Winner Takes All

Damon reached up and swiped his hands back through his hair after closing the hatch and sealing it. Standing up, he took a step back and inspected the plate carefully. It had been carefully built to conceal its existence and the cargo contained within, but a quick glance ensured that it fit into place the way it was intended and that a casual search would turn up nothing to get them pinched.

Satisfied, Damon turned and climbed up the ramp that led from the Albatross's cargo hold its living areas. He passed through the hall containing the general living quarters and ducked through the bulkhead at the end of the corridor.

He hopped down from the bulkhead into the captain's quarters of the Albatross and pulled the hatch shut behind him, twisting the wheel to seal it. Damon spun around and grinned. "Well, she's all safe until we make our delivery tomorrow. RC and Thane already went Terra, but that's not surprising. Those two have been itchy to get dirt under their boots since they found out we were making berth on Eros."

Tavi smirked slightly as she lounged on the bed. "Not surprising," she said with a little purr to her voice. Her overall appearance was that of a satisfied feline. Had she a tail, it would surely be flicking back and forth. "Figured I'd wait for you to see if you wanted to take anything before we left."

Damon walked across the room and came to stand next to the bed. He grinned wide as he looked her over. "I can think of a few things I want before we head off-ship," he said, reaching out and running his fingertips along her side, over her hips and across the length of her thigh. He chuckled softly and ran his fingers back through his hair. "Actually, I was thinking, we're going to be on Eros for at least a week," Damon told her, circling around and dropping down into a chair near the small round table bolted in the center of their quarters.

He leaned back in the chair and kicked his booted feet up onto the top of the table. Damon held up his hand, which had produced a deck of playing cards from somewhere on his person. "So I was thinking we could play a game for the time we'll be here."

Tavi quirked a brow "A game that lasts a week?"

"I suppose you could look at it that way," Damon said with a nod, casually splitting the cards and fanning them back together. "I say we play a game, and the winner gets the loser as their slave for whatever time we've got here on Eros when we're not conducting business." He smirked and shuffled the cards again, "What do you think?"

Tavi smirked "What game?"

"Oh, nothing that you're unfamiliar with," Damon said. "A friendly game of poker, with a few changes. First, the loser of each hand removes a piece of clothing. If the person is naked they will perform the instructions of the winner for a short period of time. Each time a winner has face cards in their hand, they keep them. The game ends when all the face cards are collected, and the winner for the week is the one with the most face cards."

Tavi chuckled. "Sounds fun," she said. "Deal me in, but don't cheat."

"Oh, I wouldn't think of it," Damon told her innocently, then smirked crookedly, "Not with you anyway." Leaning back in his seat, Damon pushed another chair out from the small table with his boot and shuffled the cards in his hand again.

Tavi stood up and walked over to the chair. Kicking it around she sat on it backwards like she usually did and smirked at him. "Better not," she said. "I know where you sleep."

"Much to my pleasure," Damon said with a grin, "and exactly why I wouldn't dream of cheating on you." He flipped through the cards one more time, then dealt them out, flopping a card down on the table in front of each of them, one at a time, until they each had five.

Damon picked up his cards and peaked at them. He didn't hold a spectacular hand, but the pair of Jacks he held might have been enough. Keeping his face neutral, Damon looked up at Tavi across the table.

Tavi put down all of her cards with a frown at Damon and motioned that she wanted them all replaced.

Damon slid her cards to the center of the table and flipped out five more cards from the deck onto the table in front of Tavi. Damon laid down three of his own cards and drew three more to replace them.

Tavi frowned again but held onto her hand (as she had to), "What do you have?"

Damon laid his cards down on the table, though his expression was neutral still, as his hand could be easily beaten. He had a pair of Jacks, Spades and Clubs, as well as the Ace of Hearts, and two useless number cards. "How about you?"

Tavi put her cards down and practically glared at Damon "I think you cheated."

Damon laughed lightly and shook his head. "You just don't like losing. You're welcome to search me if you want," he told her with a wink, brushing his hair from his face. "Otherwise choose an item to strip. Pairs of whatever count as one item."

Tavi rolled her eyes "Fine" she said and removed her vest.

Damon smiled smugly and gathered up the cards, though he pulled the face cards he'd won with to the side in a small stack nearby. He shuffled twice and dealt out the second hand of their game.

