For Anatoly

[capable_of]

The jukebox had been mercifully silent today as Lex moved about the pool table, taking shot after calculated shot. Small blessings, but Lex had learned to cherish them a lot more since arriving on that island. Among other things. Speaking of which, "12 corner pocket" he muttered in Russian to himself as he bent over and made the shot. The ball bounced off the five, hit the wall and almost glanced off the pocket, but went in. It had taken him a bit to get used to this much more worn table vice his carefully taken care of one in the castle, but he was getting used to it. Plus, the geometry was a refreshing change of thought.

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[chesspolitik]

Relax his fingers. Right. He could do that. With another sigh, he narrowed his eyes and aimed. It was just him and the ball, and nothing stood between him and success.

Nothing but his terrible aim, and as he missed again, he swore loudly in Russian, forgetting Lex was behind him.

[capable-of.livejournal.com]

Lex didn't need to know Russian to know what Anatoly had said and he laughed, a pure guttural laugh, his head dropping momentarily to rest on the back of Anatoly's shoulder as he fought to catch his breath. When he could finally control his laughter, he stepped back to retrieve the ball and reset it.

"Try again." He said, though he didn't retake up his position, instead leaning his hip against the table, arms crossed as he watched. He'd gotten what he was looking for. "You've almost got it."

[chesspolitik]

"That must be a strange definition of 'almost got it'," Anatoly muttered, but he squared his shoulders and settled into shooting position again.

This time, he was successful and he couldn't help but smile in satisfaction. Sure, the ball hadn't gone all that far, but at this point, it was the principle of the thing.

[capable-of.livejournal.com]

Lex ignored him, just leaning and watching. When Anatoly finally hit the ball, Lex beamed. "Excellent! See? I told you it wasn't that hard."

He'd made the mental note how he'd succeed without Lex's help and it just added a curious undertone to his smile.

"Would you like to practice some more or would you like to try learning while doing?"

[chesspolitik]

"And it only took three tries for me to hit the ball properly," Anatoly said dryly. "But I always have liked a challenge."

He grinned playfully. "So, in that spirit, learning while doing. What's the worse that can happen?"

[capable-of.livejournal.com]

"That's what I hoped you'd say." Lex said, his grin getting brighter as he moved the racked balls into the place on the table, removed the rack and went to retrieve his stick.

"I promise I'll take it easy on you." He teased as he pick up the cue ball and offered it to Anatoly. "Would you like to attempt to break? You just shoot to break up the colored balls and hope one goes in."

[chesspolitik]

"Oh please, don't hold back on my account," Anatoly insisted as he accepted the cue ball. "I never hold back with you at chess, it's only fair."

He stared dubiously at the racked balls. "I'll try. I promise nothing." He'd be happy if he could hit the ball again. Anything else would be extra.

[capable-of.livejournal.com]

Lex chuckled lightly. "Yes, but I knew how to play chess. This is your first time ever at the game of pool but," Lex shrugged. "If you insist. I won't hold back."

He waved for Anatoly to proceed. "Please. You won't get anywhere if you don't try." He may have cocked his head slightly as he stood back. To analyze Anatoly's form of course.

[chesspolitik]

Anatoly was fully prepared to lose this game, and lose it badly. "I do. I will never learn otherwise."

Lex's instructions in his head running through his head, he once again lined up his shot. It wasn't pretty but it got the job done, at least, and more importantly, one of the balls went in.

[capable-of.livejournal.com]

Lex fought hard to hide his smirk as the solid red five dropped into the pocket. It figured.

"Nice break. Very good for your first try, usually that's the shot people have trouble with the most. " He answered honestly. "And you even pocketed a ball. Your solids, so you want to get all the solid balls into the pockets, using the cue ball, before I get all the stripes. Except the eight. Whoever gets all their balls in first has to sink the eight to win." He explained patiently then waved at the table. "Your shot."

[chesspolitik]

"Does it matter which ball I start with or could I choose any one?" It was a minor question, but he was determined to do this properly.

[capable-of.livejournal.com]

"Whichever ball you think can sink. If you do, you go again. If not, then it's my turn." Lex explained smoothly, half of his consciousness already at work mapping out the table and the various angles he would need to win.

[chesspolitik]

Anatoly nodded in response then turned his focus back to the table. He wasn't confident of his ability to sink any of them, but there, that purple one looked like a good candidate.

He missed, but only by a few inches and he stepped back, shaking his head ruefully. "And your turn, it is, my friend."

[capable-of.livejournal.com]

"Your picking this up very quickly." Lex said as he moved around the table to aim at the blue striped fifteen. "It took Clark a whole afternoon before he could even get the cue ball to hit another ball, much less get so close." The fifteen went into the corner without a hitch, followed by the pink thirteen. If he purposefully missed the eleven, he didn't show it.