off the board. ]
It's your turn. [ it's smooth, but if sena's listening closely, there's a slight note of doubt in his tone. most of the conditions have been cleared - sena just has a few pieces in the way, but once he deals with them, it's easy to push through with a win.
but then again-- ] I'm interested to see how you turn this around.
[ another pause, and then said somewhat offhandedly, although he's also watching closely for sena's reaction, since he's. also rather aware that he's dropped several bombs on sena within the past few minutes, actually. and there has to be something behind the agitation, right? time to push a little further to try and find out what it is, then. ] You're not bothered by the fact I was both those things?
no subject
leo was important to him, or at least to his past self. why else would a kid emperor talk about him so highly? and why were they talking as if it was the end of the world? did that pale-looking guy really kill someone? just what the hell is that school?!
he's overthinking too much, and he can tell because he's been navelgazing for a few minutes now. shaking his head, he looks up at the chessboard again, scrutinizing the moves that they'd both made so far. lelouch was on a roll, and if sena isn't careful, it really would be a checkmate against him for sure. but even though the only consequence in losing is giving up the drink, sena still can't give up. it really is as if he's fighting for his life here.
after a few more minutes of rumination, he smiles. ]
I wasn't bothered at all. After all, I did see it coming, didn't I? Just like this formation.
[ he only has five pieces left, and he's going to put them all into good use. he pushes his bishop to eliminate the queen that killed his knight. ah, revenge. so sweet. ]
Let's save the memory bullshit for later. Right now, I have a match to win.
no subject
it's sena's smile that makes his brow quirk upward, the doubt being replaced by curiosity and well. to his credit, lelouch doesn't flinch or look too concerned when he loses his queen.
he inclines his head slightly and pushes his king forward instead into another square, protected by a rook and a knight. the action is almost regal. ]
You owe me an explanation later. [ he says - it sounds pleasant enough. i do too, is what goes unsaid, but lelouch is fairly certain that sena is more than capable of reading between the lines to understand that. ]
I wouldn't be so confident, if I were you. [ and with good reason, too. without his queen, lelouch has lost his trump card - so even if he can't fight to win, he's going to at least push for a stalemate, manipulating the pieces such that they can at least force each other into check.
a draw is more palatable than an outright loss, in any case. ]
no subject
noticing that lelouch is going for a stalemate, sena works towards that goal as well. they can have another intensive match some other time, when they're not being bombarded with shitty memories and regains. so after an hour or so sena leans back in his seat and breathes out a sigh of relief, staring back at the chessboard where two kings stay standing. this is for the best, he muses. but he needs to address one more thing - ]
So who's taking the drink?
[ because it's still sitting there, waiting to be consumed. ]
no subject
but now that it's over, lelouch is just kind of flopped over his seat like a semi-contented cat. ]
... Split?
[ a wry grin. nothing like the emperor that sena was probably battling against. ] We did draw.