"... And money."
After a moment of staring at each other, battling for mental dominance, Josh gives in and slides a pawn two spaces forward.
Tyler continues to look at him, and he wants to kiss him but refrain from doing so. "Who knew ten months could change everything," he says, suddenly craving affection.
"You knew. That's why you loved me, right?"
Pause.
"Good first move."
Josh smiles, and from under the table, he hooks an ankle with Tyler's. Affection. "It was alright. Take your turn."
Tyler returns his focus to the game. "Thanks, baby."
After a moment of calculating his next moves, Tyler felt Josh's eyes burning holes into him, and he looks up. "Move a pawn," Josh says mockingly, grinning.
Tyler raises an eyebrow, trying to stop himself from smiling. Josh rolls his eyes.
"Move a pawn," he says again, this time more sincerely. He reaches over the table, taking Tyler's hand in his and directing it somewhere over the board. "Take my hand, love, and play the game."
Under any other circumstances, Tyler would've stopped him, but Josh's hands are so cold and he looks so beautiful despite the disease eating away at him from the inside out. He's unable to stop himself from leaning over the table to kiss.
"God, you're pretty," he sighs.
He barely makes it an inch away from his lips before Josh pulls away, dropping Tyler's hand. One black pawn has moved up two spaces. "More's the pity, seeing you need a man-"
"What?-"
"Who's brainy and lustful." Josh pushes back into his seats and cups his face, making fish lips. "And handsome and a housewife and healthy."
The last word bit like acid, and Tyler audibly flinched, sucking air through his teeth. "How could you even say that? I love you the way you are."
Josh still has an angry expression but his head drops, looking away from him. Blindly, he moves another piece, but Tyler doesn't care anymore.
"Move the pawn," Josh says.
Tyler does so. "Your turn."
"Where do I go?" He asks.
"There." Tyler points. He's helping Josh win but he doesn't notice because he's too distracted by Josh and his stupidly and serenely beautiful face. He doesn't know why he's angry, but he doesn't want him to be.
"Here?"
"No, you don't-" Tyler pinches the bridge of his nose, trying to control his breathing.
"How should I behave? Prim and proper?"
"What the hell does that even mean?"
"Maybe we should call it quits."
He doesn't know if Josh means the game or their relationship. "This game shits."
He slowly begins to put the pieces back. For some reason, Josh leans into him, lips brushing his.
"Let me win?"
Tyler finds himself nodding. "Of course."
"Really?"
"Yeah, sure."
Josh pulls back once again when Tyler leans in for a kiss. "Thanks!"
"Wait." Again, Josh is a master seductor, especially when it comes to Tyler and his soft side for him.
THE CHESS GAME
Start from the beginning
