directed | IC Inbox - Entranceway

[Rip’s thoughts need a moment to catch up with him, as he burst in the room quite ready to react to some dire need for his help rather than stumble across—this. He raises his gun up to avoid any friendly fire when Mick tossing the watch aside catches his eye, the confusion evident as he takes in the fact that there is no actual emergency to be seen. Mick and Leonard both confirm it a moment later, the comments they toss out enough for Rip to piece together just what they’d apparently been testing.]

Bloody hell, are the pair of you serious? [At least Leonard implies that they hadn’t summoned him just for the purpose of handing out beers. Oddly, it doesn’t do much to calm Rip’s temper.] You do realize that I was on the roof, don’t you? No, of course you do. That was the whole bloody point.

[Well, clearly he can put the gun away now, despite a lingering temptation to still employ it. Notably, Rip has yet to either fetch the requested drinks or sit down. Given the state of Mick’s room, it’s hard to want to risk touching anything.]

Consider it like a fire drill. If this was a real emergency, you're making great time.

[Mick leans over and shoved some of his crap under the bed to make it look more presentable and make room for Rip. Hey, look, he picked up all his underwear already, what more did people want? He tried hard to make it look nice today and he didn't even think it was that bad but Leonard described it otherwise.]

We just wanted to see how much you cared about us. [Apparently a lot. That was pretty fast. Even Mick couldn't haul ass as swiftly as that.] You look beat. grab us all a beer and sit down.

Very touching, captain. Thank you. Besides, you helped me win my bet.

[Leonard shifted a little closer to Mick, leaving more space for Rip.] You're good with poker, right?

[Whether he is or isn't, Leonard's shuffling the card and evidently ready to deal, nodding to the piles of cookies in the middle between them.]

We were going to play for chips, but Mick ate them all, so it's a dessert battle.

[Rip raises a hand up to pinch the bridge of his nose, reminding himself that this is likely the pair’s version of “meaning well.” Of course it falls right in line that they’d expect him to drop everything and sit down for a game of cards and a beer. It’s highly inconvenient, disruptive, even rude--

And if Rip didn’t know them both so well as he does, he wouldn’t recognize the inclusiveness of the gesture.]

Yes, well. Compliments aside, there’s plenty enough time for me to get a workout without the accompanying sense of urgency, thank you. [Translation: don’t do it again. He considers the materials left on the roof: all harmless, unassembled, tools that can be replaced should they vanish. It’s all lacking in unique value, nothing overly time sensitive, and honestly? Rip doesn’t feel like trudging up so many flights of stairs yet again today.

Beers and cards it is, then.]

Should I ask what prize I helped you win? [He’s considerate enough to grab the requested drinks before he drops down in the spot they’ve so kindly cleared for him.] And poker will suffice, I suppose.

[Especially since collateral has already been provided. Cookies work as well as anything else—although honestly, Rip has no plans of actually eating anything that’s spent a significant amount of time in Mick’s room.]

If we'd texted to ask if you wanted to join us for cards and beer, would you have shown? Nah.

[Mick takes his beer and huffs a little, cracking the bottle open against the bedframe that wasn't far away and happily chipping at wood. He had to sacrifice it for his beer, you see.

He doesn't look happy as he takes a sip, glares at Leonard for a moment before reluctantly returning to Rip. Ah, yeah, the bet.]

I gotta clean my room and get rid of all the trash.

[Which was hard. His room was 90% trash.]

For all the fifteen minutes that's gonna last.

[But hey, given how much time he ends up spending in Mick's room, it's still worth it.

Leonard opens up his own beer and takes a long sip, still feeling fairly smug about both his bet and the fact that Rip is now here, just as planned. He picks up the cards, absently shuffling them before dealing.]

We all know you can bluff well, Rip. You any good at the game though?

[Rip—well. He can’t exactly argue against Mick’s assertion that the honest offer would have received a refusal. Not that he wouldn’t have appreciated it (as he does now), but the work remains unfinished, and Rip’s priorities have not changed. His desire is to escape this prison and finish his mission, and while it might all turn out to be a futile effort, the last thing Rip wants to do is feel like he’s accepting the fate of being trapped here.

Not when it seems so much like becoming a puppet once more.

Yet he also can’t deny that this brand of comradery means a great deal to him, particularly given all each man has gone through, what they have lost thanks to Rip’s bringing them on board the ship. Perhaps it is not trust, exactly, but it falls close enough to friendship for Rip to be thankful for it.

All thoughts which go unsaid; instead Rip merely tilts his head to the side, his mouth briefly drawn in a tight line in silent admission that yeah, Mick’s probably right. Far be it from him to admit that, however.]

Is that what you gambled for? [Rip’s eyes widen momentarily before a hint of a smirk plays over his lips.] Suddenly I find myself not minding the jog nearly so much at all.

[Because seriously, Rip’s on Leonard’s side here. This room is terrible.

He keeps his hands folded together while Leonard deals, patient enough to wait until they’ve all gotten their cards before he reaches for his. The question causes him to look up at Leonard, his face carefully neutral before casting a glance towards Mick.

Timelines. Right.]

I spent a fair deal of time in era of the American Old West, as a matter of fact. [Something which Leonard knows but Mick has yet to experience.] Granted, not everyone there is what you’d call a “card shark,” but I did learn a few things about poker.

[Including some tricks that don’t fall in line with the rules. Considering who he’s playing with, however? Rip suspects it would be unwise not to use them.]

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