thesphererp | Memory Share - Cheating & Chess

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Memory Share - Cheating & Chess

Contents/Warnings: No warnings this time! Just a friendly game of chess, and his friend’s girlfriend being cheeky.

Llewellyn hummed lightly, staring intently at the chessboard sitting in front of him. He’d been doing so for a while now, and it was clearly starting to annoy his friend if the sound of a foot tapping under the desk were anything to go by.

The man felt slightly bad, but not bad enough to rush his move. After all, Llewellyn wasn’t accustomed to sitting still for such a long time himself, and if George wanted him to be his opponent for a game that tended to be long and drawn out then he was going to have to be patient.

He’d never really played chess all that much over the years, and his scattered focus had already cost him dearly as far as the match was concerned. The collection of pieces George had taken was growing steadily every turn, and he only had managed to capture a few meagre looking pawns. So another slow-down was clearly in order if he was going to stand a chance at winning.

Or at least losing less horridly.

“Oh, I see. You’re cheating on me!” An amused, teasing tone broke through the silence and prompted both the men to look up from the board. Nina, George’s sweetheart, strode up to the desk, heels tapping lightly as she went. “Very disappointed, George.” She grinned lightly, clearly the very opposite of disappointed. She stopped next to Llewellyn’s shoulder and giving him a particularly curious look that he couldn’t quite work out the meaning behind.

Regardless of his confusion, Llewellyn was fond of Nina. She was an open-minded and passionate individual. A woman who never failed to speak her mind, and was quite unapologetic of being who she was in a world that tended to judge her rather severely. It was quite admirable, brave even if he were to say, so it was always nice to see her.

“Miss Bloom! You play?” He turned, from where he was currently sat, arms propped on the back of the chair he had turned around to kneel on top of. A few people had commented that he should sit in it properly, but doing that wasn’t comfortable. He certainly didn’t see the sense in doing so just to satisfy everyone’s expectations of how furniture should be used.

Her smile shifted to something softer, less teasing at the question, “My father taught me.”

George, ever proud of her, was quick to chime in. “Miss Bloom is by far the finest player I’ve ever encountered.” It made Llewellyn smile, there was something about seeing his friend happy that made him feel better in turn. Even if he were alone, and lacked that particular sort of relationship... It was good to know that George had it. He’d seen his friend lose Miss Bloom once before, and it had been a worrying time.

His attention shifted back to the conversation as Nina spoke up again.

“Chess is one of our pastimes,” That cheeky grin had returned, “I didn’t think he cared to share with others.” She looked between both men in amusement, though neither reacted with more than a vague wave from Llewellyn as he returned his attention to the board. Really, they were both entirely oblivious.

Of course, that might be just as amusing as their reaction would have been had they understood what she had been alluding to since she had arrived.

Her brows raised, noting just how poorly the man was doing against her beau. He barely had any pieces left! The game would be a short one if he didn’t do something soon... So with a quick glance to study the board and a small huff of a laugh, she leaned down to hold a hand over Llewellyn’s ear to whisper something into it conspiratorially.

Move your rook from H6 to A6, he’ll really have to think to counter that~ ...

Llewellyn glanced up questioningly, slightly uncertain himself before he turned back and slid the rook across the board. Oh, if the look on George’s face (an awkward frown, eyes darting between pieces in confusion) were anything to go by then it was absolutely the right move.

“Let’s see you wiggle your way out of that, George.” Nina spoke with a light laugh as she watched Llewellyn’s expression turn to one of delight. Her expression slightly curious once more, and just a touch knowing.

Llewellyn missed it entirely, too focused on the game.

———————————

[About a half an hour later, once Llewellyn realized the sphere was at it again,]

We actually beat him that time. Well— she did. I certainly can’t claim any credit for it other than for being the one to move the pieces.

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That was a little awkward to watch.

[Thought Nina seemed nice. Maybe even the kind of person who could help Enis come out of her shell.]

Also you suck at Chess.

Was it?

[Oblivious dork. Still, he’d take awkward over half a dozen other options the sphere could have gone with. Especially after last time.

