Bet

== Revised text ==
Date/Timing: 12 January 2019
Setting: The Shed; Vaucluse, NSW, Australia
.
Chuck glowers at the screen as the rainbow with the smiley face launches into /another obnoxiously cheery song.
On either side of him on the general Rec couch, Pietr and the Team Vulcan tech with the ridiculous magenta hair beam.
The tech starts /singing /along.
Chuck rolls his eyes.
Pietr elbows his ribs.
The fuck does he /do that?
The rainbow—and Magenta—thankfully stop and a commercial starts up.
Scarface rolls up, parks himself /right in front of the screen—
"Uh, could you move, please, Ranger?" asks Magenta.
He waves dismissively, drawls, "'ey, 'Boss'. You have a wife back home, ay?"
Pietr glows, wiggles the fingers of his left hand.
"Good for you—"
Pietr glows brighter.
"—but how's she deal with you being away all the time?"
Pietr deflates.
"/I figure she's got a sweetheart keeping her happy while you're off fighting."
Pietr scoffs.
Chuck says—and no sound comes out.
The fuck?
Scarface smirks, says—and there's no sound.
Chuck squints. 
Christ, lip-reading's /hard, much harder than Pietr makes it look.
Scarface grins, keeps yapping.
Chuck grits his teeth, punches—
Scarface laughs, shoves him in the chest.
—flails, goes over backward, whacks his elbow against a fucking table.
Pietr steps between him and Scarface, gestures, 'that's enough.'
Chuck hauls himself up—smacks the goddamn table with the same elbow—pushes Pietr out—
Pietr twists, grabs his collar, tows him out the Rec exit.
Scarface is probably still laughing.
Chuck yanks free, glowers.
Pietr steps into his path, walks backward toward their suite. ::It's not worth fighting him over something like that.::
::But he said—::
::Fighting's just giving him what he wants.:: Raises an eyebrow. ::You want to make him happy?::
Chuck examines the floor and grumbles—silently.
Pietr taps his arm.
::What?::
::You can't hear or talk right now, can you?::
Chuck shrugs.
::Has this happened before?::
::Couple days ago. Lasted maybe ten minutes.:: Shrugs again. ::It's no big deal.::
Pietr frowns. ::Should we tell someone?::
::If it doesn't get better on its own. Maybe.:: Points with is chin. ::We're here.::
Pietr turns, hops up the stairs, works the door.
Chuck trudges after him to the washroom, perches on the lid of the toilet, pushes his right sleeve up past his bleeding elbow.
Pietr digs in the medicine chest, soaks a clean cotton ball with antiseptic, and aims for the scrape.
Chuck leans away.
Gets a hold of the arm, swipes again.
Chuck hisses, winces.
Dabs another cut.
Chuck grumbles, ::Is weird. Not hearing.::
Shrugs, fans out a box of bandages and offers them.
::Don't care.::
Frowns thoughtfully, sets them aside, smooths down an /Echo Saber, then sits back on his heels.
::Thanks.::
Shakes head. ::Need a team nurse.::
Chuck says—frowns. ::Mobile?::
Bats his eyelashes.
Chuck rolls his eyes. ::Please?::
Hands it over.
- Cant help half teh base hasit in for me! -
::Ever wonder why?::
- Jealous -
Pietr looks skeptical, points to the hand-shaped bruise on Chuck's upper arm.
- He's an asshole -
Rolls his eyes, 'takes one to know one'.
Chuck snarls—grinds his teeth.
::You wanted Kirra to cry.::
Chuck scowls.
- Her fault -
Pietr frowns. ::No, it wasn't.::
Chuck glares.
::They're only clothes.::
- Their more! -
- OUR team colours! -
Raises an eyebrow, 'so?'
"/So, only—" Heeeey, voice is back. Sets mobile on the counter, clears his throat. "/So, only our team can wear 'em."
::You can hear and talk again?::
Chuck raps on the counter, marks the hollow sound, grins. ::Told you it would wear off after a bit.::
Pietr huffs. ::Why're you so worried about team colours? We're all on the same team.::
"You don't get it! When you're a Ranger, your team is /everything!"
::If your dad gave them to her, doesn't that mean something?::
Chuck crosses his arms, looks away.
Pietr stifles a sigh—brightens! Taps Chuck's knee.
Chuck drags his attention back.
::When'd you get the tattoo?:: Touches the ink on Chuck's forearm.
Chuck's ears flame and he tugs his sleeve into place.
