Is this the tide in my affairs when I write a little history?

[chesspolitik]

Being mobbed by a vicious pack of reporters was bad enough on any given day. Being mobbed by them in Bangkok during one of the most stressful matches in his life was even worse. Going through it again was nothing less than hell on Earth.

The car ride to the studio was a blur. He heard Walter talking to him, and he knew he was answering, but what was actually said, he couldn't recall afterwards. He went where he was told, going through the motions with as little thought as possible. It'd be over soon enough, and slipping back into his role of emotionless machine was the only way he'd manage.

It was a fine idea, but as the barrage of questions started, from the insipid ("Isn't this a bizarre reunion?") to ridiculous ("Is being homeless affecting your game?"), he felt his self-control slipping away, just as before.

"Your true motivation is something we all want to know," one of the reporters asked, a malicious glint in his eye.

At that, Anatoly's temper flared and he shouted back furiously, "You know damn well what my motivation is!"

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[chesspolitik]

Anatoly took a deep breath, taking strength from Lex's presence. If he had to do this over again, at least he was worth someone he trusted above all others. With Lex's help, perhaps he could rewrite history, find the happy ending he'd chased so fruitlessly for.

"I should tell you," he said hurriedly, keeping an eye and ear out for unwanted visitors. It wouldn't be much longer before they were found. "Florence. She's here. She doesn't - I couldn't - God, I don't even know what I can say to her."

[capable-of.livejournal.com]

Lex would blame it on the odd situation he found himself in, stranger then anything Smallville could dream up, for the fact that he flinched when Anatoly spoke his former lover's name. Sure it was in his eyes and in one corner of his lips, but it was there all the same.

But a Luthor always approached their problems head on and at the moment, Lex needed to be a Luthor, for Anatoly's sake. "We need to talk to her. First and foremost." He gave Anatoly a soft comforting kiss to silence any protest." She deserves it and she will probably be our only ally." That and Lex needed all the information he could get and between the two of them, he had no doubt he could get it.