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munchkinTitle: Mate
Author:![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
munchkinofdoom
Characters: Alan/Larry (preslash)
Rating/Category: PG-13 Slash
Word-count 1465
Spoilers: Spoilers for 6x16 Cause and Effect
Summary: A new chapter opens in Alan's life
Warnings: None!
Disclaimer: Numb3rs and its characters are the property of CBS. No money is being made from this fanfic.
Notes: Written for Team Schmoop's Rare Pairings challenge, prompt Chess.
Thank you, as usual, tofredbassett for the beta. *smooches*
This fic was written for the Angst vs Schmoop Challenge at![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-community.gif)
numb3rswriteoff. After you’ve read the fic, please rate it by voting in the poll located here. (Your vote will be anonymous.) Rate the fic on a scale of 1 - 10 (10 being the best) using the following criteria: how well the fic fit the prompt, how angsty [or schmoopy] the fic was, and how well you enjoyed the fic. When you’re done, please check out the other challenge fic at numb3rswriteoff. Thank you!
Mate
"You're losing," Alan said, his tone wryly amused. "Again."
Larry looked up from the chessboard, his hand hovering over his rook – the one he liked to keep in reserve – and smiled. "I have learned, by this late stage, to simply enjoy the experience of playing chess for what it is. I feel no need to validate myself by winning. At chess, at least."
"That's because you keep losing." Alan rested his chin on one his left hand and watched as Larry considered the chess game in progress, his hand wandering between the rook and his sole remaining knight. Alan had plans for that knight. "Touch it and you play it."
Larry's hand backed off. Then he nodded decisively and moved his knight. Right into the path of Alan's bishop. The knight was quickly dispatched by the bishop, which then fell to Larry's queen. Alan just smiled up at his opponent and slid another pawn home.
Larry sighed and fished another queen out of the box and then swapped it for Alan's pawn. Alan had to grin at the way his friend didn't even bother to ask what piece he wanted. They'd taken to keeping extra pieces in reserve once they'd started to play regularly. Alan could normally count on having at least two queens in his arsenal before a game came to its almost predestined conclusion.
"I did see that coming," said Larry, mildly.
"Yeah, sure." Then Alan frowned as Larry castled, moving his king out of range of Alan's two queens coming in from opposite directions. Alan thought he'd covered that eventuality, but obviously not. It was one of Larry's favorite plays, even if it meant he couldn't utilize one of his more important pieces – a rook. Keeping one out of play, just in case, never seemed worth it to Alan, but he could always count on Larry keeping the move in reserve until he was forced to either castle or attack. And Larry could always be counted on to prefer a defensive game.
Alan considered his strategy – with the rook between Alan's queens and Larry's king, he'd have to sacrifice one of them to take it off the board and, much as he'd enjoy the satisfaction of placing Larry in check, even if only temporarily, the cost was too great. His remaining pawns were too far away to provide a replacement for a sacrificed queen. As much as Alan knew Larry's preferred strategies, the same could be said for Larry, and he'd been going out of his way to pick off Alan's pawns. Sometimes to his own detriment.
Alan shrugged and moved his hand over his pieces, heading for his primary queen. Then he stopped, frowned, and looked up at Larry, surprised.
Larry just grinned.
Then it came again – a soft touch against his pant leg. Alan held his hand over his primary queen and felt toes stroke down his right calf. He pulled his hand back and reached for his new queen – and felt toes pull mischievously on the end of his left pant leg.
Alan glared at Larry, who just smiled back, the picture of innocence. Alan took Larry's rook with his queen and waited for it to be taken by the opposing king, but Larry just tilted his head to one side and looked at him. Alan felt toes tug on his pant leg again.
"A new strategy?" asked Alan. But he didn't move his leg away. He was intrigued, wondering what was going in that labyrinthine brain of Larry's.
Larry just shrugged and took Alan's queen. The move was accompanied by the soft stroking of naked toes up his leg, the feeling of flesh sliding over his leg hairs sending a shiver down his spine. Alan let out a quiet gasp in response and Larry's head tilted further, his expression inquisitive.
