Round 1, Challenge #1: "the chase (parts 1-10)"
Title: the chase (parts 1-10)
Rating: PG
Word Count: 621
Summary: Las Vegas, 1971, and Texas Hold 'em is slowly becoming a casino staple.
Warnings: none
one
Jaejoong fixes his nails in the shower. After working shampoo and conditioner through his hair and scraping city residue off his skin (he goes through two bars of soap a month) the water has soaked the skin on his hands enough to be soft, but not to the point where it prunes. At this state, it's easiest for the cuticles on the fingernails to be pushed down evenly with an orangewood stick. Then stray bits can be clipped off and any dirt removed from under the nails. After getting out of the shower, he dries his hands thoroughly before filing any rough edges and moisturizing with dermatologist-approved lotion to keep his hands soft for at least six hours.
That's rule number one at the casino: All dealers must have perfect hands.
His vest is a stupid shade of red. The strip's lights are visible from the window of his ratty apartment, taunting him with giant neon colors.
two
Jung Yunho moved to Las Vegas with a three-piece suit and his life savings in a suitcase.
four
"This is the lamest job ever." Jaejoong shuffles a deck of cards idly, kicking his feet up onto the poker table.
"Hey, you signed up for it." Junsu's busy folding the Hawaiian shirt he wore to work, one of many colorful pieces he finds so chic. "And you know, it's pretty weird that you'd get to deal poker when you've only been working here for what, a couple months? You should be serving drinks, buddy."
"Yeah," Jaejoong sneers. "They put in someone they don't mind losing. Have you seen the types that play in here? No one normal even knows about this game."
"Yeah. They're the ones with all the money. And the boss doesn't want an eyesore dealing the cards." He winks.
"Stop hitting on me and go stand at your crappy craps table. I'm going to shuffle these cards and then cry."
Junsu finishes changing, buttoning his vest and grabbing his Hawaiian shirt. "Let me go get my violin and we’ll talk more."
Jaejoong throws a twenty dollar chip at the closing door. "Shut up! Also, this is not your personal locker room!"
eight
This is the third night he’s found himself at this table, playing a Mr. Shim and three of his cronies, who speak in low voices and wear their suits fitted and dark. The eight of hearts, the queen of hearts, the queen of clubs, the ten of hearts and the five of diamonds make for a tempting board.
"Mr. Jung?"
The dealer's eyes are dark and lidded like a cat's, pressing into Yunho and he can hardly look away.
"All in." He pushes his remaining chips to the center of the table.
The dealer shifts his eyes to the only other player who hasn't folded. "Mr. Shim?"
The man's gaze moves from his pocket cards, to the board, to the pot. "Call." He pushes his chips to the center.
"Showdown, please." The dealer tilts forward a little, eager to see the winner of an unusually large pot.
Yunho reveals his cards with a smirk. The other queens. Four of a kind. He can hear the money slipping into his bank account already.
Mr. Shim holds in his hand the nine and jack of hearts.
Yunho leaves the room empty-handed.
three, five, six, seven, and nine
There's a pretty girl with mocha skin and a microphone pressed against her red lips that's living Jaejoong's life. She performs almost daily on the casino stage. Mr. Jung watches her sometimes. Other times he meets Jaejoong’s eyes and looks through constellations.
ten
"Go out to dinner with me."
"You just lost over three thousand dollars."
"I know. A little more won't matter."
Rating: PG
Word Count: 621
Summary: Las Vegas, 1971, and Texas Hold 'em is slowly becoming a casino staple.
Warnings: none
one
Jaejoong fixes his nails in the shower. After working shampoo and conditioner through his hair and scraping city residue off his skin (he goes through two bars of soap a month) the water has soaked the skin on his hands enough to be soft, but not to the point where it prunes. At this state, it's easiest for the cuticles on the fingernails to be pushed down evenly with an orangewood stick. Then stray bits can be clipped off and any dirt removed from under the nails. After getting out of the shower, he dries his hands thoroughly before filing any rough edges and moisturizing with dermatologist-approved lotion to keep his hands soft for at least six hours.
That's rule number one at the casino: All dealers must have perfect hands.
His vest is a stupid shade of red. The strip's lights are visible from the window of his ratty apartment, taunting him with giant neon colors.
two
Jung Yunho moved to Las Vegas with a three-piece suit and his life savings in a suitcase.
four
"This is the lamest job ever." Jaejoong shuffles a deck of cards idly, kicking his feet up onto the poker table.
"Hey, you signed up for it." Junsu's busy folding the Hawaiian shirt he wore to work, one of many colorful pieces he finds so chic. "And you know, it's pretty weird that you'd get to deal poker when you've only been working here for what, a couple months? You should be serving drinks, buddy."
"Yeah," Jaejoong sneers. "They put in someone they don't mind losing. Have you seen the types that play in here? No one normal even knows about this game."
"Yeah. They're the ones with all the money. And the boss doesn't want an eyesore dealing the cards." He winks.
"Stop hitting on me and go stand at your crappy craps table. I'm going to shuffle these cards and then cry."
Junsu finishes changing, buttoning his vest and grabbing his Hawaiian shirt. "Let me go get my violin and we’ll talk more."
Jaejoong throws a twenty dollar chip at the closing door. "Shut up! Also, this is not your personal locker room!"
eight
This is the third night he’s found himself at this table, playing a Mr. Shim and three of his cronies, who speak in low voices and wear their suits fitted and dark. The eight of hearts, the queen of hearts, the queen of clubs, the ten of hearts and the five of diamonds make for a tempting board.
"Mr. Jung?"
The dealer's eyes are dark and lidded like a cat's, pressing into Yunho and he can hardly look away.
"All in." He pushes his remaining chips to the center of the table.
The dealer shifts his eyes to the only other player who hasn't folded. "Mr. Shim?"
The man's gaze moves from his pocket cards, to the board, to the pot. "Call." He pushes his chips to the center.
"Showdown, please." The dealer tilts forward a little, eager to see the winner of an unusually large pot.
Yunho reveals his cards with a smirk. The other queens. Four of a kind. He can hear the money slipping into his bank account already.
Mr. Shim holds in his hand the nine and jack of hearts.
Yunho leaves the room empty-handed.
three, five, six, seven, and nine
There's a pretty girl with mocha skin and a microphone pressed against her red lips that's living Jaejoong's life. She performs almost daily on the casino stage. Mr. Jung watches her sometimes. Other times he meets Jaejoong’s eyes and looks through constellations.
ten
"Go out to dinner with me."
"You just lost over three thousand dollars."
"I know. A little more won't matter."