Can't read my poker face - OTA

[movetheearth]

With the Captain off camp and Emma distracted by the sheer quantity of building work and repairs that are needed around camp Ric is... well he is bending the rules, not breaking, merely manipulating them to suit his needs. Really there's no-one actually enforcing the curfew and the non-mutant soldiers around the camp are clearly still reeling from

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[dirt_bloodsmile]

Lit cigarette bobbing between his lips as he sings along to the music and a backup placed precariously behind his ear, Theodore inwardly winces as Ric gets the better hand at the table next to him but on the outside is nothing but a smirking poker face as he plays against some rookie soldiers.

"Bambi this was a hell of an idea."

[movetheearth]

Leaning across the gap between the two tables Ric raises a hand to grasp Teddy's in a playful mutual handshake manly gesture. The room is buzzing with activity, people drinking, smoking, eating, chatting, gambling and generaly unwinding after all the stress and worry. Even the builders, hired externally (trusted contacts who are accustom to working for the military and/or mutants) for work on the accomodation hall have come in to join in with the others.

"I thought we could all do with a little R&R eh?" Ric throws his arms wide, nearly toppling backwards off of his chair. He might well have had one or two drinks more than would be good but that's not a problem. Not when he can stumble back to his accomodation (or Martini's room) and crash out there till morning.

[dirt_bloodsmile]

Teddy grinned as he pushed some poor kid out of his contraband Oreo's, and without a second glance helped out one of the cooks by turning her cards right side up and making sure she was no longer flashing her numbers. "It was good of ya Ric, I think the kids were starting to worry."
By kids he meant both the younger mutants not used to surprise attacks and the rookie soldiers.
"They had to find something to channel all that paranoia in-I'm just glad it hasn't been put into killing everybody."

[movetheearth]

"Well I didn't want to end up staring down the barrel of a gun anytime soon, I've had more than my fair share of injuries and my theory was a bit of fun never hurt anyone." Though as Ric said that a brawl started on the other side of the room. Two rookie soldiers from the other camp who had snuck over fighting over someone cheating. Ric just ignored it, pushing his chips across the table into the pot and takin another card.

"Can't say it was all my idea, I heard a few of the soldiers saying that they missed the good old days and to be honest I missed the days when we could break rules and Stryker didn't bat an eyelid."

[mechanic_mac]

Stress, work and asshole 'friends' being assholes meant that Mac had been more than happy to offer out her stash for sharing when it came around to 'poker in the mess hall'. The fact that Shar Pei and grabbed her and dragged her out of the garage pretty much meant that she was attending either way. When she dug out the beer, vodka and took a bottle of bourbon for herself, well that made her the toast of the ten minutes it took to get back to the game

[movetheearth]

Ric chuckled, lifting an errant strand of hair off of Mac's face and smirking at her. She'd been at the alcohol like a proper trooper ever since the get go and Ric had worried just a little bit at first, but then when the Head Chef had muttered something about a stomach lined with lead and a liver already pickled, he kinda gave up.

"Awwwww, does the little lady need to quit? Can't handle your liquour huh?" It's a petty taunt designed to keep Mac to stay or at least admit defeat. Either way Ric doesn't really mind because he is still good to go for a while yet. Though obviously he'd make sure that Mac got to her room alright.

On a temporary pause from winning (aka Ric isn't cheating for this round or two at least) he turns his attention away from where the Head Chef is muttering curses at the other players at the table and leans in to talk to Mac without everyone else overhearing anything.

"You alright?"

[mechanic_mac]

Tilting her head to the side, glaring with just one eye, Mac considered disembowelling Ric for a moment before deciding it was too much like hard work. Her hand waved again, her own sort of weird communication while she figured out how to make her mouth work again. "Shuddup."

Apparently that hadn't gone as well as planned.

She wasn't bothered at all with the game. Poker wasn't her thing, blackjack was, blackjack was her skill. She was amazing at blackjack. "'m fine. Jus' tired." After all, who the fuck could sleep when two of the people you were closest to were off somewhere fighting people that invaded the damn camp.

"Y'r full of shit, y' know that?" Her drawl was rather prominent with all the alcohol in her system, and while she was highly tolerant thanks to that lead lined stomach, her accents tended to jumble with the inebriation.

[movetheearth]

Ric throws his head back and laughs at Mac's attempt to communicate. It's always funny to see someone more inhibriated than you and even more so when you are also a bit tipsy. Ric is laughing so hard he nearly falls off of his chair in the process, earning a few snickers around the table and a glare from the Head Chef

[handyouredealt]

Poker. The cards, the tables, the gambling, it called him like a siren and Gambit came. He could never resist. He didn't smoke, but he was cleaning out the soldiers at his table. He didn't plan to keep the cigarettes, he just liked winning, he liked having more than anyone else on the table. Most importantly, Gambit liked being good.

