Denial, Chapter 53: Playing For Keeps
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Title: Denial, Chapter 53: Playing for Keeps
Authors: wastingyourgum & darkentwisted
Characters/Pairings: Little John, Brooks (OC), Legrand, Djaq/Will
Rating: PG-13
Genre: General
Warnings: Hint of Slash
Words: 1146
Disclaimer: BBC & TA own; we just want to play in their universe
Notes: Takes place between 2x12 and 2x13 on a boat headed to Acre. Beta'ed by teamlavender
Summary: Brooks shows John and Legrand there's more than one deck on the ship and Djaq suggests a deal of her own with Will...
Playing for Keeps
by wastingyourgum & darkentwisted
"There you are big guy."
John stiffened slightly at the sound. It wasn't that he didn't like the young yeoman but when he was around the large outlaw felt almost...naked, as if every move or thought was being scrutinized. Nothing seemed to escape his notice and worse, his commentary. John was a man of private thoughts and he found the invasion unsettling - but still, the lad meant well. He shifted against the rail as the smaller man wedged in beside him, claiming his personal space once again. "Hrummmph!"
Brooks frowned at the eye-roll. "You're not still upset over the card game are you?"
John turned. "It's my favourite shirt...my only shirt!" He opened his jacket to reveal his leather jerkin over his bare chest.
Brooks snorted with sudden laughter but simmered down under the glare of John's eyes. "I'm sure you will get it back if you ask nicely...or play for it again," he grinned.
"I thought we were just playing cards!"
Brooks quietly snickered at the memory. "The look on your face..."
>>>----------------------->
Brooks laid his cards down with a flourish and a large smile. "You lose, John - give me your shirt!"
"What?!"
"Your shirt." Brooks held out his hand. "You lost... I won so I get to choose and I choose your shirt. You should be grateful I'm feeling in a generous mood! I usually go straight for leggings!"
"You didn't say we were playing for clothes! I thought it was just for fun!" John protested.
"Playing for clothes is fun," Brooks leered. "Shirt - now!"
Legrand sat back and took another drink, laughing heartily at John's expression.
"But... I don't have another one!" John said.
"Not my problem - hand it over, big guy!"
"It won't even fit you," John muttered.
"And your point is?" Brooks smiled.
"John, you still have your jerkin and your coat in your bunk - give him your shirt," Legrand chuckled. "He won it fair and square."
John scowled at Brooks and also at Legrand who was grinning hugely and doing nothing to hide his interest in what was about to happen.
"Fine." John stripped the shirt off over his head and flung it into Brooks' face.
Brooks recoiled slightly. "Ugh! When did you last wash this?"
"It's my only shirt..." John repeated as he hugged his arms defensively across his chest.
"Then I'm sure it's very relieved that I've liberated it," Brooks said as he dropped it beside him. "Right - your deal, blondie." He handed the cards to Legrand.
"Count me out - I'm going back to my bunk. I've lost my shirt and my dignity already - that's plenty!" John growled.
"You don't want to try and win it back?" Brooks smiled innocently.
"And end up sitting here stark bollock naked? Thanks, but no."
John stood up and stared at the hatch, realising he would have to walk practically the entire length of the boat in only his leggings and boots. He sighed heavily. It wasn't nearly as cold outside as it would be back home but it still wasn't warm.
"Here." Legrand stood up and pulled his tunic off then handed it to John. "Just until you get your coat - I want it back!"
John hesitated then took it with a muttered, "Thanks." The fitted tunic was a little tight around his chest but for a quick dash through the lower decks it would be fine...
>>>----------------------->
John snorted and tugged his jacket closed again.
"I think you got off lightly - I could have asked for your leggings!" Brooks reminded him.
"How generous of you," John smiled, sarcastically.
Legrand walked up to the other side of the two men. He stared out at the sea, stone-faced, as both John and Brooks tried to stifle their amusement.
"Cold day," John jested.
"Breeze blowing too," Brooks added.
The large Frenchman cursed softly in his native tongue, his cheeks glowing red in the salt air, "I want them back, mon ami."
>>>----------------------->
Brooks watched John leave then turned back to Legrand. He picked up his cards and studied them before laying one down. "He really has no idea, does he?"
"What?" Legrand asked, swapping two of his own cards.
"How much you like him."
"He knows - he just chooses to ignore it because it makes him nervous."
