The Beautiful Game - Closed for DeathsKnight

A smile crept over his face,

"Now I am intrigued, what happened this one time?"

He made mock big eyes,

"Or will this be on that American show: "Girls gone wild"? I have seen quite a lot of singing and dancing there."

He chuckled and patted her hand,

"Don't worry, your secret is safe with me, perhaps at a later stage I can introduce you to my favorite drinking game."

He leaned forward,

"Shot glass chess, it's good fun. Keep the mind sharp if you can outwit the opponent."
 
"Now I am intrigued, what happened this one time?"

She blushed at his expression.

"Or will this be on that American show: "Girls gone wild"?
I have seen quite a lot of singing and dancing there."


She laughed. He had no idea how close to the truth he might be.

"Don't worry, your secret is safe with me, perhaps at a later stage I can introduce you to my favorite drinking game... Shot glass chess, it's good fun. Keep the mind sharp if you can outwit the opponent."

She shook her head.

"I struggle with chess when I'm sober."

She told him before confiding.

"I've never been a big drinker, but like anyone there have been occasions ... "

She sipped her lager and continued.

"The worst ... a family barbecue..."

She grimaced.

"Sounds safe enough, but we're not just talking a few hot coals and burgers, my family 'know people' and this was large scale, 50 'guests' maybe...?"

She had the grace to blush.

"Vodka was involved ... vodka and orange ... "

She expected to see horror on his face at the sacrilege of diluting his precious libation still further.

"I think I got the ratios wrong. It was a hot day and I basically drank it as if it were orange juice... "

She met his eyes calculating how honest to be with him.

"I'm told I did a lot of dancing ... was very 'sociable' and the life and soul of the party ... trouble is I can't really remember most of it ... and the next morning ... bad, bad hangover... "

She tried to look suitably chastened.

"To say my parents were less than impressed was an understatement ... my brothers wound me up about it for weeks ... months ... "
 
"And then you have the whole love for football, they must really have ha a field day with you afterwards."

He grinned,

"That is one reason to not mix it, you lose the taste, but the alcohol remains. Even I can not drink more than half a bottle and not feel the effects. So I stick to shots, much better for everybody involved."

He stacked the two glasses and looked at her,

"I am a bit concerned. It's something that's been in the back of my mind and this will be the best time to ask another opinion about it. If we do get promoted, I am certain that the board would like to buy players of better...shall we say name. If they manage to stay after the fitness training, I just do not feel right to put one of the guys on the bench to allow some new player to play just to satisfy the board. I feel that if they wish to waste money on players then it would be much better spent on the current guys. More initiative so to speak."
 
"And then you have the whole love for football, they must really have ha a field day with you afterwards."

She laughed.

"In many ways I've proved a challenge to them ... "

She told him, though her affectionate tone clearly told him that she had a good relationship with her family despite that.

"That is one reason to not mix it, you lose the taste, but the alcohol remains. Even I can not drink more than half a bottle and not feel the effects. So I stick to shots, much better for everybody involved."

She nodded. That made sense she supposed. And at least you could keep track of how much was being drunk.

"I am a bit concerned. It's something that's been in the back of my mind and this will be the best time to ask another opinion about it. If we do get promoted, I am certain that the board would like to buy players of better...shall we say name. If they manage to stay after the fitness training, I just do not feel right to put one of the guys on the bench to allow some new player to play just to satisfy the board. I feel that if they wish to waste money on players then it would be much better spent on the current guys. More initiative so to speak."

She knew how things went in football and could easily see the Board pushing to develop the squad in that way.

"I agree with you ... you wouldn't need other players, much better to keep your team as it is and develop them. I've seen that happen in many football clubs and you use the spirit of the team... "

She told him.

"There's a clause in our agreement about retaining your services and which states that it is you who should make the strategic decisions. That is no guarantee that they will not buy more players, but it does put a brake on them going crazy in that direction ... and for the record my company would be discouraging developing the team in that way, on ethical grounds."
 
He nodded,

"It could lead to friendly competition under the players, which will increase their game, so it is a good thing you did the contract and not me. Like I said, you can teach me a lot about business."

Two more shot glasses showed up and the empty glasses removed, he gave a small smile,

"A bit of extravagance for tonight, tomorrow is a good day to rest. I think tomorrow I would like to give young Lisa's gift to you to take to her."

He shrugged,

"I would have liked to go myself, but the day job does take up a lot of time since there is deadlines."

He picked up one glass,

"But you know that feeling yes?"

He downed the glass and tapped it down, he gave her a grin,

"You not want to join me for celebration toast perhaps? One shot will not make you go crazy would it?"
 
