Okay, here's my first one-shot in response to the Big Game prompt. Takes place somewhere between Brody meeting the SEALS and loading out with them in S3. Take as you will. Also this is dedicated to Indigo. :)

It was a humid, hot night on base. And with two days left before the mission, Yousef Turani, the rest of the SEAL team and Brody were pent up and restless, snapping at each other and everyone else in sight.

Knowing they had to build the camaraderie back up before loading out, Turani made the decision that they'd go to the rec room and play pool. It was cooler downstairs but not by much, so the shirts had come off rather quickly. Brody would have felt self conscious about it if the SEALS hadn't seen him through his heroin withdrawal and basically at his worst. Lining up his first shot Turani already had a smirk on his face.

"What's that look?", Brody frowned.

"Nothing. Just thinking about that joke A.Z told your girl upstairs."

"Carrie's not my girl, Yousef."

"Well if you're not careful he's gonna steal her and then she definitely won't be."

"Carrie Mathison doesn't get stolen away by anyone." Brody said matter of factly, going to line up his shot before hearing footsteps. Noticed the rec room door swing open.

"So how's the tournament going, Turani?"

"Well there would be one if you guys had agreed to join in." Turani pouted as Azizi laughed. Taking a sip from a bottle of whiskey he sat on the couch, patted the empty cushion next to him. Seeing who sat down Brody nearly dropped his cue.

"I bet Turani is gonna walk away with this. Brody's a goddamn butterfingers." Azizi chuckled as Carrie rolled her eyes at him, wishing she could take his bottle from him and chug it, gasoline taste and all.

"Turani is going into this thinking he's a goddamn pro. Brody has got a shot. At least he hasn't done four of them like you."

"It wasn't four! It was...oh shit.", he groaned as she laughed.

"He plays well when he's sober."

"And you would know this how, darlin?"

"Because it wasn't until he was two drinks in that I realized I had a shot of beating him!" Carrie recalled, a soft smile forming on her face.

"Don't worry. I'll keep your secret. If you get up there and try your luck against him again."

"I don't feel like playing, A.Z."

"Well then how the fuck are we gonna make this shitshow interesting?", Azizi whined as Carrie continued watching the game intently, catching Turani's eye.

"Someone is staring at you.", he whispered, nudging Brody with his elbow.

"Because she knows I'm going to fuck up this shot."

Rolling his eyes he looked curiously at the sly look in Turani's eyes. "I think she's checking out your form too.", he teased, getting an icy glare.

"Leave my form the fuck out of this, Turani.", Brody snapped. Feeling incredibly self conscious now that Carrie was sitting across the way and watching his every move. He knew she had to have seen the recent add-ons to his palette of scars. Track marks that stretched up his forearm. The fucking entry and exit wounds on his back and abdomen.

Swallowing hard, feeling her eyes on him, his palms went slick and when he went to make his shot, the pool cue nearly slid out of his grip.

"Jesus, Jarhead!" Azizi exclaimed.

"Fuck me.", Brody muttered. In the furthest tone from the playful, exaggerated one in his voice that had been there the last time he'd played this game.

Noticing that his hands and the rest of him were shaking, Carrie wasn't as surprised as the SEALS when Brody threw down his cue in frustration. Turned in a huff to grab his shirt off of the floor.

Quickly getting to her feet she walked up, reached to touch his shoulder. "Hey..."

Flinching at the contact, Brody didn't turn but felt her eyes on him again and froze.

"Carrie, I...", he trailed off. She didn't say anything back, but he felt her fingers gently brush over where the bullet had torn through his lower back.

He found himself shuddering. At the memory, her fingers, he wasn't sure which. While Carrie shook her head sadly, shut her eyes.

Who the fuck did this to you. Why did they hurt you. It should never have happened, I shouldn't have let it happen. I'm so sorry. I'm so fucking sorry.

Her forehead came to rest on his upper back just long enough for him to feel a tear on his skin. Hear her sniff.

"C'mon.", she said, pulling back as he turned, frowned.

"C'mon what?"

"I'm not going to just stand here and watch you lose to the fucking SEALS."

"Hey!", Azizi and Turani exclaimed. Pouting.

"Carrie, I don't-"

"I'll help. Try to anyway."

"What? Am I a fucking lost cause?", he snorted.