"Now, it's been fun boys, but it looks like none of ya can afford ta keep playin'," he said as he flipped a few cards through his fingers.

There was a lot of angry rumbling, some good natured shrugs and a generally consensus that if Gambit was cheating there was no way they could prove it.

"It's been fun, really, but I'm gonna find a richer table." He took enough of his winnings to remind everyone that he was king of the cards and then moved on over to the next table. He tapped the soldier with the least winnings and jerked his head towards the seat he had just left. The man didn't even argue.

"Mind if I join ya boys?" he asked as he sat down.

[movetheearth]

To put it quite simply and very much to the point, Ric doesn't like Gambit. If he had to give a reason why then the Mexican would reel off comments about his accent, hair, attitude, tone of voice and general existence but the truth of the matter is Ric does not like Gambit flirting with Rogue. It's not that Ric wants Rogue all to himself (he does kinda) because he's not even interested in her romantically (really he's not), it's just that the adoptive sibling routine is taken a little more seriously by Ric than perhaps is healthy at times

[handyouredealt]

Gambit relaxes into his chair like he owns the table already. He doesn't mind that there are more than a few icy stares following him around. He's in his element, his natural habitat and no one can make him uncomfortable.

He shrugs a shoulder, "I've had a little luck."

[movetheearth]

Ric rolls his eyes and pretends to mimic Gambit as he gestures towards the cards. "Well Mister I've had a little luck, why don't you deal for the table. Just so that the others can admire your skills."

There's a shared look with a few of the others around the table, even the Head Chef raising an eyebrow to study Gambit carefully. Ric knows he's gonna lose to Gambit but there's no way he's gonna back out now. Not when there's a chance they can clear the table out in the process too.

[time_schizo]

Martini had only one guess as to where the den of debauchery had come from. Really, anywhere there was this much gambling, alcohol, and food, it was a guaranteed bet Ric had something to do with it. Martini wasn't interested in the first two, but unauthorized food was always a plus. He made a fine mess out of eating some nachos with his bare hands, licking the gooey cheese off with his tongue.

Sidling over to where Ric was seated at the table, Mark leaned over, draping his arms around Ric's shoulders and planted a cheese-coated kiss on his cheek. He whispered in his ear. "Keep this hand, but not the next one." It didn't count as cheating if he just so happened to glimpse the future. Right? He licked the outside of Ric's ear, biting down gently. "I'll be your good luck charm, vato."

[movetheearth]

Ric had spotted Martini the minute he'd entered the mess hall but the game he was in was too good to walk away from. Instead Ric had just casually watched his boyfriend as he wandered around, demolishing a bowl of nachos like he hadn't eaten in a week

[time_schizo]

It was ironic how well Mark was able to help his boyfriend at playing cards. He had no idea how to play and Ric had long since given up trying. But he could see what hands would win and which wouldn't. There was no harm in it really. He never saw it as cheating. He was only using his God-given talents after all.

His head is almost upside down in a Spiderman-esque kiss. He scowls at Ric, but it's all in good fun as he huffs indignantly. "Why, Mr. Rictor, I'm shocked, absolutely shocked, that you think I've been up to no good. I've been an angel."

He cast a furtive glance over at the table where the Head Chef was raking in the winnings from his last hand. Martini counted himself lucky to still have all his fingers and toes. "Well, as long as you don't ask Shar Pei over there what happened in the kitchen earlier."

[movetheearth]

Ric can remember the last time he'd tried to teach Mark to play cards and the amost of chaos that had caused. It had been far easier to just let him sit in the corner and eat potato chips than try and explain the value of each card and why you needed to play certain hands. Had Mark been a saner person Ric would have contemplated taking him to Vegas.

Then again Ric still might take him anyway.

The almost upside down scowl is quite amusing really but Ric tries not to laugh, as laughing at Mark never ends well. "Baby, the day you are an angel will be around the same time hell has frozen over." He casts an amused glance around the table before continuing with the card game.

"What have I told you about the kitchen and pissing off the Head Chef Loco!" He speaks in his native tongue, not caring that the others look up as Ric is grabbing Mark's arm and hauling his bodyfriend round to sit on his knee. The Mexican is smiling smugly up at Mark, normally the roles are reversed, and he keeps his voice lowered though as he speaks. "I'm not