"Something you want to tell me?" Alan asked, struggling to keep his tone mild as he felt his breathing hitch with each gentle pass of Larry's foot up and down the plane of his shin.
"Not particularly," Larry replied, accompanied by a soft tug on long leg hairs.
Alan pressed his hands down on the table and pushed himself slowly to his feet. "Beer?" he asked, but Larry shook his head and held up his half full wine glass, his expression now altered to that of disappointment.
Alan took his time in the kitchen, leaning on the open refrigerator door as he considered his options. He was rusty at this, but he was pretty sure that Larry was coming on to him. And when he said rusty, he admitted to himself that he was talking decades here. Decades since he'd even considered another man as a lover. Since before Margaret. And even then, it had only ever been casual, something else to explore at a time when life was one big adventure.
And he wasn't sure that Larry did casual – with anything in his life.
Finally, Alan reached in and broke out a new six-pack, placing a cold bottle against his forehead for a moment while he came to a decision. He closed the refrigerator door, placed the bottle on the bench-top and looked at his shoes. He shrugged, smiled wryly to himself, and toed off his shoes and socks, leaving them where they fell. Then he scrunched up his toes against the cold flooring, feeling excitement build now that he’d taken the decision.
Larry looked down at Alan's bare feet and laughed when he returned to the table and their chess game. Alan realized that the sound of his quiet footsteps had sent Larry a clear message. Alan felt naked, more exposed than he'd been in a long time, even though he was still almost fully dressed. He sat down across from Larry and smiled when the other man lifted his wine glass in salute. Alan gently tapped his beer bottle against the wine glass, the soft clink echoing in the near silence. Time seemed to stand still as they both drank.
Larry regarded Alan solemnly over the rim of his glass. Then he spoke. "Have you been with a man before?"
Alan nodded. "A long time ago, before Margaret."
"Not since Margaret passed away?"
Alan shrugged. "Out of practice, I guess. Never found someone I wanted to get back on the bicycle for."
"Well, they do say it is like riding a bike – once you learn..." Larry left the rest unsaid.
"What about you?" Alan asked, as much to draw Larry's keen regard away from him as to honestly gain an answer. "You've slept with men before?"
"I have had male companions," replied Larry, his mouth widening into a soft smile. "The relationships were rare, but important."
"Why now?" They'd known each other for years, each had seen the other man commit to other relationships. This seemed to have come out of left field.
Larry took another sip of his wine before answering, and his tone was serious. "Charlie is starting a new life with Amita, Don is committing to Robin, everyone's lives are in flux. I thought, perhaps, that we could be each other's anchor."
"It's been a long time, Larry," Alan murmured before picking up his beer. He took a long swallow and started to fidget, stopping when Larry gave a soft chuckle.
"So that's where Don gets it from," he said, pointing to the label that Alan had unconsciously begun to pick at. Alan felt himself blush as he hurriedly returned the bottle to its coaster. "Alan, I'm not asking for a commitment,” he continued. “I am just suggesting that we see what happens." He held out his hand. Alan hesitated for a moment before taking it. Larry's grasp was firm, his fingers gentle as they wrapped around Alan's.
"People are going to be shocked," said Alan, his own hand returning Larry's grip.
Larry shrugged. "Let them be shocked, they will recover. And meanwhile we will cheat at chess and scandalize our loved ones. I'll help you finish your man-cave and you'll help me build a low carbon footprint bungalow on my land." He wrapped his fingers firmly around Alan's, turning his grip into an embrace as he rubbed his thumb over the back of Alan's hand. "And then we'll lay ourselves down, arm in arm, under the clear night-time sky and marvel at the wonders of the universe."
Alan looked down to where their fingers intertwined. His hand showed the passage of his life, scarred and blemished by time and tide. That same hand had cradled his newborn sons and comforted his wife in her last days. And now, it looked like another chapter of his life was opening up in front of him.
