Zare opened the door to the cadet barracks to an unusual amount of noise. The cadets kept things hushed to avoid attracting the notice of one of the officers or guards on duty, but even keeping their voices down there was a sense of fun in the air.
"Hey, Zare," Dev Morgan's head popped up, noticing him immediately even if everyone's attention seemed to be on something in the huddle of people. "Great timing, we're just about to start another round."
"Another round of what?" Zare came closer, as Jai held up a deck of cards. "You're playing Sabacc?"
"Not Sabacc, but it uses the same cards. Loth-Rat Slap. Pull up some floor," Jai said, shifting to help make room for him.
"That sounds… how do you play it anyway?" Zare asked, as Jai shuffled the deck and started dealing it out to everyone gathered.
"Simple rules, but you have to pay attention. You get your stack, don't look at it, we go around and everyone flips a card and into the pot, the goal is to slap the pot and add them to your stack when the right card combos pop up. If you slap at the wrong combo, you lose a card," Dev jumped in to explain the rules. "You'll pick it up quick, don't worry."
"And house rules, winner gets a favor from the last person out," Jai grinned deviously, then flipped the first card into the pot.
Zare settled in, mostly watching and just putting a card in when the time came. It was easy to see why everyone was eager to join in. It was fast paced, with everyone watching the pot for the moment to strike and add more cards to their hand. It didn't take him long to realize he enjoyed, well, not cheating, but bluffing, jerking his hand like he was about to slap and then not following through in hopes that more gullible players would automatically slap down and have to forfeit a card.
It was surprisingly fun, he ran out early, and watched, managing to slap a sizable pot and rejoin the game.
"When I win, going to make the loser cover my shift cleaning the 'freshers," Jai bragged.
"Good thing that's not going to happen," Dev jerked his hand and this time no one moved and… he slapped down the pot, collecting the cards. "When I win, someone else gets to stand in line for me at the mess for lunch."
"Your luck's going to change sometime, Morgan," Jai groused, watching the pot like a hawk. A few of the others fell out, deciding not to try and get back in and just settling in to watch.
"You're being quiet, Zare, what would you want if you won?" Dev asked him after he flipped down a card.
"I'm watching the game, not running my mouth," Zare spoke up, but with a small smile. It was… surprisingly nice to just lose himself in the game like this. He hadn't actually thought about what he might want.
It took a little longer, but Jai ran out of cards, glancing between the two of them. "I'm out, I'm not risking playing waiter tomorrow, and don't know what horrible thing you have planned, Zare. Maybe if there's another game."
"Told you," Dev teased, taking his eyes off the cards for just a moment, Zare flipped his down and then struck.
"Looks like you're going to be getting your own lunch after all," Jai snickered, earning an annoyed look as Dev turned back to the card game at hand. The damage was done though, no matter how quick he was Zare had the advantage now and he used it ruthlessly until Dev was flipping over his last card in exaggerated dismay.
"Alright, you win, beginners luck. Going to tell me what you have planned for me?" Dev asked, pulling off a fairly credible forlorn expression.
"Yes, but not here. Come on," Zare handed the deck of cards back to Jai, standing up and motioning back to the shared 'fresher room.
"Uh oh," Dev flushed a little at the snickers, and Zare felt almost bad for him. He just wanted a chance to admit he wasn't really interested in the 'winnings' without being teased or pressured into something. Dev followed him quickly enough though, and he closed the door behind them for relative privacy.
"What couldn't you say in front of everyone else?" Dev questioned him, and Zare shrugged.
"I didn't really have anything, was just playing to play, you know? I don't really want anything from you," Zare admitted.
"Nothing? I think I'm a little insulted," Dev moved closer, grinning a little, a mischievous spark in eyes that always looked just a little too blue to be real. "I could give you a kiss?"
Zare snorted. "Sure, you could do that."
He was so certain he was teasing that Dev moving in caught him by surprise and then warm lips were being pressed against his own. Zare stiffened, surprised, hand coming up to Dev's chest and then gripping at the t-shirt he wore under his open cadet jacket, holding on. He felt breathless, pressing closer, lips parting without thinking about it as Dev's tongue flicked lightly over his lower lip. It was overwhelming and over far too soon as Dev pulled back enough to break the kiss, despite Zare's attempt at protesting the matter.
Dev looked far too smug and Zare was fairly certain he looked like he'd been hit with a stun bolt, but he didn't care. He managed to shake things off enough to let go of Dev's shirt, smacking at Dev's shoulder.
"We even now?" Dev asked, licking over his lower lip in a way that had to be unconscious and made Zare want to pin him against the wall and kiss the smug look off his face.
"For now," Zare did his best to gather his composure. They might have a minute or two of privacy out of respect for the game, but there was no such thing as any real privacy on the base. He knew that well enough.
Dev grinned, tugging at his shirt to straighten it. "Then think you're up for another round? Of cards, I mean."
"We should probably get ready for lights out," Zare said reluctantly,
"That sounds like you want to say yes," Dev smiled, holding open the door for him.
"Yes," Zare let himself smile a little as he stepped out to join the others