Tavi shook her head and snorted. "Think I better start dealing" she said and sat all her cards down again.

"Oh, you've seen all my tricks. You'd know them if you say them," Damon said with a chuckle, dealing her out five more cards. Damon set down four of his own and pulled new ones from the top of the deck. He took a moment to look at his hand and arrange his cards, then he set it down. "Two pair, he announced, eights and nines, with a jack for company. What do you got?"

Tavi put down her cards and wrinkled her nose a bit "You still have more face cards" she pointed out.

"It's the second hand, I'm sure you'll catch up," Damon said, chuckling again, leaning back a little further and kicking off his boots. "Besides, it makes us a little more even. I wear less in the way of clothing than you, if I had to estimate."

Tavi smiled sweetly "Makes it more fun to undress me" she pointed out as she waited for her next hand.

Damon grinned, "That's the spirit, and I will be at that." He shuffled the cards again, avoiding any kind of fancy tricks so she wouldn't try to call him on anything, then flipped out their five cards each.

Finally she got a face card! Trying not to grin, but having a horrible poker face, she put her 2 down.

Damon raised an eyebrow. "It's a good thing we're not actually playing with chips, you look like the cat that ate the canary," he told her as he slid a card across to replace the one she'd discarded. Damon discarded three of his own and replaced them from the deck. He laid down a pair of Kings in his hand and chuckled. "Alright, what do you have?"

Tavi glared hatefully at the 3 and put her cards down "Nothin" she pouted, "But at least I got a face card!" She had been hoping for a Queen or a 7. Pushing some of her hair out of her face she removed her boots after setting aside the jack.

Damon gathered up the cards and then looked from the Jack to Tavi. "Ah, you only get to keep the face cards from winning hands, Love," he pointed out to her, idly shuffling the deck.

"Urf .. must've missed that part" she said and grumpily handed the Jack back.

Damon added it back into the deck and gave it one more good shuffle before dealing out the next round. He looked at his cards for a moment, then looked at Tavi. "What'd'ya want?"

Tavi put down her two "Just one" she said.

Damon nodded and passed across one card. Then discarded three of his own and picked more off the top of the deck. Damon sighed gently and laid his cards down. He didn't have anything except an Ace of Hearts for a high card. "I'm pretty sure you got me beat this time around," he said with a wink.

Tavi wiggled her hips and grinned as she displayed her cards "And one face card!" she squealed happily.

Damon laughed and gathered up the cards first, leaving the jack on her side of the table. The he reached up beneath his neck and pulled the zipper on his vest down in one yank, slipping the garment of his shoulders and tossing it aside.

"Better?" he asked her curiously as he shuffled the cards a couple of times and then tossed her five cards, dealing out five for himself.

(Two tens, a King, a 9, and a 5)

Tavi frowned "As long as you're not going to cheat so I win" she said and put down the nine and five.

"Now why would I do that? I want to win just as much as you do," Damon said with a crooked grin, sliding two cards off the top of the deck to her and then taking two of his own.

Tavi smirked "So you don't have to think up anything for me to do" she said and put down her cards.

"Oh, I've got plenty of ideas for you to do if you're my slave, no worries," Damon told her with a chuckle, setting down his hand. "Fullhouse, nines and sevens."

"Ugh" she said and wrinkled her nose, putting down her three of a kind. She had honestly thought she had won that round. "Alright fine" she huffed as she pulled off her headband.

"Remind me to catch you in your night wear the next time we play this game," Damon joked, glaring in amusement at the headband. Leaning over the table, Damon scooped up the cards and shuffled the deck. He flipped out five cards each and fanned them out in front of his face.

Tavi shrugged "Not my fault you got me as I was ready to go out" she said with a smirk and kept the 9s.

Damon reached over and gathered her discarded cards and the slipped three off the top of the deck. He considered his hand for a moment and then discarded two. "You're right, should have timed it a little better."

Tavi nodded. "Yes you should," she said and showed her hand.

Damon peaked at her hand for a moment, then shrugged slightly, laying down his three sixes. "That's alright, I'm making up for it pretty well," he said with teasing smugness.

Tavi huffed and started to unbutton her shirt, but then seemed to think better of it and unbuckled her belt instead.

Damon watched her undo the buttons, and then glared ruefully as she discarded the belt instead. He sighed theatrically for a moment, then leaned back and took his time shuffling the deck. "You've gotta be near running out of random items," he said, dealing out her five cards and his.