He looked up, smiling. "I think I'd like that."
Author:
munchkinofdoomCharacters: Alan/Larry (preslash)
Rating/Category: PG-13 Slash
Word-count 1465
Spoilers: Spoilers for 6x16 Cause and Effect
Summary: A new chapter opens in Alan's life
Warnings: None!
Disclaimer: Numb3rs and its characters are the property of CBS. No money is being made from this fanfic.
Notes: Written for Team Schmoop's Rare Pairings challenge, prompt Chess.
Thank you, as usual, to
fredbassett for the beta. *smooches* This fic was written for the Angst vs Schmoop Challenge at
numb3rswriteoff. After you’ve read the fic, please rate it by voting in the poll located here. (Your vote will be anonymous.) Rate the fic on a scale of 1 - 10 (10 being the best) using the following criteria: how well the fic fit the prompt, how angsty [or schmoopy] the fic was, and how well you enjoyed the fic. When you’re done, please check out the other challenge fic at numb3rswriteoff. Thank you!Mate
"You're losing," Alan said, his tone wryly amused. "Again."
Larry looked up from the chessboard, his hand hovering over his rook – the one he liked to keep in reserve – and smiled. "I have learned, by this late stage, to simply enjoy the experience of playing chess for what it is. I feel no need to validate myself by winning. At chess, at least."
"That's because you keep losing." Alan rested his chin on one his left hand and watched as Larry considered the chess game in progress, his hand wandering between the rook and his sole remaining knight. Alan had plans for that knight. "Touch it and you play it."
Larry's hand backed off. Then he nodded decisively and moved his knight. Right into the path of Alan's bishop. The knight was quickly dispatched by the bishop, which then fell to Larry's queen. Alan just smiled up at his opponent and slid another pawn home.
Larry sighed and fished another queen out of the box and then swapped it for Alan's pawn. Alan had to grin at the way his friend didn't even bother to ask what piece he wanted. They'd taken to keeping extra pieces in reserve once they'd started to play regularly. Alan could normally count on having at least two queens in his arsenal before a game came to its almost predestined conclusion.
"I did see that coming," said Larry, mildly.
"Yeah, sure." Then Alan frowned as Larry castled, moving his king out of range of Alan's two queens coming in from opposite directions. Alan thought he'd covered that eventuality, but obviously not. It was one of Larry's favorite plays, even if it meant he couldn't utilize one of his more important pieces – a rook. Keeping one out of play, just in case, never seemed worth it to Alan, but he could always count on Larry keeping the move in reserve until he was forced to either castle or attack. And Larry could always be counted on to prefer a defensive game.
Alan considered his strategy – with the rook between Alan's queens and Larry's king, he'd have to sacrifice one of them to take it off the board and, much as he'd enjoy the satisfaction of placing Larry in check, even if only temporarily, the cost was too great. His remaining pawns were too far away to provide a replacement for a sacrificed queen. As much as Alan knew Larry's preferred strategies, the same could be said for Larry, and he'd been going out of his way to pick off Alan's pawns. Sometimes to his own detriment.
Alan shrugged and moved his hand over his pieces, heading for his primary queen. Then he stopped, frowned, and looked up at Larry, surprised.
Larry just grinned.
Then it came again – a soft touch against his pant leg. Alan held his hand over his primary queen and felt toes stroke down his right calf. He pulled his hand back and reached for his new queen – and felt toes pull mischievously on the end of his left pant leg.
Alan glared at Larry, who just smiled back, the picture of innocence. Alan took Larry's rook with his queen and waited for it to be taken by the opposing king, but Larry just tilted his head to one side and looked at him. Alan felt toes tug on his pant leg again.
"A new strategy?" asked Alan. But he didn't move his leg away. He was intrigued, wondering what was going in that labyrinthine brain of Larry's.
Larry just shrugged and took Alan's queen. The move was accompanied by the soft stroking of naked toes up his leg, the feeling of flesh sliding over his leg hairs sending a shiver down his spine. Alan let out a quiet gasp in response and Larry's head tilted further, his expression inquisitive.
