Firefly Fanfic: Not in the Cards
Title: Not in the Cards
Author: Elizalavelle
Rating: G
Fandom: Firefly (set somewhere in the series... pre Ariel for sure)
Disclaimer: Joss owns all of them but I like to borrow his toys and play.
Notes: This was written for a whedonland challenge. The prompt was a deck of cards being cut. I won with this story which makes me extra happy :)
“What game is this?” River asked looking more coherent than usual as she circled the table where Mal, Wash, Jayne and Book were sitting. “These cards are not standard denominations, the images do not align.”
Wash looked up from the playing cards in his hand “They're cards from Earth That Was. They call this 'poker.'”
“You gamble away paper, almost meaningless, not to be spent.” River said looking at the scraps of paper in the middle of the table.
Mal smirked as he looked at his cards. “That's where you're wrong little one, these are plenty meaningful to them who win and them who lose.” He paused and lay down his cards face up “full house jacks over sixes” and he pulled the slips of paper towards him. “These little notes are all kinds of chores that I don't have to do now.”
River nodded her eyes darting between the tattered playing cards and the slips of paper. “I will observe” she said continuing to slowly step around the table. Her bare feet making no sound on the metal floor.
“Observe all you like” Jayne said “but be sure you don't go tellin' what cards we're holdin'”
River nodded again “I'll hold your secrets, I am designed for that” she said turning her fingers in front of her mouth like a key.
The game continued with River silently traversing around the table watching. When Book decided to retire for the evening the rest of the crew began to pack away their cards and their winnings.
“I can be the fourth” River said suddenly.
“Could play a little longer I suppose” Mal said calculating his odds against River. He had come out far ahead that evening but she was oddly capable at learning new things. Plus she'd been quiet for near an hour, never a good sign.
Wash agreed to keep playing as well but Jayne, of course, raised a protest. “It's our poker night, just the men, it's traditional and all.”
“Why Jayne, I didn't know you cared” Wash quipped.
“Simon is not playing” River said. “He is a man on your crew traditionally.”
“Well that depends on what you mean by man..” Jayne began but Mal cut him off “we can play a few more hands.”
River won five hands in a row before Wash and Mal both gave up. River had obviously mastered the game and they both knew when they were over their heads.
Jayne rarely knew when he was in over his head.
He and River took to Black Jack and still she trumped him every time.
After another hour that had Jayne forfeiting everything he'd won he barked “how do you keep winnin' all of the time?”
River looked across the table at him “I'm counting the cards.”
“Well that can't be fair, sounds like cheatin' sure enough” Jayne said narrowing his eyes with suspicion.
“It is” said River simply as she gathered up her winnings. “But you didn't ask Simon to play with you.”
Author: Elizalavelle
Rating: G
Fandom: Firefly (set somewhere in the series... pre Ariel for sure)
Disclaimer: Joss owns all of them but I like to borrow his toys and play.
Notes: This was written for a whedonland challenge. The prompt was a deck of cards being cut. I won with this story which makes me extra happy :)
“What game is this?” River asked looking more coherent than usual as she circled the table where Mal, Wash, Jayne and Book were sitting. “These cards are not standard denominations, the images do not align.”
Wash looked up from the playing cards in his hand “They're cards from Earth That Was. They call this 'poker.'”
“You gamble away paper, almost meaningless, not to be spent.” River said looking at the scraps of paper in the middle of the table.
Mal smirked as he looked at his cards. “That's where you're wrong little one, these are plenty meaningful to them who win and them who lose.” He paused and lay down his cards face up “full house jacks over sixes” and he pulled the slips of paper towards him. “These little notes are all kinds of chores that I don't have to do now.”
River nodded her eyes darting between the tattered playing cards and the slips of paper. “I will observe” she said continuing to slowly step around the table. Her bare feet making no sound on the metal floor.
“Observe all you like” Jayne said “but be sure you don't go tellin' what cards we're holdin'”
River nodded again “I'll hold your secrets, I am designed for that” she said turning her fingers in front of her mouth like a key.
The game continued with River silently traversing around the table watching. When Book decided to retire for the evening the rest of the crew began to pack away their cards and their winnings.
“I can be the fourth” River said suddenly.
“Could play a little longer I suppose” Mal said calculating his odds against River. He had come out far ahead that evening but she was oddly capable at learning new things. Plus she'd been quiet for near an hour, never a good sign.
Wash agreed to keep playing as well but Jayne, of course, raised a protest. “It's our poker night, just the men, it's traditional and all.”
“Why Jayne, I didn't know you cared” Wash quipped.
“Simon is not playing” River said. “He is a man on your crew traditionally.”
“Well that depends on what you mean by man..” Jayne began but Mal cut him off “we can play a few more hands.”
River won five hands in a row before Wash and Mal both gave up. River had obviously mastered the game and they both knew when they were over their heads.
Jayne rarely knew when he was in over his head.
He and River took to Black Jack and still she trumped him every time.
After another hour that had Jayne forfeiting everything he'd won he barked “how do you keep winnin' all of the time?”
River looked across the table at him “I'm counting the cards.”
“Well that can't be fair, sounds like cheatin' sure enough” Jayne said narrowing his eyes with suspicion.
“It is” said River simply as she gathered up her winnings. “But you didn't ask Simon to play with you.”