LEGATO TO STACCATO | Benny Watts X Reader

Chapter Twenty

1966

(3rd person POV)

(A/N: I am so sorry for being silent for such a long time, I was just trying to find the right time and motivation to make me update this book but I kept procrastinating and here we are. So I kinda ran out of ideas for filler chapters and I'm going straight to 1966 from 1963. Big jump I know. Really sorry about rushing things and all 😓)

Time flew by quick and before they knew it Benny's car was parked out front of Y/N's house, ready to head to Las Vegas. However, Benny Watts being Benny Watts, they now need to rush to the airport.

Poor Y/N was sitting out on her front porch for the past hour waiting for her boyfriend to come pick her up. The minute she caught a glimpse of his car she jumped up, grabbed her suitcase, and ran towards it. After shoving her suitcase into the trunk, she ran to the front, opened the door, got in and pulled Benny by the ear.

"DO.YOU.HAVE.ANY.IDEA.HOW.LONG.I'VE.BEEN.SITTING.THERE?" She scolded, tightening her grip on his ear.

"I know, I know!!" Benny exclaimed, his ear turning red. He was desperately trying to get her to loosen her grip on him.

Y/N let go of his ear and leant back into her seat.

Benny knew it was pointless to talk to her when she was mad (that only makes things worse). The whole car ride was silent, none of them even bothered to turn on the radio to ease the tension. Even when they got on the plane, Y/N was still avoiding the chess player's gaze.

Benny sighed wholeheartedly. He never could fully understand the female species.

"Y/N/N, can you at least look at me?" Benny asked when they got into their hotel room.

Y/N didn't answer. Instead she seemingly glared at the view through the window.

"Y/N come on. You can't stay mad at me forever." Benny tried to turn her head to face him. Boy did he get a shock when her eyes seared into his causing him to let go of her.

"Okay, maybe you can." Benny mumbled under his breath.

With that being said, Benny went to his bag to fish out his chess set for some practice before his matches that day. That's when he saw her open suitcase lying there with it's contents opened-wide for him to see.

"Oh," He thought aloud. "It's her time of the month."

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Eventually, Y/N was back to normal in an hour or two (thanks to those unpredictable mood swings). Benny dragged her out to the main area where all the matches were taking place.

Match after match went on. As much as Y/N wanted to, she could barely understand what was happening on the board. Sure she played but she was an amateur player. Benny was basically going back and forth between playing and lecturing others about the "correct" method of playing chess. Once Benny was seemingly done with most of his matches, he strolled over to her and sat next to her.

"So, how was it."

"You know I can barely understand what's happening right. I mean sure you were quick but do you really expect someone like me to understand your level of chess?" Y/N raised an eyebrow at him.

"Fair enough, but your not that bad." Benny told her as he rubbed her shoulder.

Y/N gave him a look.

"Okay, you were better than most kids I've seen." He tried to put it out as nicely as possible.

"Really comforting Watts." Y/N deadpanned. "I'm heading up to the room to get some reading done. When you're finished, you know where to find me." She pecked his lips and walked away.

Benny shook his head, unable to wipe that stupid grin off his face. He walked over to the bar to grab a drink. Unsurprisingly, he sparked a conversation with a man passing by who clearly had no interest in what he was saying.

"Which is not the case with QGD versus Slav." He went on. The man nodded and walked away, unable to hear anymore from the cocky man. Benny was offended to say the least. As he took a sip out of his beverage, his eyes landed on an all too familiar red head.

"You're Beth Harmon."

"Yes." She replied.

"I saw the piece in Life." He nodded. "Game they printed, that was a pretty one. The one with you and Beltik."

"Thank you." She said nonchalantly.

"I'm, uh, Benny Watts." He introduced as he advanced towards her.

"I know." Beth replied. "We met a couple of years ago in Cincinnati."

Benny was confused.

"Cincinnati?"

"You didn't play that year." She said.

"Okay," He nodded. "I'll take your word for it."

"Guess I'll see you tomorrow." Beth concluded as she walked away.

"You shouldn't have castled."

Beth stopped abruptly.

"In your game with Beltik." Benny finished.

"I needed to get the rook out." Beth explained.

Benny nodded again.

"Well, you could have lost your advantage."

"I don't think so." Beth argued.

Benny sighed and picked up his drink.

"He plays pawn-takes-pawn. You can't take back." He says and walks away.

"Wait a minute." Beth calls out, desperate for a clear explanation.

"I can't." Benny says. "I got an adjournment I gotta go play. But set it up, think it out."

He stops and looks at her.

"Your problem is your queen knight."

Beth stared at him.

"I don't want to set it up and think it out." She says stubbornly.

Benny grins at her before walking away leaving the dumbfounded red head to ponder about what he said.