"It could lead to friendly competition under the players, which will increase their game, so it is a good thing you did the contract and not me. Like I said, you can teach me a lot about business."

Lisa accepted the compliment graciously and watched as another two shots of vodka were brought over to Ivan.

"A bit of extravagance for tonight, tomorrow is a good day to rest. I think tomorrow I would like to give young Lisa's gift to you to take to her.
I would have liked to go myself, but the day job does take up a lot of time since there is deadlines."


She nodded, but she realised she did not know what 'day job' he was referring to.

"But you know that feeling yes?"

She laughed.

"Oh yes ... not enough hours in the day ... "

She commented and watched as he downed the shot of vodka.

"You not want to join me for celebration toast perhaps?
One shot will not make you go crazy would it?"


She eyed the shot glass speculatively.

"I've never drank neat vodka. I'm not so sure how crazy it would make me."

She told him.
 
He shrugged,

"Best not to find out then, can't have you dancing on the bar in your underwear."

He lifted the second glass and looked at her with a thoughtful look on his face,

"Though I must admit that I enjoy said image."

He gave her a small grin and downed the shot as well
 
"Best not to find out then, can't have you dancing on the bar in your underwear."

Lisa laughed at his words, it was probably too long since she'd done anything really crazy.

"Though I must admit that I enjoy said image."

She blushed as much in response to how he was looking at her as to what he actually said, her pulses suddenly racing at the thought of Ivan seeing so much 'more' of her.

"But we can't risk finding out just how crazy I could be...?"

She challenged nodding to the now empty shot glass.

" ... seems we both choose to play safe in our lives at the moment... maybe too much so?"

Lisa suggested.
 
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He took her words in consideration and then chuckled,

"In fact, at the moment I am more worried about your public image than mine."

He frowned slightly,

"I do hope that does not upset you? Though I will say that I have seen some crazy things in my life, I fear people might get the wrong idea about you. Of course just sitting here with me does raise my status, as weird as that sounds it is true. But the more..."

He searched for the word,

"Conserved...conservative of the people her may think worse of you."

He looked at her,

"I hope that my effort to prevent people thinking bad of you is not wrong towards you."
 
"In fact, at the moment I am more worried about your public image than mine."

Lisa was surprised by Ivan's words.

"I do hope that does not upset you? Though I will say that I have seen some crazy things in my life, I fear people might get the wrong idea about you.
Of course just sitting here with me does raise my status, as weird as that sounds it is true. But the more... Conserved...conservative of the people her may think worse of you."


She was touched by his consideration, but shook her head at his comment about her presence raising his status.

"I hope that my effort to prevent people thinking bad of you is not wrong towards you."

She took a drink and sighed.

"I don't care what people think of me anymore Ivan."

She told him honestly.

"Business wise, I've worked for years to build up my reputation, but that isn't just who I am.... "

She wondered if he could truly see past that.

"You have more than enough status as you are. If people think that me being with you makes you any better or me less so then they are not people whose opinion I give a damn about."

She told him heatedly before giving a sigh and continuing.

"... people rarely get to know me, the me that is behind all that conservative, business stuff. Guys like that reputation, gives them a challenge. But are they the type I can relax with and have fun with? ... never ... "

She gave him a shy smile.

"I feel like I can be 'me' with you more than anyone I've spent time with in years ... I only hope you won't be disappointed when you discover I'm not quite little-miss-goody-goody all the time?"

She queried.
 
He grinned,

"Miss Goody-goody? First time I hear it put that way. I was taught goody-two-shoes."

He looked into her eyes for a few moments,

"Vodka it is! We shall have a grand time indeed."

And with that he bought another round of shots and even a lager for himself, he placed the glasses on the table and took his seat,

"Now take a glass as so..."

He lifted a glass and rested it on his palm with his fingers supporting it,

"Then you say:Za Vas and then you tilt it back. Like so."

He raised his glass, fingers outside with the open palm towards him,

"Za Vas!"

He lifted his hand, the glass tilting at the last minute as he downed the glass, placing it down with the bottom up. He looked at her,

"Your turn."
 
"Miss Goody-goody? First time I hear it put that way. I was taught goody-two-shoes."

She laughed and wondered what he had thought of her confession. His response was simplistic, but to the point.

"Vodka it is! We shall have a grand time indeed."


The idea of doing something 'wilder' with her seemed to enthuse Ivan and for her part, Lisa found herself getting carried away as he ordered more drinks for them both.

"Now take a glass as so..."

She watched as he demonstrated.