::Is that why you always cover up?:: Tilts his head. ::You're embarrassed?::
Chuck grumps.
Pietr smirks. ::Or maybe you have something in common with Jumper Jones?::
Chuck glowers.
::Always cold, are you?::
Chuck makes an obscene gesture.
Smirks harder. ::Thought so.::
"No, you ass—" Dodges a poke. "—jerk. Just don't like it anymore."
::Why not?::
"Just don't."
Ponders.
Chuck huffs. "What?"
::Old Jaeger logo?::
Chuck turns a funny colour.
Raises an eyebrow. ::It's a little cute?::
"It's /not cute, it's /fierce!"
Snickers. ::About as fierce as Max.::
Chuck grits his teeth, lunges—
Pietr spins away.
—sits back down.
::I bet you can't go a week without a fight.::
Chuck's eyes take on a calculating light. "What d'ye bet?"
::Dinner at your favourite place.::
Chuck rolls his eyes. "Do you think of /anything besides food?"
Beams. ::Wife and kids.::
Chuck beams.
Pietr snickers and pokes his forehead.
Chuck blinks, shakes his head to clear it. "Oh. Right."
::What do I get?::
"Uh ... fancy coffee with breakfast for a week."
::You're confident.::
"Yea. That a problem?"
Pietr waves, 'not at all,' grins. ::It's on then: seven days, no fights, starting now.:: Offers his hand.
Chuck shakes.
Pietr chews his lip.
"Having second thoughts?"
Scoffs.
::Are /you?::
Chuck puffs. "Of course not. Why would you even /think that?"
::Ooooh, I don't know, you're young, not all that strong yet ....:: Pietr shrugs helplessly.
"Oh, it's /on."
::But you're not fighting this week!::
"You don't count!" Dives—
Pietr flies from the washroom.
Chuck's hot on his heels.
Someone jumps out of Pietr's way, flattens themselves against the wall, presses even flatter as Chuck passes—
"Watch it, ye kooks!" Ata yells after them. She peels herself off the wall with a wet /skletch and sighs. A fumble with her pocket and she has her baggie of mobile out, then mobile in hand—
AGNIS: Custodial has been notified you have left your mark on the corridor.
Ata /squelches onward—
muddy_buddy: Better that than a mark on Littlest Hansen
AGNIS: Cadets Hansen and Vos are self-cleaning, unlike the walls.
—snorts, taps—
""—skip the suite and head straight out on the town tonight.""
Ranger Jones the Meanie grumps, ""Not in the mood for—""
—bounces off something soft-ish and /very solid. Ata peels herself off, says, "I'm so—" Squeaks.
Jones stares at his now very muddy black tee and trousers.
Vulcan Squire's doubled over, chewing on his fist.
Jones glares at Ata—
She cringes.
—growls, "Well, I don't have much choice now, do I?"
Squire takes an enormous breath, straightens, totally red-faced. "I recommend—" Gasps. "—the locker room."
Jones glares at Squire.
Ata slinks away.
"I mean it: don't go there."
Logan crosses his arms, smears more mud about.
Jamie snorks so hard his eyes water.
"Fuck you, Walker." Logan stomps off toward the suite.
""Don't say I didn't warn you!""
Logan gives him a two-finger salute, hauls his frustrated ass to the suite. Shtumps inside, slams the door to his room.
There's gotta be /something that'll piss Vos off—
Snickers.
—not that /another shot at Shortstack isn't always welcome, of course.
He strips to his shorties, kicks the muddy clothes into the hamper, grabs fresh kit from the dresser.
Mud in his hair.
Goddamn Kiwis.
Shower it is.
Tucks the clean gear under his arm, steps out—
Shu-fly, undoing the tie of her coat by the front closet, greets, "Good evening, Ranger."
Logan stops short.
"I must say, that shade of pink is /extremely attractive on—"
"Jack's in his room."
"I see," she drawls. "Does your current state of dress mean you're interested in joining us?"
All of Logan's blood migrates /straight to his face.
Shu-fly smiles, inclines her head toward Jack's door, slipping her coat off her shoulders and she's wearing nothing but a fucking flimsy /housecoat.
Logan can't get to the washroom—and the door closed—quickly enough. 
""Sweet dreams tonight, Ranger.""
Logan grumps.
Command gold spaceships still zip around the back of his head. 
Logan exhales, scrubs a hand down his face, twists the faucet.
His Andrea brain coughs up rainbows and—
He shudders, throws himself in the shower—"/FUCK!"
