Title: Checkmate
Fandom: Fire Emblem Warriors: Three Hopes
Characters/Pairings: Ashe Ubert/Yuri Leclerc, Raphael Kirsten
Rating: PG
Warnings: Surprise kissing?
Notes: Golden Wildfire route, spoilers
Word Count: 1,008
Summary: On a rainy day, Yuri convinces Ashe to play chess with him.

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“Talk about good luck,” Raphael said, full-throated glee in his voice. “I got stuck in the mess tent during a thunderstorm!” He helped himself to some more chicken. “And best of all, it ain’t letting up anytime soon, so I have plenty of time to work on my letter to Maya after lunch.”

“Um, yeah,” Ashe agreed. “I can write to my siblings as well. So, apologies Yuri, but I can’t—”

“You said you were going to play chess with me,” Yuri informed him primly. “So, unless ex-knights like to lie, you better help me get the board set up.”

“Yuri, you’re not going to have any fun. You know I’m terrible at strategy games.” He just didn’t have the brain for them. “Look, why don’t you ask Raphael to play with you.”

Yuri shrugged. “I tried. He refused. Apparently, he’s philosophically opposed to it.”

“Darn straight,” Raphael said around a mouthful of chicken. “That game’s supposed to be like war, right? Well, I’ve been in war, and it ain’t as clean as that.”

“Which is a valid point, but I am bored. And as Ashe knows, it is a dangerous thing if this bird has nothing to do.” Yuri smirked in Ashe’s direction. “So, which side do you want?”

“Black,” Ashe said without missing a beat. This way, he could at least get an idea of what Yuri planned to do. Together, they set up the board. Yuri made his move. Ashe made his. They played together, the only sounds in the tent involving Raphael eating and writing.

“So,” Yuri said as he advanced, “what’s a charming ex-knight like yourself still doing in a place like this?”

Ashe retreated. “I was sharing lunch with you when the rain finally started, and is currently refusing to let up. Then I let you brow beat me into playing chess again.”

Yuri moved again. “That’s not what I meant. I mean,” and he waved a hand, “all of this.”

Ah, that. Why he had chosen to fight for the Federation when King Claude had given him the option to go back to Gaspard. “I will admit, going home is tempting, especially since Lonato is still publicly fuming over Dimitri siding with the Archbishop.” A part of him was still surprised that Lonato hadn’t broken away from the Kingdom yet. “But this Eastern Chuch… I don’t know. I’ve never encountered a part of the Church that eschews violence.” A Church that preached love and acceptance rather than sacrifice to the Bishop. “I’ve been talking to some of the priests and I’m hoping to convince some of them to come to Gaspard. I feel they might be able to heal Lonato’s heart after losing Christophe in a way that the Western Church or even his remaining family ever could.” His siblings were too young, and Ashe was not pious like Lonato. He was going to need extra help.

“Okay, you may not be a knight, but that is the noblest thing I’ve ever heard.” Ashe wondered if Yuri moved his knight to make a narrative point, because otherwise even Ashe could tell that it was poor strategy. “Typical Ashe.”

“That’s not the only reason,” Ashe assured Yuri. “Even if Dimitri told me to not die, the other nobles would never allow a knight that defected to serve the crown ever again.” He had betrayed the king, even if the king had told Ashe to betray him. He couldn’t blame his friends if they never forgave him, because he was not sure if he could ever forgive himself.

“Stop moping,” Yuri scolded. “I don’t wanna win just because you got sad.”

“Sorry,” Ashe groused. “I’ll make sure to moderate my emotions to appease you from now on.”

“He may be using fancy words, but even I can tell that he’s calling you a jerk,” Raphael said, eyes glued to his letter.

“Thanks, Raph, I never could have figured that out on my own.” Yuri leaned forward as he tried to make up for his losses. “Well, if the Kingdom doesn’t want you for having the gall to obey the King, then it’s our gain.”

Ashe made sure that Yuri couldn’t make up for his losses. “What do you mean?”

“You came from nothing. Now you’re a Federation general with skills most nobles would kill to have—because heaven forbid they have to live like commoners for a bit to learn them. Frankly, I’m surprised King Claude didn’t try to recruit you sooner.”

… Did Yuri really see him that way? Ashe was about to ask just that, but then he realized what was going on.

“Yuri.”

“Yeah?”

“I’ll have you in checkmate in two moves,” Ashe said, voice breathy with disbelief. Maybe Yuri had ‘convinced’ him to play enough that he finally learned some strategy? Or maybe, more likely, Yuri was distracted by the conversation. Regardless, he was about to win his first game of chess ever. “Do you want to forfeit?”

“Nope. You won fair and square; let’s play until the bitter end.”

“Well, if you insist.” Ashe moved, and then moved again. “Checkmate.”

“Not quite,” Yuri chirped. “My king has decided to seduce your bishop.”

“I think that’s against the rules,” Raphael said.

“Silence, you!” Yuri turned his attention to Ashe. “King seduces bishop. I win.”

Ashe had to chuckle at that. “Yuri, no one would be seduced just because—”

Yuri leaned in and kissed him, nice and slow, one hand gently cupping Ashe’s face. Ashe moaned helplessly into the kiss.

“So,” Yuri began as he sat down again. “What was that about no one being seduced, hmm?”

“… I stand corrected,” Ashe admitted. Yuri had, once again, managed to surprise him. But that was one of the countless reasons why Ashe loved him. “It’s still a little unfair pulling that the first time I win, though.”

“You’re right,” Yuri conceded with a melodramatic sigh. “Tell you what. How about your bishop and my king decide to work together for world peace or something?”

Ashe smiled, blushing. “I accept.”

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Final Notes: I know nothing about chess. Can you tell. -_-