Svetlana sometimes wished that Anatoly had followed his initial wish to be a doctor. Mostly just because if he had done that, let chess remain theirs alone, maybe things would have been different. But no. She also knew that to do so, for them not to know any better.... They would have learned it somehow. It was just all the worse that it was because of the game that had brought them together. Still, at least Anatoly could learn from his mistakes as he had early on in their relationship. She could still remember him coming to her on the street asking for another chance, asking her to teach him about her so he didn't do things like that anymore. It had been startling, confusing. No one before had wanted to actually know her. So she had relented.
Still, in American society, at least now, the emphasis on the physical aspects of such matters was tiresome. It could only get someone so far. And if someone couldn't have a stimulating conversation, then all it would be was sex. There was more to a relationship than that. Deeper connections to be made. Challenges to be had to grow as a person and a couple. It was actually quite depressing that people in this time and place didn't seem to realize that.
A lighter atmosphere was definitely necessary at this point of time. Between nightmares and randomly falling into a trance as memories assaulted her for no reason, between the dangers of this world and the attacks on people reiterating that no one was safe, the atmosphere as of late had been extremely tense. The girls seemed mostly unaware of it, but Svetlana felt it constantly. So she would take this moment of light hearted banter, sipping her tea as Anatoly mentioned the gaze of stone. Quirking a brow, the blond placed her cup down, tilting her head to the side.
"Are you implying that I'm Medusa, then? Strange, my hair seems to be actual hair and not made of snakes...."
There was a double meaning in Anatoly's words, of course. The teasing the two were doing, but also, he knew first hand what it meant to truly draw Svetlana's ire. Back in Russia, in Bangkok, even here. It took a lot to bring it to the surface, but once it was there, it was bad for those involved. Svetlana may be polite, but she could be extremely harsh if the situation warranted it.