Frozen prism whatevers shriek and command gold whines. 
Jackson burrows deeper under the covers. 
Nate greets, "Evening, stranger."
He jumps, checks he's decent.
Really, Spock?
"Didn't hear you come in, sorry." 
Nate dismisses this, strolls into his room. "I don't /always need to make an entrance." Sits down on the edge of his bed. "You alright, Captain?"
"A little cold." 
Nate brushes a lock of hair from his forehead. "Good thing I'm here, then." 
Ace hollers, ""I'm going out!"" 
Suite door slams.
Jones sighs, returns to his book. 
Nate tucks herself against him. "Sounds like we have the place to ourselves tonight."
"Sounds like."
Tilts her head. "Am I interrupting something?"
"Nah, just reading."
"Anything good?" Nuzzles his neck.
"Not real—"
Nate nips at his throat.
—throws his book off somewhere. "I like your idea better," he says, twisting about and wrapping an arm around her waist—
"Thought you would," purrs Nate as her robe falls open, exposing finely spun ivory lace.
—and nearly dropping her to the bedspread, eyes huge and dark as he swallows. 
You are /such an easy man to please.
Nate smugs, drapes her arms around his neck and shifts her hips, kissing him and there're teeth and tongues and her fingers scratching his nape.
He whimpers, arms quivering, putty under her hand, and before long, she's carding his hair, chemise bunched up around her waist, with him nestled against her side, rolling the hem between his fingers. "'s new?"
"Mmhmm. An acquisition for GIRLs' night."
Jones nods absently—"Why did you need a negligee for GIRLs' night?"
"The fashion show, silly." Rolls them over, murmurs, "You're not the only one who appreciates lace."
== Original text ==
Bet
10 January 2019
Sydney, NSW, Australia
The day after Team Drift Science leaves, it's business as usual at the Shed.
Pietr soaks a clean swab with antiseptic and aims for a scraped elbow.
Chuck hisses, winces.
::We need to hire a nurse for you.::
"I can't help it half 'a this damn base has it in fer me!"
::Ever wonder why?::
Chuck shrugs. "Jealous, prob'ly."
Pietr looks skeptical, points to the hand-shaped bruise above Chuck's patched elbow.
"Jackson's jest an asshole," grumbles Chuck.
Pietr rolls his eyes 'takes one to know one.'
"Oi!"
::You were trying to make Chuck cry. On purpose.::
"It was her fault."
::No, it wasn't.:: Dabs at another cut.
Chuck glares.
Pietr fans out a box of bandages and offers them.
"Don't care."
Frowns thoughtfully, puts them away, and smooths down an Echo Saber bandage. ::Bet you can't go a week without a fight.:: Smirks.
Chuck's eyes take on a calculating light. "Wha' d'ye bet?"
::Dinner at your favorite restaurant.::
Chuck rolls his eyes."Do ye think 'a anythin' besides food?"
Pietr beams. ::Wife.::
Chuck beams.
Pietr snickers and pokes his forehead.
Chuck blinks, shakes his head to clear it. "Oh. Right."
::What do I get if you lose?::
"Uh ... fancy coffee with breakfast fer a week."
::You're confident.::
"Yea. That a problem?"
Pietr waves 'not at all,' grins. ::It's a bet. Seven days with no fighting, starting now.:: Offers his hand.
Chuck shakes.
Category:Ficlet
Category:Skeleton Key
Category:Sydney Shatterdome (setting)
Category:Pietr
Category:Pietr (ficlet)
Category:Chuck H
Category:Chuck H (ficlet)
Category:Chuck D (mention)
Category:Griet (mention)
Category:Pietr's children (mention)
Category:Ghost Drift
Category:Herc (mention)
Category:Ranger Body Art (mention)
Category:Ficlets with images
Category:Tsuki
Category:Tsuki (ficlet)
Category:Tsuki (description)
Category:Sunshiney Rainbow Friends (reference)
Category:Logan
Category:Logan (ficlet)
Category:Max (mention)
Category:Ata
Category:Ata (ficlet)
Category:Jamie
Category:Jamie (ficlet)
Category:Nate
Category:Nate (ficlet)
Category:Jackson
Category:Jackson (ficlet)
Category:Jackson has a thing for lace
Category:Logan is happily on the ace spectrum
Category:AGNIS
Category:AGNIS (ficlet)
Category:Andrea (mention)
Category:Suggestive power of rainbows