A Game of Chess

Chapter 2: Encounter

Alfred froze and stared at him. And he stared, back a psychotic grin still gleefully dancing on his face. He could tell at that exact moment, hidden behind that heroic facade, there was something Alfred would never reveal in front of anyone. A look that he would never show. The mask was finally breaking down, he could see behind the cracks was a shred of fear.

"How- Why do you know?" He stammered. He was starting to slip, just barely though. The pounding in his heart increased, his eyes widened terrifyingly.

"Is that really what you're going to ask? Why do I know?" He darkly chuckled. The grasp he held on his throat tightened, his face illuminated from his eyes. "I said I know everything about your trip. I know what hotel you stayed in, the address of Francis's house, even the name of the waitress who served you when you and him dined at Le Meurice."

For once in a long time, Alfred was speechless. He softly muttered, "You're fucking crazy." His heart pounded through his veins loudly, loud enough he could swear the whole building could hear it's thumping. Ivan looked directly into his eyes, his large military cap overshadowing his small white bangs.

"Am I?" He giggled. His hand reached out to Alfred's hair, gently caressing with a thoughtful look. "You don't have to pretend around me you know. I already know what your plan is, you can just tell me the truth."

"What 'truth' are you talking about?"

"If only you told me *дорогой.. I've seen you spending so much time with Western Europe, trying to impress them with your little jokes and tricks." He whispered, slowly twirling a golden lock with his finger. "Even flirting with Francis, just to get me to notice you."

Alfred stared back in shock and disgust, his mouth barely agape. The gears in his head were twisting, trying to fully grasp what he said and how calmly he said it. He carried a childish composure, as if to compensate for the sentence that just came out of his mouth. He was right about his theory on Alfred cracking, it was his last straw. 

His fist was shaking, body was trembling. In his defense, his mind went completely blank.

"I had no clue you were so desperate to get back-"

*Thud!

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.

.

Ivan stumbled back a bit, not completely falling but it was a pretty close call. It really was a hard blow, harder than he thought it'd be. His hat fell off his head as he clutched his stomach in pain. He hadn't been kneed like that in a long time, it actually felt a bit refreshing. He had perhaps thought that he'd gone too far, he still needed to leash him in. But when he looked back at Alfred? It was definitely worth the punch. The look on his face carried a ruthlessness he's never seen before. He knew, he knew that they could be similar. No matter what, power was always ranked No. 1 in a growing country like him. It was only a matter of time he'd start colonizing, he'll realize how much fun it is. The rush of adrenaline he will get when he'd storm their cities, chasing them down alleyways until they collapse, they'll finally see eye to eye! 

Alfred stared down at him. "Don't you dare hint at my relationships with my friends in that way again." He yelled out. "I don't regret leaving a pathetic excuse of a person like you and never will." He held this angered, almost revolted look in his face. Has Ivan finally gone mad?

"Finally, there it is." Ivan mumbled quietly. He reached out for his cap, while still massaging his bruising gut.

"Excuse me?" Alfred asked. He could really go for a second punch, maybe that will shut him up.

"I said finally." He calmly dusted his hat, then placed it back onto its original station. "You may not have known, but I could tell from your eyes, you would make a wonderful leader. The tyranny in your eyes, I could sense it from a mile away my dear." He smiled at him, lending out a hand