Checkmate - 4/24

Author: Daniela
Fandom: CSI: Crime Scene Investigation
Pairing: Greg/Grissom
Rating: PG
Category: Romance, Humor
Serie/Sequel: Breaking the Ice
Disclaimer: I don't own them, but I love them dearly.
Summary: Greg and Grissom play a game.
Warning: None
Feedback: Yes, please. It's the icing on my cake.
Email: daniforblue@yahoo.de
Word Count: 806
Released: May 2003
Revised: January 2021
Beta: Sarah, Monika

It was a slow night at the lab. Greg was sitting alone at the table in the break room, poring over a chessboard.

Out of the blue Grissom dropped in and strolled over to him. "Apparently you've got too much time on your hands again."

"It's my break." Greg shrugged his allegation off.

"There isn't much going on right now anyway," Grissom eased off, watching Greg play for a minute. "Do you often play with yourself?"

Greg put the white queen down and stared at Grissom. Did Grissom have any idea what he just said? "Yeah, that's the problem."

"Do you want to play with me?" Grissom said, pulling himself a chair.

"Uh... sure," he granted, trying to stay cool. "It's much more fun to play with someone else." He restrained a grin. Careful now. Don't spoil the fun by revealing too much.

He and Grissom positioned the chessmen on the board. Greg was still in awe about the course of events. Grissom had never wanted to play chess with him before. Everyone in the lab knew Grissom was an incredibly good player. Only Warrick had beaten him so far. What prompted Grissom to play with him now? Greg had no idea. Well. Whatever the reason is. I'm happy about it.

Grissom had chosen white and opened the game. He didn't talk just concentrated on the next move.

Greg couldn't stand the silence for too long. "I was captain of the chess club at High School." Gee! Shut up!

Grissom looked at him. "I suspected that much."

Okay. Fine. That didn't change a thing. "I was rather good. I've had little exercise in the recent years though. I lacked worthy opponents."

Grissom smiled. "I see. Not playing football then, were you?"

Greg laughed. "Oh, come on... you must be kidding?"

"Or baseball, considering your athletic body."

"What!" Greg gasped, puzzled. Grissom considered his body as athletic. How could he? Greg didn't have any illusions. He was hardly more than slender, no model for any sports league. Was Grissom taking him on? Why should he though?

David was coming into the room putting a kettle on. He gave them a curious glance but left without saying a word. The kettle started to whistle.

Greg made the next move and then he got up to remove the boiling water from the burner.

Grissom drummed his fingers on the table. "Where are you going?"

"The water was boiling," Greg replied. "Don't you hear or see anything while you play?"

Grissom winced. "Your constant babbling make it hard to hear anything else."

"Ouch!" Greg joked yet he was hurt. He thought Grissom liked him talking.

Grissom bent over the board. As soon as he had moved his rook, he was the one talking. "My mother taught me to play chess when I was a preschooler. She likes this game very much."

"Why so?" Greg asked, willing to hear him out.

"Because you need your brain and little to no conversation."

"Ah... that's why you like it too, aren't you?" Greg mocked. A little counterattack was fine, right?

"Sometimes for sure," Grissom cheered, taking Greg's queen.

Greg bit the inside of his cheek. Yeah. Good. Come on. He moved a pawn. "Doesn't your mother like to talk to others?" He was pleased Grissom confided a private matter to him at last.

Grissom didn't reply but stared at the board for a full minute. He moved his king then.

I was too forward. He won't cave, Greg thought, and that failure was diminishing the prospect of winning a bit.

"My mother likes to communicate. Only some people can't handle her ways. She is deaf."

The surprising confession dumbfounded Greg and he concentrated on the game to stall time. He took Grissom's rook then. "Checkmate!"

"I shouldn't have taken your queen," Grissom said, clicking his tongue. "Well played."

"Thank you," Greg triumphed but only briefly. "Your mother must have a tough time handling such an impairment. You probably did too."

"Well, that's why I'm able to handle you," Grissom deadpanned, standing up.

Gee! Greg twiddled with his king. He was not used to such delightful jokes from Grissom. "I have to go back to work now. Otherwise, I'll get into trouble with my boss."

Grissom nodded. "It was a good game."

"I'll give you a rematch sometime."

"Sure. I'll have to practice though."

Despite the serious matter of Grissom's confession, Greg was feeling over the moon. So, Grissom's mother is deaf. I'm sure hardly anyone at the lab knows about this or I would have heard some rumors. But why does he keep it a secret anyway? A secret he's told me. Me, Greg Sanders. He bumped his knee into the glass door to the lab. Holy shit! Come down. Don't lose your head.

Yeah. So much for chess shapes reason and logic.