Casino Night!

[broken_brushes]

When I'd first come up with the idea of Casino Night, I wasn't sure if it was even possible on the island. In retrospect, that might have been naive of me, because if there was anything I'd learned in over four years on Tabula Rasa, it was that its residents were capable of doing just about anything save getting home

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[chasinghumanity]

Vegas. Mitchell had only visited the lauded City of Sin once in his life. That had been enough for one lifetime, but he was well into his second lifetime now and this little tribute was a nice reminder. It was also fun to be on the other side of things this time around. Dealing out cards, watching people win and lose, observing them think, explaining the rules and helping the new gamblers along -- it was nice. When people won, it felt like Mitchell was winning with them. When they lost, well, it was no hard feelings. Win-win situation.

He didn't drink while dealing and rationed himself on breaks, slowly sipping at what passed for a martini around here and making sure he nibbled at enough snacks to cut the effects. Standing out of the way, he watched the delightful contained madness with a smile.

[haolehothead]

"Hey, okay, you look like a smart man," Danny says when he comes across the first guy he sees when he's on a break, a couple of chips in his pocket. "I've got about thirty minutes to waste before I'm dealing again and chips to spend. Clearly this is the sort of thing I require help for, so, I'm Danny Williams. Help me."

[chasinghumanity]

He laughed immediately, far too amused by the thought that he of all people looked like a smart man. Maybe he was, sometimes, but to look like it? Never Mitchell. Assuming the man's sense of judgment was already lacking or slightly impaired, Mitchell grinned and considered the question.

"Alright Danny Williams," he said, taking it all in good humor. "Well... I always say craps," Mitchell pronounced after a moment's thought. "Best odds and play's quick."

[haolehothead]

"That just means you're coming with," Danny insists with a grin in return. "Seriously, I'm still waiting on my evening's date, but you're definitely a decent replacement. I mean, look at you, you've got on decent clothes, you've got a good appreciation for gambling and games, you're one hundred percent all right."

[chasinghumanity]

If he didn't know any better, Mitchell would have thought he was being played right now. Too many complements too quickly bewilder him a little. But he shakes it off with a teasing half-smile, thinking, as always, that he has little to worry about on this island. "I worry about your taste," he said. "And your date that they're so easily replaced. You don't even know my name."

[haolehothead]

"Ah, please, Steve will live," Danny says with a wave of his hand. "And if he doesn't, he can go cry into his Navy SEAL pillows. So, what is it, then? Or is this part of some mysterious intrigue where you never tell me your name and I end up nicknaming you something really horrible."

[chasinghumanity]

"I'm too old for nicknames," Mitchell told him with an easy smile. "It's Mitchell and it's a pleasure. And your date may love, but will I? Navy SEAL sounds intimidating."

[haolehothead]

"See? Look at that, we're all friends, now," Danny replies brightly, lightly tapping at his elbow to try and get him over to the card table. "Seriously, Steve is just an overgrown puppy. Just tell him you have father issues and he'll fold for you. He'll probably even try to solve a case for you."

[chasinghumanity]

He laughed, not entirely sure what to make out of that remark but judging it to be jokingly meant. Hesitating for a second, Mitchell finally shrugged and said, "Fuck it," quietly before following along.

"You a guy who gets what he wasn't, aren't you?" Mitchell said. Little more than a statement really, but there was a hint of admiration to it too. He did like strong wills.

[haolehothead]

"Mostly? Mostly, I just talk and I talk and talk," he says with a growing grin. "And people either try and assault me or they eventually decide I'm not half a bad guy to be around. Sometimes even both, but those are rare cases," he insists. "Hey, can I grab you a drink?"

[chasinghumanity]

"Always. Anything," Mitchell replied. It was a party anyway. He was allowed a bit of indulgence, as long as Sookie didn't think he was hiding from something.

"Well, I don't think I'll be assaulting you," he decided with his own grin. "But I'll still reserve judgment on the latter."

[haolehothead]

"Hey, ball's in your court, right?" Danny says with a big grin on his face, holding up a drink. "So, where're you from? I mean, clearly over the pond given the ocean, but what part? My ex-wife is a Londoner. I've heard a lot about how your country is the improved race."

[justsookie]

Sookie had never really gambled before. It always seemed like a pretty poor decision, making as little as she did at Merlotte's, and Sookie couldn't imagine taking thousands of dollars to haul over to Vegas to blow it all away in a couple of nights. The good thing about Shari's Casino Night, however, was the fact that the only things at stake were volunteered. Prizes were donated, the fee for entrance was just a few hours of volunteer work. Maybe she didn't know all of the math behind how it worked to guarantee herself a nice outcome- heck, she could hardly even remember the order of the hands in poker- but on the whole, it was all so nice that Sookie couldn't imagine being upset even if she came out empty-handed.

Things only improved when she decidedly didn't.

"I have a real sucky poker face," she declared excitedly when she found Mitchell at last, not having been able to spend much time with him when he was dealing at tables (not that they'd ever cheat). "But a whole lotta luck. Though I think I'm gambled out for the evenin'."

[chasinghumanity]

Grinning with pleasure at the sight of Sookie, Mitchell reached out to take her hand, pulling her just a bit closer to him. "Your sucky poker face doesn't matter when you're wearing a dress like that," he informed her. "Have I mentioned lately that you look gorgeous?" He had, at least twice since he had first seen her in that dress, but it bore repeating.

"You figured out what you're going to bid on?" he asked before taking a sip of his drink.

[justsookie]

In spite of how many times Mitchell had already complimented Sookie that evening, it didn't seem to matter- Sookie felt her cheeks flushing again as she leaned lightly against Mitchell, simply enjoying the way she could stay close to his side. Resting a hand on his chest, Sookie quirked a grin, slightly crooked, as she gave him another once-over. "Well, I had to pick up the pace to match the way you look in your tux. I don't think I've seen anyone more handsome," Sookie murmured, stealing a glance around to make sure they weren't attracting an audience, before pressing a quick, but lingering kiss to his lips.

With a satisfied little exhale, Sookie pulled just a touch away, her expression sobering as she looked around again, this time for Russell Edgington- making sure he wasn't within hearing range. "And I think I'm gonna place all my chips on all the self-defense sessions up for auction," she replied, forced levity in her voice. "Bein' in Buffy's class definitely helped, but having a different instructor could help."

[chasinghumanity]

Mitchell made a very soft but very pleased noise into the kiss. It didn't matter how many times they had done it, there was always pleasure to be had in kissing a beautiful woman that he loved.

The pleasure of the kiss and Sookie's falsely bright tone weren't enough however to deafen him against her words. "Sookie," Mitchell started quietly, his own tone a tight, low mix of concern and frustration. "You said-- Are you still worried about that jerk? Is that it?"

And here he had intended to bid on earrings for her.