TF(OC): Tracking on Through
Rating: PG
Series: G1
Summary: Tracer tries her hand at a card game. Trailbreaker does not approve.
Warnings: Gambling.
Disclaimer: As per usual, the good things in life are not mine to have, but belong to someone else... in this case Hasbro, Takara and IDW and anyone else I’ve forgotten…
Authors Notes: For the 28s Meme - find the claim page here! This is Greedy, requested by el_esteleth.
Feedback makes friends. Flames dealt with by the masters of paranoia and fire, Red Alert and Inferno.
Tracer watched the game with interest; Smokescreen, Jazz, Bluestreak and Sideswipe were gathered around the table, oversized patterned cards in their hands.
“What are they doing?” She whispered to Trailbreaker
“Gambling.” The one word answer gave Tracer the impression that Trailbreaker didn’t exactly approve.
“Gambling? For what?” She turned her attention back to the table as Trailbreaker replied, watching the participants. The smirk on Sideswipe’s face, the subtle twitching of Bluestreak’s doorwings. The way Smokescreen tilted his head as he looked at the others before laying his cards on the table.
“Read ‘em and weep. Full House!” Groans echoed around the table as Smokescreen raked the energon chips towards him.
“Stay here…” She muttered to Trailbreaker, patting his leg as she jumped up and made her way over to the table.
“Can I play?” She asked, ignoring Sideswipe’s leer and dirty comment.
“Sure…pull up a chair. Do you know how to play?”
“Nope, but I’m sure I’ll pick it up quickly.” She smiled as sweetly as she could at them, setting a chair between Bluestreak and Sideswipe, both who obligingly made room for her. Sideswipe grinned suggestively at her and patted the chair and again Tracer wondered how he could get away with it with Bluestreak sitting right there. Not to mention the fact that Trailbreaker was also in the room.
Smokescreen quickly explained the rules, showing her the cards and telling her about the bets. Nodding, she watched as he dealt the first hand before turning her attention to the players. The cards in her hand weren’t the best, but she could swap one and get a fairly decent hand. Bluestreak’s doorwings quavered uncertainly as he stared at his hand. Sideswipe’s smirk faltered for an instant. Smokescreen stared around the table, one corner of his mouth quirked up in a half-smile.
As the game went on, the pile of energon chips in front of Tracer grew larger and larger. Most hands she won, and those she didn’t, Jazz won. Sideswipe was grumbling. Smokescreen was giving her decidedly unpleasant looks. And Bluestreak had run out of energon chips an hour ago. Trailbreaker finally made up his mind and crossed the room to stand behind Tracer, placing one hand on her shoulder. She jumped as he did so, attention focussed on the cards in her hand.
“Come on Trace…”
“Just one more hand?” She pleaded, leaning back in her chair to look up at him, completely missing the relieved glances the rest of the table gave Trailbreaker. He shook his head and stepped back, pointedly giving her room to stand up.
“But can I just finish this hand?”
“No.” It had to be the sternest voice Trailbreaker had ever used with her. When she didn’t move, he scooped her energon chips up and walked away.
“Hey!” Hurriedly, she made her apologies and followed Trailbreaker out of the rec room.
“What was that for?” She asked as she finally caught up with him.
“You were being greedy.”
“Was not! I was just winning.”
“Every hand.”
“Most hands.”
“Still being greedy.”
“Not my fault if they give themselves away. You don’t tell Jazz or Smokescreen off for being greedy!” Trailbreaker didn’t say anything.
“It was just a bit of fun…”
“It wasn’t and you know that.” Trailbreaker paused and sighed. “I’ve seen what gambling does to mechs Trace. And I don’t want that to happen to you.”