Chess

The Barbecue's atmosphere was full of the mutely colored gray-greens and warm browns of quiet conversation and steaming meals. In the corner, a Chuunin with dark spiky hair pulled into a topknot sat across from his sensei, who was in the middle of his fourth cigarette since the start of the chess game.

"Hey, sensei." The Chuunin murmured.

"Mm." Was the answer from his dark-haired teacher.

The younger toyed with his queen on the chessboard and looked at the bearded Jounin in a lazy yet expectant way. Something few could pull off. "Why do you play against me? You know you'll loose. And I can tell you're bored off your ass."

"Heh. I don't know. Training, I suppose. Ha!" The older man cheered at his own triumph as he captured a rook, though regretfully knowing the victory would not last for long. Still, though, getting this far against the boy genius was a victory nonetheless.

"You're making as much sense as my old man. How bothersome." A sigh of annoyance was given as the boy studied the board, his fingers pressed against their counterparts as a strategy formed in his mind. He resisted the urge to grin, and instead just moved his queen.

"You're my student. So, it's my job to teach you, I guess. Though it's probably closer to you teaching me." The man chuckled a bit and grinned at his student, covering his baffled thoughts on the most recent move. Why would he do that? It didn't make sense…Oh well. Fight fire with fire.

"So you don't want to be here, then? You can always leave, you know." The Chuunin was only half-listening to the conversation, focused on the chessboard. Unknown to his cigarette-smoking sensei, the boy had predicted his move easily beforehand. He moved a knight.

"No." he said with a light voice, "I want to be here. I think you're an interesting person, Shikamaru." The smoking man studied the chess and debated capturing the rook with his queen. Frustrated, he smashed the butt of his cigarette into the ashtray and then turned his attention back to the board. It was what the dark-haired boy wanted him to do. But if he didn't, he would be in check the next time the boy had his turn. The man took the cigarette pack and lighter from where they lay on the table, should they be needed. And boy, were they needed right now. After moments of further debate, he moved his queen. In the end, the rook was his.

Abruptly, his student stood, the loud screeching of the floorboards accompanying him. "Whatever, Asuma-sensei. I'm going to go watch the clouds with Chouji now."

"What? We haven't even finished!" Cried the bearded man in dismay, his voice muffled by his latest cigarette as he attempted to light it while watching the boy. What resulted was he nearly lighting his beard instead. The man brightened up, however, when his student's hand returned to the chessboard and once again fingered the tall lady on her stool, before moving her to the older man's king.

"Checkmate." Throwing his cigarette to the ground and cursing, the loser swept the cheap plastic figurines off the table and back into their cardboard prison, waiting until the next game.

Fin

__

Well, that's it. Short and pointless. Yay! o.o; Don't know where this came from. Oh well, never underestimate doodle-thoughts! I've had the dialogue sitting on my hard drive for a while and decided to finish it. Um…Yay? Oh, and you guys should really review, too. Or I won't write the next chapter! …So there isn't a next chapter and I was just trying to be annoying, but still …*hinthintnudgenudge*

-Kotonaru