Enis was right, Nina was very nice and excellent at drawing people out of their shells. She was always kind enough to include Llewellyn in conversations rather than ignore his presence as some did.

He hummed a little, a tad embarrassed.]

Yep. I’m uh— terrible at the game. Don’t really have the attention span for it. I’m good at card games though.

Yes. It was like the pair of you were on a date and then his girl friend walked in.

[Super awkward.]

You don't need an attention span. You just need to be able to think about what your opponent will do. If you think five steps in advance, then it changes each turn. You don't have to focus for long.

[It's a great game for those who are ADD.]

Wait— what?

[Now he sounded like he was feeling awkward.]

That’s um... that’s absurd, Enis. We were just playing a game. George is not of that persuasion as far as I can tell.

[And yet, George tended to say and do things that suggested that he swung both ways, and that somehow went entirely unnoticed. Was everyone in denial aside from Nina? Probably.

He waved a hand, rapidly as though to try to turn his attention away from his best friend and the implications that they were more. Llewellyn was pretty sure his life was complicated enough already without that little idea.]

I never considered that... Are you good at chess then?

Are you sure? You seem pretty clueless.

More than me. [Which is saying something.]

And yeah. I am.

[It helps that she has a computer in her head.]

[He made a face at that comment. She’s not wrong, of course, but he couldn’t help that he’d been so far in the closet himself until recently that it was easier to overlook things like that.]

Well I was sure. Still mm... He’s courting another woman, [One that Watts had essentially pushed his friend towards in order to see him happy again, which was also somewhat telling in its own way.] So I assure you, we’re just friends.

I’ve gotten close to winning once or twice? Perhaps you could uh— give me some tips sometime.

Right. I'm just saying. Maybe you guys have shit to talk about. [She shrugs.] You know, whenever you get back home.

And yeah. I'll give you some tips. Then you can surprise both of your friends.

Perhaps I’ll uh... add it to the list.

[He already had one disaster to go back and work out, if he could gather the courage to do that.

He smiled, though somewhat sadly at that.]

Well, I certainly look forward to it. Although I can only surprise one of those friends, Miss Bloom moved to Paris about a month or so after this memory.

Does that mean you'll never see her again?

[She has no idea what travel is like in his time.]

Mm... It’s hard to say, there is very little that is certain in life— if I did it would likely be a long time for I had the opportunity though.

Do you want to see her again?

I don’t know...? George was heartbroken when she left, even if it seemed to me that it was a mutual decision... If I were to run into her I probably wouldn’t be unhappy to see her, she was still a friend and an excellent conversationalist.

[And friends who tolerated him were rare. Between them dying or leaving, his circle had always remained very small.]

But France is quite a long distance to travel, I’ve had to keep my journeys a little closer to home of late. Uh— this place not counted, of course.

Of course.

[She pauses and then asks.]

Why didn't George go with her? Is that common?

Well, George did consider it?

[He rubbed the back of his neck, thinking back to what he could remember of their parting.]

Unfortunately, it seemed that they both wanted very different things in life. He actually proposed, but uh— she didn’t want to marry. In the end I believe George finally decided that it was better to let her go and let their relationship come to an end, rather than pretend to make it last a little longer.

That's normal.

[A beat.]

I think.

Aren't you happy he stayed with you?

[He paused at that question, mulling it over for a moment.]

I mean... Of course, I’m happy in a small way that he’s still around. He’s uh— my friend, and we’ve been through a lot in the few years I’ve known him.

But if he had left I would have had to find it in my to accept that too. People come and go, unfortunately. All you can do is hope the goodbye is a cordial one.

[He’s had... less than pleasant goodbyes.]

You would let him go?

[That surprises her but then, Enis really doesn't understand people. They don't make any sense to her and she doubts they ever will.]

Textbooks suggest that you're a good friend but I think it would have been okay to tell him that you want him around. At least so he knows it.

[That fact is at least obvious.]

Or are people not supposed to talk about that?