(Ace of Diamonds, pair of 6's, 2, & a 4)

Tavi looked at the belts on her arms and smirked. "Maybe," she said and then discarded the 2 and 4.

Damon snatched the cards and handed her two from the deck, then he discarded three of his own. He looked at his cards for a moment, and then flopped them on the tabletop. It had nothing, with the Ace of Hearts high. "Whatcha got?" he asked dejectedly.

Tavi smiled and laid out her 3 of a kind "Okay Mister - your turn to take something off!"

Damon smirked and shoved a finger into the sash tied at his side. Pulling the knot loose, he tossed the sash away. "Another face card for you, too," he pointed out, taking the rest of her cards and slipping them into the deck, shuffling. He shuffled the deck two more times, and then dealt out the next round.

(Queen of Diamonds, Queen of Clubs, 2, 5, 6)

Tavi nodded and sat aside her ace then peered at her cards. Quirking a brow slightly she discarded the 2, 5 and 6.

Damon gathered her cards and handed her three more. He discard two himself and then replaced them from the deck.

Tavi put down her cards "Two pair, Queens high" she said and smirked at him.

Damon looked at her for a moment, then smirked and laid down his own hand. "Three of a kind," he said, apparently quite pleased.

Tavi had liked her queens and huffed, pouted, then sighed and took the belts off her arms. "Fine fine," she said.

"I ever tell you that you're irresistible when you're cranky?" Damon said with a chuckle, watching her remove the belts from her arms as he scooped up the cards and shuffled them into the deck and dealt her out a new hand.

"You always think I'm irresistible," she shot back as she considered her cards. Shrugging she put down the 6 8 and 10.

"Mmm, that is true," Damon told her with a genuine smile, slipping her three new cards. "More so by the hand as well," he added, flashing her a grin. Damon took four cards for himself. Arranged his hand, then laid it on the table. "A pair, 4's."

"Hmph" Tavi said "A pair of twos" shaking her head she thought about what next to remove, shrugging again, she lifted her shirt over her head and shook her hair out "Happy?" she asked with a grin.

Damon lounged back for a moment, enjoying his newly acquired view of her upper body. He took in the sight of her beautiful breasts and her sweet round nipple and he smiled a little upon seeing the little pair of paw prints tattooed on her right breasts. "Things are definitely looking up for me," he confirmed with a smirk. When he was apparently finished admiring her, Damon shuffled the cards and dealt out their hands again.

Tavi didn't mind preening in front of him, so did so to her full advantage. Smiling when he finished dealing the cards she discarded the 6 and 3 and waited to see what she would get next.

Damon smiled back at her and flipped her two cards from the deck. He drew three cards himself and arranged his hand. Damon peered over the top of the fan at Tavi. "Whatcha got?'

"Beat this," she said and put down her three 10s (as well as the others, but she was gloating over that one).

Damon grinned at her enthusiasm and placed his own hand down, which comprised of only a pair of 4's and a King. "Afraid not this round," he said, unlacing the front of his pants and standing to peel them off. Damon stepped out of them finally and tossed them aside, leaving him only in his boxers.

Tavi smiled and wiggled in her seat a little bit. She was down to only her pants, though it was unclear whether she had chosen to wear panties or not. Sometimes she did, and sometimes she didn't, whatever the mood she was in. "Getting close," she said and waited for her new cards.

"Yes, it is," Damon said with a grin, tossing Tavi's Queen onto her pile of face cards and gathering up the rest before sitting back down. They were tied now with face cards with three a piece. Damon shuffled the deck and dealt their two hands.

Tavi thought about it a moment and kept the 7s. She WAS going to try again for a straight, but figured she might as well go the safe route for the moment.

Damon dealt Tavi three new cards, then picked up two new cards for himself. He rearranged his cards in his hand and tried to keep his expression neutral as he looked up at Tavi.

Tavi made a little growly noise because she had gotten rid of her 9 dammit! But this gave her a two pair, which wasn't bad. Grinning, she put down her cards and looked at him expectantly.

Damon grinned and set down four 5s with the King of Diamonds rounding off the hand.

Wrinkling up her nose she stood up and wiggled her hips as she unbuttoned her pants. Then, smiling, she slid them down over her hips, which showed off her little black silken thong as she did. Then, as if thinking of something, she turned around and slid them over her legs, pushing her ass up slightly and wiggling it at him.

