![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
eponymous_rosePart of the ficlet project - ![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
bookblather requested "Stargate SG-1, team!fic, cards and gambling.". I hope you enjoy! The first person to leave a comment with a prompt in this post will get their fic written next - check here for my fandoms.
Title: In the Cards
Word Count: 1300
Rating: G
Characters: Jack O'Neill, Daniel Jackson, Teal'c, Sam Carter
Warnings: None
Summary: SG-1 debates the merits of a weekly poker night.
"You know, SG-3 plays poker to relax," Jack says, a bit apropos of nothing. His elbow's cramping up, and he shakes it out as best he can while he's crouched in the middle of a very prickly, purple, problematic alien bush. "Weekly game. Could be fun."
Teal'c hasn't moved an inch from his tense, battle-ready stance in at least twenty minutes, and Jack's legs ache in sympathy. "Though I have heard several members of the SGC refer to it in the past, I am not familiar with poker."
"It's a betting game." Daniel's been swatting irritably at the confines of his hiding place for ages, and Jack's infinitely grateful he doesn't seem to be allergic to the whatever-it-is bush. "It's all about probabilities, judging intent by facial expressions, that kind of thing."
"It sounds like a useful exercise," Teal'c says, sounding thoughtful. "It could be valuable as a form of warriors' training."
"Fun, Teal'c. Emphasis on the fun." Jack reaches for his binocs, even though they're pretty much useless in the sea of purple leaves. It makes him feel weirdly better, somehow, knowing he's doing all he can and still not accomplishing much of anything. Takes the pressure off.
"Any sign of Sam?"
Daniel knows just as well as Jack that he's not likely to see much beyond leaves, but Jack answers the question anyway, "Nope," and keeps trying to get a clear view. Five minutes until they have to go all cavalry and charge in after her. All things considered, he's not big on cavalry charges composed of three people.
They're quiet a bit longer, except for the odd spate of rustling down Daniel's end of the bush each time he gets himself entangled again, and then he says, "If you'd asked me a year ago, Jack, I'd never have guessed you'd be the one suggesting we all do something outside of work."
Jack scratches his nose, readjusts the binocs. "So who's suggesting? I was merely making an observation."
"I too believe you meant it as a suggestion, O'Neill," Teal'c says. "And as Daniel Jackson observed, such a recommendation would have been unexpected until fairly recently."
"Ouch," Jack says, and gives up on trying to see anything, settling back on his haunches to wait out the last couple minutes. Maybe come up with a nice, solid battle-cry or two.
Daniel doesn't seem to be getting the hint about sharing time being over, because he says, "You used to keep us a bit at arm's length, which I suppose makes sense after what happened to Kowalski and, well, everyone."
Jack makes the mistake of looking over, and there's the prizewinning earnestness in Daniel's eyes. "You don't say."
"I'm trying to say, Jack, that it's a good thing. This-" Daniel raises his hands right into a bunch of thorns, winces, and shakes them out. "Well, teamwork, anyway. Rapport. It's what makes us such an effective unit."
"I concur," Teal'c says, and Jack resists the urge to glare at him for siding with Daniel.
Instead, he fishes his cap out of one of the pockets of his vest, manages to get it on his head with a minimum of entanglement, and says, "One minute."
"This is kind of poker-ish," Daniel says. "You know? We're betting on Sam's being able to get that Sarketian tech out in time. If we jump in too soon, we compromise her cover, and if we wait too long-" He trails off, and when Jack glances over, there's nervousness all over his face.
"That is not an option," Teal'c says, with conviction. "We will retrieve the technology and we will all return home. And then we will play poker."
Jack snorts, but there's something strangely uplifting about that level of confidence. If things don't go as planned, hey, Teal'c will make sure there's hell to pay. He glances at his watch again, watches the seconds tick over, thinks about strategies and odds and poker, and says, "We're giving her two more minutes."
"That's the other thing about poker," Daniel says, so quiet he's pretty much talking to himself. "Sometimes it's about trust."
There's a snap, like a twig, and it's coming from behind them, and Jack's been so keyed up for the last few hours that his sidearm's up and the safety's off before he even realizes he's moving. The adrenaline's so bad that it takes him a second to register the face, and then he heaves a sigh, lowering his weapon, and hears the others relaxing out of their own fight-or-flight moments. "Carter. Don't do that."
She's grinning, which makes it pretty much impossible to be annoyed at her for more than a few seconds. "Sorry, sir. Uh. If you don't mind my asking, why are you hiding in the bushes?"
