An old fic for a good friend.
Warnings: mentions of alcohol and gambling.
The OC is part of a crew of Ravagers that Kraglin now runs.
It wasnβt often that Kraglinβs Ravager Crew, the Obfonteri Clan, could put their feet up without having to look over their shoulders for enemies. Theyβd crossed a lot of people during the blip, the five year period where half of the universe had all but disappeared. With less competition, it made working easy, and the ravagers reckless. Some of their past actions had come back to haunt them lately, so when they would come to land on a particular backwater planet in the middle of nowhere, theyβd all be relieved.
They owed the particular broker of the local pub his life, which earned them a safe place to crash and an open bar tab whenever they needed it. At the moment, it was late in the night, and the light from this planetβs two moons was shining into the pub from an open window. While most of the regular patrons had left hours ago, Kraglin and the majority of his crew were sitting around a circular table. It was caked with half-empty plates and a surplus of empty bourbon glasses, but that didnβt stop Kraglin from shuffling the deck of cards in his hands. βNow this is a little game I learned from some pickpocket a few years ago-β he spoke with a toothpick between his teeth- βhe was a greasy little kid but he knew how to cheat a hand.β
Dropping a few cards in front of each of his crewmates, Kraglin would delve into an explanation of the game. It was simple, and a trick of mathematics. At the end of the turn every player would want to have put down a hand that added to the highest amount. Before they would turn their hand over, they would offer a bid, and the player with the highest card count would win the hand and the gamblings. Overall it was nothing more than a game of chance, and knowing the tells of your fellow players.
They would carry on like this for a while, growing rowdier and drunker by the minute. As luck would have it, fate was not on Kraglinβs side as he was on a bit of a losing streak at the moment. It wasnβt something too debilitating, heβd started by gambling coins and ended by trading off bobbles and bits. When it came to the point where he had nothing left in his pockets to give, he would give the deck of cards to another ravager to shuffle and deal.
The others seemed content to poke fun at his losses but he would just sigh heavily and lean back in his seat. So far back that he would pop his neck against the top, and give himself a view of the staircase at the other side of the bar. The owner had a few rooms for rent on the floors above and heβd offered one up to the crew, granted most of the men would just be going back to their ship to sleep, but one of Kraglinβs crew had taken the offer.
She was coming down the stairs now. Elliana Hart, the dame of their rag-tag crew of misfits and outlaws. A fellow Xandarian, as far as Kraglin knew, who had wormed her way into his heart. Theyβd hooked up a few times in the past and he always caught himself looking her way when they were in the same room but it had never been anything more than that. Mainly, she was the irreplaceable one on his crew and everyone knew. She was held on a higher pedestal because she was efficient, easy on the eyes, and the perfect second-in-command.
The woman would catch him staring as she hit the bottom step and she would arch a brow, heβd meet her curious expression with a smile. βHey there Ana, finally decided to join us, did ya?β
She was wearing her usual ravager garb. A hodgepodge of equipment that somehow came together to make a proper suit, full of armored bits and weaponry alike. Without a shadow of a doubt she seemed like the type of woman who would stab first and ask questions later. In the moment though, her hair was wet from a bath and the moonlight streaming in from the window caused her damp skin to glisten, and her physical features to soften.
Her green eyes would gleam as she drew near their table. They reminded him of little jewels, precious and exotic.
βI couldnβt leave you all down here without supervision, youβre liable to get us kicked out.β
βNaw, donβt be like that Ana!β One of their fellow ravagers would protest. As he looked up from his cards, the man beside him would glance over his shoulder to steal a peek at his hand. Cheating at itβs finest.
Elliana would catch onto this and smile, reaching out to lean against the rounded table to watch as the cards were placed face down, bets were made, and then the hands were flipped. The Ravager whoβd just spoken a moment ago came in last place and had to fold from the game completely afterwards. βWhatβre you all playing?β
Kraglin would sit upright upon hearing the interest in the womanβs voice. βThis here is Guessβn Galactic. The game where you look at how much your neighbor is sweatβn, guess how high their card count is, and gamble accordingly.β
Elliana would sigh, her eyes scanning over the cards as they were shuffled and dealt out again. Getting a feel for the simple mechanics of the game just by watching a few rounds. βIβm guessing that you played so bad you had to drop out?β She would ask, seeing as he was sitting at the head of the table with nothing to show for it.
Kraglin would blow a raspberry, before picking up his recently refilled glass to bring it to his lips. He shrugs, an affirmation, even though he didnβt want to admit how bad his luck had been that night. βWhyβre you asking? Were you hoping to play a few rounds?β
βShoot girl. Iβve got nothinβ left to bet!β
Elliana didnβt seem to take this claim at face value as she would walk around the table to pull up another chair for herself. Sitting directly across from him on the other side of the table. βThatβs not true, you havenβt bet yourself yet.β
The rest of the crew would murmur and coo, finding some thrill in this sudden turn of events. Honestly though, in their drunken states, they would find a rat skittering across the pubβs floor worthwhile. Kraglin meanwhile, was entirely sober enough to sputter and cough on his drink. Staring at Elliana for a long moment before he realized that she was being entirely serious.
So he would place his glass down and wipe his mouth with the back of his hand. βAlright then, whoever wins this round, Iβll give 'em a kiss. Howβs that sound?β
The offer would cause most of the crew to cut their losses and drop out of the game but Elliana had taken the suggestion with a near cocky smile. Reaching across the table, she would pick up the deck of cards and deal them to those still playing. Water droplets would fall from her hair and strike the table, they catch the light and remind Kraglin of stars.
They count their cards, make a hand out of three, hoping that they have the highest numbers, and then they place them down. Elliana tosses some money onto the table, as do some of the other Ravagers. Kraglin blows them all a kiss.
Kraglin had managed fourteen.
While Elliana, she was sitting high and mighty with a whopping twenty. Sheβd somehow ended up with a joker in her hand, of all the luck, and was now racking up her winnings from the tableβs center. When her winnings were placed within a pouch attached to her belt, she would glance up to Kraglin expectantly. βWell?β Sheβd quip, βI kept my end of the bargain.β
All eyes would be on him as he rose from his chair. He supposed he should have felt some sort of shame as he walked around the table to lean over Elliana, but there was none. After all, was he really the loser here? He couldnβt help the way his lips would quirk upwards as he leaned in close. As he felt her breath on his skin and felt a water droplet hit his hand when he braced it against the table.
Her kiss tastes sweet, as if sheβd eaten some candies or desert while sheβd been upstairs. The alcohol heβd been consuming all evening was probably a poor contrast. Still though, heβd shiver, all too eager to bring his evening to a close on such a high note.
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