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The usual crowd was gathered for the weekly senior staff poker game in Will Riker’s quarters with the notable addition of the ship’s captain, after being encouraged to join the weekly game by both Beverly and Deanna. The game had been going well for Jean-Luc, but badly for Beverly, who had lost most of her ‘coins’ and was now down to making bets against favours and dares. So far, she had to agree to take Will’s spot the next time they had diplomatic visitors, entertain Lwaxana Troi the next time she visited, drink Guinan’s next experimental concoction, and promised not to ask anyone at the table to be in her next production. Will pushed his coins into the center of the table and looked at Beverly, ready to place his bet.
“Alright Beverly...if you lose, you have to show us your tattoo!” Will Riker triumphantly declared as Beverly was staring at the cards in her hand and the empty space in front of her that once held her poker chips. To her left, Jean-Luc raised his eyebrows. He leaned over and whispered in her ear, “You have a tattoo?” Beverly nodded.
“How did I not know this? We’ve known each other for over twenty years.” Beverly grinned and tilted her head to press a soft kiss below Jean-Luc’s earlobe, which did not go unnoticed by Will. Data opened his mouth, no doubt to comment on the colour of his Captain’s face, but Will rested a hand on his arm to stop him. She whispered into his ear, “Play your cards right and I’ll show you later.” Jean-Luc glanced at the cards in his hand and glanced at a grinning Beverly and pushed his entire pile of chips into the center of the table.
“I’m all in.” Will glanced over at Geordi and raised his eyebrows at his friend. Geordi caught on.
“I fold.”
“I too, will fold.” Worf made a production of throwing his cards on the table. Deanna tried to conceal her laugh as she too, folded. Data opened his mouth and had his hand hovering over a few of his coins before Deanna gently nudged him.
“Data, you need to fold,” she whispered in his ear.
“Why? I do not think the Captain can beat my hand.”
“Just. Do .It.” Deanna hissed. Data shrugged and put his cards down.
“I will fold.” Will glanced at his cards, then eyed Beverly and his Captain. Beverly stared him down, egging him to see Jean-Luc’s bet. Will grinned broadly.
“Now, I could make this interesting....” he trailed off and winked at Beverly. “But. I think what’s going on over there is pretty interesting. I fold.” He tossed his cards on the table with a flourish and Beverly felt her face heat up. It was her versus Jean-Luc. If she had the better hand, she wouldn’t lose anything, but she would gain Jean-Luc’s rather large pile of winings. But if she lost....
“Alright, Jean-Luc. I call.” Beverly laid her cards out on the table. All spades in sequential order from five to nine. Will whistled.
“Straight flush. Wow.” Beverly grinned. Jean-Luc looked at her calmly and laid out his cards. He played his ten of clubs first, followed by the jack, queen, and king of clubs. He toyed with his last card in his hands and glanced at Beverly again.
“I do believe, my dear, you will be showing me your tattoo.” Jean-Luc laid down his final card, the ace of clubs. Beverly blushed. “Show it.”
“I can’t show it to you in front of everyone else.” Jean-Luc’s eyebrows raised and he rose from the table.
“Well, then. As entertaining as this evening has been, I believe I have a bet to cash in on. Goodnight, all. Beverly?” Beverly stood.
“I think that’s my cue to leave too. Thanks for hosting, Will. I’ll host next week.” She glided past Jean-Luc and he followed behind. When the door shut, Will dealt the cards for the next round.
“I do not understand. What did Doctor Crusher mean she could not show the Captain her tattoo here?”
“Data,” Geordi’s voice was low and patronising. “It’s because the Doc’s tattoo isn’t anywhere decent.”
“What does that mean?”
“Never mind. Just look at your cards.” Data shrugged, and the game began.
Out in the corridor, Jean-Luc caught up to Beverly and she ushered him into the turbolift.
“Deck eight.” He raised an eyebrow.
“My quarters?” Beverly nodded.
“Are you going to at least tell me where this tattoo is?”
“Nope.”
“What is it?”
“Not telling you that, either. You know, I actually got it on a dare, too. It’s Walker’s fault, actually.” Jean-Luc snorted.
“When is anything that happened when we were younger not his fault? What happened?”
“We were playing cards. I can’t remember why you hadn’t come along that weekend, but for some reason, it was just Walker, Jack, and I. Walker dared me to get a tattoo. I was supposed to show it to you a long time ago, but the chance never arose. Jack thought it was hilarious, naturally.” The lift stopped and Jean-Luc held out his arm for Beverly to proceed him.
“Has anyone seen this tattoo of yours?”
“Mm. Wesley has.”
“Wesley? But you couldn’t show it to me in Number One’s quarters?”
“Nope.” Beverly waited for Jean-Luc to enter the codes for his quarters and she walked straight over to his sofa. “Sit.” He sat. “Close your eyes.”
“Beverly, really now.” Beverly rolled her eyes at him.
“If you don’t, I’ll blindfold you.” He smirked, but his eyes slid shut. He listened to the rustle of fabric and he heard a zip being lowered, but he didn’t know if she was removing her pants or her top. Beverly must have removed the final item she needed to remove because she told him to open his eyes.
He was staring at her back. Other than her pale, freckled skin, the only thing covering her back was the thin band of her bra. “I don’t see anything?” He watched as Beverly reached behind for the clasp on her bra and his mouth went dry when she slipped it off her arms and added it to the chair with her shirt. She moved to cup her breasts before she turned around. Jean-Luc rose from his seat and stood in front of her. “Is it on your breast?” Beverly nodded.
“Can I...can I see?” She nodded again and slowly moved her fingers away from her left breast. Jean-Luc could see something blue and pointed. It might have been a star or a triangle. He moved his hands to lightly grasp at her hips. “Show me,” he whispered. “Please.”
Beverly moved her hands from her breasts and Jean-Luc sucked in a breath through his teeth. Beverly heard him muttering words in French and then a hand moved off her hip and he gently traced the outline of the tattoo with a finger. Beverly shivered under his touch.
“It’s beautiful.”
“It’s old. I got it before Wesley was born. That’s why he saw it. He wouldn’t remember seeing it, but he saw it when he was being fed as a baby.”
“I was around when you fed Wesley. I don’t remember...” she shook her head.
“I only fed Wes on the right side when you were around.” Jean-Luc palmed her breast and she leaned into his hand.
“Why didn’t you want me to know?” Beverly looked down.
“It was silly....”
“No. It’s not.” Jean-Luc then did something that shocked Beverly. He leaned down and pressed his lips to her tattoo. “Thank you for getting this for me...for us...” He chuckled. “I’m sure Walker didn’t expect it to take twenty-seven years for me to see it.” Beverly laughed.
“No, probably not.”
“I suppose I should get a matching one. It would only be fair.” Beverly smiled.
“I think Walker and Jack would like that.” Jean-Luc traced over the image on Beverly’s breast again. Four stars - one for each of them. Two red stars one with JL in it and one with W with two blue stars with a letter J and a letter B. He leaned forward and kissed her.
“Beverly, would you like to stay the night?”
“Yes.”