[What Llewellyn has neglected to mention, was he tended to respond to finding out someone was planning to go somewhere with the reactionary question of ‘For Good?’ or simply ‘You’re leaving?’ with some obvious anxiety.

Still, he isn’t sure of the answer to Enis’ question himself.]

Mm... I suppose it depends on the person and the reasons behind their intent to leave? I’ve... never really been good at communicating that I’d like them to stay I suppose.

If someone is leaving for somewhere dangerous, or you know that it might make them unhappy, then perhaps it’s fine? But uh, there’s also the chance that they might resent you more if you convince them to stay when they’d be happier without you around.

The person is your friend and the reason is because of a girl.

[She lays out the previous hypothetical question in what she hopes is a clear and concise sentence.] I don't think he'd be happier if you weren't around.

I think I'd be sad if you left. [Enis shrugs.] You know, a little.

[Whether or not George would be happier without him around was debatable to his mind, it was nice to think his friend would still rather him there. Llewellyn did work hard on that friendship, put up with George’s other friend Higgins and made strides to see George happier after the breakup.

Still, he smiled gentle at Enis’ statement that she would miss him.]

Is that so? Well... I think I’d miss you too, if I’m being honest. Although, I don’t believe I’m going anywhere for the moment. This place seems content to keep us here for now.

I'm okay with being here.

Actually... I really don't want to go back home. It sucks there.

[Enis isn't big on honesty... but the detective has kinda become a friend? It's all very awkward.]

[Considering what he knew of Enis’ life and home world, he couldn’t say he was surprised by the confession. If he were to be honest, her and several other people seemed better here... He’d probably worry if she were sent home, because they indeed had kind of become friends now...

Humming a little, he responded with a little awkward honesty of his own.]

I uh— I miss a few people... there was someone I’d like the chance to talk to again but... Sometimes I like this place more, there are things that are mm... better? Even with the less pleasant parts of it all.

[Because Llewellyn wasn’t sure what he was going back to at this point, he was already at odds with his boss. He wasn’t even sure if he respected the man half as much as he used to... And there were the other unpleasant things, things that were very different here. It left him feeling quite conflicted.]

Maybe that person will show up here... then we can all just... stay here.

[It's probably an unpopular opinion but whatever. She doesn't care.]

Then we don't have to worry about it.

[He smiled a little wistfully at that,]

I suppose stranger things happen all the time around here, maybe they will.

[Maybe a few people would, or maybe they wouldn’t. Either way, it was a nice thought.

Even if Enis’ opinion was the less popular, it was an appreciated gesture. Not only did Llewellyn appreciate someone who spoke their mind honestly, it did share the thought in a conflicted little way.]

Here's hoping.

Anywho. I'll let you... do you things.

[She is still really bad at goodbyes.]

[He smiled a little, nodding in return. Goodbyes were always weird, so Llewellyn certainly didn’t mind.]

And I’ll let you uh— get back to doing you things as well. Thank you, Enis.

[He responded in parting, cutting the feed a minute or two after he thought that was probably the appropriate amount of time to wait to do so.]

Wow, that Nina seems like she was quite something.

That she was, I think you would have liked her? I always liked our conversations...

She moved to Paris about mm... about a year ago in my time to dance at the Moulin Rouge. So I haven’t seen her in quite some time.

She moved to Paris to dance at the Moulin Rouge? Really?

[Because holy shit that is a whole damned thing.]

Yep— she actually was invited to dance there with some other women from the show she ran while she lived in Toronto once before that.

[He paused,]

I mm... don’t actually remember her leaving that time though, sometimes I forget things. I guess she impressed them enough that they offered her a permanent position there?

You don't strike me as someone particularly forgetful, Llewellyn. Not around things like this, I mean.

And yet...? I am. It’s why I try to keep accurate notes of my work.

[He sighed a little, not without some frustration directed at himself.]

George went with her the first time, for an entire month. I even gave him advice and encouraged it. But the conversation? The time he was absent? I uh— have no memory of it. Sometimes I wonder if there might come a day when this place shows something from my past that I can’t recall at all.

That is. Well, it’s really weird. Is it something that you maybe want to have Laurie or Jon check out? It might be a good idea.