Brooks nodded and laid his cards down. "Three of a kind."
"Fils de salope!" Legrand threw his cards down in disgust.
"Leggings, please."
"What?! You asked for John's shirt first!"
"Yes, but he didn't know what game we're really playing, did he?" Brooks smirked and raised an eyebrow at the French knight.
Legrand smiled as he stood up and started loosening his belt. "No, he didn't..."
>>>----------------------->
"Say please," Brooks smiled.
Legrand scowled as he leaned against the rail. "If the yeoman wants my braies let him have them. It was a lucky hand."
"Lucky?" Brooks guffawed. "You'll tell me next the four hands I won after that were just luck too!"
Legrand sighed. "Fine. I don't know why you would want to keep a set of underwear that is far too big for you but may I please have them back?"
"Of course!" Brooks said happily. "You just had to ask."
"So I can have my shirt back too?" John looked hopefully at Brooks.
"Sadly no, I don't have it any more."
"What?! Who does?"
Brooks gestured with his eyes to the deck behind John and he turned to see the shirt in question walk by. John's shirt almost swallowed Djaq but she had creatively rolled up the sleeves and belted it. "Hello boys, up for another game later?"
"You gave my only shirt to..."
"She needed it!" Brooks rationalized. "At least she'll take better care of it!"
Will cradled his wife against the salt air as she walked up to him, "What was that all about? And why are you wearing John's shirt?"
"Apparently after we left, things got lively at the card game." Djaq smiled. "Brooks brought me John's shirt and asked me to wear it when I walked on deck this evening." She wrinkled her nose. "I fully intend to give it back to John when I'm done - but I'll wash and mend it before I do!"
"Why would he ask you to wear it? It is way too big for you."
"I think I'm displaying a trophy for him," Djaq chuckled. "Those three are becoming fast friends. It's good. John needs friends."
"Funny way to show it. Playing cards for each other's clothes."
Djaq smiled at her lover's innocence. "It had nothing to do with clothing," she said coyly, taking her lover's hand in hers. She flashed the hand painted cards at the carpenter. "Brooks also gave me something else to keep us entertained tonight. Come, my love, I'll let you deal the first hand."
>>>----------------------->
On to Chapter 54
Title: Denial, Chapter 53: Playing for Keeps
Authors: wastingyourgum & darkentwisted
Characters/Pairings: Little John, Brooks (OC), Legrand, Djaq/Will
Rating: PG-13
Genre: General
Warnings: Hint of Slash
Words: 1146
Disclaimer: BBC & TA own; we just want to play in their universe
Notes: Takes place between 2x12 and 2x13 on a boat headed to Acre. Beta'ed by teamlavender
Summary: Brooks shows John and Legrand there's more than one deck on the ship and Djaq suggests a deal of her own with Will...
Playing for Keeps
by wastingyourgum & darkentwisted
"There you are big guy."
John stiffened slightly at the sound. It wasn't that he didn't like the young yeoman but when he was around the large outlaw felt almost...naked, as if every move or thought was being scrutinized. Nothing seemed to escape his notice and worse, his commentary. John was a man of private thoughts and he found the invasion unsettling - but still, the lad meant well. He shifted against the rail as the smaller man wedged in beside him, claiming his personal space once again. "Hrummmph!"
Brooks frowned at the eye-roll. "You're not still upset over the card game are you?"
John turned. "It's my favourite shirt...my only shirt!" He opened his jacket to reveal his leather jerkin over his bare chest.
Brooks snorted with sudden laughter but simmered down under the glare of John's eyes. "I'm sure you will get it back if you ask nicely...or play for it again," he grinned.
"I thought we were just playing cards!"
Brooks quietly snickered at the memory. "The look on your face..."
>>>----------------------->
Brooks laid his cards down with a flourish and a large smile. "You lose, John - give me your shirt!"
"What?!"
"Your shirt." Brooks held out his hand. "You lost... I won so I get to choose and I choose your shirt. You should be grateful I'm feeling in a generous mood! I usually go straight for leggings!"
"You didn't say we were playing for clothes! I thought it was just for fun!" John protested.
"Playing for clothes is fun," Brooks leered. "Shirt - now!"
Legrand sat back and took another drink, laughing heartily at John's expression.
"But... I don't have another one!" John said.
"Not my problem - hand it over, big guy!"
"It won't even fit you," John muttered.