"Then you say: Za Vas and then you tilt it back. Like so."


She watched as he demonstrated, the liquid downed in one fluid movement.

"Your turn."

Lisa wasn't totally sure this was the best way of exploring her wilder side, but as she met his challenging grin, she was never going to back down! Carefully she took the glass as he had done and mimicked his actions.

"Za Vas!"

She toasted and tipped the glass emptying the contents in one swift movement.
She didn't feel it at first, but soon she could feel the heat of the liquid as it went down her throat. It didn't burn as she had thought it might, nothing like brandy or whiskey, but the strength of the drink made her gasp slightly as the warmth travelled down to her stomach ...

But she had done it! She met Ivan's eyes victoriously and laughed.
 
He lifted his beer in salute,

"Well done! Now I can send you to Russia to make men drunk."

He took a sip of the beer and followed it with another shot, draining the beer after the shot, he grinned at her,

"That is something I will advise not to do. The gas in the beer has this mind of it's own."

He swallowed two times and a very subdued rush of wind was subdued behind his hand without the loud burp that should have come out.

"Right! With that done, now you learn me a toast."
 
"Well done! Now I can send you to Russia to make men drunk."

Lisa laughed at Ivan’s words watching as he drank his beer and pushing the remains of her lager aside.

"That is something I will advise not to do. The gas in the beer has this mind of it's own."

Lisa had already decided that mixing her drinks was not a good idea, whatever the combination might be!

"Right! With that done, now you learn me a toast."

Lisa thought back to all the formal toasts and loyal toasts she had heard over the years at the many formal dinners she had attended. None of those were appropriate for this game.

”Well in French, they usually wish each other good health; ‘a votre bon santé’ or just ‘ santé ‘.”

She told him.

”Though they have different toast when drinking shots.”

She picked up the glass and copying Ivan’s technique of raising it as she toasted.
”cul sec!"

A single movement and the vodka was once more thrown back, the heat more expected this time. She held up the glass to show the empty inside.

” 'cul sec' … it means dry bottom … "

She told him with a giggle.
 
He chuckled,

"Then dry bottom it shall be."

He raised the next glass,

"'cul sec!"

He downed the shot and placed the empty glass on top of the other one, he knew he had a few more to go before the effects would catch up, but from the red on Lisa's cheeks it was clear that their toasting was done for now,

"And as you can see, the bottom is dry."

He pushed the remaining two glasses to her and took the other two for him,

"When we played outside of Russia, we were allowed a bottle of Vodka each on the trip. Even back then I gave away half my bottle, it was always fun to tease the other's the next day. Of course never harsh teasing, banter would almost be more like what we did. Of course no international player would admit to this behaviour, but I have noticed that other sport celebrities have started doing things while being out."

He grimaced,

"Luckily our coaching staff was so strict it was like a Siberian prison without the ice and steel, but it produced results. We were never out of our rooms, nor did we trash a room, we drank, got drunk and went to our beds. That was fun times."

He took a sip of one glass
 
"Then dry bottom it shall be. 'cul sec!"

Ivan made short work of the vodka and seemed not to feel the impact at all. Lisa definitely was appreciating the warmth of the spirits she had consumed, but not worryingly so.

"And as you can see, the bottom is dry."

She found herself giggling at his comment and watched as he set out the remaining shots before them both.

"When we played outside of Russia, we were allowed a bottle of Vodka each on the trip. Even back then I gave away half my bottle, it was always fun to tease the other's the next day. Of course never harsh teasing, banter would almost be more like what we did. Of course no international player would admit to this behaviour, but I have noticed that other sport celebrities have started doing things while being out."

It was the first time he had spoken about his time in Russia and she was fascinated to hear of his time as a professional footballer.

"Luckily our coaching staff was so strict it was like a Siberian prison without the ice and steel, but it produced results. We were never out of our rooms, nor did we trash a room, we drank, got drunk and went to our beds. That was fun times."

She laughed at his description.

"Strictness and discipline; is that where you get your work ethic from?"

She queried.

"I was always raised never to take anything for granted. Even though we were comfortable financially, I always had to work for my pocket money, early my first wage, but the flip side was that when I went to study my parents were more than generous with my allowance, though of course I suppose they could afford to be."

Perhaps the vodka had loosened her tongue; it was the first hint Lisa had given of her somewhat affluent family background.
 
"And that explains you hard-working, yet caring nature. But to answer you, no I didn't get that from the coaching staff.My father was a hard man, a supervisor at a mine, my mother was a secretary for a Police komizar, I had to raise myself and had to work hard to make grades which pleased my parents, I also had to work hard in sport as my father was a keen footballer."

