faderift | I'm Dreaming of a White Christmas

"Oh, hey, I have a surprise for you."

The thought seems to come from nowhere as Kirk rests atop Iskandar in the bed above the forge, sheets draped loosely around his hips. He lifted himself up, stretching and raising his arms towards the ceiling, which had the added bonus of giving Iskandar a little show, his skin still red and blushing in certain places from Iskandar's affections earlier.

Smirking to himself, Kirk wriggled off Iskandar's hips and promptly crouched down beside the bed, patting with his fingers until he felt the edge of the box he'd hidden beneath before bringing Iskandar back to the loft.

"Close your eyes," he commanded.

They'd been cuddling rather nicely when Jim wanted to get up and he lifted a brow but let him move to do so. Mainly because he was curious as to what this surprise was. Well that and he did always enjoy that naked body as it moved around the room. Hence why he reclined and put his hands behind his head to enjoy the view before he was told to close his eyes.

"Hmm?" Still, he obeyed after some blinking. Even he could obey that much. Besides, it wasn't like the man was going to do anything terrible to him, that much was rather obvious.

"What is it?"

Well, he had to at least ask.

"A surprise," Kirk drawled, pulling the wooden box out and climbing back into bed. There was not to much room given Iskandar's size, but there was enough as Kirk resumed his place atop his hips. For a bit of fun he might have wiggled more than was strictly necessary, but he couldn't resist.

He held the box up to his chest, the box itself rather unassuming except for the pattern worked onto the top - a grid of squares in alternating colors of light and dark wood. A chess board, for those who knew the game.

"All right, open up," his voice bubbled with excitement.

"Mmmm...mm..." Okay yes he could still enjoy someone wiggling more than was necessary on his lap. He even smiled some but still kept his hands to himself while he waited because he had no way of knowing if this was something erotic or not. After all, this was Jim.

When he heard him give permission, Iskandar opened his eyes and looked at the box. Blinking a couple times, he tilted his head. Then it dawned on him and he smiled.

"Is it a game of some sort?" He might not recognize what the game was but he certainly could figure out that it was a game at all!

"Yes, it's a game," Kirk beamed, giving Iskandar a last, slow roll of his hips before he slid off him to be able to set the box between them. "It's my favorite game from my home world."

He paused as he undid the clasps securing the box, as if suddenly unsure if this was something Iskandar would find amusement or pleasure in. The last thing Kirk wanted was to bore one of his lovers, but he had hoped that Iskdnar would appreciate this particular game. And, selfishly, that he would be good at it and give him a challenge.

"It's called Tri-Dimensional Chess," he explained, opening up the box to reveal a set of white and black pieces and three boards. "A strategy game."

Sitting up immediately, he crossed his legs so he could better look at what was being setup. Obviously he was looking very interested so far. Iskandar had such a love for games, having been one to purchase a video game and console just because it looked like fun. He was a giant warrior but within him beat the heart of a child as he planted his hands on his knees and leaned forward.

"Tri-Dimensional Chess. I like the sound of this! How does one play?"

Someone was loving his surprise.

Kirk took the two extra boards and set of silver poles, attaching them together so the boards stood one above the other, each board slightly smaller than the one beneath, the base being a traditional sized chess board. Quickly he set up the white and black pieces in their respective starting positions.

"I suppose I should ask first if you've ever played chess before," he watched Iskandar change position, a giddy little smile creeping onto his face, pleased with the bigger man's enthusiasm.

"I have not. Perhaps it is a game that came to be after my death." That seemed accurate enough. Much had happened after his death. But the setup of the board was fascinating and he watched as it grew until it had three levels. Amazing. Simply amazing.

"Is chess a more simplistic version?"

"Yes, I believe it did. But you might have had one similar," he agreed. "This version is more advanced than the original, as you thought. The original started with just this bottom board, but then these upper two were added for more complexity. Now, I guess I'll start with the basics -"

He took up the pieces and explained the rules to Iskandar and how each piece moved, occasionally letting his leg extend out to playfully touch against Iskandar's around the board.

"Right, you think you get it? I'll correct you as needed as we play, but I find it's better to learn through playing that listening to me lecture."

