Open Post: Who invented this calendar anyway?

[futaille]

How unfortunate.

Yes, Grantaire was fully aware that the year being longer at the mansion would logically cause seasons to drift when someone kept track of the old calendar, or at least what had been pinned down as the old calendar for convenience sake, which was almost necessary when people's arrivals weren't necessarily tied to the day they left. He hadn't given it too much thought last year, when his birthday, such that it was, arrived in spring like he was used to.

Dark, though, was unfortunate. Not inappropriate for the next notable anniversary coming up, but for this one, not at all. Of course, it wasn't as if he would have been planning much in the way of an event, Dark or no, but it would have been nice to treat himself to something or other, regardless.

Instead, he has installed himself in the game room, where he is carefully balancing dominoes on their ends to make a domino rally on the billiards table. It's a nice large flat surface, so it should work nicely. Have to keep entertained somehow.

Comments

[quote_gentle_unquote]

Susan undoes another button. "Perhaps if you locked it, as well."

[futaille]

Grantaire promptly turns the lock, practically behind his back as his real attention is back on Susan at this point.

[quote_gentle_unquote]

With the third button released at the click of the lock, the longline of Susan's brassiere is fully revealed. "And whilst you're up, you might as well clear away the chessboard we've utterly neglected to use."

[futaille]

A glance at the chessboard. "Ah yes. I suppose it was just reinforced that the queen is the most powerful piece on the board anyway, game or no." He walks over to clean it up.

[quote_gentle_unquote]

She loosens the little belt on her dress. "That's terribly kind of you," pleased. "I expect we shall have other opportunities to play."

[futaille]

"I hope so. I expect you'd win, but it would be a delightful game nonetheless." The board and pieces go back onto one of the shelves of games. "There we are."

[quote_gentle_unquote]

"Very good," says Susan, extending a beckoning hand toward him.

[futaille]

He crosses over towards her, heeding her wordless summons.

[quote_gentle_unquote]

She rises smoothly - a chair is not the best venue for any such lessons - and says, "Perhaps we ought to begin with a demonstration of your current level of ability. How would you start?"

[futaille]

"Admittedly a somewhat unusual place to begin from," he says a bit wryly, "but I'll do my best."

He lifts his hands to briefly cup Susan's chin, his thumbs tracing her jawline. He then slips his hands down the sides of her neck to her shoulders, traveling their length as his thumbs slim down the hollow of her throat and her collarbones.

[quote_gentle_unquote]

Susan's eyelashes flutter. "Unusual?" she says, lifting her chin. "Surely it's not so unusual to get a sense of the sort of student I'm working with."

[futaille]

"Not from your side. From mine. Normally, my start is from a slightly more done up state." He traces a fingertip along the edge of her bra. "Simply observation, though, not complaint."

[quote_gentle_unquote]

"I could button it all up again, if you'd rather," impishly, inhaling so that her chest rises under his touch.