So, this was going nowhere fast. It made sense he supposed, the woman barely talked to anyone, and what would she have in common with someone like him. Or maybe she had more in common than he knew. He could see a hint of something in her eyes, nervousness maybe, worry. He'd been more than a little paranoid in the past. Everyone out to get him, taking sides against him, leaving him behind while the Commies won everything. And Svetlana had been more trapped than even he had been.
"Its hard." he told her. "Letting anyone close. Because they hurt you don't they, you close yourself off and you focus on what you need to cause that way its easier. Me, I threw myself into Chess until that got ripped away in Merano. But you know don't you, how easy it is to watch what you love torn from you and try as you might there's nothing you can do. I'll tell you a secret, they found that video, they played it for me and I knew then you'd understand where I was coming from. And I don't mean the cheating, not completely anyway, that's done we've both made our peace as much as we can with it. But I mean being stranded, left alone. And doing what you could to salvage something."
He couldn't resist a slight smirk, "Though I think you kept a little more dignity through the whole thing."
"And I am actually going somewhere with this" he assured the Russian woman. "This place, I've been here near on a year, second time round too. And I learned really quickly that the only thing you can do is let people in. Because if you don't, that paranoia will find its way back, and here, place like this, it'll get you killed, or worse. And believe me there's worse. I'm not saying change completely, I'm saying...just try it, a little bit."
He shrugged slightly, his good deed done for the day and his reputation ruined just that little bit more.
"Now that's done, we can talk about your kids, Chess, the damn weather if you want. Just thought it needed saying. Maybe this place can be something good for you. You're here for a reason aren't you. I suppose even he is." The annoyance in his voice of course was not to be mistaken. He could grow as a person all he wanted, he could settle down, marry the love of his life, and give advice to a Russian. But he'd never be changed on the bastard Commie that had taken his woman and his title in one night.
"...You're a better player than he is, you know that, right?"