(no subject)

[scots_wolf]

Teja and Urquhart are playing chess again, slowly and grimly, but with much less tension than the last time.

Urquhart's nose is still somewhat swollen and discoloured.

Teja would not pass judgement on that; he is far too dignified to smirk at the man's suffering.

Instead, he takes a knight with his bishop, calmly.


[[OOC: Please say in your tag which of them you want, or you might get both. Thanks!]]

Comments

More to Teja, but open to Urq too. :)

[ash-imperfect.livejournal.com]

Asher descends into the bar from his room, his hair a little dishevelled, not quite the smooth golden curtain it normally is. The reddened bitemark still visible at his throat, a perfect crescent of catlike teeth, may provide some clue as to what - or who - is responsible for Asher's state of disarray.

Not that he's complaining, of course. He spots Teja, sweeping his hair back into a ponytail as he approaches, using one of Nathaniel's hair elastics to fasten it.

"Bon soir, cher," he murmurs, squeezing Teja's shoulder. He has no wish to interrupt Teja if the game is serious, but he can hardly ignore his friend.

Re: More to Teja, but open to Urq too. :)

[ostro_goth]

"Asher!" Teja says, turning his head and smiling up at the man -- the vampire -- who once used to be his lover.

He finds he can do this now without self-recriminations, without woe or worry.

"This man I am playing is named Urquhart," he adds, "a paid killer who lived a few hundred years after my time, when there were wars in the East known as Crusades. We are not playing for stakes this time, but we have yet to find who is the better man at this game. Sit with me, if you have a moment."

Urquhart looks at Asher with cool amber eyes and a deeply hidden smirk.

[ash-imperfect.livejournal.com]

Asher bows his head in greeting, eyeing Urquart as he pulls up a chair and sits at Teja's shoulder.

"Good evening, Urquart," he says politely, his face blank. Urquart has the air of a predator about him, as many here do, and Asher will not underestimate him until he knows a little more. This seems more than just a friendly game of chess.

[scots_wolf]

It is Urquhart's move, and he takes his time.

"Good evening, Asher," he says, "if that is a name a stranger can use?"

His eyes wander on Asher's face, his hair, his body. The Ostrogoth has an odd taste in men, he finds. This one is very beautiful, and there is a warmth between them which is quite telling.

But something is off about him.

Urquhart moves a knight backwards, cautious for the time being.

[ash-imperfect.livejournal.com]

Asher nods.

"It is the only name I have, in fact," he murmurs, his French accent subtle but still there. He rests his arm along the back of Teja's chair, his fingers brushing the Goth's shoulder. He cares not if it offends Urquart, only that he enjoys the warmth of Teja's company, both physical and otherwise. Having just fed, Asher himself is as human-seeming as he ever does. But there is still something off. He doesn't fidget, or move, merely sits as a statue would. He's making no effort to pass, and so his chest does not rise and fall with feigned breaths.

"Who is winning, mon ami?" He asks, addressing Teja.

[ostro_goth]

Neither is, so far, as they are still early in the game; and their last one ended with stalemate.

Teja sees the barely hidden curiosity in Urquahrt's face, having watching him long enough in the cells to be able to see that.

"I am, now," Teja says, turning to look at Asher with almost a smile.

Urquhart with 'Alfred Spangler' to distract an angry Teja led to a stalemate; Teja with Asher to distract a curious Urquhart should lead to victory for the Goth.

Teja moves a pawn.

[ash-imperfect.livejournal.com]

Asher smiles back, letting his thumb gently brush against Teja's neck in a friendly caress. He would pull back at the first sign of discomfort, but as long as it is not forthcoming...he will steal a little of Teja's warmth.

His gaze moves to the board, taking in the pieces. It has been a while since he played chess, but he remembers the rules well. Not that he would help Teja cheat, of course...but if he serves as a distraction - and he can still feel Urquhart's gaze, his curiosity - well, he will be satisfied with that.

