Newsies One Shots and Preferences

Chess Master

Word Count 894

The dice roll on a four. "Even" I shout in Race's face, "I get to choose the game!" Honestly, I am just happy I don't have to play poker again. I go over to look over at the vast collection of games. My eyes keep falling back on the traditional game of chess, however. When I bring over the chessboard I can see Race's excitement falter for a few seconds before a mischievous grin appears on his face. What is it now? How can he possibly bet on chess, a game based completely on strategy, there is no luck in chess. That is why I love it so much, in poker you rely completely on the cards, but in chess, you are the master of your own fate.
"How are you going to ruin chess," I ask. We share chuckles before he begins to talk.
"What if we made an incentive to win," he says, a smile still growing, "strip chess, every time you lose a piece you lose an article of clothing".
"But in chess sometimes you lose pieces on purpose, part of a setup," I say, knowing strip chess could never work, "besides what do I have to gain from it". More laughter fills the room. However, my mind couldn't help but wonder what Race's naked torso would look like. Stop thinking like that,  he is your best friend, do not make things weird.
"How about if I win you have to kiss me," Race says very abruptly in our laughter. Will this boy ever stop betting.
The idea of kissing him almost outweighs my competitive nature, "and if I win, you have to carry my books from class to class for the rest of the month". Race holds out his hand for me to shake it, and when I do the game begins.
People don't give Race enough credit, when he is focused on something, he is determined to get it. I never thought Race would be as good as a chess player as he is but not good enough. He is always on the offensive, always putting me in check and not planning on putting my checkmate. Then something hits me like a ton of bricks, does Race like me as I like him. Why else would he be playing to kiss me, why else would he be trying so hard? He has to like me, there is no other explanation. The idea of kissing him enough to make me blush. Unfortunately, Race takes notice and begins to tease me about it. How he already has me beat. However, what he doesn't see is how his plan to protect his king has rendered him defenseless. All I need to do is move my rook to put him in checkmate. Do I want to win, or do I want to kiss him?
"You know you are an asshole right" Race doesn't like me, he just wanted to win. He knows that if I win the game, I really lose.
Race is taken aback rather suddenly, "I do know that, but what has brought you to that conclusion".
"If I put you in checkmate, I really lose" now Race is really flustered. Does he not know how genius his plan was? Or does he not see the danger his king is in?
"You are talking nonsense" does he really not understand? He is messing with me, of course, Race understands what he is doing. It is always all part of his master plan. Maybe he is better at chess than I thought, he is just playing it with my emotions. What an asshole, my asshole, but an asshole none of the less.
"I guess you leave me no choice"  I move my rook in line with his king putting him in checkmate. Did I win? It doesn't feel like I did. Maybe I can still kiss him, for his good work.
Race is in shock about how I put him in checkmate but ultimately decides that I am right. I begin to set up a new game when our hands touch the same piece. However, I can tell this wasn't on accident, mostly because his hand is holding mine under it.
Race begins to talk but I cut him off by connecting our lips. Just for a few short seconds. "You earned it," I say, "your plan was amazing".
Race still looks at me confused, I cannot tell if it is because I kissed him or if he doesn't understand his plan, "I still have no clue about this plan you are talking about". Did he really not plan that? He is probably just trying to get me to admit that my victory didn't feel like a victory because I didn't get to kiss him. However, at this point I don't care.
"If I put you in checkmate, I won the game, but I didn't get to kiss you. So in a cruel way, I also lost" after I said it, I could tell by the look on Race's face it was all part of his plan.
"Then I guess I won," Race says before leaning over the board knocking it over. This time when we kiss, we don't pull apart as quickly. Holding this moment, never wanting it to end.
Note to self, never underestimate Race's chess ability.