"Those shots are going to cost you the game. I've been watching. Your stance is fucking awful.", she said bluntly. Getting them both lightly laughing and her instinctively reaching for his hand. Only to catch sight of the lines extending up his arm. When he went to pull his hand away she tugged it closer, started tracing the marks above his wrist with her thumb.

I'm so sorry.

Eyes welling up with tears she quickly sniffed them back, took hold of his wrist. "This way, Marine."

Leading him back to the table she stepped in front of him, grabbed a cue. "Now watch me, okay?"

"Hey! Hold up!", Turani protested. "The game wasn't supposed to include-"

"Why? You afraid you'll lose?", Brody snorted, arching a brow as Turani rolled his eyes. But knew playing Carrie wouldn't be as easy a win for him.

"It's all in how you line up the shot. If you don't have the right position you can't shoot for shit."

"How the fuck do you know all this?", Brody asked.

"My dad taught me to shoot pool in our basement when I was ten.", Carrie shrugged, bending forward before angling her cue. "Now hold my hips."

"What?"

"The way that they're positioned is how yours should be. Stance is important."

Doing as she asked, not entirely minding, after Brody came up behind and took hold of her he realized she felt different. In a good, slightly curvier way.

Now Carrie was the one feeling anxious. Biting her lip, hoping it looked like she was just concentrating, she was actually wondering if by his holding her he could somehow tell.

Shit. Fucking shit.

"Hey Mathison, I could use some help getting in the right position too."

"Fuck you, A.Z.", Carrie snorted as he smirked, raised his shot glass in her direction.

"Hey, only if you're willing."

"Hey.", Brody cut in, shooting him a look and holding her a little tighter as Eric Baraz walked in. Eyed Carrie curiously as he sipped his beer.

"Now I'm gonna take the shot. Stand back and watch me, okay?"

Nodding, Brody stepped back as Baraz stepped forward. Sneaking behind Carrie, he moved his hand to cup her ass.

"Nice curves there.". he slurred as she threw down her cue and spun around, shoved him.

"Asshole! You fucking touch me again-", Carrie yelled as Brody glared, stepped towards him,

"Cut the shit, Baraz!", Turani spat. Standing Azizi slammed his glass down on the coffee table. "Enough of this. All of you. Settle down!". he boomed. Once eyes were on him and everyone seemed to cooperate he relaxed, picked his drink back up.

"Maybe we ought to make this game interesting after all. If it'll get your focus back on it and not on fucking killing each other."

"Interesting? What the fuck are you getting at?", Brody asked as Azizi turned to Carrie.

"Mathison. You still betting on Jarhead?"

"Yes.", she answered, eyes narrowed.

"Okay then. Turani, I'm still betting on you. So here's the deal. Whoever's bet on the loser, has to kiss the winner. So Brody if you win, I kiss you. Yousef if you win, Mathison kisses you."

"Kiss?", Brody sputtered. "Have you fucking lost it, Azizi?!"

"Last I checked Yousef is happily married!", Carrie scoffed as Baraz snorted, sipped his drink.

"Yeah, like that's stopped you before."

"Hey!", Brody growled. Turning he stormed over to confront Baraz but Turani ran up, got between the two of them. "Knock it off you jackasses! Both of you!"

"Jesus Christ." Running a hand through her hair Carrie walked over to the couch, grabbed her bag. Seeing her, Azizi went to follow but she shook him off. "I need some air."

Seeing her leave through the side door, Turani rolled his eyes. "Baraz go upstairs. Brody, calm the fuck down. And don't fucking follow me." he ordered as Azizi stood up, made sure the two men followed his instructions.

Once on the porch Turani saw her sitting with her back against the wall, knees hugged to her chest as she stared out at the lake. Clearing his throat so as not to startle her he walked up. "Mind if I join you?"

"Take a seat.", Carrie shrugged, wiping her eyes.

"I'm sorry about Baraz.", Turani sighed, sitting down next to her.

"He just found out his girlfriend was cheating on him. And when he drinks he tends to turn into a raging asshole. We usually manage to cut him off before he reaches that point. I'm sorry we-"

"You don't need to apologize for him. I've heard way fucking worse. Really. I'm fine."

"No you're not.", Turani argued as she snorted, frowned at him. "You think I didn't see that little moment back inside between you and Jarhead?", he asked as he moved closer, put a hand comfortingly on her shoulder.

"We're going to take care of him, Carrie. We take care of each other out there. You served. You know."

"I know that shit happens that's out of your control. Out of anyone's control.", Carrie sighed.

