X-Men: [ The Chess Drabble ]
Title: Chess
Fandom: X-Men
Characters/Pairings: Professor X (Charles Xavier), Magneto (Erik Lensherr)
Rating: G
Genre: Gen
Word Count: 221
Notes: Prompt stolen from 15pairings!
Charles remembers, of course; remembers the first time he and Erik played chess, back when they were young, intelligent men - mutants. Back when they were inseparable, back when they were rash, back when Charles could walk.
He remembers how he lost more than half the games, in the beginning. How he continued to attempt to fathom Erik's style, his strategy, his mindset, all without resorting to his telepathy.
Remembers how changeable Erik was. How fluid. How he never used the same exact maneuver twice. Remembers how he finally learned to stop analyzing Erik and simply play.
And now they play again, this time the pieces solid glass, smooth beneath Charles's fingertips.
He moves his knight into position and smiles up at Erik.
"Checkmate."
Erik doesn't even bother searching the board for a way out; he knows he is trapped, and tips over his king, never taking his eyes off Charles's face.
"Ah," he murmurs after a moment. "I see." Charles raises an eyebrow but doesn't probe Erik's thoughts.
"Yes?" he prods.
"I had always thought that the difference between you and I, Charles, was that you played to improve, while I played to defeat you."
Charles waits.
"And all this time you've been playing to win."
Charles gives a short, soft laugh. "But of course, old friend. But of course."
Fandom: X-Men
Characters/Pairings: Professor X (Charles Xavier), Magneto (Erik Lensherr)
Rating: G
Genre: Gen
Word Count: 221
Notes: Prompt stolen from 15pairings!
Charles remembers, of course; remembers the first time he and Erik played chess, back when they were young, intelligent men - mutants. Back when they were inseparable, back when they were rash, back when Charles could walk.
He remembers how he lost more than half the games, in the beginning. How he continued to attempt to fathom Erik's style, his strategy, his mindset, all without resorting to his telepathy.
Remembers how changeable Erik was. How fluid. How he never used the same exact maneuver twice. Remembers how he finally learned to stop analyzing Erik and simply play.
And now they play again, this time the pieces solid glass, smooth beneath Charles's fingertips.
He moves his knight into position and smiles up at Erik.
"Checkmate."
Erik doesn't even bother searching the board for a way out; he knows he is trapped, and tips over his king, never taking his eyes off Charles's face.
"Ah," he murmurs after a moment. "I see." Charles raises an eyebrow but doesn't probe Erik's thoughts.
"Yes?" he prods.
"I had always thought that the difference between you and I, Charles, was that you played to improve, while I played to defeat you."
Charles waits.
"And all this time you've been playing to win."
Charles gives a short, soft laugh. "But of course, old friend. But of course."