Snow, Smiles, and Strategy
"So much for shopping," I'm glaring out the window at the heavy snow. The weather had gotten really yucky. It's not even the pretty snow like yesterday.
"I wish we lived farther south." Liet hugs from behind. It feels seriously nice until I notice he's shivering a little.
"Are you like cold?"
He lets go and shakes his head as he smiles. "I'm fine." It's that smile. The one makes me feel totally worried. His lips move into the shape perfectly but his eyes are flat like he's not all there.
I bite down on my tongue. I don't like it when he's like this. If I try to get an explanation he'll just give me some lame answer about being tired. After that he'll smile that way again and tilt his head asking why I was worried. So, like, the only thing I can do is distract him from whatever it is he's thinking about, "Lets like play chess or something."
"Chess would be fun." He looks a little surprised as I pull out a dark wood box from under the bed. It's really old. I found it in this awesome antique shop in Krakow. I slide it over to him watching as he opens clasps and pulls out the board. I think my plan is totally working. Liet's fingers run slowly over the tiles before he takes out the board. It's not like it's the same one we used back before the partitions, that one was red and white rather than black and white, but it's so close I just had to buy it. I look out the window again. The third partition… That was when I lost him. The snow was just like today. Thick and heavy and smothering. Tomorrow everything will be messy and grey as it turns into slush.
I stand up suddenly and yank the curtains closed. He jumps, the black bishop dropping from his fingers. I feel a flash of guilt. I totally started him just now.
"Poland?"
"Seriously, this weather is like gross." I turn on the TV and put on some music too. He goes still just sitting next to the board watching me.
I flop down on the opposite side. His voice is hesitant, "Are you angry about something?"
I try to copy that thing he does whenever he dodges my questions. I smile and shake my head. "I'm like good and stuff. It's just that this type of snow is like the worst," I am totally angry but I won't show it anymore. Liet's already seriously nervous and it's not even him I'm mad at, "I'm like really irritated. I wanted so bad to take you out and get you some totally fab new clothes and stuff. I'm sorry for, you know, scaring you."
He watches me for a second then closes his eyes. When he opens them he's like calm again. I can totally see his body relaxing, "Thank you," He gives me a grateful smile. This one is for real. It's not just a curve of his lips but the way his eyes get all warm. I don't think he knows but I can totally tell which of his smiles are real and which ones are trying to stop me from worrying. "Po, do you want to move first?"
"Of course I do." One day I'm going to like find out how he calms down so fast. But, I can't right now when he finally seems to be feeling better. We finish setting up and I tell him about the shop where I found it. The lines break up and the little carved figures stalking each other across the squares. I manage to capture a rook. He uses his pawn to ward off my knight. I feel totally confident again as I take a couple more of his pieces.
"Checkmate." He picks up my rook and places his knight down with a tap.
"Huh?" I look at the board more closely. Damn, he's totally got me, again.
I look up. This smile is smug, "I won't lose in a game like this."
I huff, "No way! Poland rules! It's my turn forever!" I don't think I've won a game of chess against him, I mean like ever. He always had me completely believing I was gonna win until he set that last piece down with a firm tap. Then I would totally whip out Poland rules just to see that silly face he makes. He rolls his eyes and shakes his head. It's kind of boring this time.
"Like checkmate I win," I topple his king with a pawn.
He laughs then leans over the board and kisses me softly, "You never change." He draws back and starts cleaning up. I pick up a rook that got knocked under the bed. I hand it to him and he drops it in with the rest of the figures. He places the board over them his fingers lingering over the white and black squares.
I look down at the set thinking about all the smiles Liet's given over the game. The excited one as he planned, that calm patient one as he waited for me to take my turn, an uncertain but amused one as he listened to one of my stories, and now this contented one as he gently shuts the case.
He puts it back under the bed and turns to me. I totally pounce on him wrapping my arms around my Liet and kissing him hard. He falls onto his back, eyes wide with surprise. "Po?"
"You know since like both of us totally hate snowy days like this we should make some reasons to love them," I kiss him gently in apology. I probably gave him a heart attack or something just now.
"I'm enjoying them more already." He smiles again his eyes bright and eager.