[Llewellyn can’t help some of the skepticism from inching into his tone. After all, he comes from a time when medical practices related to the mind and brain in general were... not great. Even if medicine and technology seemed to have come a long way since his era, he feels a bit cautious.]

Do you actually think it’s actually something that they would uh— be able to figure out?

It's possible. Their medical stuff is way beyond what my world is even. I know they're from a time when space travel is definitely a thing. Even if they can't figure it out, they may have some like tips or something for making it easier to remember or not so noticeable.

I’ll uh— keep it in mind?

[He hummed a little, perhaps a smidgen anxious. With physical ailments he’s quite comfortable seeking a medical professional for help (for the most part), he’s worked closely with a doctor for several years. Mental maladies were a little more frightful.]

I suppose medical advancements must have come a long way in such regards in such a long span of time...? At least I hope they would have. Although it might not do much good, not if I go back to my own world.

Well, I mean, it at least would help while you're here you know. If it's something that you want to look into. And if you'd like, I could come with you. They definitely helped me with my lack of sleep honestly.

[Alex's voice drops a little bit, like she's confiding a secret, because she is.]

I kind of didn't sleep very much in the last two years I was home. And by not much I mean I was averaging like a couple of hours a night at most.

[Llewellyn couldn’t deny the idea of at least having an answer to the matter of his memory, or a partial solution was tempting. Alex’s shared secret also goes a long way for settling his nerves on the idea. After all, if she trusted the doctors and had a positive experience then what reason had he to fear them?

His tone is a touch softer, a little less anxious as he responded.]

Really? And um... They actually helped you sleep again?

They definitely helped me sleep a lot better than I was at home, honestly. My sleep has never really been that great, from what my parents told me after they adopted me, but the last two years I was at home were just. Really bad honestly. It was a little better here, but then... Well, everything here I guess. It just helped make it worse again. But I went and saw them and they definitely gave me some meds and techniques that helped that were really far beyond my time.

Laurie can be a bit of a lot, and John can too honestly, but I think when you've been alive as long as they... Well, at least Laurie has been anyway, you've got to have a bit of a rough attitude. Especially considering they've been here for so long and they were both doctors on a star ship in the middle of a war.

They're together, you know.

Edited 2020-06-13 03:26 (UTC)

Oh, really? I didn’t know that.

I’ve only really had mm... one limited interaction at the hospital? Eddie needed to get his cast removed, and didn’t trust them, so I went to uh— keep an eye out for anything suspicious to put his mind at ease. Otherwise, I had a bad feeling he’d injure himself again removing it.

[A ridiculous situation, but he was helpful if anything.]

I mean, from what I know from Beverly, the kids from there have good reasons not to trust adults so... I don't blame him for wanting someone else to go with him. I glad you did.

I think it means he trusts you.

If you want, I can go with you. For support or whatever.

My conversations with Eddie also suggest that... [It’s something that worries him.]

I hope he does, at least while they’re here we can try to give them a better support system.

[He fell silent for a moment, a little taken back by the offer. Part of him didn’t want to seem like a child, after all. The other part was more than a little grateful for the offer.]

Really? I uh... I’ll keep that in mind when I do go, if your not busy at the time perhaps.

[It worries Alex too honestly. Because she knows that they can't stay here forever, even if she may want them too.

Even though they may want to too.]

Yeah, of course. And I think we're working on it. At least Bev trusts us, she's here for dinner pretty often actually.

And of course I'd go with you. Just let me know and I'll clear my schedule for it.

Mm, that’s a very good sign I think? I believe they could all use time with people who are more accepting and respectful of them.

[It was sad that they couldn’t stay. For all this world had its problems... some of the good outweighed the bad in a way.

He smiled though, thankful for the offer.]

Thank you, Alex. I’ll uh... Let you know if I go.

[He’s still not necessarily committing to it, but chances are he would in time.]

No problem, Llewellyn. Just let me know. I'll talk to you soon.

[And she just ends the call.]

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Memory Share - Cheating & Chess

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