"Well when that happens we'll cope the best we can. We're well trained. So is Brody. Believe me, he wouldn't be loading out in two days if he wasn't damn well prepared."

Shaking her head, looking back out at the water it took Carrie a second to find her voice.

"I know what happened out on the lake.", she said softly.

"That was different, Carrie. That was before you showed up, before we drove him to see his daughter. He's changed. He's not the beaten, broken, shell that wanted to die and get away from the bearded assholes forcing him to live. He's not that man that sank in that lake with no plan on leaving it.", Turani sighed as Carrie sniffled, prompting him to slip a tanned, muscular arm around her.

"Chin up, Mathison. It's going to be okay. I promise."

"Don't make promises you can't keep, Yousef."

"I'm not in the habit of it.", he smiled, then went serious again. "Brody rallied. He's willing to go ahead with the mission because of you."

"And that's supposed to make me feel alright?", Carrie scoffed. No matter how much she tried she couldn't shake the feeling in her gut that horrible things were in store for them in Tehran. She'd barely been sleeping and had been sneaking cigarettes every chance she had to try and take the edge off. Luckily as of yet nobody had caught her.

"You're his motivation. My family's mine. If you think I don't want to get this the fuck over with and come back to them, you're wrong.", Turani smiled sadly.

"You have a son, right?"

"Yeah."

"What's his name?"

"Devon. I try not to talk much about him though. Superstition and all that.", he shrugged, knocking on the wood floor of the porch.

"You ever think about having kids?"

"Not until recently, no.", she answered. Absentmindedly her hand went to her stomach. Luckily though Turani was distracted by a loud war whoop coming from inside the rec room.

"What the.." Standing he turned to look in the window, only to see Azizi had dipped Brody, was about to go ahead with the bet.

"Shit! Mathison, you're not careful A.Z's gonna put the moves on your man!"

Rolling her eyes, knowing who he meant Carrie stood up. "Brody is not my m...holy fuck!", Carrie exclaimed, racing back inside with Turani as Brody broke free of his drunken captain's lips. Looking stunned. "Mother fucking..."

"Hey! You won after Turani took off and forfeited. I just kept up my end of the bargain is all.", Azizi shrugged, then swayed, plopped back onto the couch.

"By shoving your fucking tongue down my throat?!", Brody sputtered. Shaking his head, wiping his mouth he went over to the bar and reached for the bottle of whiskey. "Hey! Meds and booze don't mix well.", Turani warned, setting it down.

"Your bearded lug of a captain just French kissed me and I don't get a drink? How the fuck do you expect me to-"

Cut off when Carrie walked up, pulled his arm and pulled him into a softer, sweeter, to his relief scruffless kiss, when Brody pulled back he was still stunned, but far more pleasantly.

"What was that for?"

"Because making out with Azizi right before bed will give you fucking nightmares.", she snorted before her face went solemn. "You've had enough of those lately, right?"

"Carrie-"

"I'll see you tomorrow, okay?"

Nodding, before Brody could respond properly she walked away. Watching her, all he could think about then and on his walk back to his bunk was the way her fingers had felt on his back. It was all he wanted to think about for the rest of the night. Her tracing his scars and touching his arms and his hands on her hips and them standing pressed into the pool table with her curves pressing back into him and fucking holding her close again and kissing her again and-

"Hey Jarhead...JARHEAD!"

"For Christ's sake, Azizi! What?", he groaned, tempted to climb into the bottom bunk and strangle the man.

"Hey, is that any way to talk to your captain?"

"Captain who's in the fucking bunk below mine.", Brody muttered. "What is it?"

"Nothing. I just, I want to ask you something."

"Fine, what?"

"I've always wondered about this. And you're the only fucker I feel I can talk about it with."

"What is it?", Brody asked curiously, hearing a trace of vulnerability in the man's gruff voice.

"Do I..."

"It's okay. You can ask.", he assured, rolling so he could look down at him from the upper bunk.
"Talk to me A.Z."

"Jarhead. Be honest. Do I-"

"What?"

"Do I use too much goddamn tongue?"

"Mother...fucking..."

Grabbing the pillow from behind his head Brody rolled back onto his side, shoved it over his ears.

"'Cause you can't ask a woman something like that and I just..."

"GOOD NIGHT, Azizi.", Brody growled as the older man shrugged, rolled his eyes.

"Night Jarhead."