Flufftober

Chess

In a cozy corner of their shared apartment, the gentle glow of the afternoon sun spilled through the window, casting warm light over the small chessboard perched between Hawks and Dabi. The atmosphere was relaxed, filled with the soft sounds of their breathing and the occasional rustle of a piece being moved. Hawks, with his red feathers catching the light, sat opposite Dabi, who leaned back against the couch, a bemused smile tugging at his lips.

Hawks stared intently at the chessboard; his brow furrowed in concentration as he tried to decipher the intricacies of the game. He had never played chess before, and though he wanted to impress Dabi with his skills, he felt utterly lost. Each piece looked like it belonged to another world, and he had no idea how to strategize. Despite this, he was determined to keep his cluelessness a secret.

"Your move," Dabi said casually, a playful glint in his eyes.

Hawks glanced at the board, then at Dabi, who was watching him with a mixture of patience and mischief. "Right," Hawks replied, forcing a grin as he picked up a knight, only to realize he didn't even know where it was supposed to go. He glanced around the board, searching for inspiration, and finally set the piece down two spaces forward and one to the side.

Dabi raised an eyebrow. "You do know that's not how knights work, right?"

"Of course I do! Just, uh, testing you!" Hawks shot back, his cheeks flushing slightly. He felt the pressure of Dabi's gaze on him, and he tried to suppress his growing embarrassment.

With a slight chuckle, Dabi moved one of his pawns forward. "Maybe I should have started with Connect Four," he teased, his tone light-hearted.

Hawks pouted, but the playful banter made his heart flutter. He took a deep breath, trying to focus. "Okay, okay, I can do this," he muttered to himself, analysing the board again. He picked up a bishop this time, his eyes narrowing in determination. He moved it diagonally, feeling a surge of confidence.

"Not bad," Dabi remarked, leaning forward slightly. "You're learning."

"Yeah, totally! I'm just, uh, saving my best moves for later," Hawks said, a hint of nervousness creeping into his voice as he glanced at Dabi, whose smirk was now more pronounced.

Hawks shifted in his seat, unsure of how much longer he could keep up the charade. Dabi was sharp; he would definitely catch on if Hawks continued to fumble. Taking a moment, he decided to change his approach. "You know, I think I'd be better at this if I could see the board from a different angle," he suggested, attempting to distract Dabi.

"Oh really?" Dabi asked, amusement dancing in his eyes. "And how would you do that?"

"Just... uh, like this!" Hawks leaned over the board, pretending to study it more closely while secretly trying to hide his complete lack of understanding. His feathers brushed against Dabi's arm, sending a spark of warmth through him. The closeness made him feel giddy, and he couldn't help but smile, even while pretending to strategize.

Dabi chuckled, leaning back in his seat but still watching Hawks with a fond expression. "You know, you could just ask for help."

"No way!" Hawks replied, his voice slightly muffled as he continued to lean over the board. "I can figure this out on my own!"

"Alright, Mr. Independent," Dabi teased, his tone softening. "But just so you know, the queen can move anywhere on the board. You might want to take advantage of that."

Hawks blinked, trying to process the information while pretending he hadn't just learned something invaluable. "Yeah, yeah, I totally knew that," he said, moving a pawn forward again, still trying to keep his moves under wraps.