Once she was finished she danced around a little and smirked at him as if to say 'nya nya' then sat down in her chair. "Alright, deal."

Damon watched her little display with rapt attention, deep appreciating her little show and find it terribly difficult to hide his interest beneath the boxers he wore. "Mmm, you got it," he said, shuffling the deck and tossing out five cards a piece.

Well this hand was more of a foot so she wrinkled up her nose and put them all down because to get new ones.

Damon looked at her pile of cards, then looked at Tavi with a cocked eyebrow. "With little performances like that, it's a good thing I'm not cheating, because I don't think I'd be able to keep my concentration." Taking her cards Damon dealt her out a whole new hand. Then took four cards for himself.

Tavi laughed, "Maybe that's the point?" She said and put down her cards.

"You don't trust me," Damon asked with a slight pout, putting down his hand, which had two pair, 8's and 10's. He jokingly increased his pout for a moment, then stood up facing her. He hooked his thumb into the top of his shorts and pulled the band down slightly, exposing the lowest of the little blue stars tattooed on that side of his abdomen, and then he repeated with the stars descending the other side of his hips.

Damon grinned at her and turned around. Wiggling his ass towards Tavi he finally dropped them to the floor and stepped out. His cock stood out proudly as he took his seat again and began shuffling the cards.

Tavi watched his little display with a smile on her face, even swiping at his ass when it got close enough. "Now .. what were those rules again?"

Damon grinned. "You never have been good with rules," he teased, then laid the deck on the table. "The game lasts until all the face cards have been collected. The winner is the player who's won the most face cards. If a loser for a round is naked, they must perform the instructions of the winner for a short period of time. Let's say a few minutes," Damon explained to Tavi.

Tavi smirked. "Okay," she said and wiggled. "Let's do this then."

Damon chuckled and nodded. "Alright then," he said, shuffling the deck and flipped cards out to make up their next hands. Damon picked up his hand and considered the cards, the looked up at Tavi.

Tavi tilted her head, thinking, and then discarded a 3, 4, and 7.

Damon slipped three new cards off the top of the deck for Tavi, then took two for himself. Damon changed his cards around and then peeked at Tavi. "So, think you're joining me, or ordering me around?" he asked curiously.

Tavi grinned at the Queens. "Ordering you around," she said as she put down her cards.

"I'm sure you'll come up with some very interesting instructions," Damon told her with a smirk, then put his hand down. "I think I'd like to see you out of that thong first, though, fetching though it is. Three of a kind."

Tavi pouted. "Oh fine," she said as she stood up and gave the same little show she did before, though this time she did it much slower and spread her legs quite a bit to do it.

Damon's grin became more crooked, if possible, as he watched her, and he reached out to run his hand over Tavi's round ass while she bent over. "Mmm, so beautiful," he murmured to her.

As soon as Damon's hand touched her ass she quickly turned and sat down, crossing her legs she smirked at him. "Well that's likely all you're going to see for a while" she said.

Damon pouted a little but leaned back into his chair. "I certainly hope not," he told her, grabbing the deck and shuffled through it a couple of times quickly. He dealt out their hands and then picked up his cards.

Tavi hrmed and kept the 9s.

Damon tossed three cards into the middle of the table with Tavi's, dealt our three to her and then took his own. He looked over his hand for a second before looking at Tavi expectantly.

Tavi put down her two nines and wrinkled her nose. "Alright what do you got?"

Damon sighed dramatically and laid his hand down. "Pair of 7's, hand goes to you," he informed her with a wry smirk.

Tavi smirked and felt like saying 'see I knew it' because deep down she knew that Damon was more submissive than he liked to let on and hated to come up with 'things' for her to do. But, she didn't want to ruin the mood. "Hrm" she said and tapped her finger on her lip as she thought about what to have him do. "Let's do something easy then aaaaand ... you can give me a foot rub."

Damon laughed and shrugged, "Alright, foot massage it is." Half standing, Damon picked up his chair and circled around the table closer to Tavi, which was fine with him, since the table would no longer hide any of his view of her body. Sitting the chair down, he bent over and picked up one of her feet and lifted it to his lap. He circled his fingers around her foot and started to expertly rub the sole of her foot.