[scots_wolf]

"Your voice sounds French," Urquhart says, addressing Asher directly. "But your name is not."

He contains the impulse of commenting on the man's -- or is he something else? -- odd closeness with the uptight, prudish Ostrogoth.

And the way how the man all but purrs under Asher's touch, as if he was one of his cats.

Urquhart moves his queen in a seemingly useless little move.

[ash-imperfect.livejournal.com]

"That would be because I am French," he answers for the first part, "and my name is not." It's not his original name, not the name he was born with, but he does not remember it now. He's been 'Asher' for so long that he wouldn't know to answer to anything else.

[raptorcanaria]

Dinah used to play chess with Fate and Dr. Mid-Nite, under the guise of 'tactical training', so she's pretty good at the game herself.

Munching on a shrimp dumpling, she hovers behind Urquhart's shoulder, watching the game.

[scots_wolf]

Urquhart turns his head to smile up at her when it is Teja's move.

"Hello, Dinah!" he says.

"You're welcome to watch," Teja says. She is a honest woman that takes care of the garden since the purple godling is gone, is she not? So he has no reason to distrust her.

[raptorcanaria]

"Hi, Urq!"

Dinah grins at him, takes another bite of dumpling, and grabs a chair to sit next to him. "It's.. Teja, right?"

She hasn't spoken to him since she thought she was a fire princess. That wasn't fun.

[ostro_goth]

"Indeed," Teja says. "I am Teja, son of Tagila; I was the last king of the Ostrogoths in Italy and died in battle, on the slopes of Mount Vesuvius, in the year 552 of Christian reckoning."

Urquhart rolls his eyes a little, and moves a pawn.

"Here, I am a member of Security, and work in the forge."

[raptorcanaria]

Dinah watches the move, because she's interested in the game like that, before answering.

"It's nice to meet you. I'm a florist from the twentieth century." Which is decidedly not that interesting.

"I didn't think you two were on playing-chess terms."

This, mostly to Urquhart, but open to the both.

[scots_wolf]

Teja looks at the board, brooding.

"We first did it instead of duelling," Urquhart says, "and ended up with a stalemate. So our argument is settled, but we still need to find out who's the better man at this."

Teja moves a knight.

[raptorcanaria]

Dinah blinks in surprise, then laughs. Mostly at herself, because she gets it. She knows this system of honour, even if it's something she could never explain to the Justice League.

"Then I promise not to help any of you with moves," she says fondly. "Do either of you want something to eat?"

[ostro_goth]

"We do not plan to draw out the battle so badly that provisioning and supplies would be at issue," Teja says, actually smiling. "But tea might help."

"I'd prefer coffee," Urquhart says.

[the_cupbearer]

"I am sure there are more engaging activities for a cold evening."

The voice is neutral enough, though the owner is most certainly not. He looks for all the world like he's just fallen out of bed--he hasn't. But modeling can make you look like a lot of things have happened.

[scots_wolf]

"I firmly intend not to sleep alone," Urquhart says, grinning at Ganymede. "But for the time being, I'll try and win this game."

[the_cupbearer]

"Who said anything about sleeping?"

[scots_wolf]

"Oh, the sleeping happens afterwards," Urquhart says, smirking. "I'll enjoy myself this evening, but the game comes first. Not that it won't be enjoyable to beat the Goth..."

"Empty words," Teja says.

[the_cupbearer]

"Empty because you think it won't be enjoyable, or you think he won't win?" Ganymede asks, a tiny smirk on his face. The collar around his throat winks in the firelight as he tilts his head, studying the board.

Yes, he does know how to play chess.

[ostro_goth]

"He should not boast of a victory he has not won yet, indeed," Teja says. "I mean to beat him still. Whatever he does afterwards is his own business."

[the_cupbearer]

"So why are you playing?"

[scots_wolf]

"To see who is the better man at this," Urquhart says.