He stroked his beard as he listened, nodding now and then to show he was still listening. Each piece had a role to play and the goal was to capture the King. Honestly he found himself rather fond of the fact that he strongest piece seemed to be the Queen. Of course he felt it was actually the pawn that was the true champion for it could become a true power should it reach the other side.

Fascinating.

"I think I understand the basics of the play. I will learn more as we go along." And he learned very quickly which meant things could get very interesting for them both. "Do you begin or do I?"

The myriad ways to win was what made the game fun for Kirk, and that it was really three pieces that could win the game, not just one. It was what made it a perfect game for practicing strategy, and while the ways to win were not endless, there were more than to many to count, and thus provided a new challenge with every match.

"Since this is your first time, you have the advantage of going first as white," Kirk said before leaning over, stealing a kiss from Iskandar's lip with a mischievous little smile. "For luck," he clarified, sliding his foot along Iskandar's shin.

He chuckled then stole a quick kiss back before he began to study the board. His hand was stroking his beard slowly as he did, taking in the entire thing before him as if this were another battlefield. Iskandar was aware he could possibly lose this one but he didn't mind at all since it would show him more ways of playing this game to its fullest potential.

With that, he made his first move and the game was in motion.

An interesting first move for a beginner, which served to excite Kirk. He bit his lip for a breath before reaching out and moving his own piece. He acted more on instinct to begin with in the game, but as it went on his movements took on a more considered, and precise air - a clear strategy in mind and attempting to herd Iskandar in that direction.

"It's kind of surreal, playing a strategy game against Alexander the Great," he chuckled, having eventually sidled over around the board to lean against Iskandar as they played. "Did you play games like this with your friends?" You know, before you died, but he's not going to actually say that part.

Without looking his way, he wrapped his arm around Jim, always aware of him even as so much of his focus rested on the board. He was reading the situation and learning from it, adapting to the situation. Really he was proving to be the makings of a very challenging opponent with just this first game as he made his next move and successfully captured a piece.

"Most often with Hephaestion. Of course we did not have boards like this. However, he and I would spend hours from boyhood to manhood playing games of strategy together. He knew my mind as well as I knew his which was why I valued him highly as my right hand in battles."

Iskandar's proficiency for the game as a first time was astounding, truly, but should he have expected less of the Alexander the Great? The man had been, by all accounts, a prodigy, a true genius of his or any era. If this game had stumped him, he would have felt disappointed in all honesty. Subconsciously, he simply expected Alexander to be good at any strategy game - to excel even.

"Did it change any? Your relationship when you began your military campaigns and gained all that fame?" he asked him, moving his own piece and capturing one of Iskandar's in return.

"All relationships change with time. It is the beauty of two people being together." He smiled fondly as he spoke though. Even now he still treasured this man and it was clear how much he loved him. Were one to ask him he would say that he was another part of his very soul. It was no wonder really that living had been so hard for him when Hephaestion had suddenly died.

Noting a piece of his had been taken, he took a moment to study the board before making a very daring move to one side. Something that likely looked like a terrible risk for a beginner but he had something he wanted to try here. It was risky but what was life without a little risk in it?

"Our roles never mattered to us. We were always Hephaestion and Alexander."

Kirk glanced away from the game for the first time to consider Iskandar as he spoke of this man, of this person he held so close. He wondered if he looked like that when talking about Spock of Bones, the two men he considered closest to him in his life. He could honestly say he loved them, though it was more a familial and brotherly love rather than romantic, and he almost snorted at the idea of being romantically involved with either of those men. Maybe when pigs flew.

He tilted his head, touching his cheek to Iskandar's shoulder briefly in silent comfort before resuming his calculation of the board. The move was risky, but not without merit, making him smirk as the thrill of challenge rose in him.

"It's to bad he's not here. I bet I could could get a lot of amusing stories from him about you," he teased, placing in his own piece in an unconventional and risky move to match Alexander's.

"You could get plenty of those just by asking for them from me too, you know," he pointed out with a pleasant little chuckle. Really he had no shame at all so he was willing to share the stories about himself even if they painted him in what should be a humiliating light. It was hard for any of it to be flustering if he simply owned it from the very start, something not everyone did in his experience.