"We wanted to be close by," Daniel says. "It's a, uh-" He glances at Jack.
"Strategic position," Jack says, and he can tell by Carter's raised eyebrow that she's not buying it, and for a second he wonders if she's got a lousy poker face. "We wanted to be close by in case of trouble," he said.
She blinks. "You were expecting trouble? I thought they seemed pretty friendly."
"There is always trouble," Teal'c observes.
Jack narrows his eyes. "Besides, they were too friendly. Too friendly, and way too insistent that you be the only one to accompany them."
"They're mistrustful of anyone who doesn't devote at least part of their life to the study of energy sources," Carter says, with a shrug, and holds out a sheaf of papers. "They were happy to share their research to date."
"Yes, but they might have been-" Jack waves a hand. "I don't know. Evildoers."
Carter's eyes are bright. "Evildoers, sir?"
Jack raises his hands in surrender, then winces when they snag on thorns all the way up. "Evildoers. Mad scientists. We got bored waiting for you to come back. I don't know, Carter."
Teal'c cuts in before she can reply. "Am I correct in assuming that we have no further need of this hiding place?"
Carter nods, and he springs up from his crouch, looking every bit the calm, cool, and collected Jaffa warrior, though possibly in a bit of a rush due to his calm, cool, crouching for so long without moving. Jack follows suit, a bit slower, and Daniel flails around for a while trying to get the back of his jacket unhooked, before Carter takes pity on him and yanks him free.
"So," Daniel says, once they're back on their way to the Stargate. "Poker."
Jack glances over at Carter, who's deep in conversation with Teal'c, apparently trying to uncover the dastardly secrets of Goa'uld energy production. "Count me out," he says. "I think we've had enough gambling for one day. Besides, what could possibly be more fun or relaxing than this?"
Daniel looks at him like he's grown another head, then pushes up his glasses. "I guess your decision would have nothing to do with the fact that you just figured out that Teal'c would have the universe's best poker face."
"Of course not," Jack scoffs. "I'll have you know that I am an excellent poker player."
"But a bad loser."
Jack regards him for a moment, weighing various responses, and settles for a classic. "Shut up."
Daniel looks away and smiles, and together, they head back through the gate. Back home.
bookblather requested "Stargate SG-1, team!fic, cards and gambling.". I hope you enjoy! The first person to leave a comment with a prompt in this post will get their fic written next - check here for my fandoms.Title: In the Cards
Word Count: 1300
Rating: G
Characters: Jack O'Neill, Daniel Jackson, Teal'c, Sam Carter
Warnings: None
Summary: SG-1 debates the merits of a weekly poker night.
"You know, SG-3 plays poker to relax," Jack says, a bit apropos of nothing. His elbow's cramping up, and he shakes it out as best he can while he's crouched in the middle of a very prickly, purple, problematic alien bush. "Weekly game. Could be fun."
Teal'c hasn't moved an inch from his tense, battle-ready stance in at least twenty minutes, and Jack's legs ache in sympathy. "Though I have heard several members of the SGC refer to it in the past, I am not familiar with poker."
"It's a betting game." Daniel's been swatting irritably at the confines of his hiding place for ages, and Jack's infinitely grateful he doesn't seem to be allergic to the whatever-it-is bush. "It's all about probabilities, judging intent by facial expressions, that kind of thing."
"It sounds like a useful exercise," Teal'c says, sounding thoughtful. "It could be valuable as a form of warriors' training."
"Fun, Teal'c. Emphasis on the fun." Jack reaches for his binocs, even though they're pretty much useless in the sea of purple leaves. It makes him feel weirdly better, somehow, knowing he's doing all he can and still not accomplishing much of anything. Takes the pressure off.
"Any sign of Sam?"
Daniel knows just as well as Jack that he's not likely to see much beyond leaves, but Jack answers the question anyway, "Nope," and keeps trying to get a clear view. Five minutes until they have to go all cavalry and charge in after her. All things considered, he's not big on cavalry charges composed of three people.
They're quiet a bit longer, except for the odd spate of rustling down Daniel's end of the bush each time he gets himself entangled again, and then he says, "If you'd asked me a year ago, Jack, I'd never have guessed you'd be the one suggesting we all do something outside of work."
Jack scratches his nose, readjusts the binocs. "So who's suggesting? I was merely making an observation."
