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"You want to challenge me to Othello...?" 'Rusty Penpoint' asked, raising an eyebrow. "I'm the best in the company, you know."
"Exactly!" Ronald said, a smug smile on his face. And you'll swoon when you meet an equal!
But he didn't actually say his explanation out loud, so Freddy was left without an answer. Then, shrugging, he took out the Othello board. Ronald was still grinning from ear to ear like a maniac. Trust an actor to be able to permanently plaster a look across their face.
So they began. Ronald looked supremely relaxed as he surveyed the board. He countered Freddy quite well, a stark contrast to his gameplay a year ago. Hmm, now that Freddy thought about it, Alice had been pulling all-nighters recently, and the Othello board had been left on the table each time...
So Ronald had been training. What for? An ego boost, Freddy could only guess. He schooled his expression as they traded pieces, but eventually, he was left with no moves—because Ronald had eaten every one of his pieces.
"Checkmate."
"That's not even the right game," Freddy muttered. "Let's go again. Best of three."
"You're on."
Thirty minutes later, Ronald sat slumped against the back of his chair, looking completely dispirited, like a balloon that had lost all air. Freddy had trumped him for the twelfth time in a row. Incidentally, the score was also twelve to one. After losing twice, Ronald had insisted they keep playing. He regretted it a little now.
"Well, I think that settles things, hmm?" Freddy said pleasantly. He'd started the session fairly calm, but couldn't help smiling now. "Or do you want to do one more?"
Ronald was staring at him with an indecipherable look. Then a cocky smile spread across his face.
"Depends. Do I get anything if I win?"
"No."
"Oh, come on."
"No."
"Really?"
"Really."
Freddy took pity on Ronald's look of despair and rolled his eyes. "Fine. How about, instead, you get a punishment if you lose?"
Ronald paused. He had that same look from before on his face, staring at Freddy like he was seeing past him. "Sounds good," he said, though he didn't seem to be paying full attention.
Freddy glared at him. "If you're not going to take this seriously, Ronald..."
"Okay, okay! Let's go!" Ronald sat up straight now, looking diligent.
After a long and arduous battle, finally, Ronald... lost again. At least this time it was close?
"Fuuuuuuuuck," he groaned. But then he perked up and leaned forward, giving Freddy a look he probably thought was incredibly seductive. "So... about that punishment..."
To his credit, Freddy remained unfazed, taking his glasses off and wiping them nonchalantly.
"Right, for the punishment... wire me ten dollars." It wasn't a huge amount, but he knew asking Ronald for any sum of money would be outrageous to him.
Ronald's mouth dropped open. "What?"
"You heard me." The light reflected off Freddy's lenses, making him look especially serious.
"You've gotta be kidding me."
"No. Now it's twenty."
"PENPOINT, COME ON—"
"Twenty dollars in my bank account by tomorrow." He gathered his things and shut the Othello board with a snap, smiling at the other man. "Good game, Ronald."
"What the fuck is wrong with him??? Am I being too subtle? I thought I was being pretty obvious! What, does he want me to buy him a bouquet or something? No way, that shit's expensive. What about—"
"With all due respect, Ronald, if you say another word on this issue I'm going to strangle you."
"Come on, Inference, use your detective brain and help me solve this mystery! Or did all your braincells go to your dick while we were fucking?"
"Yes they did," Naib answered shortly, before turning his back on Ronald and closing his eyes. "Goodnight!"