"He would enjoy telling you them though. He's known me since we were children."

"I know, but they would be from his perspective," he chuckled, though he found it endearing that Iskandar was so willing to simply embrace himself and his flaws. "Tell me one later though? From your youth, before you went out into the world?"

He titled his head up to look to Iskandar, hand idly brushing across the expanse of his thick thigh. It surprised him how much he enjoyed this, just sitting with Iskandar, playing a game, talking about nothing at all really. It was an ease of companionship he shared with very few back home, and not something he had thought to find here. He pressed into Iskandar a bit more, curling against the much larger man and his warmth.

"I will have plenty of those to tell. However, I will insist you share yours when I share mine. After all, I like to get to know those that I care about."

He shifted to make it easier for Jim to press in close to him and rested his free hand against his back so he could trace little patterns there with his fingers. Nothing related to the game, of course. Doing that would have been foolish given how clever the man was.

With that, he made his next move...boldly claiming a piece yet not providing an opening just yet.

"Oh, believe me, I have more than a few to share if you're really that interested," he chuckled. His youth had been - well, not ill-spent, but it surely wasn't the traditional path one thought a captain might take to his position.

Little shivers trickled up and down his spine as Iskandar traced his patterns, the casual attention pleasant in a way he had not expected. This whole experience in this world was unexpected, and he suddenly felt a pang in his chest at the thought of one day leaving Iskandar and the others behind. He turned his head, pressing into his neck briefly, drawing in the scent of him - leather and musk, horses and saddle.

"You have a good knack for this game. Sure this is your first time?" he asked, shifting one of his pieces to claim one of Iskandar's in turn and take the advantage.

"It is." He hummed a bit when he saw the piece taken, looking over the pieces and coming up with strategies along the way. If he did this one thing he would be able to take an advantage. If he did this other then he would have a disadvantage but it could be something for him to turn around. On the other hand, if he went defensive then he could end up remaining so. He wasn't in danger just yet so it could be better to not do that.

"Hmmmm..."

Another tug to his beard and he boldly went to put a piece of his in danger rather than defending his side. Not a check yet but close to it. He was pushing in.

There is no small bit of pride at having to make Iskandar think about his decisions against him in the game. As fast he was picking the game up, if he wasn't careful he could actually lose. Not that he hadn't lost before, but he was no rank amateur either. He made his own humming sound when Iskandar moved his piece - an interesting move, and not one he'd expected from someone playing for the first time, but that spoke to Alexander's tactical genius.

Kirk reached out, moving his piece - and bringing it to check, announcing as much.

"What was the wildest thing you ever did as a child?" he inquired, deciding he wanted to be closer and moving to settle himself in Iskandar's lap.

He paused in what he was doing long enough for him to let Jim onto his lap. Wrapping an arm around him, he tucked him nice and close to him so they could share warmth. Only to frown as he got a better look at the board. That was not what he was intending to happen. He was going to have to play this game more so he could find ways of tricking Jim with things.

While he was thinking, he answered the question, not forgetting about it in the process. "Aside from training an enormous horse that towered over me with little idea of how to do it? Hephaestion and I used to ignore the training weapons and use real ones for sparring with each other. It used to drive my mother mad whenever she would catch us doing it. With so little training we could have easily killed each other. We also used to make bets with each other with the punishment being that the loser would have to run naked through the city singing a song chosen by the winner at the top of their lungs."

He laughed a bit at that last one. "As children it was really rather silly but as we grew older the bets were certainly more daring."

Kirk was more than looking forward to future matches with Iskandar. He was sure he would become a master at it shortly, and battling against him presented a unique thrill that made his heart sing. It felt like going against Spock again, the knowledge that he had to work for his victory rather than practically have it handed to him.

"Hah, see, the last one is definitely something I can see you doing. Maybe that's where you got your shamelessness," he teased his lover, turning his head slightly up and in to nuzzle at his neck, taking the time to enjoy the quiet intimacy that he knew could be so rare for them given the nature of the world they found themselves in.

"And now you know what question is next - what was the most daring dare?"

I'm Dreaming of a White Christmas

ISKANDAR

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