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Kara sat at the table in the mess, slumped back and half off the chair, her eyes closed and looking almost dead to the world. The food Gardner had served her had left her in a blissful lassitude, leaving her unable and unwilling to move from her spot.
"Uhh, Commander?" Joker's voice filtered into her relaxed state and she flicked her eyes open to look up at him.
" 'Sup, Joker?"
"The crew is wondering if you're up to a game of poker? Seems as if Gabby and Ken want a chance at winning some money back from you. Heard you played the "I'm a bit rusty" excuse the last time they pulled out a deck of cards," he grinned.
Snickering, Kara sat up straighter in the chair, her blue-grey orbs dancing as she looked at the pilot.
"Hey, I'll take whatever advantage I can get, when I can get it. Besides, it was a good way to see how they'd react and got a good laugh out of 'em both when I cleaned their pockets."
"Bet you couldn't win a game against me," he smirked.
"Bet I could," her grin was almost feral.
"Just you and me, or should we join the others?"
"Why, Joker, are you becoming more of a people person? You're actually willing to interact with the rest of the crew?" her eyes glimmered with laughter.
"Oh hell no, but for you I'd tolerate their presence," he grinned.
"Awww, you're such a sweetheart. I tell ya what, this time I'll go easy on you and it'll be just the two of us."
"Don't let it get out that I'm as sweet and soft as a marshmallow, alright? I'm only that way for you, Commander."
"Don't worry, your secret's safe with me. So, what are the stakes?"
"Hmmm, if I win, I move out of that cramped bunk and into your suite."
"Oh god, then I'd have to deal with you tossing your boxer-briefs every which way and picking up after your skinny ass," she laughed, perching her chin on the palm of her hand as she looked up at him.
"For your information, Commander, I go commando, if you haven't already noticed," he waggled his brows at her.
"Damn, and I thought you did that only for my benefit when you knew you had a chance of getting lucky. So, what do I get if I win?" she asked, her cheeks flushing pink as she warmed from within at the thought of him bare beneath his uniform.
"I'll get you something you've always wanted but never had."
"Already got that when I got you, Joker," she smiled.
"Something else you've always wanted but never had a chance to have," he amended, returning her smile.
"You're on. When do you want to do this?"
"How about right now? Something to pass the time while we're on course to the Citadel for some shore leave."
"Got cards with you or do I need to actually leave my spot to grab some from my quarters?"
"Actually, I think Gardner keeps a spare deck in one of the drawers over here," Joker said, shuffling over to rummage through the cook's space, grinning as he found and held up a dog-eared deck of cards.
"Mind grabbing some beers for us while you're over there?" Kara grinned.
"Ahh, love turns a man into slave labor, I see," he laughed, grabbing some tubes of the deep honey colored liquid from the cooling unit. Snickering, Kara grabbed the cards from him the moment he got close enough and started shuffling the plastic coated paper. Popping the tops of two of the tubes, Joker set one down beside her as she dealt the cards.
Kara watched Joker over the edge of her hand as she redistributed the cards she held.
"Y'know, we never did set all the rules. How many hands are we playing? Just this one? Best two out of three? Best three out of five? What?"
"Your hand that bad that you don't think you can win this one?" he smirked, his fingers nimble as they rearranged his own hand.
"No, but I don't want you crying foul if I win this one and you're forced to pay up. Don't want you to say I didn't give you a chance to redeem yourself."
"You're getting pretty cocky there, Kara," his voice took on that low rumble that he knew would send shivers down her spine and make concentration difficult for her.
"Oh playing dirty are we, Joker?" she purred, her lips curving as she saw him having the same reaction he gave her.
"I say we play one hand and find another way to spend our free time before I have to guide this baby into dock," he replied, grinning as he saw the answering flash of heat in her eyes, having immediately caught on to the double meaning of his words.
The game on, the pair traded insults and laced more sensual meanings into their words, trying to keep the other off-kilter as the one hand lasted much longer than it should have with only two people.
"Read 'em and weep," Joker grinned, spreading his cards to reveal a full house, aces high.
"Oh baby, is that the best you could do? Royal flush, my sweet," she smiled, revealing her cards.
"Damn!" he exclaimed, though there was no heat in his voice.
"You really wanted in my cabin, didn't you?" she laughed.
"Hell yes! It's more comfortable than the bunk in the crew's quarters… with the added bonus of sharing that huge bed with you," he sighed, leaning back in his chair and lacing his fingers behind his head.
"Well at least you get to share it with me for the next couple of hours as you bring your baby into dock, before taking care of the Normandy," she snickered, removing herself from the chair to walk over to him, pressing her lips lightly against his.
"There is that," he murmured against her mouth.
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Joker fidgeted as he wound his way back to the rapid transport system on the Citadel, trying to keep his package hidden in case he ran into one of the Normandy crew. Sighing with relief the moment he hit the ship's deck, he quickly hobbled toward the elevator, wincing as his hidden gift sent a shaft of pain into his shoulder in the way of sharp claws.
"Calm down, will ya, fuzzball?" he groused as he rubbed the fur of the tiny calico kitten with his cheek. Stepping out of the elevator, he let himself into Kara's quarters.
"Joker, is that you?" he heard her call out from the sunken room.
"Anyone else have the code to get into your room?" he asked.
"You never know, with the collection of hackers we have on this crew," she said, laughter bubbling out into her voice.
"I've got my payment for you," he said, making his way down the stairs to where she sat curled up on the couch, a book in her lap.
"Oh really?" she asked, looking up at him as he approached, her eyes going wide then soft as she noticed the kitten in his hands.
"The pet store clerk is delivering the food, litterbox, and other supplies to the ship…" he felt his heart bump into his chest as she stood and wrapped an arm around him, the fingers of her other hand reaching out to scratch the kitten between its ears.
"I have a gift for you too," her voice was soft, her cheek resting on his chest as she let herself enjoy the moment.
"I have what I want, right here," he replied.
"Look around the room, Joker."
He looked around, startled, as he noticed his belongings blending seamlessly with her own. The model ships he had painstakingly put together that she had bought him, knowing of his love of model making, were displayed in the glass case separating her office from her living space.
"Wow… just… wow," he said, looking down at the woman in his arms.
"Looks like we both got what we wanted, doesn't it?"
"Mmhmm, so what are you going to name him?" he asked, still unable to put to words how he felt about the gift she had given him.
"I think I'll call him Benji," she replied, grinning up at him.
"Shit…" he laughed, pressing a kiss to her brow. "Couldn't think of something better than a shortened version of my middle name?"
"What? I think he deserves to be named after the best man that I know."
The kitten scampered off to investigate his new home as his humans lost themselves into the world of their kiss, then curled up on the middle of the bed, tiny pink tongue uncurling as he yawned and settled into sleep.