"I too believe you meant it as a suggestion, O'Neill," Teal'c says. "And as Daniel Jackson observed, such a recommendation would have been unexpected until fairly recently."
"Ouch," Jack says, and gives up on trying to see anything, settling back on his haunches to wait out the last couple minutes. Maybe come up with a nice, solid battle-cry or two.
Daniel doesn't seem to be getting the hint about sharing time being over, because he says, "You used to keep us a bit at arm's length, which I suppose makes sense after what happened to Kowalski and, well, everyone."
Jack makes the mistake of looking over, and there's the prizewinning earnestness in Daniel's eyes. "You don't say."
"I'm trying to say, Jack, that it's a good thing. This-" Daniel raises his hands right into a bunch of thorns, winces, and shakes them out. "Well, teamwork, anyway. Rapport. It's what makes us such an effective unit."
"I concur," Teal'c says, and Jack resists the urge to glare at him for siding with Daniel.
Instead, he fishes his cap out of one of the pockets of his vest, manages to get it on his head with a minimum of entanglement, and says, "One minute."
"This is kind of poker-ish," Daniel says. "You know? We're betting on Sam's being able to get that Sarketian tech out in time. If we jump in too soon, we compromise her cover, and if we wait too long-" He trails off, and when Jack glances over, there's nervousness all over his face.
"That is not an option," Teal'c says, with conviction. "We will retrieve the technology and we will all return home. And then we will play poker."
Jack snorts, but there's something strangely uplifting about that level of confidence. If things don't go as planned, hey, Teal'c will make sure there's hell to pay. He glances at his watch again, watches the seconds tick over, thinks about strategies and odds and poker, and says, "We're giving her two more minutes."
"That's the other thing about poker," Daniel says, so quiet he's pretty much talking to himself. "Sometimes it's about trust."
There's a snap, like a twig, and it's coming from behind them, and Jack's been so keyed up for the last few hours that his sidearm's up and the safety's off before he even realizes he's moving. The adrenaline's so bad that it takes him a second to register the face, and then he heaves a sigh, lowering his weapon, and hears the others relaxing out of their own fight-or-flight moments. "Carter. Don't do that."
She's grinning, which makes it pretty much impossible to be annoyed at her for more than a few seconds. "Sorry, sir. Uh. If you don't mind my asking, why are you hiding in the bushes?"
"We wanted to be close by," Daniel says. "It's a, uh-" He glances at Jack.
"Strategic position," Jack says, and he can tell by Carter's raised eyebrow that she's not buying it, and for a second he wonders if she's got a lousy poker face. "We wanted to be close by in case of trouble," he said.
She blinks. "You were expecting trouble? I thought they seemed pretty friendly."
"There is always trouble," Teal'c observes.
Jack narrows his eyes. "Besides, they were too friendly. Too friendly, and way too insistent that you be the only one to accompany them."
"They're mistrustful of anyone who doesn't devote at least part of their life to the study of energy sources," Carter says, with a shrug, and holds out a sheaf of papers. "They were happy to share their research to date."
"Yes, but they might have been-" Jack waves a hand. "I don't know. Evildoers."
Carter's eyes are bright. "Evildoers, sir?"
Jack raises his hands in surrender, then winces when they snag on thorns all the way up. "Evildoers. Mad scientists. We got bored waiting for you to come back. I don't know, Carter."
Teal'c cuts in before she can reply. "Am I correct in assuming that we have no further need of this hiding place?"
Carter nods, and he springs up from his crouch, looking every bit the calm, cool, and collected Jaffa warrior, though possibly in a bit of a rush due to his calm, cool, crouching for so long without moving. Jack follows suit, a bit slower, and Daniel flails around for a while trying to get the back of his jacket unhooked, before Carter takes pity on him and yanks him free.
"So," Daniel says, once they're back on their way to the Stargate. "Poker."
Jack glances over at Carter, who's deep in conversation with Teal'c, apparently trying to uncover the dastardly secrets of Goa'uld energy production. "Count me out," he says. "I think we've had enough gambling for one day. Besides, what could possibly be more fun or relaxing than this?"
Daniel looks at him like he's grown another head, then pushes up his glasses. "I guess your decision would have nothing to do with the fact that you just figured out that Teal'c would have the universe's best poker face."
"Of course not," Jack scoffs. "I'll have you know that I am an excellent poker player."
"But a bad loser."
Jack regards him for a moment, weighing various responses, and settles for a classic. "Shut up."
Daniel looks away and smiles, and together, they head back through the gate. Back home.