He rubbed his chin,

"When I started playing, people said I would get nowhere, I am too big of build and lack the flair of a player. It seemed that the only thing I had going for me was that I knew what other players would do. I started as defender, I stole many possession and the coach found that in the back I was wasted, so he placed me in midfield and there I made my home."

He smiled at the memories,

"My parents was proud, I did well in school and I played for the first team. In secondary school I started to play for the town as well. I was still in school when I got my first taste of regional football. By then it was too late, I was hooked. Luckily I kept my grades as I finished school, but the options lay before me and I decided football over a carreer, of course my father did tell me to at least do some sort of work, to gain more in life than just football and so I apprenticed with a carpenter while I played football."

He finished the glass and set it aside,

"Though the rest is not history as they say..."

He paused, then chuckled,

"I must be boring you with tale of my past."
 

"And that explains you hard-working, yet caring nature. But to answer you, no I didn't get that from the coaching staff.My father was a hard man, a supervisor at a mine, my mother was a secretary for a Police komizar, I had to raise myself and had to work hard to make grades which pleased my parents, I also had to work hard in sport as my father was a keen footballer."


More than ever Lisa realised that culturally they were so different in many ways and yet as Ivan spoke about his family she realised that despite this, they still had common values.

"When I started playing, people said I would get nowhere, I am too big of build and lack the flair of a player. It seemed that the only thing I had going for me was that I knew what other players would do. I started as defender, I stole many possession and the coach found that in the back I was wasted, so he placed me in midfield and there I made my home."

It was true that Ivan's build was far from usual for a football player, but that was one of the many things that she liked about him, that attracted her to him.

"My parents was proud, I did well in school and I played for the first team. In secondary school I started to play for the town as well. I was still in school when I got my first taste of regional football. By then it was too late, I was hooked. Luckily I kept my grades as I finished school, but the options lay before me and I decided football over a carreer, of course my father did tell me to at least do some sort of work, to gain more in life than just football and so I apprenticed with a carpenter while I played football."

She was surprised to hear that he had learned carpentry. She looked down at his big hands and realised that he must have considerable dexterity to turn his hands to such a trade.

"Though the rest is not history as they say..."

Lisa nodded, touched that he had been so open with her.

"I must be boring you with tale of my past."

Her denial was instant.

"No ... not at all. I'm interested, really ... I just never asked you before ... I didn't want to pry or make you homesick or ... anything like that. I always imagined it must be difficult to be so far from home ... "

She explained.

"And for the record, ... I love learning about you Ivan."

She told him softly.

"And I had no idea you were a carpenter by trade ... there's something truly beautiful about wood ... I had a wooden rocking horse when I was little ... I adored it ... it must take such skill to fashion something like that ... "
 
He gave her a thoughtful smile,

"To make a truly sturdy and well-balanced horse yes indeed. For now I make furniture and of course what the team needed for practise."

He finished his shot glass and placed it with the other,

"As for being home-sick, I doubt I will ever get that. The circumstances surrounding my official retirement from Russian football has much to do with it."

He shrugged,

"Was so much easier to start playing than it was to stop."

He tapped her cheek playfully with a finger,

"I will tell you more of the Ivan history when I hear more of your history. So far I know you are a pretty woman, hard working, heart of gold and blushes when she drinks Vodka and that you get very sociable when you have one too many to drink."
 
"To make a truly sturdy and well-balanced horse yes indeed. For now I make furniture and of course what the team needed for practise."

She saw that he had finished his vodka whilst she had yet to start her next one.

"As for being home-sick, I doubt I will ever get that. The circumstances surrounding my official retirement from Russian football has much to do with it."

Lisa sensed this was a sore point and did not query further.

"Was so much easier to start playing than it was to stop."

Was all Ivan told her before his focus turned to her, the light touch of his finger on her cheek affectionately playful.

"I will tell you more of the Ivan history when I hear more of your history.
So far I know you are a pretty woman, hard working, heart of gold and blushes when she drinks Vodka and that you get very sociable when you have one too many to drink."


She laughed.

"I'm falling behind on my vodka shots that's for sure... "

She admitted picking up the neglected glass and downing it in one. She was definitely feeling a warmth and a slight 'buzz' unused as she was to consuming spirits in any quantity.

"What to tell you about me ...?"

She mused.

"Some you know ... I'm the youngest with two big brothers ... I'm not sure if my parents approve of me or if I exasperate them to be honest... "

She reflected.

