* * *
They started with games, after all. So she isn’t terribly surprised that even now, when they’ve gotten what they wanted, happily ever - (no that’s tempting fate), they can’t stop playing. She thinks maybe growing up just means that winning can break your heart, too.
She knows the rules because they made them up a long time ago, knots in a net that kept them safe (move back two spaces), and it’s the safety that she still clings to when she is overwhelmed. They weren’t trying to win back then.
Today she plays silence because it’s more difficult than it used to be. It makes him a tight, tense warp of confusion and anger so sharp and searing that it could be love. And she watches and knows and aches for him, truly, but nothing can quite touch the serenity of letting his emotions cling and slide through her fingers. (Roll again) there’s a little bit of thrill in wondering how long he can stand to indulge her.
He likes to play guess what I’m thinking, but she counters with I’ll guess wrong on purpose because she wants him to hate it as much as she does. Spell it out, she screams (draw a card), but not out loud (that’s against the rules).
Sometimes they hide the pieces; they make no secret of the hiding. She doesn’t fully understand his frustration when she refuses to look, because no matter what he thinks, she’s always been better at improvising (lose a turn), at making do with what she had. He calls it lying and she rarely sees fit to call it anything at all.
He holds her hand when the rules finally begin to fray, and by the time each knot is painstakingly untangled, they find themselves tied hopelessly to each other. She’s not sure if they’ve moved on to a different game, or if they’ve simply lost the need to play at all.
There’s a kiss in the crook of her neck and a heavy arm slung around her waist, and she thinks maybe she’s won.
* * *
Story Notes:
I'm not done with my other piece yet, but this sort of slipped out.
The title comes from Anna Akhmatova's "Hands clasped under the dark veil". Enjoy.
Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.
Chapter End Notes:
I try. Hope it was worth your time.