"And your point is?" Brooks smiled.
"John, you still have your jerkin and your coat in your bunk - give him your shirt," Legrand chuckled. "He won it fair and square."
John scowled at Brooks and also at Legrand who was grinning hugely and doing nothing to hide his interest in what was about to happen.
"Fine." John stripped the shirt off over his head and flung it into Brooks' face.
Brooks recoiled slightly. "Ugh! When did you last wash this?"
"It's my only shirt..." John repeated as he hugged his arms defensively across his chest.
"Then I'm sure it's very relieved that I've liberated it," Brooks said as he dropped it beside him. "Right - your deal, blondie." He handed the cards to Legrand.
"Count me out - I'm going back to my bunk. I've lost my shirt and my dignity already - that's plenty!" John growled.
"You don't want to try and win it back?" Brooks smiled innocently.
"And end up sitting here stark bollock naked? Thanks, but no."
John stood up and stared at the hatch, realising he would have to walk practically the entire length of the boat in only his leggings and boots. He sighed heavily. It wasn't nearly as cold outside as it would be back home but it still wasn't warm.
"Here." Legrand stood up and pulled his tunic off then handed it to John. "Just until you get your coat - I want it back!"
John hesitated then took it with a muttered, "Thanks." The fitted tunic was a little tight around his chest but for a quick dash through the lower decks it would be fine...
>>>----------------------->
John snorted and tugged his jacket closed again.
"I think you got off lightly - I could have asked for your leggings!" Brooks reminded him.
"How generous of you," John smiled, sarcastically.
Legrand walked up to the other side of the two men. He stared out at the sea, stone-faced, as both John and Brooks tried to stifle their amusement.
"Cold day," John jested.
"Breeze blowing too," Brooks added.
The large Frenchman cursed softly in his native tongue, his cheeks glowing red in the salt air, "I want them back, mon ami."
>>>----------------------->
Brooks watched John leave then turned back to Legrand. He picked up his cards and studied them before laying one down. "He really has no idea, does he?"
"What?" Legrand asked, swapping two of his own cards.
"How much you like him."
"He knows - he just chooses to ignore it because it makes him nervous."
Brooks nodded and laid his cards down. "Three of a kind."
"Fils de salope!" Legrand threw his cards down in disgust.
"Leggings, please."
"What?! You asked for John's shirt first!"
"Yes, but he didn't know what game we're really playing, did he?" Brooks smirked and raised an eyebrow at the French knight.
Legrand smiled as he stood up and started loosening his belt. "No, he didn't..."
>>>----------------------->
"Say please," Brooks smiled.
Legrand scowled as he leaned against the rail. "If the yeoman wants my braies let him have them. It was a lucky hand."
"Lucky?" Brooks guffawed. "You'll tell me next the four hands I won after that were just luck too!"
Legrand sighed. "Fine. I don't know why you would want to keep a set of underwear that is far too big for you but may I please have them back?"
"Of course!" Brooks said happily. "You just had to ask."
"So I can have my shirt back too?" John looked hopefully at Brooks.
"Sadly no, I don't have it any more."
"What?! Who does?"
Brooks gestured with his eyes to the deck behind John and he turned to see the shirt in question walk by. John's shirt almost swallowed Djaq but she had creatively rolled up the sleeves and belted it. "Hello boys, up for another game later?"
"You gave my only shirt to..."
"She needed it!" Brooks rationalized. "At least she'll take better care of it!"
Will cradled his wife against the salt air as she walked up to him, "What was that all about? And why are you wearing John's shirt?"
"Apparently after we left, things got lively at the card game." Djaq smiled. "Brooks brought me John's shirt and asked me to wear it when I walked on deck this evening." She wrinkled her nose. "I fully intend to give it back to John when I'm done - but I'll wash and mend it before I do!"
"Why would he ask you to wear it? It is way too big for you."
"I think I'm displaying a trophy for him," Djaq chuckled. "Those three are becoming fast friends. It's good. John needs friends."
"Funny way to show it. Playing cards for each other's clothes."
Djaq smiled at her lover's innocence. "It had nothing to do with clothing," she said coyly, taking her lover's hand in hers. She flashed the hand painted cards at the carpenter. "Brooks also gave me something else to keep us entertained tonight. Come, my love, I'll let you deal the first hand."
>>>----------------------->
On to Chapter 54