"Something you want to tell me?" Alan asked, struggling to keep his tone mild as he felt his breathing hitch with each gentle pass of Larry's foot up and down the plane of his shin.
"Not particularly," Larry replied, accompanied by a soft tug on long leg hairs.
Alan pressed his hands down on the table and pushed himself slowly to his feet. "Beer?" he asked, but Larry shook his head and held up his half full wine glass, his expression now altered to that of disappointment.
Alan took his time in the kitchen, leaning on the open refrigerator door as he considered his options. He was rusty at this, but he was pretty sure that Larry was coming on to him. And when he said rusty, he admitted to himself that he was talking decades here. Decades since he'd even considered another man as a lover. Since before Margaret. And even then, it had only ever been casual, something else to explore at a time when life was one big adventure.
And he wasn't sure that Larry did casual – with anything in his life.
Finally, Alan reached in and broke out a new six-pack, placing a cold bottle against his forehead for a moment while he came to a decision. He closed the refrigerator door, placed the bottle on the bench-top and looked at his shoes. He shrugged, smiled wryly to himself, and toed off his shoes and socks, leaving them where they fell. Then he scrunched up his toes against the cold flooring, feeling excitement build now that he’d taken the decision.
Larry looked down at Alan's bare feet and laughed when he returned to the table and their chess game. Alan realized that the sound of his quiet footsteps had sent Larry a clear message. Alan felt naked, more exposed than he'd been in a long time, even though he was still almost fully dressed. He sat down across from Larry and smiled when the other man lifted his wine glass in salute. Alan gently tapped his beer bottle against the wine glass, the soft clink echoing in the near silence. Time seemed to stand still as they both drank.
Larry regarded Alan solemnly over the rim of his glass. Then he spoke. "Have you been with a man before?"
Alan nodded. "A long time ago, before Margaret."
"Not since Margaret passed away?"
Alan shrugged. "Out of practice, I guess. Never found someone I wanted to get back on the bicycle for."
"Well, they do say it is like riding a bike – once you learn..." Larry left the rest unsaid.
"What about you?" Alan asked, as much to draw Larry's keen regard away from him as to honestly gain an answer. "You've slept with men before?"
"I have had male companions," replied Larry, his mouth widening into a soft smile. "The relationships were rare, but important."
"Why now?" They'd known each other for years, each had seen the other man commit to other relationships. This seemed to have come out of left field.
Larry took another sip of his wine before answering, and his tone was serious. "Charlie is starting a new life with Amita, Don is committing to Robin, everyone's lives are in flux. I thought, perhaps, that we could be each other's anchor."
"It's been a long time, Larry," Alan murmured before picking up his beer. He took a long swallow and started to fidget, stopping when Larry gave a soft chuckle.
"So that's where Don gets it from," he said, pointing to the label that Alan had unconsciously begun to pick at. Alan felt himself blush as he hurriedly returned the bottle to its coaster. "Alan, I'm not asking for a commitment,” he continued. “I am just suggesting that we see what happens." He held out his hand. Alan hesitated for a moment before taking it. Larry's grasp was firm, his fingers gentle as they wrapped around Alan's.
"People are going to be shocked," said Alan, his own hand returning Larry's grip.
Larry shrugged. "Let them be shocked, they will recover. And meanwhile we will cheat at chess and scandalize our loved ones. I'll help you finish your man-cave and you'll help me build a low carbon footprint bungalow on my land." He wrapped his fingers firmly around Alan's, turning his grip into an embrace as he rubbed his thumb over the back of Alan's hand. "And then we'll lay ourselves down, arm in arm, under the clear night-time sky and marvel at the wonders of the universe."
Alan looked down to where their fingers intertwined. His hand showed the passage of his life, scarred and blemished by time and tide. That same hand had cradled his newborn sons and comforted his wife in her last days. And now, it looked like another chapter of his life was opening up in front of him.
He looked up, smiling. "I think I'd like that."