ADJOURNMENT || benny watts x reader

chapter eleven

Beth called on the morning of New Year's Eve. You chatted aimlessly about the month you'd had, and about her life back in Lexington.

"It was just me and Jolene this year. It was one of the better Christmas's I've had, to be honest," She said, revealing the sweet smile on her face with her words.

You'd never asked Beth about herself and Jolene, and what the deal was, but you had a feeling it was more than a friendship. Hearing Beth talk about their history at the orphanage where they met, about how Jolene had come to her rescue before she'd flown off to Russia, gave you a warm feeling, similar to the one you got whenever Benny was there for you.

It wasn't your place to pry, and it wasn't like you cared whether it was solely platonic or something more—love was love in your eyes. You didn't harbour the same views that the majority of human society did when it came to who could love who. It didn't sit well with you in the slightest.

"What're your plans for today, then?" She chirped down the phone. Your cheeks immediately flushed at the reminder of Benny's dinner invitation.

"Monte's, obviously. Amanda practically demanded it," You paused, letting out a laugh that trailed away with your thoughts. "Benny and I are having dinner at his place before we meet them there."

When Beth went silent you knew she was grinning. You bobbed your leg anxiously as she readied herself to reply.

"Dinner?" She said playfully. "At his place? Alone?"

"Oh—shove it," You let out immediately. Beth's excited chuckles ran down the phone line. It was enough to make your face transform into a strawberry red.

"Did something happen with him at the cabin?"

"No," You replied almost instantly. You knew she wouldn't buy it, even though it was technically true—besides the odd hand holding, face touching, late at night room calls and emotional breakdowns... "Not really." You corrected.

"What does that mean?" Beth questioned.

"It means—I do not think of Benny Watts in that way. At all."

"You're good at chess, Y/N, not lying."

"Very funny, but I mean it." You said, sternly this time round. Beth only chuckled again.

"Whatever you say, Y/N. But be warned— Benny has a lot of feelings for someone who hardly ever shows them," You listened to her every word as a lump formed in your throat. "If he ever acts off, it's probably because he wants to say something, but doesn't know how to."

"Thanks for the tip," You said quietly, as your voice trailed off for the rest of the call.

As you got ready to go to Benny's, Beth's words replayed over and over in your head. You were going to have dinner with him— alone. There was something that made the ordeal a lot more intimate, with the added factor of Benny cooking you a meal.

It both annoyed you and heightened your nerves. You'd been alone with the champion hundreds of times; why would this be any different?

You mentally slapped yourself in the face. You were a twenty-four-year-old woman, overthinking about dinner plans.

You'd never been good at noticing when someone liked you; more than a friend, that is. You'd always rule it out as you being irrational and taking something the wrong way, when in a lot of cases you'd found it out to be true— whoever it was had, in fact, liked you that way—

And you'd somewhat denied it, without meaning to hurt their feelings.

It was like a defence mechanism. You were so used to people wanting to get close to you because of the position your father held. Even if they couldn't care less about chess, as soon as the words World Champion were uttered, people would always look at you differently.