"Business wise, they're pleased with the path I've taken and of course they can't disapprove of the fact that I'm working in the family business, but ... as regards my personal choices, I can't help thinking that they want me to be more like them, or like my good-old-reliable brothers ... perhaps that's why I've let myself get 'reined in' over recent years. You can have too much work and respectability in your life sometimes I think... "

She reflected.

"... don't get me wrong, I love my family very much ... and they love me, but ... I still get the impression that they won't entirely ... 'approve'... "
 
He nodded his understanding of her situation,

"And now you are socializing with me, wonder if I will carry some approval if I help to put reigns on their wild little filly."

He gave a hearty chuckle and finished his last shot glass,

"But it is sad that we are both in the position where we can no longer be as we wish to be, but rather of the image we had to form. Of course my image is of little interest, I just have to keep players in check and make sure they perform well."

He smiled,

"I guess that is my punishment for having been such a wild young man."

He met her look and laughed,

"Oh yes indeed, it was years before my international call-up, I probably gave my coaches minor heart attacks every month or two."
 
"And now you are socializing with me, wonder if I will carry some approval if I help to put reigns on their wild little filly."

She wasn't sure her parents would approve of Ivan, but she had given up considering her parents' opinions of men she chose to date years ago.

"But it is sad that we are both in the position where we can no longer be as we wish to be, but rather of the image we had to form. Of course my image is of little interest, I just have to keep players in check and make sure they perform well."

She nodded.

"Mine is probably more due to lack of opportunity. Perhaps I need someone to 'lead me astray'?"

She suggested.

"I guess that is my punishment for having been such a wild young man... Oh yes indeed, it was years before my international call-up, I probably gave my coaches minor heart attacks every month or two."

He had seen her look at the idea of him being 'wild'. She could not help but wonder just what he had gotten up to in his youth.

"Wine, women and song?"

She queried playfully.

"Or in your case, vodka ... "

She toyed with her last shot glass, but did not drink further.

"I had a wilder time when I was younger, but then I went into business and life becomes much more ... serious ... "
 
"Wine, women, song, Vodka, fast motorbikes and the ability to fall and not actually break anything valuable."

He grinned,

"Less of the women and more of the Vodka and song though. Of course I did make certain that I saved a few rubels every now and then, but overall I lived a quite nasty life. When you show up for practice still drunk and you still manage to out-wit your team mates, you manage to stay in the team."

He grimaced,

"After a while it did start to work on my body and I had to make my decisions, in hind sight I probably made the better decision."

He swallowed down his last glass and favored her with a smile
 
"Wine, women, song, Vodka, fast motorbikes and the ability to fall and not actually break anything valuable."

She hadn't thought of him as a biker type, she found the idea ... diverting...

"Less of the women and more of the Vodka and song though. Of course I did make certain that I saved a few rubels every now and then, but overall I lived a quite nasty life. When you show up for practice still drunk and you still manage to out-wit your team mates, you manage to stay in the team."

It sounded to Lisa as if he had enjoyed wilder times than she.

"After a while it did start to work on my body and I had to make my decisions, in hind sight I probably made the better decision."

For her part she'd lost count of the vodka shots she'd consumed. Definitely much fewer than Ivan, that was certain, but she wasn't used to drinking spirits in that way. She would no doubt pay for it the next day, she thought fleetingly.

"I must seem boring by comparision,"

She suggested.

"... partying that hard doesn't appeal to me even now ... "

She confessed with a shrug.

"Maybe I ... just need to do more things for myself ... and to hell with what others think?"

She giggled.
 
He smiled,

"Yes to hell with what they think, though I doubt you will ever become selfish, perhaps just do more of what you wish to do? That should put a bit of spike into your life."

He kept looking at her,

"And my wild younger life was mostly due to the way I had no life growing up, when you work that hard you do become a dull person, but when you don't have that responsibility anymore, your whole life opens to so many opportunities, that you have no way of controlling once you allow them to slip from your fingers."

He shook his head slowly,

"So not really boring, more level-headed. It took me a day to the hospital to reign myself in and focus on my career as player."

He shrugged,

"Of course that career also saw me become a manager much younger than most ever do become managers."

Another round made it to them and he took a sip from the fresh glass,

"It took me a few years to get into the national scene though."

His eyes had a far-away look, clearly focused on years gone by,

"But when you get to the level where you play premier clubs, you start to make name for yourself. Having a good name meant that you had a good chance for the national team, my name was slightly tainted, but the new work-ethic, the clean living did have it's advantages and after three years of playing for Zvedstad I got called up for international duty."

He smiled at the memory,

"Now that was a proud moment for my family."
 
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